It is the summer of 2012 and Brendan Rodgers is on the outfield grass at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. [url=http://ww

It is the summer of 2012 and Brendan Rodgers is on the outfield grass at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Kerry Wood Jersey . The Liverpool manager has been in the job two months but already he knows the weight the clubs crest on his shirt carries. It is a weight he tries to ease with every careful word that leaves his mouth and lands on the newspaper pages back home. Rodgers approaches the fence to say hello to the some passionate Liverpool supporters. "Are we going to win the league this year?" asks one. The new boss ducks the question with a smile. He, more than most, knows exactly what he has inherited. For a club like Liverpool this is rock bottom. It is the first time in the Premier League era that Liverpool have finished outside of the top four in three successive seasons. The previous season, under Kenny Dalglish, the Reds achieved their fewest amount of wins in a Premier League campaign, winning just 14 of 38 games on their way to an eighth place finish. They scored just 24 home goals in that 2011-12 campaign, their lowest amount since 1903-04. In the two seasons under Roy Hodgson and Dalglish, Liverpool lost 21 of 38 away league matches. During that time they spent over 100 million pounds on players called Andy Carroll, Raul Meireles, Christian Poulsen, Jonjo Shelvey, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Jose Enrique, Sebastian Coates and Danny Wilson. Many of these average, overpriced players stood just yards away from Rodgers on the Fenway grass and if he really wanted to give an answer to such a ludicrous question all he would have needed to do was open up his arms and nod his head in their direction. It is August 18th, 2012 and the club is at The Hawthorns for a game against West Bromwich Albion to start their first season under Rodgers. There is evidence of a change in style as a scoreless game gets close to half-time but then Zoltan Gera blasts a screamer into the top corner and Rodgers is forced to make his first half-time team talk as a losing manager. It goes from bad to worse in the second half as Daniel Agger is sent off and Liverpool lose 3-0. "Well have more days like this, thats the reality," said Rodgers after the game. It is August 26th, 2012 and eight days after their opening day loss the Reds are at home against the champions, Manchester City. They take the lead twice but are forced to take a point when central defender Martin Skrtel, attempting to play the way Rodgers desires, keeps the ball too long and plays a mistimed back pass to his goalkeeper, one that is intercepted by Carlos Tevez who scores to make it 2-2. The Being: Liverpool cameras follow Rodgers after the match and once again he chooses words carefully, but this time shows just how much he is aware of Liverpools plight. "We are at the beginning of a process where we hope to build to make this club competitive again. People have asked me are we going to win the league? It is ridiculous to even say that. All of that takes time, hours. I came here not because it was an easy job, but because it was an extremely difficult job." Rodgers would be proved correct. Liverpool would score more than one goal in just four of their opening 15 games of last season. It is the last week in March 2013 and Steven Gerrard places the ball on the penalty spot at Villa Park. The England captain blasts home the winning goal to give the Reds their fourth win in their last five games. In the 13 league games after Christmas they have scored 32 goals after netting just 23 in the first 17 matches. There is a resilience about the group, featuring intelligent pressure on the ball, a cohesion to their attack and an aggressive tempo to their style, particularly in their passing and defensive game, that never existed under Dalglish. "People have said we have turned the corner but I dont think were at the corner yet, weve still got a long way to go," said Rodgers that day at Villa Park. Five clean sheets in their last seven games of the season helped Liverpool finish on 61pts in seventh spot. They had moved up just one spot than the previous year under Dalglish but the table didnt tell the full story of progression. In the first half of the season they had scored 28 goals and claimed 25pts. They were a team on pace to finish 8th/9th with a total in the low 50s. They fell behind ten times and came from behind to win just once, losing six. In the second half of the season they had scored 43 goals and claimed 36pts. They were a team that would have finished in the top four with a total in the 70s over a full season. They fell behind nine times and came from behind three times, losing just twice. It is August 2013 inside Anfield and a buoyant crowd is excited for the opening day of a new season. Unlike the year previous, the schedule makers have been kind to Rodgers and his team. Seven of their first eight opponents didnt finish in the top half of the league last season. Their first opponents, Stoke City, are one of them but after a thoroughly dominating performance, the Reds are up by a single goal to nil in the final minute when the visitors are awarded a penalty. It is only game one of 38, spread across ten months, but new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet makes the biggest save he will make all season and another Rodgers signing, Daniel Sturridge, scores the game winner. It is now, well and truly, a team molded by Rodgers. The manager, known to hold back on predictions and grand statements, has no such reservations about Sturridge: "I think he can be one of the top scorers in the league this year." How right he was. With Luis Suarez suspended, the former Manchester City and Chelsea striker scores in each of the clubs first four games to lay a foundation for the team to build on. The Reds would lose just two of their first 17 matches before suffering back-to-back narrow defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea in the span of four days. In 13 Premier League games in January, February and March, Liverpool went on to win 11 and draw two. They arrived for their game at West Ham on Sunday as, by far, the best team in the league for over three months. It is the first Sunday in April. The Upton Park pitch is playing slow and Liverpools style isnt working as well as it has in previous weeks. Rodgers makes another tactical adjustment and the versatility his team has shown so often this season comes to the forefront once again. Liverpool finds another way to win another type of football match. As night falls on Merseyside the team arrives home knowing just how close they are to achieving the impossible dream. Five games to go and still they lead this enthralling Premiership race. In April 2012, one of the most iconic sports franchises was on their knees with a pathetic 46pts through 33 matches. Down the stretch they lost to West Brom, Fulham and Swansea. It is little wonder Rodgers is the calmest man in this title race. Not even he imagined all of this would come so soon. There is no award for man of the year in English football but it is, without question, Rodgers who deserves such an honor. That question, that once seemed so ridiculous, that one that Rodgers laughed off, is no longer funny. He may continue to not answer it but deep down he now knows the answer. Liverpool cannot just win the Premier League, the way they are playing they should win it. Five games to go to complete one of the biggest turnarounds English football has ever witnessed. Justin Grimm Jersey .J. -- The Houston Astros had the No. Alex Avila Jersey . - Robert Griffin III has a sprained throwing shoulder that limited him in practice Wednesday as the Washington Redskins prepared for their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys. http://www.cubsteamproshop.com/cubs-jose-quintana-jersey/ .com) - World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and four-time Australian Open titlist Roger Federer were among Mondays fourth-round winners at Melbourne Park.Danny Wright: Youre a stylish guy, what is your favourite NHL jersey design?Ron Duguay: Wow. Probably because I have a connection to New York it has to be that New York Rangers jersey. I like all original six… but I have to say the New York Rangers jersey. #495492945 / gettyimages.com DW: What was the greatest highlight in your NHL playing career?RD: Every players goal is to win a Stanley Cup. I made it to the finals once playing with the New York Rangers against the Montreal Canadiens. It was a combination of playing with the Rangers, playing against Montreal because I grew up watching Montreal, and being in a finals. Just that whole series, for me its more of a team goal rather than individual goals. Ive scored 40 goals which was great, Ive had some 30 goal seasons, all that was fun, but theres nothing like sharing something you do as a team. We beat the Islanders in 79, at Madison Square Gardens in Game 6. That was a big upset. That whole two weeks in New York City… it doesnt get much better than that. Madison Square Garden rocks, and I havent heard it like that since, even this past year with the Rangers in the playoffs, it was never as loud as what we went through in 1979. For me I just love being able to do something as a team and share it with teammates.DW: If you could steal the talent from one current NHL player, whom would you choose?RD: Probably Sidney Crosby, the obvious choice. Not only do I like his skill level, but also I like his compete level. Hes consistent, rarely are you going to see Sidney Crosby have a night off. A lot of it has to do with his dedication, and hes very strong and very fit, so he can perform hard. I like to be noticeable on the ice, and hes noticeable in the way he competes and plays hard. I love Sidney Crosby as a player. #490107173 / gettyimages.com DW: Speaking of being noticeable on the ice, during your playing days your long curly hair, which would blow behind you as you skated, was pretty noticeable. What I have here are pictures of famous athlete hairstyles – and I know you judged the 1980 Miss Universe Pageant so Im aware youre a good judge…RD: Of women…DW: (laughter) Were going to turn the judgment to hair, and ask you to grade these athletes hairstyles with either an A, B, C, D or F, and tell us why you gave them that grade.RD: Okay.DW: First, weve got Troy Polamalu. #72155695 / gettyimages.com RD: Yes, thats an F. Thats way too long. He looks like a sheepdog.DW: Coco Crisp. #113510047 / gettyimages.com RD: Coco, I would give him a B. I love curly hair, I sort of had an Afro myself back in the 1970s. Thats not a great Afro, but Ill give him a B. Hes got it groomed nicely.DW: Clay Matthews with the headbanger look. #133312791 / gettyimages.com RD: Ive never liked that look. Its too scruffy; I like to be a little more polished, so Im going to give him a C because I would never wear my hair that way.DW: Dennis Rodman. #51975870 / gettyimages.com RD: Pass (laughter). Yes, if youre looking to grab some attention, thats what you do to your head. Would I ever do that to my hair, no! So he gets another F.DW: Lanny McDonald. Were looking at the moustache here more than anything else. #53266895 / gettyimages.com RD: Right. Again, I like something thats groomed… that, its overgrown. For Lanny it fit him well. It was a good, different look for him and he stood out. But its not something that I ever thought, “oh I want one of those.” I have to give him a C.DW: Mark Davis, hes the Raiders Principal Owner. #452090749 / gettyimages.com RD: Umm, Im just trying to think what kind of bowl he used to cut that hair. I dont want to be rude, but thats awful. Theres no way he went to a stylist for that haircut. That was for sure done at home. Hes doing the best with what he has, but I know he can do better than that, so Ill give him a D.DW: With Dumb and Dumber To coming out his haircut reminds me of Lloyd, Jim Carreys characters haircut. RD: Definitely.DW: Patrick Kane, the playoff mullet. (Image Courtesy of CBS Sports)RD: That looks come and gone. Because hes a decent looking guy I think he can get away withh it. Mark Grace Jersey. The mullets not too long, I prefer my hair long in the back so I understand what hes doing, its just that its out of proportion from the top to the back. I certainly wouldnt be doing that look now, so Id give him a C.DW: Okay.RD: I havent seen an A yet!DW: How ‘bout this, Carlos Valderrama. #79041600 / gettyimages.com RD: Ya, Carlos. Again I like the curly hair, but theres the wow and then theres the crazy. Actually, I dont mind the colour of his hair, because I like the lighter, blondish colour. Would I do that look? Maybe for a week, so Im going to give him a B for that.DW: Andre Agassi. #51040978 / gettyimages.com RD: The ultimate mullet. In fact, people say that was a wig. At the time it was fine, because mullets were in, and he was a tennis player so it was acceptable. I would probably have given him a B for that look.DW: And finally, Jaromir Jagr. #228184 / gettyimages.com RD: Jagr, umm… ya, thats a real bad mullet. Like, really bad! People stopped making fun of me when he came around. They really did.DW: He out-did you I guess?RD: Ya. His was so bad that they just stopped on me and concentrated on him. I want to thank him for that, so Im actually going to give him a B just to thank him for having a bad mullet. (Image Courtesy of Greatest Hockey Legends)DW: No A grades in the group, youre a tough critic.RD: Yup, no As. Nothing.DW: You were in some pretty fantastic commercials back in your playing days; what was your favourite endorsement to be apart of?RD: Well, I did Sasson Jeans. And because I wasnt by myself, I was with a group of my teammates we had a blast shooting it. And the attention we got from it, people either loved it or hated it. Most people love it, and I still hear it today so, it would have to be “Ou la la, Sasson.”DW: You guest starred on Beverly Hills 90210, what was it like to guest star on such a big show of the time?RD: I did it with Cam Neely, and they kept us in our comfort zone on the ice and in a scrimmage or game. We just had a couple lines, so because I liked the entertainment business I was happy to be there. They didnt give us too much to do… it was easy. I enjoyed it; I wanted more, they didnt give me enough!DW: If you could choose one show to guests star on – what would you choose?RD: King of Queens. Absolutely. I love King of Queens. I love comedy, and theres certain guys you just look at them and they make you laugh, and Kevin James just makes me laugh. I have not met him; I would love to meet him. I would love to sit downstairs with him and the crew while theyre watching a game or discussing something, because theyre all freaking losers (laughs). It would definitely be King of Queens.DW: If you were a WWE wrestler, Hockey Sock Rock would be your entrance music?RD: That would work.DW: How did that song come about?RD: Canadian actor Alan Thicke put Hockey Sock Rock together. Basically, the reason he wanted to do it was to raise money for diabetes. I think his sons a diabetic, is it Robin, or possibly his oldest? One of his boys is diabetic. He wanted to raise awareness and raise money. We didnt have a gold record, but I think we had a bronze in Canada. The idea was just raise money for charity. Id love to revisit that and do it again. It was a lot of fun, and this was in 82 I think. Can you imagine nowadays in the studio with the way we do videos? And I would design all the clothes (laughs). The audio would be great, and I think we would be able to pull it off. I dont know why they havent resurrected that thing, do the Hockey Sock Rock all over again. I think in Canada it would be a hit! #495520355 / gettyimages.com DW: I think so too; we need to make that happen!RD: Ya.DW: Go out on a limb and make a crazy prediction about this NHL season.RD: Im going to take the Islanders. I predicted they were going to make the playoffs, but Ive been quiet about saying that. I said that theyre going to be real close to the Rangers. So ya, Im going to say the Islanders are going to make the playoffs.DW: Can you still go BarDown?RD: Yes. When I shoot I aim to shoot high now, because most goaltenders go down. So ya, bar down… Im shooting top shelf. Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Cheap Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Discount Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys ' ' '