Well, Dallas had the 1920's reporter, and in LA, there's a lot of people interested in David Beckham for reasons other than the sport he plays and the team he plays for. In the press conference following his first goal in league play, David was questioned by one guy about, of all things, Suri Cruise. The regular Galaxy beat reporters were stunned - we gave each other "Seriously?" looks.
I didn't know who asked the questions, but he was actually sitting near me. Back in the press box, Martin Rogers was indignant that any media member would ask David about such inane and trivial stuff.
"Why didn't you kick that idiot, Andrea?" he asked.
I observed that doing so would probably not have raised the level of the discourse much.
"On the contrary," countered Martin.
Like he is about so many things, Beckham was a pretty good sport about it all.
We figured the tabloid press had managed to get one of their own into the post-game QnA.
7 comments:
He's been making appearances at Lakers games also. It's only a matter of time till TNT or ESPN sends a courtside reporter to ask him questions just as inane.
Yeah, but in those situations, it actually makes more sense, because Becks would be there as a celebrity visitor. This is like Kobe dropping forty large on Phoenix and getting asked what his girls are getting Suri for her birthday afterwards.
I always like your press conference clips, even to show us something ridiculous...actually ridiculous might cover the first q, maybe he thought it was funny, but a follow-up, and are they protective!!!!!!!!!!!!? Good grief.
I'll be more hesitant to question Beckham's staff for limiting access, even if too many good reporters get stuck in the filter. Although waiting for the suit and tie, hmmm...he's done post-game press in track suits, sweaty game shirts, no shirt for that matter, for years.
Sorry, got off topic, but I've felt bad that you guys keep missing other players and deadlines to wait, wonder if the player himself knows about that. The night games in Spain end after midnight and all the players dress before coming out because that's when they eat dinner. But I've never seen any of them (Becks included) dressed in suits when talking to the press post-match. The mysteries in off-pitch details...
Yeah, one reason I posted this part of the audio was to show some of the ridiculousness that surround Beckham sometimes. The frustrating thing is that of course the response is to limit access. However, that often makes things even harder for the legitimate sports press who are actually trying to cover and produce news about David's feats as an athlete, not all the off-the-field stuff.
Andrea, ever since I started reading this site, I've bet on you as the likeliest local reporter to be recognized as knowledgeable and not into distorting quotes (everyone faces that but Becks gets some particularly big burns) and develop a good working relationship with Beckham--which of course makes that a much more interesting source to us.
It's fun hearing him with some of the local Manchester press, if you haven't already, barely guarded and real football talk, (and no extra effort to say "th" when speaking English--as you know he seems to manage it in Spanish for some reason which I find hilarious!).
Becks is nice to me, and I probably stand out a little by virtue of being female and thus a bit different than the other reporters, but sadly, my time at practices and other Galaxy events this year has been limited, so my working relationship with all the players, not just Becks, has been affected. I'm just not there enough to ask about little details, injuries, what they thought of other games, what type of jokes does Ruud tell. There's not a lot of work coming in for us freelancers - I've had to go back to teaching more, so that's why I haven't been around as much.
...but you just scooped People Magazine! I could not stop laughing. In the issue that arrived today (obviously for a complete stranger), April 21 page 68, there's the barely in context quote from your clip. I guess the fellow did need the follow-up question -- too funny. But, as usual, Sideline Views had it first!
I hope work picks up soon.
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