See ya, David Beckham. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
After his renaissance at AC Milan, which received Beckham on a three-month loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, the worlds’ biggest soccer celebrity
wants out of LA, and more importantly, Major League Soccer.
“I am under contract [with LA Galaxy] and I have a lot of respect for them,” he said recently. “But the possibility to play at Milan is something special. I knew I would have fun but I didn't expect to have so much fun. In any case, I am a very respectful person. The truth is that the Americans are doing everything to improve the level and reputation of their football. The league in the USA is young. I think ten years have to go by to achieve results."
My, what a difference a year and a half makes. Just two summers ago, Becks was all smiles upon his arrival to the states, fresh off his new 5-year deal good for $6.5 million annually with escalators and revenue sharing incentives that some outlets reported could increase the value of the deal to as much as $250 million.
When Beckham came over to the Galaxy midway through the summer of 2007, it was for one reason: to increase public awareness of MLS. Beckham knew what he was getting into. He wasn’t here to save the sport in the Unites States. But he was here to make it more popular.
Because EVERYONE knows Beckham. He’s a global icon like Kobe, LeBron, Pele, Jeter, Tiger, Yao and other iconic athletes we know on a one-name basis. He has his own movies, frequents the tabloids and even married a Spice Girl.
His soccer skills weren’t the reason he was brought to the States -- his game and rep had cooled off at Real Madrid, his last stop before LA -- it was his name brand. He was so popular that it didn’t matter to MLS executives that his career seemed to be in its twilight. The thought was that he could attract the casual fan to the American game.
Did it work? On one hand, he cut a swatch across the country, bringing with him a traveling road show of media, cameras and sold out stadiums. He didn’t always play – he missed the majority of his first season with an injury – but the gate receipts showed he affected the game more than anyone actually on the pitch.
On the other hand, is the sport any more popular in American than it was before? Probably not. MLS suffered its first decline in leaguewide attendance in 2008 and Beckham became just like any other American – dissatisfied with the lackluster product on the field:
"I have to admit that,” he said, “having played in Europe, at times it has been frustrating to take part in certain games [in the MLS].”
Ummm…hello?? What did you expect? It would be like Tom Brady taking a quarter billion to play in the Arena Football League. There’s a good chance the competition won’t be up to snuff.
But the truth is Beckham needed MLS as much as MLS needed Beckham. His career was sputtering the result of England’s poor showing in the 2006 World Cup, an event so disastrous for the Brits that Beckham forfeited his captaincy shortly after the team’s quarterfinal exit and was left off the next English roster entirely by new coach Steve McClaren.
He spent most of 2007 riding the pine for Real Madrid after falling out of favor with coach Fabio Capello. Frankly, there were few other places he could go.
And now, after his sagging career was hit with a shot of Botox, his tour in America reviving both his popularity and passion for the game and his loan to AC Milan reigniting his chances of appearing on his home country’s National Team, he wants out?
I say good riddance. David Beckham, we hardly knew ye.
According to TMZ: "TMZ got these photos of Paris and Cristiano snuggling up at club MyHouse last night. A source close to Paris told us Ronaldo was staring at her all night before he finally went up to her. After he finally got the nerve to approach her, we're told he couldn't keep his hands off her and they eventually headed over to sister Nicky's house."
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