"If you're around the league enough, you have an idea of which guys have enough IQ and passion to be able to make that jump, " said John Nash, a former Nets general manager.

WSJ: New York Knicks, Kurt Thomas: Taking a Look at the Future

In the home stretch, the Romney campaign pointed to a big jump in voter contacts this year over John McCain's 2008 effort.

CNN: Analysis: Obama won with a better ground game

As of the end of last week, the combined totals from the London Metal Exchange, Shanghai Futures Exchange and Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange stood at 892, 084 tons, a jump of 51% from 588, 881 at the end of last year, said John Gross, an independent metals-industry consultant.

FORBES: FOCUS: Copper Market 'Guarded;' Near-Term Bounce Occurring But Longer-Term Retreat Expected