PITTSBURGH - Mid-week commentary on the news:
n The Pittsburgh Steelers get training camp underway.
Two-a-day practices are banned under the new labor agreement, but operations director Kevin Colbert is working around the clock.
He's signing some players, releasing others, and re-working existing contracts to make sure it all fits under the salary cap.
It's quite a juggling act, and it will be interesting to see how it all works out.
The Steelers obviously figure that if Jonathan Scott could replace Max Starks on the way to the Super Bowl last year, he's capable of handling the job for a full season.
In a year's time, the Steelers have basically revamped the offensive line, an area that could use some upgrading.
Third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon has made it known he'd like to be traded to a team where he has a chance to compete for meaningful playing time.
Barring disaster, that won't happen with the Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich ahead of him.
It's a challenging time for the Steelers, making important decisions in a limited time frame.
While the players are relaxing in the dorm, the front office is in a frenzy.
n Baseball's non-waiver trading deadline passes.
The July 31 deadline is too early.
It should be extended to Aug. 15, when more teams would have an idea where they stand in the pennant races.
That would more clearly identify the buyers and sellers and make for more action.
In the long run, the teams would be better off, too.
Instead of holding a player in the false belief of contending, the team could make a beneficial deal.
Any change in policies would require approval of the Players Association, which means it has to be negotiated in the context of a new labor contract.
Extending the deadline is an issue is worth putting on the table.
n Steelers camp isn't a media-friendly place.
Spies report it's tougher than ever to cover camp at Latrobe.
If Mike Tomlin had his way, the media would probably be in a tent city about two miles down the highway.
Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com
