I have to admit that Los Angeles confuses me. On one hand it entertains me to watch them struggle not only on the field, as they struggled in their opener against Colorado, but just in their attempt to put together something that resembles a professional roster. With so much salary cap space committed to David Beckham, Fivehead Donovan, and Carlos Ruiz it seems as if Los Angeles is forced to fill the remainder of the roster with players who need to hone their baked goods skills in order to complement their MLS development salary. It feels as if I truly need a scorecard to watch Los Angeles play because without one, the other eight players on the field might end up being just some guys running around with numbers on their backs without one.
And who can forget Alexi Lalas, the odds-on favorite for becoming MLS's first general manager ace, responsible for five confirmed club kills. He's Forrest Gump's box of chocolates as you never know what to expect from Lalas. At one point Keith Olbermann was smashing his guitar in ESPN commercials, but now Lalas is responsible for MLS's most-recognized team and its most recognized player.
However, while it's fun to laugh at Los Angeles [Crew fans have to find joy somewhere...], I can't help but root for them, it seems. Except for when they play Columbus, I find myself pulling for Los Angeles each time I see them on TV. He might be a total clown, but Beckham seems like a nice enough guy and I feel as if a lot of MLS's future rests with him. His first MLS goal was a topic on two ESPN shows on Friday, Pardon the Interruption and Around the Horn. Beckham's presence appears to have brought MLS into sharper focus both domestically and abroad, and while in sharper view I'd rather not see people watching highlights of a team that looks like it arrived at the game in one small, backfiring car.
Dang it, Los Angeles. I like my sports world black-and-white!
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