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| The best billboard in Manhattan. Kudos to H&M for not counting subtlety as a virtue. |
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| It deserves a close-up shot really. |
Although I have an inexplicable draw to goalkeepers (Hello Pepe Reina & Tim Howard...and Iker Casillas!...and the most aptly named Hope Solo!), and although I am a Liverpool FC supporter, and it might be considered somewhat blasphemous to worship a midfielder who once played for Manchester United, I cannot help but indulge my shallowness and stand in awe of Becks. It's not just that he is smokin' hot, although admittedly that is of some appeal; he also genuinely seems like a lovely human being. How much of that public image is real I will never know (unfortunately), but in a world where most footballers come across as proper tossers who are always shooting their mouths off while displaying a denseness of utter cringe worthiness, and thus lose all magnetism once they step foot off the pitch, Becks stands out- not just for his high-pitched voice (which of course I find endearing and not at all emasculating), but for his ever present humility and graciousness. I've never seen the man in an interview where he wasn't oozing charm. So even if the good guy facade is a construct, at least he is smart enough to know what is appealing and what isn't. Having lived in the UK for several years, I've had many conversations with Brits about the massive level of Beck's celebrity, especially in relation to his footballing prowess. Many people don't consider him one of the greats and feel his status in the world is undeserving as it is not indicative of his skill level. People are so resentful that Posh came along and catapulted him (and herself) into a celebrity stratosphere so far-reaching that they not only became British royalty, but that in essence, he became the face of English football, and football in general. I think Posh must be kind of a genius, myself. We Americans love Becks of course, much to the annoyance of a few of the Brits I knew, who thoroughly enjoyed condemning America's lack of knowledge about and participation in football at every opportunity. I always found that attitude and judgment incredibly pretentious and unfair. Granted these people were real wankers, but I always found the topic hilarious and interesting to discuss nonetheless. As an American who loves football, I also have an admiration and appreciation for Becks coming to the states towards the end of his career, and acting as an ambassador for the game. I wish the US had more of a presence in what the entire rest of the world knows as "the beautiful game." So...how does one begin a campaign to get the Red Devils to bring Becks to NYC?
"Catch me if you can/ Cos' I'm the England man/ And what you're looking at/ Is the master plan/ We ain't no hooligans/ This ain't a football song/ Three lions on my chest/ I know we can't go wrong" --New Order, World in Motion
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