teammates scooped up dirt from the field to take home as a sou

The Barclays Premier League 2013-14 season kicks off Saturday and before a ball has been kicked, the negativity and pessimism surrounding reigning champions Manchester Uniteds title credentials have reached a fevered pitch. Its an unusual, rare spot United find itself - being second-guessed. And the detractors have lined up to take a dig. Heed my warning - rule out Manchester United at your own peril. No more Sir Alex Ferguson earning points. The new manager, David Moyes, has never won a trophy (never mind last weekends Community Shield) nor managed past the qualifying stages of the Champions League. No desired marquee central midfielder landing at Old Trafford thus far in the summer transfer window. And how can we forget a less than stellar pre-season tour and a disgruntled Wayne Rooney. All these factors weigh heavily as to why many predict United to finish no better than 3rd in the table come May 11. Without a match being played, the narrative among pundits, bloggers, opposing supporters and even some who live and breathe United football; the upcoming season will prove to be one of adjustment, transition and struggle. Many reminisce about yesteryear and the difficulty the club had in replacing the likewise legendary Sir Matt Busby. When the predecessor sets the bar so high, and if the incumbent doesnt meet the lofty standard of past years, the new manager is assumed destined to fail. All this is on the plate of the new man, Moyes. And by the way, Sir Alex and Sir Bobby are upstairs watching. Good luck with that. Sir Alex Fergusons message to supporters after his final victory at the Theatre of Dreams to "stand by the new manager" was heard, but whether its abided during inevitable blips that will come over a lengthy campaign will be a true test of patience and belief in the manager. Moyes was Fergusons personal choice as successor. Yet Fergusons choice has come into question already. The suggestion players wont want to play for Moyes the way they wanted to play for Ferguson is far too simplistic. But to the average onlooker and inactivity in the transfer window to support the notion, initial panic and criticism of the hire has been widespread. Uniteds difficult start to the schedule (Swansea, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in their first five matches) will be a further test. The return of manager Jose Mourinho to Chelsea and cross-town rival Manchester City spending upwards of another £90 million in the transfer window are sexier storylines. Time will tell how much, if any, these two teams have improved from a season ago. But for a team thats only lost a seldom-used Paul Scholes from a squad that ran away with the Premier League a season ago, the predicted demise of United is completely overblown. Doomsday talk is nothing new. After selling Cristiano Ronaldo, or not keeping up with Citys big spending, or even losing 1-0 to Everton in last years opener, shots are taken at United whenever the team shows the slightest vulnerability. Thats what happens when you spend your time at the top. Man United finished 11 points atop the league last May. Ive heard more times than I can count that Ferguson earned the team upwards of 10 more points than they deserved. What a crock. Apparently Ferguson was the one finishing late in matches, as Robin van Persie did multiple occasions early in the season when United looked a step off. 26 goals and eight assists say much about the quality of the player. Or how about the stand out play of Michael Carrick, being the straw that stirred the drink in Uniteds midfield in a season the production from typically useful wing players simply was not there. A combined two goals for Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Nani in a year they ran away with a title. A title came in a year Shinji Kagawa was both misused and under utilized. A title still came as captain Nemanja Vidic recovered from knee surgery, deputized under a watchful eye. Through it all, title number 20 was celebrated United have won the title three of the last five years, and the one year they lost, it was on goal differential in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. We all acknowledge the greatness of Sir Alex, but the man doesnt walk on water. The players had something to do with it. And the team remains in tact. Vidic, Giggs, Ferdinand, Evra, and Carrick remain the stalwarts. They bring a balance - a quiet confidence to the bunch. A track record of winning will do that. They may not come with the style of others, but the substance is undeniable. Theyve helped cultivate a winning environment and one of internal accountability. With a new manager and coaching staff, the transition is eased with players as such. The more astute United observer recognizes the Ferguson era was marked by development with in. Bringing young players through, whether developed at United or purchased before their prime, has been instrumental to success. As has the marquee signings but without the nucleus of youth, a team lacks a proper balance. This changing of the guard from Sir Alex to Moyes is another chance for the club to take advantage of the stockpiled young talent by giving them a chance. 18-year-old Adnan Januzaj was arguably Uniteds brightest star pre-season. A gifted left-footed player whos better suited playing a more central attacking role has earned his chance to play. Wilfried Zaha, an outside right midfielder, was Fergusons final purchase, and a proper one at that, for £15 million from Crystal Palace. Zaha looks ready to slot into a starting position and has worked his way into the England side, all at the age of 20. Right-back Rafael, 23, continues to develop into a top defender in the league, and goalkeeper David De Gea was voted into the PFA Team of the Year last season. De Gea is 22. These are a few of the many cases where United is well position for the present and future. It may be less sexy than spending outlandishly, over-paying for talent to appease a fan base or the pundits. But they provide substance, they provide a backbone and they illustrate a plan. It will be strange seeing Moyes on the touchline and not seeing the wily Ferguson animated, checking his watch and chomping his gum. The Ferguson era was special. Its hard to believe there will be another like it - 26 years and 49 trophies. Now, without Ferguson comes another kind of excitement. Its anticipation of the unknown and thats not a bad thing. A tactical refresher and a different voice may be what this group of top players needs to remain fresh. Moyes knows the Premier League. His away record at the top teams while at Everton is irrelevant. Hes at Manchester United now, surrounded by talent he could only dream of at Goodison. The commitment to Uniteds vast array of sponsors and overall pressure that come with the job has heightened. But football is football and thats what Moyes will be evaluated on. Moyes will learn on the job what type of players he needs to add to fit his system. Patience is being preached and not being well received. Whether its Fabregas, Ozil, Modric, Fellaini or other, players will arrive. Rushing to judgment right now before the transfer window has even closed and before weve seen a Moyes team even play a truly competitive match serves no purpose. Its a fruitless exercise playing fantasy football manager. It makes more sense for Moyes to rely on a group currently champions than carelessly shaking things up, going about his business like a drunken sailor. But that seems to be what the masses expect. Its the biggest mistake made in modern football; throw money at something and problems go away. The message isnt not to spend. Its to spend wisely and timely and on your own accord. The support of United in this piece isnt meant to serve as cheerleading material. Its to warn not to count this group out. Not just yet. The team has its vulnerabilities. Its plain to see upgrades to the central midfield are needed long-term and an unhappy Rooney doesnt jive either. Both issues will be settled in due time. Sir Alex was often questioned throughout his tenure at Old Trafford despite his success. His greatest responses to criticism werent behind a microphone, they happened on the field. Time and time again, Manchester United proved critics wrong. Theyve shown they are bigger than one man. They have proven to be winners. Moyes and Manchester Uniteds newest challenge starts Saturday. Rule out Manchester United at your own peril. TSN 1050 Radio will host doubleheader action from the Barclays Premier League this weekend. Join myself and Kristian Jack on Saturday for Arsenals match against Aston Villa before Swansea faces Manchester United. The action unfolds on TSN 1050 Radio at 9:30am et/6:30am pt. On Sunday, Crystal Palace faces Tottenham ahead of Chelsea and Hull City going head-to-head. Sundays coverage on TSN 1050 Radio begins at 8:30am et/5:30am pt. You can reach Gareth at gareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca or follow him on Twitter, @WheelerTSNAir Max 97 Ultra 17 Silver Bullet . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Air Max 97 Clearance . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. http://www.outletairmax97.com/air-max-97-womens-clearance.html . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. Air Max 97 Mens Clearance . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Air Max 97 Factory Outlet .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey.More than 200 players on 16 teams representing eight different states, eight countries and four continents, came to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the 2016 Little League World Series.They came here seeking glory on the baseball diamond, but for many of the players, some of the most fun theyve had over the 10-day tournament has been around a pingpong table or in the pool.The Grove is the melting-pot residential complex where all 215 players and their coaches stay in Williamsport and where languages and culture mix. Its a place where kids like Curacaos Nair Jamanika, above, cut can loose, make new friends and share the international language of baseball with players from all over the world.This Little League World Series has become a seriously big event, no doubt. During the downtime between games, we found a bunch of 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds acting like, well, kids.Bugsy Jensen, 12, diving, and Oregon teammate Evan Ullman, 13, cooled off between games at the Groves pool -- under the watchful eye of several lifeguards.Five-time MLB All Star Torii Hunter -- a former Little Leaguer in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who was enshrined in the Little League Hall of Excellence Wednesday night -- met with players in the rec center and encouraged them to enjoy the moment.Panamas Harrison Castillo found that playing Fast and Furious with some new friends was a good way to blow off steam. The Groves rec room features arcade games, an air hockey table and a flat-screen TV.Rhode Islands Cullen McGrew, left, and Thane Denton, center, took part in another treasured LLWS tradition -- trading pins -- with Oregons Joe Schutz.The pingpong table was a popular meeting spot among players from every country, where a game called Runaround, in which three or more players would take turns serving and moving around the table trying to keep the point alive, was all the rage.You can take a ballplayer off the baseball field, but you cant take the baseball away from him for long. The pool was another popular place to have a catch.Players eat all their meals in the Groves cafeteria, where meals can rrange from spaghetti and meatballs to sloppy Joes.dddddddddddd Theres a strict no-hat policy.Each U.S. team shares a floor with an international squad. The Iowa players got a good-luck sendoff from their dorm-mates before their game against Kentucky.Players like Tennessees Ethan Jackson, left, found time to have fun on the field too.Teammates greeted Mexicos San Nicolas players with fist bumps as they came off the field during their game with South Korea.At the beginning and end of each game, South Koreas players lined up along the third base line and bowed to the opposing team and its fans.Future LLWS stars? Eight-year-old Hudson Nottmeier, left, and Bryson Moore, 9, came all the way from Bowling Green, Kentucky, to cheer on the Great Lakes team during its game against Goodlettsville, Tennessee.Mexico rebounded from a loss to Panama in its first game to reach the international semi-final, where it lost to South Korea.Tennessees Jon Luke Simmons hurried out to the field after the final out in his teams win over Kentucky -- which sent Goodlettsville to the U.S championship -- to secure the game ball.After his team was eliminated by South Korea, Fabian Alejandro Mar and his San Nicolas teammates scooped up dirt from the field to take home as a souvenir.Tennessees R.J. Moore and South Koreas Min Ho Choi exchanged high-fives during their off-day trip to the Lycoming Mall.Min Ho Choi and his teammate Juhnyeok Lee, left, fished for prizes in the crane game at the mall.Then they surveyed their snack options in the food court.They capped off the trip by playing MotoGP in the arcade.Canadas Nicola Barba, Victor Lizarraga and Loreto Siniscalchi shared a laugh with Californias Ali Camarillo and Devin Hinojosa at a Williamsport High School football game.Throughout the week, players were treated like celebrities wherever they went in Williamsport.They made friends with locals like Mallory Pardoe, 12.Finally, they paused to reflect on a memorable week. ' ' '