When one thinks about how Manchester United have fared over the last 10 years, the first instinct is to divide the decade in two parts: the club under Sir Alex Ferguson, and after Ferguson’s retirement. How one man was able to affect the fortunes of a club and a domestic league could be dismissed as an exaggeration, but there is no way to exaggerate the impact Ferguson had on United, and the Premier League has a whole.

The 2009/10 season saw United once again challenge for a Premier League title, only to falter to Chelsea on the final day. The Red Devils would bounce back to regain the championship in 2011, also advancing to the Champions League Final. After the heartbreak of the 2011/12 finale, when crosstown rival Manchester City won the EPL with literally the last kick of the season, United added Robin van Persie to their roster. The Dutchman quickly made an impact in his first season at Old Trafford, leading the Premier League in goals as United sent Fergie into retirement with another league title.

David Moyes had the unenviable task of succeeding Ferguson, and he did win the Community Shield in his first match of consequence with the club. However, despite United reaching the Champions League quarterfinals, their poor form in the league meant Moyes was sacked prior to the end of the 2013/14 season, with Ryan Giggs serving as interim player-manager in the final games. Louis van Gaal took over in the summer of 2014, and he did lead United back into the Champions League and to their first FA Cup triumph in 12 years, but he too was let go after two seasons at Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho arrived in the summer of 2016, as did big-name players Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba. United started the Premier League season well, but it soon became clear that Mourinho was banking on the club winning the Europa League, which they would do by defeating Ajax in the Final. United would then finish runners-up in the EPL in 2017/18 – their highest finish in the post-Sir Alex era – their season marked by a famous 3-2 win at Manchester City. But struggles early in the 2018/19 campaign meant Mourinho was out by December, and in came Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

With the former striker as caretaker manager, the players seemed to be relaxed and comfortable, going on an impressive win streak and upsetting Paris Saint-Germain to reach the Champions League quarterfinals. Once Solskjaer was given the job full-time, however, the performances dipped, with a final day home loss to Cardiff summing up the struggles of the last few months of that season. For the first half of 2019/20, there appear to be two different Uniteds for the most part; the team that shows up for big matches against old rivals, and the side that loses to lesser-known clubs. December alone has been a great example; United began the month with wins over Tottenham and Manchester City in a four-day span. They would later settle for a home draw with Aston Villa, while losing at then-last place Watford.

Manchester United closed 2019 with consecutive wins over Newcastle United and Burnley, and will start 2020 on the road at Arsenal. All signs appear to show that management will observe how the transfer window goes, then allow Solskjaer to finish out the season before making a decision moving forward. Will United have another roller-coaster decade in the 2020s? Fans will certainly hope for a return to consistency, and a return to the world’s elite.

The “Decade in Review” series continues with a look at how Ohio Bobcats football fared during the 2010s. In one sense, it was a consistent decade for the team, as head coach Frank Solich presided over squads that consistently posted bowl-eligible records. At the same time, there was a fair amount of unpredictability, with teams picked to seriously contend for a MAC title ultimately underachieving.

The Bobcats closed the previous decade with an unexpected MAC East championship in 2009, and after a rocky start to open the 2010 season, appeared destined for a return trip to Detroit following seven straight wins. However, a road loss at Kent State meant Ohio would watch their archrival Miami win the conference crown instead.

Ohio regrouped in 2011 and not only won the East, but took a 20-0 lead into halftime of the MAC title game against Northern Illinois. However, the Huskies rallied with 23 unanswered points to win the championship, but Ohio would go on to rally in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and beat Utah State for their first-ever bowl game victory. 2012 began with a non-conference win at Penn State, as the Bobcats won their first seven games and entered the BCS rankings for the first time. Although they’d drop four of their last five to close the regular season, they would dominate Louisiana-Monroe in the Independence Bowl 45-14.

The 2013, 2014, and 2015 campaigns saw Ohio consistently finish in the middle of the MAC East standings, with 2014 being the one year in the decade that the Bobcats would miss out on a bowl invitation, despite finishing 6-6. In 2016, Ohio would emerge from the East as division champion for the third time in an eight-year span. They would give unbeaten Western Michigan all they could handle in the championship game but the Broncos ultimately prevailed 29-23.

The last three seasons of the decade have a common thread: high expectations that were not met. Ohio was the preseason pick to win at least the East in 2017, ’18, ‘and ’19; the last two of those they were also tabbed to win the MAC. However, it was a case of one or two games that Ohio expected to win but didn’t.  The last two years, that proverbial thorn in the Bobcats’ side has been archrival Miami, who kicked a late field goal in November to win the 2019 meeting. Ohio found themselves needing to win their final two games this fall to become bowl-eligible, but they did just that by outscoring Bowling Green and Akron by a total of 118-27. The Bobcats will return to Boise, Idaho on January 3 as they face Nevada in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

So what’s next for Ohio football as they enter the 2020s? One thing likely to change is their head coach, as Frank Solich is already well in his 70s. The Bobcats will also begin the decade with a new quarterback following the graduation of Nathan Rourke, who has set many career and single-season records over his time in Athens. The million dollar question remains, will Ohio stay near the top of the MAC standings, or will it fall back into the state it was in prior to Solich’s 2005 arrival? Expect the next few seasons to reveal the answer.

With the New Year beginning next week, that’s brought many “Best of the Decade” lists, although one could argue the current decade doesn’t end until 2020. Regardless, the last ten years have seen inevitable change to sports teams around the globe. This series will take a look at several of those teams who have adapted well to change, and those who haven’t.

This edition will examine how Ohio State Buckeyes football fared in the 2010s.

The start of the decade saw high expectations for the Buckeyes, as they began the 2010 calendar year with a Rose Bowl win over Oregon. With quarterback Terrelle Pryor back along with other other returning starters, Ohio State was a heavy favorite to contend for the national title, but a midseason loss to Wisconsin saw the Buckeyes settle for a shared conference title.

While Ohio State would win their Sugar Bowl matchup with Arkansas, they would ultimately vacate that result – along with the whole season – as punishment for violations involving a memorabilia scandal that would also force the resignation of head coach Jim Tressel. While Luke Fickell did the best he could as interim, the Buckeyes would endure their first non-winning season since 1999, with losses in their final four games, including to archrival Michigan.

Urban Meyer was brought in as the new permanent head coach, and started his tenure with 24 straight wins. There would come a point, though, when the Buckeyes lost three of four – the Big Ten Championship Game to Michigan State, the Orange Bowl to Clemson, and a regular-season matchup with Virginia Tech. Despite that, the 2014 Buckeyes responded to that early setback with 13 straight wins, culminating with victories over Alabama and Oregon as they won the inaugural College Football Playoff. After many years of near-misses, Ohio State returned to “National Champion” status.

The 2015, 2016, and 2017 seasons would all be extremely similar, with Ohio State fielding good teams, but never quite able to get back to the championship game. The Buckeyes did return to the playoff in 2016 despite not winning the Big Ten, but were outclassed by eventual national champion Clemson. 2017 saw a rare two-loss season, with Oklahoma and Iowa both getting the better of the Buckeyes. 2018 could also be in the same category, with Ohio State engineering a nearly flawless season, with the exception of a nightmare Saturday night at Purdue.

Now in 2019, Ohio State has another opportunity to return to the top of the college football world. The Buckeyes navigated an unbeaten regular season, followed by a come-from-behind performance in the Big Ten Championship Game, and doing this with Ryan Day experiencing his first full year as a head coach. Justin Fields has handled the transition from Georgia to Ohio State well, and Chase Young has emerged as the best defensive player in the country; he was the first defensive player to be invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony since Manti Te’o in 2012. Now the Buckeyes have a chance to avenge the December 2016 Fiesta Bowl loss with another meeting against Clemson. Should they win, Ohio native and onetime Buckeyes quarterback Joe Burrow likely awaits in the national championship game. All signs point to Ohio State continuing their high level of play in the coming decade.

With that comes high expectations. But Ohio State has embraced those in the past, and there’s no reason to believe that will change anytime soon.

Through eight matches of the 2019-2020 Premier League, one club has managed nine points with two wins and three draws. Their season started with a 4-0 victory at home, but the club has appeared lackluster in recent weeks, having struggled to hold onto leads while appearing disinterested at times in road fixtures. Their latest loss leaves them just two points above the relegation zone.

If one were to ask a fan what club the above paragraph described, few might guess Manchester United. But that is indeed the case.

The 20-time English top-flight champions are no longer the same team that was winning trophies left and right in the 1990s, the 2000s, and even the first part of this decade. Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013, it has been a consistent decline for the club, and worse may still be to come.

Opinions are mixed on whether to blame manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as one reason why the club is struggling, but the facts show that United were almost a polar opposite when he was still “interim manager” following the firing of Jose Mourinho. During that time, the club went on a tear in the Premier League, and staged an incredible comeback at PSG to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals. Once Solskjaer was given the job full-time, the club stumbled to the season’s finish line, including a home loss to already-relegated Cardiff on the final day.

United haven’t fared much better in cup competitions, either. They needed penalties to edge past Rochdale in the League Cup third round, and while they haven’t yet lost in the Europa League group, the performances in those two matches was less than inspiring.

What the club could really use is changes in management. Ed Woodward has been chief executive since 2013, and while reports show he has been successful at making the club profit as a business, their progress on the pitch has been sorely lacking. It was not his decision that David Moyes succeeded Ferguson, but it was his call to hire Louis van Gaal, then Jose Mourinho, and now Solskjaer. There have been many instances where he has appeared out of his depth, especially with player signings, and fans (along with former captain Gary Neville) have been vocal about their desire to see him removed from football-related operations.

Manchester United head into the international break with uncertainty, and will be in the unenviable position of hosting unbeaten Liverpool in their first game back. Will this be the last stand for Solskjaer, Woodward, or others associated with the club? For some, that change cannot come soon enough.

West Virginia’s 2018 football season came to an end Friday with a Camping World Bowl loss to Syracuse. Even though it’s been several days since that game, the way the season ended has been a bitter pill to swallow after the optimism that surrounded the Mountaineers in August.

After six years of being in the middle or bottom of the Big 12 pack, 2018 was viewed by both fans and media as the year West Virginia would break through and challenge Oklahoma for league supremacy. Ever since Will Grier, David Sills, and others announced last December that they’d return for this campaign, players continued to receive individual recognition; Grier was named preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and a First Team All-American. The quarterback backed up that hype in the season opener with five touchdown passes as WVU cruised past Tennessee 40-14 in Charlotte.

Despite a significant hiccup in October at Iowa State, the Mountaineers appeared to be continuing that momentum into November, controlling their own destiny for a berth in the College Football Playoff. That came to an end when WVU let a halftime lead slip away in a loss at Oklahoma State, but the Mountaineers had the simplest of scenarios to advance to the Big 12 championship game: beat Oklahoma and they would be in. However, the defense’s failure to stop several Sooner drives, coupled with two Grier fumbles returned for touchdowns, led to a 59-56 win for Oklahoma, and another opportunity lost for WVU. The bowl game loss to Syracuse meant three straight losses to end a season which started with promise.

Time will tell how the legacies for players like Grier and Sills will be remembered, although it’s likely to be positive. Grier endeared himself to the Mountaineer fan base over his two years in Morgantown, and most fans were understanding of his decision to not play in the Camping World Bowl in order to prepare for the NFL Draft. At the same time, though, the record doesn’t lie, and the fact remains that WVU finished fourth in a league where they were predicted to finish second, with a legitimate shot to win a home game over Oklahoma – a team since they haven’t beaten since joining the Big 12.

Now the question is not just who succeeds Grier at quarterback, but what’s next for the West Virginia program as a whole. As of Monday night, Dana Holgorsen is on the cusp of leaving to become the head coach at Houston, with the Cougars reportedly receiving permission from WVU to interview Holgorsen. Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital has already left for Texas State, so if athletic director Shane Lyons wants to stay in-house for his next coach the front-runner would have to be defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. Or does Lyons bring in someone new to see if that candidate can make strides in Morgantown? Expect the answers to be revealed by the end of the week.

After an  almost-seven-year wait, Kevin Na returned to the PGA Tour winner’s circle Sunday at A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier. His final round 64 on the Old White TPC, which included a stretch of six birdies in seven holes, led to a five-shot victory over Kelly Kraft.

With Na having come close on multiple occasions between the two victories, there was understandably a lot of emotion during the trophy presentation. It was poignant that first to congratulate him on the 72nd hole was defending Greenbrier champion Xander Schauffele, who played alongside Na on Sunday; Bubba Watson, the two-time Masters champion who owns a home at the Greenbrier, also congratulated Na on #18.

So with Na having finally answered the question of when he would win on Tour again, what does the rest of the season hold?

Recent history shows that those who win at the Greenbrier use that success to kickstart the remainder of the season. In 2015, Danny Lee emerged from a four-man playoff to win his first (and to date, only) event as a pro. The New Zealand native would finish tied for third the very next week at the John Deere Classic, recording three more top ten finishes (including a T2 at the Tour Championship) en route to an appearance in the Presidents Cup.

Last year, Xander Schauffele came into White Sulphur Springs riding the momentum of his T5 at the US Open. His consistent performance of 64-69-66-67 included a last-hole birdie to win his first PGA Tour title. The California native also won the Tour Championship, earned Rookie of the Year honors, and has continued that success into five more top 10 finishes this season, including a T6 at the US Open.

So can Na keep his momentum going? Sunday’s win has taken him to 18th in the FedEx Cup and 13th in the Ryder Cup rankings. He won’t play again until the Open Championship in two weeks at Carnoustie, but how he fares in the first round on July 19th could be very telling as to how his week, and perhaps the rest of his season, will play out.

The 2018 Australian Open began Monday in Melbourne, though most Americans might hope it began at a different date.

Within the first four hours of play beginning, three of the top 13 seeds in women’s singles – all from the US – lost their first round matches in a morning session American tennis fans will want to forget quickly.

The upset started with the very first match at Margaret Court Arena, with reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens facing Shuai Zhang of China. The American started very well, and found herself serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. But Zhang was able to not only break serve, she forced that set into a tiebreak, and took control in the third set. Stephens seemed to lose focus after that critical break, and having now lost eight straight matches since her win at Flushing Meadows, the question will now when she can get back to winning ways.

Venus Williams entered the tournament with high expectations as well, having reached the final in Melbourne a year ago. But Belinda Bencic of Switzerland took control midway through the first set, unaffected by a rain delay of nearly a half-hour, going on to win 6-3 7-5. It’s the third time in five seasons Williams has lost in the first round in Australia. Meanwhile, Bencic, who in the first round to Serena in 2017, may now be considered a favorite to reach the third round.

Coco Vandeweghe gained an advantage early in her first-round match with Hungarian Timea Babos before the rain delay, with the first set going to a tiebreak, which Babos won. Prior to the second set, the American became involved in an argument with chair umpire Fergus Murphy, which ended with a violation being issued for time-wasting. Vandeweghe received another penalty later in the second set, as Babos continued her momentum to record the win in straight sets.

Monday wouldn’t fare much better for the favored Americans in men’s singles, as both John Isner & Jack Sock lost in four sets to their respective opponents. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios had little trouble progressing to the second round.

Tuesday’s schedule sees Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic take the court for the first time, along with Madison Keys, who is now the last remaining player from last year’s US Open semifinals. Will there be more upsets to come over the next few days in Melbourne?

Well, it happened. The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team, which had used up eight of its nine lives already in this World Cup qualifying cycle, lost 2-1 to Trinidad & Tobago, which coupled with other results from the CONCACAF region, means the Americans will miss out on Russia 2018. It’s the first World Cup without the United States since 1986.

Even more frustrating about the outcome is the fact that after everything they’ve been through over the last 11 months, the Americans still controlled their fate entering Tuesday’s match. A win would’ve guaranteed a trip to Russia next summer; with the US having a superior goal difference to Panama and Honduras, a draw would’ve been enough, too. For the US to miss out, that scenario required a loss AND a Panama win AND a Honduras win.

Yet all three outcomes occurred, and here we are.

What’s most difficult to accept is the way Tuesday’s game unfolded; the USMNT knew they had everything to gain and everything to lose, yet began lethargically. Omar Gonzalez’s own goal seemed to be an omen of things to come, yet credit must be given to Alvin Jones on the Trinidadians’ second goal; had it been Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, how many fans would be campaigning for it to win the Puskas Award as the best goal of the year? The Americans did have a pulse in the second half, getting one goal back through Christian Pulisic, followed by two chances late – one denied by the post, the other saved by Adrian Foncette. Again, even with the other results, a tie would have been enough. But it’s a loss, and the questions surrounding the future are ever-present.

What does this say about the legacy of Bruce Arena? He’ll always be remembered for leading the USMNT to the 2002 quarterfinals, but he had one simple job when he returned last year, and he has now failed to deliver.

The responsibility is also on the players, as they will have to spend next summer knowing they won’t compete in the most-watched sporting event on the planet. Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, and other veterans are already in the twilight of their playing days; was this their last qualifying cycle, and is this how their national careers end?

One thing is for sure: it’s going to be a long summer for US Soccer, and the 2022 qualifying cycle cannot begin enough.

The US Men’s National Team will finish World Cup qualifying Tuesday when they visit Trinidad & Tobago. On paper, the mission is simple for the Americans; win against a team already eliminated, and they’ll be headed to Russia next summer. Even if they tie, that gives Panama and/or Honduras a chance to finish level with the US on points, but they’d need to overtake the Americans on goal difference (entering Tuesday, USA is +5, while Panama is -2 and Honduras is -7).

The worst-case scenario, of course, would be if Team USA loses to the Trinidadians. Should that occur, Bruce Arena and company could be looking at a two-leg playoff with Australia or Syria for a berth, or no berth at all. It could potentially be the first time since 1986 that the US wouldn’t appear in the most-watched sporting event on the planet.

Given how the qualifying cycle has gone over the past year, some might view it as appropriate if Tuesday’s game proves to be an emotional roller coaster. This cycle, after all, began with a loss to Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, breaking the trend of “Dos a Cero” results; it later continued with a crushing loss at Costa Rica, a result that cost Jurgen Klinsmann his job. Under Arena, they’ve steadied the ship, in addition to winning a Gold Cup in the summer.

But Panama and Honduras have made strides as well; the Americans did draw 1-1 when they visited both nations earlier this year. Plus, they both have home matches Tuesday with Costa Rica & Mexico, respectively; those two have already clinched World Cup berths. One would anticipate the USA needing to win their match to ensure qualification.

Bottom line: the Americans have everything to gain, but everything to lose, too. Arena certainly didn’t make things easier with his jab at European nations, and while CONCACAF has indeed improved as a whole, it’s not enough to the point where teams can yet make a push to that top tier of the region – where the US, Mexico, and Costa Rica currently sit. Arena’s job when he was brought in for a second stint with the national team was simple: lead the team to Russia. If they do that, they’ll keep that qualification streak alive, but the initiative will be on them to avoid another tumultuous cycle in four years.

To paraphrase the old saying, like teacher, like pupil.

When Louis van Gaal took over as Manchester United manager in 2014, his number one priority was to get the club back into the Champions League, as they finished fourth in the Premier League and dominated their play-off round tie with Club Brugge. Last year, Jose Mourinho faced the same challenge, but guided the team to a title in the Europa League, thus booking a spot in the group stage of Europe’s top club competition.

Now can he maintain the string of second-season success that he’s enjoyed in the past? In both stints at Chelsea, his second season was marked by Premier League titles. His “sophomore” (and final, as it turned out) campaign at Inter Milan was a Treble-winning season, the first Italian club to do so. His second team at Real Madrid, in 2011/12, arguably had the best chance to win the Champions League of his three seasons, losing to Bayern Munich on penalties in the semifinals.

As is the case with every upcoming season, much will be made about the new faces on the roster. Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic have each already experienced success in England, and will be hungry to continue that with a new club. Victor Lindelof may find life in England intimidating at first, coming from Benfica, but he can rely on seeing what Eric Bailly accomplished in his debut Premier League campaign.

Speaking of Bailly, how will he and the others who joined this time last time fare in their second season with United? Henrikh Mkhitaryan emerged as a Europa League specialist of sorts, but may face pressure to play just as well in the Champions League. Paul Pogba, meanwhile, will not only be freed up to play as an attacking midfielder, but is now free from bearing the “world’s most expensive player” tag thanks to Neymar. His 2016/17 campaign wasn’t awful, but look for an improved Pogba this season.

The Red Devils open this season Sunday at home against West Ham United. Three points will be the minimum goal, but fans would certainly hope for a more entertaining style of play than they were treated to last season, if not the kind of thrill that was seen in Friday’s Arsenal-Leicester match. Are United finally back to “title contender” status after four seasons of a rival lifting the trophy?