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Friday, January 12, 2007 |
OT: Time To Get That E-Meter Recalibrated, Dave
I couldn't care less about soccer (what the blokes in the UK, and everywhere else, know as football), but the news that David Beckham was coming to LA to join the LA Galaxy team did manage, briefly, to catch my eye. He's accepted a $250M, 5-year deal to play in what I assume is one of soccer's bigger markets in the U.S., considering overall disinterest in the game; I assume much of that comes from emigré Mexicans and other non-natives who grew up immersed in the sport. Since we now know that Mr. Posh Spice had lost his starting job for Real Madrid, it puzzles me why the owners of the Galaxy decided they should make Beckham such a profoundly wealthy man.
But it also seems that Beckham's thinking isn't too, um, clear, either, and now we know why: he's getting advice from the ol' e-meter peddler himself, Tom Cruise:
"I was on the phone to him (Cruise) for about an hour last night and an hour the night before," Beckham told reporters on Friday."Wise"? Well, any time I can take a swipe at Cruise's repulsive buddies in the Scieno world, I'm happy to, but these guys raise a good point:"Obviously I asked him for his advice because he is a very wise man and a very good friend of mine. It's going to be a big help for us to have friends when we arrive in LA."
Although he's going to have $1 million a week to play with, don't forget that David Beckham is stupid and Victoria Beckham has never read a book, surely making them prime targets to be converted to Scientology sometime soon. If they're not careful in Los Angeles, they might soon find themselves screaming about Ritalin during television interviews and giving birth to children in eerie silence.Wait a minute, becoming a Scientologist means that Victoria Beckham will be forced to shut up now and again? OK, that's fine by us.
Comments:
my understanding is the galaxy pays 5 years $50M, and the league arranges $200M in endorsements over that time period. For the amount of publicity they are getting (soccer can't buy pub in LA) its probably a good bet. They'll sell out every game, get TV attentions, and make a splash. I think its a smart move.
However, i think scientologists are the most vile people on earth, and even the stupid deserve better.
However, i think scientologists are the most vile people on earth, and even the stupid deserve better.
# posted by 
: 1/12/2007 08:06:00 PM
: 1/12/2007 08:06:00 PM
His salary is rumored to be no more than $9m per year, of which $400,000 is paid by the league. (That's only about $2 million more than he was making in Madrid, and is perfectly in line with the salaries other top stars are paid.) The rest of that $250m figure is endorsements, most of which are already in place.
This is an AMAZING deal for the MLS and the Galaxy. Consider that on the same day the club signed a deal to make Adidas the club's new shirt-sponsor for $5m a year. And other clubs have already announced that they are increasing ticket prices when the Galaxy visit.
Oh, and the whole "he's not even good enough to start for his club or country" argument is utter BS for reasons I go over on my blog. He's still a top talent.
This is an AMAZING deal for the MLS and the Galaxy. Consider that on the same day the club signed a deal to make Adidas the club's new shirt-sponsor for $5m a year. And other clubs have already announced that they are increasing ticket prices when the Galaxy visit.
Oh, and the whole "he's not even good enough to start for his club or country" argument is utter BS for reasons I go over on my blog. He's still a top talent.
# posted by : 1/12/2007 08:54:00 PM
: 1/12/2007 08:54:00 PM
If the Galaxy were smart they would switch their colors to Silver and Black.
# posted by : 1/12/2007 09:48:00 PM
: 1/12/2007 09:48:00 PM
As a hardened football fan from Manchester, (UK, not NH) (though I'm a City fan, rather than a fan of DB's original team), I can say that any respect I had for Beckham (and I did have some) has gone down the toilet.
He's only 31, and this deal has said, in big neon letters "I'm past it, and I know I am."
He's been nothing more than peripheral for Real since he went there, and he could have joined any number of English teams, and given himself the opportunity to prove he wasn't just lucky to be a decent player in a great team while he was at United - but no, he's shown zero backbone, and zero self respect and effectively retired.
I have no idea how the Beckham hysteria started, esp in the US, as he's never been the greatest talent, and indeed, never been the best player on any team he's played for. But hey, it seems to have worked for him, and I hope his retirement plan works out for him. It may get him off my television and out of my newspaper.
He's only 31, and this deal has said, in big neon letters "I'm past it, and I know I am."
He's been nothing more than peripheral for Real since he went there, and he could have joined any number of English teams, and given himself the opportunity to prove he wasn't just lucky to be a decent player in a great team while he was at United - but no, he's shown zero backbone, and zero self respect and effectively retired.
I have no idea how the Beckham hysteria started, esp in the US, as he's never been the greatest talent, and indeed, never been the best player on any team he's played for. But hey, it seems to have worked for him, and I hope his retirement plan works out for him. It may get him off my television and out of my newspaper.
# posted by : 1/13/2007 03:20:00 AM
: 1/13/2007 03:20:00 AMNewer› ‹Older
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