Mr. Posh Spice

Now let's understand something. I am not, in any way, opposed to the arrival of Victoria Adams (the artist formerly known as Posh Spice) into the United States. It's her husband that I have a slight issue with.

Actually, I am not quite sure what to make of David Beckham and his transition to the worst that professional soccer has to offer. Between the Los Angeles Galaxy and endorsements, Beckham stands to make $250 million over 5 years. In other words, Beckham will make just a little less than $1 million dollars a week - even in the off season. There are two lingering questions: Is Mr. Beckham worth that obscene amount of money and will he really help jump start a league that was doomed from the start?

We'll start with the second question. This stunt, which is precisely what it is, has actually happened before with eerie similarities in the United States. The North American Soccer League (NASL) was struggling to gain a fan base in the United States in the early '70s. As a result, the New York Cosmos signed the Brazilian sensation and arguably the greatest soccer player ever, Pele'. Pele' signed in 1975 and retired two years later after a game in a sold out Giants' Stadium. Clearly at the time he was signed he was well past his prime, but he was still the best player in the league on one of the best teams. History lesson over.

Back to the now. The Beckham Signing will be a good thing for the L.A. Galaxy, Victoria and David, their three sons (Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz - I know. I thought the same thing.), but what about the MLS? I think that history will repeat itself. Just as Pele' sold out stadiums in New York for two seasons, Beckham will do much of the same. But, can one player, on one team make a difference?

I don't think so. Yes, L.A. will sell out most games, and when they are on the road ticket sales will spike for the other teams as well. Beckham's celebrity status will, no doubt, fill the seats. Beckham will be the most celebrated immigrant since Elian Gonzalez. The only problem is that he might not be as helpful in filling the net. Beckham was (past tense, kids) the best soccer player in the world. He did not even start for his Real Madrid Club back in Europe, and he was recently relieved of his captain duties for the English National Team.

Don't get me wrong. Beckham is still an exceptional talent (although lazy at times), and has the deadliest right foot the world, and especially the U.S. has ever seen. The point is that he is good. That can't be argued. But he isn't the same player he used to be, and he is certainly not Pele'. If Pele' couldn't ultimately bring soccer to the U.S., then how can we expect Beckham to? No matter how good or bad he is, he will never bring soccer to the American public at large. Why? Because soccer is un-american. It really is that simple.

The American public will never embrace soccer because they are stubborn. There is not enough scoring and it is not entertaining enough for us. We like the colors red, white and blue. We like fast cars. We like the Superbowl. We like hot dogs and baseball. We like eagles. We like Steven Colbert. We like everything that is "American". But more than anything else, we like ourselves and our ability to think the way we want. America will never embrace soccer, because, above all else, we do not want to fit in with the rest of the world. We love our individualism and our isolation. It's sad, but true.

The only way that soccer stands a chance, and where Beckham may help, is in the media. Although it is not off to a good start. The story was all over the sports news this morning. I saw three different interviews with Mr. Beckham. (As a side note, Jason A. Lyon, my roommate, commented that Beckham sounded exactly like the Geico Gecko. Next time you see or hear an interview please close your eyes and imagine the voice saying "It's pie, and chips. For free.") In all of these interviews, and during all of this coverage, not once did anyone mention the fact that the MLS SuperDraft was being held today. That is exactly why I think Beckham will never help the league. Beckham is the story, and will continue to be; the league is not even an after thought. It's a no-thought.

But this is where we address the first question: Is he worth the money? The short answer: No. The only way the Galaxy and the endorsers will profit from this investment will be if the MLS gets a television contract. It's possible now more than before with Beckham, but an American media will be hesitant to do so because the public won't embrace soccer and tune in. The tricky part: the public won't embrace soccer unless they see it on TV, and probably not even then.

So, awesome. Beckham is playing in America. His reasons are clear. He wants to bring soccer, the sport he loves, to the last country that wants it brought to them. I'd rather watch Beckham than any of the no names currently playing the MLS, that is for sure. But more importantly I would much rather see Posh all over the tabloid news than the trashy trio of Brit, Paris and Lindsey.

I don't want David, but I definitely want Posh. That's what I want, what I really really want.

O-H...OH-NO

The word upset can be quite decieving.

Last night, THE University of Flordia upset Ohio State University by the embarrassing score of 41-14. I can tell you the members of GatorNation were not upset. So who was upset? I wasn't. Most of the nation wasn't. Only the poor souls from the great state of Ohio who cherish their Buckeyes were upset. And why wouldn't they be?

This is not intended to be an Ohio State fan bashing (although at times i can't contain myself), but rather its intention is aimed more for the praise of the Flordia Gators and a wag of the finger (Colbert-style) to the sports media.

I had the pleasure (I use this word loosely) of watching this game with a few friends of mine who happen to be of the Ohio State persuasion. I, being from Pennsylvania, could not care less. I, like most other non-Gator or non-Buckeye fans was just looking to watch a good game. It wasn't until about the first 16 seconds and a Ted Ginn, Jr. touchdown that I decided that I wanted the Gators to win. Only because I enjoy the underdog. Who doesn't?

At about the same time Tim Tebow scored to make the score 41-14 in favor of the Gators, one of the female Buckeye fans that I was in the same room with as the game was unfolding commented; "This isn't supposed to happen."

Why not? Why is this not supposed to happen? This completely dumbfounded me. As a side note, the same girl was one of the girls' that tried to convince me that I should be a Buckeye fan because I go to school at the University of Dayton. WHAT?!?

Then it hit me. It wasn't her fault. This wasn't a dumb statement. It was a statement of fact, as far as the sports world was concerned. Yes, we all know that in sports anything can happen, but the media would want you to believe that only one outcome is possible. Conventional wisdom said that the final score was about right, but the teams should have been reversed. Everyone and their mother had OSU to win by 30. In fact, on a local pregame show, an ignorant Buckeye fan - on television - predicted the score to be 112-5 in Ohio State's favor. I kid you not. Yes, a fan should think his or her team will win the game, but come on. That is absurd. What made her think that a team could score 112 points and still give up a safety? Use your head.

The OSU faithful believed it would be a blowout, and it was, but not how they wanted it to be. The media crowned OSU as the best team in the land. For good reason I might add. They had won all their games including two #1 - #2 matchups over Texas on the road, and Michigan in the Shoe. Impressive. I'll be the first to admit, but there is something to be said about letting it get to their heads. The media wanted OSU to win. It was a lock. With Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and the likes of Ted Ginn, Jr and a stiffling OSU defense how could they lose? The answer: Easily.

Congrats to Urban Meyer and the Flordia Gators. They wanted it more. They sat back for the past month and listened to everyone explain to the world how there was no way the Gators even stood a chance against the Buckeyes, and they used that as motivation. Troy Smith (Heisman winner) was held to 35 yards of offense. He was sacked more times (5) than the number of completed passes he threw (4). The Buckeyes, as a team, were held to a BCS-Bowl-low 85 yards of total offense. No one in the media predicted that (not even Herbie). All the experts kept commenting on the Flordia and SEC speed they possess on defense, but did they mention that the Gators wanted it so bad that D-linemen were willing to go Jermey Shockey on everyone and make a sack without a helmet? No.

The point is that nothing is supposed to happen in sports. Things can happen. Things can be more likely to happen than others, but there is no way that anyone - especially the media - should talk as if something is SUPPOSED to happen.

As a good man at ESPN says often "That's why they play the games."