More news will be coming in an update later. For now, viewing options for tonight's game:

Online Options for Tonight's Cup Opener

Tonight Becks and the Galaxy are back in action with the Pan-Pacific Cup opening match! The game begins at 11pm EST. Good luck to the Galaxy!

It will be broadcast on television on ESPN Classic, and online at ESPN360. ESPN360 availability depends on your Internet provider and requires a plug-in to be installed at their site. Visit ESPN360 now and make sure that you're settled with the plug-in, if your provider carries the site.

If your ISP doesn't carry ESPN360 and you don't get ESPN Classic, you have some online viewing options (hopefully) via peer-to-peer TV. You need software and some know-how, so here's a great site with step-by-step tutorials.

Because what software you'll use is dependent on what other viewers are offering (you're essentially watching someone else's TV!) you will need to check a list frequently to see what sites are guessing people will offer, and download the right software. Check the lists here and here. This site allows you to watch the matches directly on their web site if you have the correct software installed.

Of course, all this applies to the game on the 23rd as well!

UPDATE: ESPN360 is working for this match, as is Sopcast channel 31936. Osaka have taken an early lead, so let's cross fingers Galaxy can recover!

UPDATE x2: Well...things didn't improve. I'm a bit exhausted, being 1.30am and all, so I'm going to skip the game recap just now. But for those who didn't get a chance to see it, it will be available in the ESPN360 archive. So if you have access to ESPN360, hop on over any time and view it at your leisure!


Onward to some news!




Becks in Hawaii...
Need some cheering up? Here you go. Beckham goes topless. Check the gallery for Galaxy-in-Hawaii pics, and don't forget to hop over there often as our beloved gallery elves are always hard at work to get new photos up quickly.


LA Galaxy in Training
For those who'd like a little less depressing live action, check out this video of the Galaxy training in HI! (Apologies if the video is hard to load. It seems a little flaky.)


Happy Birthday Cruz!
Little Cruz is another year older. Born February 20, 2005: 3 years and counting! Let's celebrate with this classic from his earliest days in his loving daddy's arms.

And if anybody's curious to see Cruz's new dance skills, apparently he can breakdance. Pic, video, and article about him on stage with the Spice Girls, bustin' a move. (I know, I know, you hate the Spice Girls stuff--but it's Cruz who steals the show! What a kid!)


Becks Blogs from Hawaii
The latest blog from DavidBeckham.com:

Hi everyone,

Well, I’ve arrived in Hawaii along with the Galaxy squad and I can already see it’s an amazing place. The beaches are beautiful and everyone is so friendly, so we’re definitely going to enjoy our time here.
We’re here to play in the Pan-Pacific Championships and looking to get our fitness in these games. We’ve had three weeks of pre-season training, so it’s just a case of getting match fit now. I know the team are looking forward to getting on the pitch again, so Wednesday’s game can’t come soon enough. Hopefully, we’ll get the right result and look to get some consistency going into the new season.
We're playing the Japanese side Gamba Osaka in our opening game and I'm sure it'll be a tough match. Whenever I've played against Japanese teams in the past I've always been really impressed by them.
I’d like to welcome Greg Vanney to the squad. He's a great defender and having played for the Galaxy before I'm sure he'll have no trouble adapting.
Anyway, that’s all for now. I’ll let you know all about how the tournament went next time.

David


From the Rumour Mill...
According to the latest goss (all the way from Zaire with love):

Rapper Snoop Dogg is urging his English soccer-star pal, David Beckham, to move into Hollywood – so Beckham can finance the production of his new movie idea.

The Gin And Juice hitmaker, who met Beckham five years ago, says: “I want him to put up the money for a movie we want to do. He said: ‘I don’t want to act’ and I replied: ‘You don’t have to act. Why don’t you just finance it?’.”

Source


Oh-My-God-This-Guy-Is-Killer-Romantic
Love 'em or hate 'em, tattoos are part of the Becks culture. In training yesterday he revealed the sentiment that caps off his new collage of tattoos in honour of Victoria. It reads simply, "forever by your side". More here.




Back and Forth in Time
I'm jumping in and out of chronological order in terms of events here, so let's just ride it out in the TARDIS that is my just-shy-of-2am brain.

Here's a great article with video and photos of David's wonderful reception at the airport in HI when he arrived the other day!


Becks Us Pray
This article is a real head-spinner about the Beckham Cult of Personality, and the near religious status he has around the world. Interesting read, if occasionally philosophical (in a footy sort of way) and controversial. I believe it's an older article that ESPN has recently dusted off for their magazine, as it talks almost exclusively about his days in England. It's lengthy, but a good read.


Better Late Than Never
2 days ago, David was interviewed by Sky Sports during a press conference in Hawaii. Bedecked in a lei and his Galaxy training gear, David talked about the Galaxy's general level of preparation going into the Pan-Pacific cup. He admitted that the team is "not match fit yet", but expressed optimism that the weeks of training and the experience of the Cup itself will be great preparation for their upcoming season (not to mention the string of friendlies soon to come).

Becks told the media that regardless of fitness, regardless of what team he's playing for, and regardless of whether it's a season, cup, or exhibition match, "I always give 110% in every game."

As for the Pan-Pacific cup, David said the Galaxy are "here for people to see what we can do on the field, and hopefully we can perform".


Posted by Dina Ely, soccer editorial/commentary writer. Blog: Eleven Men