Word: beckhams
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...English icon, the Galaxy's offer seemed smarter way to end a storied career than riding the pine for Real or transferring to a lesser English or European team. With Beckham in their midfield, Galaxy execs dream of creating a "global brand," where they play games against the world's top teams, and attract better players and more fans. His July 21 debut is against London powerhouse Chelsea, although it's an exhibition match of the sort that European clubs rarely take seriously...
Even before he takes the field, Beckham's impact is unmistakable. MLS jersey sales are already up 300% from last year, with much of the interest coming from Beckham replicas; the league expects that its stadiums will be filled when the Beckham circus comes to town; and MLS loyalists will claim vindication from the international interest in the U.S. league prompted by Beckham's presence. "David Beckham blows through the clutter in the sports-entertainment market because he transcends sport, he is a cultural icon," says Don Garber, MLS commissioner. "There really is only one David Beckham...
...After clinching the deal, Beckham's European season took an unexpected turn. As Real Madrid's title challenge floundered, the coach who had vowed that the Englishman would never again play for the Spanish giants restored him to the starting lineup. And with that, Real started a winning streak that took them all the way to the championship, which they won on the final day of the season, with Becks' new pals Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes cheering him on in Bernabeu Stadium. He was playing so well that in May, Beckham was recalled for England, and assisted three...
...Beckham's impact on the field is still an open question. Besides scoring free kicks, his specialty is providing assists through quality crosses to his team's forwards. At a recent match against DC United, the Galaxy's Cobi Jones crossed several balls to attackers unmarked in the penalty box, only to see the chances he'd created muffed or sent to the 16th row. It wasn't a particularly pretty or productive brand of soccer. So what will happen when Beckham starts kicking the ball to open players and they start missing them? The English press will be ruthless...
...Despite Lalas' outward confidence, he is frantically trying to add new and better players and says that when the Beckham deal was announced his phone wouldn't stop ringing from eager agents. Despite having the league's best player in Landon Donovan, the Galaxy is 3-5-4 and in second to last place in its division, so the Galaxy hopes Beckham's arrival will give the team a much-needed boost on the field. The level of play will probably be better with the addition of Beckham, which is important for the league. Although there is a notion that...