I have been a lifelong Chicago Bears fan. Whether it was Dick Jauron, Mike Ditka or "Papa Bear" George Halas coaching, the team always stuck to the basics. The game plan was always conservative-run the ball for three downs and then punt if they didn't get a first down or score. It may not have been imaginative, but it worked and produced championship teams. And on occasion, the fans were treated to a quarterback such as Jim McMahon, who would lead the big play and make the game exciting.
Likewise, at Quality Magazine, we take a conservative approach when it comes to predicting future spending on quality. It's important to have the numbers correct, because we know you depend on them. The past few years the annual Quality Spending Survey has shown conservative increases from pre-2001 numbers. It's been run, run, run. Consistently, the ball has been advanced. For 2006, McMahon has come in and has just tossed a pass downfield for a $1.5 billion completion!