Variety pens a long piece about the battle going on between NBC's Today Show and ABC's Good Morning America.

The piece is like hundreds of others that you have read. NBC lost their ratings crown and wants to back. GMA is doing all they can to keep the lead...blah, blah, blah.

Here are some of the more interesting quotes from the prime players in the battle for number one:

“Never take for granted being No. 1,” says “GMA” co-anchor Robin Roberts. “The sports person in me says that once you do that, you get yourself in trouble. … My mother always said, ‘When you strut, you stumble.’ ”

“The viewers aren’t just going to come overnight. It’s going to take them a while to recognize that it’s time to come back,” says Don Nash, “Today” executive producer. “We have built it, and now we just need the viewers to come. And they will.”

We also learn in the story, what time all the key players get up in the morning.

It should come as no surprise that Matt Lauer is the last one to get out of bed in the morning: 

If you're interested in more you can read the full story here.