Standing in Sad Sisterhood, with Regret

I wasn't as young as Skyler. I wasn't working directly for any MLS team, even as an intern. 

In July, former #NYCFC intern Skyler Badillo leveled sexual harassment claims against David Villa.

Now, she tells us her story. She says she was repeatedly harassed & touched inappropriately, and that NYCFC did nothing about it.

On @TheAthleticSCCR: https://t.co/SdabGQAeO9

— Pablo Iglesias Maurer (@MLSist) November 23, 2020

While trying to gather player comments for a post-game story, I knew the instant I was told to leave the locker room by a player that it was happening because I was female and that was wrong. I had supportive reporter colleagues around me, even if they were somewhat confused because they didn't speak Spanish. I stood my ground and did my job, even if that meant getting quotes while other players joked and catcalled and Ezra Hendrickson had to tell them to settle down. Upon returning to the pressbox, I sent in my article and then wrote an email directly to the league about the incident. 

I didn't want to go public about it, but felt I had to explain what had already been mentioned, and so I did in blog form. Like Skyler, I received a lot of comments appalled that anyone tried to prevent me from doing my job in peace, but of course, the words that stay in my head over a decade later are the ones of condemnation and shame. They still make me angry and frustrated. I was doing my job. 

But there is also still some lingering regret. In my email to MLS higher-ups (Director of Communications, League Executives) I mentioned specifically how the league needed to have some kind of transition training for players & staff who arrive from other countries and need to learn what's culturally acceptable in the US. The bullshit of that is that other players whooping at me in the locker room that night were American. In other words, players across the league needed sexual harassment avoidance training. I wish I'd insisted on that, maybe on threat of suing otherwise.  

The month after the incident, I was in the press room at the MLS All-Star Game in Colorado when MLS Commissioner Don Garber approached me after his public press conference. He apologized, saying that he was told what happened, that he was appalled and that it shouldn't have happened. I was caught off-guard, and mumbled something like, "Thanks," and "Yeah, it shouldn't have." I was embarrassed. I'd worked hard at my job for years and didn't want to be known for a locker room scene. 

Thing is, Garber's apology didn't really change anything, and certainly not for Skyler. I wish now I'd pulled out my recorder immediately and asked Garber if he'd commit on the record to league-wide sensitivity training for all staff and players, with a clear chain of reporting and accountability if anyone fell short. What was he going to do to make sure that what shouldn't have happened wouldn't happen again? Instead, I just hoped the league had learned a lesson and would do better. 

Maybe pushing Garber to do more to address the issue all those years ago wouldn't have changed anything for Skyler, who was in a different situation than mine in many ways. But I wish I had done more, regardless. Instead, all I can offer now is that I'm appalled at what happened to her. It shouldn't have happened. 

Radio Days, With Two Different Stars as Main Topic

Years ago, I used to work the graveyard shift at my college radio station. I was on from midnight to 8am, then I hurried to my dorm room to change for a 9am class. Most of what went out on the air at that time was pre-programmed, although I did a short traffic and weather report at the top of every hour. Basically, that job helped me realize radio is both a great and tough medium.

Even before I moved to the LA area, I used to listen to KPCC. When I got the call to come to my local NPR station as a soccer expert guest, I was excited. 

Have to say, I don't think my first time, discussing David Beckham, went all that well.  It probably wasn't advisable to disagree with the host of the radio show that invited me right off the bat. 

My most recent appearance was to talk about Giovani Dos Santos, who honestly, has the potential to be as big a signing in certain ways as Beckham ever was. No, Dos Santos won't have the same world-wide impact, but on a local marketing level, this could be huge. He's much younger, a massive star with the Mexican fans in LA, and more creative on the ball. Dos Santos will still have to play well to justify all the hype, but the potential is definitely there. 

Here is the individual show segment about Dos Santos. Who knows - if Dos Santos plays amazingly tonight in his debut as a Galaxy player, I may be asked back again. It's always the big stories that get media attention.

The Galaxy are also a more balanced team now to support the skills of Dos Santos. With Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Gyasi Zardes and Omar Gonzalez all on board to help carry the burden of garnering wins, Dos Santos shouldn't feel as isolated as Landon Donovan and Beckham seemed to be those difficult years when the Galaxy depended on that duo so much. 

Mike Penner, Bruce Jenner and Me

Years ago, at the great media brouhaha that was the official unveiling of David Beckham, I was walking on the concourse of what is now called Stub Hub Center stadium, when I spotted a tall woman. She, like me, was on her way to the media rooms designated for different groups of reporters. Even though Beckham's move to the Galaxy was a huge story, there weren't that many women covering it, so I noticed her. I stopped for a moment, thinking that she might be an ex-athlete turned reporter, perhaps a former basketball or volleyball player. It even occurred to me that, if so, I should ask her about that, and get a unique perspective that might add some insight into a Beckham event reaction story. She looked somewhat familiar, so I tried to remember where I'd seen her before. Then I realized she was Christine Daniels, the transgender sports writer whose story I'd read about about earlier that year. 

Even before that galvanizing story, I'd read Mike Penner columns/stories in the LA Times for years, but never ran into him in the LA pressbox for Galaxy games, where Grahame Jones had the regular local soccer beat. I'd been keeping up with Christine's blog, and I wondered if it was ok to start with that as a intro comment, "Hi, I've read your blog; I'm a reporter, too, are you going to come to more soccer stuff?" 

But then Christine walked into the suite marked for national media reporters. I went to the one for local media. Maybe I'd see her after the interviews ended, I figured. Or perhaps she'd be out soon again to actually see Beckham play and I could introduce myself in the pressbox before a game. 

Beckham came to the local media interview room last. Christine and most of the other reporters were long gone by the time I stepped out of the suite into the bright sunshine. 

Selfishly, I hoped I would see her again soon. I had friends in the LA pressbox, but sometimes it still felt a little isolating to be the lone female reporter there. I imagined that Christine wouldn't be intimidated, at over six feet, walking into a locker room full of players amped up after a game. I, who was always more comfortable at a keyboard than speaking in person, would sometimes wonder if players refused interviews or ignored my requests for a quote because I was a woman and they didn't take me seriously as a reporter. I figured Christine wouldn't be so easy to brush off. I also thought I could help her if she needed anything translated from Spanish. We could be like a distaff soccer-writing Mutt and Jeff.

Alexi Lalas is Doing Fine, But What About Bob?

Just another day in the soccer-writing life, but now I suddenly have a few hundred more Twitter followers than before. 

It's pretty much Alexi Lalas' fault. 

So @soccercanales is in the midst of a long and interesting twitter dissection of @J_Klinsmann's tenure.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) April 20, 2015

The man has a gift for garnering media attention, so perhaps he's in his best career fit as a sports pundit, but I remember well when his trajectory in sports management seemed unstoppable. 

Instead, Lalas was derailed when he became the ringmaster in the circus that was the LA Galaxy's colossal craziness in the early Beckham years. It's kind of a shame, given his energy and enthusiasm, but living by the propaganda sword means dying by it as well. 

Bob and Alexi Lalas

That's what happened to Lalas, but like the phoenix, he's risen from the ashes of that disaster to do quite well on television. 

Still, I wonder what happened to his little Yorkie, which I believe he told me was named Bob. 

Alexi would bring him to Galaxy practices sometimes. Maybe Bob hides in the TV studio or Alexi's office now. 






Update! Alexi says Bob is fine.

@soccercanales Bob is alive and kicking. He actually got me in trouble a few weeks ago. He says hi.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) April 21, 2015

Herculean Effort at Understanding

It's probably the headline of this piece quoting Herculez Gomez on yet-uncapped Mexican-American Ventura Alvarado that threw me off a bit. 

Herc, who played in the 2010 World Cup with the USA, is as red-white-and-true-blue as they come, encouraging other young Mexican-Americans like Paul Arriola to cast their lot with the USA. But I remember years ago asking a young, as-yet-uncapped Herc about his chances with Mexico - and yes, he was open to that possibility. Mexico never came calling, but the USA did. Thus, I was surprised that he would judge Ventura (a bit harshly, I thought) for doing something similar - saying he was undecided as to his final choice, but open at this point to both countries. 

I tweeted that opinion and then went on to do something else. While I was gone, Herc responded in a couple of tweets. But on my phone, this was the first one that popped up. 

@soccercanales get offended. I can’t control how the media spins it. Or how much of the interview the decide to print.
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) March 4, 2015

While I thought it was odd that Herc would tell me, "Get offended," I figured it was short for "I can't control if people get offended," or something. 

@soccercanales I never said you were offended. I’m confused as to what your gripe is. Respectfully speaking.
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) March 4, 2015

Now I was confused. I scrolled down and saw that the first Tweet I responded to was actually the second part of another one. 

@soccercanales never judged him.. Told the reporter I once felt the same, but you need to think things through before u speak. Fan bases can
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) March 4, 2015

So Herc was explaining that there was more to the quote in the article and he was actually cautioning Ventura about possibly offending fans, not really blasting him at all. Now it was my turn to try to explain. 

@soccercanales for some reason Twitter separated the tweets. They’re not connected (in responses) . Even though they’re on both TL. Weird.
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) March 4, 2015

Herc was pretty forgiving about it all. 

@soccercanales haha no worries. I was getting confused myself. Saludos Andrea!
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) March 4, 2015

  Ultimately, Ventura Alvarado will have to make his choice - like Herc and Omar Gonzalez, Joe Corona and many others to come. Honestly, I think part of the fun of the rivalry involving the USA and Mexico is watching what happens with those choices. 

What Is Heard May Be in Your Heart

I still don't really know what Davy Arnaud said. I wasn't there and the video isn't totally clear. If Rolfe was indeed spit on, (as Chris Pontius himself attests) Arnaud may have been issuing a warning. 

What I do know is this - what we perceive is partly the result of what we've gone through in the past. Our filter is a lot of what we see. 

Here's the first tweet I got last night. 

“@acosta19LA: @MLS @FOXSoccer your racist players 😊 pic.twitter.com/oiFex5Vjz7” RT you catch this @soccercanales ?
— VirtusLuis (@luisftw5) March 5, 2015

@soccercanales @MLS @FOXSoccer "Hey spic, watch it spic"
— VirtusLuis (@luisftw5) March 5, 2015

The next day, I figured that somebody had to have more info, so I asked about it. 

@soccercanales What did he say? Any video?
— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) March 5, 2015

So I retweeted.

.@soccercanales @mexicoworldcup this is ridiculous. Rolfe got SPIT on by an opponent. Arnaud is saying SPIT, not what you think he is.
— Pablo Maurer (@MLSist) March 5, 2015

A DC United player verified one aspect of the debate.  

@MLSist @soccercanales @mexicoworldcup I can testify to this as well. Rolfe was spit on.
— Chris Pontius (@ChrisPontius13) March 5, 2015

Meanwhile, I was fielding criticism of my own.  

@soccercanales You didn't ask. You accused, pretty much from the first tweet.
— Ben (@beardyblue) March 5, 2015

@soccercanales Speculating that a guy said a racial slur with no clear evidence of it can be pretty damaging to a guy's reputation. Lame.
— Hoops Grind (@HoopsGrind) March 5, 2015

Others still weren't sure what was said.  

@osminpena @gokatygo @ChrisPontius13 @MLSist @soccercanales @mexicoworldcup "Hey, you spit! Watch the spit!" is what Davy is saying.
— Donald Wine II (@blazindw) March 5, 2015

@Rob_More @ChrisPontius13 @MLSist @soccercanales @mexicoworldcup what i can read from his lips were spic and wetback to be honest ...
— Edgar Martinez (@ChopGod_10) March 5, 2015

The video got made into a Vine.  

@soccercanales here is the video of you haven't seen it https://t.co/o8AZQs8m3m
— Wiso (@WisoVazquez) March 5, 2015

I started to wonder if the racism could be in the eye of the beholder.  

@soccercanales That's surprisingly deep but I agree with you. Maybe perceiving things because of past experiences.
— Cesar Hernandez (@cesarhfutbol) March 5, 2015

@soccercanales unfortunately I believe people are too quick to label people or their acts as racist. Hard to tell from the vid exactly....
— Los (@LosDosIsSick) March 5, 2015

@cesarhfutbol @soccercanales exactly, unfortunately as Latinos we can jump quickly to a conclusion when it may/may not be racism based.
— Walter Franco (@thewfranco) March 5, 2015

@chiquitibum1 @cesarhfutbol @soccercanales yep, pretty sure most of us have been told all of the above at some point in our lives
— Walter Franco (@thewfranco) March 5, 2015

Others still aren't sure. The truth is still out there.  

@soccercanales true, but clarification of what he said should come out.
— Wiso (@WisoVazquez) March 5, 2015

Meanwhile, here's the story on the game I did watch and write on.  

** Update - I got a call from DC United's communications director about my tweets. Apparently the team is looking through video to try to prove the spitting incident by an Alajuela player. Multiple DC players verified to him that it did happen, even if the cameras missed it. He was concerned that my tweeting was putting Arnaud in an unfairly bad light and wanted to remind me to reach out to the team if I have questions like this one in the future. 

Honestly, I would have contacted the team if I had gone into this as a story, doing research, but I don't cover MLS as a regular beat any more. Instead, I was reaching out on Twitter to MLS reporters in general, wondering if any followed up on the controversy. I don't regret that, because it opened up some interesting perspectives and I think all the people involved were in general fair about it. Still, it reminded me that as a reporter, even idle questions about stuff on Twitter has ramifications. People will treat what I tweet differently than just a random account, even if it's not directly connected to anything I'm reporting. I guess my point is that sometimes even my limited influence has some effect. I have to stay aware of that.

Finally, though, it's still DC United's version of events being told here in regards to the video. I was contacted by another reporter who is reaching out to Alajuelense. If I get an update on that end, I'll include it here as well.

Dear MLS Rookie

Dear MLS Rookie,

Congratulations! You haven't started your first season under the shadow of a strike! The Players' Union and the MLS owners came to a new collective bargaining agreement and avoided a work stoppage. 

There's even more good news. The minimum yearly league salary is now $60,000. If you're a Generation Adidas player, you're probably already making more than that, but if you're not, it's a decent salary. 

Don't be stupid with that money, though. Get a budget going and track where what you've earned goes. Roommates are still a good idea, too, because young players can collaborate on carpools, off-season training sessions and even food expenses. 

You're young, but an athlete's body is never invincible. Injuries are part of the game. Have a back-up plan in mind, just in case your soccer dream doesn't work out. Dream a new dream.Take care of yourself by eating well, too. Don't just inhale burgers because they're cheap. Every team has a resident health guru, whether it's the trainer who can bench more than any player, or a teammate like Jimmy Conrad used to be, always going on about superfoods and never cramping up, even in extra time. Listen and learn. Take in what you can handle and be open to new ideas like yoga, kale and kombucha. 

Even if you don't personally feel that way yet, there is life outside of soccer. Skype or call your family when you have downtime. They'll help you maintain perspective when you're struggling in practice and stuck on the bench. Also realize that some of life's most difficult injuries never show as bruises or broken bones. If you feel you need counseling, don't suck it up or try to be macho about it. Get help. 

When you can, try to give help, too. You may be a rookie, but there are developmental players hanging around the team now who look up to even you. An encouraging word or respectful treatment from you would mean the world to them. Those little kids hanging around at the end of practice? They may not know your name yet, but they see you in that jersey and get excited by a wave or a smile. Do the community charity events your team plans. Appreciate team staff and that will be remembered. Some players get traded a lot, but are always thought of fondly by all their teams because they're such good guys. Others are only remembered by, "Good riddance." 

Have a thought for the game reporters, too. True, they may be trying to get quotes from the team stars right now, but at some point, you'll get the chance to say something. Make it thoughtful, personal and honest. They'll come back for more quotes. You're making more money than many of them do now at this point, so even if what you say gets taken out of context now and then, is it worth getting heated over? Pick your battles. 

Most everyone, reporters, coaches, fans, etc, involved with the game loves it, just like you hopefully do. But unlike them, you get to play - maybe not as a starter, but yes, you get to play pro soccer for a living. That's awesome. Enjoy it. 

Making the List

What do you see in this photo? 

Makes me sad that there are no women in this picture. Who could have and should have been there, @GrantWahl? pic.twitter.com/rwGEHI7LnT
— Daniel Altman (@altmandaniel) January 21, 2015

I see people I know and like - Grant, Jeff, Joe, Scott, Kyle, in particular - but Daniel Altman has a point. There aren't any women. 

There aren't any minorities, either. And considering this media session with Jozy Altidore took place in LA, I found it odd that there weren't any Spanish media there, and a translator if they needed it (many don't). 

In the discussion that followed Daniel's original tweet, Adam Serrano pointed out that the session, hosted by U.S. Soccer (where Altidore just joined the January camp after signing with Toronto FC) wasn't invite-only, but the fact is, I, for one, didn't get the email announcing the event. 

What's odd about that is that I am on one of U.S. Soccer's press distribution lists. I get game quotes and other stuff like many media members. The truth is, though, there's more than one media list. Clearly, I wasn't on this one. 

Why are different lists kept? Well, perhaps the organization wants to 'reward' reporters that have faithfully covered the US team for a while. 

But where does that leave reporters who have other coverage responsibilities, including other national teams, like Mexico? I've commiserated before with reporters who complain about the hassle they've gotten from US Soccer for writing on other squads. I've also heard before, from someone working for US Soccer at the time, "Why should we help reporters who are at our events to cover another team?" 

Short answer: It's their job. Soccer in the USA, especially LA, isn't just the USA team. Whenever Mexico plays in the US, the federation makes money and the game grows with more fans involved. 

In general, the organization's outreach to minorities, especially Latinos, should be more than perfunctory, with just a few bits of news on the Spanish-language edition of ussoccer.com. Spanish media should definitely get announcements about all press events. 

Maybe U.S. Soccer isn't to blame at all for the lack of diversity among the press ranks in the photo. Media outlets and assigning editors may default too easily to sending known entities - the European soccer guy - without taking time to consider others. For example, even if I had gotten the announcement about Jozy's event, I wouldn't have had an outlet to write about it. Mexico is my beat for ESPNFC. 

Again and again, I've gone out of my way to remind people that the scene in U.S. soccer is incredibly diverse, with Hispanic, Asian, & African elements and huge participation by females. But stereotypes exist, and without a diverse media voice and perspectives from different elements of the soccer landscape, they will persist.

In a perfect world, minority reporters wouldn't have to move on to other jobs and could still stay and be paid well on the soccer beat. I remember working with Luis A. Luis B, Damien, Dylan, Bernie, Jose, Miguel, Jaime C. and others. Younger writers, like Josie Becker, would get more consistent gigs. 

And all of us, no matter our critical views on U.S. Soccer, players or coaches, no matter what other teams we'd sometimes cover in the sport, would all be on the same list for press events. Then, I'd bet, the picture would look different - with all these guys still there, perhaps, but many others as well.

Rossi Talks Back

In some ways, I feel like I've known Giuseppe Rossi a long time, but I've just really known about him. 

He was almost an urban soccer legend - a Jersey boy with preternatural skills who left youth soccer in the area (where he played with the likes of Danny Szetela) to join the youth team of Parma, and later, Manchester United, Villarreal and Fiorentina. That's quite a tour of top teams in the world's top leagues. 

But it wasn't all success and happiness for the striker. Rossi suffered a series of injuries that left him heartrendingly just on the outside of Italy's World Cup roster not just once, but twice, in 2010 and 2014. He might never play in the tournament. 

It goes almost without saying that he likely would have played in three World Cups for the land of his birth, but that's a scenario of the road not taken, and his career is an impressive one nonetheless. 

In fact, he's got a book out about it now. Note the shout-out to a Jersey legend in the title. I've got to say, as a former Lit major, that I love all the references to American classics in the chapter headings. 

I wrote one of my first ESPN.com articles ever about Rossi, and a few more related to him since. Still haven't spoken to the man in person, but today, I did hear from him. 

Landon Got It

The MLS Cup, yeah, that. Landon Donovan went out with a championship. Yet more than that, LD got what it meant to bring together all the diverse craziness that is part of the soccer landscape in the USA. Americans played in the first World Cup ever, but that bright start (a semifinal finish) back in 1930 quickly fizzled out without consistent support in a big country. 

LD was a warrior on that front since he first played USA youth games as a teen, representing his country in front of sparse crowds locally. He gave interviews in broken Spanish even back then, he wrote a World Cup diary in 2002 for his local paper, the San Bernardino Sun, and he even had the temerity to call out David Beckham's loyalty to the Galaxy and his service to MLS. Time and again, when other USA players would get tired and walk away from reporters, LD would still stay, giving intelligent, thoughtful quotes to everyone who needed them to make a deadline. 

A local LA area kid, he even had a call-out for the LA Times columnist, Bill Plaschke, in his final press conference. 

"I just want to say, for the record, that I think we've made it when Bill Plaschke's at our press conference."

Donovan's final comments overall weren't an answer to any question. His time was up, and he was ready to go, but he had a few more words for all of us, the assembled press. It was a message of gratitude. 

"For all of you who have been around for a long time, and even a short time - Bill (Plaschke)- I appreciate all you guys do for this sport. I know it's a professional relationship, but a lot of you guys are out there and really care about it the way that we do and it's been a long grind. I can't think of many less glamorous jobs than being a soccer reporter in this country, but you guys are passionate about it and you care and we really appreciate it. So I just want to say thank you for all that. I appreciate it."

The media being the beast that it is, LD was immediately asked to say that again in Spanish. 

"That's a lot," Donovan admitted. He was well aware that local staff could easily translate his comments in English. He then obliged anyway. 

"Gracias a todos ustedes en la prensa. Normalmente no tenemos la oportunidad de decir gracias a ustedes tambien, pero ustedes estan aqui cada dia, apoyando a nosotros, y apoyando nuestro deporte en este pais. De parte de todo nosotros, querio decir gracias para todo." 

(Thanks to all of you in the press. Normally, we don't get the opportunity to say thanks to you guys, but you guys are here every day, supporting us, supporting our sport in this country. On behalf of all of us, I want to say thanks for everything.)

Just before my recording cuts off, various reporters respond, some of them for perhaps the last time, "Thanks, Landon!"

Media A-Changing

I may not have noticed if I wasn't sick and lying in bed surfing the Internet a lot, but my blog post on Herc's quotes got a lot of attention. 

Here's the NBC Sports story on it. 

Here's the MLSsoccer story on it. 

I mean, I figured it might be on a message board somewhere, with a link to this blog and then people would discuss it here. But there isn't a single comment on that post on SV. The story on the MLS site has around a hundred (and counting!).

Maybe people didn't comment here on SV or even come over, though both the articles included the link, because the quotes used were so numerous and complete, they didn't feel they had to bother. 

Who knows. It's not that I'm mad, but it's more that I'm noting how things have changed. It used to be that soccer fans would check several places for bits of news and post them to other fans via message boards, but now regular websites have editors who search the web for those kind of stories. Whether it's an article written about what a soccer player posted on Twitter, or what a freelancer posts on her blog, they're on it to make a story out of it. 

Incidentally, some fans have really reacted to Herc about the quotes on Twitter, wishing for him to tear his ACL, even. Part of me thinks it's because of the way the stories were packaged. I put what Herc said on my blog without a lot of comment, but both articles presented it as "ooooooh! Look what "inciendiary" "calling out" Herc is doing".  That's teeing it up to provoke.

Then people wonder why players don't want to say anything non-generic to the press. 

So folks, how do you like the media shift?  Thoughts? 

German Champions!

I do speak a little German - basically enough to ask for directions, order food and greet people. So I didn't write this in German.

But I did write it, and it basically sums up my thoughts on the Champions League.  


It's funny how the world works. When I was in Peru in 2005, about the last player I interviewed there was a sad-faced Neven Subotic, who was pretty crushed about his role in the USA's exit at the U17 World Cup. I wouldn't have guessed I'd be watching the kid eight years later in a Champions League final, but I'll say this. I knew even at the time that he took the game seriously. He was pretty focused. 

As for what I said in my excellent German, here's what I sent in to be translated: 


Some might say that the Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund final of the Champions League signals a new sporting era of German efficiency over Spanish art. I'd say that both of the finalists have raised athletic efficiency to an art form. I also don't think the style developed in Spain is dead. Instead, it now has some really viable competition. While it's always fun to see an international mix in the finals, the Champions League format has generally yielded the two most deserving clubs and a country derby has the extra bite of bitter familiarity. Prediection: Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund

David Beckham Retires

 I still remember that sunny day in Los Angeles, waiting for David Beckham to enter the stadium suite that had been reserved for the local Galaxy reporters. We were a pretty small bunch, about twelve total. Soon, due to the dying print media industry, there would be even less of us. Beckham was big news at that time, though.

 He entered wearing a silver Burberry suit, smiling nervously, yet also well aware of his power to charm with that smile. Beckham tended to smile more when deflecting a question, for example, like when I asked him about his injured ankle.

 I guess the things I remember first were all the ridiculous scenarios. The reporters from tabloids who would show up at press conferences after the game to ask Beckham questions about Tom Cruise. The media chasing Beckham after matches he'd spent on the bench. Cruise, Tony Parker and Kobe Bryant all hanging out in the Galaxy locker room. The glaring Becks would do when journalists asked if he was hurting the Galaxy to go during the season to Milan, London Olympics, Royal wedding, England friendly, etc.

But what I'll recall most are the little moments, maybe. I watched Beckham's kids do a fair share of growing up during the Galaxy years. I'll remember Brooklyn peeking out behind the press conference curtain, Romeo kicking a ball around on the grass with his brothers, Cruz making funny faces. I never saw Vicki without her sunglasses, and I never saw her wear flat shoes. I would always marvel at how she could walk so well in heels.

 I watched Becks in various stages of anger, denial, frustration, despair, resignation, determination, acceptance, leadership and joy with the Galaxy. It was a rollercoaster ride that finally ended at a nice place for him, with back-to-back MLS Championship wins.

He seemed to settle in at the Galaxy once some of the hype got killed off by the initial poor results. No more press conferences at every game, just locker room interviews post-game like the others. Beckham never became just another player, but he found his niche as the team learned to utilize his unique passing game. Beckham himself learned to love Laker basketball and convertible cars. His teammates also came to appreciate his work ethic, genuine eagerness and restrained English humor.  Beckham, with his soft voice and intrinsically shy personality, wasn't ever a guys' guy, not in the sports macho sense, but he was always a loyal teammate who took the idea of his role as a sports pioneer seriously.

Four titles in four countries. It's simply an impressive feat. 

Goodbye, David. Here's hoping you were also serious about owning a team in MLS one day. There are still worlds to conquer.

Friday Fuming

Horrors! The Galaxy bounced from the CCL while the defending champions of MLS? It's so 2006. That was a bad year for the team due partly to scheduling, but also partly due to the lack of coaching foresight to cope with the scheduling and either be creative with the lineup or kick up a bigger fuss to get games moved. The Ghost of Galaxy Coaches Past, Frank Yallop, is visiting Bruce Arena right now to say, "Whatever you do, don't miss the playoffs." Actually, it was MLS Cup-winning coach Steve Sampson who lost the CCL game in Costa Rica, then was fired midway through that debacle of a season, but it was Yallop who got saddled with a crazy Beckham-fueled schedule in 2007 that helped hobble the Galaxy to yet another playoff-missing season. Ah, memories. 

I'm taking a break from grading essay  papers to post here on the revamped Sideline Views, where I will pretty much be cheering Luis on, but probably not posting a lot of original news myself. For those who care to know, I've returned to teaching (morning and evening classes which pretty much wipe out time for reporting anything). I've also bought a fixer-upper property. It turns out that transformations are not as easy as the DIY Channel makes things look, so that's a lot of ongoing work.

I always wanted to write about topics that tended to be overlooked and bring new and different stories to readers, so I haven't taken down my freelance badge. I still write for Futbol Mundial on occasion. I still get a happy thrill when a player I picked out early for stardom has a good game. It's always fun to see a quote from a player I personally know is a great interview, kind and fair to reporters. If I recognize a byline from a writer who was friendly in the pressbox, I'll still feel collegial camaraderie. I'm always proud to see bylines of writers I personally worked with and tried to help. Life goes on though, and my spot on the sideline these days is closer to the couch. 

Of course, that doesn't mean I can't snark from there about how the Galaxy should have done better against TFC.  Luis covered the details of that, already, though. I'll just add that those who thought an MLS Cup win bought Bruce Arena a lifetime appointment as Galaxy coach, think again. Every coach before him who won the Cup (Schmid and Sampson) was fired by the organization. The AEG shakeup of the Galaxy admin staff (where they let Galaxy president Tom Payne go, among others) also reveals an impatience for any results deemed poor. Losing to TFC in the CCL, and starting the season with a losing record at home won't get Arena fired, but those are definitely poor results for the Galaxy.

Galaxy Trip Down South

There are times when covering soccer is not all that fun. Ridiculously tight deadlines, dealing with uncooperative people, dull matches... been there, done that.

But there are also times when soccer is superb. Now is one of those times.

I'm writing this post from a hotel in Morelia, Mexico, where I've traveled to for the Galaxy's Champions League match against Morelia. On Tuesday, the Galaxy will face a tough Morelia side and will try and take control of Group A.

I don't often travel for soccer. I have, but it hasn't been often. In fact, this is my first trip to Galaxy away game, unless you count the Galaxy's game against Xolos in San Diego.

It's nice here in Morelia. My parents are from the state Morelia is in, Michoacan, and I've lived here in this state on two separate occasions. But this is my first visit to Michoacan for soccer and my second time coming to Mexico for soccer (US-Mexico in 09 was the other).

Watching the Galaxy play in a place like Estadio Morelos, a stadium I've seen on TV for years, will seem a bit surreal. Already, just walking into the stadium earlier on Monday for a training session was quite an experience. I can't imagine seeing the Galaxy play in this setting.

It will be a great game and it's already been a great experience.

As for the game, well, it's garnered a lot of attention. Now some of that was on David Beckham and his first-ever trip to Mexico. That didn't happen as Beckham did not make the trip. But Landon Donovan is still very much hated here.

I wrote a story for MLSsoccer.com/LAGalaxy.com on the topic and when it is published.

In the meantime I'm gonna soak up the atmosphere here in Morelia and enjoy this visit to a place I hold dearly.

End of an Era

Grahame Jones has retired from the LA Times and sent a final email to the staff.  

I didn't have the privilege to work with Jones at the paper (the late, great Jim Murray did), but Grahame nevertheless always made me feel like a co-worker and fellow soccer writer the moment I stepped into the pressbox in 2004. He wasn't snobby like many "old media" folks who seemed to feel threatened by writers who worked for websites. Grahame knew well that it was corporate ownership that was killing newspapers. He bemoaned the Tribune ownership of the LA Times frequently, and so often predicted that he would be in the latest round of layoffs that his fellow LA soccer press friends finally stopped worrying that it would ever happen. 

Instead, we just enjoyed his wicked wit, cynical humor and encyclopedic knowledge of the game. I don't personally know of a single person who has attended more World Cup games than Grahame, and he's racked up so many experiences and can tell a number of interesting soccer stories. I really hope he writes a book on them now that he's retiring. 

Nothing was sacred to Grahame except for the sport itself - he'd take shots at over-sensitive and stuffy U.S. Soccer bureaucrats, fawning celebrity reporters who asked Beckham Tom Cruise questions, even blindly loyal fans who couldn't seem to realize the limitations of the teams they cheered for, or of the sport's actual growth versus their own optimistic conceptions. Grahame would also be the first to poke fun at himself, however. Frequently getting too lazy to trim his beard, he'd comment on his resemblance to Chuck Blazer or Father Christmas.

I admitted to Grahame once that I wanted his job as soccer writer at the Times once he retired.

"I wish they'd give you my job." He responded gloomily. "Once I'm gone, the cheap bastards at the Times now will probably never hire another writer to cover just soccer."

That's probably true.

Grahame had a knack for being right about things. I remember standing in the stadium tunnel of the HDC in 2005 after the LA Galaxy had lost their final regular-season match at home to their rivals, the San Jose Earthquakes, thereby falling to the last playoff spot. As the other reporters predicted that LA would flop similarly once the playoffs started, Grahame shook his head.

"No, what's going to happen is that the Galaxy will now win the first game of the playoffs, hold on to their advantage, win the next match away and then win MLS Cup. Landon is talented enough to drag the team through it, just as Ruiz once did. Then this incompetent coach (Grahame wasn't fond of Steve Sampson) will get to stay on for another year and really drag the team down. I'm predicting that's what will happen, right now. It'll be a mess, but they'll win the championship again."

Goodbye, Grahame. Your genius, heart and good humor will be missed. Best to you in your future plans.

A Believer In The Work

In my life - outside of family - there are three people who have influenced me the most, whom I can point to as being a true role model for me. One was Paul Oberjuerge, my former editor at The San Bernardino Sun, who gave me my start in journalism and allowed me to cover soccer back in 1998. The other was a trainer I had at my local gym, whom you will hear about soon enough. The third was Bob Bradley, recently deposed U.S. men's national team coach. Why Bob Bradley? Let me tell you why (and I don't think I've ever told this to anyone) ...


The work. Believe in the work.

Anyone who spent any amount of time around Bob Bradley in 2006 heard about the work.

Results weren't important because as long as players put in the work in training, things would take care of themselves. In fact, the only way to have a chance of positive results was through the work the players put in training.

It seemed like a strange concept for me. I mean, wins and losses are pretty objective while the work was rather subjective. Chivas USA had had a miserable 2005 season and they needed a turnaround - and a fast one at that. That meant wins and draws, something they'd had far too little of the year before.

And Bob Bradley was the man entrusted to steer the ship in the right direction. Right off the bat, he tried to change the culture surrounding the club, by bringing in guys like Ante Razov and Jesse Marsch, drafting the likes of Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan and helping them mesh with incumbent stars in Juan Pablo Garcia and Francisco "Paco" Palencia.

How would that team be judged? I knew that it wouldn't be judged by the work. At least, that wasn't my initial reaction.

Around the start of the 2006 season, I had come to a bit of a crossroads in my own life. I'd always struggled with weight. I had been overweight in my youth, got a bit bigger once out of high school but for the latter part of my 20s, I ballooned out of control, tipping the scales at more than 300 pounds.

I didn't have the work in me to do anything but sit around and eat.

But in March 2006 I began meeting with a personal trainer at the local gym. It was an interesting experience. I wasn't around gyms very often those days... or any days before then to be honest. You don't get to three bills by going to the gym, after all. But there I was, not really having much confidence in myself, feeling like it was a lost cause even before I got into the gym, wondering if I should just leave the trainer hanging and bail.

I stuck with him through our initial meeting, though. I weighed in at a whopping 308.6 pounds. Afterward, the trainer asked me what I wanted my goal to be. I told him that I wanted a one in front of my weight. It was pie in the sky, I was fully aware. Later, we went and worked out. I did the elliptical for seven minutes, the exercise bike for eight more and was sore for three days afterward.

But this time I wanted to give it a good try, this weight loss thing. I hadn't ever really been serious about it, but this time I figured may as well. I had two little girls, ages 2 and 6 months, and I didn't want to be the "fat dad" at school. It was already embarrassing enough being around professional athletes looking the way I did. I didn't want to embarrass my daughters once they were old enough to realize such things.

I remember one of the first times I interviewed Bob Bradley, right around the time I'd met the trainer for the first time. I was sweating like crazy - I used to sweat a lot for no reason. I asked him a few questions. He talked about the work that the team was putting in during the preseason.

It seemed like every time I caught Bob Bradley after a training session, he brought up the work. The work was good, the work was getting better, the work, the work, the work... It was hardly ever about wins and losses, mostly always the work.

I started to put in a lot of my own work in at the gym. As the season began, so too did my weight-loss journey. I was doing cardio, working out on the elliptical. I was doing circuits on different machines, working out my legs, arms and keeping my heart rate up. It was slow at first, painful most of the time and, to be honest, enjoyable none of the time, but I had put my faith in the trainer. And I'd paid about $1,000 for 20 sessions, so I also had that to drive me.

Now, my trainer did not want for me to weigh myself very often. He said the best way to get an accurate gauge of my progress was to weigh myself once a month. He had my faith, so I didn't deviate from his intsructions.

It was tough at times to not weigh myself. I was doing all of this stuff, I had changed my eating habits pretty much overnight (out with sodas, fast food, frozen dinners; in with veggies, home-cooked meals and water). I wanted to have some sort of affirmation that I was headed on the right path instead of the trainer's constant praise.

A light went off. Slowly at first, but it began to flicker.

Here I was, putting in the work. What was going to get me where I wanted to get? The work. What would be the most important thing for me to focus on? The work.

The scale would only tell so much. I could see some weight loss after a week and then relax and ease off on the work.

Much like Chivas USA could have gotten excited about a win and may have started to ease up on their own work.

For both of us, things were paying off, right?

Much like wins and losses, my own weight was not the most accurate reflection of myself back then. It was in the work. I had to stay true to the work in the gym, to the work I put in when preparing meals, when avoiding junk food, when avoiding going over my calories.

I understood what Bob Bradley had preached for so long.

The work had become the most important thing in my life.

After one month, I had lost 10 pounds. The second month, I dropped 13 more. For five consecutive months, I lost double-digit pounds. By November, I was down to 250 pounds, the lightest I'd been in years. I may not have looked like it but I felt like a new man.

Bob Bradley left Chivas USA in December 2006 for the U.S. national team. My trainer had departed my gym only a month prior. I was to fend for myself. That winter featured few workouts but also no pounds gained.

The gym was not a part of my life in December, or in January 2007, or in February. By March of that year, I told myself that one of two things would happen - 1) I would go back to the gym, re-dedicate myself to the work and lose the rest of my weight, or 2) I would put it all back on.

Number two was not an option. It just wasn't. I went back to the gym. On my own, I started working out, hitting the elliptical and the weight machines for the most part. Like a cattle prod on my backside, Bob Bradley's words about the work would resurface at the gym.

I weighed myself about once every two weeks. After one stretch that saw me hit the gym for about six out of seven days, I didn't lose a single pound. I had started at 236 and finished at 236. I upped the work. It wasn't good enough and the work became twice as challenging. By October of 2007, I had dropped to 199. By November, I got under 190, probably for the first time since I was in high school.

The work. It worked. Who would have known that such a philosophy would have carried over from the soccer field to a source it was likely never intended to influence?

Me, in June 2005 and at the finish line of the 2010 San Francisco Marathon

Since then, I took up running. I started slowly, running a 5K in June 2008 and a 10K later that year. I ran a half-marathon in April 2009 and ran my first marathon in February 2010. I have run four marathons now and will run marathon number five in March 2012... and hopefully marathons six and seven will follow next year as well.

I'm confident in myself. I am a believer in the work. I'm all about the work I put in when I run. Running a marathon is great but training for it, putting in long runs on weekends and getting my midweek runs - doing the work - is what will get me to the finish line. The work is what counts, not my time.

Thank you Bob Bradley, for instilling the work in me.