Does the USA like David Beckham?

Back in the day the greatest football player in the world Pele played for the New York Cosmos. The interest was high but it fell off. If Pele can't do it I doubt Becks could. Personality can go so far.

 

I'm not sure that's a completely equal comparison. I understand Pele was one of the greats - but Beck really has a rockstar quality that appeals to US people.

 

I saw it flipping through(I NEVER get control of the remote) and was drawn like a train wreck. I hardly watch tv either.....watched the whole thing much to hubby's complete horror, he had to leave the room. I was fascinated. Is she for real? I mean, does she really think/act that way? WOW :shock: The best part was getting to see the inside of a mansion Lionel Richie used to own......I don't watch reality tv, I like things like the wire, nip tuck, rescue me.....but after reading what y'all have been saying about this chic I had to watch this show, I was quite curious. She didn't disappoint.

 

:shock: :shock: :shock: Did u just say Pele was ONE of the greats??? HE WAS/IS FOOTBALL, HE IS THE GREAT...

Whoever thinks Beckham is going to save Soccer in the US is...sorry...TOTALLY delusional...

Soccer fans know that even in Europe, Becks wasn't the most talked about player, so how would he succeed in American Football country???

Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Drogba, Kaka and even the retired Zidane are still way more famous than he is in Europe right now...

So he'll just make a lot of money, appeal to one or two desperate MLS fans in LA and I actually think that after a year or two he might go back to Europe bcoz he is going to disappear from the radars in the US

 

Sorry, didn't mean to insult your boyfriend! :wink: rayer: All hail Pele....!

It doesn't matter if Becks is the most talked about soccer player in Europe, we're not in Europe and Americans don't care who the Europeans think the best player is. Becks is going to be good for the game b/c of all the excitement he brings to the game as far as his star appeal - his sex appeal, his sexy wife, pretty soon there will be affair rumors with somebody - it's the soap opera factor. He's going to draw interest to soccer for reasons other than soccer, but the owners of the MLS don't care why people are watching and/or interested as long as they are.

I'll admit, I'm not crazy about soccer but would but would be much more inclined to watch if he was playing. He just has that 'it' factor and amazing charisma that makes people turn and look.

Look at Michael Jordan - he's not the most talked about player either, but his presence would sell tickets. He draws in the 'fringe' fans who like the game but normally aren't all that interested. That's what Becks does, he gets interest beyond those who already like soccer...

 

Who cares about soccer, y'all need to watch Lacrosse, sorry I could not resist :twisted:

Ok on a "serious" note. Soccer is fun, very athletic and all I like it, I only watch the world cup once we get into quarter finals or of course when Germany plays (GO DEUTSCHLAND). I don't think ONE player, any player for that matter can push an entire league... then again Tiger made Golf cool for some...
I think what US soccer needs is a very charismatic, US born underdog who makes it big. That is what gets the youth to follow, not some blonde, funny looking dude with a blow up doll looking wifey. Just my 2 cents

And yes WATCH LACROSSE, best sport ever!!!

 

I think the youth already follow, the trick is getting the parent (and hence the paychecks) to follow.

I have always wanted to watch lacrosse - it looks like fun...

 

The only time I ever like Lacrosse was when Jim Brown played for Syrecuse in the early 50's. Wished there was film footage of it since he was one of the best. Very few Blacks played the sport and the Duke thing made it worse. I'm glad they did not win the NCAA championship however.

 

So in the interest of clarity...you're stating that the Duke fiasco turned black kids off from playing lacrosse? I really don't see that. It seems like it would reflect negatively on Duke as a school, but not lacrosse as a sport. Plus, when black kids decide what sports they are going to play, do they really think beyond what their friends are doing, what their own strengths are, and what they enjoy doing? :?

 

Man...Beckham maybe 31/32 but he really isn't "washed up"...I cant express this enough. True, in 2007 he is not the most valuable player for a team but at his peak he WAS the midfielder everybody wanted - and rightly so.
Even today, you can search all through Europe for these better players but you wont find a better player who can deliver service and take a free kick untill Beckham retires.
Ronaldinho is amazing, there is no denying that BUT he has competition for what he does - The boots of the classy, skillfull, goal scoring wing forward can be filled also now by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldinho has openly admitted he thinks Messi is better than him - You can say he is modest but here are 2 guys that are 20 - 22, doing what Ronaldinho does arguably to the same standard, and hes 26(?). BECKHAM has no competition, for that role and he never has done. He is in his own league for ball delivery and the dead ball situation...I really cant express that more.

Thats not his fault though I don't think. Who else performed for Real Madrid since they last won the league? Nobody has. In my opinion Zidane is the greatest ever, my favourite player - and during this time him, Beckham, Ronaldo, Raul were being silenced by Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Frank Lampard and Kaka. Then Fabio Capello arrives, and Madrid get some stability, win the league and the players start to perform again. I don't think that's a coincedence.

I'm sorry, but he really is....

Eto'o and Drogba?? Are you serious? These are 2 very decent strikers which every team would gladly accept into their team, theres no doubt. However, they're not that kind of player who changes the game by themselves, that player with a bit of magic. When it comes to importance to a team - Beckham is in the same league as Zidane, Henry, Kaka, and Ronaldinho...not Drogba and Eto'o. Some people here really dont seem to understand why - It's not because he takes on 4 people and scores like Ronaldinho, not because he scores 20+ goals a season like Henry. It's because he's a huge "part of the engine" when it comes to scoring goals. When Manchester won all 3 trophies (lets not say who they beat in the champions league final :lol: ), the partnership of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke RELIED on David Beckham to generate their goals. I guarantee they would not have won those 3 that season without him. Every goal that was important/famous for that season (Keane v Juventus, Sheringham & Solskjaer in the CL final, even Giggs vs Arsenal because they were in added time because of Beckham's goal) was generated by David Beckham

Also look at the England team. Name me one player who has been more important to a national team (one of the big footballl ones) than Beckham has to the England team. This man has carried that team at times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKDvtnEhLP0

One of his best moments. You can say "I've seen better goals..." and so have I. The point is that this is an example of the kind of player Beckham is and how high his importance is. Its the 92nd minute and losing meant another world cup qualifying round for England. It takes a certain player to step up and do that with so much pressure....a Zidane, a Ronaldinho.....a Beckham.

Well if that is your 2 cents you can have a refund. Were talking about Beckham, I dont know who you're talking about? :?


Finally... There is nothing more annoying than when your team plays England or Manchester/Madrid and the soccer fans like me are discussing the game and girls and fashion guys suddenly get involved to start screaming about David fucking Beckham....

BUT soccer wise, he is one of about 10 players I rightly paid money to see play live in the flesh and feel privilaged to have done so.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYgHunQEl0

You should watch that aswell, really cool clip. Not even to argue this point anymore, but because such talent is a pleasure to watch.

 

Man that video is good....more free kicks from 1 man than an entire team of players careers put together :lol:

 

I love David Beckham. He's practically my idol. Other than the fact that I'm a huge Soccer fan and I play soccer myself. But he's definately one of my favorites.

 

This is WHY pretty lawyer babe shouldn't talk sports!!! Are u comparing Michael jordan popularity in the US and impact on one of the most beloved sports in this country to the impact Becks could have here with soccer???? COME ON!!!! they can't even say the name of the sport right...it is FOOTBALL, not soccer...Jeeezz...

And did u just write that MJ is NOT the most talked about player??? like where in the world is he not one of the most famous player??? in the Amazone forest probably...and that's even debatable

Anyway, this discussion is about whether Becks can really make soccer more popular here??? I'll give you until early september when the NFL season starts and Becks will have been totally forgotten...wipe from the face of the earth!!!

Sup, you would put Becks in the same breath with world champs like Zidane and Ronaldinho??? well, then again, you have Cristiano Ronaldo in your signature...what did I expect???
and as for Eto'o and Drogba, that you called "decent" strikers...are you sure you are a soccer fan?? or are u just a fan looking to "win" an argument???

Anyway, I didn't say they were better than Becks, I only said way more famous in Europe at this point!!!

 

This post is going to be so long i don't even know where to start.

For starters, comparing the "arrival" of Becks with Pele is not a very strong comparison. Pele, despite the fact that he was/is the greatest, did not have all the press attention, million dollar contracts, looks and all around appeal - partly because the media wasn't as developed then - that Beckham has and by the way, Pele came here in the 1970s. This is 2007 and anyone who hasn't been living in Antarctica since then will tell you things have changed.

Also, let's clear this up, Pele is the Greatest Of All Time. I know some minions are thinking, "Well, what about Maradona"? No disrespect to "El Diego", but Pele does not have a controversial past including drug taking and dubious "goals" (thinks "La Mano De Dios"). Pele was clean, legit. Plus, Pele as a 17 year old won the World Cup, scoring twice in the finals. Maradona did not even win the World Cup until 1986 (ten years after his international debut). Now don't get me wrong, there will never be a player as electrifying and unique as Maradona but Pele is a sporting god. Both men are icons but virtually every soccer head agrees Pele was the greater man.

Now, to other things. JRem is right, Beckham will soon fade. I read online a British tabloid paper mocking Becks as he watched his team lose 0-3 at home to some Mexican team. Amongst the things they pointed out was the contrast in fan appearance. At Manchester United and Real Madrid, he drew crowds of more than 70,000. No more than 3,000 fans watched the game L.A Galaxy played and surely that will increase, but it surely ain't rivaling basketball, football or baseball. Cartoonists over there have been lampooning his move, deservedly in my opinion. Becks came here mainly because of his wife and a shot at acting. And money. Sure, there's much fawning over him now but get this straight, LA Galaxy are a shitty ass team in a shitty ass league and when football season begins (with a new look Patriots), he'd be a forgotten man.

However, i'm not sure Drogba and Eto'o are as popular in Europe as Becks. There are still some folks in Eastern Europe who don't even know them but they sure do know Beckham. Plus, if those guys were as famous, they'd have more endorsements amongst other P.R. stuff as those marketing ideas are based on name recognition.

I'm gonna spare "fnnysmrtprtty" the fact that she's a lady coz if she were a "he", i'd have cussed his ass out. How anyone can put M.J's name on the same page as Becks baffles me. Beckham hasn't really done anything spectacular as a player (if you exclude marvelous free kicks) and sure, he's put on memorable performances but i'm not sure soccer players will be compared to Beckham the way folks search for "the next Jordan". That ought to give you an idea how great the man was.

Also, lacrosse sucks and that conviction has nothing to do with the Duke case. I've never liked the game and i'd rather go hiking in Madagascar than watch that shit.

Sup, you seem to be under the impression that Beckham is this immortal, transcendent player but you could not be more wrong. Face it, Beckham is washed up. Granted, he's 32 years old but many players have been excellent at 32. He simply isn't in demand as he was just four years ago. He's soo washed up he isn't even wanted in Europe no more. I am not denying the fact that in his peak, he was phenomenal but he isn't the same player. You say that Manchester United would not have one those titles without Beckham. That is debatable (especially with the Manchester Utd vs Bayern Munich game) but in my opinion, their central midfield is what carried them. Roy Keane was the diesel of that team and Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt put together the patches for Cole and Yorke to score. Sure, Beckham helped too but one man does not change games. In fact, if you ask most soccer enthusiasts, it's Roy Keane and Ole Gunnar Solsjaerk who were the "difference-makers" in Manchester Utd then. By the way, Juninho Pernambucano of Lyon takes free kicks just as good as Beckham (if not better). The only difference is that Juninho's free kicks involve more power on the ball than Beckham's.

Why are you even saying that Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are as good as Ronaldinho? That's utter nonsense. I can understand the Ronaldo bit but Messi? Put down the dro please. Messi is going to be a big star but he simply hasn't achieved half of what Ronaldinho has. He isn't even as dynamic and versatile as Ronaldinho is and is not there yet. Neither is Ronaldo.

By the way, Zidane was not "silenced" by those guys. Keep in mind that when Real Madrid started to fumble (in about 2004), Zidane was about 33 years old, with a World Cup winners' medal, Euro 2000 winners medal, three FIFA Player of the Year awards, a Champions League winners' medal amongst many other awards. He pretty much had nothing left to prove to the world and had since then solidified his place as the greatest player of his generation. Amongst those dudes you mentioned who "silenced" him, only one has a World Cup winners' medal. I do agree, however, that Capello was the reason Madrid became organized and consistently dominant (and Ronaldo's exit). Apparently, Ronaldo was a lazy, uncommitted player and Fabio wasn't having none of his ish. I really do not think he should have been fired as under him last season, Real had their finest season in recent times. Think of this; Van Nistelrooy netted 25 times, Sergio Ramos emerged as an elite central defender in the world, they beat Barcelona in the first "clasico" and played out an amazing 3-3 draw in the Nou Camp, they came back from 1-3 down in one game to win. These are fantastic events for one season and all thanks to Capello. I think what got him the boot was his early results (largely because he opted for a more defensive mindset by playind Diarra and Emerson as defensive midfielders). Real Madrid are an offensive team and the fans are used to it, so when Capello played Robinho on the left wing with Van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo, it clearly was not working as they had no key playmaker playing behind Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy.

Bottom line is, Beckham, whilst a great talent and a phenomenal man, will never be a soccer "great".

 

Bring it, meat! :wink:

I know very well how great of a player Jordan was, and my post has been taken out of context. My use of Jordan wasn't to compare the caliber of athletic talent or what each man has legitmately done for his respective sport. My point in using Jordan was to compare Jordan's star power. You cannot deny that Jordan was able to reach past simply the game and reach people who weren't all that interested in basketball. He was selling hot dogs for goodness sakes.

And no Jordan is not the most talked about player currently, but if he stepped on the court (or baseball diamond) people would show up.

Becks has that same appeal.

And the next time you go easy on me 'cuz I'm a female, I will knock your punk ass down!! :smt062 :wink:

(that would be the 2nd movie quote in this post for those who aren't paying attention)

 

FSP!!! :evil:

Of course I understood that you were comparing the STAR POWER...but comparing the Star power of Becks and that or Jordan in the US (theme of the thread) is...FOOLISH!!!

And of course, your honor, I understood that you were not implying that Jordan is the most talked about player NOW...but if we compare when Jordan was playing and Becks as he is still active, there is just NO comparison!!!

Ok, sweet pretty funny and smarty assy lady, I have two sentences for you concerning this subject:

a) You have the right to remain silent

b) Everything you say can and will be used against you!! :twisted:

 

First of all, I need to sincerely apologize for not setting your punk ass straight at the same time I responded to LC, I meant to and it slipped my mind - but you're getting your piece of whup ass right now! :wink:

I never stated Becks is going to save the game - my point is to show that he will increase the popularity. I also don't believe I stated Becks is JUST LIKE Jordan, my point was this: Jordan has appeal that reaches outside of basketball, so does Becks. That appeal can be capitalized on to draw in a new fan base. I NEVER NEVER said that Becks is just as popluar now as Jordan was then - I was simply using Jordan as an example of a character trait.

I am just saying Becks WILL be good for the popularity of soccer in the US b/c , like Jordan, he has mucho charisma.

Don't make me pull this car over...! :lol:

 

No, I have never said Beckham was the best or "immortal" or whatever, I am correcting people who think he is this average player who has media potential. I know he's not in demand as much as he was, I said that. He is approaching the end of his career but the point is he is still greater than the MLS. I watched Galaxy vs Chelsea, the difference in class was unbelievable..I hate that he's gone to America.
Where have you heard he isnt wanted in Europe? Because that really isnt true. He was already a Galaxy player before the transfer window opened so how where any European teams meant to bid anyway? Real Madrid wanted him to stay, it was the falling out with Cappello, and his and his families love for America which triggered the move. I'm not saying the teams would be busting their banks to get him, but if Beckham was available for (what I predict) about €11 Million (about £8Million) (about $16.5 Million), the top European teams would probably make a bid, not caring much whether it was accepted or not.

Well thats your opinion, and I have mine. No facts are goint to split that. No doubt though the midfield won it. Dont forget Giggs either. But I've seen Beckham play live 3 times, I'm guessing you havent. 1 of those times was in 1999 for Bayern x Manchester. His work rate are 10 times that of Keane and Scholes, which you cant see on TV.

I was going to mention Juninho, but I think he is irrelevent as Juninho does not play at the same stage as Beckham (not for ability, for Manchester & Madrid over Lyon) so theyre really not comparable.

Well I did not really and if I did it is my English. I mean Ronaldinho has competition for what he does in Messi and Ronaldo. They are not as good but when you think of young, rising players it is Messi and Ronaldo that people say. Denying they have the potential to be as good is stupid, because clearly they do. Beckham never had competition for the best long passer in the game, he will retire as the best at it of this generation. That is what point I am making - It has nothing to do with him being better or worse than whoever overall.

Well ok, I dont know what word to use then. I mean the world class players Madrid had were not "in the light" as much as the other players I said.

I disagree.
Beckham would not make my best 11 of this generation. But he is CLEARLY the best in the dead ball situation and EVEN MORE CLEARLY the greatest long ball passer. He has something that nobody is better than him at. Plus he is a leader. I cant see how people dont understand how this rises him above others.

Lastly, winning the world cup means NOTHING in defining a player. It's more like a bonus to someones career.

Eusebio, Johan Cruyff, Geroge Best, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Alan Shearer, Roberto Baggio, Peter Schemeichel, Oliver Kahn, Henrik Larsson, Dennis Bergkamp, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, Edwin Van Der Saar (I could go on all day) - Never won the world cup.

Andrea Barzagli, Frank Lebeuof, Kleberson, Bernard Lama, Laurent Blanc, Vampeta, Roque Jnr, Alain Boghossian have all won the world cup, but which pile would you pick from?


By the way, I dont think Beckham will change the game in the USA, I dont really care if he does or not.


"Beckham, great of this generation" - 'Sup 2007.

 

Sup, get over it, Beckham will NEVER and I mean NEVER be considered one of this generation GREATS!!! He is very good, but not great...all the man can do is shoot free kicks and corner kicks...FAR from the complete player!

A GREAT player is defined by being GREAT on the biggest stage...and I am sorry man but the biggest stage in soccer is the World Cup...

Even though Eusebio, Shearer or Johan Cruyff did not win the World Cup, they were great in the ones they played...
( I can't even believe you mentioned guys like Edgar Davids or Henrik Larsson in there...do you consider them as soccer greats???? you amaze me man!!)

Do you remember Beckham's greatness as "a leader" as you said, in the world cups he played in???
I'll let you recollect what he did and then get back at me ok???

 

Not that I said he was complete. The fact that you've ignored the mans superior long passing game sums up your opinion on the sport.

It really isn't....

You only say that because you see on the news how much the world is watching the world cup. It is the most watched, but that doesnt make it the biggest stage. The biggest stage is played out between the best talent. The champions league final, the big league deciding games between the best teams in the best leagues and the famous big rivalries - Real Madrid x Barcelona, AC x Inter, Mancheter U x Liverpool etc...
How can Ryan Giggs and Andreiy Shevchenko perform on the biggest stage?? By your logic it makes them mediocre when clearly they are world class players who have played on the biggest stage.

Winning the world cup isnt a factor in defining a players ability....