What Beckham means to me

Well, I got snowed out of school today, so I had a few minutes to sit down and get a firmer foothold on the latest things to hit US fútbol, namely the pending arrival of superfutbolista David Beckham (and Posh, of course) to our Western shores.

Firstly, there's no surprise here, although the timing intrigues me slightly. Having watched the news out of Madrid for the past several months, noting that the contracting hasn't been going well over there for him, we all knew it was just a matter of time that he'd end up in MLS, and LA was a natch. Swimmin' pools, movie stars (enter banjo solo here). Seriously, with his soccer academy and the glitzy glam that LA offers, was it really a question of which US team he'd land at? I know people were kicking around New York, since it got ramped up in attention last year with both the acquiring of the Red Bull ownership and new coach Bruce Arena. I would have thought that he'd make it another year, which, coming to US in the late summer, he'd more or less make it next season, but at least we'll see him play a bit.

The good -- people who don't know shite about fútbol in the US, which is almost everyone, suddenly sat up and paid a second of attention that the one fútbol player they know in the world is coming to play for US in our league. Never mind that he's not the best in the world -- I say this sitting here wearing my Ronaldinho shirt that I got in Barcelona a few years ago, we know who's really good, don't we fútbol fanaticas? -- even when he was at his best, but he is (so they tell me, I haven't personally seen it anytime I've seen him play) a solid player ... oh wait, I do remember that famous bend in the World Cup last year, which was a pretty ehh game but for that ... but anyway, good player, and he's got those looks still. Yeeeeah, give me some more of those milk ads ... And he's got the glammy wife who used to be someone, I think, Spice something ... man I hated them. Anyway, what Beckham brings to MLS isn't necessarily is stunning talent but his head-turning fame. That's good for MLS, because you know that the Home Depot center's gonna get packed when he shows up, and maybe the people who take advantage of MLS's relatively decent ticket prices will actually enjoy the game enough to keep partaking. Good for us.

Now the bad -- ehhh, even though Becks has shown up will he's still got enough steam -- and is still steamy mcDreamy -- I still can't shake the niggling feeling that he's just a higher profile old stud that's getting put out to the MLS pasture. You know how it goes, nice fat paycheck, easy games for him, blah blah blah, that's what people say when an ex-superstar ends up with us. I know, MLS is still the obnoxious much-younger stepbrother to Europe as far as leagues go, but I sure would like this to be the start of a new trend where players start coming here before they start thinking retirement. That Beckam showed up now instead of closer to real retirement seems like a good thing. If he still has it. And, it would be nice if, now that other stars worldwide see what he's getting here, if they'll start showing up while they're still playahs, too. I keep thinking that DC must have someone in mind to blow their Beckham rule wad on, since they keep trading off players (no, I'm still not over losing Alecko, I still weep buckets at night at the thought of not getting to cheer for Alecko and DC all in the same breath. Yes, I'm a big baby).

Well, that's a pretty wimpy bad point, so I'm going to go with the idea that landing Beckham is a good thing and that his arrival heralds the beginning of a new era in US fútbol. I'm looking forward to him playing in Houston in August. What will the humidity do to that precious do of his? And to Posh, come to think of it! And it'll be rather orgasmic to see Landon and Beckham team up, because when Landon's on, he's on. Maybe I will come around to loving LA after all. Doubtful. But still.