David Beckham looking to make his mark on America

When David Beckham inked a five-year deal with the L.A. Galaxy for about $250 million soccer fans and boy band fans alike were excited. However, we wondered if the greatest soccer icon of our time could really live up to the hype. The midfielder had only started seven of 25 games for Real Madrid in his final year and had been dropped from England's international team.

Beckham validated the cynics in his first year in America. Sold-out stadiums wanting to see him play were disappointed to find that he was out for the first three months of the season with a ankle injury. It did not help fan sentiment that the Galaxy made his injury seem day to day either. Galaxy president, Alexi Lalas would add to the fire saying that L.A. Galaxy was printed on the ticket, not David Beckham while knowing full well why those games were selling out.

In his second season with the Galaxy and the hype on simmer, Beckham is starting to get his groove back. With his right ankle finally healthy, Beckham has played all 270 minutes of the first three games (including the last game in Toronto that hit over 100 degrees), while notching his first official MLS goal and and an assist.

Beckham looks like a grizzly soccer version of Bret Favre and not being a 20-year-old youngster anymore, you'll occasionally see him making some of his own awkward tumbling plays reminiscient of Favre.

Just as Larry Bird was a major passing threat, a roaming defender and capable of hitting the big long distance shot while making all his teammates better; Beckham has the same effect on the Galaxy. Evidence of this came last year during Superliga (an eight team tournament of USA and Mexico club teams), when Landon Donovan, the USA international team all-time goal scorer relinquished his captaincy to Beckham. He then showed that he can still turn goalies into statues with his patented bending kick. (Click here for the hometown feel version.)

And for all that D-Beck has not forgotten the Hollywood image that he and Victoria (Posh) worked so hard to make. He'll kick that ball snoops upside your head!