A lot of business executives have a hard time getting away from the job and when you own a small business, the returns are very close.

It's clear that there's a concern about very high gas prices. As gas prices started escalating in June, small-business owners, who are very close to consumers, became concerned about the impact on customers.

There is less enthusiasm to borrow and we think that is going to translate into lower consumer spending. In fact, 19 percent of Americans now say they are worried about making their monthly payments.

Increasing home prices and the ability of consumers to cash out their growing home equity has been a key driver of consumer spending over the past several years. As the housing market slows and housing prices stabilize, consumers are less likely to draw on their home equity, suggesting consumer spending will also decline.

These results reflect the general state of uncertainty that is prevalent in today's economy. Employees appear to be feeling the effects of the daily business news reports that are of concern to all Americans, from the boardrooms of Wall Street to the halls of Congress and the White House.

Having me at fullback, you kind of have that we-can-score-at-any- time mentality. When I get the ball, I can score from maybe 40, 50 and maybe 60 yards out, and that's definitely a threat we haven't had in the past.