MLS players don’t mind embarrassing themselves

This Volkswagen advert features MLS players Ben Olsen, Chris Klein and Sacha Kljestan hitching a lift with a crazy soccer mom to the MLS Cup in Los Angeles. And of course the trophy and trophy handler come along for the ride too… Don’t think they would have been able to talk Becks into this!

New England Revolution coach give name change

During the MLS Cup semi-final between New England Revolution and Chicago Fire, former Liverpool player Steve Nicol was kindly given a new nickname by ESPN pundit Alexei Lalas’ wandering mind…

Spotted on The Offside Rules

75 is the lucky number

After CR7, R9, R10, and David Beckham’s unofficial ownership of the number 23, it looks like DB75 will be football’s hot initial/number combo in 2009. The Mirror reports that if Beckham’s loan deal to AC Milan is finalised he will play (assuming he actually plays) with a number 75 on his back.

Beckham was born in 1975 (as were Enrique Iglesias, Eva Longoria and Jamie Oliver), so he should be happy with his new number. If the birth year thing is not enough, 75 also opens up the potential for a LXXV tattoo (if he has any available skin remaining).

Goldenballs goes to Italy

The rumours have been about for a week or two, but I didn’t expect them to materialise into anything. AC Milan have announced that they have confirmed an agreement to take David Beckham on loan from LA Galaxy at the end of the MLS season.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said: “Beckham has chosen Milan. He’ll stay here in Milan on loan for a few months. Our squad is ultra-competitive and it will remain this way but Beckham is something different and intriguing.”
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First down… goal!

New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero bagged himself a Major League Soccerball Power Goal when he booted the ball in from his own half. Perhaps the opposition keeper was mesmerised by the numbers on the pitch (apparently they help guys in helmets with no sense of proportion, or something).

Ironically given his superhuman goalkeeping efforts, Cepero was only playing in the match because regular Red Bulls goalie Jeff Conway is serving a suspiciously short ten-match drugs ban.

Spotted on The Offside

The MLS Files

Ex-LA Galaxy coach Ruud Gullit has revealed that the evil geniuses behind Major League Soccer are deliberately keeping a lid on soccerball to avoid damaging true American sports. Comments made to Reuters about a Major League Soccer conspiracy have had some onlookers questioning the state of the former Dutch international’s mental health.
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And people say the MLS isn’t as professional as the Premier League. Pah!

When you’re club captain is suspended you expect him to be sitting in the crowd urging his team-mates on and maybe even popping into the dressing room with some half-time words of advice, no? Apparently not at MLS outfit Columbus Crew. Skipper Frankie Hejduk took the opportunity of being suspended to chug beer with Columbus fans and conduct some pretty embarrassing chanting!

Spotted on The Beautiful Game

When unnecessary gymnastics goes wrong

It is bad enough when a player injures himself during a goal celebration - such a futile way of ruling yourself out of contention. So imagine how galling it must be to break your leg celebrating a goal which was then chalked off. Real Salt Lake forward Fabian Espindola did just that against LA Galaxy last weekend.

He said: “I’m embarrassed. I’m never going to do that again. I don’t know what happened. I’ve done it a million times. If I would have known I never would have done it.” The Argentinian faces six weeks on the sideline with his injury, which you can see 45 secs into the video.

Spotted on The Beautiful Game