Bank It Like Beckham

So David Beckham just signed with the LA Galaxy for $250M for the next five years ($50M per year for the mathematically challenged).

He'll be joining the Galaxy in mid-July, after his contract with Real Madrid expires, at which time he'll be 32 years old. The obvious parallel is Pele and Beckenbauer to the New York Cosmos in the mid-70s, so Alexi Lalas and the Galaxy are hoping for another Once in a Lifetime.

Whether Beckham can kick up US soccer, prevent more top US players (Brian McBride, DaMarcus Beasely, Clint Dempsey) from hightailing it to Europe, or even turn the Galaxy into a better team (the "defending champs" didn't even make the MLS playoffs last year) remains to be seen, but he'll certainly make soccer more interesting on this side of the ocean.

Maybe he'll do a guest slot with Dr. Neela on ER
(Is that show still on the air?)