PITTSBURGH - Mid-week commentary on the news:
n Reports suggest an agreement is near in the NFL lockout.
I've said it from the start, and continue to believe that both sides have too much to lose to let this affect the season.
It's a complicated issue, but here's the bottom line:
Both the players and owners are getting fabulously wealthy.
The American appetite for the NFL product appears to be endless.
People buy tickets, they watch the games on TV, they spend money on merchandise.
It's an incredible cash cow.
The sport isn't in trouble; it's just a question of how they divide the riches.
Whoever "loses" in this won't really lose at all. They just won't win as much as the other side does.
n NFL players have been on their own this offseason.
As much as people ridicule mini-camps and OTAs (organized team activities), they serve a purpose.
They allow teams to monitor off-season work.
When camps do open, it's guaranteed there will be a story somewhere about a player who has done no conditioning work since last season ended.
Somewhere, there's a 275-pound wide receiver who took a daily path to a bakery.
n NBC loses its Wimbledon rights to ESPN.
The beast grows bigger.
If you're really old, you can remember the days when ESPN had to fill time with stuff like lacrosse and Australian Rules Football.
Today, ESPN has a partnership with every major league (except the NHL) and now adds a prestigious event.
Wimbledon has always been worth watching, even for people who aren't die-hard tennis fans.
NBC's production has done the tournament justice.
Here's hoping ESPN will maintain the same level of dignity.
In other words, don't send Chris Berman.
n NHL free agency winds down.
Put aside the Jaromir Jagr component for a moment.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had their depth chart nicked by free agency.
Max Talbot is gone (Philadelphia) and so is Mike Rupp (New York Rangers).
They both got contracts the Penguins would never match.
Talbot and Rupp aren't all-stars, but they filled roles for the Penguins and replacements will be needed.
Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com.
