h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is this Becks' final trip from serious, top-class footballer to celebrity himbo? Has he given up all pretense of being a footballer to wallow in a money-fuelled celebrity hinterland? Have *you* lost as much respect for the corporate whore as I have?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6253613.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6253829.stm

No no no, he's categorically *not* doing it for the money.

Tsk

Yeah, shame on me

Truth is I have the same respect for him as I had before reading this news...

Who here though wouldn't take a job in the states on $1 Million a week?

It's not entirely dissimilar to what G. Lineker did when he went off to play in Japan though...

Yes, Number Six, G. Lineker has made the same comparison himself. But quite honestly, I don't blame Beckham for making that choice. Warming the bench at Real, while they're going through a bad time by their standards, versus getting paid truly preposterous money to be an icon in California, where most people speak the same language as you... yes, I think I'd choose LA too. It's good that he's gone to the States when he's 31 and can still play a bit, rather than going there for a final payday when he's completely past it, as other players have done.

I wonder if he's thinking of a possible Hollywood career? He's still a handsome fellow, and he certainly wouldn't be the first sportsman to make that career swap.

Well, someone in Hollywood's got to be there to make Ben Affleck look like a good actor
(I'm sure that's not lost of the ewif either)

As I understand it, in this day of media driven exaggeration the $250 million figure is the maximum he'll get as most of it is bonus related money, I don't know what the basic figure is though. Probably still a fairly thumping amount.

But how much money do you need before you have enough? He's basically said, sod the football, let's go for more celebrity.

If someone was going to pay me $1m a week, I'd take it. If I already had £100m in the bank, the money wouldn't make any difference to my life, and maybe I'd keep doing the thing I professed to love, at as high a level as possible, while I still could. What happened to 'glory'?

Maybe he's past it now, anyway.

I hereby pledge never to buy anything promoted by 'the Beckham Brand'.

Never have anyway, he's ManUre scum after all

In the interests of balance (I just read this).

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/01/12/a_perfect_setting_for_the_fina.html

Good article, thanks.

How sad is all this scorn? Basically he's doing right by his family. He's a man who's been offered more money to go and work in a place where they speak the same language as his kids, his wife wants to live (and won't be papped as much, she's hardly Hollywood A-List) and he can enjoy himself. Are you saying any of you wouldn't do the same thing?

Added to that, he's won it all in Europe pretty much, and he's been dropped from the England team by McNugget and barracked by the British press for being the only player (barring Hargreaves the revelation and Aaron Lennon's cameo) to try and play at the World Cup. Being applauded for his talent for once in the USA must seem very attractive.

As I read somewhere else:

Over rated, over paid, and thank God, over there.

We'd all do it if we could - at least he has some skill and seems like a decent person - more than you can say about say... Rio Ferdinand.

81p per swcond for the next five years. I wouldnt say no. Going from benchwarmer at Real Madrid to Star Player, probably captain, and a masssive pay hike? I cant blame him for doing it.

And besides, he may just do the unthinkable and make Major League Soccer a viable alternative to the Big American sports of the NHL, NBA, MLB and the NFL.

If not he might be putting in an appearance at hs Soccer school in LA. To him its a challenge, to do wht the likes of George Best an Pele never really managed to do.

Having thought about this a bit more, I think Beckham has been very astute (irrespective of the money). He's not going to scale the heights again, and this will maintain his celebrity while he'll be the best player in the country. What I hate about him is the fact that he's so obsessed with celebrity. Doesn't make him a bad person, but it makes me think he's a ****ing moron.

What exactly are people critiscing Becks for?

Being a himbo? Can he help the way others see him?


Taking the money people offer him?


Having dips in form? All players have dips in form, but people lurched to the view that his were down to other interests. Are we trying to say he would have been at his best all the time if it werent for, having a family and taking the money and jobs he was offered?


Going to a country where he doesnt get stick about his heart not being in it for everything short of actually crying tears of blood every time he loses the ball in mid field nevermind if Engalnd lose a game. Is that a crime now.


I remember being peed of when he lost his tmper and got sent off against Argentina it was a big factor in the loss of the game and exit from the tournament, but to be fair how many other players have lost their composure on the big stage for England...atleast Beckham didnt make a pizza hut commercial to cash in on our sporting misery.

I think theres a lot of envy and misguded anger aimed at Becks. He has been a model proffessional and apart from knocking off his PA hasnt done half of the things ot5her Englan players have to tarnish his reputation.

People give Becks stick for being thick, how is he thick, he has made the most of his talents. It didnt happen the same with George Best no matter what he got up to he was cast as a loveable rogue. Becks reaps the rewards eminating from his success on the pitch and being clean living and he has derision heaped on him. That's not justice that envy.

Hw did allow his wife to carry on her solo career - its difficult not to hold that against him.

Well his wife's abysmal lack of talent aside, I can't find anything to get on his back for. We got to see him at his best when he was at ManUre, and now someone's offered him ridiculous money to go and be the biggest fish in quite a small pond (in football terms anyway).

Good luck Becks I say, and thanks for the free kick against Greece, the penalty against Argentina, having the cojones to accept responsibility for the last World Cup and most of all, thanks for taking your wife out of the country.

On a more pressing issue, how has that Scouse gimboid "Steeeeevie Gee" suddenly acquired an MBE? Did he nick it?

Ok, maybe he is going to get a tiny bit too much money if this story's true...

"English soccer ace David Beckham has spent a staggering $1.8 million on the world's most expensive sex toy as a present for his pregnant wife Victoria. The platinum vibrator, with a 10-carat diamond encrusted base linked to a 16-carat diamond necklace, is one of only 10 in the world - and was created by London strip-club owner Peter Stringfellow"

Now that's one hell of a strange gift.