Shia Islam (Arabic: شيعة‎, Shīʿah) is the second largest denomination of Islam. Adherents of Shia Islam are called Shi'as, Shi'ites, or Shias. "Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī (شيعة علي), meaning "followers of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".

Like other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is based on the teachings of the Quran and the message of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In contrast to other schools of thought, the Shia believe that only God has the right to choose a representative to safeguard Islam, the Quran and sharia (based upon verses in the Quran which stipulate this according to the Shia). For this reason, the Shias look to Ali, whom they consider divinely appointed, as the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the first imam. The Shia believe that there are numerous narrations where Muhammad selected Ali as his successor.

Shias believe that Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"), and certain individuals among his descendants, who are known as Imams, have special spiritual and political authority over the community. Therefore, Shias prefer hadith attributed to the Ahl al-Bayt and close associates, and have their own separate collection of hadiths. All Shias agree on the succession of Hassan and Hussein after Ali, but they may differ after Hussein. Hassan and Hussein are described by Shias as "leaders of all youths in Paradise", and believe that these sons of Ali were the true leaders and caliphs of the Muslims. Shias regard Ali as the successor of Muhammad not only ruling over the community in justice, but also interpreting Islamic practices and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by God by divine decree (nass) to be the first Imam. Ali is known as "perfect man" (al-insan al-kamil) similar to Muhammad, according to Shia viewpoint.

William Nuschler Clark, Jr. (born March 13, 1964) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the San Francisco Giants from 1986 to 1993. Will was known by the nickname of "Will the Thrill." One story states that he earned the nicknames by his classmates at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, where he played both varsity baseball and varsity basketball. The more common story states that former teammate Bob Brenly gave Clark the moniker after Clark reportedly stated, "I'm just thrilled to be here," when asked about his recent call-up to the big leagues. The nickname has often been truncated to simply, "The Thrill." Another more generic nickname shared by Will, as well as other players past and present, is "The Natural" because of his natural gifts as a baseball player. Ken Griffey Jr., Jeff Francoeur, Rick Ankiel, and most recently, Josh Hamilton have also donned the epic nickname.

Clark was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. He was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on August 1, 2008. [2]

Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي Ṣaddām Ḥusayn ʿAbd al-Maǧīd al-Tikrītī; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolutionary Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and later, the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party and its regional organisation Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region, which espoused ba'athism, a mix of Arab nationalism and Arab socialism, Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup, later referred to as the 17 July Revolution, that brought the party to long-term power of Iraq.

As vice president under the ailing General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, and at a time when many groups were considered capable of overthrowing the government, Saddam created security forces through which he tightly controlled conflict between the government and the armed forces. In the early 1970s, Saddam nationalized oil and other industries. The state-owned banks were put under his control, leaving the system eventually insolvent mostly due to the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, and UN sanctions. Through the 1970s, Saddam cemented his authority over the apparatuses of government as oil money helped Iraq's economy to grow at a rapid pace. Positions of power in the country were filled with Sunnis, a minority that made up only a fifth of the population.

Patrick Gerard Spillane (born 1 December 1955 in Templenoe, County Kerry), better known as Pat Spillane, is a retired Gaelic footballer and well known Irish sports pundit. He played Gaelic football with his local club Templenoe and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1991. Spillane is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.

Spillane was born into a family steeped in Gaelic football history. His father, Tom (1923–1964), played Gaelic football with Kerry and won a Munster title in 1948. A number of uncles on his mother’s side(The Lyne Family of Killarney's Legion) also had the distinction of representing their county in football.

Spillane’s father died when he was just eight years-old, leaving his mother to take over the running of the family pub while simultaneously raising a family of four children. Spillane was educated at the local national school and later attended St. Brendan's College in Killarney, where one of his best friends was Páidí Ó Sé. Here his football skills were developed and he played senior football with 'Brendan’s' but lost both an All-Ireland Colleges’ semi-final and a final.