Tuesday 12 Qs: Butler, Olli, Pedro, Jagr, Hall

DK, draft aside, do you see next season's Steelers as arrow up or arrow down?

Dejan,

I know in the past you have begged off participating in many "national" shows as you prefer to focus on the local market. With your new format, any considerations hopping on some national shows? I think there would be a lot of interest hearing about your transformational business model.

Keep up the great work!

Maybe it's time to just move on, but... after watching the Pats beat the Ravens with only 13 rushing attempts, how reasonable is it to say that game planning is one of the key areas that needs to improve for the Steelers next season?

What changes do you expect Jamie Dixon to make at the end of the season to turn the Panthers around?

Dejan, your News/Views offers your view that Butler will transition to the younger players. Does he, in your opinion, present any other likely forms of change to what the Steelers do on defense? Or will it be mostly the same scheme, but only slightly tweaked?

Horrible luck for Maata. It's a shame all that he has had to deal with this season, but when was the last time you saw an athlete take so much bad news in stride? His maturity level is outstanding. I'm hoping his recovery is smooth.

A little off-topic: What are your favorite books, sports and otherwise? Did any have a big influence on your career?

Hi Dejan

Your recent article on the Pens Powerplay got me thinking. When was the last time the Pens had a beast in front, a large human who wreaked havoc? Bruins put Chara in front, we'd only have...... Borts ;) Great article btw.

What does Butler bring to the table Dick doesn't? Obviously Butler is the student here, so I don't understand the logic of pushing Dick out. Unless their was a miff between Tomlin and Dick, I really don't see the point. Clearly Dick isn't retiring. Maybe Butler was about to leave? If that's the case, let him go. Dick is the teacher, I'd rather have the teacher than the student. If they wanted to make a change from a football standpoint, I would think they would seek fresh eyes, from outside of the organization. Not from Dick's protege. Thus, nothing is really changing. So I guess my question is, why did they REALLY push Dick out? And you can't say for a strategic change, because strategically, nothing will change.

Why is Craig Adams still on the team?

Trying to post?

Before Tomlin came to the Steelers in 2007, he was a Tampa 2 disciple, working in that system as a DBs coach, and than as a defensive coordinator, with 4-3 front and all that. But he kept Dick LeBeau (among others) on his staff, apparently to maintain the chemistry within the unit that had won the Super Bowl just under 12 months before that, along witg LeBeau's defensive scheme. And there was seemingly no reason to change that while the 3-4, zone-blitz scheme worked over the years. But now, with no chemistry issue, no link to the past, no LeBeau, and with lack of recent success of the Defense, Tomlin seems to have his Tampa 2 days are in the past. Has he become the 3-4 adept now? Or is it just because the Steelers are SO in love with Butler that they promoted him regardless Tomlin's apparent system preference? And, consequently, as an ex-DC, how much input/influence will Tomlin have in tweaking the Steelers' defensive system (and in Butler's adjustment to the broader role)?

Can I get a quick news/views on John Harbaugh whining about deception and Tom Brady telling him to study the rulebook? I have to pledge my jealousy to New England, if this happened after a Steelers playoff win and then Ben said something similar, the entire city would be loving it.

thanks for all the hard work you put in. One of the things everyone said was that the Steelers D under Lebeau was complex. With Butler taking over, do you expect that the defense will be simpler to allow young players/free agents to get quickly acclimated and make an impact?

How Ironic is it that Dallas is complaining about the "Johnson Rule" one week after they beat Detroit thanks to a bad no call on pass interference. Will the NFL be changing the catch rule again this year(If diving for the end zone isn't a football play what is) and the rules that allowed NE to fool Baltimore.

Pedro no shows at mini camp, this can't make Neil Huntington happy. Does Pedro really not see the significance of showing some effort?

Does Starling Marte have a shot to be the Pirates' every day center fielder? What factors besides defensive ability (leadership, keeping McCutchen happy) would factor in to the decision?

How would you rate the Steelers 2014 draft now after the season? What do you expect from the 2015 draft?

Do you have any insight as to how much the Pirates really get from ROOT Sports for the broadcast rights & for how much longer? With teams such as the Dodgers, Angels & Rangers now getting hundreds of million$ per season to join the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs etc - these bottom-feeder teams (in terms of local revenue) will have even less of a chance to contend than they do now.

With all of the mobile young defensemen in the Penguins organization why do they not have one that can authoritatively clear the front of the net? Depres does a decent job but it seems that the organization doesn't value a mean defenseman to help out Fleury.