View Full Version : LA and the MLS won't greatly miss Beckham
supernothingman
02-06-2009, 10:11 AM
Described as a 'colossal mistake', David Beckham failed to make a big impact on the pitch for the LA Galaxy or off it as a celebrity...
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Clubs/Club%20Home/2009/2/6/1233916976310/David-Beckham-001.jpg
Los Angeles' close-knit footballing fraternity was hardly despondent this week at the news that the Posh and Becks show had all but run its course.
"David Beckham (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/david-beckham) is history," wrote Grahame Jones in the LA Times. "The circus has moved on and Milan (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/acmilan) is its latest stop. So what did he accomplish in 18 months? Thirty games played. Five goals scored. A lot of squealing female fans. A lot of Galaxy jerseys sold. A few more fans in seats. A bit of a media buzz."
Over at the 100 percent soccer blog (http://www.insidesocal.com/soccer/), Nick Green was even more dismissive. Describing Beckham's stay at the LA Galaxy (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/losangelesgalaxy) as "a colossal mistake", Green declared that the player had "failed in MLS, playing no small role in transforming what was the league's flagship franchise into its worst."
Ouch. It's the sort of knock an ageing player could expect to take months to get over. But not Beckham. For, as Green points out, the star was always bigger than his detractors, despite turning his first season into a cameo with just two starts, and his second into a trainwreck, with a five goal return for the club's - and the league's - huge investment. "It became clear," Green tells me, "that the Galaxy doesn't dictate to Beckham, he dictates to them."
But still, he says, the league and the club won't be unhappy at the outcome. "He brought in a lot of people who weren't soccer fans," says Green. "Soccer is still a fringe sport and MLS would kill for that kind of exposure. They sold thousands of jerseys at $80 a pop and probably recouped all of their money in the first few months."
Green points out that Beckham is more George Best than Darren Huckerby. While the former Norwich and Man City striker has found a new life at the San Jose Earthquakes, winning the improbable accolade of MLS Newcomer of the Year last year, Besty is remembered for Besties, the eponymous bar in Hermosa Beach, where the legend whiled away his days between games for the LA Aztecs.
Both, suggests Green, are unique, irreplaceable players. But for La Opinión, the Los Angeles area Spanish-language daily, there is one player who could replace old Golden Balls: Ronaldinho. "Milan's proposal appears very tempting, seductive and impossible to refuse," the paper wrote this week, as the latest piece of Plan Beckham became apparent. "Fifteen million dollars for the MLS and the Galaxy, and a player, a star, a lynchpin for his national team."
Really? Ronaldinho for the Galaxy? That's like Man City signing Ka ...
Unfortunately for the soccer-mad readers of the paper, the proposal seemed to exist largely in the fevered imaginings of the paper's editorial staff. Still, as followers of the cartoonish endeavours of the Galaxy will admit, stranger things have happened.
But, with Becks, it is not all about football. It's also about business and celebrity. Unfortunately for Brand Beckham, the celebrity bit went as badly as the football.
"Nobody gives a shit about them in the US," says Frank Griffin, of the paparazzi agency Bauer-Griffin. "It's just a big yawn, quite honestly. I think the reason he came to America was that she [Victoria] wanted to become a personality here, but she was never going to make it. And he'll never make it. He could never be a success on the talk shows because of his voice."
So that's it. The kids are off to meet new schoolmates, Victoria will get to schmooze with Berlusconi, probably a step up from Galaxy owner Philip Anschutz, and Becks will pack his Armani underwear off to the land of its makers.
As Green puts it: "Good bloody riddance."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/feb/06/david-beckham-los-angeles-galaxy
werewolf
02-06-2009, 10:12 AM
maybe they will stop selling his jersey and poster at our stadium now...
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 10:15 AM
Most of these writers are jealous. That is pretty terrible and innacurate reporting. It's quite obvious that the articles are biased and there is Beckham hatred in there, oh well. Beckham was still very succesfull in the MLS (in my mind) no matter what anybody says.
Most of these writers are jealous. That is pretty terrible and innacurate reporting. It's quite obvious that the articles are biased and there is Beckham hatred in there, oh well. Beckham was still very succesfull in the MLS (in my mind) no matter what anybody says.
Successful in what sense though? In creating awareness and generating further revenue, absolutely. From a playing perspective, I don't think he performed up to expectations.
He was very successful FOR the MLS...but Beckham being successful IN the MLS is another story.
supernothingman
02-06-2009, 10:28 AM
He was very successful FOR the MLS...but Beckham being successful IN the MLS is another story.
QFT.
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 10:28 AM
Successful in what sense though? In creating awareness and generating further revenue, absolutely. From a playing perspective, I don't think he performed up to expectations.
He was very successful FOR the MLS...but Beckham being successful IN the MLS is another story.
I've said this before, so I won't be repeating this again. First of all, Beckham lived to expectations in the MLS. Maybe not for those who know nothing about the game, but he was definately succesfull in what he was payed to do. In fact, it's pretty damn stupid for a journalist to quote Beckham's stats as proof of his failure in the MLS. Why don't these morons quote this:
LA Goals Scored:
2006 - 37
2007 - 38
2008 - 55
You think Edson buddle was the difference? Go look at how many goals he scored on a shitty TFC team. Quoting stats on a player that plays Beckham's role is poor journalism and tells me they know nothing about the game they are reporting on.
Flipityflu
02-06-2009, 10:37 AM
the moment journalists start saying Beckham was a failure because of goal tallys, you know he hasn't a fucking clue what he is talking about.
Ummm he also played their in 2007...so your highlighting of 55 isn't exactly groundbreaking.
Also, considering Landon Donovan had an off year in 2007m and had only 8 goals...then increased his scoring by 12 goals in 2008, that it might have something to do with that number as well.
We wont even mention the fact that he didn't win a LA Galaxy Team MVP award during his two year stay here.
HE averaged 2.5 goals per year while playing here...impressive...hes now as good as johann smith.
Though, I guess I'm a retard and know nothing about the sport.
I only used goals, because that was pachuco's main debate. Just showing that Beckham didn't score 17 goals last year, or even have 17 total goals and assists making that a meaningless stat to throw at me when Donovan turned it around the way he did.
Also, if he was such a success in the MLS and for the Galaxy, then why did they not make the playoffs either of his two years here? Wouldn't that be an indication of success as well? In fact, they finished lower last year then they EVER have, and the year before tied for their previous worst.
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 10:45 AM
Ummm he also played their in 2007...so your highlighting of 55 isn't exactly groundbreaking.
Also, considering Landon Donovan had an off year in 2007m and had only 8 goals...then increased his scoring by 12 goals in 2008, that it might have something to do with that number as well.
We wont even mention the fact that he didn't win a LA Galaxy Team MVP award during his two year stay here.
HE averaged 2.5 goals per year while playing here...impressive...hes now as good as johann smith.
Though, I guess I'm a retard and know nothing about the sport.
Ummm...HE PLAYED 5 GAMES IN 2007 and 252 minutes. Yeah, you obviously know nothing about this sport or didn't watch a single LA game last year.
MDavid Beckham (http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t106&player=beckham_d&playerId=bec369464&statType=current)52252
werewolf
02-06-2009, 10:47 AM
Playoff games since 2005 = 0
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 10:47 AM
I only used goals, because that was pachuco's main debate. Just showing that Beckham didn't score 17 goals last year, or even have 17 total goals and assists making that a meaningless stat to throw at me when Donovan turned it around the way he did.
READ MY POST. JUDGING BECKHAM ON STATS IS IDIOTIC. I threw out 1 stat for the purpose of showing that stats mean nothing.
Pigfynn
02-06-2009, 10:49 AM
It's true you know, Beckham set up soo many chances for Buddle and Donovan even if they aren't recorded as official assists.
^^
That's not a rebuttal?
Picking one piece out of three posts is quite validating to your argument.
Actually, your post only serves to make my point further of the fact that LAST YEAR IN 2008 the LA Galaxy had the worst year in the history of their franchise. Guess thats the Beckham effect too?
Playoff games since 2005 = 0
Success.
READ MY POST. JUDGING BECKHAM ON STATS IS IDIOTIC. I threw out 1 stat for the purpose of showing that stats mean nothing.
You also only threw out 1 argument in the entire post...so we didn;t have much to work from.
I'm not debating he had decent stats, I'm debating that you said he was successful in the MLS. Finishing worse than ever before doesn't exactly scream success to me.
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 10:54 AM
You also only threw out 1 argument in the entire post...so we didn;t have much to work from.
dude, that's because I've said countless times in other threads what Beckham brings to the team. Stats is not a way to judge a player in his role. It's like trying to judge Dunga when he was playing with Brazil based on stats. All I can tell you is I rarely missed an LA game last year, and when he was on the field, he was rarely not the best player on the field. If you disagree and you saw the games then fine, but your stats prove absolutely nothing. I mean, it would be easy for me to throw the stat of how many goals LA let in last year, you going to blame those on Beckham? is he supposed to be the goalkeeper and defender as well?
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 10:57 AM
I'm not debating he had decent stats, I'm debating that you said he was successful in the MLS. Finishing worse than ever before doesn't exactly scream success to me.
Listen, he absolutely elevated the teams level of play in 2008, the team didn't make the playoffs, fine, they scored a heck of alot of goals their problem was they let in too many. You can hardly blame Beckham for that.
I honestly have no idea where you are going with this, as I have said I only used goals because you said how many more goals were scored because of Beckham.
Secondly, he SHOULD be the best player on the field, is that not what the DP role was originally intended to do?!
I'm sorry I haven't followed your Beckham posts closer to read between the lines of your argument.
My stats dont need to prove anything, the thing I have been posting about SUCCESS proves everything. The team STUNK when they brough Beckham in...STUNK. They never made the playoffs, and never really were that close to contending during his time here. Was he successful in the MLS? No...unless you consider statistics a basis for success. That's championships baby.
That being said, I am out. Time for a meeting.
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 11:05 AM
I honestly have no idea where you are going with this, as I have said I only used goals because you said how many more goals were scored because of Beckham.
Secondly, he SHOULD be the best player on the field, is that not what the DP role was originally intended to do?!
I'm sorry I haven't followed your Beckham posts closer to read between the lines of your argument.
My stats dont need to prove anything, the thing I have been posting about SUCCESS proves everything. The team STUNK when they brough Beckham in...STUNK. They never made the playoffs, and never really were that close to contending during his time here. Was he successful in the MLS? No...unless you consider statistics a basis for success. That's championships baby.
That being said, I am out. Time for a meeting.
So you took the stat that I quoted in my first post and that was it. you failed to see that my whole entire argument in that post is you can't pretend to be a soccer journalist when you are quoting Beckham's stats as proof of his failure.
I mean, if these journalists watched the games and they think he sucked, they could write that, as opposed to quoting stats. they are quoting stats because chances are they didn't watch the games, and they are simply trying to knock Beckham because they want something meaty to write about. These articles sound like tabloids.
That's all, back to writing documentation.
Cashcleaner
02-06-2009, 11:17 AM
I wouldn't really call his addition to the Galaxy and MLS a success. Not really a failure, either, but let me explain.
Garber pushed for Beckham's inclusion in the league because he wanted to elevate the status of the league and the MLS brand both in the USA and worldwide. In addition to that, he also wanted the Galaxy to be the flagship club of MLS with an all-star squad as soccer's "ambassadors" to the Amercian public. I believe the intention was to create a mentality where Major League Soccer and LA Galaxy were synonymous both here and abroad.
Did Beckham really increase attendance during his years with the Galaxy? Sure he did. For the Galaxy. But the league average attendance actually dropped slightly down in 2008 to 16,459 from around 16,800 in 2007. Obviously, not a huge drop but a drop nonetheless. And sure, he sold plenty of yellow jerseys for the Galaxy, but merch sales from other clubs didn't increase in any significant amount.
Just looking at the black-and-white numbers, I really don't see the Beckham venture as much of a success. The Galaxy isn't seen as a flagship club and MLS is looking more like the organisation that gambled on one player to catapult it into the spotlight of American sports but failed.
Bdking2
02-06-2009, 11:29 AM
My stats dont need to prove anything, the thing I have been posting about SUCCESS proves everything. The team STUNK when they brough Beckham in...STUNK.BFin,
Pachuco's point is that the stats don't matter. You are right, when they brought in Beckham the TEAM stunk. But Beckham did his job. He did it very well. So while the team wasn't successful, I believe that Beckham was. He set up a crazy amount of goals for the team.
denime
02-06-2009, 11:30 AM
By some comments in this thread only one thing is for sure, IT'S FRIDAY AGAIN :chillpill:
Flipityflu
02-06-2009, 11:58 AM
the biggest failure had nothing to do with Beckham, and EVERYTHING to do with that idiot Alexei Lalas
I'm putting the blame entirely on Cobi Jones.
Writing Documentation...Pachuco, it's Friday my man.
National Attend Meetings Take Long Lunches And Read the Coolest Forum On the Net Day (while continuing to look busy of course through rigorous typing).
Goals, he assisted many and instrumental in many more. If their D wasn't soooo bad they would have had a good record, been in the playoffs, and not been deemed such a failure. I'm not sure how you can pin the worst defense in the league on the Attacking winger who is paid for offence, and he even tracks back!
Pachuco
02-06-2009, 02:08 PM
I'm putting the blame entirely on Cobi Jones.
Writing Documentation...Pachuco, it's Friday my man.
National Attend Meetings Take Long Lunches And Read the Coolest Forum On the Net Day (while continuing to look busy of course through rigorous typing).
These boards is what I use to take out my frustrations on the fact that I'm writing documentation on a friday :)
Hitcho
02-06-2009, 02:15 PM
I think the fact that there is such a debate about ti means that Beckham had some impact, however you judge it.
The bottom line is that he's too good for the elague though, and no one player, however good, can drag uip an entire league on his own. I hope he does well at Milan for a while. He's a brilliant professional, despite his huge celebrity, and deserves all the success and trophies he might win there. Plus I won't be sorry to not have to worry about his free kicks in front of the south end at BMO Field, or all the tossers who turned up jsut to see him when we played the Galaxy.
canucker
02-06-2009, 03:51 PM
And he'll never make it. He could never be a success on the talk shows because of his voice."
OUCH!!
hahahahaha, poor bastard, but he does sound like an efeminite 10 year old boy.
trane
02-06-2009, 03:57 PM
Ronaldinho, to the Galaxy, now they are dreaming.
james
02-06-2009, 04:15 PM
I wouldn't really call his addition to the Galaxy and MLS a success. Not really a failure, either, but let me explain.
Garber pushed for Beckham's inclusion in the league because he wanted to elevate the status of the league and the MLS brand both in the USA and worldwide. In addition to that, he also wanted the Galaxy to be the flagship club of MLS with an all-star squad as soccer's "ambassadors" to the Amercian public. I believe the intention was to create a mentality where Major League Soccer and LA Galaxy were synonymous both here and abroad.
Did Beckham really increase attendance during his years with the Galaxy? Sure he did. For the Galaxy. But the league average attendance actually dropped slightly down in 2008 to 16,459 from around 16,800 in 2007. Obviously, not a huge drop but a drop nonetheless. And sure, he sold plenty of yellow jerseys for the Galaxy, but merch sales from other clubs didn't increase in any significant amount.
Just looking at the black-and-white numbers, I really don't see the Beckham venture as much of a success. The Galaxy isn't seen as a flagship club and MLS is looking more like the organisation that gambled on one player to catapult it into the spotlight of American sports but failed.
i agree :D
NateDoGG
02-06-2009, 04:24 PM
maybe they will stop selling his jersey and poster at our stadium now...
i cant believe they do that, so lame
To those who are so eager to wave goodbye to Beckham, I must say I will miss him. I don't think anyone can deny that as much as he was a media circus, he did put bums in seats when LA was on the road. Who believes the Galaxy would produce such large crowds if it weren't for him?
MLS is losing its most famous player and marketing tool, and I don't think there's anyone remotely capable of filling his shoes.
SoccMan
02-07-2009, 01:09 PM
I don't understand why the MLS does not just extend his loan deal until the end of the current Serie A season, which ends the last day of May, and have Becks return in mid June after giving him a couple of weeks off, would that not be a good solution to all this. Beckham could return to Milan after the MLS season if he wanted to on loan again next season.
I_AM_CANADIAN
02-07-2009, 01:14 PM
I wouldn't believe anything any British paper says... They're masterful spin doctors, as the article posted shows. Beckham a massive failure, my ass, MLS would never have made the cover of newspapers and magazines all over the world without him. If anything, LA are to blame for him not hanging around, they had a shit team and that's all there is to it. One man doesn't suddenly turn a terrible team into a great one, without Becks LA would probably have set a record low for points this year.
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