Our respect and affection for Nate will not waver, no matter how paradoxical that he is moving to our Northwest rival.

There was a lot of genuine respect and personal affection evident in the room after Paul spoke. I'd say the applause must have lasted at least five minutes. Our No. 1 priority now as a league is to build on the shoulders of this commissioner.

In 1938, Lloyd Anderson and some of his climbing buddies here in the Northwest were hard-pressed to find ice axes that met their quality needs and would perform well for them in the field. And so, they pooled their money and sent off to Europe for a purchase of ice axes, and from that informal buying-club beginning sprang REI.

Then I look at myself: 'What are you not doing?' Take the positive out of everything, no matter what. I'm still staying focused, still helping us on the field. As long as I can take that positive out of that negative part of the season, I'm fine.

No matter how hard they fight, we have to fight harder. We thrive on pressure.

Alessandra approached the geniuses of the past to give them life with her attention, which was the form her affection took: paying attention.