Friday, July 20, 2007

Signing on/The Beckham Media Circus

Hello, Friends.

I have opened this blog to create an outlet to share my thoughts on things that are going on in the world. I am not limiting my musings to politics, or current events. I my just vent about anything here. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Today I read a column on Page 2 on ESPN.com about Victoria Beckham and the PR machine that has kicked in as she and Becks hit the ground running in LA. This column seems to paint Victoria as somewhat paranoid and quite dense. I understand, however, that ESPN believes that their God-given mission is to smear people in order to make a story. If you do not believe me, look at the new movie business that the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" has ventured into in recent years. So the idea that ESPN would be first in line to knock the Beckhams as soon as they get off the plane at LAX is not surprising.

I am a soccer fan. So I know more than the average bear in the U.S. about the Beckhams having watched Becks play for Manchester United and Real Madrid. I have a hard time seeing how this couple is happy. They seem to live their own separate lives in many ways. A couple of years ago, there was a major controversy in Spain about an alleged affair Becks had with his assistant. I really don't think anything was ever really established in terms of truth, but the damage was done publicly.

Here is the problem Posh faces. She needs Becks to keep herself on the front page. Without him or the Spice Girls, she has no hope of remaining in the limelight. Her music career as a soloist has been a big flop.

Unfortunately, this marriage has made a casualty out of David's soccer career. His focus for many years has been on the glam lifestyle she fed to him. Soccer began to take a back seat. Eventually, Sir Alex Ferguson got to the point where he began to challenge David to show more passion for his game. It turned into a tabloid war between not David, but Posh, and Ferguson.

Things were not much better in Madrid. His skills are only a shadow of his best days in the late 90s at United. He has recovered some of his form in recent months...in large part because he wanted to get back on the England squad. But David's deteriorating game is what opened the door for him to be a part of MLS. The game is slower and less skilled. He knew he would be a star here, instead of riding a bench in Europe.

So now the media circus has arrived in LA...a place that is used to such madness.

For me, I think that he would still be a legend at United had he never let the glam lifestyle take the place of football in his life. Ask Englanders. For them (and they can provide examples), Beckham's career is a waste.