What keeps you motivated? The challenge of putting all the elements of a team together and seeing how you do and what you become is the thing that I still enjoy. I also enjoy the associations and relationships with the players and other coaches - to be in the arena, so to speak. I still enjoy that. I'm also at the point, though, that if we're not doing well - it's tough enough as it is - that I'm not going to be hanging on just to be hanging on. Because it's not anything I need from an ego standpoint or anything else. I just thoroughly enjoy what I'm doing.

Milestones you'd like to reach before retiring? Not really. Because when I began it was never to reach 100 games or reach 200 or to get high on the all-time list or whatever else. Those things are by-products. I want to win another championship, beginning with the conference championship. The thing that was disappointing to me last year was the fact that we did not win the conference championship. I felt like we just let that game (against Air Force in Las Vegas) get away from us.

I told Pattie that last night I dreamt that we had a press conference and nobody showed up. I am overwhelmed that so many of you are here.

After announcing that the 2000 season would be his last before retirement: Last winter I made the decision to coach for only one more season. I have been wrestling with the timing of announcing that decision. After seeing the outstanding attitude and work ethic of this team, I came to the conclusion that it's best to get the announcement out of the way now so we can focus on the season and avoid the repeated distractions that come from questions about my retirement.

If we have to go through a mental exercise, yes or no, every time we are faced with a tough decision, we will continue to have trouble with living what we supposedly believe.

Reminiscing, with obvious emotion, on his long career: It's like the size of the crowd here today. It always surprises me. But I do appreciate it.

One day I was complaining to Bill Coltrin about what I thought was an unfair article about our team. I was going to call the writer and complain to him. Bill told me, "If you plan to stay in this business (coaching), you need to realize a couple of things about the press. One, whatever is written, it will probably be forgotten in two or three days by the public; and two, if you complain or make an enemy of the writer, just remember you may have your 'day in the sun,' but he/she is going to press 365 days a year." I have never forgotten that.