I'm Already About 96% on Beckham Overload

[Ksyrup]

I'm rapidly going from apathy to outright hatred. And that's when I purposely ignore who his wife is. Between the commercials, the news articles, and getting the latest SI in the mail today...there's pretty much no way to get away from it. At least with music I don't want to hear, I have a way to shield myself from it. Not with this. Note to soccer and advertising people - you will not make me like Beckham or soccer by shoving him down my throat.

[Icy]

Beckham is the most overrated soccer player in the last years. He i awesome shooting free kicks and crossing the ball.. but nothing else. He is more an advertisement machine than a soccer player and that is why R.Madrid brought him to the team and why the Galaxy hired him now, he is an stadium filler and a team's jerseys selling machine as you are starting to notice.

It was the same in Spain until now, from now you will suffer it as we did :)

[Crapshoot]

Beckham is the most overrated soccer player in the last years. He i awesome shooting free kicks and crossing the ball.. but nothing else. He is more an advertisement machine than a soccer player and that is why R.Madrid brought him to the team and why the Galaxy hired him now, he is an stadium filler and a team's jerseys selling machine as you are starting to notice.

It was the same in Spain until now, from now you will suffer it as we did :)

Come on - the hype isn't his fault. I'd say he was Madrid's best player in the second half of the season - they would not have won the title without him.

[Icy]

Come on - the hype isn't his fault. I'd say he was Madrid's best player in the second half of the season - they would not have won the title without him.

He put more heart than usual, but i don't agree with him being the best player, i have always seen him as an average player with a great foot for kicks and crosses, but never a superstar as he was hyped.

Of course this is just my opinion as R.Madrid fan, but as it's said in Spain, never arge with somebody about religion, politics or soccer, as nobody is going to convince the other part :)

[MJ4H]

Kicking is useless in this sport, for sure.

[flounder]

Beckham Beckham Beckham. Beckham? Beckham Beckham.

[st.cronin]

Who's his wife?

[Draft Dodger]

Who's his wife?

the hot Indian chick on ER

[Young Drachma]

He's no Pele.

[MIJB#19]

Beckham's image is overhyped, but his workrate is underrated. Stories from his teammates are usually about how much he trained extra to keep working on his free kicks, not about how he showed up with a new Ferrari. He's not the type of player you'd expect to carry the team as a leader, but he's great to have around as a workhorse. It's just that his skills as a football player don't match with his 'skills' as a media personality.

[Ksyrup]

We knew the oversaturated coverage was coming, I just didn't think I was going to get hit with it as much as I am. I saw some article about a photo shoot for W Mag, read some inane quotes about how Posh really understands him because she's great with fashion and picks out his clothes (obviously a sign that they are soulmates...), saw a couple of commercials, and then get home and he's staring at me on the cover of SI.

Too freaking much.

[Groundhog]

He's so dreamy.

[cartman]

Who's his wife?

the hot Indian chick on ER

No, no, no.

The hot Indian chick ran off with her youth coach, remember? It caused her hot tomboy best friend to run off to become a pirate's wench.

[Ksyrup]

I thought that was Rushdie's soon-to-be ex?

[Glengoyne]

Come on - the hype isn't his fault. I'd say he was Madrid's best player in the second half of the season - they would not have won the title without him.

That was pretty much my perspective as well. Of course I'm just an American, so what do I know about ...:)soccer;).

[Glengoyne]

No, no, no.

The hot Indian chick ran off with her youth coach, remember? It caused her hot tomboy best friend to run off to become a pirate's wench.

Racy Spice or Spicy Spice or Posh Spice. Something or other spice.

[ISiddiqui]

Becks is underrated as a soccer player IMO. All the hype around him has some convinced that he's just all style. But he works much harder than people like to claim and probably is the best at free kicks in the world. No doubt he was better in ManU when he still had some pace, but that doesn't mean his shit now.

[Ksyrup]

I don't care how great he is, just keep him off my damn TV set! And the Fuglets, too - I don't need to see them, either.

[ISiddiqui]

It's about time you had to deal with soccer stories every where :p. If I had to put up with basketball crap for all these years (especially during March Madness), you can make due.

[BYU 14]

Well he did beat Reggie Bush on a hitch and go.

[FrogMan]

Racy Spice or Spicy Spice or Posh Spice. Something or other spice.

yeah, someday soon, she'll be Old Spice...

FM

[Chief Rum]

hot Indian chick

No such thing.

[st.cronin]

No such thing.

Aishwarya talkin' bout????

[Karlifornia]

It's about time you had to deal with soccer stories every where :p. If I had to put up with basketball crap for all these years (especially during March Madness), you can make due.

I was so ready to give you a +1 for this thread, and then the wheels came off.

[rowech]

Those who are just tuning into Beckham have to realize he's older now. Same as any other sport. Becks to me is an above average player because of his work rate more than anything. At this point in his career, he does seem to almost be tired of playing and coming to the US really could be a spark to him. I've never thought he was in the top 10% of players in the world but I'd most likely welcome him to my team.

[Chief Rum]

Aishwarya talkin' bout????

Is that a hot Indian chick? Sorry, they just don't work for me. Only ethnicity lower on the totem pole is Middle Eastern chicks. Okay, maybe midget albino Eskimo chicks, too.

[Karlifornia]

Is that a hot Indian chick? Sorry, they just don't work for me. Only ethnicity lower on the totem pole is Middle Eastern chicks. Okay, maybe midget albino Eskimo chicks, too.

Man, I think there are some absolutely smokin' Indian girls.

[ISiddiqui]

Those who are just tuning into Beckham have to realize he's older now. Same as any other sport. Becks to me is an above average player because of his work rate more than anything. At this point in his career, he does seem to almost be tired of playing and coming to the US really could be a spark to him. I've never thought he was in the top 10% of players in the world but I'd most likely welcome him to my team.

Tired of playing? You missed his second half of the La Liga season with Real Madrid, right? Certain didn't seem tired of playing then... nor for England in the last few matches since he's been called up again.

[st.cronin]

Is that a hot Indian chick? Sorry, they just don't work for me. Only ethnicity lower on the totem pole is Middle Eastern chicks. Okay, maybe midget albino Eskimo chicks, too.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/8193/aishwaryarai002ctaanm0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Chief Rum]

Not bad. Looks like the avergae decent Latina chick to me around here in SoCal, though.

I did see a girl I suspect is of Indian heritage at the gym last night that was indeed smokin'. But she was riding the line between "is she Indian or a slightly off looking Latina?" So I'm not sure she applies.

[ISiddiqui]

That's a meh picture, IMO, stcronin (the former Miss World has some better ones out there)...

http://venus.provocateuse.com/images/photos/aishwarya_rai_02.jpg

http://venus.provocateuse.com/images/photos/aishwarya_rai_07.jpg

Btw, I find it very strange to basically disqualify an entire ethnicity from being called "hot".

[cthomer5000]

I'm rapidly going from apathy to outright hatred. And that's when I purposely ignore who his wife is. Between the commercials, the news articles, and getting the latest SI in the mail today...there's pretty much no way to get away from it. At least with music I don't want to hear, I have a way to shield myself from it. Not with this. Note to soccer and advertising people - you will not make me like Beckham or soccer by shoving him down my throat.

It's not really for you, sorry to say. I think almost all the marketing is for those of a far more impressionable age. Until MLS can actually pay the whole league salaries that will inspire inner city teens to play soccer instead of ______, hype alone and the Beckham roadshow will have to suffice. It's all part of the cycle of growing the league.

What's amazing to me is I am a hardcore soccer fan, and I'm barely hearing about it. I guess simply not watching normal TV or ESPN has made me oblivious to the barrage.

[Groundhog]

Man, I think there are some absolutely smokin' Indian girls.

I work about 6 feet away from the hottest Indian girl I've ever seen. I reckon she could convert anyone who doesn't think Indians can be hot.

[Izulde]

That's a meh picture, IMO, stcronin (the former Miss World has some better ones out there)...

http://venus.provocateuse.com/images/photos/aishwarya_rai_02.jpg

http://venus.provocateuse.com/images/photos/aishwarya_rai_07.jpg

Btw, I find it very strange to basically disqualify an entire ethnicity from being called "hot".

I don't consider it to be all that strange. We all have our own particular natural attractions or dislikes when it comes to women and part of that may well be to find the vast majority of an ethnicity unattractive.

I do agree that an ENTIRE ethnicity may be a little strong, but I know for my own personal tastes, there are a few ethnicities where those that I find attractive are the exception rather than the rule.

[Breeze]

This Becket Overload goes to 11.

[Butter]

Damn that soccer. How dare they try to appeal to a broader audience!

[Ksyrup]

It's about time you had to deal with soccer stories every where :p. If I had to put up with basketball crap for all these years (especially during March Madness), you can make due.

Wrong analogy - unless you're talking WNBA, then I'm with you. Forcing Beckham on America is a lot like David Stern repeatedly professing the virtues of the WNBA.

[Ksyrup]

It's not really for you, sorry to say. I think almost all the marketing is for those of a far more impressionable age. Until MLS can actually pay the whole league salaries that will inspire inner city teens to play soccer instead of ______, hype alone and the Beckham roadshow will have to suffice. It's all part of the cycle of growing the league.

What's amazing to me is I am a hardcore soccer fan, and I'm barely hearing about it. I guess simply not watching normal TV or ESPN has made me oblivious to the barrage.

I realize that. I'm just collateral damage.

[stevew]

I thought AC Slater liked soccer?

[Ksyrup]

Damn that soccer. How dare they try to appeal to a broader audience!

I'm just already finding it tiresome, that's all. Look, if the game had any broad appeal as a spectator sport in America, it would have sold itself years ago. I'm the perfect example of someone who just will never care enough to watch. And I'm even playing and enjoying soccer in a rec league as a 35-year old. But playing it and watching it are two totally different things. I already had an appreciation for the athleticism and skill involved, but that doesn't mean it's enjoyable to watch.

Bringing in an aging sex symbol and his aging former pop music wife to sell the sport seems fairly desperate, not to mention I'm not sure what they have to do with the game itself. Even if America falls head over heels for them as a couple, why would that translate to people watching soccer? I don't really get the connection. I think their crossover into other areas actually hurts soccer, since people can get their fill of them without even touching the soccer aspect.

My only hope is that once he's played a couple of games, things will go back to normal and I won't be constantly barraged with video, pic,s and stories about them. For all I care, soccer can grow by leaps and bounds from this. I don't have anything against it, I just am not interested in it. My apathy is being disturbed by all of the attention being thrown at these two people, and that's all I'm lashing out at.

Enough is enough, just leave me alone. And take ESPN's "Who's Now?" campaign with it, as well.

[Ksyrup]

I thought AC Slater liked soccer?

He likes dancing, too, but you would never catch me near a dance floor. Unless there's a mosh pit going.

[Critch]

I always get the impression that Beckham is completely marketing, the actual guy is a fairly typical professional soccer player. He doesn't have anything to say and doesn't have any opinions about anything other than soccer. He's a terrible interviewee, he's dull and not too sharp, he just seems like a clothes horse for his wife to dress up and use to further her own career.

He's still a good professional player, his work rate is great (as long as he doesn't think he's in the US for a vacation, like Lothar Mattheus did), he's more than just a freekick taker too. I'm guessing in MLS he'll move into central midfield, he'll make a difference until his right ankle finally packs in.

He's no Pele though. And Posh Spice is no Baby Spice either.

[Critch]

dola:

from a UK soccer board. Kind of sums it up:

"One of these days people will realise just he's a good-looking but dim footballer whose best days are behind him and she's an utterly talentless bint whose desperation to be famous is quite honestly pathetic."

[MIJB#19]

No fair, Lothar Matthaus unretired to go play in the MLS. I didn't at first, but now I do believe that Beckham is overthere to play soccer. As I posted already in this thread, I think he's one of the biggest cases of people being misrepresented by their media hype image.

Although I did laugh out loud when I heard LA Galaxy fans scream: "it's like Pele is going to play for us!" Please, Beckham once was (one of) the best right winger(s) in the world and he's still a free kicks and perfect crosses wonder, but he isn't a playmaker type.

[Critch]

No fair, Lothar Matthaus unretired to go play in the MLS. I didn't at first, but now I do believe that Beckham is overthere to play soccer.

I thought Lothar Mattheus stayed retired when he came to play in the MLS :)

Yeah, I agree that Beckham seems too much of a professional to only be here to freeload, like Mattheus and Djorkaeff (in his second season) were.

[Hammer]

I personally think Beckham has got a lot more left in the tank than people are giving him credit for. He never was a pace type of guy. He is a great passer, and can create and score goals. Certainly not a liability in defense, he works his arse off. He is the type of player who could play at a high level well into his 30's, and can play centre midfield if his pace is a liability.

He may come accross as a bit girly, and certainly has bad taste in women, but you have to respect him for putting up with her with all the offers he must have had! I kind of feel sorry for the guy, he really hasn't asked for his attention, hate his wife if anything. His talent is genuine at least.

[Ksyrup]

Feel sorry for him? Are you kidding me?! Make no mistake, he may play soccer here, and play it well, but this entire thing is a marketing move. His wife's old pop group just happens to be getting back together for a tour, NBC is doing a reality show on her starting next week, and he signed that huge contract knowing exactly the type of media blitz he would be involved with. He hasn't asked for the attention? Come on! I don't care how great a talent he is, I will not feel sorry for him. In fact, I suspect that outside of his wife's ambitions, he's doing this to make a mark for himself (and with her, as a couple) to set them up for beyond his playing days, either just as a commercial attraction, or possibly in movies. I can't believe you're playing a sympathy card here.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I'm rapidly going from apathy to outright hatred. And that's when I purposely ignore who his wife is. Between the commercials, the news articles, and getting the latest SI in the mail today...there's pretty much no way to get away from it. At least with music I don't want to hear, I have a way to shield myself from it. Not with this. Note to soccer and advertising people - you will not make me like Beckham or soccer by shoving him down my throat.

I've pretty much managed to avoid much in the way of Beckham coverage. There was a topic this morning on local sports talk radio, I saw some picture of him on CNN.com or some .com "news" site and that's pretty much it.

[Hammer]

Well, being from England I have been familiar with him for a long time. He has never done anything to thrust himself into the spotlight, bar play great football. He openly admits his wife is the boss of the relationship, and rumour is she wanted to go over the pond for career reasons. The UK public don't really like her too much.

I believe Beckham's passions are football and his family. He doesn't seem interested in the media. With kidnap threats on his kids he is probably sick of it by now, I would be. How would you feel if people wanted to steal your children for ransom? Stuff the money and fame, I'd guess he feels the same.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Well, being from England I have been familiar with him for a long time. He has never done anything to thrust himself into the spotlight, bar play great football. He openly admits his wife is the boss of the relationship, and rumour is she wanted to go over the pond for career reasons. The UK public don't really like her too much.

I believe Beckham's passions are football and his family. He doesn't seem interested in the media. With kidnap threats on his kids he is probably sick of it by now, I would be. How would you feel if people wanted to steal your children for ransom? Stuff the money and fame, I'd guess he feels the same.

I agree with this. I think most of the marketing machine and publicity hounding is his wife's doing. So, in a way, I do feel sorry for him.

[spleen1015]

Nothing better than periodic updates during SportsCenter that Beckham will soon be landing in LA.

Fucking stupid.

[cthomer5000]

if the game had any broad appeal as a spectator sport in America

So I'm guessing you missed the World Cup ratings? Or the fact that this summer's Gold Cup final whooped the Stanley Cup finals in ratings? Or the fact that ABC/ESPN are going to broadcast ever game of next year's Euro 2008 tournament?

It is crystal clear that the the game has massive appeal as a spectator sport in the USA. Why don't I see people bitching about all the NHL coverage we're forced to sit through? It's an absurdly marginal sport that is running on the fumes of the success it had in the Gretzky era. Even the attendance numbers are like 1K higher per game than MLS.

[VPI97]

I believe Beckham's passions are football and his family. He doesn't seem interested in the media. With kidnap threats on his kids he is probably sick of it by now, I would be. How would you feel if people wanted to steal your children for ransom? Stuff the money and fame, I'd guess he feels the same.
Those are my impressions of him, as well. I think he's a likeable guy and I hope he does well over here. I really don't mind all the publicity right now as long as it benefits the growth of the MLS...which I assume is the overall intent of the signing. I generally find MLS unwatchable at times due to the drop in skill from the Premiership (which I'm a weekly viewer), so if his signing helps raise the level of US players in anyway for the future, I'm all for it.

[Toddiec]

Hey, MLS must be doing something right. My wife, who has never watched soccer, played soccer, or can tell you anything about the rules of soccer is bugging me to get tickets for when Beckham comes to Kansas City.

[Ksyrup]

I refuse to feel sorry from someone who (a) is a multimillionaire and (b) has absolute control over his life, who he is married to, and whether he wants to live a public life and make even more millions, or lead a "normal" life out of the press. I don't feel sorry for him for allowing his wife to make decisions affecting them that he may not be happy about, anymore than I would feel sorry for one of you in that circumstance. You are not powerless, a marriage is not a one-way street.

[Ksyrup]

So I'm guessing you missed the World Cup ratings? Or the fact that this summer's Gold Cup final whooped the Stanley Cup finals in ratings? Or the fact that ABC/ESPN are going to broadcast ever game of next year's Euro 2008 tournament?

It is crystal clear that the the game has massive appeal as a spectator sport in the USA. Why don't I see people bitching about all the NHL coverage we're forced to sit through? It's an absurdly marginal sport that is running on the fumes of the success it had in the Gretzky era. Even the attendance numbers are like 1K higher per game than MLS.


Comparing soccer to hockey is telling right there. I'm not here defending hockey, nor do I care whether soccer does well. To answer your question, yes, I did miss all of that because I don't watch soccer, be it MLS or World Cup. And quite frankly, I have seem more Beckham-related advertising/discussion in the past week than commercials/discussion of the entire NHL season, so what NHL-related coverage are you being "forced" to sit through?

It may be that I've lived in the wrong areas and don't see the "massive appeal" that soccer commands in the US. I don't know. Either way, my impression is that the spotlight on Beckham is way out of line with the appeal of soccer to the casual US sports fan.

[Logan]

I work about 6 feet away from the hottest Indian girl I've ever seen. I reckon she could convert anyone who doesn't think Indians can be hot.

I went on a bit of an Indian girl run during my senior year of college. Right now, I'm also working across a conference table from a beautiful Indian girl. And she's wearing a sundress today.

Gonna be a long one.

[Ksyrup]

Nothing better than periodic updates during SportsCenter that Beckham will soon be landing in LA.

Fucking stupid.

Or getting in the car and listening to the two fill-ins for Mike & Mike debating whether this is a big deal or not.

It seems like these types of things feed themselves and generate interest simply because advertising makes us think they are important. As a result, I can't tell whether this type of event is really important, and it's the event driving the frenzy, or the people pushing the event are forcing a frenzy on the public, and they go along with it because it's front-page news. It's like a chicken-and-egg thing. We see it with Paris Hilton...do people really care about everything she does, or are they only tuning in because it's on and they feel like they're supposed to care because it's being fed to them as important news? I'm not entirely sure.

[Honolulu_Blue]

So I'm guessing you missed the World Cup ratings? Or the fact that this summer's Gold Cup final whooped the Stanley Cup finals in ratings? Or the fact that ABC/ESPN are going to broadcast ever game of next year's Euro 2008 tournament?

It is crystal clear that the the game has massive appeal as a spectator sport in the USA. Why don't I see people bitching about all the NHL coverage we're forced to sit through? It's an absurdly marginal sport that is running on the fumes of the success it had in the Gretzky era. Even the attendance numbers are like 1K higher per game than MLS.

What NHL coverage? Unless you're a big fan of "Vs." and get ticked off when they air a NHL game instead of bass fishing or a rodeo, I am not sure what NHL coverage anyone is being forced to sit through.

There's practically zero NHL coverage on ESPN, unless there is a some big brawl or something like that. There are a handful of afternoon games and like 3-4 Stanley Cup finals games on NBC. That's it. That's the NHL's coverage in the US. Other than the local Fox Sports type networks.

[cthomer5000]

It may be that I've lived in the wrong areas and don't see the "massive appeal" that soccer commands in the US.

That may be the case. The World Cup ratings were absolutely gigantic, large enough that ABC/ESPN is now going to show every game of the European championships next year. That's a big freakin' deal.

ESPN moved the USA Under-20's team against Brazil from ESPNU to ESPN the other night.

Barcelona sold out 80,000 seat stadiums all across the country last year on a preseason tour.

The Gold Cup filled a bunch of football stadiums to capacity, and the spanish language broadcast of the final had great ratings.

There can be no doubt that there is a large audience for soccer here in the USA, both on TV and in-person. That's not even up for debate.

The very, very big question is "can the MLS get good enough that it actually starts attracting the same people who are watching the World Cup, English Premier League, Mexican league, etc?" Bringing in a world-class player who is still playing very, very well and has the singular name recognition Beckham has is a huge step in that direction. Tons of people who have never even seen him play a single game know he's a soccer player and have for years. It brings credibility to the league both in this country and around the world. I would guess that the MLS has been talked about more in the foreign press in the 2007 than it has in all the other years of it's existence combined. Why? They just brought over the name in soccer, a guy who just helped his team win a very important title in Spain, a guy who is good enough that he just got brought back to the England national team.

It's not going to happen overnight, but this part of things, just raising awareness of the league and raising it's profile is a very big step.

[spleen1015]

Or getting in the car and listening to the two fill-ins for Mike & Mike debating whether this is a big deal or not.

It seems like these types of things feed themselves and generate interest simply because advertising makes us think they are important. As a result, I can't tell whether this type of event is really important, and it's the event driving the frenzy, or the people pushing the event are forcing a frenzy on the public, and they go along with it because it's front-page news. It's like a chicken-and-egg thing. We see it with Paris Hilton...do people really care about everything she does, or are they only tuning in because it's on and they feel like they're supposed to care because it's being fed to them as important news? I'm not entirely sure.

I dunno. This is something that always drives me nuts about the news and the reason why the only news I really watch is SportsCenter. Hell, I even ignore a lot of it. I just watch for the highlights and some of the news.

[Ksyrup]

I'm not sure how this went from a Beckham thing to a soccer thing. I don't think it's hyperbole to state that the amount of attention being paid to Beckham right now is vastly out of proportion to the amount of attention Americans pay to soccer. And that right now, my Beckham Saturation Point is closing in on Paris Hilton levels. And that's factoring in that I would take soccer over a skanky ho any day. That was the initial point of the thread, really to just blow off some steam over how much Beckham I'm seeing lately.

[cthomer5000]

To anyone who is interested:

http://www.somethingwithanh.com/mp3/606_beckham.mp3

It's an interview right at the end of March with Beckham from the best soccer show in the UK (606 Football Phone-In). It's about his career, his decision to come here, etc. It's an absolutely fantastic interview. I highly suggest giving it a listen if you're even marginally interested, or on the other hand if you're a Beckham hater as well, because this is very illuminating on the type of guy he actually is.

[cthomer5000]

I'm not sure how this went from a Beckham thing to a soccer thing. I don't think it's hyperbole to state that the amount of attention being paid to Beckham right now is vastly out of proportion to the amount of attention Americans pay to soccer. And that right now, my Beckham Saturation Point is closing in on Paris Hilton levels. And that's factoring in that I would take soccer over a skanky ho any day. That was the initial point of the thread, really to just blow off some steam over how much Beckham I'm seeing lately.

It probably wont get better for you today then. I'm sure ESPN is covering his press conference live, right?

[Ksyrup]

FWIW, I don't know enough about the guy to hate him, I just hate that I'm seeing his face everywhere I turn.

[Hammer]

I refuse to feel sorry from someone who (a) is a multimillionaire and (b) has absolute control over his life, who he is married to, and whether he wants to live a public life and make even more millions, or lead a "normal" life out of the press. I don't feel sorry for him for allowing his wife to make decisions affecting them that he may not be happy about, anymore than I would feel sorry for one of you in that circumstance. You are not powerless, a marriage is not a one-way street.



It was a figure of speech when I said I feel sorry for him. I'm just saying his lifestyle has its drawbacks. I wouldn't swop places with him, put it that way.

[Logan]

I'm not sure how this went from a Beckham thing to a soccer thing.

Screw soccer. Let's keep on talking about hot Indian girls.

[Big Fo]

Exactly. Whether its Terrell Owens, Alex Rodriguez, or David Beckham ESPN will go overboard with the coverage. ABC/ESPN also have the rights to MLS games, World Cup, Euro Championships, etc. so they have an interest in building up anything soccer related. The Beckham coverage is excessive but doesn't piss me off nearly as much as "Who's Now?" which makes me want to stab my television.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I am really glad I have no reason whatsoever to watch ESPN.

The only time I ever watch it is when there is either a NFL or college football game on.

Other than that, I may flip to the occassional baseball game (or watch some "World Cup" games once every four years), but unless I am staying at a hotel (in which case I always watch the morning Sportscenter), I never, ever watch ESPN.

[TroyF]

It was a figure of speech when I said I feel sorry for him. I'm just saying his lifestyle has its drawbacks. I wouldn't swop places with him, put it that way.

You wouldn't swap places with him?

Umm. . . ok.

[Ksyrup]

I think the problem isn't Beckham per se, but ESPN. You could substitute a number of things for Beckham. ESPN takes a story, puts it through their multi-level hype machine for 48 hours, and by then no one wants to hear another word about it.

I can't put this entirely on ESPN. SI, CNN, etc., are all in on it, too.

[MrBug708]

You wouldn't swap places with him?

Umm. . . ok.

Get to play a sport for your career, rich, decent looking wife...terrible life man

[BrianD]

Get to play a sport for your career, rich, decent looking wife...terrible life man

There are clearly downsides. Would you really want to have tons of photographers around you all the time? Know you couldn't walk outside to pick up the paper without hundreds of cameras going off? Knowing that you couldn't take the kids to the park without pushing your way through people and having lots of strangers always surrounding your kid? Never knowing if any of the hundreds of people around you and your kids might be crazy and violent?

Hard to say if it is worth it or not. There is still something nice about reasonable comfort and anonymity.

[Ksyrup]

I would switch places with him, and then divorce my (his) wife.

[cthomer5000]

Yeah, I would switch places, start banging a million hot chicks, play out my deal, then cruise the world on my sweet-ass yacht.

[Desnudo]

Is that a hot Indian chick? Sorry, they just don't work for me. Only ethnicity lower on the totem pole is Middle Eastern chicks. Okay, maybe midget albino Eskimo chicks, too.

I wonder if its a cultural, not racial, preference. Personally, I don't care at all for Indian culture, but there are plenty of hot Indian women. The same goes for Middle Eastern women.

[Icy]

There are clearly downsides. Would you really want to have tons of photographers around you all the time? Know you couldn't walk outside to pick up the paper without hundreds of cameras going off? Knowing that you couldn't take the kids to the park without pushing your way through people and having lots of strangers always surrounding your kid? Never knowing if any of the hundreds of people around you and your kids might be crazy and violent?

Hard to say if it is worth it or not. There is still something nice about reasonable comfort and anonymity.

Soccer is "the sport" in Spain, soccer fans here are really fanatics of the sport and the players, soccer magazines, TV and radio shows get the biggest audiences, etc, but apart from Beckham, you can barely see any other soccer player in the Spanish news for anything not soccer related, while he was a lot because his new haircut, his jobs as model, his last party or about something his wife said/did. So maybe he, or specially his wife, has a big saying on why he had the reallity superstar like fame that he has.

While i admit that he has a lot of problems related to his huge fame, he could have tried to avoid the hype that he has outside the sport as all the other superstars that play soccer in Spain do.

[spleen1015]

There are clearly downsides. Would you really want to have tons of photographers around you all the time? Know you couldn't walk outside to pick up the paper without hundreds of cameras going off? Knowing that you couldn't take the kids to the park without pushing your way through people and having lots of strangers always surrounding your kid? Never knowing if any of the hundreds of people around you and your kids might be crazy and violent?

Hard to say if it is worth it or not. There is still something nice about reasonable comfort and anonymity.

I would have someone get the paper for me. I would have a park in the backyard that would be better than any public park.

[st.cronin]

I'm very disappointed that Isiddiqui hasn't posted any of those pics he alluded to.

[LoneStarGirl]

dola:

from a UK soccer board. Kind of sums it up:

"One of these days people will realise just he's a good-looking but dim footballer whose best days are behind him and she's an utterly talentless bint whose desperation to be famous is quite honestly pathetic."

I agree. And those tatoos all over him make him not even close to good looking

[path12]

The very, very big question is "can the MLS get good enough that it actually starts attracting the same people who are watching the World Cup, English Premier League, Mexican league, etc?" Bringing in a world-class player who is still playing very, very well and has the singular name recognition Beckham has is a huge step in that direction.


As much as I'd like to see soccer grow in this country, I don't agree that Beckham is going to be a catalyst.

Remember the NASL? Pele wasn't able to make that successful.

[Ksyrup]

One of the pics I saw of him playing, with his shaved-down head and stubbly beard, made him look like Brett Favre.

[ISiddiqui]

Wrong analogy - unless you're talking WNBA, then I'm with you. Forcing Beckham on America is a lot like David Stern repeatedly professing the virtues of the WNBA.

Not at all. I don't like basketball. They are trying to force it on me by it being everywhere (unless you think the government is secretly pushing Beckham to all the media). It fits like a glove.

[miami_fan]

I think the problem isn't Beckham per se, but ESPN. You could substitute a number of things for Beckham. ESPN takes a story, puts it through their multi-level hype machine for 48 hours, and by then no one wants to hear another word about it.

Agreed!

If you substituted Barry Bonds for David Beckham in KSyrup's rant, it would reflect my feelings to a tee.

[cthomer5000]

As much as I'd like to see soccer grow in this country, I don't agree that Beckham is going to be a catalyst.

Remember the NASL? Pele wasn't able to make that successful.

The NASL was successful, it just didnt last because they had one team outspending the entire rest of the league and losing bundles of cash. The MLS has been extremely careful about not going for too much too fast. It's built to preserve everyone, not just have 2 big clubs and a bunch of nobodies.

We're not going to see that type of immediate explosion, but i think we'll see solid growth over the next 5 years.

[Ksyrup]

Not at all. I don't like basketball. They are trying to force it on me by it being everywhere (unless you think the government is secretly pushing Beckham to all the media). It fits like a glove.

The problem is you're talking about a sport with major appeal (demonstrated by the ratings for March Madness) versus a sport whose wet dream would be to have those kinds of ratings. That's where your analogy is off. It's not about you or me, it's about the country as a whole. A football hater can't bitch that there's too much football advertising when it's clearly the most popular sport in the US. But that's not close to being the case with soccer.

[Hammer]

Get to play a sport for your career, rich, decent looking wife...terrible life man


Each to his own, but the man has nothing I want. You ultimately get bored of banging hot women if there is nothing else there (takes some time granted) and money is way overrated for me. You have enough any more is no biggie. Best things in life are free.

[cthomer5000]

The problem is you're talking about a sport with major appeal (demonstrated by the ratings for March Madness) versus a sport whose wet dream would be to have those kinds of ratings. That's where your analogy is off. It's not about you or me, it's about the country as a whole. A football hater can't bitch that there's too much football advertising when it's clearly the most popular sport in the US. But that's not close to being the case with soccer.

All evidence points to their being a major market for soccer in the USA. I've provided plenty of evidence in prior posts in this thread.

If you say "MLS" you might have a point, but even that would be a bit hazy.

[ISiddiqui]

The problem is you're talking about a sport with major appeal (demonstrated by the ratings for March Madness) versus a sport whose wet dream would be to have those kinds of ratings. That's where your analogy is off. It's not about you or me, it's about the country as a whole. A football hater can't bitch that there's too much football advertising when it's clearly the most popular sport in the US. But that's not close to being the case with soccer.

Doesn't matter. Getting something forced down a throat is the same regardless of the sport's popularity in the general public. You can bitch about football advertising all you want if you don't like the sport and plenty do. Doesn't matter what the rest of the unwashed masses think. And besides, no one is forcing the media outlets to cover the story.

[Crapshoot]

The problem is you're talking about a sport with major appeal (demonstrated by the ratings for March Madness) versus a sport whose wet dream would be to have those kinds of ratings. That's where your analogy is off. It's not about you or me, it's about the country as a whole. A football hater can't bitch that there's too much football advertising when it's clearly the most popular sport in the US. But that's not close to being the case with soccer.

Bullshit - I can still bitch. Amongst my friends and the people I knew, soccer was fairly popular. Its a product of our environment - I live and have lived on the coasts in cosmopolitan cities, and from what I remember, you're living in Kentucky and rural Florida (my apologies if I'm off base). American Football is obviously more popular than football (soccer) in this country, but I would bet the saturation ratio of the former is greater than the latter even when accounting for their respective popularities.

[ISiddiqui]

I'm very disappointed that Isiddiqui hasn't posted any of those pics he alluded to.

I did, but they turned into red X's :(.

[Ksyrup]

I would bet the saturation ratio of the former is greater than the latter even when accounting for their respective popularities.

Exactly, which is why the ratio of advertising to popularity would allow for far more advertising of football than soccer's popularity would allow. I'm talking on a national level - ESPN, CNN, SI, W Mag, etc., are all national. Regions have nothing to do with those types of advertising.

Bitch all you want...you're just way off base. Football is the most popular sport in the US and is going to be advertised as such. Soccer...not so much.

[Ksyrup]

One of the pics I saw of him playing, with his shaved-down head and stubbly beard, made him look like Brett Favre.


http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0713/soc_a_beckham2_65.jpg

"Brett, will you autograph my football?"

[cthomer5000]

http://njmg.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/13/david_beckham_5_the_associated_pres.jpg

[ISiddiqui]

Exactly, which is why the ratio of advertising to popularity would allow for far more advertising of football than soccer's popularity would allow. I'm talking on a national level - ESPN, CNN, SI, W Mag, etc., are all national. Regions have nothing to do with those types of advertising.

Bitch all you want...you're just way off base. Football is the most popular sport in the US and is going to be advertised as such. Soccer...not so much.

Then I'll turn around and say bitch all you want about Beckham.. you're just way off base. Football is the most people sport in the world and the Hispanic population in the US is absolutely nuts for it. The ratings on Univision for the finale of the Gold Cup was massive. The ratings for the World Cup were just as great as baseball's playoffs. There is a large market that is currently untapped by the MLS and Beckham may lead to tapping that market (and maybe the English language stations can get some of that money that the Spanish language ones are).

[Ksyrup]

I am. :p

[st.cronin]

Personally, I'm pretty excited about Beckham. I watch Mexican league soccer occasionally, but not MLS. But I'll almost certainly tune in to a few games this year.

[bulletsponge]

ill watch him

[bulletsponge]

Each to his own, but the man has nothing I want. You ultimately get bored of banging hot women if there is nothing else there (takes some time granted) and money is way overrated for me. You have enough any more is no biggie. Best things in life are free.


hmm he has a woman he loves and that loves him (plus shes hot), you cant ask for much more than that. and banging hot women does get old (ive been told :( )

[Marc Vaughan]

Beckham is a talented player but limited in some ways - he wasn't the sort of player I expected the MLS to invest in, he doesn't do 'tricks' doesn't do flashy dribbling - he is very hardworking and great at set-pieces and crossing.

In some ways I can see why the MLS wanted him - just for that reason, he will bring out the best in the other players in his side by providing them with decent service etc. rather than showing off a flashy foreigner ... as such I think it was possibly a good move, time will tell.

[Hammer]

hmm he has a woman he loves and that loves him (plus shes hot), you cant ask for much more than that. and banging hot women does get old (ive been told :( )


Yeah, he has that, so do I. But mine is hotter 8p No I'm not putting a picture up ;) But that was what I was getting at, many people have what he has, but for some reason are jealous about things that are less important IMO.