For me, it was watching the New York Giants growing up, with Bill Parcells and Lawrence Taylor and that whole crew coming up through the '80s. And then, as I moved on to college, I thought I'd want to coach for sure.

Forever, we all had a real clear understanding of what Parcells' teams looked like and played like: tough as hell and didn't beat themselves.

That attitude and toughness that we want to play with, that, to me, is the most critical thing.

The third-down sacks are critical ones, 'cause that's getting off the field.

To my mum, I owe security in a very insecure young life. We lived in about 10 different places because of my father's chequered career, and she always made me feel a sense of consistency and security. I was a well-mothered boy.

I have proudly spent several periods in government, but I'm not a career politician. I come from a family of 'citizen soldiers.'

I don't beat myself up any more about going to work. It doesn't mean I'm being a bad mother just because I want to go and do my job sometimes.

I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Whip McCarthy and the entire republican conference as we repeal Obamacare, fight rampant job killing regulations, cut spending and help put folks back to work.