The Manchester City-Arsenal game was on the television behind the bar early Saturday morning at the British Bulldog pub in downtown Denver. The bartender’s name was Victoria Forrester. Victoria?
“Yeah, I know,” she said, wincing. “If someone calls me Posh one more time, I’m going to slap myself.”
That would be a Posh Spice/Victoria Beckham/David Beckham reference, in case you haven’t been paying attention. If you have, you know Beckham won’t be at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park tonight when the Rapids entertain the Los Angeles Galaxy.
“There are going to be a lot of angry people,” said Forrester, a Rapids season-ticket holder. “People saved lots of money and spent lots of money for those tickets, and now he’s not even coming.”
Friday’s announcement that the Galaxy was leaving him home after he played three games in six days across eight time zones with a gimpy left ankle was something of a relief for the must-win Rapids, who would rather play a Beckham-less Galaxy. But it was a major disappointment for those who bought tickets hoping to see the world’s most famous player.
“You can look at it two ways,” Rapids marketing director Jeff Plush said. “We were looking forward to hosting David, and what he brings to the excitement level. But we also need three points. From a competitive perspective, for a team whose goals are to get in the playoffs and then win championships, we’re very pleased to not have their best player on the pitch.”
John Winkel, one of the guys at the pub, is a Manchester United fan who describes himself as fan of Beckham “when he was Beckham.” Winkel became a soccer fan about 12 years ago when he spent six months in the Middle East.
“The only choices were camel racing and English Premier League,” Winkel said. “You can only watch so many camel races.”
Winkel believes Beckham is past his prime at age 32, and he doesn’t think much of the standard of play in Major League Soccer. He didn’t have tickets for today’s game but conceded it would be good to see Beckham play in person, “even if it wasn’t the Beckham I used to love to watch.”
Later at the Kennedy soccer complex, Wheat Ridge Avalanche player Jayne Munger made a similar point. Munger, 16, bought tickets for today’s game specifically to see Beckham.
“He’s cute,” she said. “He was a good soccer player. He’s old now.”
Munger said she was “pretty disappointed” Beckham wasn’t coming, but she planned to go to the game.
Munger’s coach, Randy Hagan, also bought tickets because of Beckham, but he understood the Galaxy’s decision to let Beckham rest – and his ankle heal – after playing in New York, London and Los Angeles in a six-day stretch.
“I don’t question that decision in the least,” Hagan said. “Beckham is a commodity player. He’s going to make this league better, and you’ve got to protect that. He’s been trying, he’s been pushing, and he’s just not ready.”
Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo is glad his team won’t have to face Beckham, but he gave Beckham props for playing 90 minutes Thursday night in Los Angeles after playing Wednesday night for England against Germany in London.
“He’s trying to fulfill obligations with disregard for his health,” Clavijo said. “He got my respect in a big, big way. I feel for him.”
The Rapids aren’t giving refunds to those who bought tickets to see Beckham, but as of midday Saturday, Plush said he hadn’t received a single complaint.
“There’s going to be a great game with playoff implications between the Rapids and the Galaxy,” Plush said. “Those who bought tickets only to see David, I’d encourage to come out and experience a great day.”
Beckham’s breakdown
Since arriving in the U.S. in mid-July, David Beckham has been mostly a spectator because of a lingering left ankle injury. The games he has missed, and played:
July 21: “Friendly” vs. Chelsea FC (England) – played 22 minutes
July 24: SuperLiga game vs. Pachuca (Mexico) – did not play
July 28: SuperLiga game vs. Guadalajara (Mexico) – did not play
July 31: SuperLiga game vs. FC Dallas – did not play
Aug. 5: MLS game vs. Toronto – did not play
Aug. 9: MLS game vs. D.C. United – played 28 minutes
Aug. 12: MLS game vs. New England – did not play
Aug. 15: SuperLiga game vs. D.C. United – played 63 minutes, scored a goal, assisted on another
Aug. 18: MLS game vs. New York – played 90 minutes, assisted on two goals
Aug. 22: “Friendly” in London, played 90 minutes for England vs. Germany
Aug. 23: MLS game vs. Chivas USA, played 90 minutes
Today’s game
Who: Rapids vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
Where: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
When: 5 p.m.
Tickets: Sold out
Television: Altitude
Last meeting: Rapids won 1-0 on May 26.
Injuries: Colorado, Dan Gargan (knee) out. Los Angeles, David Beckham (ankle), Chris Albright (hamstring), Troy Roberts (ankle) out; Cobi Jones (hip), Kyle Veris (hip) questionable.
