Soccer Watch

Well, it's all about David Beckham this week, innit? And indeed, why not? Becks may not be a great player anymore, but he's still a great promotional value, especially if it's major sponsors who are footing the reported $250 million bill.

Beckhamania even pushed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho off the front pages of the British tabloids. Any other week, the juicy love/hate triangle between the mercurial Portuguese manager, billionaire Russian oilman/owner Roman Abramovitch, and high-dollar Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko would be front and center. The short version? Mourinho won't likely be back after this year, even if he wins his third straight Premiership title.

On the local level, pusillanimity reigned (rained?), as officials called off all adult soccer games on the weekend, despite the lovely Scottish weather. We nivver dee'd o winter yit.