The Great Beckham is Done

Video:The injury that ended it all

The man has been written about and argued about more than any other modern footballer. He has done some incredible things on the and off the pitch. He has made some very good and very bad decisions as well. Some hate him and some love him like no other.

When you listen to him speak...He is soft and unassuming. When you watch him play he is intense and sometimes brutal. He has always played to the best of his talent and I never did see him tank or slack or give up. His crosses and passes and kicks are the stuff of legend and will no doubt be the things we will always remember him by....That unbelievable " bend ".

His commitment to the game we all love will never be questioned either. Yes he went to America riding on a wave of expectation that was never really met....And even though he took LA to the finale...Many in America think he is a waste of time and money. When he came back last year...He was hated by his own fans. They screamed at him and threw stuff at him and brought rude signs to the games and said even ruder things about his wife. And he took it...Got pissed a little at Landon's book....But I watched him change the entire circus around from jeers to cheers in a few months. He did that by staying cool and playing very hard. At the end of games he was spent....And he was tired. It showed in the final with Real SL....But he still made the kicks over and over and his kick at the end he made as well....This loss had zero to do with Becks and everything to do with LA not being able to take advantage of his deliveries.

I respect him and consider him one of the best ever mids to play the sport....And a quiet but effective ambassador for the game all over the world. His work off the field is notable and is spreading good will and good practices with kids. I will never fault him for his media exploits and overkill. Give the guy a break....If you listen to Becks you will hear a simple man with simple desires that also likes to be open to new ideas. Big Ego? Yeah sure. Big heart? You bet.