David Beckham Goes To Hollywood

David Beckham, the great English soccer star, recently signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer team. This, we are told, will generate enough interest in soccer to make America a real soccer nation.

I greet this news with more than a modicum of skepticism. Remember Pele playing for the New York Cosmos? Remember the New York Cosmos? The young phenom Freddy Adu was supposed to generate interest in the sport when he joined MLS's D.C. United team in Washington, but he turned out to be much Adu about nothing.

Then again, maybe Beckham might help after all. Though somewhat past his prime, he still has a few good years left in him (more so than Pele when he came to play in America), and he's such a recgonizable sports star, even Americans who wouldn't know the World Cup from the FA Cup - and even non-sports-minded Americans who wouldn't know the World Cup from the Stanley Cup - know who he is. Plus, his wife Victoria, formerly of the Spice Girls singing group, is so glamorous and vain, she'll fit into Hollywood perfectly! :-D

It should be noted that soccer is much more popular in America than it was thirty years ago. True, that's not saying much, but every little bit helps. And Beckham's debut game in America should be a draw for the Los Angeles Galaxy's season ticket sales.

Besides, with no NFL team to speak of, Los Angeles area residents don't have much else to see.