Book Log 2009 #49: The Beckham Experiment by Grant Wahl

Touted as the signing that would single-handedly bring the MLS into the hearts and minds of Americans, David Beckham's deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy never lived up to its inflated promise, and Walh explores the reasons why this occurred, from Beckham's physical fitness to play to his uneasy relationship with teammates to the overly-slick handling by 19 Entertainment and Simon Fuller.

From the beginning, it's clear that Beckham's arrival in the US is about more than soccer, as his signing seems to be as contingent on his wife's ability to score TV deals as it is about the game. Further complicating things are the people that surround Beckham and the demands they put on the team, which eventually lead to a de facto takeover by 19 Entertainment and long time Beckham friend Terry Byrne. This leads to some disastrous decision making and the eventual firing of team GM Alexi Lalas, who had little to no actual control over the team.

Compounding things was Beckham's increasingly frosty relationship with teammates, specifically Landon Donovan, whose notoriously thin skin only made each perceived slight that much worse. They would patch things up after a fashion, but only in time to see Beckham sign a deal that would have him play with AC Milan during the Italian season, making him a part-time MLS player.

As interesting as the details are, the most intriguing question of the book is just how much the Beckham Experiment was controlled by Beckham himself. Did he know and direct the changes with the Galaxy, or did things happen with him staying in a state of blissful ignorance? Both options raise questions, and Wahl does a good job of exploring them and only drawing conclusions where the information allows.

A must read for soccer fans.