by Bill Neal

BILL NEAL

* So that you're caught up, the Finish Line is about just that. The end. A conclusion. A final thought if you will. Some things for you to reconsider before it's over. Before you cross the finish line.

* There are roughly a trillion or so TV and radio stations in the Pittsburgh and Allegheny County areas, but for some unknown reason there is no, none, zero conversation about the NBA finals. The Penguins have been dead for a month. The Pirates have "90" more games. The Power . . . well, they have no power. No Pitt or college anything and the Steelers are two months away. But there is no conversation about the NBA. And for the record, now the 2nd highest grossing sport in the U.S., behind the NFL . . . hockey is 4th. Why? I don't know. But if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks . . . then guess what?

BILL NEAL, LEFT, WITH DEACON JONES

:10 Last week the NFL lost one of its greatest ever players and most certainly one of the 10 greatest D-Lineman of all time. The creator of the head slap, Deacon Jones died of natural causes at the much too young age of 74. Anybody that knew “The Deacon” will tell you it wasn’t all natural causes. The man lived life large…all legal…but large! I know because I had the pleasure and privilege to have interviewed him about 25 years ago, when he was in town to do a “Lite Beer” promo. My first major assignment for the New Pittsburgh Courier, given to me by “The President” of the Know It All Club and my writing mentor Eddie Jeffries. (All I can tell ya without getting head slapped from above is, yes there were women when I got there…4 to be exact! Like I said, natural causes!)

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, right, talks with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (88) as the team warms up during the NFL football practice on Thursday, May 30, 2013 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

by Dale Grdnic

PIITSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin likes what he's seen over the last few months, even though he knows it won't matter much if the Steelers can't build on it when they report for training camp next month.

The team wrapped up minicamp on Thursday, meeting with coaches before Tomlin let his players go early rather than take the field.

"I just told the guys it's been a great offseason," Tomlin said. "But, and I think that but is significant because legitimately, you'd like to find ways to measure offseasons and feel good about it, but the reality is these types of processes are measured based on results."

AUBREY BRUCE

Hey everybody hot off the press, according to the Bleacher Report “Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missed part of the 2012 NFL regular season with injuries to his ribs and shoulder. This offseason, Big Ben is taking no chances with his long-term health and ability to stay on the field for a full 16-game season.