consider a different line here?

***** Hand History for Game 3278183499 *****
$1/$2 Texas Hold'em - Wednesday, December 28, 23:53:54 EDT 2005
Table Beginners #1066767 (Real Money)
Seat 5 is the button
Total number of players : 9
Seat 1: lumberg666 ( $42.50 )
Seat 4: venom2097 ( $92.50 )
Seat 5: elkins_ ( $27.75 )
Seat 6: Ziler ( $50 )
Seat 7: MAWNLV ( $58.50 )
Seat 8: halifax71 ( $50.75 )
Seat 9: kevinndd ( $45.75 )
Seat 10: meister_brau ( $48.25 )
Seat 3: KZBridgette ( $47.50 )
MAWNLV posts small blind [$0.50].
halifax71 posts big blind [$1].
** Dealing down cards **
Dealt to lumberg666 [ 9c 9s ]
kevinndd calls [$1].
meister_brau calls [$1].
lumberg666 calls [$1].
KZBridgette calls [$1].
venom2097 calls [$1].
elkins_ folds.
MAWNLV calls [$0.50].
halifax71 checks.
>You have options at Table 66986 Table!.
** Dealing Flop ** [ 7c, 9d, 6c ]
MAWNLV bets [$1].
halifax71 folds.
kevinndd calls [$1].
meister_brau calls [$1].
lumberg666 raises [$2].
KZBridgette calls [$2].
venom2097 raises [$3].
MAWNLV calls [$2].
kevinndd calls [$2].
meister_brau folds.
lumberg666 calls [$1].
KZBridgette calls [$1].
** Dealing Turn ** [ 2d ]
MAWNLV checks.
kevinndd checks.
lumberg666 bets [$2].
KZBridgette calls [$2].
venom2097 raises [$4].
MAWNLV folds.
kevinndd folds.
lumberg666 calls [$2].
KZBridgette calls [$2].
** Dealing River ** [ 6h ]
lumberg666 bets [$2].
KZBridgette folds.
venom2097 folds.
lumberg666 does not show cards.
lumberg666 wins $36

looks good, i probably 4 bet the flop, but your line is good

its a shame for you that the river wasnt a 2 of clubs. you would have gotten paid off then.

On the flop you can't push anyone out with a cap, and you give them better odds on later streets to draw out on you. I like the flop call and turn bet. The only thing I would say is MAYBE 3 bet the turn. Occassionally you'll be behind 8T, more often you'll be ahead of just an 8, 4 flushes, and top pair/2 pair.

River is a nice bet when you're first in. Some would argue checking to the draws to induce a bluff. Often times you won't get the bluff and you missed out on a call from top pair, 2 pair, or 3 of a kind. Betting allows you to get a minimum of at least 1 bet in there, and sometimes you'll get reraised by 8T or just a 6.

Yes... but with that many people in I think you give up way too much equity by not capping. No one's folding and many of them may be drawing almost dead. You mention keeping the pot smaller so you can protect your hand later, but it's not really clear how that's going to happen. Between you and the 3-bettor you have 2 people one way and 1 another, so check/raising is just going to trap more bets in the pot and betting may freeze him up and you won't get to protect your hand in that fashion.

Plus, obviously on the turn they aren't going to take into account the extra bets from capping on the flop, if those extra bets happen to make them make a correct move on the turn it's somewhat incidental, and I don't really see how this matters anyway, because by just calling on the flop you give them infinite odds to hit their draw which seems like it would counterbalance the fact that they may make a slightly incorrect call on the turn since you kept the pot small.