Weekend Junk Pile: Tidbits I couldn’t pass up

By: Laurie | July 19th, 2009

A few things from the week which weren’t enough for an entire post, but which I just couldn’t pass up.

Quote of the week:

Becks is Anna Kournikova in a jockstrap.

–Ian O’Connor, Boston Herald

And this is a close second. From a press conference where Beckham used some version of the word “commit” or “commitment” 17 times in half an hour, here we have David Beckham, reflecting on David Beckham’s contributions to MLS, where he’s missed more games than he’s played, and where the Galaxy have a better win percentage with him off the field than on:

“I think what I’ve done for the league so far has been very successful,” he said. “It seems to have had a successful effect on the league: eight new franchises, new stadia going up, attendances up wherever I’ve played. The league has grown over the last two years, and that’s the reason I wanted to be a part of this. We’re interested in this development.”

And later on in the press conference he seems to claim credit for Seattle’s huge fanbase as well.

Erm…yeah, Becks. Pretty sure you’re responsible for those eight new franchises and the new stadia and everything going on in Seattle. And let’s not forget that you’re also responsible for penicillin, nuclear fission, and the elimination of the word “Um” from the English language.

Okay, I made that last one up.

(The first questioner on the video is Grant Wahl, author of “The Beckham Experiment.”

Comment of the Week:

By Sneakers O’Toole | July 13th, 2009 at 10:03 am | edit

It sounds weird saying that a coach kicked an opposing team’s player and he was not suspended for longer than Materazzi was for being headbutted.

Need context? Click on the link.

UCLA (yes, US College) Holds Inter

So. Inter is in the US, right? “Training” with a college team? And they have a scrimmage?

Who would have predicted this?

U!S!A! U!S!A! U!S!A!

Oh, sorry. Lost control for a second.

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Category: World Football

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omar

man beckham is has always been a self centered bitchy prick it just never came out b4 so openly b4 in public becuz he cudnt go on this type of rampage in euorpe there are perfectly equipped players on the bench in europe not the case in MLS so he kick bruce arena in the nuts and still start
Laurie

I was withholding judgment after reading the book until I saw the press conference. The flat-out, bald-faced lies about things like the Milan loan (which have been proven to have happened far differently than he's claiming) put me firmly in the anti-Beckham camp. The sooner he's gone, the better.
Ian

Laurie - I see the point, and I've seen the same side of him recently that you have. But, to be fair, isn't that exactly what he's trying to do - leave MLS? And part of what he's being criticized for? I'm done defending him, because I don't even mean to do that. But I think if anything, it's being easy on him to separate his European and MLS histories. He's one guy, and he has to take credit and blame for both. I just think when it evens out, he's not that bad. And that's from someone that has despised every team he's been on.
MAD

"Who would have predicted this?"

I could've.

Who on Inter cares that they are playing UCLA?

Most of them are probably still mourning the loss of their villas on Lake Como for a month. I know I would have.
Laurie

Ian, as always I value your comments, but I have to disagree on this one.

I think there are two Beckhams: The one who's played elsewhere in the world, and the one who's played in MLS. The world player is a decent, hard-working guy. The MLS player is immature, self-centered and unprofessional.

Read the book, then watch last week's press conference, where 1) every word out of his mouth is a lie, and 2) he launches into an bitchy and petulant attack on Grant Wahl for writing an "unauthorized book" that he refused to participate in because he wasn't promised a million dollars like he was for all his other books.

Beckham is bad for MLS. He needs to dp everybody a favor and go off and finish off his footballing life somewhere else.
John

Well, UCLA did have home field advantage. And Iner did grab 2 crucial away goals!
John

Well, UCLA did have home field advantage.
Ian

The Anna Kournikova quote is funny, and I know it's the cool thing to do to go off on Beckham this week, but we do have to keep it in context. His coming to the US didn't work, and it didn't work because of his lack of commitment to it, but let's not go overboard as we always tend to when someone screws up. He's not a terrible guy - and in terms of skill and actually winning something in his career, he's a whole hell of a lot more of an athlete than Kournikova. I hate the phenomenon as much as anyone, but he's been a great club and country player for a long time before he screwed up this once. Just trying to keep somewhat of an even keel on this.
ar126

Way to go UCLA!