71.   But it became caught in a sort of bidding war with nearly a dozen competitors.

72.   But Joe McIlvaine said he did not foresee the Mets becoming involved in a bidding war for any player.

73.   But later in the day, CNBC reported that a bidding war had broken out for Hannaford among Ahold and some of the largest grocers in the United States.

74.   But subsidizing sale of the product itself is taking the bidding war too far.

75.   But some investors want to see a bidding war.

76.   But the bidding war, analysts say, is pushing the price for Conrail, and its monopoly on freight traffic in the Northeast, well beyond reason.

77.   But the speculation over his salary is another sign of the bidding war under way for top-level university presidents.

78.   But the week after her open house in February, Ms. Hogan watched with amazement as a bidding war broke out.

79.   But they have since tossed out these rules and joined the bidding war for executive talent.

80.   But Wells says its proposal is in the best interests of shareholders, raising the specter of a bidding war.