A Celestial Event: Galaxy turns into Cosmos

The obsessive-compulsive shut-ins over at bigsoccer (I say that with love) discovered this gem that seems to indicate that the LA Galaxy will soon be a Euro 2000 all-star team: Los Angeles Galaxy hoopt ook op Luis Figo. Now I don’t speak Dutch. In fact, there are only two things that I hate in this world: People who are intolerant of other people’s cultures and the Dutch. However, I assume that to “hoopt ook op” means that they are trying to sign the one-time Footballer of the Year or perhaps they just spit a loogie in his face. I know the phrase “epp op ork ah ah” means I love you (according to the Jetsons, anyway). For the sake of argument, let's assume it means the former.

No doubt Lalas and the other boosters attempting to turn MLS into European footballers version of Cocoon will begin to write stories with rote headlines like, “Another star to be added to the Galaxy.” But MLS should think seriously before adding yet another marquee player to the Galaxy roster. Becks, Xavier and now Figo? Has single-entity gone out the door and with it all the fears of MLS turning into the NASL? I’m certainly not against bringing an incredible talent like Figo to MLS, but shouldn’t another franchise get a nip from the world all-star whiskey jug? Juan Pablo Angel is already proving what a single marquee allocation can provide. Why not share the wealth? That was the original intention of single-entity, that and to pool resources, something that MLS still needs to do. Despite the financial windfall of Spice Boy (which may not fully materialize this year if England continues to call him up), MLS isn't out of the woods. Many teams operate in the red, lack stadiums and/or boast pitiful attendance. Does Commissioner Garber and all the owner-operators around the league really feel that MLS is strong enough now to withstand a blackhole. Galaxy ... Cosmos ... What's in a name? A lot apparently.