 pulled Noski aside after a Saturday lunch meeting in New York City. Saying that he knew that there was still bad blood between Armstrong and Brian and that AT&T's board was going to consider multiple of- fers before making a final decision, Roberts asked Noski a personal favor: "When it comes down to the wire, will you give us a chance to top the best bid?" Noski replied, "You know I can't do that" and said that he would have to follow the bidding process. But Ralph Roberts had shown him how desperately he wanted to win. The bidding for AT&T Broadband went through three cycles, with the same three companies-Comcast, AOL Time Warner, and Cox- submitting their final bids at 6 P.M. on Sunday, December 16, 2001. Teams of bankers worked through the night at Wachtell Lipton to force the competing bids into side-by-side analyses. On Monday, the AT&T team met to compare the bids and to identify areas that needed clarification. The next day, Noski called all three bidders to tell them that the bids were roughly the same. Brian Roberts was in the middle of Comcast's Christmas party at the QVC studios outside Philadelphia when Noski reached him on his cell phone. "Brian," Noski said over the din of the revelers, "it's close." "Do we have to improve our bid?" Roberts asked. "I can't say that," Noski said. "I can only tell you it's close." Then, remembering Ralph Roberts's plea and noting how many times the elder man had said he encouraged Brian to "go for it," Noski added, "Listen to your father." There was silence for a moment, then Roberts said, "Let me talk to my father. I'll get back to you." Ultimately, all three bidders revised their offers but when Brian Credibility Breaks All Ties 237 Roberts called Noski early on Wednesday morning, he raised Com- cast's bid SO much that it was no longer even close. But Roberts had a final request. "If we have the best bid, do we have your endorsement?" he asked Noski. "Brian," Noski said, "if it's the best bid, you might have Armstrong's endorsement, but not mine." "Jesus," Roberts