Crawling from the Wreckage into a Brand New Car

The American team regrouped for the first
time for the first time since their ill-fated
trip to Germany and the World Cup last summer,
facing a B Denmark team with a new line-up
and a new 'interim'coach, Bob Bradley. The
result was a less than awe-inspiring 3-1
victory over the Danes. Watching on a Danish
TV internet feed (!)I saw a poorly-played
first half where the Yanks struggled to
find a rhythm, then gave up a goal,and were
then only saved by penalty call at the edge
of the area which Landon Donovan converted,
but only after kneeling and doing the Catholic
genuflect thing for what seemed like an hour.

The second half was much better with a billiant
midfield run by Justin Mapp, beating two
defenders inthe corner then a lovely cross
which was buried by MLS rookie of the year
Jonathan Bornstein. Then in the 80th minute
a long pass that was probably offside landed
on the foot of newcomer Ken Cooper who then,
as three defenders converged on him, beat the
goalie for a third goal. While this effort
was good enough to beat a jet-lagged Scandinavian
squad, the yanks will need a few good men
from Europe to continue their win streak against
Mexico in Phoenix on Feb 7. It won't be 10,000
quiet Americans watching but over 50,000 mostly
Mexican aficionados bringing the noise. I
predict a Mexican win but I'll cross my fingers.

Becks Breaks Yanks' Hex, Crowned Rex at LAX

Last year Major League Soccer (USA) rewrote their by-laws 
to allow each team to sign two "Designated Players" who 
could receive a salaryhigher than the maximum $400,000 
per year that all clubs currentlyare allowed.  Half in jest it 
was called "the Beckham Rule."  Well the rule certainly lived 
up to its name when David Beckham, Golden Balls himself,
through an amazing negotiation involving Real Madrid, his 
agents, BillionaireMLS backer Philip Anschutz, and actor Tom Cruise, decided to reject Real's two year offer and go 
for a five year contract with the LA Galaxy of the MLS worth
an estimated $250,000,000.  The insider account is here
in Sports Illustrated. You will be able to see how the MLS
is not paying that entire amount out of its own pocket.

The resulting worldwide media publicity storm mixed sport
and entertainment as LA-Hollywood embraced the glamour 
team of Becks and Posh Spice with a welcome that burst its 
banks and spilled over into talk shows, comedians' jokes and a
tabloid papparazzi photo frenzy that exploded when Posh
flew to LA to mansion-hunt.  Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Lopez
and Rod Stewart put down for season tickets at the LA Galaxy's
home pitch and Hugh Hefner said he would buy a luxury box
and install a mini PlayboyClub at matches.  Yes, Pele created a
similar buzz when he signed for the NASL NY Cosmos back
in 1975, but American futbol has come a long way since then.
There's no danger of the league going under like last time thanks
to careful financing, deep pocketed owners, soccer-specific stadia,
a reserve league, internet links for supporters, and millions
and millions of child and youth players who now have a megastar
to look up to and emulate.  It's all good and it's bound to get better,
provided the Beckhams don't do something silly, like buy
Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch (yes, the rumor was true).

I was already an LA Galaxy supporter before the signing, complete
with a uniform top and a scarf, the only ones in Western Japan.  
It's a giddy feeling to have your team pull off a coup like this
but he has to arrive in one piece in LA in August with both feet in
fine form.  Then we'll see how it goes.  With any luck I'll be able to time
a visit to my hometown San Diego during the season so I can see
the phenomena myself.  Stay tuned.