Alright, Dallas fans. Fire away. I'll pretend like I deserve it. Tell me your 'Boys showed heart and toughness and grit in the thrilling win over the Bucs. Tell me leaders stepped up. Tell me you could just tell from the sofa how much they wanted it. Tell me Jerry Jones wore the exact same sideline ensemble that he was going to wear to the Super Bowl last year.

And in 30 seconds I'll tell you exactly why the Panthers are still light years ahead of the Cowboys:

1) Good teams beat the Cardinals. Always have. Always will. It was true when Jim Hart played quarterback for the Cards and its true now.

2) Brett Basanez is better than Brad Johnson. The Panthers practice squad quarterback is familiar with the term "forward pass." That's more than we can say for Johnson. The 40 year old back up took a picture with his family after "throwing" for 122 yards in the win over Tampa. We assume the caption in Johnson's trophy room will read:"10/26/08 The day I defied mathematics."

3) Is this Irving, Texas or is this Philly, circa 1972? (I tried to pick an angry year in Philadelphia.) Cowboys' fans rallied behind their back up quarterback by booing him all day. (I know. I know. Most Dallas fans watched in bars and you can't really hear the sound from the TV anyway.) If you're struggling to scrounge up a prom date do you boo your last chance to save face? In Dallas the answer is a loud, lusty, booing "yes."

4) Steve Smith is MUCH BETTER than T.O. Last year with My Cousin Vinny, rookie Matt Moore, and white glove service from David Carr, Smitty churned out another 1,000 yard season. Stunningly remarkable. In 2 games with the back up QB in Dallas, T.O. has averaged 3 1/2 catches for 32 yards. The true greats don't always need rhythm or reps or that "he knows what I'm gonna do before I do it" connection. They just make plays. Smith does that. T.O.? Apparently not.

5) DeAngelo Williams is better than Brad Johnson as a quarterback. Williams lined up in the Wildcat formation Sunday the Panthers offense moved the ball crisply. Johnson and the Dallas offense staggered around, staying upright just long enough to watch the defense escape late. And don't give me the "Brad Johnson played mistake free football that allowed us to win" deal. When DeAngelo took over the offense as the desperation quarterback against Atlanta back in 2006, Carolina ran for 183 yards in a convincing 10-3 win.

Sonja Gantt

NewsChannel 36 Anchor

Editor's note: Sonja Gantt bloggs each week for The Charlotte Observer's mommy site, MomsCharlotte.com.

News is at its best when it not only informs but also is relevant and helps you in some way live better. With that thought in mind, and because I know moms are among the most resourceful people I know, I'm asking for your help for one of my colleagues.

Beth Shayne will be tackling a number of different financial issues in the coming weeks. It's our effort at NewsChannel 36 to help you navigate through the changing economic climate. Recently, Beth helped coordinate a live e-mail chat between our viewers and a representative from a staffing agency. The idea was to help those who are entering the job market get some help with everything from the "hot" fields to how to handle certain situations on their resume.

Here's where we could use your help. Are you one of those people who's a big do-it-yourselfer? How much money have you saved by tackling projects that would send the rest of us running for the yellow pages? What about household products? Do you make your own soap, cleaning products or lotion? We want to hear about it.

Recently we did a story about the new popularity of Goodwill stores. People who once donated have now discovered it's a good place to shop when money is "tight." On Saturday mornings lots of "Goodwill" stores open all over the county -- we call them yard sales. If you consider yourself or someone you know to be an expert in finding bargains at yard sales, invite us along to shop. We'd love to join you.

And finally let's not forget about the kids. Are yours helping you through these changing economic times? Have they volunteered to cut back in some areas? We'd love to talk with some thrifty kids!

If you can help us with any of these stories please be sure to e-mail me at sgantt@wcnc.com or Beth Shayne at bshayne@wcnc.com.

Ira Cronin

NewsChannel 36 Sports

The Panthers 27 - 23 win over the Cardinals certainly felt like a rollercoaster ride on Sunday. The first half was mostly filled with downs, as was the first Arizona drive in the 3rd quarter but then the Panthers roared to life.

The first spark was courtesy DeAngelo Williams' 15 yard touchdown run. A few plays later, Maake Kemoeatu knocked the ball lose from Edgerrin James, and Thomas Davis recovered. Next play of the game was to Steve Smith, an 18 yard touchdown and you could feel the momentum swing and the Panthers seemed destined to win.

The two plays that really impressed me the most in this game, were two 3rd down conversions late in the 4th quarter to seal the win for the Panthers. Not converting on either of these two plays puts the ball back in the hands of Kurt Warner and that explosive offense just in time for them to strike a potential dagger in what would have been a heart breaker of a loss. But convert the Panthers did.

First Dwayne Jarrett caught a pass over the middle for a 17 yard gain, and he took a big shot in the ribs in the process. Ever since training camp I have been impressed with the maturity the Jarrett has shown this year. After a very disappointing rookie season he could have sulked and felt sorry for himself coming into training camp. He didn't, he worked hard in the off season. Early this year, once Steve Smith was back, Jarrett was left off the game day 53 man roster a few times and again, could have sulked and felt sorry for himself, but he didn't. He worked hard, practiced hard and has remained ready until called on, and he was called on today to help ice this game and put it away.

The other big play came inside the last two minutes of the game, on 3rd and 13 the Panthers handed the ball to DeAngelo Williams, who broke through for 15 yards putting the game in the bag. Steve Smith said in the locker room that he challenged DeAngelo to pick up the first down. And DeAngelo told me that he and Smith always challenge each other to get things done and it's something they expect of one another.

Overall in the locker room Sunday after the game was a sense of short term accomplishment. Thanks to the Cowboys beating Tampa, the Panthers head into the bye week as the leaders in the NFC South. It's something they take pride in, but only to the point of knowing that it means nothing once they get back to work at Oakland. To a man most guys I talked to are looking forward to getting some time off, getting some rest, healing up those who are banged up, and getting back guys like Jeff Otah, Ryan Kalil, and D.J. Hackett who have been injured.

"Panthers crush Cowboys"

That's the headline that Panthers fans love more than any other. Sure, there are Steelers fans and Redskins fans in Charlotte, but Cowboys fans outnumber all the others in numbers and in all the annoying ways that count.

Covered in blue and silver, with stars in places they don't belong, America's fans showed up on Jerry Jones' bandwagon last December at Bank of America Stadium. We should have known then that Carolina's future prospects would dominate the fortunes of the paper Cowboys.

This is slow and steady vs. instant gratification. Blue collar vs. Hollywood (not old Hollywood like Paul Newman, but new Hollywood like Paris Hilton. Famous for being pathetic or crazy or something.) Work ethic vs. work release program. And the Panthers lead by five or six touchdowns.

It all starts with the men who fashioned the franchises. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson worries about Jake Delhomme's elbow surgery. Jerry Jones is already planning his next round of plastic surgery. Richardson challenges his players to lead (that looks a whole lot better with Julius Peppers this year than it did last year) while Jones tries to lead in loafers. If that means crowding the sidelines on game day, then great. If that means rolling into the locker room to address your team after Sunday's embarrassment in St. Louis then all the better. I'll take Richardson and his millions versus Jones and his billions.

Panthers fans love to gripe about John Fox a little bit too much. Anybody want to trade for Cowboys interim coach, Wade Phillips, now? Anybody want to trade Steve Smith for Terrell Owens tonight? The difference there is that Smith hit rock bottom at training camp and his teammates stood up to let him know how they felt about it. The next time someone stands up to T.O. in Dallas will be the first time.

Carolina has a team. Dallas has a soap opera cast. Maybe it all starts because Jerry is simply too good as the aging leader of the family empire. Maybe T.O. likes life as a diva more than he likes catching passes. Or maybe they're all just spoiled enough to turn on each other starting as soon as everyone is looking. As long as they're acting like children, why not see who can throw the best tantrum?

Best leader? Jake Delhomme over Tony Romo in a landslide. Best offensive line? Carolina, even with a couple of backups nobody really knows. Best safety? Chris Harris over Roy Williams even before Williams broke his arm twice this year. Best defensive player? The Julius Peppers who smiles a lot this year is better than almost everybody else in the league.

Go ahead and tell me that it's a long season. Anything can happen. And I'll tell you to call me after the Panthers play their next three games against Arizona, Oakland and Detroit. Dallas has to line up against Tampa, the Giants and the Redskins. I grew up 20 miles from Texas Stadium rooting for Roger Staubach. The star he wore looks nothing like that silver piece of scrap metal Dallas wears now.

Sonja Gantt

NewsChannel 36 Anchor

Editor's note: Sonja Gantt bloggs each week for The Charlotte Observer's mommy site, MomsCharlotte.com.

If there is a bright side to the recent economic concerns I think it has to be that it gives us a chance to help our children understand the value of a dollar. Everywhere I go people are talking about money - whether it's a discussion about the price of gas, questions about the amount of debt they owe or concerns about their jobs. My sister says she now has "car envy" every time someone drives by her SUV in a small economy car. Frugality is making a come back!

My husband and I have debated how the kids' allowance should be awarded. I believe allowance should not be connected to chores. It's money we are giving with the hope of teaching them how to begin handling it. My parents always said chores are just your contribution for living in the house...you don't get paid for doing those tasks. I felt vindicated by a friend who said when she did link chores to allowance her daughter decided one week she didn't need any money so she didn't do the work .

I'd love to hear how some of you are teaching your children the value of money. How do you determine the amount? Do you give them cash? One very organized mother that I know transfers money from her account into her children's and then they have to use their debit card to get cash before they buy something. She says it's one way of curtailing instant gratification and helping them really THINK about where they spend those precious dollars.

If you're like me you probably spend a lot of money at the grocery store and would love to save a few dollars there. My colleague Stuart Watson is doing a price comparison of the top five grocery items and wants your help so we can all save. The next time you are at the grocery store, discount club, drug store or convenience store take note of the cost of any of the five items listed below and send us the information at pricetracker@wcnc.com or click here. Here's the list:

12 pack of 12 ounce cans of Diet Pepsi
Gallon of 2% milk
Loaf of Nature's Own Whole Wheat bread
Case of Bud Light (24 pack of cans)
12 and a half ounce bag of Doritos

Thanks for any help you can give Stuart and for any ideas you can share about kids and money. We've got to help them understand not only does it not grow on trees...there isn't an unlimited amount in the ATM!

Ira Cronin

NewsChannel 36 Sports

Often it seems to me that Panther fans are critical of John Fox because he is so bland and vanilla in what he says to us. In my mind it all gets back to the fact that he practices what he preaches.

After that horrible loss Tampa he didn't act like the sky was falling because of one really bad game. I think the performance by the team against New Orleans is a product of his vanilla talking points week in and week out. I have to imagine that what he gives us in the media, is only a watered down version of what he tells his team in private. John Fox is a guy who doesn't get too high after a win, and doesn't get too low after a loss.

It's something I need to buy into a little more in my personal life. I was thinking before kick off this was going to be a dog fight of a game, and it didn't help me feel any better that an hour before kick off I was trying to put in my contact lenses at my seat, and I lost a contact. Luckily I didn't have to try and watch the game with one eye, I just had to put my glasses back on.

From my seat in the press box the Panthers were dominant. It was great to see the defensive line getting pressure on Drew Brees. It was the difference in the game.

It was even better to be back in a locker room where the guys were feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment at what they had just did.

Sunday, on my walk into the stadium, owner Jerry Richardson and his wife passed me on their way in. They were kind enough to stop and say hello. The Richardson's said they would try and give us something good to report on, and boy did they ever come through!

Finally I think it's important to sit back and take a look at where this team has come. Seven games in, the Panthers have only lost twice, and while you can never count the wins before they come, Arizona is a team the Panthers should beat next week, especially the way they have been playing at home, which means they could enter the bye week with a six and two record. That would put them among the best teams in the NFL with a great chance at making some magic down the stretch.

Tony Esposito

NewsChannel 36 Production

Hello all, in last week's blog I wrote about my upcoming trip to Missouri to attend a meeting for state coordinators of the Leopold Education Project. This week I will share some of the highlights of the workshop.

At the airport, I met up with the rest of the workshop participants who had flown into Springfield from around the country. We loaded ourselves into the van, provided by the University of Missouri, and headed to the Bull Shoals Field Station. The Bull Shoals Field Station was about an hour's drive and located in Kirbyville, Missouri.

The workshop would showcase new lessons and activities for the Leopold Education Project and train the educators and facilitators. As State Coordinators, we are the ones who will hold the workshops to teach the new lessons to others.

The Leopold Project is involved with the No Child Left Inside Bill that was recently passed by Congress. This bill will offer opportunities to get children outside and away from the tv and computers. It will help eliminate "Nature Deficit Disorder", a term that Richard Louv uses in his book "Last Child In the Woods". Kids of today are not con-nected to nature and the outdoor experience. They stay inside spending up to six hours a day watching TV and playing on computers.

The Leopold Project has developed activities and lesson plans that will encourage chil-dren to spend time outside, be active, and have fun and learn about nature.

One of the new lessons is based on a GPS activity called Geo-Caching. Geo-Cashing is an activity where an item is placed somewhere in the world and the location is recorded with the GPS device. The coordinates are then published on the web or in books. It is one big scavenger hunt using the electronic device to find the item. There are thou-sands of Caches around the country and the world but many are located right in your home town.

The lesson plan I followed on my trip had me go out on a property and find an interest-ing object. On a piece of paper, ask a question about the object, then record the loca-tion with the GPS and leave the paper as a cache. I did the same thing for three objects. Then swapped the GPS units with the other teams and tried to find their objects using the GPS coordinates. This activity will get the children outside, create observational skills, and teach them about navigation. I am sure this activity will be popular with both children and adults.

Not all the new activities involved electronics or moving around. We learned about one exercise that will have the child go outside and be still and listen. They will write what they saw and heard. This activity, as simple as it is, raises the child's awareness of things around him and hopefully look at the world a little differently.

There are many more activities in the new program. All of them aim to get the children outside. Hopefully if they have a good time and they will want to be outside more.
If you are a teacher or a home educator and want more information about the Leopold Education Project, write to me at the station. I would be happy to tell you more about the program. My email address at the station is TEsposit@WCNC.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sonja Gantt

NewsChannel 36 Anchor

Editor's note: Sonja Gantt bloggs each week for The Charlotte Observer's mommy site, MomsCharlotte.com.

Somber, sad and proud. That's how I felt when I left the Mecklenburg County Courthouse after jury duty last week. I'd been excited about going because our legal system has always fascinated me. I even considered becoming a lawyer. But that excitement changed when I officially became juror no. 7.

It is sobering to look at a stranger and realize you're going to be asked to make a decision that affects their future.

The defendant in my case was accused of breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering. He and two others were found with some stolen computer equipment. After hearing the evidence we all believed he was with the group, though we were unsure of his specific role in the crime. The law says if two or more are gathered for the purpose of committing a crime you don't have to take part in every part of the crime to be found guilty. That speaks volumes for why we need to remind our children to choose their friends carefully and help them realize that they must always be accountable for their actions.

After the conviction we learned his attorney had questions about his mental capacity. The defendant is in his late 20s. The other two suspects are in their mid 30s and early 40s. Given the questions about his mental capacity, I wondered if he is one of those people we often call "slow" who is able to function but may be easily swayed by others.

When he addressed the court after his sentencing his tone wasn't angry but more resolute. He said he'd take the punishment like a man, he'd done time before and could handle it and he hoped it would be better when he got out.

Throughout the trial no family or friends showed up to support him. I wondered what kind of life he might have led with solid support...surrounded by people who pushed him in a positive direction. Maybe he wouldn't be facing a minimum of 10 years in prison.

His case was sad but other parts of the experience left me feeling hopeful and impressed.

When you arrive at the courthouse it feels a little like a cattle call. Jury coordinators Vanessa Glass Harris and Mary Poston help personalize the experience. I'm sure they get tired of answering the same question over and over again and no doubt they've heard every excuse in the book for why people can't serve but they were always polite and helpful.

Every jury has its own deputy. Ours was Karen Cherry. She was fabulous. She knew how to inject just enough humor to coax a smile and put a group of 12 strangers at ease.

Judge Albert Diaz put our service in perspective by reminding us that just as the men and the women in the military are doing their jobs overseas jury duty is the ordinary citizens chance to serve and keep our legal system functioning. He was a wonderful example of fairness during the trial.

But I was most proud of my fellow jurors. Our panel was made up of teachers, a nurse, a stay at home mom, a bartender, a bus driver, a college student and business men and women. Ethnically we represented several groups. And our ages ranged from late 20s to 60s. We were diverse in every way except that the women outnumbered men by 10 to 2.

I'm one of those people who wants everyone to get along . Sometimes, especially during election season, the divisions among us seem magnified. But last week on that Wednesday afternoon during deliberations we proved once again that a diverse group of people can listen, discuss respectfully and make a decision.

At the end of the day despite the imperfections, and any system that relies on people will be imperfect, for me I left feeling hopeful because of the people. While we can be at the center of the worst of things...we also have the ability to be at the center of the best.

Garinger football owns a winning streak. Think about that. About six years of on the field frustration the Wildcats have won back to back games. As much as any championship has ever belonged to "the teams that came before" this achievement belongs to everyone who suited up during the tough times for the Wildcats. Everyone who believed and everyone who worked and everyone who supported a program that needed something good to happen.

Congratulations to Coach Chris Carter. He told me this week that he came from a high school that had 41 straight winning seasons in Georgia. People told Coach he was nuts to take the job, but he just told himself "to be great you have to take a chance." His enthusiasm bubbles over when he talks about his players. His belief is something that you can feel and almost touch. He deserves a great deal of credit and so do his seniors. They will forever be "the ones who broke the streak." Great, great stuff. This really is what high school sports is all about.

It was so much fun to get e-mails and phone calls from the Garinger community this week. Keep 'em coming and know we have a great time telling this great story.

You know it's serious when everybody clams up at a race track and everybody clammed up Thursday at LMS.

Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards went after it in the afternoon in the Nationwide garage. It started as a verbal exchange and it quickly escalated into a physical confrontation.

Both men apparently gave a little and took a little so I can't declare anybody the undisputed middleweight champ of NASCAR.

I can tell you that after talking one-on-one with Carl Edwards for a few minutes on Wednesday night that he knows he drove into dangerous territory when he wrecked his teammate Greg Biffle late in Sunday's race at Talladega. Edwards politely answered my questions, but he also winced a little bit when I brought the topic up. The stakes are so high that everyone feels it. Edwards, Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick are all on that list.

Thursday Edwards refused to discuss the altercation, but he did admit that discussing his late crash with his also crashed teammates was "very difficult." Everyone wants to be respected and Edwards senses that his respect in the garage is on the line.

Harvick is either aggressive or assertive depending on whether you like him or not. Edwards plays nice for us, but he's not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, especially when the camera's off.

I have to admit I love that attitude from both men. Great stories need great characters and Edwards and Harvick deliver.

I told one NASCAR staffer that this could be the greatest thing to happen to NASCAR in 2 or 3 years. Jimmie Johnson is really good, and he's well on his way to wearing the crown as a bona fide legend. But watching Jimmie and Chad Knaus win races is a little like watching surgery. Really talented, really clean and you know the outcome before the first cut.

Nothing wrong with a little dirt and a little scrap. But then I also like hockey fights so consider the source.

Tony Esposito

NewsChannel 36 Production

Hello everyone, I hope all is well. This weekend I am taking on a new challenge. I will be attending the Leopold Project State Coordinators Meeting in Missouri.

Several months ago I was asked by Jane Falkenstein if I would be interested in becoming the State Coordinator for the Leopold Project. Jane is the current State Coordinator for the Project and an Environmental Educator in Rock Hill.

In order to be the State Coordinator I would have to become a certified instructor as well as certified facilitator of the Leopold Project. I went to Atlanta in June for training and became certified as both an instructor and facilitator.

I have always been interested in The Leopold Project and the teaching of Aldo Leopold. His teachings and writings fit in very nicely with the Habitat programs I have been giving for many years.

Who is Aldo Leopold and what is the Leopold Project? I will give you a short history of both and will finish up next week.

The Leopold Project is based on the thoughts and writing of Aldo Leopold. Leopold was considered the father of wildlife management and the wilderness system. He was also a conservationist, forester, teacher, family man, writer, philosopher, and outdoor enthusiast. There were others who were also considered him an ecologist, but Aldo introduced the human element into the mix. How does man and his actions affect the environment?

As a professor, Aldo encouraged students to get outside and study nature up close. He encouraged his students to ask the tough questions on why things are the way they are.

Many of the lessons in the program are based on the essays from a book Aldo wrote titled "A Sand County Almanac." The book talked about the seasons on the farm he and his family purchased on the Wisconsin River. The essays help people "read" the land through outdoor explorations. Students learned about tracking animals in the snow, predator/prey relationships, local history correlated with the growth of a tree, river floods, spring flowers, trout fishing, the arrival of daybreak, and many other outdoor explorations.

Aldo's ideas on all things in nature as well as his style of teaching became the basis for the Leopold Project.

With the recent passage of the No Child Left Inside Bill in Congress, the Leopold Project will make being outside fun and educational. It complements the Backyard Habitat/Schoolyard Habitat programs, both of which I have been involved with for a long time. This is why I feel it is a perfect fit for a complete outdoor educational learning experience.

Next week, I will write about my trip and the things we learned while in Missouri.

Ira Cronin

NewsChannel 36 Sports

I'm just back from the Panthers locker room media session as they get ready to face Tampa Bay this Sunday in a key game for them, and I have to say I like what I see from them. Everyone we talked to today was in good spirits and optimistic with out seeming overconfident about the game.

Talking with some of the veterans, like Jake Delhomme and Muhsin Muhammad, you can tell that there is something special in their eyes when you ask them about a game against Tampa. This series may be a better rivalry than what they have going with Atlanta in my opinion, but the players will tell you every division opponent is a rival. But when I think of the Bucc's I remember the blocked extra point, overtime win at Tampa in 03. I remember the Panthers rupturing Chris Simms spleen two years ago. These are the kinds of elements that make for a real rivalry. No love lost between these two teams. Moose said this was the kind of game you get nervous for in a good way. For a guy like him to say that, that lets you know for sure it's game time and it will be on big time on Sunday.

I was sad to see the team put Ryne Robinson on the injured reserve ending his season. I'm sure he's disappointed but it will give him time to heal up fully. I played golf with Ryne last summer and he's a great guy and will be a very successful player in the league. Injuries are just part of the deal as this is evidence to. One silver lining is that the Panthers pulled the trigger on a Charlotte kid in Kenneth Moore to fill his spot on the roster. Moore played at Wake Forest and Butler high school and told me today that signing in Carolina is like a dream come true. Now he say's he is going to work as hard as he can to make sure he try and stick the team long term.

It's going to be a great game on Sunday. Coach Fox and the players are fond of telling us in the media that every game is important, and they certainly are but some games are bigger than others, and this is one of them!

Stuart Watson

NewsChannel 36 I-Team

Someone is sending an anonymous letter to Charlotte newsrooms including NewsChannel 36 and our news partners at the Charlotte Observer saying a local politician was photographed at a strip club while out of state on official business.

No photo included, sorry.

It turns out the information is apparently wrong.

I called the politician. He said the anonymous writer had him confused with someone else and no way was he in the strip club.

The letter-writer makes mention that he or she thinks reporters are squelching the story. So if you don't report it, you're part of the cover-up conspiracy.

You can't respond directly to the letter writer. There's no direct return address.

And if you name names, you're spreading rumors just to quash them.

So you be the reporter. What would you do?

A) Trash the letter. Who cares if a politician went to a strip club anyway?

B) Ignore the letter. You'd just be spreading rumors.

C) Report the letter and the denial. That way the public can see what the politician is up against.

D) Ask the boss for an expense allowance and three weeks to check out strip clubs. (Not happening. My bosses Mary and Allison take a dim view of such exploits.)

E) Cop out. Write a blog entry like this one and ask others what they would do.

F) None of the above, dummy. Instead I would... (fill in the blank.)

I await your response.

If you want to mail or e-mail me privately, to give advice or tips that are preferably both newsworthy and demonstrably true, my address is below.

Stuart Watson
Investigative Reporter
WCNC-TV
1001 Wood Ridge Center Drive
Charlotte, NC 28217-1901
(704) 329-3619
swatson@wcnc.com

Sonja Gantt

NewsChannel 36 Anchor

Editor's note: Sonja Gantt bloggs each week for The Charlotte Observer's mommy site, MomsCharlotte.com.

"They give better advice." That's why my middle schooler says talking to her friends is more fun than talking to me. She was smiling while saying it and we laughed but on some level I think she was serious. I find that funny and a bit absurd.
Could my daughter, who I believe is fairly intelligent, REALLY think that advice from another 11 or 12-year-old is better than from me? I'm qualified. I've been through middle school (ignore the fact it was some 30 years ago). I know her better than they do (whether she realizes it or not). And I definitely care and love her more than they do. Her statement is just the latest piece of evidence that she's starting to view me differently. I am no longer the all-knowing fountain of information I used to be. What happened to the cute, adorable pre-schooler who didn't question but just accepted everything I said?

One piece of advice about teenagers from a former youth minister at my church was ... keep them talking. She said kids are hearing some crazy things today and you won't know just how crazy and be able to interject a different line of thought and reasoning unless you keep them talking. I was recently reminded of the truthfulness of that advice after a conversation with several of Gabrielle's friends.

They are all accomplished in different ways, great soccer players, writers, actresses and swimmers. They have fathers and mothers who adore them. And yet it was clear to me that what they thought of themselves was strongly influenced by the opinions of others. I bet you know who the others are. Apparently the only qualification is that you be in sixth, seventh or eighth grade.

Peer pressure is certainly nothing new and every school has an "in" crowd. But somehow hearing, as a mother, how deeply it was affecting these talented, beautiful and unique young ladies was a little unsettling. Another mother, a father and I shared our thoughts, advice I'm sure they'd heard before. In fact it's probably a speech you've given if you're the parent of a pre-teen. Usually the talk includes some of the following points ... clothes have nothing to do with character ... remember the qualities of a true friend ... and be true to yourself and your values basically trust yourself. At some point they may have tuned us out. I hope not. I want them to always feel comfortable sharing and open to hearing a different perspective than what they hear at school.

Pre-teens have a way of "dismissing" you that isn't disrespectful but clearly lets you know that yours is no longer the only voice they hear. But I think it's my job to keep asking questions to the point of forcing conversation so that the voices of the "others" on the bus, in the hallways and in class don't overwhelm mine.

I know we all have the goal of raising children who believe they are capable, worthy and loved. But we can't ever assume that they simply "know" these things. We have to ask them what they think of themselves and encourage them to be honest. And when we get answers we don't expect we shouldn't panic but instead take the opportunity to share a different perspective. After all even though parents may not be in the "in" crowd we can safely say we CARE about them the most. Let's keep them talking...

Stuart Watson

NewsChannel 36 I-Team

I can confess now.

My name is Stuart and I went to Vanderbilt.

For 25 years I have hidden this secret. People would ask, "Where'd you go to school?" I would dissemble. Nashville. In the SEC. Both true, so far as they went.

But now Vanderbilt's football team has done what it does once every generation, once every quarter century, whether it needs to or not. Vanderbilt is winning. More than winning, Vanderbilt is undefeated. More than undefeated, Vanderbilt is RANKED in the top 20! So far. For now.

This is the tepid cheer of a fan whose football hopes have been trounced on for decades. The feeling of a fan who has felt for the very same decades his team belonged in another league, like one that included Duke and Northwestern and I dunno who else. Because the mark of every good Vanderbilt fan is an air of defeatism and fatefulness that would rival any Cubs fan. And Cubbies, I feel your pain.

But not even the Cubbies have to go back a quarter century to find a winning record. Ronald Reagan was in the White House. I was in my third senior year. I actually graduated that time. You can look it up.

The old saying was that Vanderbilt tries to be Harvard five days a week and Alabama on Saturday. It's true. And you're hearing from a guy who stayed till the end of the game when Bear Bryant beat us 66-3. For you math whizzes, that's three TOUCHDOWNS for every POINT Vandy scored. I'll never forget it.

Back then we wore wool suits to the games. It was Nashville in September and we sweated like horses under blankets. But damn it we were preppies and we looked smart. In reality the shirtless undergrads painted black and gold on Saturday night looked like they were having a lot better time. Good to know some things have changed for the better.

So there's only one thing a Vanderbilt fan can do when his team beats a ranked Auburn for the first time in 53 years. Enjoy. Drink it up. Savor the feeling. Cause it's been a long time coming. And there's no guarantee it'll last.