Mariano Rivera Highlights

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Freddy Garcia celebrates win over the Indians, 6/25/12, final 7-1. This form of 'celebration' has mostly gone extinct these days. getty

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6/22/12, "Heard in the Herd," ESPN.com

"Colin says LeBron James should be embraced because he is

• a once-in-a-lifetime athlete like Magic Johnson,
  

• Mariano Rivera, Babe Ruth and other all-time greats. Listen "

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6/10/12, "For Dwyane Wade, a new life as Mariano Rivera," South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman, Oklahoma City

"In 2006, nothing less than a complete game was required, as he led the Miami Heat to what remains the franchise's lone NBA championship. In last season's NBA Finals, he worked somewhat as a set-up man, trying to ease LeBron James through an ill-fated championship round against the Dallas Mavericks. This year, Dwyane Wade arrives back at the NBA Finals

• as Mariano Rivera. The Heat's closer.

It isn't necessarily a role that has been designed by coach Erik Spoelstra, or one that Wade has sought. It just sort of evolved as the byproduct of rough starts through this postseason run to this championship series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Over the final three games of the Heat's seven-game Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics, Wade scored 31 points in the fourth quarters, his highest-scoring quarter in each of those games. Of his 150 points in the seven games against the Celtics, 106 came after halftime.

That essentially led to saves over the final two games of the series after the Heat had fallen into a 3-2 hole."...

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6/20/12, "Cheers for Rivera," NY Post, Page Six

"Mariano Rivera was given a standing ovation as he left a packed room on crutches at Siro’s on Monday, following knee surgery. Rivera is a co-owner of the new Second Avenue restaurant, where he told diners, “This is the first time I’ve been home for Father’s Day in 20 years.” He added, “My recovery is going well, and I’m going to be back on the field as soon as possible.” He dined with his wife, Clara, and sons Mariano Jr., Jafet and Jaziel. Rivera earlier said last week’s surgery on his injured right knee “went perfectly.”" photo Reuters

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Mariano stands next to Jeter as he addresses the crowd on the last night of the former Yankee Stadium, 9/21/2008, Jim McIsaac getty

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Russell Martin and David Robertson after game v Washington Nationals, 6/15/12,

final 7-2 Yankees, getty

• 11/7/2005, "U.S. President Bush, right, signs autographs for an unidentified Panamanian baseball player, left, New York Yankee relief pitcher Mariano Rivera, center, looks on during a baseball event with Panamanian youth at Ciudad del Saber in Panama City, Monday, Nov. 7, 2005. Panama's President Martin Torrijos is seen at rear." (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak), from NY Post

Labels: George Bush there, Mariano Rivera in Panama in 2005, too

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6/3/12, "Q. The Cubs don’t have a designated closer right now. Yet, you seem to think there’s a silver lining here. Explain.

• A. Aside from Mariano Rivera (when healthy), there just aren’t many slump-proof closers, which creates a real headache for a manager who is nearly locked into using the same guy in the ninth inning every day."

6/3/12, "Kasper: Cubs just fine without designated closer," Daily Herald, by Len Kasper, (Cubs tv play by play announcer)