Beckham Unveiled

[BrooklynRed]

Note: Because the distinction between American football and football in the USA means it is called soccer here, this post will use the word soccer. Please save your "soccer vs. football" comments for your mates around your local who give a ****. Thanks!

Today was the "big" day in Los Angeles, when the dreadful Los Angeles Galaxy unveiled the biggest signing in the history of American soccer, David Beckham. Beckham has instantly raised the profile of the MLS and his presence will bring media attention and scrutiny to the game in this country. This is, in my opinion, a blessing and a curse.

First, the good news: I think more everyday people will start paying attention to the Galaxy and the league. MLS needs the Galaxy to improve dramatically and make the playoffs, establish some media-worthy derby matches and regional rivalries (they exist, DC vs NY, Chivas USA vs Galaxy, Houston vs Dallas, Salt lake vs Colorado, etc). Tickets went on sale today for the August 18 match here in NYC between the Galaxy and the Red Bulls, and 30,000 tickets have been sold on the first day and because of England's stupid, ****e friendly on August 22, Beckham may not even play (Let's hope he does). The Red Bulls average 9,000 a game, so obviously, the impact is already being felt.

The bad news? Because Golden Balls is so high profile, every no-nothing soccer hating blowhard with a microphone is using the superficiality of Beckham's paparazzi-based image to run down the game and badmouth the sport's potential in America. Guys who clearly have never watched a soccer game in their lives are talking about how is will never be popular in America, how the people will never care. Self-fulfilling prophecy of ignorance. Nothing worse than a blow-hard American sports "expert" talking absolute ****.

That said, I sort of hope the sport stays intimate and somewhat small as I can get tickets, afford games, and can enjoy Liverpool and NYRB on my own terms with my mates and not have to listen to dumb ass American sports fans opinions about the game; They simply don't know and don't care. It's sort of better that way.

Anyway, Beckham has arrived. Will be interested to see if and how he impacts the growth of the game here.

[Redlife]

I'm really not sure it'll change things that much. I think people will be disappointed when they see Beckam play. If you don't really know football but are told that Beckham is the most famous footballer in the world, then you might well expect him to be scoring double hatricks and doing backflips in every game, but freekicks aside, he isn't a spectacular player. Whether a public generally not familiar with the game will appreciate his crossing, for example, is debatable.


From what I can tell, a good part of America's disinterest in men's soccer as a mainstream sport is to do with the form itself. For example, it's not high-scoring, and for long periods apparently little can be happening. Compared to basketball or American football it can seem pedestrian.



I think people over here are curious to see what happens. And to see how much more of a freak his wife can become. Football is one of the few arenas of culture or power where the rest of the world doesn't care or have need to bother about what America thinks. That itself is unusual about the whole business.

[BrooklynRed]

I'm really not sure it'll change things that much. I think people will be disappointed when they see Beckam play. If you don't really know football but are told that Beckham is the most famous footballer in the world, then you might well expect him to be scoring double hatricks and doing backflips in every game, but freekicks aside, he isn't a spectacular player. Whether a public generally not familiar with the game will appreciate his crossing, for example, is debatable.

Exactly and the sports journos are the worst about it; they don't know the game and will provide no doorway for people with a casual interest. That is the shame of it.

From what I can tell, a good part of America's disinterest in men's soccer as a mainstream sport is to do with the form itself. For example, it's not high-scoring, and for long periods apparently little can be happening. Compared to basketball or American football it can seem pedestrian.

That is true for basketball, but American football, not so much. If you made goals worth 7 points and games ended 21-14 American like football, would that make people happy? American football scores are a masquerade; Low-scoring, defensive American football games can make for the best games. People can understand that, but its the inflated number of points for a touchdown that give the illusion of high scoring. Don't know why people can't see past that.

I think people over here are curious to see what happens. And to see how much more of a freak his wife can become. Football is one of the few arenas of culture or power where the rest of the world doesn't care or have need to bother about what America thinks. That itself is unusual about the whole business.

True, and I think it is because we've never been that great at the game; On a global level, our players and our game is relatively anonymous.

[TartanTerror]

I think people over here are curious to see what happens. And to see how much more of a freak his wife can become. Football is one of the few arenas of culture or power where the rest of the world doesn't care or have need to bother about what America thinks. That itself is unusual about the whole business.

In this country, the sky is the limit (See Michael Jackson, Pee Wee Herman)

[paulcooper4]

Note: Because the distinction between American football and football in the USA means it is called soccer here, this post will use the word soccer. Please save your "soccer vs. football" comments for your mates around your local who give a ****. Thanks!

Today was the "big" day in Los Angeles, when the dreadful Los Angeles Galaxy unveiled the biggest signing in the history of American soccer, David Beckham. Beckham has instantly raised the profile of the MLS and his presence will bring media attention and scrutiny to the game in this country. This is, in my opinion, a blessing and a curse.

First, the good news: I think more everyday people will start paying attention to the Galaxy and the league. MLS needs the Galaxy to improve dramatically and make the playoffs, establish some media-worthy derby matches and regional rivalries (they exist, DC vs NY, Chivas USA vs Galaxy, Houston vs Dallas, Salt lake vs Colorado, etc). Tickets went on sale today for the August 18 match here in NYC between the Galaxy and the Red Bulls, and 30,000 tickets have been sold on the first day and because of England's stupid, ****e friendly on August 22, Beckham may not even play (Let's hope he does). The Red Bulls average 9,000 a game, so obviously, the impact is already being felt.

The bad news? Because Golden Balls is so high profile, every no-nothing soccer hating blowhard with a microphone is using the superficiality of Beckham's paparazzi-based image to run down the game and badmouth the sport's potential in America. Guys who clearly have never watched a soccer game in their lives are talking about how is will never be popular in America, how the people will never care. Self-fulfilling prophecy of ignorance. Nothing worse than a blow-hard American sports "expert" talking absolute ****.

That said, I sort of hope the sport stays intimate and somewhat small as I can get tickets, afford games, and can enjoy Liverpool and NYRB on my own terms with my mates and not have to listen to dumb ass American sports fans opinions about the game; They simply don't know and don't care. It's sort of better that way.

Anyway, Beckham has arrived. Will be interested to see if and how he impacts the growth of the game here.

I can only see this being good for david beckham. I fully understand why they have gone hell for leather to get him there, to make people like "soccer" and support the galaxy, but they have picked the wrong player. The man has never beaten a player in his life even when in his prime.

Surely they would have been better throwing there money at another has been that could dribble, like a figo or a rivaldo?

[REDSCOUSER]

Like it or not lads, Beckham will help improve the grass roots of FOOTBALL in America ten fold. That will be his legacy me thinks NOT he playing for the Galaxy.

[Radar]

I hate Beckham (fact he was a Man Utd player/fan) but I'll tune into his 1st MLS game.

Hopefully to see him get the **** kicked out of him by some off-season mortgage officer who doesn't make a big MLS salary

[Radar]

Like it or not lads, Beckham will help improve the grass roots of FOOTBALL in America ten fold. That will be his legacy me thinks NOT he playing for the Galaxy.

You swear 4 lads from Liverpool landed at JFK the way the press are into it. Everybody in the office who knows sweet **** all about SOOOOCCER know Beckham and now know the LA Galaxy.

[Radar]

Surely they would have been better throwing there money at another has been that could dribble, like a figo or a rivaldo?

Your completey wrong....most Americans won't know Figo or Rivaldo.

Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, David Beckham

[paulcooper4]

Your completey wrong....most Americans won't know Figo or Rivaldo.

Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, David Beckham

I think youve missed my point

[Radar]

I think youve missed my point

Probably

[paulcooper4]

Probably

not sure i had one to be fair

[Radar]

not sure i had one to be fair

I've had too many beers

[paulcooper4]

I've had too many beers

me too mate

[Radar]

Beckham unveiled as Galaxy's brightest star