Man, I went on a ramble here and didn’t even touch the whole Marketing mess of this.  Maybe next time.

I wasn’t always an LA Galaxy fan.   No, not just the years before 1996 but even after I (and about 70,000 others) was at that first game at the Rose Bowl, I still held out.   I’d been an Ipswich fan for as long as I could remember.

In 1996, I came to the realization that while watching the Premiership at the pub on Saturday mornings, it wasn’t the same as being at matches.   “Poor live footie is better than no live footie,” I’d tell my friends when they’d give me a bad time about heading to the Rose Bowl.   My thinking at the time, which hasn’t changed, was that the sport won’t gain a foothold in the country if fans don’t spend the money and watch the matches to make that happen.

As the seasons went by I grew to care more and more about the team.  There was something special about attending mid-week match in the middle of July or early August at the Rose Bowl.   Only the most loyal fans would be attending those matches.  I’d go with a friend and we’d have a good laugh.   On occasion, like when Marcello Balboa broke Dan Calichman’s leg and more or less ended his career that night, those in attendance would unit (though spread out) and make their feelings known in unison.   Though not intentional, Balboa’s challenge was clumsy and everyone could see that broke Dan Calichman’s leg and essentially ending his career.

By 2001 I had grown to care about the team and even traveled to Columbus to have my heartbroken when Dwayne De Rosario (with the help of Landon Donovan) scored in overtime to win the MLS Cup.

I was also around when a group of LA supporters, tired of how laid back games at the Rose Bowl were wanted to create a section where anyone who wanted to stand, sing and support LA without having to worry about membership and such could.  Prior to the 2002 season, the Ticket Office was approached, they liked the idea but were insistent on the section having a name. A name wasn’t really wanted but when the Galaxy suggested names like “The Space Cadets” & the “UFO’s” it was obvious the group had to be something like the “Riot Squad”.  Well, why not?

Anyway, since then LA won some silverware. Some LA fans loved the Riot Squad, some didn’t.   However, the atmosphere at the Rose Bowl (and the HDC soon after) now had a new sound. Other groups of LA fans formed and things continued to grow even through setbacks.

Then, right after LA missed the playoffs for the first time ever, we learned that the biggest and most recognizable name in the sport would be leaving Europe before he got too old and come play for LA. David Beckham was going to bring some relevance to the sport in the US.   The Brits were outraged and the tabloids did everything they could to stop the deal.  I still remember reading the article about how all the travel for England matches would have a serious adverse effect on his ability to play at the top level.

So, Beckham arrived and said all the right things.   He was coming over to make LA a great club and win silverware.   At least that’s what I heard. All the other crap was irrelevant.  Problem was, he arrived injured. However, as there was so much money riding on him to sell tickets and to not disappoint fans, he played less than 100%.   Granted, he’s a quality (even if only one-dimensional) player.  He still could hold his own….well, until he was hurt worse.

Last year he arrived at the start of the season and things looked promising with one of my childhood hero’s, Ruud Gullet, in charge.   Things fell apart fast.  Grant Wahl does a better job of explaining how messed up things were last season.   Needless to say, most of the season Beckham didn’t seem to be trying and for the third straight season, LA missed the playoffs.   Gullet was back in Europe well before LA were out of playoff contention.

Was Beckham saving himself last summer for playing in Italy?  Who knows?   To my eyes, he looked better in the England shirt than he did in LA.  Either way, he showed up in Milan over the winter ready to prove himself. Somehow playing in one more World Cup was more important than his promise to raise the sport of soccer in the US to a new level of awareness to the American public–though I guess you can say he’s still doing that, though only when he feels like showing up…

Yeah, showing up.   From the moment Beckham arrived at the San Siro every reporter was told how much he loved playing at the top level and how he was enjoying himself and how he wanted to stay and play at the ‘higher level’ which he needs to play at if he is to play for England.

In other words, he was saying that MLS isn’t good enough for him even with all the money he was making from LA and the league.

Negotiations continued in the media and eventually both sides sat down in private and worked out a deal to allow Spoiled Spice to say at Milan for the remainder of the Serie A season.   Rumor has it that Becks had to cut a check to LA/MLS for a large amount…but who knows?   One thing is for sure, Milan would fly the entire squad to LA to train and play a friendly at the HDC to help ease some of the lost income LA would feel from having to roll back ticket prices which had been inflated from the time the circus rolled into town.

Here’s the thing, Beckham has done nothing for fans like me who have followed the team, spent money on tickets, parking, merchandise, beer (Heard they are charging $10 now) and even traveling across the country to support the team.   I don’t anyone is looking for a special badge for having this kind of commitment but, it does show there is passion for the sport and the team.

One of the criticisms I’ve heard is that Americans and American soccer fans have no passion for their team or the sport…though I’m sure all this is based on speculation and assumption rather than fact. But when Beckham decides it’s in his best interest to miss half the season so he can play at the “top level” in Italy a little longer so he can be better prepared to represent England, how is an American LA Galaxy fan supposed to react?

Fortunately, that first match in LA was a meaningless friendly against his former team which was filled with so many of the stars that he seems to have enjoyed playing with so much more than the team he committed 5 years to just 2 years ago.

With the result of the match unimportant LA fans made sure they let him know what they thought of him and his attitude towards the team they love.   So, the Riot Squad (and others) showed up with banners to make sure he got the message.   Seriously, I know most in this country view the sport and those outside the country view the league as Mickey Mouse.   However, this is our team and all I want is for the team to put the best possible team of 11 on the pitch each week.   At any other team/club/franchise/whatever, if your most expensive player decides he wants to take half the season off to go play somewhere else and then shows up and tells everyone he has every intention to do the same thing next year…c’mon, no one is going to just accept that. Especially when that ’someone’ is eating up a quarter of the team’s salary cap.

So, Beckham wasn’t too happen about the reception he received. I don’t think challenging a fan who’s unhappy with the way he disrespected the team is really the way a “professional footballer” should act.   But Beckham is the expert after calling out Landon Donovan last week.

Don’t forget, LA has a better record the last 2 years without Beckham than with him.

Ok, so maybe there’s room for interpretation.  Beckham, with a smile, claimed he just wanted to shake his hand. Sure.

But then what’s this?

I’m sorry, I thought it was a team sport.  You lobbed the ball into the box, ok. But look at the dreadful defending which allowed Bryan Jordon to bury the header.  I’d expect that sort of thing in the NBA.

Nope, the sooner Beckham is gone, the better.  Bruce Arena has the team heading in the right direction again.   Honestly, with no (or little) help from Beckham, LA has one 4 in a row!  I can’t remember the last time that was done.

Oh, and one final thought. That Leonardo guy.  You know, the Milan coach.   The guy who Beckham went and sat next to after being subbed, well maybe it’s just me but I’m sure there are others who haven’t forgotten why he received a red card during the ‘94 World Cup.

One last thought, friendly match or not, another other player in MLS approaching fans like he did would have been fined and suspended already.  Can’t do that cuz all the fans in KC would be upset.   Nope, the sooner he’s gone, the better.

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