But Smith conceded that "we haven't received a single threat or rumor of a threat."

"I guess it would be different for you," Smith conceded.

Having said that, Smith conceded that he was honored.

"There is no margin for error for us," Smith conceded.

"There's nobody that's going to knock our socks off with an offer," Smith conceded.

Smith conceded that everyone, including himself, suspected that Johnson and several other athletes were using steroids.

"It shouldn't have come to that," Smith conceded, his face tight with anger in the post-game interview room.

Eventually, Smith had to bow to the inevitable and concede a form of majority rule.

"It gave us a man on," Smith conceded about his walk.

Merkley won by a narrow margin, with Smith conceding two days after the election.