Dejan Kovacevic: Afternoon to one and all on another spectacular day to be alive in Pittsburgh, Pa. As always, we go with all sports, all topics here today, beginning in about 15 minutes. You can put questions up right away, though.

Bucsin2011: Dejan, let's be honest: When do you think the Bucs will truly have a chance at the playoffs? 2012? 2013?...Later?

Dejan Kovacevic: I always try to be honest with every answer, and this will be no exception: It's going to be later. Getting to the playoffs requires pitching, and the Pirates just don't have it right now. Nor will they have it, realistically, until the elite crop of Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie and a couple others starts competing for work in Pittsburgh.

Finn: Do you think a prolonged NFL work stoppage will affect the league's popularity as similar stoppages did for the NHL and MLB?

Dejan Kovacevic: No, it will not affect the NFL's popularity. Almost nothing could affect that. You're talking about North America's most popular and biggest-revenue-producing league, with many of its franchises being civic treasures. No chance.

And one thing to clear up: The NHL's attendance actually grew the year after its lockout, to a record level, actually. Hockey fans were thrilled to have the sport back with a salary cap that brought new hope, as well as the obstruction crackdown that allowed the skilled players to shine again.

Baseball, of course, was a different story.

Derek: Am I the only one who feels Niskanen has been the biggest disappointment of the newly acquired Penguins? It seems like everyone - especially Stagy and Errey, have been raving of his play. But there has been at least one significant defensive lapse in every game - from the breakaway allowed to Marleau in the Sharks game, to the OT goal last night that was clearly scored by his man. I'm aware he has scored one more goal than Neal in his short time here, but it was a really soft goal allowed.

Dejan Kovacevic: You might be the only one, Derek. I'm not in the rave category, but Niskanen has looked mobile, smart and effective most of the time, and that's saying something considering the differences in the Penguins' and Stars' systems. Don't overblow one play that sticks out in your mind. Look at the total package.

Same thing with James Neal right now. Too many are looking at his not having scored yet. The kid has some serious weapons.

James_Taiwan: Dejan, other than PNC Park what is your favorite MLB stadium?

Dejan Kovacevic: AT&T Park in San Francisco for outdoors, Minute Maid in Houston for indoors. But I've been surprised over the years at how much better Pittsburgh's ballpark is than all the rest. You know it's great just from being there, but you don't know by how much until you see 29 more.

sms: isn't is a double edged sword - the Pirates won't draw more fans until they get a winner but can't afford players til they get more money.....where else will they draw cash to spend on that free agent etc once the core matures and is set.

Dejan Kovacevic: All you need to know about the Pirates' intent -- and we'll see if they follow through -- is to look at the Brewers. That's their model at the major-league level, from the economic standpoint: 1. Build a good, young team. 2. Hope that fans come out and revenues increase. 3. Add to the payroll significantly when the time is right.

I know there's been a lot of controversy over the stuff that Frank Coonelly said last week, but the 2009 financials released last summer showed the team had a $48 million payroll and made a $5 million profit. That adds up to a max of $53 million that could have been spent that year.

Very, very obviously, more revenues are needed.

bubs: Finn beat me to the punch (was gonna ask what you think about this NFL thing), so instead I'll go draft: pretend you're Kevin Colbert -- what player/position do you target in the first round? OL, DL, DB or the proverbial 'best available player'?

Dejan Kovacevic: Football people still insist on the best-available-player approach, but the fact is the NFL allows teams the luxury of going more by position than the rest, if only because the players can step right in. Corners are really expensive in free agency, and the Steelers really need them. I'd be very surprised if that wasn't at least their default mode.

Now, add to that that this is a good draft for corners ...

JAL: Dejan, if Crosby doesn't return do the Pens have enough to win at least 1 playoff series?

Dejan Kovacevic: Yes, because anybody can win one playoff round, certainly a team that has Marc-Andre Fleury, a deep and mobile defense, and enough forwards to put up 3-4 goals in a game. But beyond that without Crosby is asking a lot. I don't see the Eastern Conference as stacked, but the Flyers, Capitals, Bruins and to a lesser extent the Lightning all look pretty good.

Erik: Hi, Dejan, love your work. Will the Pirates finish the year closer to 100 losses, or closer to the .500 mark?

Dejan Kovacevic: Closer to 100 losses. And I'm not piling on here. But I don't like the starting pitching, and I didn't see any particularly meaningful additions this offseason.

sms: just my point Dejan as I read your blog the other day......they draw 1.6 mil and only have 5mil profit (including yankee money$?). wouldn't that seem they would need to draw double the fans then to profit and is that really obtainable in this day and age in this city?

Dejan Kovacevic: The math isn't that simple when it comes to sports franchise revenues. It's not a matter of taking 19,000 times two and saying that's what they need. The Pirates need increases in corporate sponsorships, suite sales and yes, they do need at some point or other to raise ticket prices.

Is that obtainable in this city?

Ask the other two teams in town.

JAL: Dejan, are the pitchers who were at Altoona last season good enough to upgrade the staff in 2012 or are they more another group like Duke, Maholm, and Gorzo?

Dejan Kovacevic: Well, in a piece I wrote independently for Baseball America, you might have seen that one scout likened that Altoona group to the Duke-Maholm-Gorzelanny trio, and not in an entirely unflattering way. The Pirates happen to think an awful lot of Rudy Owens, more than most in the industry do, and we'll see if they are right. Bryan Morris, Jeff Locke and Justin Wilson still have much to prove, too. These are not elite pitching prospects.

James_Taiwan: Dejan, do you think that games will be canceled during the 2011 NFL regular season or do you think that everyone will come to their senses and realize that there is a lot of money on the table to be lost?

Dejan Kovacevic: There are tons of reasons why I can't see games being lost, but the chief among them is the immense pressure on the NFL from its member TV networks. This is not something you can compare to baseball, and certainly not hockey. This is a big, big multibillion-dollar business that would be getting shut down over a comparatively small amount of cash.

Truck: I miss you on the beat, but I think Colin is doing a pretty good job. Just wanted to mention that.

Dejan Kovacevic: I appreciate that on both counts, and I'm sure Colin does, too. I'll be doing plenty of baseball later this spring and into the summer, too, so there really won't be that much to miss on my end.

Finn: What's your take on the Pittsburgh Power? Will they catch on? Are you excited for arena football?

Dejan Kovacevic: I am not excited about indoor football, no, though I've seen in a couple places like Tampa where it really took off.

Bring back Paul Child, Stan Terlecki and the Pittsburgh Spirit, and now we're talking.

JAL: Dejan, around Dec. 11will we be the same type of stories about baseball that we are getting now about the NFL or is baseball more likely to get things in order before the CBA expires? Early reports say the two sides are already engaged in bargaining sessions. What do you see as the major issues in a new CBA for baseball?

Dejan Kovacevic: No, baseball is nowhere near that path. You're going to see some changes in the amateur draft -- possibly hard slotting, possibly including international players -- and not much else. Baseball people live in fear of 1994. They'll settle so quietly it might not even make it onto most front pages.

James_Taiwan: What are your feelings about the Pirates adding Lyle Overbay? To me it seems that the Pirates would have been better given the at bats to a younger guy that might end up being an above average player. Low budget teams cannot win by signing 34 year old guys with no upside. The Pirates need to get more creative.

Dejan Kovacevic: The Pirates would have been best off if they had acquired enough prospect-type talent through their many trades and didn't need to bring in someone like Overbay. Alas, they did not acquire nearly enough talent in those trades.

sms: point well taken Dejan - as I worked at the Civic Arena when the Pens drew 1500 fans and at 3 Rivers when the Bucs averaged 20k on weeknights......times have changed.

Dejan Kovacevic: They've changed around here, for sure. But I remain of the opinion that, if the Pirates ever did produce this quality young team -- and I'm talking about more than half a lineup with limited pitching -- the people here would come out in ways that would surprise the rest of the baseball world. It's a sleeping giant.

Anyone who saw Pedro Alvarez's home run against the Rockies last season -- and I mean in person -- knows what I'm talking about.

Hammar: Any insight into why Kovalev got only 14 minutes of ice time last night (including none in last 5 minutes of 3rd) and Kennedy got 18+?

Dejan Kovacevic: No, I've neither heard or read an explanation. If I had to guess from simply watching on TV, I'd say one factor had to be that the Penguins were short-handed five times, and Kovalev is not on the PK.

bubs: Oh man. Great Pittsburgh Spirit reference! ... So anyway, You've been taking in quite a bit of Pitt basketball of late; they've lost 2 of their last 4 games - albeit on the road to good teams, but in the tournament(s), every game will be on the road against good teams. Are those losses a harbinger of things to come?

Dejan Kovacevic: Dude, I can give you Baltimore Blast references (Stan Stamenkovich!)

I'm not sure if Pitt's recent games are any harbinger in either way. I've liked a lot of what they've done lately in terms of slashing inside to the basket (mostly Brad Wanamaker, but a little Gilbert Brown and Nasir Brown of late) and, of course, Ashton Gibbs' shooting. I'm not nearly as down on the Louisville effort as most seem to be. Thought the Panthers did everything but finish layups.

The Big East tournament is going to be a much better indicator. As you could see last night in the first half, this Pitt team is waiting for a chance to ratchet it up against better opponents.

sms: any feelings on the non-historical designation of the arena and it's inevitable demolition?

Dejan Kovacevic: Honestly, it will be really, really tough to watch. That dome has been home to some of my most powerful memories of following Pittsburgh sports, going back to childhood and climbing up through the snow to be one of about 5,000 people going to watch Penguins-Jets on a Tuesday night in December.

At the same time, the next good idea I hear for preserving the arena -- or even just couple leafs of the roof and the cantilever -- will be the first. I hated to see the old Lawrence Paint Co. building go down near the Duquesne Incline, but again, I never heard of anybody propose a usable, workable idea for it.

I don't get the impression that our city is an any shape to be subsidizing something that cannot stand alone privately.

One more Q today ...

dave: hey dejan, i'm not a big fan of the questions like "do you think coach so and so is holding back some of his cards for the postseason" but I'd really like to think Dixon has some ideas stashed away on how to free up Gibbs just a little more come tourney time... he truly changes the way Pitt plays with just a shot or 2 and is fantastic to watch shoot.

Dejan Kovacevic: I saw Gibbs getting free quite a bit last night. I think what you're describing is not so much a need for new strategy as it is a need for Pitt to have honest threats from outside the arc other than Gibbs. If not, you're going to see more of that 2-3 zone that South Florida used last night and UConn used, too.

OK, I lied. A couple more ...

Hamburger Jones: An observation on Pitt hoops: I am optimistic about this team moving forward simply because if you look at their 3 losses in conference, they played their worst possible games and still lost by a combined 7 points. In the Tennessee game, the Vols (Hopson in particular) shot out of their minds. Thoughts?

Dejan Kovacevic: I think that's a very healthy way of looking at it. But mine's a little different: When Pitt is on, they look better than anybody in the NCAA. And I mean anybody. They dominate in all facets. It's men against grade-schoolers.

That's the Panthers' upper extreme, and I'm not sure there are more than a handful of teams that can match it.

Naterosboro: DK, you just used the words "sleeping giant" for the fanbase of the Pittsburgh Pirates. But don't you see this as more of an "extreme" case? They've been losing more than they win for close to 2 decades (which hasn't been done by anyone else). What makes you think people will show up just b/c our young players start to play a little better? I really think mgt. will have to lose money (deficit spend) to get fans back out on a consistent basis, and I don't see that happening with BN as the owner (at least past history doesn't indicate). Your thoughts?

Dejan Kovacevic: I didn't say the fans would come out if the young players would start playing a little better. I mean if the young players start playing to the level where the Pirates are genuinely competing. Big difference there.

If the Pirates are ever contenders, real contenders, people will come out.

sms: I may have sold you a Pespi at that Pens-Winnepeg game....

Dejan Kovacevic: And an autographed picture of Dale Hawerchuk, too.

Hamburger Jones: How do you see the lines shaking out when Kunitz returns to the lineup?

Dejan Kovacevic: This is, for real, the last one today ...

I'd like to see Staal stay with his usual guys, Cooke and Kennedy. And I keep writing on the blog that I'd like to see Jeffrey and Kovalev work together, though I can see Letestu is going to get that one for now. I'd put Kunitz and Neal together around Letestu, and let Kovalev play with Jeffrey. (Does it matter who the other winger is? If so, make it Dupuis.)

Thanks for all the participation today. A reminder here that the conversation never stops -- seriously, it's round the clock -- on the DK on Pittsburgh Sports blog on PG+. All topics, all the time.