FBND: An Outperforming Bond Fund
By Tunde Olusunle Rest assured of convivial reception whenever you stop by his address in Abuja or back home in Umulenso, Umuahia, Abia State. Kolanuts, bitter kola, *añara,* (egg plants), and *ose oji,* (groundnut and pepper paste), receive you as is standard *Igbo* cultural practice. You savour the best of beverages, subject to your choice. The finest of *Cognac XOs and VSOPs* were preferences in years past. Properly *aged whiskeys* have become more fashionable as we all age and manage our wellness parameters. Wine connoisseurs and subscribers to softer liquids will also have their fill. Undoubtedly, he is a man of style. His sitting room typically snowballs into a theatre of vibrant discourse and robust conversations. The subject could be anything: Economy, politics, international affairs, sports and more. Get set to engage this pseudo-encyclopaedia. You will be amazed at the sharpness of his memory, the width of his insights and the depth of his interventions. He makes sure to congratulate me whenever my favourite team in the English Premier League, (EPL), Arsenal, excels. He also sympathises with me when the outcome of a game is dampening and I wear a long face. He is that perspicacious. For his humongous attainments in life and the reverence he commands, Onyema Ugochukwu is a very humble, sober, maybe shy, temperate personality. He bestrode the corridors of the pristine *Daily Times of Nigeria Plc* with his towering frame. But he is a most amiable gentleman, an intuitive economist, a thorough-bred journalist, a painstaking administrator and thrifty personality. He is a diligent and loving husband, a caring and concerned father and a doting and grateful grandfather. He cherishes his quietude and abhors noise making. But he “loses” the battle when his grandchildren, predominantly boys for now, come visiting like they did on his recent 80th birthday. They wholly and effectively took over his house, spontaneously converting into a functional “amusement park!” But you could discern from his face the joy of grandfather-hood as he and his wife of 45 years, Joyce Ugochukwu, a veteran medical practitioner, try to moderate the energetic enthusiasm of the toddlers. Regular callers like us, those we call *ama’la* in Igbo, home boys that is, knew Ugochukwu would commemorate his ascent to the octogenarian hierarchies this year. I have been associated with him for about 35 years now since the charismatic media revolutionary, Yemi Ogunbiyi gave me a job in the Daily Times in 1990. I was adopted by both paragons and I have never been far from them. I have a fair idea of milestones close to their hearts. Ugochukwu’s Abuja home underwent a tangible makeover which he always complained to me upset his equilibrium while the process was on. Just in case he thought the lawn in front of his house where a number of family events took place in the past would suffice for his 80th, however, his children, select kinsmen and friends had other plans. Ugochukwu’s trajectory commands thanksgiving in every way. He was the third of seven children. Except for his immediate younger sister, Chinyere Achinivu, all the others are no longer with us. More touching is the fact that none of his siblings attained the age of 70, nay 80. There was therefore no shying away from celebrating the goodness of God. From New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Warri, family members, relatives, in-laws, friends, former colleagues were already streaming into Abuja days before the programme. Boisterousness and festivity enveloped the air, setting the stage for a memorable event. A thanksgiving service was held at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Cathedral of Unity, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Saturday November 9, 2024, the very date of Ugochukwu’s milestone and was attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Flagbearer of Labour Party, (LP) during the 2023 elections, Peter Obi and former Permanent Secretary and Ambassador at various times, Godknows Igali and his wife, were also present. Obasanjo used the opportunity to pay tribute to Ugochukwu who was his Director of Publicity back in 1998, when he, Obasanjo, first dabbled into partisan politics. He acknowledged the name-calling Ugochukwu endured from his kinsmen at the time. They could not fathom why he chose to work for Obasanjo, when former Vice President Alex Ekwueme also from the Igbo country, was contesting the same election. He celebrated Ugochukwu for his multisectoral contributions to national development. He lauded him in particular for emplacing a sustainable road map for implementation by the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), as foundation Chairman, over two decades ago. *Rainbow Marquee and Event Centre* in Garki, Abuja was the venue of the reception. Days before, Ugochukwu was apprehensive about the cavernous size of the auditorium, noting it might just be half empty with the kind of restrictions placed on attendance. By the time he and his family joined his guests straight from church, however, Ugochukwu was astounded. He barely could believe what his “eyes were telling him.” The marquee was brimming and bustling. His guests by the way were not from the mass of those admonished by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to *eat wherever they found food!* Sometimes in life, we never know the depth of veneration we command in people’s hearts, until we are privileged to be honoured at events like Ugochukwu’s. What could have been more gratifying than having former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali and his wife Marian and former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, topping your guest list? Senator representing Ugochukwu’s Abia Central Zone, Austin Akobundu, who chaired the programme, and the Member Representing the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Obi Aguocha, were in attendance. Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator for Abia South Zone, was represented by his wife, Florence Nwamaka, while former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Oko Chukwu Ude, also graced the occasion. So did former Health Minister, Professor Alphonsus Nwosu and his wife; former Senators representing Abia Central, Chris Adighije and Nkechi Nwogu, and running mate to Ugochukwu during his gubernatorial quest in 2006/2007, Chinwe Nwanganga and his wife. Other dignitaries at the event included Olusegun Runsewe, former Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, (NCAC); Nebolisa Emodi, retired Permanent Secretary, State House Administration and Reverend Benson Ezem, Chairman of *Cosmo Base Group* and his wife. Uba Agadaga, former Member of the National Assembly Service Commission, (NASC); Nonso Ogbunamiri, a Lagos-based *multipreneur;* Umeh Kalu, SAN, former Attorney-General, Abia State and Handel Okoli, also a renowned attorney and adviser in the Obasanjo/Atiku government, made it to the event. Segun Ilori, Legal Adviser, Green Energy Ltd, and Tivlumun Nyitse, Professor and former Chief of Staff in Benue State, honoured the programme. Emeritus Librarian, the septuagenarian Tunji Okegbola; adviser to the former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Nwosu and his wife; long-serving media adviser to Babatunde Fashola, SAN, former Lagos State Governor, who was also Works Minister, Hakeem Bello, topped the *Daily Times alumni* who celebrated their senior colleague. Paul Mumeh, media aide to former President of the Senate, David Mark; Joe Ibekwe, Convener of the FLED International Leadership Institute, and longtime Ugochukwu photographer, Tumo Ojelabi, all of them *Timesmen,* showed up for their former boss. From the NDDC family, “ancient and modern,” came former Managing Director who was also pioneer Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, Timi Alaibe. There was also the former NDDC Commissioner for Cross River State, Professor Eyong Nyong; the recently retired legal adviser to the Commission, Steve Igbomuaye and former protocol head, now multibillionaire entrepreneur, Julius Rone representing the old era. Incumbent Chairman of the Commission, Chiedu Ebie; Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku; Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Boma Iyaye, topped the present generation of the NDDC leadership. Not forgetting the Corporate Affairs Director of the organisation, Seledi Wakama. The NDDC solidarity was as remarkable in numbers as it was in goodwill. They supported the production of two books to commemorate the event. Obasanjo wrote the Foreword to one of the books, *Galvanising Development in the Niger Delta: Selected Engagements by Onyema Ugochukwu,* jointly edited by this writer and the eminent journalist, John Araka. The second publication, a dedicated anthology of tributes to Ugochukwu, titled *Testaments and Testimonials: Celebrating Onyema Ugochukwu at 80,* was edited by Tunde Olusunle. The work is an anthology of about 90 attestations to Ugochukwu, predominantly by professional colleagues, old and young. Hakeem Bello one of the contributors to the volume, fittingly describes it as a “collector’s item.” What better way to profile an anthology with contributors from the media like: Yemi Ogunbiyi; Dan Agbese; Tola Adeniyi; Felix Adenaike; Lade Bonuola; Olu Obafemi; Chidi Amuta; Godini Gabriel Darah; Ben Obi; Dare Babarinsa and Ayo Akinkuotu? Tributes from Solomon Odemwingie; Emma Agu; Lanre Idowu; Omar Farouk Ibrahim; Lanre Idowu; Ohi Alegbe; Nduka Nwosu; Gbenga Adefaye; Eniola Bello; Idang Alibi; Gboyega Okegbenro; Olusegun Adeniyi; Segun Ayobolu; Segun Ilori; Lizzy Ikem, Angela Agoawike and Martins Oloja also feature. Gbenga Ayeni; Tunde Rahman; Al Bishak; Salisu Na’inna Dambatta; Lawal Ogienagbon and Dan Akpovwa, equally celebrate Ugochukwu in this volume. Ugochukwu’s globality resonates from the pages of this book. You find a man who is Igbo by birth and origin, but pan-Nigerian in thought and outlook. Ugochukwu’s colleagues, friends and associates come from all over. Tunde Ipinmisho, an Emeritus Editor who served under Ugochukwu in *Daily Times* always remarks about Ugochukwu’s politeness and culturedness: “He tells you “thank you” for whatever you do for him, no matter how little,” Ipinmisho says. The *319-page* innovative assemblage of tributes, is indeed a treasure trove. The two books presented at the programme were published by the rising Ibadan-based *Kraft Books Ltd* and reviewed by Gbenga Ibileye, Professor of English at the Federal University Lokoja, (FUL). They were formally presented at the reception and handed over to guests for free, consistent with the desire of the honoree. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar noted at the event, that at the height of his famous acrimony with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ugochukwu refused to take sides. According to him, Ugochukwu was a conciliator who tried as much as he could, to mediate between both sides. He described Ugochukwu as an “extremely dedicated and passionate Nigerian, a credible and perfect gentleman.” Turning to Mrs Ugochukwu on the table they all sat, Atiku said: “Madam, you are very fortunate to have him.” He prayed for good health and many more years for Ugochukwu. Akobundu expressed utmost delight at the rare honour of chairing Ugochukwu’s landmark, a legend he defers to as *Dee,* (elder in Igbo) and leader.” The revelry flowed over to the home of the Ugochukwus, late into the night, with still a lot to savour. • Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), teaches Creative Writing at the University of Abuja
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NoneThe 4th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats take their 7-0 record on the road Tuesday night for a matchup with the Clemson Tigers in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The game is scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand . How to watch: Live streams of the Kentucky vs. Clemson game are available with offers from FuboTV (free trial) , SlingTV (low intro rate) and DirecTV Stream (free trial) . For a limited time, FuboTV is offering $30 off the first month after the free trial period. With the $30 offer, plans start at $49.99. #4 Kentucky Wildcats (7-0) at Clemson Tigers (7-1) NCAA men’s basketball matchup at a glance When: Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 9:30 p.m. ET Where: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, S.C. TV channel: ESPN Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial) Kentucky moves up to No. 4 in this week’s national rankings on the strength of dominant wins over Western Kentucky (87-68) and Georgia State (105-76), pushing the Wildcats’ season record to 7-0 going into challenging back-to-back games against Clemson and No. 7 Gonzaga. The Wildcats have one ranked so far, a big one over then-No. 6 Duke (77-72) at the Champions Classic, and six other wins by an average of 22 points. Clemson is also off to a fast start with a 7-1 record and four straight wins since falling for the only time at Boise State (84-71) on Nov. 17. The Tigers are 1.5-point underdogs on their home floor, where they’re unbeaten and get a Kentucky team playing its first true road game. RECOMMENDED • pennlive .com How to watch #6 Miami Hurricanes vs. Syracuse football: Time, TV channel, FREE live streams Nov. 30, 2024, 12:08 p.m. How to watch #17 Tulane vs. Memphis football: Time, TV channel, FREE live streams Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 p.m. Kentucky Wildcats vs. Clemson Tigers: Know your live streaming options FuboTV (free trial) - excellent viewer experience with huge library of live sports content; free trial lengths vary; monthly rate after free trial starts at $49.99 with current $30 discount offer. SlingTV (low intro rate) - discounted first month is best if you’ve run out of free trials or you’re in the market for 1+ month of TV DirecTV Stream (free trial) - not the same level of viewer experience as FuboTV, but the standard 7-day free trial is still the longest in streaming. The Wildcats and Tigers are set for a 9:30 p.m. ET start on ESPN. Live streams are available from FuboTV (free trial) , DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate) .Bukayo Saka's double fired Arsenal a step closer to the Champions League last 16 as the England forward inspired a 3-0 win against Monaco on Wednesday. Saka netted late in each half and Kai Havertz struck in the closing minutes at the Emirates Stadium to lift Mikel Arteta's side into third place in the revamped league phase. The Gunners have won four of their six European games this term and, with two matches remaining, they control their destiny in the race for the top-eight finish that guarantees automatic progress to the last 16. Clubs that finish ninth to 24th in the 36-team first phase face a play-off to determine if they will advance. With games against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona to come in January, the north Londoners will be confident of avoiding that unwanted obstacle. After a damaging 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Premier League last weekend, Arsenal's fifth win in their last six games in all competitions was a welcome tonic. With Arsenal's defensive injury crisis showing no signs of abating, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu were all absent. That meant Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey started out of position at right-back despite missing training on Tuesday. Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, came in at left-back for just his second Arsenal start, with his other coming in the League Cup against third-tier Bolton. The youngest player to start a Champions League match for Arsenal since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2011, Lewis-Skelly rose to the occasion with a composed display. In contrast, Gabriel Jesus has gone 32 games without a goal for Arsenal and the Brazilian's lack of confidence was clear in the hosts' first dangerous attack. Picked out by Gabriel Martinelli's pass, Jesus should have hit the target but could only muster a tame shot straight at Monaco keeper Radoslaw Majecki. Jesus failed to time his run well enough to reach Mikel Merino's teasing cross moments later. (AFP)
Behavior problems, trauma among students at Montello Elementary in Lewiston push frustrated teachers to breaking pointVTEX Customers Drive $0.9 Billion in Black Friday-Cyber Monday SalesMarketplace Apps Software Market is set for a Potential Growth Worldwide: Excellent Technology Trends with Business Analysis 11-23-2024 08:06 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: AMA Research & Media LLP Marketplace Apps Software Advance Market Analytics published a new research publication on "Global Marketplace Apps Software Market Insights, to 2030" with 232 pages and enriched with self-explained Tables and charts in presentable format. In the Study, you will find new evolving Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities generated by targeting market-associated stakeholders. The growth of the Marketplace Apps Software market was mainly driven by the increasing R&D spending across the world. Get Free Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This Research @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/78578-global-marketplace-apps-software-market?utm_source=OpenPR&utm_medium=Vinay Major players profiled in the study are: Salesforce (United States), Groove (United States), SmartCloud (United States), Cirrus (United States), ClearSlide (United States), Ebsta (United States), LeanData (United States), Conga (United States), Dooly (Canada), Datahug (United States) Scope of the Report of Marketplace Apps Software Market place software is also known as multi-vendor market places. This software enables the users to create and manage digital storefront which hosts multiple products and services from different vendors. It is designed to provide simple experience to enterprise users when they download the app from Google play. The market place software is similar to ecommerce platform which is intended for singular vendor. Many products are offered as a standalone platform and also it comes with various features which is fuelling the market growth. The Global Marketplace Apps Software Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: by Platform (Android, IOS, Windows), Deployment (Cloud based, On premises), Features (Document signing, Reminders and expiration, Sign in process, Reporting, Signature document creation), Subscription (Monthly, Annually, One time license) Market Opportunities: •Rising e commerce industry is boosting the market •Increasing penetration of smartphone and internet • Market Drivers: •Easy management of multiple products and services Market Trend: •Rising usage of marketplace apps software by SMEs What can be explored with the Marketplace Apps Software Market Study? •Gain Market Understanding •Identify Growth Opportunities •Analyze and Measure the Global Marketplace Apps Software Market by Identifying Investment across various Industry Verticals •Understand the Trends that will drive Future Changes in Marketplace Apps Software •Understand the Competitive Scenarios -Track Right Markets -Identify the Right Verticals Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. Get Up to 30% Discount on This Premium Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/request-discount/78578-global-marketplace-apps-software-market?utm_source=OpenPR&utm_medium=Vinay Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Marketplace Apps Software Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Marketplace Apps Software market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary - the basic information of the Marketplace Apps Software Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Marketplace Apps Software Chapter 4: Presenting the Marketplace Apps Software Market Factor Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2016-2022 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Marketplace Apps Software market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2024-2030) Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Finally, Marketplace Apps Software Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/buy-now?format=1&report=78578?utm_source=OpenPR&utm_medium=Vinay Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Middle East, Africa, Europe or LATAM, Southeast Asia. Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA - 08837 About Author: Advance Market Analytics is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enables clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As. This release was published on openPR.
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HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. What happened at Enron? Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company's collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Key Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. Is Enron coming back? On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron's new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand's tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that "We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company's website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. What do former Enron employees think of the company’s return? Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70 Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press
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Week 13 of the college football season has already begun, and several games this weekend have implications for the College Football Playoff. One factor that could affect the College Football Playoff rankings is the occurrence of upsets. Last weekend, five of the seven ranked teams that lost were defeated by unranked opponents. Notably, the then-No. 6 BYU Cougars (9-1) were beaten by the Kansas Jayhawks (4-6). The Jayhawks have the chance to play spoiler once again as they face the No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes (8-2) on Saturday. The Buffaloes enter this matchup in control of their postseason fate. If they win their remaining games, they will secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and have a shot at the College Football Playoff. © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images On the " Paul Finebaum Show ," SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum warned that the Buffaloes might be at risk of an upset against Kansas. "I think Colorado has a tricky game on Saturday against Kansas," Finebaum said. A loss could jeopardize Colorado's playoff chances. If Colorado loses and BYU also loses to the No. 21 Arizona State Sun Devils (8-2), Colorado would fall to fourth in the Big 12, assuming the other favorites win. The Buffaloes will face the Jayhawks at 3:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be on Fox. Related: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Makes Big Pre-Draft DecisionTribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. With the eighth overall selection in this year's Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates passed on making a pick. However, in the minor-league portion of the draft, the Pirates added five players: righty reliever Franck De La Rosa (Athletics), left-handed relievers Randy Labaut and Steve Hajjar (both from the Cleveland Guardians), catcher Aaron McKeithan (St. Louis Cardinals) and left fielder Joel Mendez (New York Yankees). The Pirates also lost three players from their system: righty Darvin Garcia (Boston Red Sox), who split 2024 between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona; catcher Dylan Shockley (Atlanta Braves), whose 40 games were played with the Curve and Triple-A Indianapolis; as well as shortstop Isaias Dipre (Philadelphia Phillies) of the Dominican Summer League. None of the players lost were ranked as top-30 prospects per MLB Pipeline. With their first pick in the minor-league portion of the draft, the Pirates picked the 24-year-old De La Rosa of the Stockton Ports, the Athletics' Single-A affiliate. De La Rosa went 1-1 with a 5.88 ERA last year at Single-A, appearing in nine games (one start) and pitching 26... Justin GuerrieroArizona AG sues Saudi firm over 'excessive' groundwater pumping, saying it's a public nuisance
VKSU convocation: Guv bats for timely examsFormer Boise State coach Chris Petersen still gets asked about the Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma on the first day of 2007. That game had everything. Underdog Boise State took a 28-10 lead over one of college football's blue bloods that was followed by a 25-point Sooners run capped by what could have been a back-breaking interception return for a touchdown with 1:02 left. Then the Broncos used three trick plays that remain sensations to not only force overtime but win 43-42. And then there was the marriage proposal by Boise State running back Ian Johnson — shortly after scoring the winning two-point play — to cheerleader Chrissy Popadics that was accepted on national TV. That game put Broncos football on the national map for most fans, but looking back 18 years later, Petersen sees it differently. People are also reading... "Everybody wants to talk about that Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl game, which is great how it all worked out and all those things," Petersen said. "But we go back to play TCU (three years later) again on the big stage. It's not as flashy a game, but to me, that was an even better win." Going back to the Fiesta Bowl and winning, Petersen reasoned, showed the Broncos weren't a splash soon to fade away, that there was something longer lasting and more substantive happening on the famed blue turf. The winning has continued with few interruptions. No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for another trip to the Fiesta Bowl, this time in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year's Eve. That success has continued through a series of coaches, though with a lot more of a common thread than readily apparent. Dirk Koetter was hired from Oregon, where Petersen was the wide receivers coach. Not only did Koetter bring Petersen with him to Oregon, Petersen introduced him to Dan Hawkins, who also was hired for the staff. So the transition from Koetter to Hawkins to Petersen ensured at least some level of consistency. Koetter and Hawkins engineered double-digit victory seasons five times over a six-year span that led to power-conference jobs. Koetter went to Arizona State after three seasons and Hawkins to Colorado after five. Then when Petersen became the coach after the 2005 season, he led Boise State to double-digit wins his first seven seasons and made bowls all eight years. He resisted the temptation to leave for a power-conference program until Washington lured him away toward the end of the 2013 season. Then former Boise State quarterback and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin took over and posted five double-digit victory seasons over his first six years. After going 5-2 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he left for Auburn. "They just needed consistency of leadership," said Koetter, who is back as Boise State's offensive coordinator. "This program had always won at the junior-college level, the Division II level, the I-AA (now FCS) level." But Koetter referred to "an unfortunate chain of events" that made Boise State a reclamation project when he took over in 1998. Coach Pokey Allen led Boise State to the Division I-AA national championship game in 1994, but was diagnosed with cancer two days later. He died on Dec. 30, 1996, at 53. Allen coached the final two games that season, Boise State's first in Division I-A (now FBS). Houston Nutt became the coach in 1997, went 4-7 and headed to Arkansas. Then Koetter took over. "One coach dies and the other wasn't the right fit for this program," Koetter said. "Was a really good coach, did a lot of good things, but just wasn't a good fit for here." But because of Boise State's success at the lower levels, Koetter said the program was set up for success. "As Boise State has risen up the conference food chain, they've pretty much always been at the top from a player talent standpoint," Koetter said. "So it was fairly clear if we got things headed in the right direction and did a good job recruiting, we would be able to win within our conference for sure." Success didn't take long. He went 6-5 in 1998 and then won 10 games each of the following two seasons. Hawkins built on that winning and Petersen took it to another level. But there is one season, really one game, no really one half that still bugs Petersen. He thought his best team was in 2010, one that entered that late-November game at Nevada ranked No. 3 and had a legitimate chance to play for the national championship. The Colin Kaepernick-led Wolf Pack won 34-31. "I think the best team that I might've been a part of as the head coach was the team that lost one game to Nevada," Petersen said. "That team, to me, played one poor half of football on offense the entire season. We were winning by a bunch at half (24-7) and we came out and did nothing on offense in the second half and still had a chance to win. "That team would've done some damage." There aren't any what-ifs with this season's Boise State team. The Broncos are in the field of the first 12-team playoff, representing the Group of Five as its highest-ranked conference champion. That got Boise State a bye into the quarterfinals. Spencer Danielson has restored the championship-level play after taking over as the interim coach late last season during a rare downturn that led to Andy Avalos' dismissal. Danielson received the job full time after leading Boise State to the Mountain West championship. Now the Broncos are 12-1 with their only defeat to top-ranked and No. 1 seed Oregon on a last-second field goal. Running back Ashton Jeanty also was the runner-up to the Heisman Trophy. "Boise State has been built on the backs of years and years of success way before I got here," Danielson said. "So even this season is not because of me. It's because the group of young men wanted to leave a legacy, be different. We haven't been to the Fiesta Bowl in a decade. They said in January, 'We're going to get that done.' They went to work." As was the case with Danielson, Petersen and Koetter said attracting top talent is the primary reason Boise State has succeeded all these years. Winning, obviously, is the driving force, and with more entry points to the playoffs, the Broncos could make opportunities to keep returning to the postseason a selling point. But there's also something about the blue carpet. Petersen said he didn't get what it was about when he arrived as an assistant coach, and there was some talk about replacing it with more conventional green grass. A poll in the Idaho Statesman was completely against that idea, and Petersen has come to appreciate what that field means to the program. "It's a cumulative period of time where young kids see big-time games when they're in seventh and eighth and ninth and 10th grade and go, 'Oh, I know that blue turf. I want to go there,'" Petersen said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!