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Q: When is Troy Polamalu going to start and play? I can't understand why he was given authorization to stay in California and then come back to the team hurt. How is it that some players are authorized to prepare without the team and some are not? I also can't understand why you pay a lot of money to players such as Casey Hampton who show up out of condition and are not ready to play.

Jim Ambler, West End. N.C.

BOUCHETTE: Polamalu might resume practicing sometime this week. As for his training in California, he's done that before and had great seasons afterward. Did you ask back then? He attended the required minicamp in May and after that, he was free to do whatever he wanted. He did not have to train at all if he did not want to. It's any player's right not to participate in a team's voluntary spring workout sessions. Hampton has reported to previous camps in similar conditions, but this time coach Mike Tomlin chose not to have him participate until he rounded into better shape. As for paying either of them a lot of money, each is a multiple Pro Bowl player and they could use more like them.