With the Galaxy off to such a lousy start this season it seems as if their struggles are attracting attention around the world now. Check out this article from the Los Angeles Times,

LINK

While harsh, this quote is still true,

The Galaxy are a mess now and are placing all their hopes that once Beckham arrives they'll magically get better and that players like Nate Jaqua and Robbie Findlay will suddenly turn into stars!

Yeah, I really couldn't have put it any better myself. And the Rapids are a particularly damning example---trading Herculez Gomez and Ugo Ihemelu, two guys the Gals certainly could use, for Joe Cannon and then see the Rapids new GK, Bouna Coundoul, become a fan favorite throughout the league (not to mention that nifty 1.20 goals against average)---well, shooting yourself in the foot doesn't get much more classic than that.

I did want to add something, which starts from something you mention (for that matter is evidenced by the existence in-and-of-itself of the Grauniad article) but is really, to my mind, the most important thing Beckham brings to MLS, and the difference between this season and last: the sense that people are really paying attention. Your screw-ups are much more public than they used to be, and that applies to the players on the field, coaches, ESPN, the front-offices, the league office, everybody. Incompetence and half-assedness are not as easily ignored or tolerated as they used to be.

The Curse of Alexi Lalas continues!

Lalas is named GM of San Jose... who promptly picks up and moves to Houston.

Lalas is named GM of the Metrostars... who are promptly bought out and named after a soft drink.

Lalas is named GM of the Galaxy... who go from one of MLS's two "model" franchise to an office full of bumbling nitwits.

They're a hell of a lot of fun to hate.

This is a really good point Roosevelt. MLS now receives much more attention and it isn't hiding in the bushes anymore out of the public's sight. As far as I am concerned that is a good thing as public accountability will benefit the league.

What is the opposite of Midas' touch? Maybe Bullwinkle is correct and it is the Lalas touch! His track record as a GM isn't good. Still I think Yallop also deserves a lot of criticism for his player moves as he attempts to make the Galaxy into an English-Canadian team. Bullwinkle is right, the Galaxy are easy to hate now and I say that as someone who used to attend 10-12 games a season when they played at the Rose Bowl.

The Galaxy aren't done in trying to juggle their team around and yesterday traded Tyrone Marshall to Toronto for Edson Buddle. Remember Buddle? Not too long ago he was being discussed as a potential US player, now he's a MLS reserve. With Abel Xavier soon able to play I guess Marshall was expendable which implies Xavier will be used more as a centerback than right back.

Well the Herbalife Galaxy need to do something as they've been a mess this season and Buddle at leats has a touch on the ball something which can't be said about Nate Jaqua. But rumors are the Galaxy may finally sign a Latino player and have been interested in Honduras' Carlos Pavon, who only scored 4 goals last night in the Gold Cup! Pavon would be exactly what the team lacks, but where are they going to get the money?

I caught some of the Galaxy-Columbus game on Saturday and LA really have changed their team these past few weeks. Pavon has been signed but can't play yet as he awaits a work permit, Buddle is now there and the team inexplicably traded away some young players, Nate Sturgis and Robbie Findlay to Salt Lake for Chris Klein.

Anyway the team still looks a mess and Columbus, despite playing with 10 men for most of the game after a harsh red to Ezra Hendrickson, won 3-2. Abel Xavier may be a good addition to the defense but the rest of the defenders look lost out there. This has all the appearances of a team hoping that the arrivals of Beckham, and now Pavon will magically transform them but right now they look like a ship lost at sea.

Just had to share this one:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slug=txga...ov=st&type=lgns

WTF? I got to that part of the article, and couldn't read anymore. Their bringing in a famous player during mid-season, but changing the uniform being worn by the team at the same time is BS.

I ask you, has any other team, anywhere, any sport, changed jerseys half way through the season for any reason prior to this?

They've been planning the uniform change for a while. I think they announced that prior to the start of the season. All part of making money...

Yes, that's understood. But come on, doing it in mid-season is a bit crass.

However, having now gotten a look at the new kit, got to admit it's an improvement. And of course, in the released photos it's none other than Beckham himself, in full gear.

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070711/ids_pho...r4106464803.jpg

Shall I go on about how it bothers me that in none of the shots the ball is at his feet?

That is strange and like dafyd I've never heard of changing unforms, colors, etc. midseason before but Alabaster is right it is all part of making money. Galaxy ticket prices have alredy skyrocketed which when you think about it is a mistake as after the initial rush to see Beckham wears off, are people still going to be willing to pay high prices to see the Galaxy play?

So, he arrives in town today. There has been an amazing amount of publicity surrounding this. We knew there would be, but it is suprising to see just how much we are hearing about this.

Obviously the Galaxy hopes this has a certain effect for them and the MLS as well. How realistic those hopes are, I don't know.

This is clearly more pub than the MLS has probably ever received. I think the big impact will be seen over the years to see if any other "big names" (whether they are as good as advertised or not) follow in his footsteps. And hopefully the MLS doesn't outspend itself in trying to grow the sport on this move and the moves that are sure to follow.

I suppose they are more than aware of those risks and they have leagues (both soccer and other sports) that did just that to look back and study.

I've never seen anything like this involving soccer here. Hell, or elsewhere. I wasn't born yet during the Pele/NASL days. I'm sure this is as close as this country has been to something like that (or that was as close to this, I don't know).

Regardless of how this turns out, it has been interesting to say the least.

Very true alabaster, the league will have the eyes of the world on it now and the secrecy which has so often been the modus operendi of MLS in the past won't be permitted anymore. It is a new era for the sport in this country and should, as alabaster says be very interesting to see.

Beckham will draw people initially to stadiums around the league but it will be up to the Galaxy and league's other teams to play well enough to draw them back.

That is very true, I was following MLS at the beginning of the league season but with first the Gold Cup then Copa America and the U-20 World Cup I haven't seen a game in a month and a half. Has the play remained more or less at the same level as the beginning of the year which I had thought was an improvement from previously or has it taken it's midsummer dip that seems to happen every season? I ask that because as the quote above says, it will be important for MLS to get people who come out for the curiousity factor of Beckham back into the stadiums. The same think happened at the start of the league 11 years ago when the attendances were very high but soon dropped as fans came and saw the action and many didn't enjoy it. Obviously the league is better now than it was when it started but it will need to produce good play that makes fans want to come back. That will be the biggest challenge i think in this Beckham era of MLS.

There was a pre Beckham era in MLS and a post Beckham era. We are starting the latter era now and the league won't be the same. More attention will be drawn to not only the games themselves but also how the league is run. There will have to be more transparency.

It may only have been a friendly and for Tigres it still is a preseason match but the Galaxy have their work cut out trying to build a competitive team. Tigres were easy 3-0 winners tonight. Beckham won't be able to do it all alone but some other players are going to have to step up soon or else Mr. Yallop will be looking for new employment.

I agree with you Pique, I also saw some of last night's friendly and a team in preseason, Tigres, played the Galaxy off the field. There is a lot wrong with the LA Galaxy and Beckham won't have the answers to all of those problems.

The English press agrees with you, their comments after the Galaxy's embarrassing loss to Tigres,

English Press Call Galaxy A Pub Team

The Galaxy have already showed they are quick to pull the trigger on their coaches, I also think if this team doesn't turn around quickly, Yallop will be out of there.

And with the prices they are charging their fans they better improve soon or there will be a fan revolt. I had some friends go to Tuesday's games and they were charged $55 to sit behind a goal! Oh, and parking also went up now that Beckham is a Galaxy player!

So will playing or promotional concerns take precence tonight when Galaxy play Chelsea in the much hyped "debut of Beckham?" With his ankle injury he really shouldn't play but I bet he gets paraded out there towards the end of the match so the Galaxy can justify the high ticket prices they are charging for the game.

By the way if you don't want all Beckham, all the time focus on tonight's game it will also be broadcast on Telefutura.

So will Mourinho's Chelsea take it easy on LA tonight? Imagine what the British press in particular would say if Cheslea hammers the Galaxy?

There was a clear class difference between the two. It is a good thing we don't have to see these types of games every week. It would surely show more of the MLS weaknesses.

I will even admit that I am buying into the hype a little. I can't help it. It is fun. I know this is as much about publicity as it is about the soccer, but it is something that I've never seen in any sport.

It will be really interesting to see if the Galaxy begins to be the "cool" thing all the celebrities grab onto. Obviously they were out tonight. I'm sure the fans will be there for the remainder of the season, but will the attention?

One thing I'm really interested in seeing is how Landon reacts to all of this. It was a nice easy grin when he allowed Beckham to take the corner kick near the end of the game (and how interesting to see that Beckhams cross was closer to a Galaxy player than most of Donovan's recent crosses). We know that Donovan tends to enjoy being the "big fish" in the "small pond" and feels more comfortable at home in that role. But several times I've already heard a reference to "Beckham's Galaxy..." when previously it was "Landon Donovan's Galaxy."

To me, that really is one of the most interesting subplots here---not just how it affects his attitude/play, but literally, what becomes of Landon? Unless the league were to make another DP slot available to each team in 2008, the Gals have to either trade him (back to San Jose and the expansion 'Quakes?), trade something else to get a 2nd one (but what? Lalas has precious little left on the roster you'd think anyone trading a DP slot would take in return) or ?? A third try at Europe?

He's in so many ways the face of US soccer, his situation is quite unsettled and I'm wondering how all this is going to play out---on and off the field.

Well we'll learn if Landon can "sack up" as they say and show even though he isn't the team's focal point anymore he can still be productive. Alabaster asks a good question to see how Donovan will react to this all.

And speaking of that, the ESPN broadcast made me sick, it was more like a celebrity show than a soccer broadcast. Of course future broadcasts shouldn't be so extreme but it still makes it easy to dislike the Galaxy.

Which is why I brought up the option of Telefutura broadcasting the game. They actually showed the game instead of telling us what Beckham ate for breakfast or what faux celebrity is hanging out with Beckham's wife!

Roosevelt so the Galaxy in the future will only be able to keep one of Beckham or Donovan due to the salary cap restrictions? Somehow I can't see MLS allowing the Galaxy to be broken up, they'll find a way around the salary cap restrictions.

Roosevelt so the Galaxy in the future will only be able to keep one of Beckham or Donovan due to the salary cap restrictions? Somehow I can't see MLS allowing the Galaxy to be broken up, they'll find a way around the salary cap restrictions.

I'm thinking the same thing. There is too much potential in this to let Donovan out of LA. Donovan could benefit from this greatly on the field if he and Beckham can jumpstart some type of chemistry on the field. Of course, the MLS and the Galaxy benefits from that as well. Off the field, the publicity would only grow if those two struck up a friendship and showed some sort of camaraderie where the Galaxy/MLS could propel the media storm even further with some sort of advertisement campaign with a "rising American soccer star" and the "veteran English star" or something corny like that.

The potential both on and off the field is damn near limitless. That is why this is a brilliant move for the MLS/Galaxy. Of course, they are going to after those unfamiliar with soccer, nothing wrong with that. Those familair with it recognize Donvon's "big fish/small pond" situation and the fact that Beckham isn't near as good as ESPN/MLS would lead you do believe. He is good, but not great. The potential is amazing...the reality of the situation is anything but...

But they (either the league or the Gals) will have to do something. As I understand it (admittedly a dangerous assumption to work under!) in addition to the four DPs (Beckham, Blanco, Angel and Reyna) there are four more players (Carlos Ruiz, Freddy Adu [gone to Benfica?], Eddie Johnson and Donovan) who make Designated Player money, but are 'grandfathered' in for this season. But in 2008 their teams will need to count them as DPs, have 'em take a pay cut or get rid of 'em. Agree with both of you that the Donovan/Beckham tandem is something MLS/LA/ESPN want to see continue, I'm just not sure how it's going to be worked out...

Whine time---how is it even though I now live in So. Florida I can't get Telefutura?! I guess I should be pleased I at least get GolTV here, but grrr, no SuperLiga :(

Thanks for the explanation, well knowing how MLS likes to "work things out" I am sure they'll figure a way out like trading some player, even one of minimal value, to another club for their Designated Player spot. I can't see MLS trying to dismantle the Galaxy after their huge investment in Beckham.

Roosevelt, here is a link listing the Telefutura affiliates, there are some in South Florida so you should be able to receive it even if it means unhooking the cable and putting up the old rabbit ears,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Telefutura_affiliates

Hey Gals, beware of the Mighty Tuzos

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-...v=afp&type=lgns

Gag, sputter... we're not going to have to put up with this the entire 5 years are we?

So far this article is the pinnacle of Beckham celebrity hype I've come across sense he's signed. Nice bit of change for the Galaxy in the form of shirt sales, though. 200,000 shirts in one week is probably more than the shirts sold in any week from MLS's inception till today, even if you totaled all the shirts of all the MLS teams combined.

Even worst was when I had to turn off Republica Deportiva because the first thing I saw when I turned it on was the eye candy fawning over David Beckham.

Hopefully not dafyd. I was one of those who switched over from watching the ESPN broadcast to the Telefutura one as the ESPN gushing over Beckham was just sickening. That and the "red carpet reporter" interviewing "celebrities" instead of following the game. As others said, at least Telefutura covered the game and kept the other stuff to a minimum.

But I'd imagine it won't be this bad for future games. Still I was talking to a friend who went to the game and was charged $70 to sit behind one of the goals while parking prices also went up with Beckham's arrival, you do have to ask how long will this Beckham interest last? Can the team keep charging exhorbitant prices for tickets & parking, especially with as poor a record as they currently have? And all those people buying Beckham jerseys, will they be returning to games, or did they only want to go to this match because it was such a hyped event? Finally it also is a good question to ask how Donovan will react to all of this as we know the US' current star player is not used to playing second fiddle.

LD will be the franchise playa for the RETURN OF THE SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! The rivalry will begin w/ Becks & LD getting into a fight & LD moving up north. The California SuperClasico will be on w/ a vengeance.

LD will be the franchise playa for the RETURN OF THE SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!!

If MLS doesn't find a way to let LA keep him, you can almost garuntee that he will be returned to San Jose!

Roosevelt
I used to live in Miami. Telefutura is available on "free" tv . If you got a regular antenna, I THINK it is ch.69. at least it was where I lived (close to MIA)

Thank you both very much for the good info. I had no clue Telefutura had these local broadcast affiliates all over. I may be too far away from Miami to pick-up an over-the-air signal, but it's definitely worth a try tonight. Appreciated.

I brought this up in the Superliga thread but with Cannon, Abel Xavier, Beckham and Donovan there is a good backbone to this Galaxy team. While the rest of the players are pretty mediocre if they work hard and stay organized then, as last night in the Superliga semis, the team's stars can hold the team together and get LA back winning again. The question is will it be too late with LA's awful start to the season?

Even those stars that cafetero discussed on LA's backbone weren't enough to save them last night against Chivas USA (0-3). An absolutely heartless and skill-less (is that a word?) performance for the Galaxy. Beckham and Donovan had the excuse of playing a 2nd game within a day on separate continents. But what excuse do the others have? The question is how much longer will Yallop have in LA? His team looks rudderless and he and Lalas spent a lot of time and money in remodeling it during this year. Maybe they should have just kept what they had then added Beckham?

LA are looking again like that pub team of earlier in the year. All the money they've spent on players and their bench players are really bad. Colorado beat them 3-0 without breaking a sweat.

Joe Cannon makes some nice stops of shots but he's awful coming off his line and isn't an improvement over Kevin Hartman. So LA has the same quality goalie they had last year plus lost two starters in Gomez and Ihemulu. And they've continued those awful trades during this season. This team is a mess. Merengue is right to ask how much more patience will they show with Yallop?

Let's see...they lost the Superliga final, the one chance they had at some hardware this season, in no small part because of Donovan's missed PK; Beckham is apparently out for six weeks due to the injury he suffered in that game and Real Salt Lake, behind their new Argentinian acquisitions, notched just their third win of the season and climbed past the Gals in the standings, leaving LA dead last in all of MLS. How much more patience will AEG be willing show anybody who's had a hand in this trainwreck?

And the Galaxy lost again, 3-1 last night to Houston. Poor defending again led to two Houston goals, the last one was comically bad as Harden and Cannon both stopped and allowed a Houston player to sneak in between the two of them and score. Sure there have been a lot of injuries this season but this team looks like they've quit and their onfield organzaiation is poor. That doesn't bode well for Frank Yallop's future.

I also have to add at how bad Carlos Pavon has been this year. He just hasn't adapted to the team. Pavon has always had an up and down club career but he's one of thsoe guys who almost always produces for his national team. Signing him looked like a great idea but it just hasn't worked out. But it isn't as if the other attackers are tearing it up for the Galaxy either.

It can be a cruel business as Galaxy's injuries are the chief reason why they are playing poorly now but somebody has to take the blame when expectations were so high and nine times out of ten that is going to be the coach. If Yallop survives this then he must have some friends in high places!

Well the galaxy are on a winning streak now and while their chances of making the playoffs are still small, they may be doing enough to save Yallop's job for enxt season. The heart and passion in their play that we discussed was missing earlier in the year seems to have returned and with all the upheaval and injuries this season it is possible Yallop could be given a second chance next year when presumably this year's problems won't exist.

Small, but with a four match winning streak, Toronto and New York, where four points seems very doable, before meeting Chicago iin a megawatt match, not impossible, not by any means. And I'll certainly be one of those eating crow if they do. :blink: