diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/GroupStrategy.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/GroupStrategy.java
index f3eae59..4e966c1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/GroupStrategy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/GroupStrategy.java
@@ -9,18 +9,15 @@ import com.sun.syndication.feed.module.Extendable;
 class GroupStrategy implements ValueStrategy {
 
     @Override
-    public Comparable getValue(final Extendable o, final Object value) {
-        Comparable oc = null;
+    public EntryValue getValue(final Extendable extendable, final Object value) {
         try {
             final String uri = ModuleParser.TEMP.getURI();
-            final SleEntry entry = (SleEntry) o.getModule(uri);
+            final SleEntry entry = (SleEntry) extendable.getModule(uri);
             final Group group = (Group) value;
-            final EntryValue entryValue = entry.getGroupByElement(group);
-            oc = entryValue.getValue();
+            return entry.getGroupByElement(group);
         } catch (final NullPointerException npe) {
-            ; // watch it go by
+            return null;
         }
-        return oc;
     }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortStrategy.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortStrategy.java
index dee1fec..20d22e6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortStrategy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortStrategy.java
@@ -9,18 +9,15 @@ import com.sun.syndication.feed.module.Extendable;
 class SortStrategy implements ValueStrategy {
 
     @Override
-    public Comparable getValue(final Extendable o, final Object value) {
-        Comparable oc = null;
+    public EntryValue getValue(final Extendable extendable, final Object value) {
         try {
             final String uri = ModuleParser.TEMP.getURI();
-            final SleEntry entry = (SleEntry) o.getModule(uri);
+            final SleEntry entry = (SleEntry) extendable.getModule(uri);
             final Sort sort = (Sort) value;
-            final EntryValue entryValue = entry.getSortByElement(sort);
-            oc = entryValue.getValue();
+            return entry.getSortByElement(sort);
         } catch (final NullPointerException npe) {
-            ; // watch it go by
+            return null;
         }
-        return oc;
     }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortableList.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortableList.java
index fa585b8..123f2a9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortableList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/SortableList.java
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package org.rometools.feed.module.sle;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 
+import org.rometools.feed.module.sle.types.EntryValue;
+
 import com.sun.syndication.feed.module.Extendable;
 
 class SortableList<T extends Extendable> extends ArrayList<T> {
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@ class SortableList<T extends Extendable> extends ArrayList<T> {
     /**
      * performs a selection sort on all the beans in the List
      */
-    public synchronized void sortOnProperty(final Object value, final boolean ascending, final ValueStrategy strat) {
+    public synchronized void sortOnProperty(final Object value, final boolean ascending, final ValueStrategy strategy) {
 
         final int elementCount = size();
 
@@ -27,8 +29,8 @@ class SortableList<T extends Extendable> extends ArrayList<T> {
                 final T entry1 = get(i);
                 final T entry2 = get(j);
 
-                final Comparable oc1 = strat.getValue(entry1, value);
-                final Comparable oc2 = strat.getValue(entry2, value);
+                final EntryValue oc1 = strategy.getValue(entry1, value);
+                final EntryValue oc2 = strategy.getValue(entry2, value);
 
                 if (oc1 != oc2) {
                     final boolean bothNotNull = oc1 != null && oc2 != null;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/ValueStrategy.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/ValueStrategy.java
index 89c7dfa..ff7a484 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/ValueStrategy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/ValueStrategy.java
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 package org.rometools.feed.module.sle;
 
+import org.rometools.feed.module.sle.types.EntryValue;
+
 import com.sun.syndication.feed.module.Extendable;
 
 interface ValueStrategy {
 
-    public Comparable getValue(Extendable o, Object valueName);
+    public EntryValue getValue(Extendable extendable, Object value);
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/DateValue.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/DateValue.java
index 3966787..c243af2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/DateValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/DateValue.java
@@ -28,67 +28,53 @@ import com.sun.syndication.feed.impl.ObjectBean;
  *
  * @author <a href="mailto:cooper@screaming-penguin.com">Robert "kebernet" Cooper</a>
  */
-public class DateValue implements EntryValue<Date> {
+public class DateValue implements EntryValue {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 8864338943592633517L;
 
     private final ObjectBean obj = new ObjectBean(DateValue.class, this);
-    private Date value;
+
     private String element;
     private String label;
+    private Date value;
     private Namespace namespace = Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE;
 
-    /**
-     *
-     * @param element
-     */
     public void setElement(final String element) {
         this.element = element;
     }
 
-    /**
-     *
-     * @return
-     */
     @Override
     public String getElement() {
         return element;
     }
 
-    /**
-     *
-     * @param label
-     */
     public void setLabel(final String label) {
         this.label = label;
     }
 
-    /**
-     *
-     * @return
-     */
     @Override
     public String getLabel() {
         return label;
     }
 
-    /**
-     *
-     * @param value
-     */
     public void setValue(final Date value) {
         this.value = value;
     }
 
-    /**
-     *
-     * @return
-     */
     @Override
     public Date getValue() {
         return value;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Namespace getNamespace() {
+        return namespace;
+    }
+
+    public void setNamespace(final Namespace namespace) {
+        this.namespace = namespace == null ? Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE : namespace;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public Object clone() {
         final DateValue clone = new DateValue();
@@ -115,11 +101,13 @@ public class DateValue implements EntryValue<Date> {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Namespace getNamespace() {
-        return namespace;
+    public int compareTo(final EntryValue other) {
+        final Comparable<?> otherValue = other.getValue();
+        if (otherValue instanceof Date) {
+            return value.compareTo((Date) otherValue);
+        } else {
+            throw new RuntimeException("Can't compare different EntryValue types");
+        }
     }
 
-    public void setNamespace(final Namespace namespace) {
-        this.namespace = namespace == null ? Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE : namespace;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/EntryValue.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/EntryValue.java
index dbe6a33..8afd108 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/EntryValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/EntryValue.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import org.jdom2.Namespace;
  *
  * @author <a href="mailto:cooper@screaming-penguin.com">Robert "kebernet" Cooper</a>
  */
-public interface EntryValue<T extends Comparable<T>> extends Serializable, Cloneable {
+public interface EntryValue extends Serializable, Cloneable, Comparable<EntryValue> {
     /**
      * Returns the name of the element.
      *
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public interface EntryValue<T extends Comparable<T>> extends Serializable, Clone
      *
      * @return Returns the value of the element.
      */
-    public T getValue();
+    public Comparable<?> getValue();
 
     /**
      * Returns the namespace of the element.
@@ -54,4 +54,5 @@ public interface EntryValue<T extends Comparable<T>> extends Serializable, Clone
      * @return Returns the namespace of the element.
      */
     public Namespace getNamespace();
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/NumberValue.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/NumberValue.java
index 78a6aad..5f12f83 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/NumberValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/NumberValue.java
@@ -28,14 +28,15 @@ import com.sun.syndication.feed.impl.ObjectBean;
  *
  * @author <a href="mailto:cooper@screaming-penguin.com">Robert "kebernet" Cooper</a>
  */
-public class NumberValue implements EntryValue<BigDecimal> {
+public class NumberValue implements EntryValue {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 8043418996659222922L;
 
     private final ObjectBean obj = new ObjectBean(NumberValue.class, this);
-    private BigDecimal value;
+
     private String element;
     private String label;
+    private BigDecimal value;
     private Namespace namespace = Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE;
 
     public void setElement(final String element) {
@@ -65,6 +66,15 @@ public class NumberValue implements EntryValue<BigDecimal> {
         return value;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Namespace getNamespace() {
+        return namespace;
+    }
+
+    public void setNamespace(final Namespace namespace) {
+        this.namespace = namespace == null ? Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE : namespace;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public Object clone() {
         final NumberValue clone = new NumberValue();
@@ -72,7 +82,6 @@ public class NumberValue implements EntryValue<BigDecimal> {
         clone.setLabel(getLabel());
         clone.setValue(value);
         clone.setNamespace(namespace);
-
         return clone;
     }
 
@@ -92,11 +101,13 @@ public class NumberValue implements EntryValue<BigDecimal> {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Namespace getNamespace() {
-        return namespace;
+    public int compareTo(final EntryValue other) {
+        final Comparable<?> otherValue = other.getValue();
+        if (otherValue instanceof BigDecimal) {
+            return value.compareTo((BigDecimal) otherValue);
+        } else {
+            throw new RuntimeException("Can't compare different EntryValue types");
+        }
     }
 
-    public void setNamespace(final Namespace namespace) {
-        this.namespace = namespace == null ? Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE : namespace;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/StringValue.java b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/StringValue.java
index 8582868..2db8cf2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/StringValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rometools/feed/module/sle/types/StringValue.java
@@ -26,18 +26,19 @@ import com.sun.syndication.feed.impl.ObjectBean;
  *
  * @author <a href="mailto:cooper@screaming-penguin.com">Robert "kebernet" Cooper</a>
  */
-public class StringValue implements EntryValue<String> {
+public class StringValue implements EntryValue {
 
     private static final long serialVersionUID = -8384073300710802173L;
 
     private final ObjectBean obj = new ObjectBean(StringValue.class, this);
+
     private String element;
     private String label;
     private String value;
     private Namespace namespace = Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE;
 
-    public void setElement(final String element) {
-        this.element = element;
+    public void setValue(final String value) {
+        this.value = value;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -54,15 +55,24 @@ public class StringValue implements EntryValue<String> {
         return label;
     }
 
-    public void setValue(final String value) {
-        this.value = value;
-    }
-
     @Override
     public String getValue() {
         return value;
     }
 
+    public void setElement(final String element) {
+        this.element = element;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Namespace getNamespace() {
+        return namespace;
+    }
+
+    public void setNamespace(final Namespace namespace) {
+        this.namespace = namespace == null ? Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE : namespace;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public Object clone() {
         final StringValue clone = new StringValue();
@@ -70,7 +80,6 @@ public class StringValue implements EntryValue<String> {
         clone.setLabel(getLabel());
         clone.setValue(value);
         clone.setNamespace(namespace);
-
         return clone;
     }
 
@@ -90,11 +99,13 @@ public class StringValue implements EntryValue<String> {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public Namespace getNamespace() {
-        return namespace;
+    public int compareTo(final EntryValue other) {
+        final Comparable<?> otherValue = other.getValue();
+        if (otherValue instanceof String) {
+            return value.compareTo((String) otherValue);
+        } else {
+            throw new RuntimeException("Can't compare different EntryValue types");
+        }
     }
 
-    public void setNamespace(final Namespace namespace) {
-        this.namespace = namespace == null ? Namespace.XML_NAMESPACE : namespace;
-    }
 }