Giggsy, give us a wave! Giggsy, Giggsy give us a wave!A group of children sitting inside the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium were doing their best to attract the attention of a 42-year-old man standing a few metres away from them.The children tried their best, but were drowned out by the screams of a thousand others, each chanting the name of the man who had just entered the arena.Ryan Giggs had just checked into Chennai. And not surprisingly, everybody wanted a piece of the former Manchester United winger, manager, serial winner, and all-time great.Giggs acknowledged the crowd before taking his seat next to Paul Scholes, Ronaldinho Gaucho, Michel Salgado, Hernan Crespo and Luis Figo, thereby completing a row that could now boast of nine Champions League titles, 25 Premier League medals, 10 La Liga titles, and one FIFA World Cup.Premier Futsal -- casually dubbed the T20 for football -- had officially started, and Chennai knew they were in special company.You could almost forgive the city for not wanting to turn up. Tickets were steeply priced, and went up on sale just two days before the tournament. And while promos of the event -- featuring Figo and Indian Test captain Virat Kohli -- were aired regularly by the official broadcasters over the last month, the vast majority of Chennai had no idea that they would be hosting the first three days of the tournament!It was evident that logistics were being worked out till the last minute; the official fixtures and squads were also not known to the public till last week.Chennai has always prided itself on being a knowledgeable bunch when it comes to sport, a title that stood validated 17 years ago when the packed crowd at the Chepauk gave the Pakistan cricket team a standing ovation after India had lost a close Test.The city loves its sports teams; ISL champions Chennaiyin FC have a cult following, while anybody even remotely associated with Chennai Super Kings enjoys superstar status. And now with a galaxy of football icons in their backyard, this was a chance for Chennaiites to truly go global, and to give these stars a welcome they would never forget.When word had spread that the likes of Giggs and Scholes were setting foot in the city, fan groups on social media immediately started putting plans in place to assemble outside the Chennai airport on the morning of their arrival.Security has been tight throughout the event and access to the players limited. However, determined fans have driven long distances -- braving Chennais infamous traffic -- and waited for long hours at the players hotels, just to catch a glimpse of their heroes. Some returned with priceless selfies while others returned home empty-handed, but its unlikely they had any regrets.On Friday night, the entire stretch from Chennai Central -- the citys railway station -- to the stadium, a good 20-minute walk, was converted into a fan zone. There was little room for cars, bikes or auto rickshaws; football fanatics of all age groups hogged the streets.Football rivalries were temporarily put aside, if replica jerseys were any indication. Ronaldos and Messis walked together, while Rooneys, Zlatans, Hazards and even a Harry Kane helped themselves to group photos.Inside the stadium, it was euphoria. The opening ceremony and forgettable tournament anthem out of the way, it was time for the real deal.Seeing all these stars in the flesh was one thing, but Chennai wanted more. Their appetite worked up, they now had to see these stars work their magic right in front of them.Their heroes had already waved to them, but now, Chennai wanted them to turn back the years. They wanted Giggs to give his opponents twisted blood, Ronaldinho to elastico his way around the keeper, and Scholes to make an inch-perfect diagonal pass to a team-mate.It did not immediately turn out as expected. Giggs Mumbai were up first against the hosts Chennai and their marquee player Falcao. No bro, its not that Falcao, a young boy in the crowd explains to his confused friend. With all the cheers and attention on Giggs, it was almost easy to forget that Alessandro Rosa Vieira, hailed as the greatest Futsal player in the world, was also on the turf.The crowd had mixed emotions. On one hand they wanted to support their team, but a vocal majority also wanted Giggs to tear em apart. Giggs did produce the occasional moment of brilliance -- a no-look pass, a nutmeg and a weighted pass for an assist -- but it was clear to the crowd that both sets of players were struggling to cope with the pace and format of the game.Mumbai eventually ran out 4-2 winners in a laboured match, but Chennai was not disappointed.Chennai, please now put your hands together for RONALDINHOOOOOO...The announcer had barely completed the sentence before the crowd burst into a chorus of Dinho! Dinho! Dinho!Ronaldinho had just strolled out to the pitch, and with everyone -- team-mates, opponents, ball boys, even the officials -- wrapping the Brazilian in hugs and clicking selfies with him, a buzzer was needed to remind all that there was still the actual matter of the match to be played.Ronaldinhos Goa versus Crespos Kolkata. The crowd waited with bated breath for Dinho to dazzle, but there was no stepover, no rainbow, no nutmeg, no body feint. Nothing.Here was a footballer who once made defenders look foolish, always played with a smile, and even brought the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to its feet in applauding a Barcelona player.Now, Ronaldinho was struggling to move his way around the field, mistiming passes, and inexplicably even silenced the crowd with his subdued performance. Only a heavy dose of music from the upcoming Rajinikanth starrer Kabali managed to jolt some life into the stadium.The game was that muted, livened only when the Goa goalkeeper, perhaps bored with the proceedings, decided to take on the entire Kolkata defence all by himself with a mazy dribble.The fans continued to throng the stadium the next day, but there was an iota of disappointment, even if they didnt explicitly show it. Surely there would be more from these legends?The goals started to flow more freely, and the players began to play with more tempo and urgency once the nuances of Futsal were completely grasped.Some sparks briefly flew when Giggs accused Salgado of diving, but that too blew over quickly. Scholes took center stage next, to thunderous applause, but even he could not quite roll back the years; there was no well-timed volley directly from a corner, despite the crowds repeated request for him to SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!It was now the last day of the Chennai leg -- games Monday onwards will be played in Goa -- and while the actual Futsal on the pitch may not have met the fans unrealistic expectations, the crowd filled up Nehru Stadium for the third day running, reveling in another infectious four hours of song, dance and chants.The banners were out in full flow, and one man even brought with him a Brazil flag, no doubt in anticipation of Ronaldinhos last bow at the stadium.Ronaldinho strode out to with his trademark grin; but something was different this time. He was almost apologetic with his bows to the crowd, as if he had a point to prove for his lacklustre display two days earlier.This was his moment and chance to repay the audience for their faith in him, and he delivered in style. Five times.With Scholes and his Bengaluru team struggling to impose themselves on the game, Goa ran riot.The crowd was desperate for a Ronaldinho goal, and he obliged inside five minutes, stopping the ball dead with one touch before feinting to send the keeper the wrong way and tapping into an empty net.Two days earlier, Ronaldinho had struggled to string together two simple passes. On Sunday night, everything he tried came off, with ridiculous ease.Bengaluru tried to double-team him, but Ronaldinho would simply hold two defenders off, before effortlessly flicking the ball onto the path of a teammate.Three defenders would block his way and he would simply turn the clock back to 2005 at the Stamford Bridge, giving the opponents the jig, and then the jag, before coolly passing the ball into the net.Bengaluru would go physical on him, but Ronaldinho would simply hold the ball on his chest, lift the ball over a defender, and head it towards a player in a Goa shirt.Ronaldinho would appear to be a little tired, dropping to his knees, only to regain a sudden burst of speed, exchange passes with a team-mate, and shoot into an unguarded net to complete his hat-trick.Ronaldinho would simply look one way and pass another, bamboozling his frustrated opponents, and leaving the crowd in utter disbelief. Even Scholes could be seen clapping on one occasion.It was magical. It was breathtaking, bordering on the cruel. But it was pure box office.The show wasnt over, though, and there was some fairy dust left yet in Ronaldinhos legs.He had to top his three first-half goals with another stunner, and he did so by controlling and swiveling in one movement, before lobbing the ball over a defenders head and into the goal. So deft was Ronaldinhos touch that the ball appeared to hang in the air for an eternity, giving the audience enough time to let out both an ooh and an aah before it rested into the net.This was his night, and he was not going to go out without a statement. His fifth goal was just a simple one-on-one finish, but the celebration trumped everything else he had done before.With Dinho, Dinho still echoing around the stadium, Ronaldinho jumped over the tournament hoardings and into the cheerleaders stage, treating everyone to some Brazilian samba.Full time: Goa 7-2 Bengaluru; Ronaldinho with five goals, a couple of dozen tricks not out of place in a video game, an infectious smile, and a half-decent celebratory dance.Ronaldinho bid farewell to the crowd, and placed his arm on his ear, conjuring one last deafening roar from the crowd. Ronaldinho had heard Chennai, and Chennai had just heard Ronaldinho.At the end of a three-day carnival that had meaty, but unspectacular cameos from Giggs, Scholes, Salgado, Crespo and Falcao, Ronaldinho had just put up a show that Chennai is unlikely to forget in a hurry.Not everyone had the same reaction, though.Man, I cant believe it, a red-clad boy could be heard while exiting the stadium. I just saw Paul Scholes mistime a tackle in front of my own eyes. My life is made!Many lives were. Hydro Flask Coffee 16 Oz . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Hydro Flask Coffee 12 Oz .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. http://www.hydroflaskcoffeesale.com/ . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Hydro Flask 21 Oz Standard Mouth . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. 12 Oz Hydro Flask Kids . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians are off to a pitch-perfect start in the World Series.The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, fell completely flat in their first appearance since 1945.Kluber dominated into the seventh inning, Roberto Perez had four RBI with a pair of home runs and the Indians beat the Cubs 6-0 in Tuesday nights opener of a highly anticipated matchup between the teams with baseballs longest championship droughts.Its almost like you have that extra level of intensity, said Kluber, who became the first Series pitcher to strike out eight batters in the first three innings.AL Championship Series MVP Andrew Miller escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh and stranded runners at the corners the eighth, preserving a three-run lead and delighting the sellout crowd of 38,091 in Clevelands first-ever Series home opener.The atmosphere in the World Series is so great, Miller said. You cant help but get caught up in it and enjoy it.The Indians pitched their fourth shutout in nine games this postseason. After stifling two dangerous lineups in Boston and Toronto during the AL playoffs, Cleveland shut down a hard-hitting Cubs team that scored 23 runs against the Dodgers in the final three games of the NLCS.Back in the Series for the first time since 1997, the Indians scored twice in the first off October ace Jon Lester.Perez hit a fourth-inning solo shot and added a three-run drive in the eighth against Hector Rondon, becoming the first Cleveland player and the only No. 9 batter to homer twice in a Series game.Oh, I dont think Ive ever had a night like that, Perez said.He has three home runs in 27 at-bats during the postseason after hitting three in 153 during the regular season.Ive come a long ways, Perez said,Francisco Lindor added three hits as the Indians improved to 8-1 this postseason. Cleveland manager Terry Francona is 9-0 in the Series, including sweeps by his Boston teams in 2004 and `07.The Game 1 winner has taken the title in the last six Series and 17 of 19.I have no concerns, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Its the first game. Im fine. Were fine.Trevor Bauer, trying to come back from a sliced pinkie caused by a freak drone accident, starts Game 2 for the Indians on Wednesday night against Jake Arrieta. Because the forecast called for an increased chance of rain later in the evening, Major League Baseball took the extraordinary step of moving up the first pitch by an hour to 7:08 p.m.Kluber painted the corners, and 24 of his 59 strikes were called by plate umpire Larry Vanover. Twelve batters were caught looking, including seven Cubs.I think his ball was moving too much today, said Perez, Clevelands catcher. We got guys off balance the whole night.Kluber combined with Miller and Cody Allen to fan 15 -- two shy of the Series record for a nine-inning game -- and Chicago went 2 for 15 with 10 strikeouts with runners on base.With the Indians hoping for their first title since 1948 and the Cubs seeking their first since 1908, Lester stumbled in the opening inning.He entered 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA in three Series starts and got his first two outs on five pitches before Cleveland loaded the bases with two outs. Jose Ramirez had a run-scoring swinging bunt single and Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch -- he led the majors with 31 during the regullar season.ddddddddddddThere is an importance on small ball, but you cant try to hit a swinging bunt. Thats a little bit of good fortune, Francona said. Then Guyer got hit, which he is really good at.Perez connected in the fourth for a 3-0 lead.When youre going against a guy like Kluber whos locked in from pitch one, to give up two in the first, that makes it tough, Lester said.Teams that combined for 174 seasons of futility, Americas biggest droughts since the Great Plains Dust Bowl of the 1930s, captivated even many non-baseball fans.On a night of civic pride, LeBron James and the NBAs Cavaliers received their championship rings next door prior to their season opener, and Cleveland hosted a World Series opener for the first time.The Cubs had not played in the Series since five weeks after Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender ending World War II.Kluber, whose win in the All-Star Game gave the AL home-field advantage in the Series, improved to 3-1 in the postseason and lowered his ERA to a sparkling 0.74.He was pitching on six days rest, and his two-seam fastball darted through the strike zone. Kluber struck out nine in six innings and walked none.Kyle Schwarber, making a surprise return in his first big league game since tearing knee ligaments on April 7, doubled off the right-field wall in the fourth -- a drive kept in by a stiff wind on a 50-degree night. Kluber then got Javier Baez to fly out.Zobrists leadoff double in the seventh finished Kluber, and Cleveland loaded the bases with no outs against Miller on Schwarbers walk and Baezs single. Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras flied to Rajai Davis in short center, and Davis threw home rather than double up Schwarber, who had strayed far off second.Using his intimidating slider, Miller struck out Addison Russell and David Ross to escape the jam, stranded runners at the corners in the eighth by fanning Schwarber with his 46th pitch, his most in five years. Miller has thrown 20 scoreless innings in postseason play, including 13 2/3 innings with 24 strikeouts this year.Allen worked the ninth to close it out.Ramirez also had three hits each for the Indians, who beat Toronto in the ALCS despite hitting just .168. Zobrist had three hit for the Cubs.Lester gave up three runs, six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He was rattled by Vanovers calls, barking at the umpire in the third, then stopping for a discussion at the innings end.Im confident. I know our guys are, too, Schwarber said. We put up good at-bats against those guys today. We just didnt come up with a knock when we needed to.UP NEXTWhile Arrieta went 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA during the regular season, he struggled to a 5.01 ERA in his final four starts. He allowed four runs over five innings in Game 3 of the NLCS.Bauer lasted only two outs in his ALCS when his pinkie began bleeding.THEYRE BACKDexter Fowler took a called third strike from Kluber leading off the game, becoming the first Cubs player to bat in the Series since Don Johnson hit into a game-ending forceout against Detroits Hal Newhouser in Game 7 in 1945.TAKE A SEATChicago benched right fielder Jason Heyward, in a 2-for-28 postseason slump, and started Chris Coghlan. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '