Post-game meandering

The Galaxy-Red Bulls game was a bit less dramatic than I expected. There were two goals but they were 60 seconds apart or something. And there were long stretches of the game that just dragged on.

But after the match, there was quite a bit going on. David Beckham played but he did not speak to the media. Not sure why. Perhaps his handlers didn't want him to talk. Maybe he didn't feel like talking or maybe the club decided that. It's hard to get a straight answer.

So I went to the post-game presser and got some audio of Frank Yallop. I immediately went into the Red Bulls' locker room but half the team was gone. I missed out on Juan Pablo Angel, Jon Conway, Dave Van Den Bergh and Seth Stammler, some of the guys I was hoping to talk to. The Red Bulls PR people initially told me that Bruce Arena had already talked to the media (one reporter had talked to him apparently) but were going to ask him if he would talk to me. I got tired of waiting so I went into where the players are. I got Jozy Altidore and John Wolyniec but that's about it. Joe Vide was there too but I passed.

I then went to the Galaxy locker room. I really didn't need to because I had enough stuff from Frank Yallop to toss a few quotes into my PE story (which I had already filed for the early editions) and I needed time to write my MLSnet.com story. But I figured I might get some good audio to post here and maybe some more quotes for the PE story.

I got the locker room but there were a handful of reporters waiting outside. Cobi Jones was in the presser and some media stuck around. Others had gone straight to the locker room. But it wasn't open.

Now, league rules say that the locker rooms have to open 10 minutes after the end of the game. There's a sign posted right outside the locker room that says as much, something that includes the words "By mandate of MLS Commissioner Don Garber." But it was already 10:33 and the game ended a little after 10:00. One of the Galaxy PR guys poked his head out and said they were still closed and a couple of us pointed at the sign. He smiled and said "It's just a sign" and then closed the door.

I shook my head and decided not to wait. I walked out and had better luck with the guys afterward. I got Joe Cannon as he was leaving and even caught sight of Beckham as he walked with his little entourage into an elevator presumably up to the stadium club or somewhere else to be whisked away.