There have been warmer welcomes back for star players before, but when David Beckham gets set to make his mid-season debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 16th against the New York Red Bulls, he may have to patch up some things with some opponents in his own locker room first.   U.S. star player and LA Galaxy team leader Landon Donovan colorfully expresses his frustrations with Becks in the new anti-Beckham book authored by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl, The Beckham Experiment .   The contraversal book is set to release July 14th (just two days before Beckham’s return).

Donovan’s main area of criticism of Becks seems to be on the obvious issue of the British star’s lack of interest or commitment to LA Galaxy soccer.   Donovan states in the book, “Maybe he’s not a leader, maybe he’s not a captain.  Fair enough. But at a minimum, you should bust your a** every day. That hasn’t happened. And I don’t think that’s too much for us to expect. Especially when he’s brought all this on us.”

Donovan continues his scathing attack on the star player’s character and it appears he feels that Beckham’s transfer to AC Milan earlier this year is a sign of his lack of dedication to American soccer.   Donovan states, “My sense is that David’s clearly frustrated, that he’s unhappy and, honestly, that he thinks it’s a joke.  I also kind of feel (he has taken the team) for granted. I don’t see dedication or commitment to this team, and that’s troubling.”

It seems that the Donovan-Beckham feud has hit a whole new melodramatic level and, who knows, the front office may soon be forced into some unexpected squad adjustments in the near future.  Donovan certainly does not believe their will be longevity.  The U.S. player thoughts on the duo’s future together with the Galaxy,  “Let’s say he does stay here for three more years.  I’m not going to spend the next three years of my life doing it this way. This is f****** miserable.  I don’t want to have soccer be this way.”

So in other words….

Welcome Back David Beckham!

The pro Michael Owen crowd will say that Man United got him for a song on basically a pay and play deal. That he is a proven goalscorer and that playing in a team like Man United that he will regain his goalscoring touch.

Maybe he will prove us all wrong and return to his former level. But I seriously doubt that Owen will have a measureable impact on United’s upcoming season.

It is a summer where the center of European soccer has switched from the Premier League to La Liga. Benzema, Ribery, Villa, Kaka and Ronaldo have all spurned offers from Premier League teams to play in Spain, or to stay in Spain.

United’s European rivals have gotten stronger while United have taken a big step backwards. The only consolation for United fans is that none of their domestic rivals have done a lot to upgrade themselves so far this summer.

By now we have all heard of the disappointing finish for the U.S. in the Confederations Cup against powerhouse Brazil.  We all know that the U.S. squandered a 2-0 first half lead and conceded three straight goals in the second half to lose the match 2-3.  We all also know that it was the first FIFA final the U.S. has ever played in and winning would have meant the squad would have been the first ever to hoist up a FIFA Cup trophy in the name of America.

But as we all know, we lost.

The U.S. should not hang their heads too low.  Going into the Confederations Cup the worldwide expectations for the U.S. were not so highly regarded.  Just weeks ago, the squad looked bad in a World Cup Qualifier against Costa Rica and then struggled in the first half against Honduras.  So playing in a table against Brazil and Italy seemed like, at the time,  putting the Yankees and Red Sox up against the Little League World Champions.

The U.S. disproved this notion and showed the world that they can compete with any club in South Africa last week.  After a frustrating start to the tournament, the U.S. was able to put it all together with big wins against Egypt and number-one ranked Spain.  And in the first half of the finals their offensive attack was as relentless as the blaring horns that rang through the background of the South African stadium. 

So maybe the U.S. failed in the sense that they came out flat in the second half and blew a nice lead, but the experience of playing and losing a hard-fought final against a dominant team in a high pressure environment  should only result in positive steps forward for the U.S. squad.  

Winning the Confederations Cup would have been great, but at least the U.S. squad will remain hungry on their next trip to South Africa.

The Core: Who was at their best at the 2009 Confederation Cup and seems assured of a starting role come 2010?

Well, LD earned his #10 jersey by validating his skill against some of the world’s most feared defenders. Tim Howard’s box scores didn’t look appealing, but those who saw the games knew for every one he allowed, he stopped four rockets off the feet/heads of some of the globe’s greatest playmakers.

The indefatiguable Michael Bradley played very well, always coming with ferocity (hence the unfortunate red). Clint Dempsey? Sure. MC Deuce did win the Bronze Ball, after all. But, I think it was Jozy who really has the bronze balls. Talking trash to Puyol, scoring against Spain (where he is underutilized by his club), and now immediately demanding a trade?

Now that sounds like American sports.   

The Bubble: Which guys are just hanging on to starting jobs, and who is challenging for a place on the pitch? In the back, it’s just about everybody. To clarify, I think you could include Bocanegra (if fit and healthy, of course) into the Core category since he is our stoic Captain, but I believe he too could be vulnerable. He, Onyewu, and Dolo (pre-injury) looked assured of 2010 spots, and they will probably all still get them, but rising stars like Bornstein and Spector (and what ever happened to Simek?) could steal their spot in the starting XI permanently.

In the middle, Beasley, Clark and Kljestan didn’t impress, but Benny Feilhaber’s hopes for a World Cup call up rose from the dead. He wasn’t decent. He was freaking great. I haven’t seem him play like that for a long time, but then again he has played so little in the last few years I haven’t seem him play, period. I think he and F Charlie Davies’ stocks may have rose more than anyone’s. BF paired nicely with Bradley (better than Special K or Clark), as did Davies with Donovan and Altidore. Both were also vigilant on defense and displayed dangerous attacking skills.

Outer Space: Who’s outside looking in? Well, way too many people for me to list here. But, some still have a shot (albeit a long one) to challenge for a spot in the starting XI in 2010 if they perform well in the Gold Cup and the remaining qualifiers? Who are these gents who need to go all-in and prove themselves to Bradley ASAP. Well, without further ado… Freddy Adu, of course. I love his creative dribbling and nose for the net, but Skeletor hates his defensive skills (or lack therof). He’ll have a chance to prove himself, as will a slew of MLS forwards, especially Brian Ching.

In the middle, I think Pablo’s call ups are evaporating and Mo Edu’s injury has allowed others to shine on big stages. Guzan looked great against Egypt, but I doubt he can depose Howard, who along with LD are our greatest assets. In the back, it’s a free for all with DeMerit, Spector, even some MLS guys like Marshall, Wynne, and fan-favorite Jimmy Conrad.

Defense isn’t the only area of the pitch where auditions are open for starting spots though, as any player could still seize relevancy and Bradley’s favor with some consistently amazing play. So when these 2010 hopefuls are auditioning and they have Bob Bradley on the couch watching their every move, they need to impress him with their desire.

That last sentence just doesn’t sound right for some reason.

What a long, strange trip the US MNT just had to South Africa. The Yanks advanced via a 6 goal swing in the last 90 minutes of the group stage. Then, they shocked the world by knocking out #1 Spain. Finally, they came out swinging against history’s most decorated team, but fell apart during a messy second half that most fans would like to forget.

I don’t have to forget it because I never saw the second half of the Final. I got on a plane when it was 2-0, and spent the flight sequestered from any updates. I was happy though. It was half-time and we were winning a freaking FIFA International tourney. Of course, I was happy. As soon as we touched down, I frantically turned on my “portable electronic device” to check the final score.

I never saw the three (admittedly four) goals by Brazil. I was over a mile in the sky in an airplane full of contentment and unspoiled hope. So, I may be biased. You see, when I left the airport Chili’s @ halftime that day and got on my flight, I didn’t really care if we won. Win or lose, the team had earned some respect - and more importantly - attention from the US media and casual sports fans. I felt like – for a little while – we could actually discuss soccer here in America…

And – amazingly - we could finally do it without being called a communist. It was a good day for me. Not so much for my phone though, who fell victim to that old and wise quote: “They always kill the messenger.” I was angry about the result, but perhaps it is better for the US to lose. Think about it. We need guys who are “hungry”. Beating Spain and Brazil may have made us overconfident. Beating Spain and almost beating Brazil could pay dividends come 2010.

And I was pleased with the US performance over the tourney. Rough in spots, sure, but also capable of some disarming brilliance. What I liked best is that they never backed down. Even when they were soundly outplayed, they never looked like they weren’t giving 100%. Show me another sport in the US where you can say that about the players. Well, except Conor Casey. For someone who played so little, he sure lollygagged around the pitch a ton.  

As for the rest of the players, some guys’ 2010 hopes rose greatly because the top competition around the globe brought out their best. But, others embarassed themselves and are now hoping Bradley gives them a look again before he selects his final 2010 roster. Tomorrow, I will rate the US MNT players based on their play over the span of the Confederations Cup and the likelihood their dreams of a 2010 starting role will be fulfilled. So come on back and be sure not to miss it.

Unless you have a plane to catch, of course.

Week 16 (07/01)

Last Week’s Ranking in Parenthesis…

1. Houston (1): A loss? To the Galaxy? Seriously? They hold @ #1 though because it was likely an aberration.
2. Chivas USA (2): The Goats didn’t play (again), so they don’t move. I wouldn’t have put them lower anyways.
3. Seattle (3): A hometown beatdown of the Rapids by three goals had all 32,000+ fans praising Sigi Schmid. 
4. Columbus (7): A vintage 1-0 win for the Crew over NY catapults the suddenly strong squad into the top five.
5. Chicago (5): Can’t move the Fire this week pursuant to STO Power Rankings rules. Yeah, I know they suck. 
6. D.C. (6): Like the Fire, United had a little R&R from league play last week, so they will retain their 6th ranking.
7. Colorado (4): A rough week for COL (one loss, one tie) have them slipping down this list rapidly (terrible pun).
8. Kansas City (8): No game, so no shame for me in not moving the Wiz, but they could be down a bit further.
9. Toronto (9): An easy win @ BMO over NY didn’t make up for an ugly road loss @ RSL, but 3 points isn’t bad.
10. New England (10): Why does the team who has played the least number of games get yet another break?
11. Salt Lake (11): A victory over the Reds (3-0) should have moved RSL up this week, but too many idle squads.
12. L.A. (12): A win without Donovan over the #1 team on the table has the Gals excited, but it isn’t enough yet.
13. Dallas (13): Yet another tie for the Former Burn, but at least this time it was on the road. What a boring team. 
14. San Jose (14): SJE didn’t play, so they won’t move. In all honesty, there is really nowhere to go for them but down.
15. New York (15): NY’s brutal schedule set them up to lose twice on the road this week. They have only scored one goal in 10 away games all year (0-9-1) and have ceded a whopping 17. When will Osorio get a pink slip?

When I heard they had made a sequel to the original Soccer Dog, and that it would focus on the European Cup, I almost decided to drive to Hollywood, find a psychiatrist, and take him to the suits who greenlit the second film. Did the original Soccer Dog leave loose ends that needed a sequel to tie them up? Of course not. The second film was even more poorly made than the original (mostly because it has no Ms. d’Abo). But, the sequel may be so bad it’s good.

I have never seen a more poorly made mainstream film than Soccer Dog – European Cup (2004), which sort of makes it fun to watch. My main criticism of the film is the reason why the film is so bad, yet simultaneously hilarious: it’s set in Scotland. Now, I know we Yanks have some stupid ideas about foreigners and we like to think of them as fitting our preconceived stereotypes (as they do us), but whoever wrote this film doesn’t know much about Scotland. Or soccer.

So, many of the characters are supposed to be Scots, but none of the actors playing them are, in fact, Scottish. Thus, the film is, if nothing else, the finest collection of bad Scottish accents ever compiled. Also, whoever was the costume designer was obviously under the impression that all Scottish men still wear kilts (which they don’t unless they are at an event that calls for it). Finally, in one scene, a vendor at a soccer game is going through the crowd selling haggis.

Seriously? That’s like making a movie about us where we all talk like idiots, wear blue jeans everywhere, and eat nothing but fast food. Wait a minute, that hypothetical movie actually sounds more realistic. Well, anyways… To make a long story short, Soccer Dog – European Cup makes no sense. It’s only set in Scotland (so the rest of Europe isn’t involved) and there’s no cup. All in all, this film is probably the worst of the three, which is really saying a lot.

Air Bud – World Pup (2000) was the second movie about dogs playing soccer ever made, and in my opinion it was the second movie about dogs playing soccer that should never have been made. It was worse than Soccer Dog, and that right there says quite a bit about how deplorable it is. Before I delve into why the film is so bad, let me give you some backstory on the entire Air Bud series. Yes, that’s right, this dog/soccer film is part of a nine part series. Yikes… 

Air Bud is a Golden Retriever who is unusually good at sports. He is played by his real life alter ego, Buddy, who is better at basketball than I am, which again isn’t saying much. Because Buddy was such a “baller”, some folks in Hollywood got together and made the original Air Bud in 1997. They, of course, made a fortune and now are cranking out almost one film a year where Buddy plays a different sport. They’ve done football, baseball, volleyball, etc. etc.

Air Bud – World Pup was the third film in the series, and it should have signaled the demise of dog/sports movies. But it didn’t.  Though Buddy is the star of the film, the kid who plays his owner Josh is the main human character. Josh isn’t much of a star athlete, but Buddy sure is, especially at soccer. Or at least the director wanted us to think so. Buddy scores lots of goals, but we never really see him do too much with the ball. The cinematography is pathetic. 

So, to make a long (boring) story short, Buddy leads Josh’s co-ed team to the title (sound familiar Soccer Dog fans?) and both he and Josh meet ladies. Josh gets some family-friendly loving from his special girl, while Buddy actually goes all porno on another Golden Retriever and has puppies. We don’t actually see any doggy style though, which is probably the only good thing about this movie. All in all, Air Bud – World Pup gets two paws down from STO.

PLAYER OVERVIEW: Alexi Lalas is considered one of the most recognizable faces in American soccer - or should I say he had one of the most recognizable goateed faces in American soccer.  Lalas played defender for the United States in all four matches of the epic 1994 FIFA World Cup.  Lalas also was a member of 1998 U.S. team, but he never played a minute in regulation. 

Alexi was also the first modern-day American player to break into Serie A.

AFTER THE GAME: After Lalas retired from the game, he embarked on one of the worst careers as a General Manager in soccer history, eventually being fired by the LA Galaxy last season.  Today, Alexi is known for his broadcasting career.  He works as a soccer analyst for ESPN and has been the studio analyst during the Confederations Cup.  Lalas originally broke into broadcasting during his first sabbatical from soccer in 2000. He’s not bad either.

DID YOU KNOW?: Did you know that Alexi Lalas is also a tour-traveling musician?  That’s right, Alexi plays the guitar and sings as well.  In 1998, the defender’s band, the Gypsies, opened for Hootie and the Blowfish on an eight show tour going through Europe.  The Gypsies with Lalas went on to make two albums: Woodland and Jet Lag.  Later Lalas would create his own solo debut album, which was accurately named Ginger.  His most well known song on the album (which is basically unknown) was called Goodnight Moon, just like the children’s book.

2010 PROPOSAL: Although Alexi’s soccer playing days are over, the man needs to grow back the ginger goatee for the sake of the U.S. squad.  Think about it.  One of America’s best World Cup showings was when Alexi had the goat going in full force.  But, in the last few years, we have not seen as much of the legendary crimson goatee and our World Cup results have declined a little bit in that time span.  The answer to this dilemma is simple. 

For the U.S. to have a chance in 2010, Alexi must grow back the goatee and give the U.S. squad a little more firepower.

Don’t do it for me Alexi, do it for your country and gingers worldwide.