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VANCOUVER - David Beckham says the Los Angeles Galaxy knew what they were getting when they signed him to play Major League Soccer.The former England captain was responding to criticism from soccer legend Pele, who said American fans were misled into thinking Beckham would be a goal scorer in the league. "The Galaxy wouldn't have come out and said that," Beckham said Wednesday after the Galaxy played to a 0-0 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps in an international friendly before 48,172 fans."The Galaxy brought me in because I'm a football player. Everybody in the world knows I'm not a goal scorer."Everyone has their own opinion. Pele is a great player and a great ambassador for the game."Pele told the Associated Press that American soccer fans were given the impression Beckham would be a goal scorer."They announced him as a scorer of goals," Pele said during an interview in Sheffield, England.
England's McClaren given boot
England has the wealthiest soccer league in the world, with matches screened across the globe and business tycoons from the United States, Russia and Asia lining up to own the clubs. So why can't England put 11 Englishmen on the field to succeed on the international level? Steve McClaren became the latest coach to pay the price Thursday, getting fired after England's 3-2 loss Wednesday at home to Croatia meant the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. While the likes of World Cup champion Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal will be out to try to take the title away from Greece, England's stars — including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen — will have to watch the games on TV. The Football Association now has plenty of time to search for a coach who can lift the nation credited with establishing the modern game to the same level.
Seth Davis: Postcard from Gonzaga
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Here in this sleepy town in the Pacific northwest, a basketball hoop still hangs over the driveway of the house where John Stockton grew up on, appropriately enough, Superior Street. After Stockton graduated from Gonzaga in 1984 and became a star with the Utah Jazz, he purchased a small, three-bedroom house next door. That house would hardly merit a spot on MTV's Cribs, but as Gonzaga coach Mark Few drove me past it last Friday, it provided a snapshot not just of Gonzaga's past, but also its present. "Do you see Stockton much?" I asked Few. "Oh, yeah," he replied. "I just got done working out with him." You see, John Stockton may have graduated from Gonzaga, but he never really went anywhere. The same is true for Gonzaga.
Warriors want to drink from big cup
The St. Charles West Warriors hockey team is the first from St. Charles County to advance to the finals in one of the three Mid-States Club Hockey Association playoff tiers four times.After three trips to the Wickenheiser Cup finals in this decade, the Warriors were 0-3 in trips to the finals. But last season, they beat Clayton in a shootout to capture the Founders Cup, the county's first Mid-States postseason hardware.But this year's team has higher aspirations. Like challenging for the Suburban North Conference title and earning the right to compete in the highest playoff tier: the Challenge Cup. First-year head coach Brad Schneider and his two assistants, Bill Heisse and Harris Schiff, want to help the Warriors get to Scottrade Center."It's a nice honor, it's always nice to win that last game, but these seniors had played for the Wickenheiser Cup for two years so they were used to being at the (Scottrade Center) competing for something bigger," Schneider said."As far as the coaching staff goes, that (Challenge) is our goal.
News Index
VANCOUVER - David Beckham says the Los Angeles Galaxy knew what they were getting when they signed him to play Major League Soccer.The former England captain was responding to criticism from soccer legend Pele, who said American fans were misled into thinking Beckham would be a goal scorer in the league. "The Galaxy wouldn't have come out and said that," Beckham said Wednesday after the Galaxy played to a 0-0 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps in an international friendly before 48,172 fans."The Galaxy brought me in because I'm a football player. Everybody in the world knows I'm not a goal scorer."Everyone has their own opinion. Pele is a great player and a great ambassador for the game."Pele told the Associated Press that American soccer fans were given the impression Beckham would be a goal scorer."They announced him as a scorer of goals," Pele said during an interview in Sheffield, England.
Vitale, McNeely lead Huskies' resurgence
Northeastern is nearly two months ahead of last season's pace in the wins column. The No. 16 Huskies have won six games, a feat they didn't accomplish last season until Jan. 26.
The Huskies (6-4-1, 6-3-1 Hockey East) beat No. 19 Boston College (3-4-5, 2-3-4 Hockey East) in overtime Friday night, padding their conference lead to three points. Senior Jimmy Russo scored his first goal of the season with four seconds remaining in the extra period. It was the second overtime goal of his career.
So far in the season, however, Russo's younger teammates are outplaying him. Standout junior forward Joe Vitale has a team-leading 13 points on the season (five goals, eight assists), all of which came in Hockey East play.
Along with Vitale, freshman forward Tyler McNeely has a share of the team lead with five goals.
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