Beckham coming to the US [Archive]

longtimefirsttime

01-13-2007, 09:13 AM

Unfortunately most of the " big name overseas acquisitions" have flopped through the years. One reason he left is he had few options left in Europe.
http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyID=2007-01-13T085756Z_01_BAN332196_RTRIDST_0_OZASP-SOCCER-BECKHAM-WENGER-20070113.XML

Another reason is Posh Spice wants to be known as an international fashion diva and realizes America is the ticket.

Tom Cruise is his advisor?
http://www.itv.com/news/index_ceabb32f0e43ac389b0ece2849aedbb4.html

I agree with this assessment from the LA Times.

"Beckham's joining the Galaxy is a little like if Mike Piazza were to join the Nippon Ham Fighters. Talent is relative. Running alongside the locals, Beckham will look like Gulliver. "If you were looking for an MLS most valuable player, he'd certainly be a finalist," Schmid said.
The bad news is Beckham acts so much like a movie star — he has refused to engage in live interviews with the Los Angeles media — that it will be difficult for him to engage with the suburban families to whom he is trying to sell the sport."

I think ultimately it will be viewed as a flop. Although he will get many endorsements and ticket sales will spike it will take more than one person to elevate the status of MLS.

austinsm11

01-13-2007, 11:04 AM

Unfortunately most of the " big name overseas acquisitions" have flopped through the years.
Like who? Flopped in what sense?

I think Beckham would have other options in Europe if he wanted. He is an older player on an all-star club team. I am sure other teams would take him. What he will get with coming to the US is plenty of endorsement deals, however. It is true that he is not the player that he was. I do worry that his reasons are not all soccer related and it concerns me.

The fact is that your average sports fan with average to little interest in soccer know who Beckham is. MLS has never had this big(recognizable) of a star (There have been similiar, past their prime, but still quality players...but they were not this famous). Attendance will increase because of him, although probably just in LA and when the Galaxy is away. They need to sign similiar players like Ronaldo, Zidane, Henry....older, but still famous players to the casual fan. I agree about it taking more than 1 person to elavate MLS, but I don't think Beckham will be viewed as a flop. Even being 85% of what he was, he will still be better than most Americans and still increase ticket sales. Publicity is what MLS needs.

What in the heck is he talking to Tom Cruise for though?

TigerCoach

01-13-2007, 11:37 AM

Who is this Beckham of which you speak?

obie7661

01-13-2007, 12:42 PM

Beckham Won't Play Again for Real Madrid, Coach Capello Says

Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- David Beckham, who this week signed a $250 million contract to join the Los Angeles Galaxy, won't play for his Spanish soccer club Real Madrid again this season, coach Fabio Capello said.

``Beckham will train with the team, but he won't play,'' Capello said today at a news conference in Madrid. ``He has been a great professional, but we can't count on a player who has such an important contract with another club...''

Complete article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aCBa0jK_2NiI&refer=us

austinsm11

01-13-2007, 01:15 PM

From the article:

"Beckham, whose arrival at Madrid more than doubled its annual sponsorship and advertising income to 45.9 million euros ($59.3 million), has started only five games this season."

The Butler

01-13-2007, 01:22 PM

From the article:

"Beckham, whose arrival at Madrid more than doubled its annual sponsorship and advertising income to 45.9 million euros ($59.3 million), has started only five games this season."

I don't see this happening in the US. I'm still trying to figure out how an MLS team can afford this deal.

austinsm11

01-13-2007, 01:27 PM

I don't see this happening in the US. I'm still trying to figure out how an MLS team can afford this deal.

It won't be anything near that. My point is that I really think it will help MLS with attendance, marketing, etc.

The deal is misleading. He will only be making around 10 million a year, probably even less. The rest is what he could possibly make with commercials and endorsements.

It would be like saying Lebron signed for $100 as a rookie. He didn't. However if you figure in his deals with Nike, Sprite, etc. he probably did make around that.

mike_da_man13

01-13-2007, 02:45 PM

he didnt really play for real madrid as a starter anyway i dont see him making that big of a differrence as the league is concerned

austinsm11

01-13-2007, 06:27 PM

I have a feeling there are several reasons for Beckham not starting. A new coach trying to find a scapegoat for his team's poor performances is one. I also have a feeling the situation may be similiar to Alex Rodriguez. A very good player, but is he really worth all the money the club is playing him? Probably not. The mentality being why pay someone all that money when they could find a close replacement for much cheaper? Beckham had also been injured during the start of the season. There have been talks that Real Madrid feels he is not worth his contract and was looking to dump him off to another team as well. If true, probably another reason to keep him from playing a whole lot and risking an injury.

Also, there is no way a MLS team could stand on the same field as even the average European teams. Heck, it took the MLS all-star team in mid season shape to beat Chelsea, a powerful England club that just started preseason training. And they only won 1-0. I have a feeling an older Beckham will still be far superior than most of the MLS players. This will be similiar to Colombian star Carlos Valderrama setting the assist record in MLS....at age 39.

I also have a feeling this is about his wife's interest in promoting her career. Some are wondering if she may be a new judge on American Idol or having a "Beckham" reality tv show.

TigerLoverFromAfar

01-13-2007, 10:17 PM

I am excited, can't wait til they play the Crew. I love Beckham. Love, not like, Love.:tounge:

austinsm11

01-14-2007, 08:43 AM

I am excited, can't wait til they play the Crew. I love Beckham. Love, not like, Love.:tounge:

I just hope his wife will be at the games. Maybe doing tv shots of her, similiar to how they did Brady Quinn's sister last year, will get Tigercoach to watch. LOL.

Claudio Reyna, former US captain, has signed with New York. He has retired from the men's national team but this is also a good pick up for the league. He is injury prone, however.
I have also heard a rumor that Edgar Davids, star from Holland, may be interested in playing for Dallas. He is also past his prime, but still probably better than most MLS players and will help give the league more recognition.

SuperBran

01-15-2007, 12:23 AM

the effect of beckham's presence won't be reflected in his contribution to his team as much as his ability to bring american fans to the sport. this deal will bring a lot of publicity to the sport of soccer in the u.s.

longtimefirsttime

01-15-2007, 02:23 AM

Like who? Flopped in what sense?

Like George Best, Rodney Marsh, Geoff Hurst, Gordon Banks and Bobby Moore. All followed the Pele signing, and all had their best days behind them (like Beckham). Some would even argue Pele was a flop. While he brought huge press and a following to the sport for a short period of time, he cost an unprecented sum and failed to make soccer a sport watched by mainstream America.

austinsm11

01-15-2007, 09:07 AM

Superbran, you are correct. If he is training hard and continues to stay at the same level (past his prime,but still a good player) he will still be a very good player in MLS, however. I do worry that maybe he is just doing it for the fame, commercials,etc., which hurt him his first year at Real Madrid. Remember, MLS does not compare in any way to the European leagues. His competition won't be as good. The other problem may be that Beckham is not a 1 vs. 1 player who will take on other teams players very often. The average fan not knowing this may think he is playing poorly because of this. He is known for his good passing and free kicks. He may play an average game and then step up and hit a game winning free kick.

LTFT, yes those players had their best days behind them. Take a look at what several of these players did in NASL. Again, although not in their prime, I would hardly consider them to be flops. There were also several players such as Beckenbauer, Johan Neeskens and Chingalia who were not passed their prime when they came to the Cosmos. Also, some of these players helped some NASL teams defeat or play well against several European and South American club teams. Hopefully the Beckham signing will be similiar to Pele and will attract other stars. It will take years to attract top level talent from other countries who are still in their prime.

The NASL went under because other teams tried to keep up with the New York Cosmos in terms of higher priced foreign stars, which they couldn't. After some success, the league got a little greedy then and expanded too quickly. Look at some of the attendance figures the Cosmos had. They drew over 40,000 at times and even over 70,000 in one of their championship wins. When the Cosmos went to other stadiums is when other cities also drew bigger crowds. Had the league been managed better, maybe things turn out differently. I do worry that MLS with planning 3 expansion teams between this year and 2010 may do the same thing.

Pele made people in the US watch more than any other player. Again, look how much attendance figures increased. The Cosmos averaged years of over 40,000. Although he wasn't in his prime, I wouldn't consider his impact on soccer in the US as a flop.

TigerLoverFromAfar

01-15-2007, 09:53 AM

I have watched for about 6 years. I never liked Pele.

CarlE

01-15-2007, 09:57 AM

This deal will blow up like every other one they try to do to make soccer mainstream America. It DOESN'T WORK. It's great for the younger kids, and in fact both mine play just to keep skill-sets working for baseball season. Plus they LOVE it. I, on the other hand think it's like watching paint dry.

Anyway, I talked to an English couple at my neighborhood watering hole this weekend. Apparently, this Beckham character isn't even in the upper echelon of soccer talent. So, now you have a mediocre soccer player making $250 million from a league who didn't make 1/10 of that last year in a sport that America doesn't embrace. Hmmmm.....I'm giving the over/under of this experiment about a year and a half.

SuperBran

01-15-2007, 10:45 AM

So, now you have a mediocre soccer player making $250 million from a league who didn't make 1/10 of that last year in a sport that America doesn't embrace. Hmmmm.....I'm giving the over/under of this experiment about a year and a half.

even though he's making $50 million a year, "only" $10 million is his salary while the rest comes from endorsements.

i was reading on the mls' website and they had an article which stated "Beckham has proven to be a massive boon to the bottom line. When he signed with Real, sales of jerseys and other merchandise skyrocketed, helping Real to eventually overtake United as the richest club in the world."

his value will come from merchandise sales and from putting people in the seats. no matter how talented he is at this point in his life, people will come out to see him.

one thing people have to keep in mind is the fact that even though beckham didn't start for RM, he was playing in a league that is far superior to the mls. although he didn't start for his own team, he's still better than most players in the mls right now.

austinsm11

01-15-2007, 10:47 AM

Come on Carle, you are just sad that the Tampa Bay team folded. LOL

You may be right about it not working. We won't know for a couple years. As I mentioned in an earlier post, expansion too quick is what killed the NASL and MLS is trying to expand again. Beckham is not the player he once was, just as Pele wasn't. You are, however, taking the most recognizable player in the US, maybe in the world, and hoping he will draw bigger crowds and more players...just like Pele.

“Apparently, this Beckham character isn't even in the upper echelon of soccer talent.”
He may not be now, but you don’t get to be the most expensive player in the world and the captain of England by being an average player. I think that the main goal for Beckham will be to get more fans interested.

Had the NASL been run better, I think soccer would be much more popular today. The Cosmos outdrew the Yankees at times. There is a movie called Once in a Lifetime about them.
http://http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=cosmos

Soccer is one of the most played youth sports in our country. MLS needs to get these kids and keep them as fans as they grow up. If MLS could get to the level of the NHL, I would be happy. It will never overtake the NFL, MLB, or the NBA.

austinsm11

01-15-2007, 10:50 AM

even though he's making $50 million a year, "only" $10 million is his salary while the rest comes from endorsements.

i was reading on the mls' website and they had an article which stated "Beckham has proven to be a massive boon to the bottom line. When he signed with Real, sales of jerseys and other merchandise skyrocketed, helping Real to eventually overtake United as the richest club in the world."

his value will come from merchandise sales and from putting people in the seats. no matter how talented he is at this point in his life, people will come out to see him.

one thing people have to keep in mind is the fact that even though beckham didn't start for RM, he was playing in a league that is far superior to the mls. although he didn't start for his own team, he's still better than most players in the mls right now.

Great post Superbran! You are right on.

I actually read that Real Madrid offered him another contract. However part of it was that the club would get a certain percentage of his endorsements. Obvsiouly Beckham didn't care for that.

I heard that season ticket sales for the Galaxy have doubled already and that there has been an increase in season tickets for the other teams as well since the announcement.

CarlE

01-15-2007, 11:14 AM

Tampa had a soccer team? Somebody forgot to freaking TELL us. And if ticket sales for the Galaxy have doubled, that means they now have about 50 season ticket holders!! LOL

austinsm11

01-15-2007, 11:42 AM

Tampa had a soccer team? Somebody forgot to freaking TELL us. And if ticket sales for the Galaxy have doubled, that means they now have about 50 season ticket holders!! LOL

Carle, you missed one of the greats in Carlos Valderrama. He was probably the biggest star MLS had up until this point. That guy always looked out of shape, never ran faster than a jog, but he was unreal. No one could take the ball from him and he was one of the best passers in the world. He holds the MLS record for assists.

I'm not sure how many season ticket holders the Galaxy had or has now. I just read somewhere that they had doubled.

Carle, just hope your kids' baseball/softball friends can influence them more then their soccer friends. Soccer is pretty big down in Florida. Otherwise you and I may have season tickets together. LOL :)

CarlE

01-15-2007, 12:26 PM

Carle, you missed one of the greats in Carlos Valderrama. He was probably the biggest star MLS had up until this point. That guy always looked out of shape, never ran faster than a jog, but he was unreal. No one could take the ball from him and he was one of the best passers in the world. He holds the MLS record for assists.

I'm not sure how many season ticket holders the Galaxy had or has now. I just read somewhere that they had doubled.

Carle, just hope your kids' baseball/softball friends can influence them more then their soccer friends. Soccer is pretty big down in Florida. Otherwise you and I may have season tickets together. LOL :)

I'm just teasing you guys. I remember Valderrama. He had that wild blond hair flying all over the place. A real whack job but I guess he was pretty good.

As far as influencing my children, austinsm it WON'T be their friends. It WILL be me!! LOL.

austinsm11

01-15-2007, 12:37 PM

As far as influencing my children, austinsm it WON'T be their friends. It WILL be me!! LOL.

Well, if they have your good looks be afraid. LOL. Beckham is making more for his looks by doing commercials than for his talent.

CarlE

01-15-2007, 01:40 PM

You're right. Kind of reminds you of Anna Kournikova doesn't it?

longtimefirsttime

01-16-2007, 12:04 AM

C'mon CarlE you don't remember the Tampa Bay Rowdies getting their butts handed to them by Kia, Oscar Pisano and the rest of the Invaders in the 80's ?

http://www.logoserver.com/Soccer/CantonInvaders84.GIF
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/19/TBRowdies.gif

longtimefirsttime

01-16-2007, 12:05 AM

And who can forget the logo of the Tampa Bay Terror, an NPSL franchise in the 90's? :jestera:
http://www.logoserver.com/Soccer/TampaBayTerror95.GIF

longtimefirsttime

01-16-2007, 03:18 AM

Real Madrid's president is unhappy by Beckham's announcement.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6347045,00.html

austinsm11

01-16-2007, 05:49 PM

austinsm11

01-16-2007, 05:55 PM

Real Madrid's president is unhappy by Beckham's announcement.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6347045,00.html

I can see what he isn't happy. Beckham brought ALOT of money to his club.

From the article:
"For months he was messing us around. He never told us he'd bought a house there and I don't think that was right," Calderon told radio station Onda Madrid on Monday."
The article then says that they are looking for a house. I heard that Victoria just came to the US this weekend and began house hunting. So which is it?

"Calderon also confirmed that Brazil striker Ronaldo did not feature in Capello's plans along with Beckham and Italian striker Antonio Cassano."
Hmmmm.....could this open the door for others into MLS????

longtimefirsttime

01-16-2007, 11:27 PM

LTFT, wow. You are taking me back. Those guys could play. I loved going to the Civic Center and watching them. Captain Invader was the best. After scoring a goal, the player who scored would kick the ball out into the stands and whoever caught it got to keep it. I guess this got a little expensive very quickly, so then after scoring someone from the bench toss the player a cheap ball to kick into the stands.

Don't forget Jamie Swanner. He was the best keeper in the league for a long time.

It is a shame they left. I know that non-soccer fans would go watch them and leave excited by the game and atmosphere.

I was at their first game in 1984 and instantly was hooked. I rarely missed a home game for several years. I enjoyed, as a kid, that they allowed us to play soccer on the field after the game and allowed fans to interact with the players. I thought it was a big deal when the Invaders challenged and beat the Baltimore Blast (because the MISL was a big deal at the time). The talent the Canton team had was astounding (Swanner, Kia, the Pikusinski brothers, Don Tobin, Tim Tyma, Gino Diflorio, Oscar Pisano, Art Kramer, Ken Lolla, etc.).

longtimefirsttime

01-17-2007, 02:51 AM

"Beckham won't make Americans watch soccer"
http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displayStory.cfm?story_id=8539653&fsrc=RSS

austinsm11

01-17-2007, 05:32 PM

I was at their first game in 1984 and instantly was hooked. I rarely missed a home game for several years. I enjoyed, as a kid, that they allowed us to play soccer on the field after the game and allowed fans to interact with the players. I thought it was a big deal when the Invaders challenged and beat the Baltimore Blast (because the MISL was a big deal at the time). The talent the Canton team had was astounding (Swanner, Kia, the Pikusinski brothers, Don Tobin, Tim Tyma, Gino Diflorio, Oscar Pisano, Art Kramer, Ken Lolla, etc.).

Those were the days. The Canton team was unreal. I was coached by several of those players. Ken Lolla is a pretty good college coach. He really lifted the Akron program and is at Louisville now. There was such a great atmosphere at those Invader games.

They used to have youth soccer tournaments all day and then all the players and parents would go to the Invaders game at night.

obie7661

01-27-2007, 01:17 AM

Fox's reality proposal to Beckhams

http://people.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1252151.php/Foxs_reality_proposal_to_Beckhams_

austinsm11

07-13-2007, 11:55 AM

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=364689&r=0&Category=16&subCategoryID=0

People seem to fall into three groups - those who don't know about soccer and wouldn't attend games if the tickets were free; those intrigued by Beckham's celebrity aura, especially women; and true soccer fans who wonder if the 32-year-old midfielder can elevate MLS to the same level as Europe's more respected leagues. "If he can do some stuff like Ronaldinho, then I'll definitely be watching every game," said Greg Oden, the No. 1 pick in the recent NBA draft who is a fan of the Brazilian soccer star.

I don't want to disappoint Oden, but Beckham is not that type of player.

longtimefirsttime

07-13-2007, 10:45 PM

He's a decent player and will be a good marketing tool. But Beckham will not be the savior of soccer in the U.S. That has been predicted with others before. It will remain a fringe sport, popular with certain segments of Americans.

austinsm11

07-14-2007, 08:54 AM

Some interesting quotes:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2936205

And a reporter for the London-based The Guardian wrote earlier this week, "If you wished to hide a map giving Osama Bin Laden's precise location, inside a Major League Soccer event would be the place to do it."

Then … wait … there she is: Posh herself emerges from a stadium tunnel at about 9:50 and receives an ovation. She's wearing a magenta-ish-colored dress that is part Jackie O, part Star Trek.

"What is that -- fuchsia?" says an American radio reporter.

"No, that's his wife," says another radio reporter.

OK, so we're not that bright here in the States.

Then cut to a live shot of Becks emerging from behind a Galaxy-logo double door. He's wearing a gray-silver suit, silver tie, silver pocket square, white shirt, brown shoes. Think Brad Pitt, "Ocean's 11," but cooler.

austinsm11

07-16-2007, 09:24 PM

Anyone else watch the special on tv about the Beckhams coming to the US. WOW is Victoria HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was really funny. She was trying to buy a suprise gift for David and the papparazi kept following her. She went into a sex shop and got a blowup doll. Her stylist trimmed the hair and put an outfit on it and the put it in the back of the car. Sure enough all of the papparazi followed that car. She went down the street then to buy David a watch without anyone bothering her.

She then had this guy come over and show them what to do incase of an earthquake. Later, she threw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game and met Tommy Lasorda.

THe whole show was basically how she came to the US to get things ready while David was finishing up his season with Real Madrid. She bought a house for around $11 million, I believe.

I hope the cameras at the game have lots of shots of her like Brady's sister.

SuperBran

07-17-2007, 10:16 AM

i'll tell you what i want, what i really, really, want.

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/he/photo/movie_pix/mtv/mtv_movie_awards_2003_photos/victoria_beckham/mtv.jpg

http://images.askmen.com/galleries/singer/victoria-beckham/pictures/victoria-beckham-picture-2.jpg

CarlE

07-17-2007, 10:41 AM

Rome said it best yesterday. Nobody in America cares about Beckham, who isn't even that good by the way anymore, and nobody in the US gives a rat's a$$ about soccer.

austinsm11

07-17-2007, 11:08 AM

Rome said it best yesterday. Nobody in America cares about Beckham, who isn't even that good by the way anymore, and nobody in the US gives a rat's a$$ about soccer.

I will agree that he may not be as good as he once was, but he is still a very good player. If he isn't that good, why did the English National team ask him back (where he had 2 assists right away)? The coach at Real Madrid was going to bench him because he was upset about Beckham leaving for the US. They ended up playing Beckham after that remark and he helped Real clinch the Spanish La Liga. I would say that anyone who is playing with guys like Raul, Ronaldo, Emerson, Roberto Carlos, Van Nistlerooy, and Cannavaro (best defender in the world, imo)is still pretty good.

As far as nobody caring, I disagree. People do care. Look at all the papparazi that met him at LAX. I admit it is more for his celebrity status than for his soccer ability. Hopefully this won't all wear off in a month and will help boost soccer in the US (although I'm not greatly optimistic). The best thing that could happen, imo, is that soccer overtakes hockey in the US. I think it will take more than Beckham, however. Beckham can take a pay cut and earn $6-$7 million a year in LA because he will make so much in endorsements because he is so popular. Players like Zidane or Ronaldo won't get much from endorsements so they need a higher salary, which won't happen in MLS.

It is being reported that Beckham may miss Saturday's game vs. Chelsea. Chelsea is one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the English Premier League. This is their preseason. The MLS allstar team beat them 1-0 last year, so I have a feeling LA (one of the worst teams at this point) could get drilled.

longtimefirsttime

07-17-2007, 01:08 PM

I predict in 2 years, the paparazzi will care much more about Victoria than they will him. And soccer will be looking for "the next big thing to save the sport in America."

austinsm11

07-17-2007, 03:41 PM

I predict in 2 years, the paparazzi will care much more about Victoria than they will him. And soccer will be looking for "the next big thing to save the sport in America."

That very well good be. I don't really think that soccer needs "saved," however. It keeps growing in the US, especially at the youth levels. The thing is that it will never grow bigger than the NFL, MLB, or NBA.

I heard that part of the reason Beckham is over here is because he wants to be an owner of an MLS team after he retires. With all of his money, if he would invest in the league as a whole instead of 1 or 2 teams, that could be big. He would have the money to bring the stars from Europe over in their prime.

longtimefirsttime

07-17-2007, 05:10 PM

I'll believe it when I see it. I think he just realized his days are numbered and wanted to collect one last big check. Nothing wrong with that I guess.

austinsm11

07-17-2007, 05:22 PM

I'll believe it when I see it. I think he just realized his days are numbered and wanted to collect one last big check. Nothing wrong with that I guess.

No way were his days numbered. Real Madrid wanted him back.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/6739101.stm

Real approached the 32-year-old's advisors and LA Galaxy with their offer but were told "politely but firmly" that Beckham would not change his mind.
The Spanish giants were told Beckham's contract did not have a get-out clause, which they believe existed.

Beckham would be a very important player for Madrid, there's no doubt about that. If the club tells me that Beckham is staying, I would be very happy," Capello said in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS.

"The truth is that with Beckham we made a mistake.
The truth is that with Beckham is that we made a mistake.
Real coach Fabio Capello
"Beckham is a great player. Now he is playing at the same level as he did at Manchester United.

CarlE

07-17-2007, 06:03 PM

I predict in 2 years, the paparazzi will care much more about Victoria than they will him. And soccer will be looking for "the next big thing to save the sport in America."

I predict in two years nobody in the US will give a rat's a$$ about them and they will have been long gone back over the pond.

Marie

07-17-2007, 07:25 PM

Those were the days. The Canton team was unreal. I was coached by several of those players. Ken Lolla is a pretty good college coach. He really lifted the Akron program and is at Louisville now. There was such a great atmosphere at those Invader games.

They used to have youth soccer tournaments all day and then all the players and parents would go to the Invaders game at night.

I also loved the Invaders, and never missed a home game. My husband and I were in the fan club for several years. Indoor soccer is so much faster paced than outdoor soccer that it is really fun to watch and for the crowd to get into.

longtimefirsttime

07-17-2007, 11:32 PM

No way were his days numbered. Real Madrid wanted him back.

http://losangeles.broowaha.com/article.php?id=610

Teams are MUCH MORE interested in the short term benefits such as investments and marketing than his diminished playing abilities.

"Meet David Beckham. The most famous athlete in the world. Not America. THE WORLD. He is also, at age 31, a has-been. Now don't get me wrong. Playing in the soccer equivalent to US minor league baseball, known as the MLS (catchy acronym for the product branded as "Major League Soccer", get it?), Beckham will probably be as successful as Barry Bonds batting clean-up in a beer league softball game."

....

"So, if David Beckham isn't here to make American soccer better, or to champion for higher pay for pro athletes who earn less per year than a line cook at TGI Friday's, or to return a team to it's former glory (give me a break, this is minor league soccer, remember?), then what is he here for? The love of the game? To elevate soccer in the US to the place it already holds with the rest of the world? Probably not. As they say, just follow the money.
According to the league's own website, investment in the MLS increased by over $1 billion in the last 18 months."

...

"In five years, when David Beckham is no more or two years after that, when the TV contracts expire, what then? Given that league attendance averages less than 15,000 per game (and many observers claim it's much less than that), where will the profit come from? I have no idea. Maybe by then there will be a whole new generation of billionaires with big piles of descretionary dollars cluttering numbered accounts in countries where soccer is still called football. Maybe they will invest whatever it takes to get the sport's next great has-been to come to America to introduce "The Beautiful Game" to a whole new generation of potential fans. Why not? History repeats itself all the time."

austinsm11

07-18-2007, 09:23 AM

http://losangeles.broowaha.com/article.php?id=610

Teams are MUCH MORE interested in the short term benefits such as investments and marketing than his diminished playing abilities.

While I agree with this, his days are far from numbered, imo. After the new England Coach left Beckham off the squad for a year, the team lost to Croatia, Spain and tied Israel. They also failed to score in the first half against Andorra. This began the chants for Beckham. In Beckham's first match back with England he had an assist to help England tie Brazil. Beckham then had 2 assists against Estonia in Euro 2008 qualfying match.

In just last years World Cup (when Beckham was still captain) England won the group. His free kick lead to a goal in game 1 vs. Paraguay. Passes from Beckham also lead to 2 goals in game 2 against Trinidad and Tobago and was the MVP of the game. After a tie against Sweden, Beckham scored on a freekick against Ecuador and they won 1-0 despite being sick. Beckham was then injured the next match against Portugal and subbed out.

The reality is that even if Beckham wasn't the star off the field that he is, many teams would still want him. He is the best at free-kicks in the entire world. With scores many times being only 1-0 or 2-1 and most goals coming from set pieces, someone like Beckham has the ability to win the game on his own. His crossing is also very dangerous and he can find someone very accurately for a header. He is not a guy however that is a dangerous 1v1 player with great moves like Ronaldinho. This is where expectations may be to high for the casual soccer observer. He has also had some injury problems with his knees and feet. I have a feeling there will be some "Beckham" rules such as no slide tackling him. The league doesn't want this huge investment sitting on the bench often due to injury.

As far as attendance, there will be a spike in attendance at all Galaxy games. It will probably drop after the novelty. Right now the 13,000-15,000 attendace average is comparable to the lower NHL teams. Hopefully, Beckham can take MLS averages up to compare with the higher NHL teams.

longtimefirsttime

07-18-2007, 01:24 PM

I guess the only way to find out is to see where he is in about 3 years. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

austinsm11

07-18-2007, 01:32 PM

I guess the only way to find out is to see where he is in about 3 years. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

I'll admit if I am wrong as well.

I do agree with you on many of your points, LTFT. His celebrity status is bigger than his soccer status. I just don't feel like that makes him a washed-up player. He is on the downswing of his career, but there are players in any sport I would love to have on their downswing.

The problem will be who is judging him. People that know his style of play and know soccer will probably not be disappointed. People who are expecting Pele, Ronaldinho, Zindane type moves that don't follow the sport will be greatly disappointed. The thing is that he may look like an average player most of the match and then step up and hit an amazing freekick for a goal or assist.

Having just Beckham will not cause the poplularity of scoccer to take off AND stay at high levels. Believe me though, there are several higher profile players in Europe who will be keeping an eye on Beckham and the league this year to decide about possibly coming over. I am hoping that he will stay involved with MLS when he does finally retire. This may be where he may have the biggest impact on US soccer.

longtimefirsttime

07-18-2007, 01:40 PM

Fair enough.

longtimefirsttime

07-20-2007, 01:40 AM

austinsm11

07-20-2007, 08:41 AM

"David Beckham's long-awaited MLS debut will likely be delayed a bit. Beckham is scheduled to make his first appearance for the Los Angeles Galaxy in an exhibition Saturday night against Chelsea. But a nagging left ankle injury will probably prevent him playing he said during halftime of the Major League Soccer All-Star Game outside Denver."
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=446691&cc=5901

"American soccer fans might have to get used to Beckham's limited availability, however. Lalas advised the team's fans that Beckham may miss some MLS games because of his obligation to England's national team."

He will play. He may not start and sub in later. Or he may start and play a little bit before being subbed out. I'm not sure how the substitution rules will be for this game. Normally you only get 3 subs, but since it is a preseason game to help Chelsea get back in the swing of things and they will want to look at different players, they may have unlimited subs.

TigerCoach

07-20-2007, 09:31 AM

I say that in 2 years, Victoria will be making porn movies in the Valley and nobody will care about Beckham. By the way, didn't Pele try to "revive soccer" in the U.S. about 20 years ago?

SuperBran

07-20-2007, 09:36 AM

I say that in 2 years, Victoria will be making porn movies.

let's hope.

By the way, didn't Pele try to "revive soccer" in the U.S. about 20 years ago?

back then the state of soccer was much different then it is today. the situation back then was much different than it is right now.

austinsm11

07-20-2007, 09:38 AM

I say that in 2 years, Victoria will be making porn movies in the Valley and nobody will care about Beckham. By the way, didn't Pele try to "revive soccer" in the U.S. about 20 years ago?

Actually Pele did. The problem was the league. When none of the other teams have the money to compete with the Cosmos, it was a big problem. Overexpansion was also a problem, and I worry about that with the MLS. You might want to check out some attendance figures from Pele's playing days with the Cosmos. Had the league not expanded so quickly things today may be different.

austinsm11

07-21-2007, 11:48 PM

Beckham came on with about 10 minutes left inthe game as LA lost to Chelsea 1-0. The first half was pretty good, but by the second half Chelsea started to get into form and was really moving the ball around well. Amazing that they have guys sitting on the bench who start for their national team. That is some crazy depth. Still a good result for LA which has one of the worst records in MLS and considering they were playing one of the best teams from England.

Everyone gasped as a Beckham took a shot and went down, but luckily it was to his other foot and not the injured one. He appeared to get up and be ok.

It was crazy when Beckham came out at the start of the game and sat on the bench. There had to be 50 cameraman and photographers surrounding him taking pictures. You could tell his new teammates were uncomfortable.

BTW, just thought I would add that this is the type of game the people who are so against soccer needed to see. None of the flopping around and diving that goes on like it does in many South American games. Some very good, hard tackles and guys going all out for the ball.

obie7661

07-22-2007, 07:43 AM

Beckham 'proud' of reaction in LA

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2118781.ece

SuperBran

07-23-2007, 10:41 AM

austinsm11

07-23-2007, 10:48 AM

i will admit that even though i'm not a huge soccer fan, i did watch the game on saturday and i thought it was very good and entertaining. i think soccer is probably like hockey.....you have to see a live game in order to truly appreciate the sport.

Thanks for giving it a chance. Even more so than seeing a game in person, I think growing up playing the sport gives one more of an appreciation. They are great to see in person. The US stadiums aren't as eventful as at a game in England, but fans are trying to bring that energy and excitement to the stands in the US with the face painting, the cheers, jumping on the bleachers, etc.

Even if one isn't a big fan of soccer, watching Saturday's game one got great looks at Victoria, Eva Longoria, Katie Holmes, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Not bad material to look at. Drew Carey, the governator, and Kevin Garnett were also there.

SuperBran

07-23-2007, 11:12 AM

Thanks for giving it a chance. Even more so than seeing a game in person, I think growing up playing the sport gives one more of an appreciation. They are great to see in person. The US stadiums aren't as eventful as at a game in England, but fans are trying to bring that energy and excitement to the stands in the US with the face painting, the cheers, jumping on the bleachers, etc.

Even if one isn't a big fan of soccer, watching Saturday's game one got great looks at Victoria, Eva Longoria, Katie Holmes, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Not bad material to look at. Drew Carey, the governator, and Kevin Garnett were also there.

i never really gave much thought to soccer until i was in ireland last summer. while at the local pubs, they'd always have matches on tv, so we'd sit and watch a little. the fans over there are so into the sport that it made it more exciting to watch......especially seeing all of those crazy fans packed into the stadiums.

CarlE

07-23-2007, 11:29 AM

austinsm11

07-23-2007, 11:44 AM

I see $25 million makes Beckham no different than any other soccer player. He got his ankle BARELY touched and fell down and started grimacing like somebody freaking shot him. At least that is what I saw on ESPN. I sure didn't stay home on a Saturday night to watch THAT.

Then I guess you didn't see that he WASN'T grabbing at the foot/ankle that was hit. He was grabbing at the foot/ankle that was already injured.

You may not have stayed home to watch it, but did your kids?

CarlE

07-23-2007, 11:56 AM

Then I guess you didn't see that he WASN'T grabbing at the foot/ankle that was hit. He was grabbing at the foot/ankle that was already injured.

You may not have stayed home to watch it, but did your kids?

Nope. Went to our neighbors to a party to watch the Winky Wright/Bernard Hopkins fight. And I stand corrected. I did NOT notice he was grabbing his other ankle.

austinsm11

07-23-2007, 12:00 PM

Nope. Went to our neighbors to a party to watch the Winky Wright/Bernard Hopkins fight. And I stand corrected. I did NOT notice he was grabbing his other ankle.

I can tell you one thing, Alexi Lalas (gm) and all the big shots in MLS were about to crap themselves when he went down. We may not be seeing Beckham again until he is 100%.

CarlE

07-23-2007, 02:11 PM

I can tell you one thing, Alexi Lalas (gm) and all the big shots in MLS were about to crap themselves when he went down. We may not be seeing Beckham again until he is 100%.

Oh man I'll be there hearts DID skip a beat or two when he went down and didn't get up. LOL

austinsm11

07-27-2007, 01:09 AM

The Sept. 30 game for the Crew vs. the Galaxy has been sold out. Auxiliary seating may be added to allow for the demand of tickets.

The Crew will play Aston Villa on Saturday. Aston Villa is the English Premier League team owned by Browns owner Randy Lerner.

austinsm11

08-01-2007, 02:30 PM

England has decided to create a show called David Beckham's Soccer USA. It is dedicated to the MLS and will run for 13 episodes. People on the show have chosen an MLS team to follow for the remainder of the season. The first show talks about differences between the MLS and American sports in general compared to the English Premiership. The first show has the host discussing soccer with a golfer Ian Poulter. I guess the show will have different athletes and celebrities discussing MLS.

They call them tables instead of standings. They were confused why MLS was divided into East and West conferences when they all play each other. They were also impressed with how the MLS champions (and champions of other American sports) win rings instead of medals. The laughed at all the statistics that American sports have and how Americans seem to overanalize our sports. They laughed at Americans yelling "get in the hole," for golf after every shot.

At the end of the show the listed the "fixtures" which I guess is their term for the upcoming schedule. The host found it strange that the away team was listed first.

longtimefirsttime

08-02-2007, 12:02 PM

Europeans drive on the wrong side of the road and eat things like "bangers and mash" and sheeps brains and they think we're strange? :wink:

austinsm11

08-15-2007, 11:18 PM

In his first start, Beckham has a goal and an assist. Not bad for an old man who is only "78 percent fit."
His freekick goal will be a top ten play on sportscenter tommorrow.

ChronicTiger

08-17-2007, 09:17 AM

In his first start, Beckham has a goal and an assist. Not bad for an old man who is only "78 percent fit."
His freekick goal will be a top ten play on sportscenter tommorrow.

It looked like a scene from LadyBugs with the golie hardly making an attempt. That assist also looked fixed. "Script it like Beckham".

SuperBran

08-17-2007, 09:48 AM

It looked like a scene from LadyBugs with the golie hardly making an attempt. That assist also looked fixed. "Script it like Beckham".

i saw the goal, and there wasn't much the goalie could do but watch. that kick was crazy.

TigerCoach

08-17-2007, 10:02 AM

i never really gave much thought to soccer until i was in ireland last summer. while at the local pubs, they'd always have matches on tv, so we'd sit and watch a little. the fans over there are so into the sport that it made it more exciting to watch......especially seeing all of those crazy fans packed into the stadiums.

Many things are more interesting when your drunk!

austinsm11

08-17-2007, 04:47 PM

It looked like a scene from LadyBugs with the golie hardly making an attempt.

Give credit where it is due. Beckham is one of the best (if not the best) at taking free kicks....EVER. If he can bend free kicks in against some of the best keepers in the world, I have a feeling he can do it against an average MLS keeper. The goalie did make an attempt, to his left, before the ball started bending. When the ball is hit into the side netting, there isn't much the goalie can do.

As far as the assist, the ball was played behind the defender who was running back towards the goal. He just tried to stick his foot back and knock it away. He missed and Landon was open to take it to goal then.

CarlE

08-18-2007, 06:45 AM

Give credit where it is due. Beckham is one of the best (if not the best) at taking free kicks....EVER.

Are you kidding me? There are ten Brazilians, five Argentinians, five Germans and two French that can take free kicks and make it look like they are dancing.....way, WAY better than this overrated media hypo. Of all people I can't BELIEVE you are getting caught up in this media circus. OVERRATED.

austinsm11

08-18-2007, 09:13 AM

Are you kidding me? There are ten Brazilians, five Argentinians, five Germans and two French that can take free kicks and make it look like they are dancing.....way, WAY better than this overrated media hypo. Of all people I can't BELIEVE you are getting caught up in this media circus. OVERRATED.

Ok...name them.

There are other players that are really good at taking free kicks, but if you don't think the Beckham is one of the best ever, you have no clue. There are guys who have hit some great free kicks, but hardly any of them do it as consistantly as Beckham. There are few who can step up hit them on target and score so often. For every great goal they show on ESPN or highlight films, they don't show the 10 that are hit into the wall or 20 feet over the goal.

BTW, he did hit this kick after not practicing and and more specifically not practicing his free kicks for around a month or so.

From the best US player at this time:
As for Beckham's 27th-minute curling free-kick that opened the scoring, Donovan added: 'It was something special.
'We all watch it on TV and you're like 'it can't be that good'. When I turned around I went 'Are you kidding me?' Unbelievable.'
The goalie had never seen anything like that. That is why he took a step to his right and froze.

Who steps up to take the free kicks for LA now? Beckham
Who steps up to take the free kicks for England? Beckham
Who stepped up to take the free kicks for Man. United? Beckham
Who stepped up to take the free kicks for Real Madrid? Beckham (this with soccer greats Zidane,Figo, Ronaldo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, etc. on the team)

Like I said, give credit where it is due. It has only been one game, so we will see how the rest of the year plays out. I am not saying that he has saved the league or anything like that. I was just saying that I think he proved that he is not washed up. He was twice the runner-up for World Player of the year. Although he may be a step or two slower, he is STILL on England's National team. Regardless of what your friends tell you, he is a very good player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYgHunQEl0

Watch these and you will see several goalkeepers get frozen by his free kicks. If it can happen to goalies in the best leagues in the world, I think the same thing could happen to an MLS keeper.

longtimefirsttime

08-18-2007, 12:35 PM

Someone listed who they believe to be the best at free kicks. Beckham is on the list.
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-players-are-the-best-at-free-kicks.html

From looking at a few other sites the general consensus appears to be that Ronaldinho is the best, but Beckham is always mentioned.

SuperBran

08-18-2007, 10:26 PM

i won't pretend to know a lot about soccer, b/c i really don't. i do know, however, that beckham is famous for his free kicks. although he's not in his prime right now, he really can still make those kicks. i will definitely give credit where credit is due. i can't imagine how good of a player he was at his best.

austinsm11

08-19-2007, 07:48 AM

Beckham has 3 assists in a 5-4 loss to New York in front of a crowed of 66,000. That is the largest crowd in New York since the Cosmos. Crowds are looking pretty good when Beckham comes to town. He will really need to convince some of his European friends to consider coming to the US to keep crowds up after this year.

For New York, Jozy Altidore had 2 goals. He is a 17 year old American that could begin to see some time for the US National team here really soon. He (along with Freddy Adu) helped the U-21's to a good run in the U-21 World Cup earlier this summer.

austinsm11

08-29-2007, 08:05 PM

Brazil's Denilson has signed with FC Dallas. He has played on several of Brazil's World Cup teams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L7sz5iRkE8&mode=related&search=

longtimefirsttime

08-31-2007, 01:34 AM

Beckham is injured and out 6 weeks.
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7171088?MSNHPHMA

austinsm11

08-31-2007, 05:57 AM

Beckham is injured and out 6 weeks.
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7171088?MSNHPHMA

I have to say the Galaxy have really screwed up with Beckham. Playing him the full game after he just got off the plane from playing a full game with England. They better make sure that Beckham's injuries are fully healed before putting him on the field again.

CarlE

08-31-2007, 07:11 AM

I thought I heard on ESPN last night that he was done for the year. Nice investment, Galaxy. What a bunch of nitwits.

austinsm11

08-31-2007, 05:25 PM

I thought I heard on ESPN last night that he was done for the year. Nice investment, Galaxy. What a bunch of nitwits.

He probably is. There is a possibililty he could make the last 2-3 games, but the Galaxy will be so far out of the playoff picture there is no point. I still can't comprehend why you play the best player on your team for 90 minutes when he has been injured and just got off the plane from playing with his national team.

longtimefirsttime

09-01-2007, 12:25 PM

I wasn't minimizing his legacy, but I just didn't see him as being worth the investment. Time may prove me right on this one.

austinsm11

09-01-2007, 01:08 PM

I wasn't minimizing his legacy, but I just didn't see him as being worth the investment. Time may prove me right on this one.

Him being in MLS has already paid for itself, so I don't understand why it wasn't worth the investment.

I will agree that time will tell what kind of impact he has on the league. Right now it is COMPLETELY the Galaxy's fault for over-using him before he was fit to play. As I said, he has already generated enough to pay for his contract, but more money could be made if the Galaxy could make the playoffs. With the Galaxy not making the playoffs, fans could lose interest and not follow next season.

longtimefirsttime

09-01-2007, 01:46 PM

Remember, he was being dubbed as a savior of MLS who would bring soccer to the mainstream. That's what I'm talking about.

austinsm11

09-01-2007, 01:51 PM

Remember, he was being dubbed as a savior of MLS who would bring soccer to the mainstream. That's what I'm talking about.

Ok, gotcha.

Well, hard to be the savior when your dumbass coach and manager are playing you injured and just after getting off a plane from Europe. At this point the blame lies with the Galaxy and not Beckham.

You have to admit that 66,000 the other night in New York was impressive.

I think next season will be more of an indication of Beckham's impact. We will see what other players sign with MLS and how attendance figures look. Remember, my hope was simply that MLS overtakes hockey in the US...and I don't think most were expecting Beckham to make MLS compete with the NFL, MLB, or NBA.

longtimefirsttime

09-01-2007, 01:54 PM

austinsm11

09-01-2007, 02:01 PM

I don't think it's inconceivable that soccer could overtake hockey in popularity in the U.S. Hockey is not considered a mainstream sport by most and has made some poor decisions in recent years to alienate some of their fanbase. Star power is needed for the league, as long as its accompanied by realistic expectations.

I mentioned earlier about the Brazilian player Denilson coming to the league. That is a pretty big signing. You are right about hockey and its' popularity being down. This makes it a golden opportunity for soccer to start gaining more fans.

What surprises me the most, in all honestly, is the fact that indoor soccer seems to have almost disappeared. I was sad to see the Invaders go, but they couldn't compete with teams in markets like Cleveland, St. Louis, Buffalo, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Detroit, etc. Indoor soccer is just so much more appealing for the casual fan and the sports fan with little interest in soccer.