Sports Thread #1 for 7/20/09: Soccer Roundup- Beckham Almost Fights A Fan

(This will be a weekly series. The question is.....will I write it all the time):

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Lots of great things to talk about.

David Beckham almost got into a fight with a fan LA Galaxy fans who gave him some harsh words and boos in their 2-2 exhibition draw with the team he went on loan from the Galaxy, AC Milan.

Too funny to read about.

The 34-year-old tried to hurdle a barrier to get to a group of fans who had been jeering him throughout the match and appeared to make a "come on" gesture. Security had to hold the star back as he tried to get across to the supporters, while one fan had to be stopped from getting out of the stand to confront the star.

A hardcore section of the crowd booed Beckham every time he touched the ball and held aloft signs reading "Go Home Fraud'' and "23: Repent'' in reference to his shirt number.

Another read: "Hey Becks, Here Before You, Here after You, Here Despite You'' while one stated: "Is evil something u are...or something u do?''

As you clearly see the signs, they got on him hard. And I'm shocked Beckham got mad like that. Really mad. He said that he was expecting it.

On the boos, Beckham said: "It's to be expected. Sometimes it goes beyond it. The majority of the fans have been great.''

But he certainly didn't comport himself like he was fully prepared for it.

He is always such a placid figure, and for him to pull a semi-Zidane here was a very surprising. Very surprising.

Manchester City is the Real Madrid of England. But they won't mind actually being that, because despite a defense so bad it couldn't stop guys without legs from scoring, Cristiano Ronaldo's and Kaka's new club still finished runners up in Spain to clear #1 team in the world right now Barcelona.

Speaking of Ronaldo, he was shut down today by Shamrock Rovers of Ireland in Real's first match of the preseason today. But Karim Benzema sure did do his thing though.

Getting back to the Emmanuel Adebayor thing, it looks like Arsene Wenger is getting fed up with Arsenal fans.

“There was a little resentment you could feel through last summer.”

Michael Owen will be the signing of the offseason in my view. He is fighting to make the World Cup, and is beloved by Sir Alex Ferguson. He has already gotten off to a good start today in Manchester United's 2-0 win over a Malaysain best X1 outfit in the English champions' exhibition opener.

And I can't believe I would have said this last year, but Freddy Adu and Maurice Edu spots on the US team next summer are not only solid, but they are being seriously placed in jeopardy by the performances of Stuart Holden and Kyle Beckerman in the Gold Cup.

Beckerman was terrific in leading the US to 2-1 comeback victory over a Panama side that had their best team in the tournament.


And it looks like an Eto-Ibrahamovic switch will go down. Inter clearly wins that one in my view, and that's not even factoring the fact that they get a disgruntled by nevertheless talented Alexander Kleb as well. But as Pep Guardiola said, it was time for Eto' to move on. I just wish it was in England.

And Eto's exit signals the end of the three O's at Barcelona. Ronaldinho, Deco, and now, Samuel Eto'o.

Your soccer roundout for this Monday.