He awakens each morn with a smile on his face
When a boy is in love
And the world to him is a beautiful place
When a boy is in love -- Sam Cooke
When a boy is in love
And the world to him is a beautiful place
When a boy is in love -- Sam Cooke
OK, gang, time to play “The Nebraska Honeymooners.”
In any case, both coach and governor are enjoying a honeymoon right now, with fans, voters and the media, and this is a good thing, sure to end sooner or later – for Ricketts, maybe if his lieutenant governor turns out to be using a state phone to run a meth operation; for Riley, perhaps with a loss in the Spring Game.
But now all is sweetness
and light, which brings us to our competition. Below you’ll find passages from
recent apple-polishing pieces by Lincoln Journal-Star reporters/columnists Don
Walton and Steve Sipple about, respectively, Ricketts and Riley. Walton and
Sipple know their beats well and tend toward a, shall we say, glass-three-quarters-full
perspective on their subjects.
So, both seem to be head-over-heels in love right now, and let us all -- even the most cynical among us -- hope their optimism is warranted.
Anyway, all you need to
do is correctly match the quotes to their dreamboat subjects.
1. “a focused, inquisitive,
engaged decision-maker”
2. “You get the feeling [name
redacted] could find enjoyment in almost anything.”
3. “seemed relaxed and at ease”
4. “I have a feeling [name redacted] has some guile to go with that
smile.”
5. “open-door office policy
(with) a couch and a candy jar.”
6. “often laughing heartily”
7. “accessible and open.”
8. “His friendly nature tends to overshadow a quiet sense of
confidence.”
9. “engaged, inquisitive, a
rapid-fire question machine, a note-taker, a deep-diver.”
10. “"’It's all brand new to me,’" [name redacted] said,
with the enthusiasm breaking through.”
11. “unfailingly polite, genuine and honest (with) a very
quiet intensity about him."
12. “methodical
… not reactionary. There is a plan in place."
13. “has
hit the ground running with a destination in mind.”
14. “His
eyes will tell you enough.”
15. “strikes me as the type
who isn't easily rattled. Saying he seems comfortable in his skin is an
understatement.”
16. “part enthusiastic, part reflective.”
17.
“You hear little-to-no hesitation
in his answers.”
18. “listens, he reaches out,
he is open.”
19.
“His humility's endearing.”
20.
“sense of maturity. A sense of stability. A sense of
perspective. Yes, a certain calm.”
21.
“[name redacted] probably appreciates the healthy skepticism.
He's wise. Grounded. Seemingly a nice man. Apparently comfortable in his skin,
and in the media glare. That's a good start.”