I'll admit I was practically giddy. The almighty David Beckham was coming to America! Let soccer kick off in the US! Uummm..well that's how it was supposed to go.
England's royal soccer family hopped the pond more than a year ago to finally make "footy" popular in the States. Beckham was picked up by, who else, the L.A. Galaxy and definitely made a splash at first. Soccer was actually getting some attention, and he was the reason.
I personally had to take advantage of seeing one of the best to play the game, and it was awesome. I went to a game in a packed (for a soccer game, remember) Giants Stadium to see the Galaxy play the New York/New Jersey Red Bulls. I have been to a few MLS games before, but this one definitely surpassed it. Seeing Becks' famous bending free kicks was something you can only fully appreciate if you see it in person. Besides the hype around the star, the game was actually pretty good, a 5-4 win for the Red Bulls. Yes, there can be more to soccer than a dull stalemate.
Since then, the Galaxy and soccer have pretty much stayed the same here in America. Overseas, however, there was a lot of talk about the MLS and how Beckham was doing in it. I know my cousins in Portugal asked if he really was saving soccer. Sorry, but nothing like in Europe...not even close. They didn't seem surprised, and why should they? If you thought Beckham was going to make soccer popular in the United States, you're delusional. That will never happen, and that's coming from a huge soccer fan.
With that in mind, can you blame Beckham for his recent want to leave L.A. to stay in Milan, where he was been "rented out?" I wouldn't. He did what he could, but once he got a taste of top-shelf soccer again, he couldn't resist. Good for him. He and Posh Spice have enough money to buy an island, so you know he's doing it for the love of the game. He wants the competition, he wants to get back to the nitty gritty. After reading his biography this summer (I know I'm a dork like that), I know he's one athlete who isn't a sell-out. He may like beautiful women and nice clothes, but soccer is something he wouldn't compromise.
