HW #15, Due Thursday, September 24th!

For Thursday, read the Mariano Rivera sidebar story. Explain why you think a newspaper chose this as a sidebar piece to the main story. (5-7 sentences).

See you in class!

-Mr. Donohue

Mariano Rivera honored to close out era at Yankee Stadium
BY ROGER RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Mariano Rivera woke up Sunday wishing for a ninth-inning lead. Sunday night, he got what he wanted and gave Yankee fans the ending they wanted so badly to see. The Yankees' closer ran in from the bullpen to the strains of "Enter Sandman," then shut down the Orioles with a perfect ninth inning to close out the Bombers' win in the final game at Yankee Stadium.

"This time I didn't know how to control my adrenaline," Rivera said, standing on the mound after the team's victory lap. "It was too much. It was overwhelming."

Rivera said he was sad that he would never pitch again from that mound where he has enjoyed so many historic moments. And when asked if he wanted to take some of the dirt home for a memento, he smiled wide and said: "I'm going to. I'm going to get a bucket."

On Thursday, Joe Girardi said he thought the only appropriate way to close the Stadium would be with Rivera pitching the ninth, but Sunday night Rivera conceded he wouldn't have wanted to do so in a loss.

"A lot of great moments for me happened right here so it had to be (a) winning situation only," Rivera said. "I didn't want to if we were losing. I wanted to be the last guy to stand on this mound. ... I can't believe I will never pitch on this mound."

Rivera knew that there was no way to predict how the game would unfold or how he would feel when it was over. It turned out neither the game nor its aftermath disappointed.

"I have experienced World Series, I have experienced All-Star Games, you name it," he said, "but this is something special. We wanted to do it for the fans of New York, the best fans in baseball. We definitely needed to do it for them and I was glad we were able to do it."

Rivera got groundouts to shortstop and second base before inducing Brian Roberts' game-ending grounder to Cody Ransom at first base. Ransom handed him the ball, but Rivera said he will not keep it.

"This ball is going to the people who deserve it," he said. "It's going to the Steinbrenner family and Mr. George. He gave me this opportunity, to wear this uniform. The least I can do is give this ball to him."