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While taking in Thursday nights absorbing scenes and thoroughly unscripted climax from the Bronx as Derek Jeter said his emotional goodbyes to Yankee Stadium, I couldnt help but think of Ryan Giggs. Then thoughts of Frank Lampard crossed my mind, but more on Manchester Citys joint top scorer another time. Giggs, like Jeter, will be remembered as a one club man. The Welshman trotted out at Old Trafford for a remarkable 23 seasons before eventually hanging them up in the spring. For Jeters five World Series rings, he won a pair of European Cups and 13 Premier League titles. Now installed as Louis Van Gaals right-hand man in the dugout, Giggs has certainly endured a baptism by fire since joining the managerial ranks. It wasnt exactly plain sailing after he took over from David Moyes in late April. With ?￡150 million invested in the transfer market and Louis Van Gaal installed as Sir Alex Fergusons Heir Version 2.0, they were certainly meant to improve on last seasons Annus Horribilis. Hardly. The Dutchman likely wishes he could take a can of that vanishing spray and wipe this early part of his tenure off the records. If getting trounced in the Capital One Cup by MK Dons wasnt bad enough, last Sundays second-half meltdown against newly-promoted Leicester must rank as one of the worst moments in recent club history. Perhaps you have to go all the way back to that infamous Denis Law back heel against his former club back in 1974 for a comparable moment. It wasnt so much the calamity Jane-type defending. It was the cavalier attitude from too many wearing one of the first famous jerseys in world sport. And Van Gaals wholly unbalanced team selection provided added motivation. Whether or not Van Gaal took the opponent way too lightly, well never know. If he had any illusions of how utterly competitive the BPL was, they should surely have evaporated away when Ulloa tucked away Leicesters fifth. In the aftermath, Giggs ex-team mate Phil Neville suggested the English giants needed to invest a further ?￡100m over the next two transfer windows for United to be in position to challenge for a title. Not sure the supporters nor the majority shareholders are willing to write off upwards of two more seasons. Van Gaal was bought in to have an impact with immediate effect. It seems by his news conferences that hes spending more time thinking up excuses and laying blame with all others than he is even willing to accept responsibility. His pre-match comments regarding a scarcity of central defenders ahead of Saturday mornings encounter at Old Trafford (against a resurgent West Ham who put Liverpool firmly in their place in East London last Saturday) is his latest. Even our 12-year old recognized in early summer that Manchester United were in desperate need of Grade A centre-halves and the hallmark leadership qualities of the departing Nemanja Vidic. Ive forgot how many trees have been torn down over the months as the football media kept up their incessant write-ups about a desperate and immediate need for central defenders - and yet one didnt even arrive on a Falcao-type loan. If its because Van Gaal couldnt acquire the one or two players he wanted most, then he has no right to plead centre-half poor. Everyone wants Cristiano Ronaldo, but hes not for sale - at least not just yet. Did that prevent United overpaying for Angel Di Maria? Apparently not. Van Gaal might already be ruing his Leicester pre-match comments that only Wayne Rooney is guaranteed a starting place, where it now seems Englands first choice centre-forward will have to get fully accustomed to the midfield role Van Gaal has now bestowed. Any more of this and Wayne might have to slot into central defence. With the Leicester debacle fresh in the minds of 75,000 plus at Old Trafford, West Hams manager Sam Allardyce fears a Manchester United backlash. All Fat Sam has to do after breakfast Saturday is show his team the video of that classic West Ham victory at Old Trafford in the 2001 FA Cup. Paolo Di Canio, in acres of space, slotted away the legendry winner as Uniteds completely exposed goalkeeper Fabien Barthez went the mind game route as he desperately tried to con the referees assistant into awarding an illusionary offside call. Even in defeat, Giggs starred for United that day. You wonder though if he hung up more than his boots last May. Manchester United vs. West Ham is live Saturday on the TSN and TEAM Radio Network with pre-game coverage at 9:30am et /6:30am pt. Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter Air Max 97 Cheap Online . -- Victor Bernardez tied the game with his second goal in the 95th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. Buy Air Max 97 Cheap .C. -- Gleason Fournier scored the shootout winner as the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Abbotsford Heat 4-3 Friday in American Hockey League action. http://www.cheapairmax97.net/.B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan opened the Ford Womens World Curling Championship with a 7-5 win over Russia on Saturday. Air Max 97 Discount . The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18. Air Max 97 China Wholesale . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s. DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche keep losing players and winning games. Tyson Barrie scored in the final minute of regulation, and then scored again in the shootout, leading Colorado to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Semyon Varlamov had 29 saves for Colorado, which has won five in a row. Varlamov also stopped each of New Yorks attempts in the shootout. Four of Colorados wins during the streak have come in overtime or a shootout. On Tuesday in Columbus, the Avalanche scored twice in the final 11 minutes to send the game to overtime, where they won it on Gabriel Landeskogs goal. "What I like about it is were playing with a lot of confidence right now," coach Patrick Roy said. "The most important thing is, no matter what happens to us we believe in ourselves." The Avalanche maintained a three-point lead on the Chicago Blackhawks for second place in the Central Division. The Blackhawks beat Minnesota in a shootout but still lag behind Colorado with 10 days left in the season. "Thats big for us," said Paul Stasnty, who assisted on Barries tying goal. "For us, home ice is pretty important." Henrik Lundqvist had 35 saves for the Rangers, who gained a point on Philadelphia despite the loss. Derek Stepan and John Moore scored for New York. The Rangers lead the Flyers by four points for second in the Metropolitan Division. Philadelphia lost to Columbus on Thursday. "Its a big point but its still extremely disappointing to lose, especially in this way," Lundqvist said. "We worked really hard to try to get the two points tonight." New York had won seven of eight. Six of those wins were on the road, where the Rangers are 25-14-1 this season. Already playing without leading scorer Matt Duchene, the Avalanche lost forward Cody McLeod to a left ankle injury late in the second period. He had to be helped off the ice. "Hes a tough guy and he wants to play in the next game," Roy said of McLeod. &quoot;For now hes day to day and well see tomorrow.dddddddddddd" Duchene is out with a left knee injury that will keep him out through the end of the regular season and possibly the first round of the playoffs. That hasnt slowed down Colorados late-season push. "Our guys have been resilient," Roy said. "They want to have that home-ice advantage against Chicago." Stepans goal late in the second period gave New York a 2-1 lead. It looked as if it would stand up until the final minute of the game. With Varlamov off for an extra attacker, Barrie sent a low shot from the slot past Lundqvist with 51.4 seconds left. "I was coming in and the puck was kind of shot behind me. I tried to grab it," Barrie said. "I didnt try to shoot it at first, I just tried to corral it and I thought I lost it and it was still right there. I was lucky to shoot it and it went along the ice. I dont think you beat Lundqvist too often like that." He scored the lone goal in the shootout on the first shot. "They had a really strong push in the third," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "A couple of our guys logged a little bit of minutes, this was our fourth game on the trip so Give them credit, they had a real strong push in the third." Moore, who returned to the lineup after missing six games with a concussion, scored his fourth goal of the season at 2:10 of the first period. He beat Varlamov with a snapshot from the point. In the second period, Andre Benoit scored on a 2-on-1 rush off a pass from John Mitchell, tying it at 1. NOTES: Varlamov tied Roy for most home wins by an Avalanche goalie with 24. ... Colorados 49 wins are tied for second most in franchise history. The Avalanche won 52 games in 2000-01. ... Rangers D Ryan McDonagh was scratched with a shoulder injury suffered in Vancouver on Tuesday. Its not expected to be a long-term injury. ... Avalanche F P.A. Parenteau (knee injury) took part in Thursdays morning skate. He has been out since March 10. ' ' '