It's helped us to do a couple of different things. It's helped us initiate talks about developing a child advocacy center in Wood County.

I don't initiate violence, I retaliate.

He'll initiate it. Somebody has to say something for me to start. [Gordon] not only talks trash on the court, he talks trash off the court. If you had a trash-talking team, he'd be on it.

It really wasn't. We made a couple mistakes starting out, but they helped us a lot.

[The talks have helped clarify] what each party wants or must have in the basket and also what each party cannot tolerate, ... That leaves a middle ground which to some might seem too small, but to me as chairman it's still hopeful.

It did keep us awake a couple of nights, thinking about it.