Mariano Rivera's Friday Night Notes

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="580"] Photo via New Yorker[/caption] For the first time in 19 years Mariano Rivera is celebrating a birthday not as a member of Major League Baseball. The Sandman retired following the end of this season, after a long illustrious career spent entirely with the New York Yankees. Rivera played the majority of his career as a relief pitcher, serving as the Yankees’ closer for 17 seasons. He is a 13-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion, and the MLB career leader in saves with a nigh untouchable mark of 652. His signature pitch was a cut fastball that was knee-buckling to left-handed hitters. But more than his overpowering gas, Mo was a prime ambassador for the game, and his legacy in baseball will forever be noted with incredible durability and strength, and his personality dotted with examples of selflessness and humility. Mariano Rivera is one of the good guys, and even if you hate the New York Yankees (like yours truly), you have to appreciate his passion for the game, and for doing it the right way. Happy birthday, Mo. Here’s to 44 more! Now let’s get to the notes; tomorrow is going to be a big day. ********** -- You know who doesn’t give a damn about Kentucky? Providence head coach Ed Cooley. Following his team’s victory over Fairfield this afternoon, Cooley took a moment to share his thoughts on the upcoming contest with the Wildcats. Giving teams that are better than you extra motivation is a bold strategy, so let’s see if it pays off for him… -- Speaking of Providence, the Cats are headed to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of. It’ll be a return trip to the Barclays Center for Alex Poythress, Willie Cauley-Stein, and the hero of the day, Jarrod Polson. The Cats won the 2012-13 season opener against Maryland in Brooklyn with Kyle Wiltjer dropping 19 points in the 72-69 win. -- Around the rest of the SEC, a few teams took it on the chin, including Anthony Grant and his Alabama Crimson Tide. They lost in triple-overtime to Drexel. Neither team wanted to win, both teams choked, but in the end, the Tide choked harder. Also falling was LSU who played the 21st-ranked Memphis Tigers close, were leading at halftime, but lost 76-69. -- Shifting gears to football, Arkansas had an opportunity to knock off No. 17 LSU in Baton Rouge but saw it slip away in the final minutes. After an injury to starting quarterback Zach Metteberger, freshman backup QB Anthony Jennings stood in his own end zone, 99-yards from the promised land, and told the huddle it was go time. He delivered the game-winning drive in the final three minutes and Arkansas concluded its season winless in the SEC. So that means Kentucky can finish out of the cellar by beating Tennessee. Tigers receiver Jarvis Landry hauled in this leaping circus catch to set up a field goal that cut the lead to 3 points with five minutes left. Consider the Razorbacks stunned. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="430"] Photo via @Keith_Himebaugh[/caption] -- We’re about to see some of the best football of the season tomorrow in the Iron Bowl. Without a doubt Auburn has shocked the nation going from one of the worst to one of the best in what seems like overnight. It tells us one of two things: Gene Chizik really was that bad, or Gus Malzahn really is that good. (Or he’s a cheater). For a preview on the game, watch this bizarre Taiwanese animation: That’s all for tonight. Get your rest, because tomorrow will be filled with gridiron action. Sweet dreams, Big Blue Nation.