I came to a sudden realization this morning after posting my latest Beckham commentary (how many is that now? 10? 12? Sheesh) : when it comes to developments in this made-for-tv drama, no one knows a damn thing.

Did Don Garber place a Friday deadline for completion of a Beckham deal? Sure. Does that mean the deal is dead, and that Beckham will return to MLS and the Galaxy? Don't bet on it.

Soccer journalists, on this side of the pond at least, have dutifully reported the comments of Tim Leiweke, which would seem to end speculation that Milan could still secure the permanent services of Mr. Beckham. Several of them, however, even while announcing the end of the saga, have stated their belief that Becks will still end up in Milan for good. Milan themselves aren't convinced either, calling the deadline a "tactic" on the part of the league, and are going forward with their belief that a deal will be made.

I'm not sure what to believe. My news reader is choked with Beckham news, emanating from every outlet in the free world; from sports, news, entertainment, and gossip sites. The three pronged attack on the story, from interests based in the U.S., Italy, and England, has only served to ratchet up the volume of news, while offering very little in terms of insight. It seems few, if any, of the reporters covering the negotiations have any sources with intimate knowledge of where things actually stand. Those that do claim to have "inside" information are often the most unreliable, news organizations whose reputations falls somewhere between that of Boy "The Kidnapper" George and Alex "Roided" Rodriguez.

Therefore, the only logical conclusion to be made is that no one knows anything.

Nothing coming out of the Galaxy camp can be trusted as long as Beckham's loan deal has life left in it (23 days to go), and the man continues to show up on the pitch in the shirt of the Rossoneri. Those who still believe that Beckham will not return to the States chalk there cynical view of the "deadline" up to Beckham's state of mind (i.e., why would the Galaxy want to bring back an unhappy player), as well as to the financial power of Milan (i.e., if they really want him, they'll pony up the dough). While I'm inclined to agree with the cynics, I also believe that Garber truly intended to set a hard deadline; whether or not the deadline holds is up to the Galaxy's ability to convince the commissioner that any subsequent Milan offer is in the best interests of both the team and the league.

Don't get me wrong: I will continue to post updates and commentary on breaking news whenever I might come across it. I'll just be sure, in the future, to take every new development with a grain of salt. Until the league issues a statement announcing the departure of Beckham and the end of his contract (with the inevitable "we wish him the best" bullshit), I'll try not to fall into the trap of believing everything I read. I suggest you do the same.