World Football Thread XVIII: The Beckham has Landed

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by reds4ever
Beckham playing it that friendly while injured really tells you why he's out there......merchandising. If a player isn't fit for a friendly then he just doesn't play.

Well, its a bit more than merchandising. This game has been hyped for weeks now by ESPN and US Soccer. If Becks doesn't play, it's the HUGE egg stain on both entities and gives the soccer bashers in this country another point in their favor.

One of Becham's goals (and I'm quite certain he means it) is to help soccer in the US. Him at least showing up for a few minutes would be key to that. Or a lot of people who just tuned in to see Becks (since it's been hyped as his first game) will just turn off and not feel the need to come back.

Btw, got my Beckham jersey in the mail yesterday . Maybe I'll take a pictures of it .

[Kropotkin]

As a true friend of football, I'd say that the sport can live without the people that just want to see one player; The switching of shirt from Ajax to Juve to Inter [-->Zlatan Ibrahimovic] around here just seems pathetic.

That line of thinking destroyed great player like Garrincha... well the parts of him that he didn't destroy himself...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
As a true friend of football, I'd say that the sport can live without the people that just want to see one player

Well, you can bring new folks in. A lot of American soccer fans have joined into soccer craze for various nutty reasons . Plenty became involved after Pele came to play for the Cosmos.

Not that Becks is on the same level, but maybe can bring in new fans who, well, didn't know they were a fan yet .

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
As a true friend of football, I'd say that the sport can live without the people that just want to see one player; The switching of shirt from Ajax to Juve to Inter [-->Zlatan Ibrahimovic] around here just seems pathetic.

That line of thinking destroyed great player like Garrincha... well the parts of him that he didn't destroy himself...

I agree but would you care to elaborate on the Garrincha 'thing'?

[alva]

Imran: Dude, call it football, please....

[reds4ever]

and, while were at it, 'friendly' not 'exhibition'...;O)

[reds4ever]

[reds4ever]

http://www.jokeslide.com/index.php?cmd=25&project_id=78&obbydata_id=1506&obby_id=381

[Kropotkin]

Originally posted by reds4ever
I agree but would you care to elaborate on the Garrincha 'thing'?

Garrincha - the brazilian right winger - had to play many games even after his legs had started to hurt. His club travelled the world, playing friendlies where the club got payed significantly less if Garrincha didn't play. Instead of allowing him to heal his legs and perhaps help him with his drinking problems, the club only cared about their profits.

[reds4ever]

Thank you kind sir!

BTW I did know who Garincha was...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Saw the Beckham debut. Thought it was well done. The stands at HDC were filled to capacity. Yeah, Becks got a hard tackle on him by Sidwell, but he got up, ran around on it afterwards, so I think its ok. Becks played like 15 minutes, IIRC. Definitely didn't look 100%, but he'll be alright.

Added some excitement though to an MLS exhibition (and no, I won't change vocabulary), and that's a great thing.

[DanS]

This is the first time I've heard a friendly called an exhibition. But suit yourself.

[Imran Siddiqui]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aGBVw9AK85Cw&refer=home

Beckham Makes MLS Debut as Galaxy Loses Exhibition to Chelsea

Not saying that you have heard it before, but exhibition is quite a common phrase in the US to describe games that don't count in the standings, and aren't part of a prescribed pre-season.

[DanS]

If it's "quite a common phrase," why hadn't I heard it before?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Because you are horribly out of the loop?