The carefully orchestrated build-up to Thursdays official unveiling of Louis van Gaal kicked off in earnest on Monday with the news that Manchester United had signed a 10-year apparel deal with Adidas worth a guaranteed minimum of 750 million pounds (roughly about $1. Dustin Colquitt Super Bowl Jersey .35 billion.) Mind-boggling. More than a mere jersey deal, “a global technical sponsorship and dual-branded licensing deal” was how it was described in a brief statement that was published on the clubs website at 1pm Monday afternoon. Lunch time in Manchester, but make that 8am in New York City. Since the club began trading on the NYSE in August 2012, it is mandatory practice that, for any announcement which could affect the share price, it is made outside of trading hours. Only 10 per cent of the share capital is listed on the NYSE. The Glazer family privately holds the remaining 90 per cent. Barcelona likes to claim it is more than a club and the same holds true for Manchester United PLC (Public Limited Company.) As van Gaal set about steering the Netherlands to a third-place finish in Brazil, his new club were announcing they had completely sold out their season ticket allocation for next season- all 55,000 of them. This was the earliest in the summer that Manchester United has sold out of season tickets since Old Trafford was expanded to its current capacity of 76,000 ahead of the 2005-2006 season. In recent seasons, the club has had difficulty selling the entire allocation. Van Gaals appointment would certainly have been an influencing factor and it makes you wonder how many Old Trafford season tickets were purchased in the immediate aftermath of the Netherlands destroying Spain 5-1 back on June 13.. The 62-year old Dutchman began his coaching career back in 1991 with legendary Dutch club Ajax, where he won his only Champions League trophy during the 1994-1995 season, when he also steered Ajax to a domestic league glory during an unbeaten season. Going on to win domestic titles with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich, the closest he came to winning a second European crown was with Bayern ,when they lost in the 2010 final to Jose Mourinhos Inter Milan. Van Gaal immediately restores a winners mentality and image to a club that was without peer through the Ferguson years - when the Knight of the Realm amassed 38 trophies, including 13 BPL titles, in his quarter of a century at the helm. No one will need reminding of how painful Manchester Uniteds season was under David Moyes last term. In Moyess defence, it was not ever going to be easy for whomever followed Ferguson. Still, call it the most expensive "gap year" in Uniteds illustrious history. Bereft this season of Champions League football, all the associated pressures and inherent demands that it brings with it will work in Van Gaals favour. If for nothing else, it allows him to focus primarily on returning Manchester United to the BPL summit. Then, you can look to the examples set by two of the Dutchmans previous clubs, Bayern and Barcelona, both of whom sat on the Champions League sidelines for a season. Shortly after their respective returns, both have gone on to dominate the European stage. Where Moyes talked of trying to win the League Cup ahead of a semi-final showdown with Sunderland and where some clubs target Champions League football, at his unveiling, van Gaal was unequivocal in his response to whether he could immediately restore the club to its former glories. "The challenge is always to come first. Not fourth." The "Iron Tulip," as van Gaal is nicknamed for the so-termed autocratic way he manages, was astute enough yesterday to recognize the commercial demands and the business of Manchester United. As the red and blue halves of Manchester look to continue their three-year duopoly of the BPL title, they are also fierce competitors in the global commercial market. Its not a coincidence that, on the day van Gaal was appointed, Manchester City announced they had signed the Japanese car giant Nissan as their first global partner of the City Football Group. CFG is the holding company which oversees the commercial affairs of the football clubs now under the control of Sheikh Mansour. Since purchasing City in 2008, Mansour has added New York City FC, Melbourne City and a 20 per cent holding in Japanese club YF Marinos to his expanding portfolio of football clubs. Intriguingly, with Manchester Cit up before the UEFA Financial Fair Play panel where they were fined $90 million and had their Champions League squad for the upcoming season trimmed to 21 players down from 23, Nissan is the new car partner of the UEFA Champions League. In the continual search for overseas revenue, barely 24-hours into the job Van Gaal announced his squad for Uniteds highly lucrative pre-season tour of the US. Having jetted out to Los Angeles earlier on Friday, they will play their first game against the Galaxy at the Rose Bowl next Wednesday, before taking part in the International Champions Cup. Paired in a group with Real Madrid, Inter and Roma, the final takes place in Miami August 4th. Manchester Uniteds potential opponents that day could be their noisy neighbour. Whether or not the club goes on to lift their first trophy under van Gaal in the home state of the Glazer family, the Dutchman is already a winner in their eyes. Since Manchester United announced van Gaals appointment on May 19, the share price for MANU is up over 15 per cent, and now sits within a nickel of a 52-week high. David who? Darwin Thompson Super Bowl Jersey . But defending champion Elena Vesnina of Russia held off a strong challenge to beat Shuai Peng of China 6-3, 6-4, and there was another hard-fought victory for 2012 runner-up Angelique Kerber of Germany, who defeated Alison Riske of the United States 7-6 (6), 6-4. Anthony Sherman Super Bowl Jersey . -- The Chiefs have signed seven players to reserve/future contracts, including running back Joe McKnight, a former fourth-round pick of the New York Jets. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Chad-Henne-Chiefs-Jersey/ . He was 90. The team announced Monday that Adams had died, saying he "passed away peacefully from natural causes." The son of a prominent oil executive, Adams built his own energy fortune and founded the Houston Oilers.CLEVELAND - LeBron James sat in his corner cubicle with a towel wrapped around his waist and a look of satisfaction on his face that had been missing for weeks.His body, recovered from a two-week break, has refreshed the way he hoped. So has his team after two trades improving Cleveland at both ends of the floor. And two weeks after being thought of as dysfunctional and in disarray, the Cavaliers have won six straight games and are climbing in the standings.James wasnt ready to talk about the playoffs or NBA titles just yet after beating Oklahoma City 108-98 on Sunday. But he senses the Cavs are back on track.Theres such a long road ahead of us, Im not going to get too ahead of myself personally, said James, who scored 34 points including a personal 8-0 run early in the fourth to keep the Thunder at a distance. Weve played some great basketball as of late.Not surprisingly, James is at the heart of Clevelands turnaround.The four-time league MVP recently missed eight games to rest a strained back and left knee. The time away clearly revived the 30-year-old, who may want to consider a January retreat in upcoming seasons. Hes running, jumping, cutting, scoring — doing everything at his own towering standards. Hes physically stronger, mentally recharged.On Monday, he was named the Eastern Conferences player of the week after averaging 27.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.3 steals in leading the Cavs to a 4-0 record since Jan. 19.James, recently named to his 11th straight All-Star team, has averaged 30.3 points in his past seven games and hes leading the Cavs defensive resurgence. As the wins have piled up, questions about James relationship with first-year coach David Blatt — who never misses a chance to compliment his star player — have silenced. The two appear to be connecting better. The winning certainly helps.Blatt insists he hasnt changed as a coach.Ive got all my players, he said. It makes it easier.So does a healthy James. The Cavs are 1-8 without him and 24-12 when James is on the floor, a contrast that perhaps underscores his value better than any statistic. Make no mistake, the Cavs have good pieces around James, but hes the centerpiece to everythiing. Tony Gonzalez Super Bowl Jersey. Along with James being back on his game, the recent acquisitions of centre Timofey Mozgov and guards J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have made a huge difference.The 7-foot-1 Mozgov has given the team an inside defensive presence and offset the loss of Anderson Varejao, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Mozgov, who played for Blatt on the Russian national team, has helped space the floor on offence, allowing forward Kevin Love to play more comfortably away from the basket.Mozgov, too, has shown a nice shooting touch and a nasty streak when needed. He has brought the Cavs a needed toughness. Mozgov didnt much statistically Sunday — 2 points, 6 rebounds in 28 minutes — but he threw himself around down low and drew a technical foul after an exchange with Thunder enforcer Kendrick Perkins.We got his back, guard Kyrie Irving said of the big man nicknamed Mozzy. Its great to have a big guy like that whos not going to take any nonsense.Smith has also been a welcome addition, making a seamless transition since coming over with Shumpert from the New York Knicks. A prolific scorer, and prodigious outside shooter, Smith is relishing a chance to help a contender. Hes been starting, but could have his role changed when Shumpert, who has played just two games after being out with a dislocated shoulder, gets better conditioned.Smith said he wont mind coming off the bench.As long as we get that gold ball, it dont matter what I do, he said, referring to the Larry OBrien Trophy. I could sit out for all I care, as long as we win.That gold ball is why James plays. He made four straight trips to the NBA finals with Miami and its hard to imagine the leagues ultimate showcase without him. The Cavs remain a work in progress, but because theyre in the weaker Eastern Conference, they are title contenders when James is healthy.For now, their confidence is growing. And with a soft schedule ahead — only three of their next 10 games are against teams with winning records — the Cavs may continue rolling.Weve shown we can play with the best teams, Love said. Hopefully were starting to put this thing together.The look on James face said thats happening. ' ' '