Eastern Pennsylvania sportswriters are begining to take note of what Pitt is doing.

While we’re on the subject of the Big East, it has not taken University of Pittsburgh football coach Dave Wannstedt long to mine the fertile recruiting ground that is western Pennsylvania.

Eleven players have already made verbal commitments to play football for the Panthers in 2006, including West Allegheny do-it-all senior Dorin Dickerson and Woodland Hills linebacker Greg Webster. Dickerson is a Top 100 prospect nationally and Webster is considered one of the top players in the state.

Johnny Majors took the same approach 30 years ago. He recruited western Pennsylvania heavily, went undefeated in 1976 and won the mythical national championship.

I’m guessing this is one of the older sportswriters.

You should read this article, just for the positive stuff Steeler back-up QB Charlie Batch is doing in Homestead. The part I’m pointing out is the brilliance of NCAA regulations.

Last week, he had Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon stop by the playground to speak to the younger players. Dixon spent almost an hour there, which says something about him.

“I can only talk to the ones in ninth grade and younger. NCAA rules,” Dixon said, shrugging.

You should have seen Batch glare when some of the older players and even a few of the volunteers bounced basketballs at the other end of the court during Dixon’s speech. He didn’t want any distractions. So what if most of the kids were more interested in hearing about former Pitt players Chris Taft and Carl Krauser than SAT scores? If Batch and Dixon can help just one kid do well in school, their time will have been worth it.

Happy 4th.