We've known for a while that Alexi Lalas is the Matt Millen of Major League Soccer. Various pundits in the soccer media have been blasting him for building a team with three millionaire stars and a bunch of guys making less than the dude who shines Lalas' shoes at the airport. Now it's the mainstream sports media's turn to rip into Lalas.The center of the latest controversy is a lawsuit over a David Beckham jersey. The L.A. Galaxy star gave the jersey to two kids in Honolulu who were holding up a "Go Beckham" sign during the Pan-Pacific Championship last February. Neither family can agree on which kid actually took the handoff from Becks, and now they're going to court over it.
Alexi Lalas, of course, took it all in stride.
Today on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, Michael Wilbon was having none of that."This is a great opportunity to teach and learn a lesson about sharing. My suggestion is that the judge get a pair of scissors, cut the thing in half and give half to each. It's certainly not anything that we would ever want to have happen and certainly not anything that David or any of our players who hand out jerseys would have intended.
"This was a huge thing in any child's life and it's a pity that it has gotten to this point."
"What are (Beckham's) PR people thinking? Why haven't they given a David Beckham jersey, which they gave to two reporters, to this kid? What are the L.A. Galaxy PR people -- what are they doing? Because this is moronic. Sweep everyone out if anyone is too dumb to give this kid a signed jersey. ...
"This is a guy who's clearly aware of his own PR. He was in a movie titled 'Bend it Like Beckham.' All they want in the MLS is good publicity intended with David Beckham's name. And these people -- the league, the club and his people -- are too stupid to give these kids jerseys? Morons! Fire somebody!"
Wilbon and PTI co-host Tony Kornheiser both received free Beckham jerseys after requesting them from the Galaxy. You would think that Lalas would be smart enough to recognize that giving away one more jersey here -- and I'm sure they have plenty of jerseys to spare these days -- would have ended this rift before it became a news story.
The problem, of course, is that Alexi Lalas doesn't really care about the fans, and neither to David Beckham's PR people. They only care about taking your money. All that talk about building this football code in America was a lie. MLS, 19 Management and the L.A. Galaxy will milk Beckham's name for all it's worth, and the only thing they want you to do is open your wallet, close your mouth and just be grateful that they're gracing you with their presence.
Two kids in Hawaii are finding this out the hard way. The rest of America would probably figure it out, too, if it weren't so obsessed with celebrity.
If I were Will Leitch, I might beg the Galaxy never to fire Lalas, but I don't think this GM is quite as capable as Isiah Thomas of turning utter incompetence into an art form. Give him credit for trying, though.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-25-2008 @ 8:08PM
carl said...
thats right!!!! just give out free stuff to a couple of spoiled families and maybe they wont be spoiled..of course lets not blame the stupid families who are wasting money and time..your,mine and theirs over a piece of clothing......why doesnt wil just send his to the kid..lots of blame here but the galaxy is at the bottom of the list
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4-25-2008 @ 9:37PM
PFS said...
I agree Carl - these families act like greedy, petty, obnoxious jerks. . . but we castigate the LA Galaxy in general and Alexi Lalas in particular for not rewarding them with more jerseys? Great idea. Fantastic idea. I have no sympathy for these pathetic people at all, but I'm actually glad the team hasn't immediately caved in to the classless.
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4-25-2008 @ 11:31PM
Amy said...
Wilbon is right, sell the sport and give the kids autograph jerseys. The PR people should do it to help market soccer in the U.S. I agree both families are idiots but how much does another jersey cost?
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4-26-2008 @ 6:26AM
Box said...
David J. Warner..i think you are one of the pathetic ppl like Micheal Wilbon. i agree with Lalas actually. these family should learn a lesson of sharing, and they must remember that there are other important things in this world than a jersey (even though it's David Beckham's!). you and Wilbon can't blame MLS and Beckham over this thing's got in the news - how they suppose to know that these family gonna go to the court in the first place? it's not that they have to monitor everybody in this world now, don't they? if this problem occurs in another part of this world, say in Australia or China, do you think that MLS and Beckham still responsible for the whole thing? and a game-played jersey from Becks or any players only worth when it is given during the game day itself. besides, those family has never asked for one more jersey. so how can you blame Becks or his ppl for not giving one more? if they want anymore jersey, they can come to another game or ask Becks himself, i'm sure he will give them another one! god...how stupid the brains you've got there!
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4-26-2008 @ 6:43AM
strannge said...
just go away already
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