The lack of excitement/hype about Beckham as the Galaxy have made a playoff run has been interesting (a relief), but let's face it, as the Rockies this year and the Cardinals last year demonstrate, a shitty team on a roll can be unstoppable so The Galaxy have to be taken seriously if they slip in. With Beckham, all bets are off. It may be tempting to say that his addition would be a disruption to the win streak (see Briana Scurry v. Brazil) but the Galaxy/Bulls match in August showed how, at a fraction of top form, he could still control a game, notwithstanding the loss and Angel's stellar performance. Everything about that match flowed from his presence. If he can lift an underperforming squad of England's best to play better in the European Cup qualifiers then you have to believe that he would be the ultimate wildcard on a mediocre MLS squad facing off against the big boys in the post-season. The lull in hype has been a blessing, but I'm hoping the Galaxy make the dance and Beckham gets to play again.
I say that for three reasons:
1) I never got to see the 1967 Cardinals. Gibson took a liner off his ankle that shattered it and left him out for a couple of months. Early views were that the team would fold. Instead they ran away with the pennant. In an unfair mismatch Gibson dominated the Sox in the Series that cemented his position as a great clutch player.
If LA make it, they may have proven they don't NEED Beckham but you have to marvel at the advantage it could hand to them.
2) Some poor bastard is going to end up on the bench. To paraphrase what I believe was a story related by Halberstam in Summer of 49, a young Yankee (maybe Henrich or Keller) had stepped into DiMaggio's shoes while he was injured and tore it up, hitting .350 or so. The first day DiMaggio was available, he was back in the lineup and the replacement was on the bench with tears in his eyes. The manager (McCarthy?) walked up and put his arm around him and said, 'Son, you played great and your day is coming but that is the greatest player I have ever seen and if he is healthy, he's playing."
3) I think it would make for some damned exciting soccer.
1 comment:
Just to have the Galaxy play meaningful games as the season winds down is a blessing for the league. (Sad as that is to admit.) Considering that no one else is playing great soccer at the moment, you'd have to fear LA if they make the postseason.
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