71.   It was enough, it seemed, to soften the blow of his postseason snub.

72.   It took two other Sonics starters to go down with Baker to soften the blow.

73.   It would use the money to soften the blow against Medicare, agriculture and other domestic programs.

74.   Letting someone resign is a way to soften the blow.

75.   Lobbyists for hospitals, doctors and other providers can be expected to fight for House provisions that soften the blow from cuts in their projected payments for elderly care.

76.   Many will argue that the tax package freed up money for investment and spending that softened the blow of the ecomomic downturn.

77.   More important, it softened the blow of losing Kenny Holmes in free agency to the Giants.

78.   Most states attempting to deregulate have so far tried to soften the blow to their utilities.

79.   Nothing could soften the blow, however, when Nurmi boarded a plane for home.

80.   Now, hospitals are saying Congress went too far in making the cuts and pleading with lawmakers to soften the blow.