And by the end of the first inning in Candlestick, the momentum appeared to have swung completely toward Atlanta.
And the military momentum appears to be driving the crisis to a winter climax.
So much momentum by a single campaign might appear to unite a party starved for respect and credibility.
Many longtime participants in the effort to create binding limits on warming gases said the momentum appeared right this time for resolution.
In fact, the political momentum appears to be in the other direction, with those who think environmental measures have gone too far holding the upper hand.
But the momentum of the bill appears to be fairly strong.
Nonetheless, momentum toward some solution appears to be building.
The momentum and urgency of last night's negotiations appears to have melted away this morning.
Dallas led throughout the second quarter and most of the third, then the momentum appeared to shift.
The upward momentum appeared to be continuing today.