And deservedly so. A couple readers have written to point out this article on Pitt recruit/commit, Jason Pinkston and his work as a junior volunteer fireman in Baldwin. It is a positive story on a young man who definitely wants to get to the pros. He seems to get the part, though, about needing an education.

But for Pinkston, being a fireman is simply part of making it. His childhood wasn’t the easiest. He should have a moving company’s phone number on speed dial. Living with his mother and father or grandmother, he started his schooling in the Woodland Hills district. Over the years, he moved to South Park, to Baldwin, back to South Park, to West Mifflin and then back to Baldwin as a sophomore.

“It’s been hard at times,” Pinkston said. “We lived in Braddock and one night this guy got shot and killed right in front of our house. I’ve seen innocent people get shot for nothing. When we were in West Mifflin, I saw people get shot over basketball games.

“I’ve learned you have to do something to get to college and get an education or you’ll be working at McDonald’s.”

For every story like his, Tim Murphy’s, Carl Krauser or Julius Page, and really throughout big-time college football and basketball; and honestly it confuses/inspires me.

I’m a cynic by nature, and I look at the money flowing from big-time college athletics and know that these kids wouldn’t get a chance but for their athletic prowess. They are exploited, used and if they royally screw-up the same people cheering, encouraging (and in some cases enabling) them turn on them and treat them like garbage again.

Still, stories like this give you hope.

Training camp begins on Tuesday. These are not open to the public practices like the Steelers in Latrobe (or the Eagles at Lehigh), but there will be a FanFest on August 25 at Heinz Field where you can meet the players.

Optimism abounds. Even in Central New Jersey, where the fans of the Scarlet Knights are expecting a winning season and their first bowl game in a long time. Heck, the optimism is such that in the preview, the paper actually refers to Rutgers as a darkhorse in the BE.

Of course, in Pittsburgh, Coach Dave Wannstedt is ready for some football.

He has enjoyed meeting alumni, building relationships within the university, recruiting, fund-raising, attending pep rallies and all the while he has relished becoming the public face of his alma mater.

He has enjoyed it all, but coaching football is what he does best and that is why he’s as excited as anyone that the Panthers open training camp this week and that the season is less than a month away.

“In the NFL it is all about coaching and football all the time,” Wannstedt said, “but the thing I’ve liked about this is the variety and all the different areas I have had to stay involved with. That broke up the offseason. But I do what I do because I love football and I really can’t wait to get out there and get started.

“We have a lot of holes to fill and a lot of work to do, but I’m really ready to get down to X’s and O’s and leave the other stuff on the back burner for a while.”

The article notes that Pitt still isn’t set at RB, is unsure about the back-up QB (Joe Flacco is still unknown), the need for more depth on the offensive line, and the fact that the entire D-line has been reshuffled. On the bright side, there is great depth at Tight End.

For the Canadians.

The Australian Crocs continue to roll through their opponents at the FIBA World Championships for Young Men in Argentina, defeating Canada 88-71 overnight.

The win is an outstanding result, given that they lost to the Canadians twice in pre-World’s tournaments at the end of July.

It didn’t help the Canadians that their primary outside threat, Andy Rautins (who will be a freshman at Syracuse) went down with a sprained ankle 2 minutes into the game. Canada’s next game is against Argentina.

Canada is technically 1-1 at this point, since it has a forfeit win against Iran. Iran, showing the usual tolerance and feelings of peace towards all, pulled out of the tournament when it found that it not only was in an opening round-robin group that included Israel, but that they would have to play Israel first. The same high-minded feelings that came through in the Athens Olympics when their Greco-Roman champion wrestler forfeited rather than risk losing to Israelis (read, Jews) in the medal round.

As for how Levon Kendall did. He shot pretty well inside the arc going 5-6 (but 5-8 overall with 2 missed 3s) and 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots in only 26 minutes. The downside was he was limited because he got in foul trouble early (4 fouls for the game) and had a disturbing 8 turnovers.