Bucks for Becks
I should be using this space to talk about how great the signing of David Beckham by the LA Galaxy is for American soccer, how it will boost the sport's popularity and visibility in the USA to previously unseen levels. But I can't. All I can say is, it's a really smart business move for Beckham. Perhaps to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and a future career after soccer.

Really, it's not difficult to see. Just as he is getting benched at Real Madrid and kicked off the English national team, he'll come over to the US and reap a whole new fortune of endorsement cash. He'll be the undisputed star of the entire league instead of languishing on the sidelines, overshadowed by the world's best in La Liga. The contract he signed gives him special cuts of endorsements and jersey sales, just the kind of things you would expect to see flying off the shelves once the public starts seeing his face on ESPN everyday.

Additionally, he'll be in LA, and he can play up his showbiz contacts for himself and his singer wife as much as he wants. Expect to see a thespian Beckham in the upcoming years, beyond your general 30 second TV spots. So never mind some high-minded goal of spreading soccer to America. This is a business deal first and foremost.