Let me preface this post by saying that I put absolutely zero thought into the preperation; it's simply a ranting, rambling reaction to all of the stuff I've been reading today.
Far be it for me to tell Galaxy fans how to feel, but shouldn't there be a parade ambling through Carson right about now? While signing Beckham meant immediate name recognition for the team and the league, it quickly turned into a farce on the field. The Galaxy have never been as bad as they've been the last few years, and some of that certainly falls directly on Beckham's shoulders. Forget the monetary effect Beckham's salary had on the makeup of the team; his presence in LA and the circus that followed him were not conducive to a strong team atmosphere. Comments made by Galaxy players in the days since Beckham's loan deal started indicated a split locker room at the HDC; it's easy to conclude that Beck's presence only amplified the distinction between the "haves" and "havenots" in MLS. When special considerations are made for one player, no matter that players stature, egos become raw.
If Beckham is truly gone, the Galaxy can get back to the business of putting together a proper football team. Bruce Arena is a proven MLS manager, and if given the chance to do so, he can make LA a winner again. If a majority of Galaxy fans aren't jumping up and down over the departure of their proverbial albatross, then there's something rotten in LA. It would be easy to say good riddance to those who bought in simply because Beckham arrived; but in a country where every soccer fan is a precious flower, MLS can't afford to lose anyone. Arena will have pressure to win, and win quickly, especially if the Galaxy fail to draw fans at the rate to which they've become accustomed.
The Galaxy have to get good again, and do it quickly. It's often said that college football is better when Notre Dame is good; the same holds true for MLS and the Galaxy. Like it or not, they are a flagship franchise in MLS, and their success has a direct impact on the strength of the league. I'm sure MLS dreamed of a scenario in which their biggest ever signing carried his side to a MLS Cup title, featuring in an ABC broadcasted final for all of America to see; obviously this didn't happen, as the Galaxy found themselves teetering into unbalanced oblivion. Now the pieces have to be picked as quickly as possible, without that which unbalanced them throwing off the squad. To add to their ills, it appears that their most gifted player, one who can carry them almost single-handedley in a way Beckham never could, will also be staying in Europe.
One player gone that they are better off without, and one player with a foot out of the door and a hankering to make his bones in Germany; Galaxy finds themselves wrapped up in two of the biggest stories the league has ever seen. If they can somehow pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and play winning football, it will be a major coup. While the Galaxy may be "the former team of David Beckham" for a time, a winning season can always be framed with the acknowledgment that Beckham's failures were immediately followed by a major success; Galaxy and the league will look better for letting Beckham leave, lessening the negative effects of his departure.
American soccer is team soccer by necessity; we simply don't have players in our league that can take over a game by themselves. With Beckham's distracting influence gone, LA can get back to the business of playing team soccer once again. Until MLS has the clout and money to draw world class players more than one at a time, the team will continue to trump the superstar, and that's exactly the way it should be.
