Options for Watching Tonight's Match
Time's flown by, and now we've reached football day: the Galaxy will face Seoul FC at 4.30pm local (i.e. Korea) time. This translates to 11.30pm PT and 2.30am ET.

Fox Soccer Channel will broadcast this match live.

For online viewing options, you will need to utilize peer-to-peer. Check this page for information on the software you'll need to install. This page is the match listing of p2p options (be sure to refresh close to match time as often options are added or removed) which displays what software will be used.

Don't be alarmed if there are no options available yet; the listing will receive its first update in just shy of 3 hours (appx. 9pm ET).

You may find links to embedded/on site streams at this page.


Hong Kong Back on Schedule
Thanks to Catherine for writing in that she's checked with Galaxy's customer service and the Hong Kong match will be played as scheduled. She's also pointed out that for those planning to attend, the tickets are on sale here.

This article details the Hong Kong plan: the team will arrive in town, hold a youth soccer clinic, then play their friendly.


More on Motorola
Further to the video clip posted yesterday, this article talks more about David's Motorola press conference and the role he's playing in keeping Motorola's phone division afloat.

Excerpt:
``I was very lucky when Motorola came to me with the idea and made me join their company. I think it's a company that is always growing, always getting bigger and getting more fashionable,'' he said, receiving showers of camera flashes for his 15-minute pep talk with Alex, a Korean singer, and Lim Joung-ah, marketing director of Motorola.

Beckham showed charm and a sense of humor that overshadowed the gold-plated phone. When a self-claimed fan asked what his ring-tone was, he replied: ``My ring-tone is Spice Girls. It has to be.''



-Dina

More from Seoul Press Conference
Further reports from the Galaxy's press conference in Seoul are emerging. He answered questions about everything from his fashion sense to the 100th cap, some of which I reported the other day. But here's a little nugget from another article that's surfaced since.

He refused to enlighten the mystery behind his extraordinary talent for free kicks by saying, with a smile, "It's a secret." He added, "I don't really have any secret, it's actually the product of consistent practice. It's important to take what you practiced and how you did it to heart and show it in the field." Read more here.



You can see a 2 minute video clip from the Galaxy Seoul press conference here:




Korea's Good for Business, Too
For those interested in the business side of Becks, this article discusses the multitude of promotional appearances he has made/is scheduled to make in Korea for the various companies he represents. This includes Motorola, who has timed the release of the new RAZR with his visit. Adidas have arranged an event in Cheonggye Square for fans to meet David; the RAZR Squared will be introduced there. I haven't been able to find English articles about this event (presumably it's covered somewhere in Korean), but if anyone has the event details please let us know for the benefit of any Korean fans here!

Here's a small clip of David's Motorola press conference, where he discussed the RAZR2 Luxury Edition, which has snakeskin leather and 18k gold!






Youth Soccer in Seoul
David participated in a youth soccer clinic in Seoul today, guiding local children through the nuances of the beautiful game.





Hong Kong Match Unsure
The Hong Kong friendly match is now uncertain, despite the LA Galaxy's official press release on Monday (from which I received the information posted here). The Galaxy (or more likely, the marketing company they hired) may have jumped the gun, which would be a pity. We'll have updates as soon as they're confirmed, but for now, pencil the match into your date books—exercise the option to erase it later!

Here's an article explaining the problem (Hong Kong Union are too booked to play) and a later article that suggests there is still hope (another team could fill their place).


David's Latest Blog
David's latest blog post c/o DavidBeckham.com:

Hello everybody,

We finished third in the Pan-Pacific Championships in Hawaii. We were a bit rusty in the game against Gamba Osaka, as it was our first game together since November, and they beat us 1-0, but I felt we played some good football overall and our 2-1 win against Sydney FC was well deserved. I managed to assist in both goals, which was great for me personally and we’ll look to push on from there in our next few friendlies.
We’ve just arrived in Seoul and received an amazing reception from the Korean people when we landed which was great. We’ll be training twice a day in the run up to the game against FC Seoul on Friday as we want to get our fitness just right, but I’m hoping to get out and see the sights when we do get a break from training.
Anyway, that’s all for now.

Speak to you soon.

David

Fitness and Fashion in Korea
The Galaxy have arrived in Korea and Becks has opened up to the press there about a number of topics.



David spoke out about his 100th cap at a press conference in Seoul, pointing out that he still has a distance to go before he's in top match fitness. Of course, with several more games to go between now and the next opportunity for him to join the England squad, his fitness can only improve. But at the moment, he's said:

"I would love to reach the hundred caps, but I have to be physically ready to be part of the team."

More here.

In the same press conference, David asserted that despite having his fingers in lots of professional pies, soccer comes first.

“I like to dress nice, look nice, and feel good. But the most important thing for me is soccer. Then, fashion comes after.”

As for being in Korea to face Seoul FC, David said:

“We're very excited to be here in Korea, and it's a country very proud and passionate about its soccer. It's going to be a very difficult game because they have talented players here.”

Read more here.


Wave of Generosity
David added his signature to a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that is being raffled for charity by the Milwaukee Wave. Other stars like Pelé have also signed the bike. The raffle will benefit the charity Wave of Kindness, which promotes soccer to underprivileged youths—a cause obviously close to his heart.

All season long, fans can buy raffle tickets to win the 2008 Sportster XL 883 that has been painted a special Milwaukee Wave blue and will be autographed by various celebrities throughout the winter. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5 and can be purchased online at www.milwaukeewave.com and at all Milwaukee Wave games.

The winning ticket will be drawn at the Major Indoor Soccer League championship game on April 26 at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Raffle proceeds will benefit Wave of Kindness, a nonprofit organization that brings soccer to inner-city youth through camp scholarships, game tickets, clinics and more. For more information on Wave of Kindness, visit www.milwaukeewave.com and click on the Wave of Kindness link.

More here.


Becks Is Healthier-for-You
Becks has partnered with GO3 to launch new health foods and supplements:

GO3, an associated company of Findus Ltd., a leading supplier of premium quality frozen meals and fish in the United Kingdom, announced today the launch of its GO3 line of healthier-for- you and family-friendly products in partnership with international soccer star David Beckham. Omega-3 fish oil supplements for adults and children, the first in a series of GO3 brand products to be introduced in the U.S. market, are now available for purchase online at http://www.go3.com/.

[...]Helping to introduce a line of family-friendly health supplement products to American consumers, David Beckham has teamed up with GO3 to help motivate kids and families lead more active and healthy lifestyles. As a firm believer and supporter of healthy living habits on and off the field, Mr. Beckham was attracted to the GO3 product line because of the company's commitment to offering a range of family-friendly, healthy lifestyle products.

[...]"Playing soccer since I was a young boy has taught me that good nutrition and a balanced diet is important to remaining healthy and fit," said David Beckham. "I'm teaming up with GO3 to let adults and children know there's an easy and simple way to include Omega-3 oils into their daily life."

More info here.


As usual, don't forget to check the gallery for new photos—more Hawaii photos are up, and Korea pics are soon to come.

-Dina

En Route to Asia Where a Surprise Awaits
The Galaxy left Hawaii today and headed to Korea. They will have between now and March 1^st to recover from the journey and train for their first Asian friendly.

Great news for the Beckham century bid, and for those of us who love to watch him play! The Galaxy have surprised us with another exhibition match in Asia--this time, Hong Kong on March 9^th.

This makes the Asian tour schedule:
March 1^st - FC Seoul @ Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, Korea
March 5^th - Shanghai-Hong Kong United @ Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai, China
March 9^th - Hong Kong Union @ Hong Kong Stadium in Hong Kong

More good news: all three matches will be covered by Fox Soccer Channel! The FC Seoul and Hong Kong Union matches will be broadcast live. The Shanghai-Hong Kong United match will be broadcast on delay. More info on the options for live and delay broadcasts coming soon, along with kick-off times.

The third match brings the total of pre-season games in which Beckham and the Galaxy can gain match fitness for their season (and for Beckham's 100^th cap bid) to six. After returning from Asia (they leave for America on March 10^th) the Galaxy will play a charity game as well.
For those concerned with pressing David too hard, and the trend of loading the Galaxy's schedule to the limit, the 3^rd match in 9 days--including a great deal of traveling--may cause worry. Is it a portend for yet another "Beckham road show" season, jamming friendlies in with an already steady MLS season? Only time will tell.


Saving Beckham from Himself
Speaking of such concerns, 90:00 has published an opinion piece discussing David's discretion about how much he plays. While there is no firm evidence that Becks calls the shots when it comes to whether or not he starts, subs, or plays the full 90, rumors have it that he has more than a little influence in such matters. (Which makes sense; it ultimately comes down to a manager/coach and a player in all decisions regarding play time...e.g. if a player feels unfit, his input on whether or not he can play is invaluable.) Some pundits are worried that Gullit will be another Yallop--failing to save Beckham from himself, as we know David's desire is to be on the pitch as much as possible, no matter what.

Considering the growing number of pre-season matches, and their importance in Beck's bid for his 100^th cap, perhaps it's not unreasonable to spare a ponder or two for how far is too far when it comes to this growing schedule.

From the article:
For a squad largely comprised of young players trying to earn a place on this season’s roster, Beckham played with more heart, hustle and determination than the majority of his teammates combined. The problem is, if Los Angeles can’t figure out how to protect Beckham from himself, they are going to watch him get hurt in a game that doesn’t matter, and be missing him when they need him the most, during the regular season.

Read the full piece here.


Pan-Pacific Cup Post Mortem
Now that the PP Cup is done, football writers are analyzing the success (or lack thereof) of the competition, and what it needs to do to survive.

"We've got a lot of work to do to figure out the future of Pan-Pacific," MLS Commissioner Don Garber told the Honolulu Advertiser. "We want to see it continue. For now we'll take a deep breath and think about what would happen if we had more time to plan."

The four-team event, won by Japan's Gamba Osaka, drew only 38,215 for two doubleheaders despite the presence of Galaxy star David Beckham. "It's perhaps the only time we've ever had a David Beckham game that was not sold out," Garber said. "That surprised us a bit."

The artificial surface at Aloha Stadium was another contentious issue.

"We are very disappointed with the field surface," Garber said. "Our players said it was perhaps the worst surface they had played on."

Read more here.


"True" Story?
Yet another "tell all" has everyone in a tizzy. This time it's an unauthorized documentary (using that term loosely, as it's based on third-party stories) apparently so filled with "embarrassing" and "damaging" dish that David and Victoria are "spitting blood". This article suggests most of the information in the documentary is about Posh, though it's sure to contain the usual dosage of unfair, unsubstantiated gossip...as is such whenever "sources" "betray" celebrities to spill all to cameras for a few bucks!

The True Hollywood Story: Posh And Becks show comes to us courtesy of the clearly classy E! Entertainment Network, who instead of focusing on the fascinating truth ("True Hollywood Story"--really?) behind this powerhouse couple's relationship, have once again sold their souls to the devils of sensationalism.

Whilst I haven't seen the programme myself, and therefore may or may not be unfairly basing this opinion on what I've read on various blogs and sites, it doesn't sound like the sort of thing any of us should let get under our skin. We've heard it all before!

E! has the show scheduled for Tuesday, Feb 26^th at 4pm (presumably 4pm EST). No doubt someone will get it up on YouTube before long, so if you're not in the U.S. and have a killer curiosity to see it, you'll know where to look.

E! listing:
The E! True Hollywood Story: Posh & Becks
We cut through the hype to discover what's behind this high-voltage coupling, where Becks and Posh came from, and a close-up look at this most recent British Invasion.

As for the fallout from the Beckhams:
"They are spitting blood. They feel they've been stitched-up betrayed, even. This couldn't have come at a worse time, with both of them trying to build new careers and reputations in Los Angeles. They have come under criticism from some observers in the States recently but public opinion is still good. Depending on the exact content of this documentary, that could change," The Daily Telegraph quoted a source close to the couple, a saying.

Source


As We Say Farewell to Hawaii...
Speaking of YouTube, and nothing to do with gossip and spite, here's a little clip of the Hawaii press conference with David and Ruud. Happy watching! :)




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

Wrapping up the Pan-Pacific Cup
Thanks to "perfectio” who commented with a YouTube link to highlights from last night's match. You can check it out here!

Telegraph has an article summing up David's contributions during last night's match here. Quotes:

"It's been a really good stay in Hawaii, it's just great that people enjoy watching me play, and watching the team play," Beckham said.

"That's always important, that the people, kids and everybody that comes to the game has fun and enjoys themselves."

Andrea Canales of ESPN penned an extensive piece about the Galaxy's improvements last night compared to their performance on Wednesday. The majority of it deals with the role David played in securing the win.

"We played our football and defended well," David Beckham pointed out after the match.

The Galaxy captain was the catalyst for both of L.A.'s goals, sending in a pinpoint cross for the first, while another pass triggered the sequence that led to the second Galaxy score.

Read the article here.

Here are some post-match quotes from Becks as included in this article:

"The right foot seems to be working," Beckham added.

"That is what I do, I get into positions and deliver balls that can help my team mates and the strikers.

"I like having assists and tonight I was lucky enough to get two so it was a good night."

And the sore chest issue has been cleared up: David was hit in the chest by a flying boot, but he soldiered on!

Some photos from Hawaii are in the gallery now.


Weekending with the PM
Sooner or later (dates not released for security reasons) David and Victoria will be joining their new friends UK PM Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah at their country estate Chequers. Entertainmentwise reports:

A pal of Beckhams tells The People, "They don't seem likely friends but the Browns have a lot of time for the Beckhams.

"Sarah does a lot of charity work and has previously called on Victoria to help. They get on well and Sarah knows Victoria and David can be relied on to send signed books or jeans or give time if possible.

"They are bound to have a great weekend together at Chequers."

Read the article here.

It's probably safe to assume such a trip will not be occurring in the immediate future, as the Galaxy will be heading off for their Asian tour. Watch this space for news about the upcoming games. Safe travels to the team!


Toss in Your $.02
Don't forget to hop over to the DBFO Forums and share your thoughts about the Pan-Pacific Cup, David's fashion sense, the latest gossip, or whatever else is on your mind!


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

Watch Tonight's Match on Telly or Online
News to come, for now here are links for watching tonight's match. Galaxy will face Sydney for the 3rd place trophy in the Pan-Pacific Cup.

Match time is 11pm EST. It will be broadcast on ESPN Classic on TV on delay: you will not be able to see it on ESPN Classic until 3:30am EST.

ESPN360, if available on your internet service provider, will carry it at 11pm EST. Again, you can only use ESPN360 if your internet service provider allows it.

Find out your options for watching the TV broadcast online via peer-to-peer connections here. Again, this requires software, and you can find more information on how to download and install each specific type of software (your best bet for this match appears to be PPMate or TVAnts at this time--these things always change to check the listing often!) here. If it becomes an option, this site will have links to embedded streams for the match (browse the page for the match because the stream links will change leading up to the game).

Be sure to check the times the match is listed on those various peer-to-peer links. Because ESPN is delaying the TV broadcast, it's possible the English streams will be affected. TV broadcasts on other networks, such as non-English speaking networks, should be on time.

UPDATE: ESPN360 is working for this match, so if your provider allows it, tune in. It's really lively--so much so that if this carries on as it has the first 20 some odd minutes, expect multiple cards...otherwise the ref has saintly patience! The good news, for those who can't yet see the match, is it's started considerably better than Wednesday's--Galaxy took a very early lead. If you're watching a replay or delayed broadcast, and the commentary is out of order like it is for me, listen in during the 17th minute where you get a rather unfiltered earful of Becks telling off both the ref and an Aussie player in no uncertain terms. ;)

UPDATE x2: Well, it's official: the Galaxy are the 3rd place winners in the first Pan-Pacific Cup. They beat Sydney 2-1. It was a hotly-contested match; as I figured the ref had to reach for his cards several times, thanks primarily to Sydney's growing frustrations as the game progressed.

Although there were a few occasions when the camera zoomed in to find Becks grabbing his chest in apparent discomfort (a la the bronchitis last year), fiddling with his foot, and rubbing his ankle after taking a hard strike, he seemed to come through the full 90 just fine. Without a commentary I couldn't confirm anything I was seeing, so at this stage you know as much as I do. In soccer everybody takes knocks sooner or later, niggling aches and pains, more often than not nothing a good night's sleep won't fix! He was critical to the Galaxy's success tonight and thankfully, the Galaxy rose to the challenge of accepting his service much better than they did on Wednesday.

Congratulations to the Galaxy! Now onward and upward to the Asian exhibition matches.

I know I promised news, but there really isn't much of anything to report for Saturday, so I thought I'd just give you guys a few thoughts on the match + the scoreline and save news for tomorrow!

Speaking of Pains...
David just finished training with Arsenal, and I'm sure during his time there he had exposure to Eduardo De Silva, one of their star strikers. Today Eduardo was catastrophically injured (leg broken in apparently three places: ankle, fibula, and shin) during a match. It was one of the most horrifying things I've ever witnessed in a match, and that seems to be the general concensus among all viewers. Though everyone is hoping otherwise, it could be a career-ending injury. I mention this in case you want keep him in your thoughts. I'm sure David's spared a thought or two for him, too. Even though most of us aren't Arsenal fans, it's never easy to see a player injured. We Becks fans know that all too well!

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

3^rd Place Match Set for 11pm EST
Tomorrow the Galaxy will play Sydney FC for the third place trophy in the final night of the Pan-Pacific cup competition. They are slotted into the 11pm EST timeslot. Stay tuned tomorrow for updates on how you can view the match online (ESPN360 will also carry this game, as they did the first one). Please note that it is always better to wait as long as you can to determine the p2p links; I usually have a rule of thumb of checking an hour before the match. It benefits you guys if I wait to post the links, so they have the best chance of being accurate. So keep coming back for updates! :)

Good luck to the Galaxy for achieving 3^rd place. However it ends, it will be interesting to see Galaxy & Sydney meet up again. Their friendly during Galaxy's Australasian tour was at times quite spirited!


LA Galaxy Fan Fest
Great news for Galaxy fans in the LA area: The Galaxy have announced their “Fan Fest” to celebrate the upcoming season. The celebrations will take place on March 22^nd at the Home Depot Center, and will include:

Galaxy team introduction
Open team practice from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
2008 team strategy presented by Coach Gullit
Entertainment and music
Interactive booths
Miss LA Galaxy autographs
Galaxy prize contests
Silent auction

...and more. The event runs from 11am – 2pm and is free to the public. A free chance to see Becks train, if he is in training that day. Bear in mind England's next match is the 26^th in France, yet the Galaxy season opener is the 29^th...we can't say for sure if Capello will call Becks, or if Gullit will make good on his promise to rest David, which greatly affects when and where David will appear during that time.

But if you're a Galaxy fan who wants to attend the Fan Fest try calling ahead to see if David is expected to train. You never know!


Pleasing Fans in the Tropical Sun
David stopped to sign some impromptu autographs in Hawaii before the first match, and here's a little snapshot from Kickette.com. Larger version plus more (and some shots from the game on Wednesday and prior training) coming to the gallery soon.


When You Don't Start off the Game Well...
David made a statement the press that fairly well recaps the entire Galaxy/Osaka match:

"Obviously it’s always disappointing when you lose the game, when you don’t start off the game well and properly, then that happens. They capitalized on that first breakthrough, but we got back towards the end of the first half and we had a few chances. The second half was a lot better, we started playing football, we started playing with confidence and we created chances. But you don’t get anything unless you put them away. We had to adapt a lot to the pitch, we didn’t train on the pitch at all. It took us a little bit of time to adjust."

Highlights from the game (insofar as there's anything to highlight in a game where Becks himself admits his side started out "terrible") can be seen in this new video clip, which compiles various moments of the Galaxy/Osaka match.


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

Farewell to First Place... As you know by now, the Galaxy lost their battle against Gamba Osaka last night (1-0). There were plenty of chances for recovery, mostly courtesy of a very hardworking Becks, but the boys in white simply couldn't convert David's stellar service to goals. Gullit's got his work cut out for him, but don't count the Galaxy out yet! They could surprise us all with a wonderful season...there are a lot of rookies on the side now, and I think the chemistry hasn't gelled. Here's what ESPN had to say.



The Galaxy will get a chance at the third place trophy on the 23rd. I will post more information about how to watch the match closer to the time.


The Fresh Faces of LA
Speaking of rookies, Andrea Canales has taken a look at the fresh faces on the Galaxy side in this article. Mostly college kids, they've never had pro soccer experiences, and having those experiences with David Beckham must be a daunting idea! Ely Allen, who put in an initially shaky performance but ended up one of the stronger players on the side last night, was interviewed thusly:

"Balls coming in from Beckham are a lot different from a college team," rookie Ely Allen said. "You have to get used to how to hit the ball. You have to get used to the positioning and the timing."

Josh Tudela, who's not quite a rookie but certainly still a young and formative player, had this to say:

"Beckham brings out the best in everybody," Tudela said. "He's an amazing player. You know if you're in trouble, you can always get him the ball and he'll make something happen."


The Gullit Effect
And while we're on the topic of Beckham and the Gullit effect, soccer365.com has a brief piece about David's confidence that Gullit has what it takes to improve the Galaxy.

Becks said:
"Many things have already changed, definitely for the good, and we want to build momentum and start winning things."


Mixed Blessings...
The defeat to Osaka is proving to be a blessing in disguise. Check out this article. People are looking at how hard David played in a frustrating match, realising he played the full 90, and that he played it all on artificial turf...and suddenly Beckham's stamina is no longer in question! In fact, he's being given something of a hero's treatment for going the distance, even when it was clear Galaxy would not recover/win. Pundits are even interpreting glances and body language to suggest David's knee was bothering him towards the end, and yet he soldiered on. Could this turn Capello's head? Unlikely with one match, but by the end of this 5 game flurry, Capello's attention will no doubt be tuned in.


The Other Galaxy Seeks Beckham
A new A-League team, Gold Coast Galaxy, will soon debut on the Aussie soccer scene. Talks are underway to christen the team at a match against Beckham and the LA Galaxy in Australia, at the team's home of Skilled Park. They're aiming for June or July--but don't look for tix just yet. This is all in negotiations. Find out more about this new Galaxy here.


Experience the Action!
Feel like you were right there in the thick of the action with this brief video clip taken by a fan during Wednesday's PP Cup match. Watch as Becks rushes towards you, with a vantage point right on the sideline!


8 more seconds of similar close-up action here.

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

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

Gullit Regime in Full Effect
Andrea Canales has a great new article on ESPN.com all about Gullit's new regime for the Galaxy, quoting several players about the changes made and the impact they're having. Read the piece here.

"The game has changed so much in the last 10, 15 years," Beckham said. "It's all about eating right, and drinking right and looking after yourself these days. If you don't, you don't perform at a high level."

Major personnel shake-ups, diet changes, and an overall far more watchful eye are just some of the things to which the Galaxy are having to adjust.

"We have to improve in all areas, because at the end of the day, we can't have things like last season," Beckham said. "All the way through the team we have to improve, from the back to the front. That's what we have to do. It's not just certain players. It's a team."

In a couple days we'll get a taste of what the last few weeks under Ruud Gullit's management have brought to the team. Stay tuned for more info re: broadcasts and online viewing options!


Showing His Fatherly Dedication
I'm a little confused about the timing of this article, as it states yesterday (i.e. the 17th) David and Victoria took the boys out to see The Little Mermaid on Broadway (and the description of the weather we've been having here lately certainly corresponds!). On the other hand, the Pan-Pacific cup starts 2 days from now. Maybe a quick trip in the opposite direction from Hawaii to spend some quality family time before he gets down to work? Or, an outdated bit of news, if he's already hit the islands... All I can say is it takes a dedicated father to brave NYC in winter when he could be on the beaches of Hawaii.

See the article here.

Thanks to the gallery faeries for getting pictures up, too.


Whatever Floats Their Boat
Apparently one of David's Valentine's Day gifts to Victoria (black rose tattoo aside) was a naked portrait of Marilyn Monroe. To quote Forrest Gump, “that's all I have to say about that”. Primarily because what more can be said?


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

What a very, very quiet news day in the world of Beckham. So quiet that I'm actually going to report that if any of you have several million dollars to spare, you can soon buy the company that produces the Superdry clothing David fancies. Yep, that's right. News that's relevant only to millionaires. I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here.


Toons Top Shakes Keegan Awake
Well, it's somewhere slightly above the bottom of the barrel in the relevancy department, but considerably more amusing. So much for letting a boy dream: Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has told Kevin Keegan to stop entertaining even the most remote of notions that Newcastle can buy Becks and Ronaldinho. Apparently Ashley's only interested in what's within the realm of possibility.

And thus endeth an era in Beckham-related entertainment. R.I.P. Keegan's wild notions. You'll be missed.


Only 99,985 to Go
While it's pretty well recognized the #1 rule of online petitions is that online petitions don't work (sadly!), fans supporting Beckham's 100^th cap are keeping hope alive by signing a petition at 100caps.org. They only have 15 signatures thus far and they need 100,000 before they can send it to the FA.

While not explicitly stated, I'm guessing the hope is that Capello et al. will pay attention to the desires of the fans. And there's a point there. Playing to an empty stadium wouldn't be much fun, so there should be some stock placed in what people want to see, even if only a little...

The 100caps.org team has put together a promotional video that's basically revisiting that awesome goal vs. Greece. It's an unforgettable moment and wonderful evidence why having David on the pitch is so handy, even down to the last few desperate seconds. I'm sure you've seen it before, but who can ever tire of it? Check out the video and if so inclined, go to the petition and add your signature. I did!

With luck, tomorrow I'll have more stimulating things to report. Thanks for not falling asleep mid-post. And if you did, you're forgiven.

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

A fair warning that the sources for this news are dubious. Although it's been posted many places, it's still from and "unidentified" friend so I wouldn't consider it 100% reliable news. Treat it as rumors at this point. I hate to make the title & post for today on a rumor but there is no real newsworthy items today. With the L.A. Galaxy starting on the 5-day tour on Monday, the week should be more interesting :)

Ok so for our rumor. Apparently the matching tattoos reading "VIII.V.MMVI" (8 March 2006) represents the date of their renewals of vows that they had in a private ceremony two years ago! If it's true, they did a good job of keeping it private! :). Here is a full article on the most reliable of the sources I could find on this topic.

They say "matching tattoos" but I could only find Victoria's:



I searched and searched but couldn't find this exact tattoo on David (someone if you can correct me and show me a pic of these roman numericals on him, VIII.V.MMVI, let me know). Here is the closest thing I could find but it's not the same numbers:
See update below



UPDATE: Check the comments section for 2 pictures of the tattoo on David, thanks to the fans who are much better at searching for pictures than I am :). Also we have one fan saying the tattoos were there before the 2006 world cup and there were different rumors at the time.

Labels: david beckham, renewal of vows, tattoos

The L.A. Galaxy are heading off to Hawaii on Monday as part of a 3-week / 5-game exhibition tour that will see them going to Honululu, Seoul and Shanghai.

With the talks about Capello considering Beckham to be part of his team in the near future, we can be sure that David will be taking full advantage of the game time he can get and that Capello will be watching.

Here are some quotes reported by L.A. Times:

"It's always tough when you're in preseason and you're running every morning and every afternoon and there are no games," he said. "We're looking forward to going to Hawaii. It's my first time there."

"It's always been great when I've visited different parts of Asia with Real Madrid and Manchester United and also England. Every time I've been there the fans have been exceptional, so I'm looking forward to that as well."

"There are quite a few things that have changed," Beckham said. "We're training mornings and afternoons, which a lot of the players have not done before. [Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit] is working us hard, but we need it. That's a good thing."

On his goal for the season:

"To stay fit, to play every game possible, and to win the championship," he said. "It's important because last season was very disappointing. It's up to us to put it right, and we can do it because we've got the players.

"You're always disappointed when you don't win things. It was also extra-frustrating for me because I didn't play every game, I kept on getting injuries one after the other. Physically, I'm a lot better and stronger this season, so hopefully it stays like that."

You can read the whole L.A. Times story here.

Beckham wary of global Premier League

Telegraph reports that Beckham thinks the Premier League need to consult the players and the fans in relation to their plan to stage an 'international' round of matches.

He was quoted on the issue:

"Of course the Premier League is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, league in the world.

"But they really have to be careful with this because there are so many games, so much football, in the Premier League already.

"It has to be looked at long and hard.

"Many people have to be asked for their opinions, like the players and the fans.

"Ask the fans, ask the players and go from there."

Update: For those who oppose, there is a petition you can "sign" here.



Images
The gallery section has been busy over the past couple days. You can find most new pictures in the "new pictures section" but it was decided to keep all L.A. Galaxy images in that specific folder, so go in there to get the latest L.A. Galaxy Beckham photos :)
Also, I added a couple images that are from early 2007 but that you might not have seen before, here is a link to them:
image 1 and image 2
Thanks to Cristiane and Laurance for keeping this section clean and up to date :)

Don't forget to discuss today's news in the forums!

Labels: d beck, david beckham, david beckham images, david beckham photos

Fans Rally 'Round Becks
D-Beck was named Yahoo's Eurosport readers' choice for right midfield in the England squad. Now, Capello's never been one to care much what the general public thinks, so let's not fool ourselves into thinking this means anything whatsoever. But isn't it nice to know, all the same?

David Beckham has emerged as eurosport.yahoo.com readers' preferred choice for the right midfield berth in the England team after winning nearly 40% of the 19,000 votes in our poll.

The LA Galaxy midfielder - now apparently known as 'D-Beck' thanks to showbiz pal Snoop Dogg - won the vote by a clear margin from Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Bentley and Aaron Lennon.

More here.


David Signs in Sanz Support
David, among other celebrities, has come out in support of Latin musician Alejandro Sanz, who's in hot water over criticism of Venezualan president Hugo Chavez. His upcoming concert in Venezuela was canceled (for the second time) in what his camp feels is a blatant act of censorship. Becks and other celebrities with clout have signed a letter of protest in his support. More here.


It's Valentine's Day, so let's go a little mushy and romantic with random news & a little gossip. Much as I prefer the meaty news, I pretty well covered that earlier. Here are some harmless tidbits from the world of stuff-outside-his-professional-life.


Would You Break the Office Romance Rule for Becks?
The web site Online Recruitment has compiled a list of 10 top celebrities that men and women would like to share an office affair. Women chose David Beckham as their #1 office romance partner. (Perhaps not surprisingly, as this appears to be a UK poll, another midfielding, fashion-oriented footballer hit the top 10 too: former Arsenal & current West Ham #7 Freddie Ljungberg, whose name was misspelled but nevertheless there.) Get the full lists here.


A Sweet Treat for Becks
Now, this may qualify as Posh news and dear oh dear, we'd best not touch any of that Posh stuff! ;) But Becks is the other half of the story. For what it's worth, we now know the Valentine's Day card Victoria picked out for Becks. It's a bit sad that she can't even shop for a lovey dovey card for her hubs without the news breaking it wide open before he can open the envelope. But as the day has come and gone, I feel safe that the card is in his hands, and have fewer qualms about reporting Posh picked up a card that reads "I can't bear to be without you"--with the word "bear" actually a small bag of gummy bears! You can see a pic and more info here.

This was during a trip to Dylan's Candy Bar, wherein she cemented her status as a personal hero of mine for revealing there's such thing as sugar-free gumballs. Beckham news and the anticipation of guilt-free rotund gum. Can life be any more complete?


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

Oops, I did it again
Actually, I did have a legit reason for being late in posting this. I had a horrendous migraine all yesterday evening and night, and I tried to sit down to write and it just wasn't happening! I went to bed and writhed around in agony and distracted myself with thoughts about what I'd write in the morning. ;)

So lucky you, you'll get two posts today! I appreciate all your compliments and you putting up with my verbosity!

#1, Tuesday & Wednesday goings on...


Lalas to the Rescue
Take a deep breath and dive into this one, as I recap a lengthy bit o'television: On Tuesday night Alexi Lalas made an impromptu call in to Fox Football Fone In on FSC. The hosts of that show are not anti-Beckham (they think Becks is a football legend), but they are very upset by what has happened in America since he arrived, and they'd like to ask David questions about everything that's transpired this year, in general. Sometimes in the world of footy you get stick and you give stick, and David is no stranger to that.

They were doing a poll question (polling fans who call in) about whether or not David's reputation has been tarnished irreparably in America. Believe it or not, most people said yes. But there were some who called up and said no, and those people pointed out that negative events, such as the recent “spurning” of TJ Simmers (no friend to soccer!) and his barely-worth-reading LA Times article on Monday, have a lot to do with forces outside David's control. (Simmers accused Becks of being too into the celebrity aspect of the USA to be into the soccer aspect of the USA.)

To my surprise, Alexi Lalas was the second person to call into the show (he watches/listens as well) and gave a lengthy Q&A with both the hosts and the fans, answering questions to the best of his ability about why David behaves the way he does. For example, why he does interviews with Barbara Walters instead of sports writers. Alexi admitted that if David is presented with the choice of an interview on 60 Minutes or an interview on Fox Football Fone In, he personally will always advise David to choose 60 Minutes, because it's bigger exposure. So draw your own conclusions: is it David's fault that he is interviewed less by sports programs and more by celebrity programs?

Alexi admitted some culpability. He also defended David ferociously. He was in full Alexi-the-Charmer mode. He was intelligent, witty, well-informed, and very polite to the fans who called in to heap anti-Beckham abuse on him. I personally have a lot of issues with Lalas, but I was impressed by him on Tuesday. So good on you, Alexi, for taking the time to answer the fans' questions about what David's done since arriving in America.

Furthermore, when the Fox Football Fone In blokes asked him why David hasn't yet accepted their invitation to call in and talk to them, there was a rather amusing lengthy pause after which Alexi dropped his suave act and said, “....I dunno.” It gave everyone a bit of a laugh, but served as a reminder that Alexi has his lips to David's ears a great deal, yet everyone still has to contend with David's handlers and the will of MLS. David doesn't seem to be able to do anything without consulting about twenty-five people these days, so it's a wonder he gets anything done.

Alexi did make a firm promise that he would do his best to get David to call in sometime soon. I won't know in advance when this happens, so if it does, I will post immediately on the blog so that those of you who check in often can tune in at that time. The FFF guys have promised they won't trap him into a nasty interview—just ask the basic questions, and then go all goo-goo about actually talking to THE David Beckham! Don't trust Lalas, but feel free to admire him for what he did on FFF on Tuesday. He took it on the chin time and again from fan phone calls, and behaved a total gentleman on Becks's behalf. Stay tuned for more news...

And stay away from that TJ Simmers piece, unless you're into negativity. He's raking muck because he's a bit bitter, a bit anti-soccer, and he can't even get through one page without plagiarizing criticism from all the other anti-Becks pundits. He raises a few fair points, like why Beckham's handlers said he'd be “too tired” to do an interview when Becks was at a pre-Grammy party until 1.30am, but Becks is allowed to have a social life. That issue is none of TJ's business. David's handlers (including Galaxy) obviously called the shot on this one. We all know that if David had the chance to do every interview under the sun he would, to raise the profile of MLS and his credibility within in. He's eager to prove his point to everyone.


Becks Blogs Again
David posted another blog on Wednesday. Here it is:

Hi,

I’ve been very busy this week training with the Galaxy for our new season. Although it is several weeks away, we have been working extremely hard twice a day with Ruud and the coaching staff to ensure we are fit when we play our first game against Colorado Rapids at the end of March. For me, this is going to be my first full season with the Galaxy and I am really looking forward to it. We have improved our squad of players this winter so we will also be looking to improve on last season. Next Monday we leave for Hawaii and the Pan Pacific tournament which everybody is looking forward to. The opening game is against Japanese side, Gamba Osaka, so will definitely be looking to try and build up our match fitness from thereon.

Best wishes,

David


Galaxy to Sail Whitecaps Sea on May 13th
Thanks to Franco and a Galaxy press release for alerting me to the fact that the Whitecaps game I reported on the other day is now set in stone. The Galaxy will travel to Edmonton for an exhibition match against the Whitecaps on May 13^th at 7pm. It's too early for me to know if it will be available on telly or online, but we'll keep you posted.


Long Live D Beck
Thanks to Franco for the head's up. Becks now has another nickname, courtesy of his wife and Snoop Dogg.

Days after quitting the Spice Girls, Victoria Beckham seems to have found a new way to relax and rechristened her husband David Beckham's name to D Beck. The new name was given by rapper Snoop Dogg as he thought the name David sounded really dull. His other nickname Becks did not sound too interesting either, so Dogg came out with D Beck. Victoria seemed to be very impressed with the name and started calling him by this name too.

...well, I think he's pretty well covered in the name department. David, Beckham, Becks, Goldenballs, that-bloke-who-can-bend-it-and-no-that-isn't-a-naughty-term...he's accumulating tattoos, so he might as well accumulate nicknames while he's at it!

Read more here.


Daddy Duties: To the Doctors We Go
Gossip Girl has the nickname story, but also a photograph of him taking Romeo and Brooklyn to a medical centre yesterday—we can hope only for a check-up, for any of them! More pics of same coming to the gallery soon.


The Galaxy Remain Hard at Work
More Becks training pictures have emerged, dated 13^th February. So I'm guessing they're new...I've queued them up for the Powers That Be at our Almighty Gallery! Here's a preview.

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

A Boy Can Dream
Could Kevin Keegan's quasi-support of Beckham's century and backhanded compliments have been an act of courtship? Rumours have it he's still trying to lure Becks back into the EPL (source )...and more specifically, Newcastle. I personally nearly hyperventilated with laughter at the initial suggestion (YMMV, of course); now I figure if Kevin wants to cling to a dream, we might as well let him.

But if we reexamine the case, let's put aside Newcastle's record and focus on the bottom line: Lalas will not give Beckham up without a fight, and Newcastle's not the sort of club to wage that war. And David has as much as said Man Utd is the only EPL club he's ever wanted to play for, so to end up anywhere else would be a strange decision. He's committed to what he's doing in America—5 year contract aside—and seems to have a real sense of purpose here. He'd serve no real purpose, except perhaps Keegan's, by crossing the pond to the Tooner side. Still, for anyone hopeful he'll return to the EPL, Keegan's rumoured tenacity may be some glimmer of optimism.


Becks Boosts Undies by 150%
Good news on the commercial appeal front! Perez Hilton has reported a 150% sales increase on Armani underwear in London shops in response to Beckham's sizzling ad. What's more, customers are apparently making pilgrimages to the stores for a better view of the advert photo. c/o The Daily Telegraph, who got it from Perez Hilton, who got it from The Telegraph. How's that for a demonstration of his undies' viral pull?


Beckham Boys on Two Wheels
David hit the LA streets with Brooklyn and Romeo (Cruz is in NYC with Victoria) for a bit of father/sons bonding on bicycles. Here's where I get to make those of you who've been begging me to trade my words for photographs happy.

Check the gallery for more photos (as should be your rule; my posts are news-driven, occasional photos and videos as I can find them—however, there's always activity going on in the gallery, which is now very neatly organised!). I didn't locate them, but the one above is from this brief article in The Sun.


"Never Forget"
Speaking of the gallery, there is also a beautiful photograph of a bouquet sent by the Beckhams to Manchester for the Munich Air Disaster tribute, replete with lovely sentiment. Videos of the ceremony yesterday are hitting YouTube, so for those interested in the current United goings-on (even in absence of David) have plenty of emotional viewing ahead of you!


ESPN Wins the Ball
Great news: According to a Galaxy press release, the Pan-Pacific cup will be broadcast on ESPN! Unfortunately for those with only basic cable, or providers that don't carry it, the TV broadcast will only be on ESPN Classic. On the web, ESPN360 will offer it. Sadly that too is limited by Internet provider. You can visit ESPN360 now and check if your ISP allows you to view ESPN360. With luck it will also be picked up on p2p and as the dates get closer I'll post any info I can find about options for watching the tournament online. Keep your eye out for any other TV stations that may pick it up—but with competition as large as ESPN, that may be unlikely (at least in North America). We'll keep you updated!

The tentative schedule is LA Galaxy vs. Gamba Osaka on the 20^th at 6pm local time (11pm EST) with Sydney FC vs. Houston Dynamo at 8.30pm local (1.30am EST) . On the 23^rd it's unknown what teams will play when (it will depend on the 20^th's results), but the two match slots are 6pm local (11pm EST) with a broadcast delay on ESPN Classic until 3.30am, and 8.30pm local (1.30am EST).

You can keep up with the PPC news at the tournament's homepage, too.


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

Galaxy and Sydney May Meet Again
A-League team Sydney FC, whom the Galaxy played late in 2007 during their Australasian tour, have been confirmed as the fourth team to participate in upcoming the Pan-Pacific Cup tournament in Hawaii. (Source ) The Galaxy's appearance in Sydney drew tremendous crowds and fan support--and Becks, never one to disappoint, thrilled the crowd with one of his famous free kicks.

Galaxy will play Gamba Osaka on the 20^th. The winner of that match will go on to play the winner of the other pairing (Houston vs. Sydney) on the 23^rd, with the losers of the first round competing for second place on that same day. While it is not guaranteed the Galaxy will play Sydney, no doubt many Aussies will be glued to their TVs for a chance to see their national representatives take on Beckham once more.


Generosity Prevails for Pan-Pacific Cup
Given the amount of good David does in the world, it's fitting that the organizers of the Pan-Pacific Cup tournament—widely criticized as little more than another marketing ploy to capitalize on Beckham's popularity—are giving a little back to the community at large. The Honolulu Advertiser reports that discount tickets will be available to military personnel and youth soccer participants. The latter will be permitted to sell tickets as part of their youth program fundraising initiatives. While this isn't Beckham-related news directly, it's no doubt a development of which he'd approve.


Beckham Backs "Help for Heroes"
Speaking of the military and Beckham's approval, The UK's "Help for Heroes" charity has listed David among its supporters. "Help for Heroes" encourages businesses to give price breaks—or eliminate costs altogether—of goods or services to injured veterans. "Help for Heroes" is offering wristbands, not unlike Lance Armstrong's "Livestrong" bands, to those who donate or who print an online coupon and pay a small fee. More info about "Help for Heroes" in this article and the "Help for Heroes" homepage.


An Even Dozen
David has decided to celebrate Valentine's Day early—and surreptitiously—by getting his 12^th tattoo, a black rose honouring Victoria. The two have been apart while David trains with the Galaxy and Victoria launches her line of jeans and attends NY Fashion Week. Following the naked tribute tattoo he unveiled in Brazil, this is the latest in a lengthening line of permanent tokens of his affection for his wife. According to this article the act tattoo was obtained without Victoria's knowledge...but the cat is probably out of the bag if it's being reported as far away as India...hope it doesn't ruin his Valentine's Day plans!

A "source" said:
"The rose is another tribute to Victoria. She'll be shocked but pleased when she finds out."

In a separate article, Posh lamented it's the first Valentine's Day they'll ever spend apart and that the holiday will be sad. She will still be in NY launching dVb jeans in upscale department stores when the holiday rolls 'round. Perhaps this was David's way of helping her remember absence makes the heart grow fonder...and the skin grow roses!

I was unable to locate photos of the new tat, but I'm sure they'll be appearing in the gallery soon. :)


The Role of Physio Will Be Played by David Beckham
As a fan anonymously pointed out in comments, People magazine has picked up a bit of goss involving David's recent appearance at Jermaine Dupri's pre-Grammy soiree. What makes this better than your run-of-the-mill barely-worth-noticing "observer" report is David's reaction. When approached by an enthusiastic fan at said party, David gave her a quick peck on the cheek. The fan promptly fainted, which didn't faze him at all. He must be rather accustomed to women collapsing at his feet. According to People he calmly said:

"Get her some water. She'll be ok."

I've pretty well recapped the entire piece in the preceding paragraph, but to read it from the horse's mouth click here.


Galaxy and Whitecaps May Share Home with Eskimos
While no details are confirmed, the Whitecaps and Galaxy are in negotiations for another exhibition match. The two teams met last in early November. They are apparently eying April or May to reunite, this time in Edmonton (borrowing the home of the Edmonton Eskimos). The venue is an outdoors stadium with capacity of nearly 60,000. Anything would be an improvement on the last one in Vancouver, which you may recall had turf so badly installed it looked like a beginner's patchwork quilt. And, it seemed, was about as effective a playing surface. More on the once-and-future friendly here.


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

Today we learn that coach Capello plans to include Beckham in his team! He was quoted by the PA:

"Surely he will have played friendly matches and those will be important. If he is fit and ready to play then he will be part of my team."

On the same token Capello seems frustrated with the attention given to Beckham (maybe he prefers the attention be on him? Like has been the case by not including Becks :) ).

"It seems that the most important thing is whether I choose David Beckham. I think we should focus on England." Added the coach.

Snoop Dogg previews Ego Trippin' for David Beckham and friends

(Source) Becks along with some other friends of Snoop Dogg were invited to attend a preview of his up coming album "Ego Trippin". From the MTV article:
"Could Snoop Dogg's smile get any wider? Definitely not. The legendary rapper just got the stamp of approval from one of the world's greatest and best-known athletes: David Beckham."

(...)

"After a round of photos Beckham and company left"
"I'll see y'all later, Church!" Beckam said to Snoop."

Check the source for the full article.

L.A. Galaxy announces 2008 schedule

As Dina mentioned in her last post, the MLS schedule is out and L.A. Galaxy posted theirs on their official site last Thursday.

(source)The schedule includes 30 games, 15 at home and 15 on the road, in 2008.

Of the Galaxy's 30 games in 2008, 20 will be able to be seen on the league's national broadcast partners, ABC/ESPN, Fox Soccer Channel, HDNet and TeleFu