MLS On the Path of MC Hammer

Remember when Hammer had one big song then proceeded to go out by a ludicrous mansion and every car imaginable then he didn't do another thing good and soon had to file for bankruptcy. Well, the MLS is apparently following in Hammer's footsteps, absent the one major hit, and have decided to fork over approximately $250 million dollars over 5 seasons for David Beckham. Yes, you read that correctly, an estimated 50 million dollars per season, for a player who was recently bumped off his National team.

In essence Beckhams contract of $50 million per would make him the highest paid team athlete in america in the least popular sport, and would have him earning more money than every other player in the MLS combined. Yes, combined.

And what exactly is this going to bring the MLS is my question. I mean I could understand a 10 million dollar a year contract or something along those measures, for the most famous, yet certainly not the most skilled, soccer player in the world. But 50 million just seems foolish. Soccer is a team sport and no single player can make a game entertaining, the acquiring of Beckham makes one team in MLS the buzz team, and gives more people to attend the game, but the buzz will wear off. And come 2009 I doubt anyone in the states truly cares about the fact Beckham is playing in LA.

The Galaxy Owner was quoted as saying "David is truly the only individual that can build the bridge between soccer in America and the rest of the world." Um, false, no one in Europe is going to watch the MLS. Their leagues will continue to dwarf ours in talent level and world class players, just because you grab the biggest name doesn't mean people will care. It more likely means less British and Europeans will care about Beckham.

Perhaps I could be wrong, but to me this is one of the more foolish investments in American Sports History.

Numbers On Steroids: Bret Boone

Numbers on Steroids is a look at baseball players during the 90s to see if anything screams out at you. Mr. Boone was once the best power hitting second baseman in the league. How questionable was his success? Averages Say: Why the extra plateu in his mid 30s? At Bats Per Home Run Says: Lowest at Bats Per Home Runs at 37? Hmm.... Explaining It Away Yeak, this one is tough. Umm, late bloomer? He showed potential power early in his career and he just liked playing in Seattle a lot more than everywhere else? And umm, his career was kind of like a running backs in that it just all of a sudden fell off the map? Any of these convincing you? The Verdict Guy never hits more than 24 home runs in a season and then in his age 32 season he hits 37? And in SafeCo a pitchers park to boot? And he follows that up with 24, 35, 24 homer years still at SafeCo? And then he completely falls off the map in 2005 never to be heard from again? We've got a Screamer... Man Get Big Muscles In 30s. Hm...