1.   And Neil Smith, distracted by a new restaurant and softened by celebrity, committed the unforgivable act of having a down season the same year his contract expired.

2.   After a down season split between Chicago and San Jose, he wanted to revive a career that had produced two Vezina trophies for top goaltender in the NHL.

3.   Chad Eaton was coming off a down season after a breakthrough one the year before.

4.   Newberg said he will take time, as this is the down season for recruiting.

5.   The surest steal is when a bona-fide superstar who had a down season or is coming back from serious injury returns to his previous level of performance.

6.   They had a down season and had some injuries.

7.   This is a down season, in terms of NFL super-teams.