We have a great offensive line coach ( Pete Pierson ) and the line is playing spectacular.

I really think that the scare of the auto shock has run its course. I think business people now are collectively coming to the realization that yeah, it's going to be a harder economy to make a buck, but we have to face it.' We've seen some underlying strength in the last nine months, but now that they've come to that realization, they're ready to get in the game.

That ain't bad. In our humble forecasting, we've been predicting a gradual decrease in unemployment. Business executives have been reporting to us they feel as though their region is coming out of a slow-growth business environment. It's not rampant optimism, but for the fi rst time in a number of years, executives from every corner of the state are showing more optimism for growth.

They outplayed us. We'll move on. We'll regroup.

He's a rock. He's our go-to guy. He's a tough, hard-nosed kid who's very, very dependable. He's willing to take the workload on. In fact, he demands to have the workload.

The defense was a question mark coming in. But their effort has been great. They've done everything we've asked them to do.