Beckham Bash

Well, the time is nearly upon us. Within two days, David Beckham will be officially welcomed to the Los Angelas Galaxy squad. As has been the focus for so called soccer "experts" here in the US, is America ready for Becks and Posh?

The answer to me is simple, and that's no. If you're reading this, you are probably an avid football fan yourself. You are ready for his arrival. You understand what he brings to the table. Can we say that for the average American casual sports fan? Of course not, but hopefully all of you out there WILL understand exactly what he'll do here 'cross the pond, then not be disappointed by what you've seen.

He'll come into the league, immediately contend for the honor of most assists, and of course will "bend it like Beckham" in pursuit of goals on beautiful set pieces (hopefully). He is easily one of the top players in the world, albeit in his role. That's right, he's merely a role player, and never has been much different. Again, a very good one, but nothing more. As with any footballer, he will on occasion show flashes of brilliance and maybe even some dazzling footwork, but I fear the media is pumping the masses up for the second coming of Pele.

Now, don't get me wrong, I DO like Beckham. I hope he comes here and completely blows the nation away with his prowess. He's bringing with him immense star power, and his wife by his side certainly will have her own effect. But, unless you are a true soccer fan, you have no idea what's coming when it hits you.

The reason to have concern is the fact that I believe he can help make or break the MLS. He has provided the league with the opportunity of a lifetime. There will be thousands, if not millions, of people watching his team, and more importantly, the MLS, that would never have even batted an eye over the mention of soccer. How will the league handle this? Hopefully, it will kick start a revolution in the popularity of the sport here.

I have my favorite EPL team I've rooted for for a couple years now, Reading (still can't get over promotion then staying in the top flight!), but the reason I became a soccer fan and started following the sport was for the USMNT. Yes, we have a lot of talent in the player pool who are with European clubs, but the majority are players in our domestic league, the MLS. The only way for players to get better is playing better competition. The MLS is not as bad as some media outlets would have you believe. To be honest, it's not that bad at all. But, it certainly is nowhere close to the EPL. However, the potential is there. All we need is a consistent national following of the sport, and that starts right here at home. I'd be lying if I said I'd be happy rooting for EPL teams the rest of my life. Call me selfish, but I want the best league in the world to be right here in the USA. I want the greatest players in the world itching to come to America to play for the greatest teams in the world. Compare it to the MLB for a moment. Yes, some call it slow, but it is still America's past time, and there will be millions of followers of the sport for years to come. We've all heard of Dice-K from Japan. He was hailed as the greatest thing "since sliced bread" when it came to Japanese baseball. The player that a whole nation rooted for, even if he beat your team. A once in a lifetime, if not more than one lifetime, type of player. What does he do? He comes to the US, abandons all of his stardom at home (granted, he still has his following at home, and Boston seems to like him just fine), all just to play with the best of the best in the world. Why can't the MLS be that league some day in soccer? I want this because the better our domestic league does, the better talent we may have sprouting here at home. You get more of a following, you have more kids playing the game beyond 8-10 years old, and in theory, you may have a better national team. Yes, that is not always the case (ie England, quite arguably holding one of the best leagues in it's own back yard, has yet to produce outstanding results lately on the international scene; but, who wouldn't want the success for their team as England has? I would.), but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Beckham could be the pebble that starts the avalanche of support here stateside. If he comes in, dazzles the crowds and hopefully sells tickets for years to come, then America could find itself home to a powerful league in the next few decades. However, we as sports fans all too often give players, and even teams, one chance, and only one chance. Were it one of the three major sports (sorry NHL, you are no more), of course the game will survive American scrutiny. But a league in it's early stages will now have all eyes focused on it. The league execs cannot, and I stress CANNOT, overlook Becks' arrival. This is a monumental opportunity. How the rest of this season plays out associating to fan support could very well provide a glimpse of what's to come in the future. We need fans to embrace the game and the wonderful skills he does possess, and appreciate him for his worth. I'm afraid his value is being overly appraised compared to his actual assets.

In the end, hopefully Beckham will be a star, not just some model who plays soccer on the side. Help spread the word that his arrival is a very good thing, but be careful to avoid crossing the line. We could be watching history in the making.

-Matt