David Beckham saw bright lights and dollar signs in America, and European football didn’t seem as attractive. He saw himself on the bench at any other club around the world, but in America he’ll be on a stage. He could have gone to a club like Tottenham, and been given a chance to show that he is still a football player - but now he’s going to swap the Beautiful Game for the beautiful people. A player in his early 30s coming to the end of his contract at a big club doesn’t want to end his career at a small club (in comparison to Madrid), although he knows that if he went to another big club, he may not be good enough to get first-team football. But all this proves that he is not a great player, and he doesn’t care about the game he plays, but would rather end his career with the respect of people who don’t know the game. Beckham is a player I would not pay to see, and if you asked me to come up with a list of top 20 right-sided midfielders/wingers of the last 10 years, or of all time, he wouldn’t make it. If you asked me to come up with a list of the top 100 players of the last ten years, I still doubt he would make it. You have to have more then one five-star ability to be world class. Running around, giving your all and 'getting in there' doesn’t make you world class (look at Robbie Savage). How Beckham made second place for FIFA World Player of the Year twice, simply baffles me. Beckham’s lifestyle, his wife, the club he is at, has made him a so-called icon and great player. Playing with great players doesn’t make you a great player. Look at Beckham’s transfer to Madrid. In 2003, Real had a choice of signing one of two players. One was Beckham, the other Ronaldinho. Now when reaching their decision, it was based on a few factors, none football related. Beckham was picked because of his name, his face and his lifestyle. He was seen as being prettier then Ronaldinho (according to one Madrid director) and would bring in a bigger income for the club. Not because of his famous right foot, or his achievements with Manchester United, but because within a year Madrid would make more than double the amount they paid for him. Not because he could maybe score double figures, and assist the likes of Raul and Ronaldo, and lead Madrid to La Liga, but instead because they could get a percentage of every sponsorship deal he would be involved in. They signed him as a product. Now, look at Madrid and Barcelona since Beckham and Ronaldinho arrived in Spain. Supposedly, Beckham has done great things at Madrid, and has also peformed well for them. But tell me, which club have been the more successful because of that one player? Which club made more money out of football? Which club has the world-class player? If Beckham is a world-class player and has world-class abilities, then how come he hasn't had the same impact as Ronaldinho at Barca or Zinedine Zidane at Madrid, (and please don’t say he was played out of position at Real, he played right-central midfield).
Last week, I wrote about gay former NBA player John Amaechi whose book about being a closeted NBA player came out yesterday. I also wrote about how the young players in the NBA reacted to Amaechi's outing himself, which for the most part consisted of the typical, "as long as he don't touch me" routine. Well surely the elder statesmen of the NBA would show more perspective, more discretion and more tolerance than the NBA's raw new school. Or maybe not. Here's what former 5-time NBA all-star Tim Hardaway had to say Wednesday to a Miami radio station about having a gay player as a teammate:You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people...I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States... First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don’t think that is right. I don't think he should be in the locker room while we are in the locker room... Something has to give.
Jesus. What the hell is wrong with these guys? You'd think, at the very least, these dudes would have publicists around them telling them when to shut the fuck up. And like the idiot Tim Hardaway revealed he is, he called a Miami TV station a couple hours later to apologize. He said, "Yes, I regret it. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said I hate gay people or anything like that. That was my mistake." I guess his publicist woke up or something.
On Thursday, the NBA told Timmy to go away. Tim Hardaway, who told a Miami radio station this week that he "hates gay people," will not be participating in the NBA All-Star week in Las Vegas. Hardaway was scheduled to make a number of appearances in Vegas. NBA Commish David Stern told a radio station Thursday, "We removed him from representing us because we didn’t think his comments were consistent with having anything to do with us. His views are not consistent with ours." Finally the NBA is making a statement. I wrote yesterday sarcastically about how the NBA's elder statesmen would be more tolerant of a teammate like John Amaechi, the gay former player who recently came out. Truthfully, I don't expect anything from these guys. I think this generation of NBA players is terribly childish, insecure and is more consumed with being "hard" than anything else. Except for one guy in particular who throughout his career has always managed to keep all of this macho stupidity beneath him. Here's what Shaq had to say about having a gay teammate: "'If he was on my team, I guess I would have to protect him from the outsiders. I'm not homophobic or anything.... I'm not the type who judges people. I wish him well." Who knows whether Shaq genuinely feels this way or not. It would be nice if he did. But at least he has the sense of decency to others, the sense of loyalty to his employer and the sense, in general, to not gay bash on the radio four days before the All Star Game. I think the NBA should use Tim Hardaway as an example, and use this event to set the the league straight. And maybe sometime soon, we'll have some respectable, interesting guys on the court, people like Shaq, who are actually worthy of fans' admiration.
John Amaechi, who played five seasons in the NBA, is coming out in a tell-all book that will also be coming out. He will become the first NBA player to ever announce he's openly gay. And there's an important distinction to make before I continue. When I say "gay" I don't mean it the way frat boys or a schoolyard bully throw this word around so casually as in, "quit being gay" or "hey, you shoot foul shots kind of gay." I mean it as in John Amaechi, the man pictured above shooting a foul shot, is a homosexual. In an autobiography set for release on Febuary 14th, John Amaechi will reveal to the world what it is really like to be gay in the NBA. The 6'10" center who played for the Cavs, Magic and Jazz and for three years in Europe currently broadcasts NBA games for Channel Five in the UK. The AP reported Wednesday that Amaechi will become only the sixth professional athlete from one of the U.S. four major sports to come out of the closet, all after retirement. Mike Piazza doesn't count. Philadelphia 76er Shavlik Randolph applauded Amaechi's decision to come out by saying, "As long as you don't bring your gayness on me I'm fine. As far as business-wise, I'm sure I could play with him." And Sixer center Stephen Hunter reacted to the news by saying, "For real? He's gay for real? As long as he don't make any advances toward me I'm fine with it." With this apparent high level of maturity and overwhelming support for an openly gay NBA player from his colleagues, it's hard to believe Amaechi didn't feel comfortable coming out while he was playing. I'm sure these pillars of tolerance would have treated him just like one of the guys-- whipping him with their towels, racing him to the showers and fighting with the other teammates to be Johnnycake's box-out partner during rebounding drills. You know, the one where you're taught to put your ass directly into your opponent's crotch. While most NBA players are fine with reciting the NBA mantra of "I love this game," there are some others who just want to scream, "this game is fabulous." And the NBA needs to grow up and deal with it.
