The New England Patriots were big underdogs in this year's Super Bowl but pulled off a stunning upset over the St. Louis Rams, thanks to an all-around team effort (and a very capable backup quarterback). But imagine if two-thirds of the Patriots' contracts were to expire on July 31. Surely the Pats' coaches, fans and owners would be pretty tense until all those contracts were sewn up.

If you are a shipper using UPS you may be getting a similar feeling. The shipping giant recently began bargaining talks with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union to negotiate a new five-year deal for 220,000 of UPS' 371,000 employees. What does this mean for shippers? With the headaches and hassles of a 1997 Teamsters strike that cost UPS $750 million still fresh in many shippers' minds, it means be ready with a backup plan.

And if you need any more convincing of the value of a backup, just ask Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

dhannon@cahners.com