Let’s get one thing straight about David Beckham: he’s not the next Michael Jordan and Soccer is not the next big thing here in the States. The NFL didn’t work in Europe and Europe’s football isn’t going to work over here! Beckham isn’t going to make Soccer the next NFL, or NBA or MLB or even MMA. The next NHL, maybe!
Beckham in his prime couldn’t pull this off. And he’s far from that. It’s not even a Beckham thing, it’s a Soccer thing. We’re not down! It’s too slow…too nuanced…we don’t care about the creativity and passion that goes along with bending it around a wall of guys protecting their anatomy. And “soccer honk”, to your next point, that I just don’t get it…you’re right…I don’t! And neither do most of the people I know.
American sports fans want to see 500 foot bombs, guys taking off from the free throw line or murdering a Q.B. from the blind-side. They’re not going to lose their mind over a set piece from the corner. Beckham might be able to save the MLS (and for $50m per year, that’s the least he can do), but he’s not turning Soccer into the next NASCAR in this country. Hosting the 1994 World Cup was supposed to change everything…it didn’t…the U.S. Women winning the World Cup was supposed to change everything…it didn’t. And now Beckham is supposed to change everything…and he won’t!
