Becks's Latest Blog
c/o DavidBeckham.com, David's latest blog post about his experiences in Asia thus far:

Hello everybody,

Hope you are all well?
Well, I’ve been in Asia for over a week now on the Galaxy’s pre-season tour and I’ve been lucky enough to go out and actually see some of the places we’ve visited. While in South Korea last week, the Galaxy took part in a training session for some of the local children. I also went to downtown Seoul to attend a kids skills session. Both were really good fun and it was great to see the children really enjoying themselves. I even attempted to speak a little Korean!

We then played against FC Seoul on Saturday which unfortunately we lost on penalties, though I think we played well against a very good team and I was pleased with my performance.

We had a great result against Shanghai-Hong Kong United yesterday, winning 3-0. Carlos Ruiz scored a hat-trick, so we were all pleased for him to get on the score sheet so soon after joining us. I picked up a dead leg, so had to come off just be on the safe side, but fortunately it’s not serious and I feel fine.

Away from football, I visited some young leukaemia patients at Shanghai Hospital on Tuesday, which was a very inspiring experience. Throughout my career I have been to various hospitals to meet sick children and, although they are very ill, they’re all so incredibly brave and are some of the most positive people I have ever met. It was an honour to have spent time with them all.

Take care

David


Beckham Signs with Sharpie
The Beckham Sharpie marker commercials have been airing in America already, but for some reason the press release about David's deal with Sharpie is only now hitting the wires. You can read it here. In short, David is a new spokesperson for the marker brand. Look for more TV, print, and online advertising starting in May.

"Like the Sharpie brand, David embodies individuality and creative expression," said Sharpie global business unit president Howard Heckes.

"He is the rare athlete who transcends nationality and sport to command worldwide attention, making him the perfect ambassador for Sharpie marker users who are as passionate about the bold mark of a Sharpie as they are about the colors, variety and almost limitless uses of the product."

[...]

"I have always enjoyed signing autographs for people, especially since I used to love getting my heroes' signatures when I was younger," said David Beckham. "I love to use Sharpie markers, so it's a natural choice for me to partner with them."


Fans Rush for Hong Kong Tickets
While attendance was down at the Shanghai match, prompting pundits to wonder if Beckhamania was wearing thin in Asia, ticket sales are fast and furious in Hong Kong. One fan alone bought 49 tickets! It was reported that fewer fans showed up at the Hong Kong airport when the Galaxy arrived than showed up at the other two stops on their tour, but security was also tighter. When arriving, David thanked the fans who'd gathered there for welcoming him. While it will remain to be seen how many of the 33,000 available tickets will sell, if the queues of fans purchasing them is any indication it will hopefully be a well-attended event. [Source]


Shanghai Photos
Several dozen photos from the Shanghai game are in the gallery now. A new album has been started for the Hong Kong leg of the tour, too. There are a handful of photos of David arriving in Hong Kong therein.

-Dina