Apparently, some guy from England has joined Major League Soccer. Buckhand or Brickman or something like that. Beckham, you say? David Beckham? Hadn’t heard much about him.
All kidding aside, “Becks” could see his first Major League Soccer action tonight in Washington, D.C., against my D.C. United. I’ll be taking this one in from my basement in all the glory of high-definition because I just couldn’t bear the thought of trying to get in and out of RFK Stadium with an extra 20-some thousand fans on a weeknight.
That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize how special tonight is. In fact, I feel better about missing the match in person (I have a half-season ticket package) knowing that more than enough people will be there to create noise.
Will all of them create noise for United? Of course not, some are there solely for the curiosity factor of Beckham. That’s OK with me. Maybe they will love the subtlety of the game, maybe someone from DC will make an amazing play to captivate their imagination, maybe the non-stop cheering of the Screaming Eagles (I am a member), Barra Brava and La Norte will make them realize that soccer is only boring to those who choose not to open their minds.
Soccer has already arrived in this country. David Beckham is not here to save the sport. He’s just here to make more people realize what they might be missing. Hopefully, you’ll take advantage of that opportunity tonight and in the weeks to come.