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Burkina Faso crisis Opposition urges Compaore to quit

31 October 2014 Last updated at 08 38 ET

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President Compaore Only through a consultative dialogue will we be able to restore peace

Burkina Faso's opposition has renewed its call for the immediate resignation of President Blaise Compaore as hundreds of protesters gather in the capital Ouagadougou.

A statement by opposition leader Zephirin Diabre urged protesters to occupy public spaces.

Demonstrators are angry Mr Compaore has been seeking to amend the constitution to stay in power beyond next year.

He has now agreed not to seek another term but says he will remain till 2015.

Mr Compaore's decision came after protesters set fire to parliament and government buildings on Thursday.

The creation of a transitional government to serve until 2015 elections was announced by army chief Gen Honore Traore who said it would be put in place in consultation with all parties .

He also declared the dissolution of parliament.

UN chief Ban Ki moon's special envoy for West Africa Mohamed Ibn Chambas is expected in Burkina Faso to try to ease the crisis the UN said.

Analysis Thomas Fessy BBC West Africa correspondent

The president said he was ready to open a political dialogue to set the terms of a transitional government that he would lead until the next presidential election. His current term ends in November next year so staying in power now would be legal.

But would he be legitimate

Opposition leaders and protesters say no. They want him to step down now.

President Compaore appeared to want to calm things down but he spoke like a man who still wants to decide when he goes.

That could be the recipe for more unrest.

In pictures Political violence hits Burkino Faso

Parliament was ransacked and set ablaze Cars were also set on fire The defence forces have been trying to disperse the protesters 'Fulfil your responsibilities'

In a statement released on Friday main opposition leader Zephirin Diabre called on protesters to maintain the pressure by systematically occupying public spaces .

The opposition has said and will say again that the precondition for any discussion relating to a political transition is the departure pure and simple and without condition of Blaise Compaore it said.

Opponents of the president were seen gathering in Ouagadougou's main square Place de la Nation and outside the army headquarters on Friday.

There were reports of a tense stand off at the army HQ with a huge crowd shouting Fulfil your responsibilities or we will do so ourselves.

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Anti government protesters looted the parliament building in the capital Ouagadougou on Thursday

Another opponent of Mr Compaore the rap artist Smockey who represents civil society group Le Balai Citoyen told local radio that the people were determined once and for all to remove the president.

There were also reports of unrest in the second city of Bobo Dioulasso with the courts of justice complex on fire.

The BBC's Laeila Adjovi in Ouagadougou says it is unclear whether the army or Mr Compaore is currently in control.

And with international diplomats backing the president's offer of talks and opposition leaders refusing to join in there are fears that the confrontation could sink the country into further violence.

The president agreed to hand over to a democratically elected government only once the transitional administration had completed its 12 month term.

He repeated his position on Friday in an interview for Reuters news agency saying he had heard the protesters and that all problems could be resolved through dialogue.

He had originally planned to seek re election by pushing a constitutional amendment through parliament that would have lifted the limit on presidential terms.

But the move triggered Thursday's demonstrations the most serious yet against Mr Compaore's rule.

At least one person was killed in the protests says BBC Afrique's Yacouba Ouedraogo in the capital.

The city hall the homes of MPs and an upmarket hotel in Ouagadougou were also set ablaze.

Similar protests hit the south western city of Bobo Dioulasso and other towns in the poor West African state.

State television went off air after protesters ransacked its headquarters.

Blaise Compaore

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BBC News looks back at Blaise Compaore's three decades of power

Former soldier and served under President Thomas Sankara as minister of state to the presidency Took power after Sankara was killed in mysterious circumstances by a group of soldiers in 1987 First elected president in 1991 and again in 1998 A new constitution in 2000 limited presidents to two terms in office and limited terms to five years Won two further terms Faced outbreaks of violence on several occasions including a military mutiny in 2011 Protests at attempts to amend the term limits began a year ago fuelled by the high cost of living

Correspondents say Mr Compaore has always managed to stay in power by using a combination of conciliation and moderate force.

But the current tensions have been building for several months and it is not clear whether he can survive this time.

Mr Compaore is a staunch ally of the US and France which uses Burkina Faso as a base for military operations against militant Islamists in the Sahel region.

But the country is one of West Africa's poorest and is vulnerable to changes in world prices for cotton the economic mainstay of many Burkinabes.

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Urban Mechanic Menino Never Wanted To Be Anything More Than Mayor

Thomas Menino in a 2013 file photo (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

BOSTON From his parade stand as Boston s mayor Thomas Menino saw three presidents five governors and eight world champion teams pass by. He set his own world record in the long jump perhaps by getting to be mayor in the first place.

But once there Menino set another record for longevity. He had his fingers in everything you could find him everywhere. A 2009 Globe poll showed that 57 percent of city residents not including school kids had personally met Menino. And he still had five more years in office.

Former City Councilor Michael McCormack says Menino who passed away Thursday at 71 after a battle with cancer never wanted to be anything more than mayor.

Tom Menino said this is the best job I could possibly have and you know what it s the best job ever McCormack said.

Mayor Kevin White had dreams of national office. So too did Mayor Ray Flynn who left the job to be ambassador to the Vatican then ran for Congress. Menino never set his sights farther south than Hyde Park and his home in Readville.

Thomas Menino 1942 2014

Obituary A Boston Political Giant Dies Remembering The Urban Mechanic Mayor Menino Remembered At City Hall Menino Put Stamp On Boston Skyline Officials React To Menino s Passing Cog Menino Transformed Boston Cog Menino s Improbable Rise Storify Your Reactions To His Death Bostonians Share Personal Encounters Timeline Life And Career Of Menino Photos Menino Through The Years A Look At Menino s Education Record Mayor Menino s Boston Sports Legacy

Earlier

I Just Did What I Thought Was Right Menino Leaves City Strong But Flawed Mayor Menino Won t Seek A 6th Term

Menino s daily rounds were legendary. Days started at dawn he told reporters to call him at home at 5 a.m. if they ever had any questions. It was the same time he expected associates to tee up for golf. Days generally ended with the last neighborhood meeting.

If there were nine people on a Sunday night in a snowstorm meeting in Allston to talk about the public library Menino was there said Joe Timilty a former city councilor and state senator who was Menino s mentor.

Menino started the year 1993 as a district councilor representing Hyde Park and Roslindale without a citywide base of power. That Menino ever became mayor required all the stars in the heavens to align.

If Bill Clinton had not defeated George Bush

If Mayor Ray Flynn had not campaigned so hard for Clinton

If the president of the Boston City Council Chris Iannella had not died and created a vacancy

If Ray Flynn had not pushed city councilors into making Menino president

And if Clinton had not paid Flynn back by naming him ambassador to the Vatican .

then Tom Menino would never have become acting mayor in July 1993.

By accident Tom Menino is the acting mayor of Boston. He really was an accidental mayor McCormack said.

Friends say that Menino never let go of his resentment at the idea he only became mayor by accident and he never stopped running to keep the position he never thought he could achieve.

Chance and coincidence may have made Menino acting mayor but he needed more than that to get elected mayor in November 1993 and he showed his political skill by acting like he was the mayor.

Then he announced there was going to be no raise in the water and sewer rates in the city. And no one had ever discussed it there was no discussion ever about raising the water and sewer rates McCormack said. But Tom Menino announced with great fanfare We will not be raising the water and sewer rates. And everyone said you know what there s the mayor.

Here Menino emerged as the Urban Mechanic Mr. Nuts and Bolts. He kept track of snow plows street cleaning and potholes. Boston historian Jim Vrabel says Menino had seen how effective Flynn had been as an action figure mayor going out into the neighborhoods riding fire engines and snow plows famously rescuing a Salvation Army Santa Claus from a burning car and trying to heal the city s race wounds. Menino followed that example but with less flash.

Mayor Menino is going to be remembered as a very effective mayor Vrabel said. A really good manager. He was kind of a combination of his predecessors.

As the mayor of downtown he was a notorious micromanager. He somewhat famously hated flat roofed skyscrapers as he wrote in his recently published book Mayor For A New America. So when a previously rejected developer returned to show Menino an alternative scale model he would like the developer came with a dozen different tops. When the mayor pointed out the one he liked the decision was made and the building went forward.

If he didn t like you he made it pretty clear he didn t like ya Vrabel said.

In some ways that saved time because without Menino s approval your projects did not go forward even if you followed the permitting process.

He was well known for his public feuds and often called Tommy Thin Skinned. Back in the early years when he was a body guy constant companion and driver for Joe Timility he had learned what it meant to be a loser from the brutal scarring mayoral election battles that Timility fought with the incumbent Kevin White. It was winner take all Timility says.

Those were the rules of the game and he played the game by the rules Timilty said.

In his book Menino took a defiant stance to the critics. Sensitive to those who said that the urban mechanic lacked a big vision he derided visionaries as people who can t get anything done. To those who called him a vindictive autocrat he wrote that fear is power.

Menino eschewed those lofty goals and he writes And I owed it to my city to keep fear alive ' said Vrabel author of the recently published A People s History of the New Boston. I think it s going to hurt him in the long run in his legacy that he saw power as something to obtain in and of itself rather than use for what the city needed at the time which is what a vision is all about.

Sixty floors up in the Hancock Tower Jack Connors a business magnate power broker and philanthropist takes a high minded view. When asked about Menino s personality the former ad man recalls an old TV ad for Perdue Chicken.

The slogan at the time was that it takes a tough man to make a tender chicken and we ll use that as a descriptor of Tom Menino if I may he said.

Connors expresses the greatest admiration for Menino.

He would call the swells the haves one at a time the suits the executives into his office and say Charlie I want you to do this and the next day Jack I want you to take a look at this. And we all thought we were doing a very special one off favor but in fact he was building a coalition to help those he cared about most he said.

When Menino asked Connors to help city kids dodging bullets in unsafe neighborhoods Connors pledged $10 million raised another $52 million and turned the city owned end of Long Island into Camp Harborview which serves 800 kids each summer and beyond.

He was as good at taking care of the folks who didn t have a champion as anyone I ve ever met in any office any place in the city or the state or the country Connors said.

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For Pablo Sandoval the Giants third world championship in five years proves ...

KANSAS CITY Mo. Somewhere beneath the champagne spray inside the Giants clubhouse Bruce Bochy held the World Series trophy aloft. It glistened and dripped under the lights as the manager barked his congratulations

Then Bochy put baseball's ultimate prize in the safest possible hands.

He handed it to Pablo Sandoval.

We got three We got three We got three the Giants third baseman shouted to the delight of his teammates. He splayed the fingers of both hands to make sure everyone was counting along.

There is a time on the near horizon when the question will be whether this third title will be Sandoval's last in San Francisco.

As a possibly fitting farewell he caught the last out of the Giants' 3 2 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game 7 squeezing Salvador Perez's foul pop and then falling on his back and screaming to the skies.

With three championships now to choose from Sandoval said this was his favorite.

This was a crazy one. Drama Everything '' he said. This is the one I enjoyed more than anything.

Madison Bumgarner was the series MVP but only the pitcher's historic brilliance prevented Sandoval from being in the conversation again. The third baseman batted .429 against the Royals and tied for Hunter Pence for the team high with 12 hits.

In the decisive game at Kauffman Stadium he went 3 for 3 with a double and two runs scored. Already entrenched as an October legend each swing during these playoffs seemed to yield another milestone

Among players with at least 40 World Series at bats Sandoval's .426 batting average trails only David Ortiz (.455) and Bobby Brown (.439). His 26 hits in these playoffs established an MLB record for a single postseason eclipsing the previous mark of 25 set by Marquis Grissom (1995 Braves) Darin Erstad (2002 Angels) and David Freese (2011 Cardinals). Along the way he ran his streak to 25 consecutive postseason games of reaching base safely. That tied him with Boog Powell for the third longest such streak in major league history trailing only Miguel Cabrera (31) and Chase Utley (27). Sandoval's 19 career postseason extra base hits are a franchise record. His 20 RBI trail only Barry Bonds (21) and Buster Posey (also 21) in the team's postseason record books.

Then there are the countless reasons Bochy handed the trophy to Sandoval.

You could see the difference in Pablo once his postseason started '' the manager said. His focus his third base play was as good as I've ever seen from any third baseman. That's what I'm proud of is how he made himself a good defender.

As far as what happens I don't know. It's obvious I love this kid '' Bochy said. Hopefully something gets done but these are things that take care of themselves in the winter.

Once he set the trophy down Sandoval found a relatively quiet space in the corner of the clubhouse. Standing near him was Brad Horn a representative from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sandoval joked that he was in no rush to hand anything over. After the three titles the Cooperstown halls ought to be pretty well stocked with Panda memorabilia.

I've been giving a lot lately '' Sandoval said. I want to enjoy and take everything that I can.

Contact Daniel Brown at dbrown mercurynews.com.

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Chicago Bulls show Carmelo Anthony what hes missing

Pau Gasol and the Bulls pounded the Knicks in Wednesday s opener. (Adam Hunger USA TODAY Sports)

NEW YORK In front of the team he flirted with but later spurned in front of the fans to whom he committed to entertain with a nine figure pact Carmelo Anthony proclaimed his dedication to the New York Knicks on Wednesday night with a short video that projected from the scoreboard at Madison Square Garden. Running through various city streets underneath elevated Subway trains and along the Hudson in a movie quality production Anthony explained what makes New York great how he bleeds blue and orange and it culminated with him making one last declaration.

I m all in Anthony said. Are you

The timing of the video was perfect because it came during the first timeout with the Knicks holding a six point lead over the visiting Chicago Bulls. It wasn t long thereafter that the Knicks short lived lead had become a deficit so severe that fans were already booing for the first time in the Phil Jackson Derek Fisher Anthony triangle era. By the end of the night the world s most famous arena was so empty and quiet that Derrick Rose couldn t fathom what was happening as he watched the entire fourth quarter of the Bulls 104 80 win on the bench.

Never. Nah Rose said when asked if he had been at Madison Square Garden when it was so lifeless. But I don t want to talk too much about that.

Pau Gasol dunks as Carmelo Anthony watches. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)

Anthony understood the ramifications of his decision to stay in New York for the security of a $124 million contract instead of taking the pay cut needed to hasten his chase for the jewelry that the other top five picks from his draft class have acquired. He knew that choosing the Knicks would require patience and faith in Jackson and that a mismatched roster of players learning a complicated offensive scheme could yield some initially gruesome results.

But that decision would also provide Anthony with the stardom and stage he desired the opportunity to play in front of celebrities like Spike Lee John McEnroe and Taylor Swift to have Questlove mixing music as guest DJ and to have opening night pre game introductions so elaborate they included a flashing light performance from Blue Man group.

The Bulls tried to lure Anthony to Chicago with the promise he could have less stress on the floor if paired with Rose the former most valuable player who is finally healthy and relaxed after playing just 10 games in the past two seasons. That pitch could only come with an offer of four years and $70 million an extreme haircut for Anthony a former scoring champion.

When Anthony passed to grasp the only true guarantee in the NBA the money the Bulls honed in on Pau Gasol. Rose didn t think the Bulls could lose either way.

Tell you the truth for our team we were just looking for any contribution on the offensive side. Anyone who could score the ball and help our team. Pau came over Rose said. Plays where you need a great shot and you know things aren t rolling for you you can easily dump it down. If you double team it s going to be wide open shots wide open threes. Any other time the shot is going down. It makes the game easier for everyone.

In his debut with Bulls Gasol had 21 points and 11 rebounds and helped show why Rose won t have to carry the sole responsibility of savior for a franchise and a city because he has more help than ever.

I think there is a lot of pressure off his shoulders. We have a variety of weapons Gasol said. So he doesn t have that pressure on himself to be able to score and force things. Some games are going to go one way some games are going to go the other. He s got to stay aggressive for the others attract the defense and make plays.

The burden to be so much for his hometown fans has been at times overwhelming for Rose especially as he returned from a devastating left knee injury that had him playing with little joy and contributed to another devastating right knee injury last season. But Rose feels more at ease in his re return. He can work out the rust without worrying always about saving the day. His coming out party will have to be put on hold for another time as Rose spent Wednesday mostly attacking the rim to draw fouls and hitting a few mid range jumpers.

I think this is the first time I played in the league where in the first game I only played low 20 minutes and only had 13 points Rose said flashing a grin. I thought for sure I was going to have a little time in the fourth quarter in the Garden. But the game got kinda out of hand and Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau didn t call us back in. It was real fun being on the bench being able to laugh.

Derrick Rose liked what he saw from his teammates Wednesday night. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)

Gasol was no mere consolation prize for missing out on Anthony he was an in demand free agent with two championship rings who selected the Bulls over San Antonio Miami Oklahoma City the Los Angeles Lakers and Knicks. Jackson and Fisher tried to recruit Gasol to New York leaning on their past successes in Los Angeles. Anthony spoke with Gasol when he was contemplating playing for the Lakers but never tried to court the 7 foot big man to New York.

I didn t get involved in that. I didn t really know my situation let alone what Pau s going to do. it s kind of hard for me to get involved in that Anthony said while acknowledging the difference he made. Pau is Pau. He makes plays. He s been in this league a long time he s a smart basketball player.

Even if Anthony had joined Jackson and Fisher the efforts probably wouldn t have changed the end result. I thought that the team was not at the level of the other options that I had Gasol said.

The Bulls didn t want to spend too much time discussing what might ve been had Anthony decided to show up on Wednesday wearing red instead of white. Rose asked at the morning shootaround Who wouldn t want to play with a talent like that But the Bulls are out to show that they won t need him to get to their desired destination.

We wasn t really worried about the Melo situation. That was behind us. We re trying to get better and push for a championship. We re not holding any grudges for anybody Taj Gibson said after scoring 22 points off the bench.

Chicago has made the playoffs in each of the past six seasons advancing to the Eastern Conference finals in 2011 but Rose s misfortune has limited the Bulls rise. Without him they were the gritty little train that could do but so much. Now they are favored by many to take the East over the latest super team built around LeBron James in Cleveland.

The first game was an encouraging step for the Bulls. Jimmy Butler Chicago s best perimeter defender was out with a sprained left thumb so Mike Dunleavy sacrificed scoring altogether to focus on helping to limit Anthony to just 14 points. Gibson had been bragging about how the second unit routinely beats the starters in practice and the improved depth Bulls Vice President John Paxson and General Manager Gar Forman sought to assemble last summer was on display Wednesday as the bench was responsible for 55 points.

Who knows how good we can be We still got a long way to go Rose said. I think we have a good team. We can t get too big headed it s only the first game but when things run smooth the way they did you got to look at our whole entire team and how deep we are.

If Anthony spent even a second glancing over at Chicago and imagining what could ve been he wasn t willing to share those emotions after a blowout loss at home. He also wasn t going to overreact over one loss.

Embarrassed No I m not embarrassed Anthony said before departing to catch a flight to Cleveland for LeBron James s return to the Cavaliers. We ll see them three more times and we ll learn from that. So I m not too concerned at this time. We will get better. I believe that.

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New York Knicks stun Cleveland Cavaliers 95 90 in LeBron James return home

CLEVELAND Ohio In a night that started out so memorably the ending sure left a sour taste as the New York Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 95 90 on Thursday night at The Q in the Cavs' season opener.

New York's Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 25 points.

Kyrie Irving led Cleveland (0 1) with 22 points four rebounds and five assists. Kevin Love supplied 19 points and a game high 14 rebounds.

LeBron James struggled offensively in his return home finishing with 16 points on 5 for 15 shooting in addition to five rebounds and four assists. He also committed a game high eight turnovers. Going into tonight's game it was all about his homecoming but the Knicks killed that storyline.

The Cavaliers seemed fueled by the emotions in a sloppy first quarter that ended with a 25 18 lead. But for the rest of the game the home team looked spent particularly on offense as possession after possession was lost in inaccurate passes. Only Kevin Love 14 first half points on his way to 19 points and 14 rebounds seemed a reliable option.

James deferred to his teammates almost without exception in the first half and never found a rhythm at any point. The Knicks successfully double teamed him several times and his teammates looked uncertain as to where to best be open.

The atmosphere around the sold out Quicken Loans Arena was electric with thousands of fans camped around just to get a taste of this unprecedented moment. It was pandemonium inside The Q. Fans were on the edge of their seat not knowing what to expect.

My sense is that people are firmly behind this team and behind this project and they're excited anxious to get it going Cavs head coach David Blatt said before the game.

The stars showed up to check out the scene including pop star Justin Bieber RB singer Usher Knicks super fan Spike Lee Browns backup QB Johnny Manziel and cornerback Joe Haden former NFL player Michael Strahan former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar and actor/comedian Kevin Hart.

The Nike commercial featuring James and the city of Cleveland was shown on the brand new video board a few minutes before lineup introductions. The moment it appeared the crowd erupted with cheers and few tears were shed.

James was standing by the team's bench looking up watching the entire commercial. He didn't say a word. He didn't move. He just watched it as if he was soaking up the moment.

None of us should take this moment for granted James said before the game. This is probably the biggest sporting event. It's up there ever.

Emotions were all over the place and it didn't end there.

When James walked to the scorer's table fans stood up holding confetti that was provided by the organization. James brought back his patented chalk toss and the crowd threw up its confetti at the same time reminiscent of the old days.

However that was the extent of the good times. Cleveland has a road meeting with the division rival Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

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Sean Payton On Saints Big Win

Sean Payton On Saints' Big WinNEXT VIDEO Sean Payton On Saints' Big WinSean Payton On Saints' Big WinSaints Run Past PanthersSaints Run Past PanthersIngram On Saints' WinIngram On Saints' WinGame Balls Panthers vs. SaintsGame Balls Panthers vs. Saints

CHARLOTTE N.C. New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton had been biting his tongue all week about the extra short turnaround from a Sunday night game to a Thursday night road game. But Payton couldn't resist bringing it up during his opening comments after New Orleans' 28 10 victory over the Carolina Panthers calling it crazy silly and foolish.

You know Thursday night games are one thing but to play on a Sunday night game and then come back and play on a Thursday ... you can't really complain publicly because first off it's not an excuse for your players you don't want it to be. But I would say it's crazy. It's silly all right It shouldn't happen Payton said.

Later he added It's foolish. You got three guys that are hurt in there right now. To play a Sunday night and travel is foolish.

Enlarge

According to Elias Sports Bureau only four times in the last 20 years had an NFL team been forced to play a Thursday road game following a Sunday night contest. Only one team Miami in 2003 had won both.

Payton said he didn't bring it up with the league when the schedule first came out because he didn't fully appreciate it until you go actually through logistics and see what your players go through.

And he said it wasn't a big campaign for him saying That's just my little frustration with something as simple as scheduling that can be easily fixed.

Payton did bring up the scheduling challenge with players during the week but they said his message was to make sure they didn't allow themselves to use it as an excuse heading into the game.

His biggest message was nobody cares and no one wants to hear it. ... Control what you can control said offensive tackle Zach Strief who also serves as the Saints' NFL Players Association union rep. Now do you think it's fair to play a night game and then travel on a Thursday I mean no that's a tough deal. And they can spit out all the stats or whatever that they would like to spit out that it doesn't affect players and guys aren't getting injured more. At the end of the day it's baloney.

Obviously you say 'Why would we do that In all good conscious of player safety why would we do that '

Strief added What you love is the way the team responded.

Outside linebacker Junior Galette echoed that sentiment.

It's tough on your body. But Sean said you know if we come in here and lose we can't have excuses and say it's because we played two games in five days Galette said. I mean obviously we're world class athletes if anyone can do it we can.

Sean took care of us we just had a walk through practice we had a simple game plan. We knew we had to have a simple game plan to play fast and that's what we did tonight.

Recommend0 Tweet0 Email Subscribe Print Comments0Mike TriplettESPN New Orleans Saints reporterFollowArchiveCovered Saints for eight years at New Orleans Times Picayune Previously covered LSU football San Francisco 49ers Iowa native and University of Iowa graduate

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The Coming Out of Apples Chief Tim Cook This Will Resonate

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Scintillating Bumgarner proves the ultimate World Series difference

KANSAS CITY Mo. Plans Sure the San Francisco Giants had plans. If starter Tim Hudson struggled they wanted to use Jeremy Affeldt as a bridge to the fifth inning. Then they would put Madison Bumgarner in the game and then well that was sort of the end of the plan. Two days earlier he had thrown a 117 pitch shutout. Could Bumgarner pitch two innings on short rest Three One Midway through Game 7 of the World Series the Giants were winging it.

We just didn t know how long Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti said. How in the hell do you know a guy can do something like that

MLB The Giants talked about having all hands on deck but in the end they only needed one. Bumgarner took the ball in the fifth inning and never gave it up lifting the Giants to a 3 2 Game 7 win. Five shutout innings on two days rest in the loudest World Series road environment you can imagine. Who can plan for that

Manager Bruce Bochy yanked Hudson after 28 pitches. Affeldt carried the Giants through the fourth inning. Michael Morse had given the Giants a 3 2 lead with an RBI single and then it was Bumgarner s turn. The Giants knew their man.

After one MadBum inning centerfielder Gregor Blanco thought OK we got it. We got it already. Righetti told catcher Buster Posey You had a game plan for Huddy. You got another one now because Bumgarner's staying in for a while.

Bumgarner was not just the World Series MVP. He was also as teammate Brandon Belt said the MVP of the world out there. As much as any player in a generation Bumgarner was the reason his team won the World Series.

By the time the World Series started there were two kinds of games The ones when Bumgarner pitched and the others.

How great was he In their four wins the Giants needed 108 outs. Bumgarner recorded 63 of them. He gave up only a single run the whole series.

When the Giants ride in their third World Series parade in five years they should all wear Bumgarner jerseys. They are not kidding themselves. In the clubhouse afterward injured starter Matt Cain pointed to his teammates spraying champagne and said bluntly Without him we wouldn t be doing this.

How did this happen How did a guy who probably won t get a single Cy Young Award vote over Clayton Kershaw turn into one of the most dominant postseason forces in Major League history How did he go from a 2.98 ERA in the regular season to 1.03 in the playoffs

It started with failure.

The date was Sept. 23. The Giants trailed the hated Dodgers by 3 1/2 games with six to play. They needed a win in Dodger Stadium to stay alive in the division race and Bumgarner could not deliver it. He gave up three home runs and while he also hit a two run homer off Zack Greinke the Giants lost 4 2.

MLB Bumgarner was rushing. He wanted to beat the Dodgers so damn much that he tried to overpower them instead of pitch to them. Looking back that loss propelled the Giants to the championship. If they had won the game they probably still would have lost the division but they might have used Bumgarner on the final day of the season to try to catch the Dodgers. Instead they were able to save him for the Wild Card Game against Pittsburgh and perhaps most importantly he was able to learn an important October lesson before October.

JAFFE Making a Hall of Fame case for Giants manager Bochy

Focus Righetti said. His focus to make each pitch everybody gets excited grabs the ball they re feeling really good and they throw it. I swear to God if you watch the tapes it s almost like he pitched the same speed the whole month.

After that Dodgers loss Righetti talked to Bumgarner about using both sides of the plate and trusting his curveball. The curve became a strikeout pitch for him this month and Righetti says That wasn t always the case. He was willing to throw that in the toughest of circumstances.

MLB Every start brought more confidence every calmly executed pitch was followed by another calmly executed pitch. By the time the World Series started there were two kinds of games The ones when Bumgarner pitched and the others.

For 10 days it was like the Giants and Royals were roped together wherever one went the other one followed. The Giants won the opener 7 1 and the Royals won the next game 7 2. The Giants won two of three in San Francisco and the Royals whipped them 10 0 in Kansas City.

They were interchangeable evenly matched and equally great and the difference was Bumgarner. He was the reason the Giants celebrated on the field while a solemn man in a blue sport coat quietly walked down a Kauffman Stadium staircase. In that moment it didn t matter one bit that the man was George Brett. He was just another man in Kansas City who had his heart stepped on by Madison Bumgarner.

Bumgarner allowed a single run the whole Series that came in Game 1 with the Giants leading 7 0. That run seemed meaningless at the time and it basically was except for how it happened Salvador Perez hit a home run.

MLB And now here was Bumgarner on Wednesday in the ninth inning of Game 7 with a man on third base clinging to a 3 2 lead needing one more out to win the World Series and who was at the plate Salvador Perez.

Bumgarner should not have been in this situation. It was Blanco s fault really. The normally steady center fielder had turned a single into an error and a trip to third base because he has these things called veins and blood and emotions and sometimes they interfere with his head. With two outs in the ninth Kansas City s Alex Gordon hit a line drive toward center field Blanco realized he could make the catch that could end the World Series and he went after a ball he would have left alone in July.

As soon as I started going I think to myself 'You re doing the wrong thing You gotta stay back ' Blanco said. But it was too late. The ball scooted past him and Gordon ended up on third. The Kauffman Stadium crowd erupted like the Royals had won the Chiefs had won and everybody was getting an enormous tax refund.

Bumgarner had thrown 62 pitches more than anybody imagined he would throw but from the bench Righetti and Bochy saw he still had his velocity and control. Mostly he still had his calm his poise the quality that kept him from making the kind of mistake that Blanco made. He forced Perez into a popout to third base. Pablo Sandoval caught it and fell to his back a World Series champion yet again.

This World Series title sealed Bochy s Hall of Fame induction though that should have been ensured anyway. It may bring Sandoval back he is due to hit free agency in a few days. It solidifies the Giants as the best team of this era not just in championships won but also in the old fashioned sense of that word.

In the clubhouse afterward starter Jake Peavy celebrated bigger and louder than anybody even though he was arguably the worst performer in the whole World Series. And why not He s on the team right Posey said he wasn t worried about Sandoval s free agency right now though he obviously wants him back because the best teams don t let business interfere with pleasure.

Affeldt talked about how much it meant to have his wife Larisa by his side as he won a World Series in Kansas City. A decade ago as a Royal he was so beaten down by injuries and failure that he sat at the kitchen counter of the home he owned here and cried.

VERDUCCI Bumgarner's flawless and historic World Series

That was it he told Larisa. He was quitting the game. She told him he had to keep going that he would make it. She says now that he was just frustrated and she doesn t think he was really going to quit. But at the time he sure felt like quitting. Now here he was the winning pitcher in Game 7 en route to capturing his third World Series on the same mound that almost destroyed him.

These are the kinds of stories that pour out of a winning clubhouse along with the Budweiser and champagne. Bumgarner provided all the happy endings.

Belt He s just a bad ass I guess. Posey I m still amazed at how he just sits on the bench and just seems so calm. I guess when you re as good as he is it s easy. Hunter Pence He is so calm that it leaks into you so confident that it leaks into us. Blanco He s not human. We gotta do something about this guy. We gotta take him to the doctor I guess. I don t know. It seems like he is a robot.

If anybody is thankful for Madison Bumgarner s existence his toughness and his greatness it is Blanco. Consider If Bumgarner had thrown a wild pitch or given up a single to Perez Blanco would have been an all time World Series goat. That botched play in center field would have followed him around forever. Instead nobody cares. Bumgarner made sure of it.

So when that last popup landed in Sandoval s glove Blanco was both excited and relieved. Confused too. He thought OK what do I do now Should I run Should I jump Should I scream

He can t help it. He is human. We can t all be Madison Bumgarner.

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What we learned in Louisvilles loss to FSU

Louisville running back Michael Dyer carries the ball against Florida State(Photo Scott Utterback)

Here's what we learned during the University of Louisville's 42 31 loss to No. 2 Florida State on Thursday night

THE CARDINALS ARE NOT QUITE AT FLORIDA STATE'S LEVEL BUT THE GAP ISN'T MASSIVE UofL sprinted to a 21 0 lead and the fans here were going bananas. It seemed like an upset was imminent. But then Jameis Winston happened. The Cardinals were outscored 42 10 over the game's final 25 minutes. There's a reason Florida State is a defending national champion with a 24 game winning streak.

BOBBY PETRINO LIKES MAKING A SPLASH On the first play of the game the offensive guru dialed up a deep ball and it worked. Will Gardner fired a 71 yard bomb to DeVante Parker and you could feel PJCS shake.

BUT MAYBE THAT GAMBLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FOR PETRINO ON THAT DRIVE The Cardinals were stuffed on three plays and faced a fourth and 2 and rather than kicking a field goal and taking an early lead the Cardinals went for it and Gardner's pass fell incomplete.

DEVANTE PARKER IS FULLY HEALTHY Parker returned from his foot injury for the North Carolina State game nearly two weeks ago and was dazzling but he was still getting into game shape. A bye week took care of that and it was clear Parker was fully back to his old spectacular self. He finished with 8 catches for 214 yards. And the pressbox was loaded with NFL scouts and front office personnel.

JAMES QUICK MIGHT BE DONE AS A PUNT RETURNER FOR A WHILE Punt returns have been a bit of an adventure for the talented sophomore this year as he entered Thursday's game having fumbled three punts this season. His struggles continued in this game. First he signaled for a fair catch and let the ball hit the turf then decided to field it which you're not allowed to do. He was whistled for a delay of game and also nearly fumbled the ball off of his shoulder. Then on the next punt he did fumble but he fell on the ball before Florida State could. On the next punt he had been replaced by Eli Rogers.

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MICHAEL DYER IS A BOWLING BALL UofL's running back situation has been bizarre this year with Dominique Brown being replaced by Brandon Radcliff who has now been replaced by Dyer. Finally healthy the senior is showing flashes of Auburn form. In this game he finished with 134 yards and three touchdowns.

LORENZO MAULDIN'S HAMSTRING INJURY IS A CONCERN The linebacker injured his hamstring in the N.C. State game and appeared to reinjure it in the first half on Thursday. He left the game during the second quarter and at one point headed to the locker room. He did return however.

FLORIDA STATE'S NICK O'LEARY COULD BE A WRESTLER AND A FUMBLE RECOVERER After James Burgess' second quarter interception for Louisville O'Leary tracked him down and had trouble bringing him down. So finally he lifted Burgess in the air and essentially body slammed him. Then in the final minute of the first half O'Leary pounced on a fumbled handoff in the end zone to score the Seminoles' lone first half touchdown.

OPPOSING QUARTERBACKS SHOULD NOT THROW THE BALL ANYWHERE NEAR GEROD HOLLIMAN The junior gathered his ninth and tenth interceptions of the season. That number is tops in the nation and it ties a school record. The 10th will not go down as one of Holliman's favorite however as he fumbled the ball away on the return.

Last SlideNext Slide

HE HAD TO MISS SOMETIME Florida State kicker Robert Aguayo entered the game having made 14 of 14 field goal attempts this season and 35 of 36 in his career. But his 41 yard attempt that would have tied the game in the fourth quarter sailed wide right.

IT'S TOUGH ENOUGH TO DEFEAT FLORIDA STATE WHEN YOUR DEFENDERS AREN'T RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER With 12 48 left in the fourth quarter Florida State trailed by three points and faced a critical 3rd and 10. Winston fired a deep ball that appeared headed toward a cluster of UofL players but two of them collided with each other seemingly allowing the ball to get past them and into the hands of Ermon Lane who zipped into the end zone for a touchdown.

ACC FOOTBALL IS GOING TO BE FUN TO WATCH This felt a lot different than the American Athletic Conference didn't it PJCS was buzzing both teams were bullying and a national television audience got quite a show. And the nice thing for UofL fans is that games like this will be the new normal.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at 502 582 4372 by email ahimmelsbach courier journal.com and on Twitter adamhimmelsbach

Video Coach Petrino talks about the heartbreaking loss to FSU

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President Obama Issued a Statement on Mayor Tom Meninos Death

Image via City of Boston

With a heavy heart President Barack Obama released a statement sending his condolences to the Menino family and loved ones. On Thursday morning October 30 Boston's longest serving mayor Tom Menino passed away after losing his courageous battle with cancer.

Mayor Menino 71 ceased his cancer treatments just last week in order to spend time with his family and close friends.

President Obama came to Boston and joined Mayor Menino to memorialize the victims of the tragic Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.

Said President Obama

Michelle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Tom Menino. Bold big hearted and Boston strong Tom was the embodiment of the city he loved and led for more than two decades. As Boston's longest serving mayor Tom helped make his hometown the vibrant welcoming world class place it is today. His legacy lives on in every neighborhood he helped revitalize every school he helped turn around and every community he helped make a safer better place to live. I had a chance to speak with Tom s wife Angela yesterday and today our thoughts and prayers are with her with the entire Menino family and with the people of Boston who Tom loved so much and who loved him in return.

Update Details of Mayor Tom Menino's Funeral Will Be Released Soon

According to a statement released by the Menino family Menino lost his battle with cancer just after 9 a.m. Thursday morning. He was surrounded by his wife Angela loving friends and family.

He had just published his memoir Mayor for a New America on October 14. More BostInno Looks Back at Mayor Tom Menino's Enduring Contribution to Boston.

Reaction

RIPMyMayor Boston Pours out Grief on Twitter Boston's Tech Community Recalls Menino's Contribution Boston's Higher Education Leaders Reflect on the Life Impact of Mayor Tom Menino Boston Chefs and Restaurateurs Remember Mayor Menino

Added Secretary of State and Beacon Hill native John Kerry

Tom Menino was Boston. In fact if you just look around the city you ll see with your own eyes that he is Boston today.

Others talked Tommy worked.

Crime fell population rose the skyline became world class schools got better the financial academic and medical sectors thrived and neighborhoods became more diverse. It was in those neighborhoods that Mayor Menino made his mark.

His example for 20 years as Mayor taught us all a lot about people and politics and his example the last year taught us even more about grace and grit.

Tom Menino had the big bold beating heart of a street politician. People came up to the Mayor and asked him to fix things and he followed up and fixed them whether it was streetlights or parks or getting the snow plowed so people could get to work on time. He knew what built community. He felt the city and the neighborhoods in his bones.

He combined good old fashioned common sense with modern state of the art vision and he delivered for Boston block by block neighborhood by neighborhood. He was fiercely loyal and unbelievably reliable.

Teresa and I send Angela and their children and grandchildren a big hug and big prayers.

Together with their beloved Tom Angela Susan and Tommy Jr. Bill and Lisa Giulia Will Olivia and Thomas III Samantha and Taylor embody something fundamental the love that is a great family.

God Bless them all and God Bless Tom Menino.

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Scintillating Bumgarner proves the ultimate World Series difference

We just didn t know how long Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti said. How in the hell do you know a guy can do something like that

By the time the World Series started there were two kinds of games The ones when Bumgarner pitched and the others.

How great was he In their four wins the Giants needed 108 outs. Bumgarner recorded 63 of them. He gave up only a single run the whole series.

It started with failure.

JAFFE Making a Hall of Fame case for Giants manager Bochy

VERDUCCI Bumgarner's flawless and historic World Series

These are the kinds of stories that pour out of a winning clubhouse along with the Budweiser and champagne. Bumgarner provided all the happy endings.

So when that last popup landed in Sandoval s glove Blanco was both excited and relieved. Confused too. He thought OK what do I do now Should I run Should I jump Should I scream

He can t help it. He is human. We can t all be Madison Bumgarner.

Articles Source here

President Obama Issued a Statement on Mayor Tom Meninos Death

Image via City of Boston

Mayor Menino 71 ceased his cancer treatments just last week in order to spend time with his family and close friends.

President Obama came to Boston and joined Mayor Menino to memorialize the victims of the tragic Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.

Said President Obama

Update Details of Mayor Tom Menino's Funeral Will Be Released Soon

According to a statement released by the Menino family Menino lost his battle with cancer just after 9 a.m. Thursday morning. He was surrounded by his wife Angela loving friends and family.

He had just published his memoir Mayor for a New America on October 14. More BostInno Looks Back at Mayor Tom Menino's Enduring Contribution to Boston.

Reaction

Added Secretary of State and Beacon Hill native John Kerry

Tom Menino was Boston. In fact if you just look around the city you ll see with your own eyes that he is Boston today.

Others talked Tommy worked.

His example for 20 years as Mayor taught us all a lot about people and politics and his example the last year taught us even more about grace and grit.

Teresa and I send Angela and their children and grandchildren a big hug and big prayers.

Together with their beloved Tom Angela Susan and Tommy Jr. Bill and Lisa Giulia Will Olivia and Thomas III Samantha and Taylor embody something fundamental the love that is a great family.

God Bless them all and God Bless Tom Menino.

Articles Source here

Pennsylvania Police Eric Frein Was Dedicated to Killing Cops

After a 48 day manhunt suspected cop killer Eric Frein was captured Thursday in Pennsylvania and carted away in handcuffs used by a state trooper he is alleged to have killed. Prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty.

Col. Frank Noonan commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police said Frein was captured without incident about 6 p.m. ET at the abandoned Birchwood Pocono Airpark in Tannersville in the Poconos resort region. A rifle and a pistol were found inside a hangar officials said.

Frein 31 was taken by surprise and was in surprisingly good condition after so many weeks in the wild Noonan said. He admitted his identity.

He has been stripped of his guns his bombs and now his freedom Sam Rabadi chief of the Philadelphia office of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives said at a late night news conference.

Frein is accused of killing State Police Cpl. Bryon Dickson and wounding Trooper Alex Douglass in an ambush on the Blooming Grove barracks on Sept. 12. Police found a diary entry his AK 47 two homemade pipe bombs and several campsites they but hadn't been able to capture him until Thursday.

A police caravan drove Frein on Thursday night to the State Police barracks at Blooming Grove the alleged scene of the crime where he was awaiting arraignment on a slew of charges including first degree murder homicide of a law enforcement officer attempted murder and possession of weapons of mass destruction. Noonan said there was no indication that Frein had an accomplice or help during his time on the run.

He was handcuffed with the handcuffs of Corporal Dickson which I think was very appropriate Gov. Tom Corbett said at a late night news conference. Let me assure you from everyone here Justice will be served.

Courtesy WBRE

Noonan said the manhunt took so long because it was such a big wooded area that he was familiar with and he had so many places to hide in. Search teams had to be very methodical because Eric Frein had a mission and that was to attack law enforcement. There was concern that had Frein made it out of the woods he'd go after other law enforcement and possibly civilians Noonan said.

The Associated Press reported that Frein left the barracks in handcuffs around 1 30 a.m. ET Friday and was taken to the Pike County Correctional Facility. His nose looked swollen and he appeared slightly bloodied above one eye. Frein's initial court appearance was scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday at the Pike County Courthouse.

In his diary Frein a military reenactment buff and survivalist described how he fled in his Jeep but got only a half mile before he encountered a roadblock.

Got a shot around 11 p.m. and took it he wrote in an entry dated Sept. 12. He dropped. I was surprised at how quick. I took a follow up shot on his head neck area. He was still and quiet after that.

Another cop approached the one I just shot Frein continued. As he went to kneel I took a shot at him and jumped in the door. His legs were visible and still.

At one campsite uncovered by search teams on the border of Pike and Monroe counties early this month authorities found military style packs food clothing the two pipe bombs and ammunition that matched the weapon used to shoot the two troopers. Many of the items police found during the manhunt including soiled diapers and trash tested positive for Frein's DNA they said.

As many as 1 000 local state and federal law enforcement officers eventually joined the search.

I can't think of a more dangerous occupation then going into the woods to capture this individual Noonan said. And yet my biggest problem was telling people I didn't need any more help.

In addition to the trooper shootings Frein is charged with two counts of manufacturing weapons of mass destruction after the pipe bombs were found. The shrapnel packed pipe bombs were booby trapped with trip wires and could have caused serious injury to anyone nearby authorities said.

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The Associated Press and NBC News' Michael Kosnar and Jonathan Dienst contributed to this report.

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Giants rookie Joe Paniks glove helps save the World Series

KANSAS CITY Mo. If there was a turning point in Game 7 beyond Madison Bumgarner taking the mound in the fifth inning on Wednesday night it may have occurred two innings earlier when Joe Panik took flight.

The rookie second baseman's spectacular diving stop and glove flip to shortstop Brandon Crawford who converted a double play was easily the defensive gem of the game and it proved to be a pivotal momentum turner in the Giants' World Series clinching 3 2 victory.

After the Kansas City Royals had scored two runs in the second inning to erase a 2 0 Giants lead they picked back up in the third with a Lorenzo Cain leadoff single against reliever Jeremy Affeldt.

The Kauffman Stadium crowd was roaring at full pitch as cleanup hitter Eric Hosmer came to the plate and on an 0 1 Affeldt offering Hosmer hit a hot shot up the middle that appeared headed for center field. But Panik dove and stopped the ball then made a glove toss from his belly to Crawford covering the second base bag to nail Cain. Crawford then relayed to first base for what turned out to be a double play.

Hosmer dove into first base and was initially called safe by umpire Eric Cooper. But the Giants challenged the play and after 2 minutes and 57 seconds of review deliberation Hosmer was ruled out.

The Royals got just two hits the rest of the game.

That was the first time I've ever done something like that said Panik of his two part jewel. It was just instinctual. He hit it well and it looked like it was going to shoot through. I just told myself to dive knock it down and try to get one.

The way Crawford turned it over was great and thank goodness for the replay system. That double play was big especially after they'd tied it up.

Bruce Bochy thought it was bigger than big.

Huge play the manager said. That ball gets through we're in a tough situation. Defense wins games for you and that play there saved us today. This kid he's been so solid since he's been here but to make a play like that on this stage it's just so cool.

Panik said since switching from shortstop to second base he's never really had to use the glove flip.

It's a little different type of flip for one thing he said. I practice glove flips standing up but never flat on the ground like that.

Crawford said he's seen Panik make a lot of nice plays but never one quite like that.

If he said it was his best play ever I'm sure it was said the shortstop. It's a quick infield so there's not a whole lot of time to think about what happened. It was a perfect flip and the play at first was bang bang. For us not only to take a hit away but get two outs I think it changed the whole momentum.

The only casualty on the play was Panik's belt buckle. It snapped as he hit the ground on his dive and he had to retrieve a new one.

Affeldt the beneficiary of the double play couldn't believe what he saw when he turned and watched after Hosmer hit the ball.

That saved us that saved me said the veteran left hander. They'd been hitting ground balls where we weren't the whole series it seemed like. For him to lay out the way he did flip it the way he did and then turn the double play that was the game changer for me. It allowed me to go out again because it limited my pitches. The way that kid made that play on this stage is pretty awesome. He was big part of why we just made history in my opinion.

While Bumgarner clearly was the hero of the night Panik was among the runners up. It was a fitting final exclamation point to a season in which the Giants had so many problems at second base early in the year yet were rescued at the position by their standout rookie who saved his best defensive play of the season for the final game.

Joe's played great said infield coach Ron Wotus. I think he punched out three times tonight. You don't see that very often but he made a big play on defense. He hasn't been over there at second too long but he's taken to it like a duck to water and he's only going to get better over there with experience.

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