Wednesday Wrap: Babbling Becks & Inter Milan at UCLA
Decided to take a break from blogging today, but was - well, perhaps inspired is not the right word - motivated to write something when I saw this headline.
Oh, brother. (Regular readers of my Tuesday column will understand the reference in the headline). This is a case of 'if we say it enough times people will start believing it." The word for this: propaganda.
BTW, did you see the Matt Lauer interview on "The Today Show"with Beckham this morning? My mother called to alert me it was on. Insipid.
Also:
*Several people have e-mailed to ask whether the Inter Milan practices at UCLA ahead of next week's Chelsea game at the Rose Bowl are open to the public.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
He also said no apologies are needed to LA fans as a response to the first question in the presser. And he left out the fans again when said only the owners, manager and players are important to him.
There'll be riots in England and Italy if he had said that there but this is LA, we're cool, we're laid back we'll smile and boo him casually until he sets up the first goal and then we'll kiss up and forget about it til next July.
it's really Propaganda.
I'm glad many people no longer belive the drivel.
and MLS tries to flog the last merchandise with the 25% sale on all his items...
I went to the Tuesday afternoon practice which, yes, was closed to the public. However, you can stand out in front of Pauley Pavilion (northeast corner, near the Wooden Center) and see the team enter and leave before they go to the practice field. I got some pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/evang/sets/72157621500884452/
Patrick Vieira was the only player who signed any autographs or interacted with the fans in any way. Mourinho didn't go in, but he was on the practice field, which is surrounded with a tarp that's covering the fence. There are spots where you can peek in, though.
Grant Wahl at Becks NY Press Conference
http://theoriginalwinger.com/2009-07-15-grant-wahl-at-becks-press-conference
Hi Nick;
Big fan of your blog. I thought I'd share that if people are interested in the Inter Milan-Chelsea match. Tickets at face value prices and not get scalped by Ticketmaster are available in local soccer shops such as:
Deportes Salazar (Hawthorne, Santa Ana, Long Beach)
La International Sport (Gardena)
Soccer Central (Cerritos)
Deportes Guadalajara (Huntington Park)
Soccer Shop USA
Xtreme Soccer (Oxnard)
Should Beckham play against his "old" (or is that new) team on Sunday, he will receive the cold shower of his professional career.
Besides, why do you think he did all these morning shows? 19 Entertainment must have at least some idea of the reaction toward Beckham in this country. It's damage control, nothing more.
One more thing: If Matt Lauer is a real journalist, then the Virgin Mary was a prostitute (not to be sacreligious, but the analogy fits a poser like Lauer).
Nick,
Thanks for the info on the practice at UCLA. May take a trip from Camarillo out to UCLA tomorrow. Sounds like fun.
Do you know where Barcelona will be practicing when they come to LA in a few weeks? Any info/insight would be greatly appreciated.
Saludos!
Nick replies: At the moment, I don't. If their practices are open to the public (which they often are not) I'll post the info.