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The last time a Scotsman made headline news like this was back in 1776. That time, Adam Smith and something about an Invisible Hand ruled the waves. This time around, its Sir Alex Ferguson and his phantom presence in the Manchester United dressing room. With the mid-May words of the wise, old sage still reverberating around Old Trafford from the speech he gave following his final game in charge, he urged the crowd to give the new manager time to bed in. Never one to do things in half measures, Ferguson was also likely sending a warning to the media. If the Barclays Premier League holders get off to the slow start, they should back off Moyes and instead reflect on how many seasons it took Ferguson spent to deliver his first piece of silverware to his new club. That pot-less run for Ferguson extended from fall 1986 to spring 1990, when in May of that year, Manchester United beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final. Even with Ferguson still at the helm, United could not have hoped, wished or expected to replicate the form and results of last season. One in which they seemed to collect points from a losing position for fun. When Ferguson informed David Moyes and then the world that the ex-Everton man would be the next United manager, I immediately put my money where my big mouth was and said it would start - and end - in tears. Moyes has started, as I mean him to go on. By that, I didnt think for a moment that by inheriting Sir Alexs comfy office chair, he would also mimic the champ. What was young David thinking when banging on in the close season about BPL conspiracy theories and his perceived unkind fixture list? Makes you think that Fergie left not a bottle of fine red wine for Moyes in the top drawer, but a memo on official club letterhead from seasons past. Reverting back to the father of the free market (Adam Smith and economic need for mathematical correlation), Manchester Uniteds calamitous performances and results through 15 matches are almost in keeping with Moyes repetitive faux-pas self. Keep a lid on it, David. Instead, replay all of Lord Fergs pre-match pressers over the past quarter of a century. I bet you can count - on one slippery hand - the amount of times Ferguson used the word hopefully when referring to a desperate and urgent need to improve league form or top a champions league group. Moyes used the word twice in two straight sentences when setting up Tuesdays Matchday 6 encounter at Old Trafford. Jeepers creepers, hopefully the fresh-faced 50-year-old didnt use it again when setting up Sunday lunchtimes encounter at Villa Park. Roy Keane sticking his paddle in (it used to be a magnificent MUFC oar) during the week is right up there with Kevin Keegan losing the Fergie plot. A live 90-second TV rant which has now entered the BPL folklore annals, until King Kev opened his gob, it seemed certain Newcastle would win the title back in 1996. And guess who won it? The seeds of Moyes fall can be traced back to late February of this year, when MUFC CEO David Gill popped round Fergusons house one Sunday afternoon to advise the Knight he would be leaving OT at seasons end. Ferguson admitted that he attempted to convince Gill to stay. And one of footballs most decorated and highly-respected administrators was having none of it. Proving empirically who ruled the MUFC roost, Gill politely turned Fergusons overtures. In this column back in February I outlined Gills vast importance and significance to the Manchester United cause. Manchester United losing their manager and CEO in the same breath is unheard of. Perhaps Fergie mistakenly left Gills direct line office number for Moyes in that top drawer. This can be the only rational explanation for Uniteds pre-season form in the transfer market. Even Will Ferrell couldnt have invented a funnier screenplay. Danny Devito destined to be the leader of them, three less-than-wise Spanish men who are alleged to have shown up at the Madrid based LFP offices to conclude the Ander Herrera deal. The man who replaced Gill - Ed Woodward - was so off-MUFC script funny, no one could deny him opportunity to portray himself. Theres no denying that just like when a global musical icon passes away do we get to fully understand their true legacy and place in history. That said, there has to be a significant, indirect correlation with Fergusons retirement and the immediate rebuilding of Liverpool and Arsenals perches this season. Arsene Wenger and Brendan Rodgers teams are playing with a greater freedom. A breath of football fresh air surrounds the Emirates and Anfield so far this season. No other clubs have played so expressively and enthusiastically; little Luis getting his MUFC laughs on. Simultaneously, a rather dark shadow pervades at Old Trafford. Stretching down from middle tier of the grandstand enveloping the directors box as it goes, its core matter runs right through the United bench to the edge of the technical area. Poor Moyes has got his back to it. Fergsuon could be at his French chateau, but the giant of a football mans shadow remains. As does the coaching calamity that followed at Old Trafford after Sir Matt Busby resigned. We all know from our MUFC history books that Sir Matt felt a deep obligation to return - and did. Only time will be the determinant if Sir Alex does likewise. Not rational, he does. But I ask you this - what has been rational down Old Trafford way since May 12, 2011? In the meantime, I suggested back in November of 2011 that Sir Alex should be installed as MLS Honorary President. The elderly Scottish statesman is a huge believer and genuinely believes North America is footballs final frontier. Anyone got the commissioners phone number? You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca@TheSoccerNoel Aston Villa vs. Manchester United – live on TSN2, Sunday morning kick-off at 8:30am et/5:30am pt. Custom Patriots Jerseys . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. New England Patriots Jerseys Outlet .The result meant Juventus will spend the winter break three points clear of Roma after the league leader beat Cagliari 3-1 on Thursday.Milan remained seventh ahead of the rest of the weekends fixtures, but was provisionally two points behind third-place Napoli in their duel for the final Champions League spot. http://www.cheappatriots.com/ . The Twins announced Thursday the 28-year-old Albers cleared waivers. He will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. Cheap New England Patriots Gear . Wheeler said Kane was just making a joke that was misunderstood and misinterpreted by "Winnipeg folks" and the media once again. Wheeler repeated that he believes Kane is a player who has the ability to help the Jets get to the next level as they try once again to reach the playoffs in 2014. He made the comments initially in an interview, when asked how the Jets could compete in the Central Division with teams that have made some high-profile off-season signings. New England Patriots Jerseys China . MLB.com reported that the Dodgers locked the left-hander in for one year at $10 million with up to $4 million in incentives.BOSTON - Defending Olympic silver medallists Meryl Davis and Charlie White earned their sixth consecutive national ice dance title Saturday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. They finished with 200.19 points for a cushion of almost 20 points over the second-place team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Their sixth national championship broke the record for ice dance set by Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto. The reigning world champions gave an energetic and emotional routine dance "Sheherazade" by the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov to win. Bates and Chock were second with 181.44 points. Siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani 170.44 were third. Earlier, Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli won the pairs championship. The championship ladies free skate was scheduled for later Saturday. The mens championship is on Sunday. The U.S. Olympic figure skating teams will be announced Sunday. The top three in dance and top two in pairs are expected — but not guaranteed — to get spots. After showing up to a mid-week news conference in a Boston Bruins T-shirt and ski cap, Shnapir turned to a Saville Row-style shirt and tie — accessorized by a gun holster — for a James Bond-themed routine with Castelli that earned them the pairs title. "I grabbed her hand and I said, Lets just stay out here for a second and enjoy this moment," Shnapir, of suburban Sudbury, said after the victory put them in position for a spot on the U.S. team for the Sochi Olympics. "Who knows if well ever have an opportunity like this again?" Skating to the music from Skyfall, Castelli and Shnapir totalled 205.71 points to protect the lead they built with the top performance Thursday in the short program. "Right now were just still in shock ourselves," said Castelli, of Cranston, R.I. "Were just trying to process everything." Felicia Zhang and Nathan Bartholomay finished second with 201.72 points. Caydee Denneyy and John Coughlin moved up to third, with 201.dddddddddddd43, after receiving the highest score in Saturdays free skate. "We didnt leave anything on the table. We skated just as hard and as passionate as we could," Bartholomay said. "Were both just completely on Cloud 9 right now. We are aware that second place is not locked in. But we gave it everything we had against some tremendous competition." Skating in front of their home crowd on the rink the Bruins call home, Shnapir tossed Castelli high into the air for a triple twist and then threw her into a high-point value quad salchow that she finished with a fall — their only major mistake of the routine. He also did a triple toe loop when she went around twice, costing them some points. They were shaken, but nor stirred. "We left some points on the table, but were really thrilled with the result here," Shnapir said, adding that they did not consider ditching the quad. "There really wasnt a decision. Wed been doing it all year. ... We dont make any changes last minute." When they finished at the centre of the rink where their hometown Bruins play, Shnapir struck the Bond pose: standing sideways with his hands up, ready to turn and fire. The crowd showered them with appreciation and the judges did the same, handing them scores of 132.58 for the free skate — the third best on the day, but good enough to protect their lead. Thats because they finished the short program more than six points ahead of the second-place Zhang and Bartholomay. The 2013 third-place finishers skated a clean program and earned 135.22 points to a mistake-free Les Miserable routine that brought the crowd to its feet. Denney and Coughlin, skating to Phantom of the Opera, earned the highest score of the day with 136.03. After years of narrow pairs fields, this years competition was deeper, with a half-dozen teams capable of reaching the podium at nationals. 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