EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—David Beckham returned to Major League Soccer with a whisper, not a shout.
Playing in a stadium nearly three-quarters empty, the star midfielder was slow and had little role in the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Thursday night.
“The most important thing is for us to get three points, and tonight we did that in style,” Beckham said.
In his first club match since the Italian League’s season finale on May 31, Beckham was often behind the play and seemed winded. He had no free-kick chances near the goal, didn’t make any crosses that created threats and didn’t even take all the Galaxy corner kicks while he was in the match.
Fans scurried down the aisles to get better pictures when he did take corner kicks, but he was booed at times.
“A few tonight, but it’s to be expected,” he said. “It’s sometimes nice to get the boos. It gives you some inspiration,”
Los Angeles drew 66,237 for its 5-4 loss at the Red Bulls two years ago, the largest soccer crowd at Giants Stadium for a U.S. league game in 27 years. Attendance dropped to 46,754 for last year’s 2-2 tie and fell by 50 percent to 23,238 Thursday. Eleven of 36 sections in lower deck were covered with navy tarp, and there were only a handful of people in the second deck and none at all in the third.
“Obviously the first year was impressive,” Beckham said. “We’re in a recession so, you know, maybe that’s part of it.”
Alecko Eskandarian scored on a left-footed volley that beat goalkeeper Danny Cepero from about 28 yards in the third minute, Landon Donovan on a right-footed shot from about the same distance in the 31st and Eddie Lewis from 15 yards in the 45th.
Los Angeles (6-3-9) has won four straight MLS games for the first time since September-October 2007 and is fighting for a playoff berth. The Galaxy had not won at New York since 2000.
“I became a better coach with the addition of David Beckham,” the Galaxy’s Bruce Arena said.
Juan Pablo Angel had an 87th-minute penalty kick and failed to convert one in the 90th for the Red Bulls (2-14-4), who would be a lock for relegation if the MLS had relegation. They dropped to 0-9-2 in the league and 0-10-2 overall since beating San Jose on May 8.
Coach Juan Carlos Osorio apologized for his team’s performance.
“I feel sorry and I want to apologize to the fans,” he said.
Beckham appeared to go out of his way to be friendly with Donovan, who in a book out this week criticized his teammate as unprofessional for allegedly quitting on the Galaxy in the late stages of a disappointing 2008 season.
Beckham and Donovan, who regained his captain’s job from the Englishman, shook hands and embraced ahead of the opening whistle. Beckham draped his arm around Donovan after the American scored, and the two hugged after Donovan assisted on the third goal.
“There was never a doubt in our minds that these guys would work together,” Arena said. “It was certainly a great moment with all the buildup of the so-called questionable relationship.”
Donovan had come to New York on a red-eye after attending the ESPY awards in Los Angeles.
“It’s not often that soccer is on the front of people’s minds in this country, and right now it seems to be,” Donovan said, “not necessarily for the right reasons the last couple of weeks, but people are talking about it, and that’s good.”
Beckham, twice runner-up in FIFA player of the year voting and former star with Manchester United and Real Madrid, joined the Galaxy with great fanfare two years ago. He bolted for a half-season loan to AC Milan in January, saying he needed to face top competition to keep a spot on England’s national team, and he likely will return to Europe at the start of 2010 to stay sharp ahead of the World Cup.
For now, though, he’s trying to make the MLS postseason for the first time.
“We’re playing with players that have got a lot of confidence,” Beckham said. “They’re not scared to just, you know, do stuff on their own. You know, they don’t feel as if they have to give the ball to certain players in attacking positions because they can do it themselves.”
NOTES: Eskandarian, acquired by Chivas USA on July 1, was an All-America at Bergen Catholic High School and is a son of former Cosmos star Andranik Eskandarian. … Red Bulls D Carlos Mendes had season-ending surgery to repair a torn hip labrum. … New York signed 25-year-old Ernst Oebster from sister club Red Bull Salzburg. He had two goals in five league matches, three Austrian Cup and four UEFA Cup qualification matches last season, scoring three goals.
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http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2009/07/20/david-beckham-in-ugly-confrontation-with-fans-91466-24195679/
Beckham called out the fan by calling him a "Mother f*****" and invited him onto the pitch. What a tool. Real fans see through his lies.
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You response to what I posted completely outstounds me. Your level ignorance for both cricket and baseball should be immortalized in the annals of history. I know, a bit too prosaic but your post just exemplifies the lack of understanding that you have for baseball (mush like the level of understanding that Americans have for football). So, in the words of Samuel L. Jackson, "allow me to retort."
Batters in baseball also have to "guide" the ball. And unlike cricket batters that have a 360 degree field, baseball batters have to hit the ball within what amount to be a 45 degree angle. Additionally, though baseball batters cannot 100% control where the ball goal (neither can cricket batters, by the way, as I too have played both sports), they can sure influence (like cricket) the direction. From your grip (the relation of your knuckles can either lenghten or shorten your swing), to your stance, to the bat speed and your swing angle. Want to hit a fly ball to the opposite field? Lead with your front shoulder, slightly delay your swing, add a slight uppercut to the swing and align your knuckles farther apart to lengthen your swing in order to get more power and lift to the ball. Want to hit a liner down the line? Open your stance, align your knuckles in a straight line, get a jump on the pitch and keep a level swing through the strike zone. Want to hit a grounder or a chopper...well you see where I'm getting. Just like batting in cricket, there's an artform when it comes to batting in baseball. Because not only are you thinking about all this, you're also trying to outhink the pitcher and correctly predict his pitches.
Next, pitchers much like bowlers have plenty of thinking to do. And there are not 3 types of pitches in baseball. There are 3 CATEGORIES of pitches in baseball. You can almost say there's a fourth (knuckleball, gyro and others) but I'll stick with 3 for the moment. The three categories are fastballs (two-seam, four seam, cutter, split finger, fork, slider and), curveball (breaking ball, 12-6 curve, 2-8 curve, 3-9 curve, knuckle curve, screwball) and off-speed (straight change up or circle changeup are the most common since your arm speed is the same as if you were throwing a fastball). Add to this the fact that your grip, as in where you distribute the pressure you apply to the ball, will also change the dynamic of the pitch and how it "dances" on its way to the plate.
Then the pitcher has to think location, where you can pretty much say that the strike zone is broken into 9 locations a la tic tac toe. And that's if the pitcher even wants to throw in the strike zone. Not to mention that most pitchers have a scouting report on every batter (just like every batter has a scouting report on every pitcher). And did I mention that the fielders have to adjust their position according to the batter and the pitch being thrown? You can thank the catcher for that one....
And what I find hilarious is that your said "Not only that but in cricket you don't have to run if you hit the ball into play which makes it harder for batters to see if they should run or not. In baseball if you hit the ball you have to run to 1st base which takes a lot of the brainwork out of things." Ummm...batsmen in cricket simply need to look at their teammate across the pitch to see if they need to run on a hit they're not sure of but for the most part they have a pretty good calculated view of the ball (hence why you'll here them say yes, no or wait). Which basically means that short of hitting a ball that's caught or hitting a 4 or a 6, he can stand his merry ass there and never move which means he'll never be retired.
"Finally in cricket fielders catch the ball with their bare hands. They dont have huge gloves like the sissy's in baseball." - So because you don't use gloves that justifies cricket as a thinking man's man sport? If anything, and I'm just applying common sense here, do I want to catch a baseball that's traveling over 100mph (160kph) with my bare hand or a glove?
Oh and sponsorship = commercials. It's psychological...I mean, ever wonder how many Man U fans switched over to AIG or how many Chelsea fans buy Samsung? Or how many Gunners fly Emirates? And I wonder how many Real or Milan fans do business on BWIN? Look, I grant you thr fact that it's a big extravaganza when it comes to the Super Bowl - one that I dislike and find absolutely abhorring. But big football matches do the same thing. Or haven't you ever seen the (more respectable) spectacles that take place before and after the finals of the Euro/Champions League/Name your Cup?
Or we can just agree to disagree....
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You bring up cricket so let me tell you that unlike baseball, cricket is actually a thinking man's sport. Batters in cricket have to guide the ball into particular areas. In baseball most batters just try to hit the ball as hard as they can and most of the time they have no idea where the ball is going to go. In cricket the batter has 100% control as to where the ball is going to go which makes it much more difficult. Trust me I have played both games.
Also bowlers(pitchers) in cricket have a lot more thinking to do than in baseball. In baseball there are 3 different kinds of pitches whereas in cricket there are a lot more different factors since the ball is bounced before it reaches the batter. Not only that but in cricket you don't have to run if you hit the ball into play which makes it harder for batters to see if they should run or not. In baseball if you hit the ball you have to run to 1st base which takes a lot of the brainwork out of things.
Finally in cricket fielders catch the ball with their bare hands. They dont have huge gloves like the sissy's in baseball.
And, yes baseball is commercial. And so is football. After all, it is the BARCLAY's Premier League, is it not?. And let's not forget the La Liga BBVA.
Yes you are right but unlike US sports the premier league doesn't take a break every 10mins for time outs etc. There is no sport in the world that is not commercial you are right but US sports are far more about the glamour than anything else. Take the superbowl for example. Even the soccer world cup doesn't have a half time show or half time commercials and such. What you are talking about is sponsorship. There is a difference between that and commercials.
And yes I love cheerleaders as much as anyone else but I love my sports more. If I want to see hot chicks I can turn on the playboy channel.
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So we didn't create the sport. We just took the sport that Brits had already created and developed. Just like the term soccer. Soccer was British slang for the word association - it was used in order to distinguish it from rugby football. And again, the slang term made it to the U.S. via British immigrants.
I can't help that you find baseball boring. Perhaps you don't see how intricate it truly is - just like many an American doesn't see how truly intricate football is. And that's a shame. After all, I am fairly sure I can find some youtube videos of some football players being "a bunch of idiots always running in circles to get the damn ball. Others waiting [can you say goalie?] for the damn ball, which they might never touch." And with many a football score ending in a 0-0, 1-1 draw or 1-0 score, then you can see where many a person can see it as "total boredom."
I agree, those countries do show a lot of passion for the game. But that's due to the atmosphere that is built by those same fans at the matches. And though Americans may not built the same level of enthusiasm at baseball games, just look at other countries (Japan, Mexico) where they do. Again, this dynamic is really dependant on the fans (trust me, I've seen a number of football matches where the English, Spanish, German and French fans have been listless).
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Granted, what I will concede that baseball's biggest stars have cheated. And that is demoralizing. And what makes it even worse, is that baseball owner's and its office let drug use run rampant in order to attract fans back to the game after the debacle that was the '94 strike season. They are as guilty as any player.
And baseball is a thinking man's sport just like, pretty much, any sport. After all, did baseball not have its roots in Cricket? And if I'm not mistaken, isn't Cricket just as big in England? Now, find me a Englishman that says that Cricket is not a thinking man's sport.
And, yes baseball is commercial. And so is football. After all, it is the BARCLAY's Premier League, is it not?. And let's not forget the La Liga BBVA. Or the fact that every football jersey has a sponsor in the front of it. And last I checked, Manchester United sold New York Yankees gear and vice versa. Do not throw stones in a glass house.
And who doesn't like to look cheerleaders? Wha are you, a poof?
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Baseball is the most boring sport ever..Americans only say its good because they are too embarrased that they couldn't give the world something better than baseball. When I was younger I grew up I lived in england and baseball there was only played by girls..its a game called rounders LOL. even here in America they have softball which is pretty much the same thing except the chicks dont take steroids.
One day someone arguing with me told me baseball is a thinking man's sport. If baseball was a thinking man's sport then people like Barry Bonds and Manny Ramirez would not dominate the game LOL.
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Because here in the USA, Americans were isolated from the rest of the world for many years. They created their own boring sports and that is just how it is! No blames on anyone. For us, football(soccer in the USA), we play and feel this sport from a young age. Stadiums full of pride, and great players making big plays. Here that doesn't happen: Not stars, or good players, except a few, such as Landon Donovan, who is one of my favorites to watch here.
Football around the world is like going to war. See all the patriotism around it. Germany vs England is great to watch....
I agree with most of you. Baseball is the most BORING game I have ever seen. I can not stand to watch a bit. I usually change the channel immediately. I still can't get why many Americans manage to get to the stadium and watch this @#$%: Bat the ball out of the stadium, and that's it. A bunch of idiots always running in circles to get the damn ball. Others waiting for the damn ball, which they might never touch.
Total boredom :( How much more boring can this pile of @#$% get?
But that is just how it is my friends. Want to feel the real thing? Go to England, Germany, Spain, or even better Brasil or Argentina. Attend a good football match. You will love it!
Different story :)
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I agree with you that the champions league final was boring. I'm a soccer fan and even I found it boring..but did you watch any of the quarter final or semi final matches? Did you watch the liverpool vs arsenal premier league match last yr? or did u watch any FA Cup matches?. I still think your not giving soccer a chance. Serie A isn't the way to go..the Italians play defensive football(soccer).everyone knows that. Did you watch the European tournament in 08? that was one of the best european tournaments ever. I even have friends that hated soccer that were hooked.
Also you say hockey is more exciting to watch than soccer? hahahahaha give me a break man. It might be more exciting to play but not to watch. you can barely even see the puck... and I know that baseball has hits and runs.. i was just making a point you douche.
Lastly you compared soccer to McDonalds. That was the worst analogy ever. Soccer isnt just popular because its the World's game it is popular because it is a fun game to watch. It's the same with every sport man..not every game is going to be exciting. There are good games and bad games in every sport on any given night but have u ever watched the World Cup or the European Championship?? You won't be dissapointed.
By the way I don't wanna bring race into this but imagine American sports without african americans? There would literally be no nfl or nba. All you rednecks would have would be baseball and nascar. hahahaha thats sad.
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Night ladies! I just wanted to say thank you for providing me with so much entertaining material to read. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at some of your idiotic comments. I even showed some of them to my co-worker. Next time someone bumps into me I'm going to collapse in a heap on the ground, hold my ankle, and pretend like I've been shot.
Good bye and good luck!
Long live SOCCER!
Long live DIVING!
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And in case you say you don't see anything about me playing soccer. I use to play in my country's U18 national team.
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Okay so you don't like Soccer, but is it necessary to say crap about it. I mean okay so your not a fan and some of this people are not fans of american sports but do you need to like prove that a sport is better than the other. If you hate soccer that much then just forget about soccer's existence and shut the f*ck up. Just watch whatever sport you love and quit picking on soccer. Its not like soccer is the only sports with scandals and bull@#$%s. What about steroids and baseball? Or hockey and the ridiculous amount of fights in a game. And basketball players who doesn't want to play because they don't want to earn something lower than 10 million dollars.
You also said in american sports they get the calls right. If your really a sports fan who watches like every sport on tv, you probably know that what you said is bull@#$%. To give some examples, NBA western conference semifinals between Dallas and Denver. Did you see what happened in that game? One Dallas player intentionally fouled Carmelo Anthony to kill time and avoid letting him score a three pointer because if Anthony does score the 3 pointer they win the game. Guess what, the referee didn't call a foul and caused Dallas the game and the series. Later on the ref admitted his mistake by not calling the foul. Another example is that Super bowl game between Oakland and New England. So say American sports' officiating is perfect is its @#$%in not.
And dont brag about your sports skill. Cause I can probably crush you in every sport you do. I'm a sophomore and I'm in all-state first team in football, All state 2nd team in basketball and leader in HR in state in baseball so don't be to confident about your skills.
You also said you're a professional. Really? Cause if you really are one, you probably would act more mature and stop making inappropriate comments. Peace yo!
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The argument is indeed about Beckham and as I said you refuse to treat him like you would any other player in his situation who would have done what he did.
Here is an article that shows you how important soccer os for some players.
http://www.soccer-training-info.com/naturalized_brazilian_players_euros.asp
These soccer players who are great players but have no chance to play for Brazil rather change nationality.
There is a huge number of players who move away from home to higher level championships to be able to get called on their national roaster.
Just like MLB all the cubans, porto ricans, Venezuelan and so on who come to America to play pro and get a call to represent their country. That is how important it is.
Beckham is getting old. Beckham has only a few years left in him. He wants to play for his Cherished England. he has a chance to get the call if only he played at a higher level. No offense to the MLS I believe they do a great job, but lets be honest it is far from European level. So why oh why is it that because it is Beckham and because it is in America should the guy be treated like a traitor? Am i the only one with some common sense? How or where did Beckham do anything that anybody else in his shoes would have done. And THAT is really the issue here. If people would focus on THAT they would find this issue resolved and and all this circus irrelevant. I did not insult you nor did I mean to if you felt I did. If you do it was not intentional. But again so much has been made out of this that has no connection to the real basis of the problem.
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Secondly, caliguy_, I'm done talking with you about this. Again, you have no clue what I believe in. Don't label or categorize me. Don't tell me that I'm "falling into the trap of the media". I know things about the media that would blow your mind. Don't assume I'm ignorant just because you yourself are. Also, stop making personal attacks. The issue is Beckham. Focus on that.
Finally, I'm throwing in the towel myself. Good day everyone.
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I don't believe anymore that he wants to help the MLS succeed as a league. I think he has been easily discouraged here because of the style of play, because of him missing half a season due to injury, and because he was signed by a team that has struggled for the past three years. He went from playing with Real Madrid and Man U (two of the best in world, mind you) to an over-rated American club. But the money was there. Lots of it, too. Maybe he initially wanted to play here. Maybe he saw it as an opportunity to be a savior and make even more money and have even more fame in the long-run.
But that fell through because of his injuries and the status of his club. Which could be partially why he wanted to go to Milan. And the Galaxy would've done anything to sway him to stay here longer. If that meant letting him go for a couple months of the season, then so be it. They'd make more money long-term than it cost them now to let him go. But because Beckham's heart is not in it, neither of the parties are going to win out. LA will lose millions when Beckham leaves, and Beckham will have tarnished his entire reputation with American fans because he has made himself out to look like a double-timer that was using our system as a means of making loot.
Like I said: his career is 75% done. He doesn't have much room to go to and him resting on his laurels will only take him so far before he finally throws in the towel. If he wants to go out with this rep he's building for himself, then that's fine and dandy with me.
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All the media has done was jump on a cinderella story and turned it into a nightmare because IT SELLS and because these so called journalists cannot subsist from "all is beautiful" stories. They don't last. Take one good story and it equals one article. Take one bad story and it s a new article day after day. But us the fans instead of being smart, recognizing the fact that NOTHING was done wrong, that Beckham is not a liar, that he is not quitting on anybody, that he is committed to his contract ... If only we had done that this type of article wouldn't even be online today. But no you all fall under the "spell" because lets face it is easier to be evil than to do good.
the fact that you refuse to admit and that is the base of this entire circus is that ANYBODY else in teh world including an American player playing abroad wanting to do what Beckham did would have been ok. But because its is Beckham and because it is the US and because it is the media we have this.
If only you would treat beckham like any other player in the world and if only you would give him the benefit of the doubt as you would anybody else then you would see that you have no argument.
If you had ONE opportunity of a life time to accomplish your dream you would shake Heaven and Earth to get that chance so why in the world would you take the right to prevent Beckham to achiever his dream to play some more for his national team and represent England?
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Beckham is certainly not taking the MSL seriously, nor should we.....He's a fading star,LA Galaxy are only repeating the same steps which hurt the NASL...when they substantial amount of money to other fading stars....
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Wow. Are you ever arrogant and ignorant. You have no clue who I am, where I come from, or what I believe in, and yet you categorize me with baseless nonsense. Show me the proof that I "spew patriotism and nationalism and Americanism". What quote from me are you going to use? Huh? Show it to me.
There is none. It doesn't exist. I've commented on Yahoo forums maybe a handful of times. There's not even enough material to draw your senseless conclusions from. Don't tell me who I am and what I believe in. Don't tell me that I'm some stupid American. For all you know, I may not even be American. You're ignorant and prejudice. So knock it off.
America has nothing to do with it. Our style of game is what does. Our progress of the game is what does. He promised he'd help to build up the sport in our country. To make it better and more popular. He agreed to a contract worth tens of millions of dollars and what does he do? He backs out. The Galaxy is just as much to blame for it because they're allowing it. But the focus isn't on the Galaxy, is it? It's on Beckham. The article was about Beckham. The book was about Beckham. The game that was played last night was focused on Beckham. And if it was any other player that was making the headlines and that created a forum to speak your mind about it, then I'd be railing them for their lack of honor, loyalty, and commitment, too. But it's not about some Chinese league. Or Serie A. Or La Liga. Or any other player in the world. This whole ordeal came about because Beckham was touting his commitment to the MLS and the building of the league.
That isn't happening. And as time wears on, his facade of "help" and "saviorship" is crumbling. He's wearing thin. His true colors are coming through and they're the color of dollar bills. He's in it solely for the money and fame.
And please: spare me from anymore of your personal barbs with your next comment. I haven't jabbed you at all and have even denied you bringing your personal "experience" into the debate. So save the childishness and let's talk about this like rational human beings.
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