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One fewer star in the Galaxy

Beckham announces his departure

By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer

D7: Beckham has announced that the MLS Cup final will be his last game with the LA Galaxy. Beckham has said that, “I’ve had an incredibly special time playing for the

LA Galaxy. However, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career.” And now the endless speculation about where he'll end up can commence.

Will Beckham return to England, back where his career began? Anything is possible, but this move is highly unlikely. Beckham has said many times that if he were ever to return to the Premier League, he would only consider

Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson has made many questionable moves in his tenure as United’s manager, but bringing an ancient artillery piece back into the fold is unlikely. West Ham has publicly made their interest known several times, but with no real shot at competing for the title, it’s difficult to imagine the 37 year old settling in there. Beckham trained with Tottenham in January of 2011 and nearly managed to get in a few games on loan, but was ultimately stifled in his efforts. Despite what he has said about playing in England again, perhaps the right offer from Spurs could lure him in. Heading across the English Channel, the famed moneybags Paris Saint-Germain are coming up in rumours again. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is denying any interest in Beckham, but managers seem as prone to spreading

misinformation as the tabloids are. Paris would certainly fit the Beckham family—can’t see Posh Spice complaining about it. She’d probably swim across the Atlantic for the opportunity. Playing time, however, would likely be an issue. PSG has a decent roster, and Beckham being anything more than a poster boy is a longshot.

Or maybe Becks will take to the call of the Orient and land with Chinese Super League big-spenders Shanghai Shenhua. Already home to Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba, Beckham would be in good company. China would definitely be a challenge for the Englishman, but Shanghai Shenhua are having difficulties paying their players’ wages right now; as such, a move is doubtful.

Two other rumoured clubs are Real Madrid and the New York Cosmos. However, both of these

teams are truly just rumours. Real Madrid would never put Beckham in their starting 11. He would be hard-pressed to even find a spot on the bench. The only role Becks would have is as an ambassador / figurehead, and he would never accept that. As for the Cosmos, I do see him as part of that organization down the road, but not as a player. He has always expressed a hope to be an owner in the MLS, and, with the Cosmos taking steps to become the next expansion franchise, and several big names already on board (Pele, Cobi Jones, Eric Cantona), it’s practically a no-brainer. Last, but not least, the most likely destination for Beckham’s final chapter: Australia’s A-League. It’s just the kind of move that Goldenballs relishes in. He would bring some much needed publicity and help another league gain relevance. While the family

The triumphant return of Georges St-Pierre

By Elliot Chan, Contributor

Candee UFC fans all across the country were holding their breath as Georges St-Pierre returned to the octagon after a 19-month absence. After tearing his ACL while training for a welterweight title defense against Nick Diaz in UFC 143, GSP began his long road to recovery that involved surgery.

On November 17, St-Pierre and interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit headlined UFC 154. Condit replaced GSP in the fight against Diaz and took the unanimous decision. Condit had been waiting patiently for months for

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GSP to recover and at the Bell Centre in front of a packed house in Montreal, he finally had a chance to take home the undisputed title. “Somebody asked me in the locker- room, ‘How’s Georges looking?” said St-Pierre’s striking coach Phil Nurse prior to the event, “you know what? The last time I saw him like this is when he flattened Matt Serra at the same arena.” Without missing a beat and appearing in full athletic form, St- Pierre took the valiant contender to five rounds, dictating the fight with a formidable ground game and regaining the title in unanimous fashion. Condit was only able to defend against St-Pierre’s

take downs one in eight attempts.

“Obviously that’s not where | wanted to be, I didn’t want to be under Georges taking elbows,” said the challenger after the fight. An early strike to the temple caused Condit to bleed profusely late in the first round, when St-Pierre effortlessly got through his guard. However, despite looking like a horror movie victim, Condit did not back down. In the third round, he snuck in a high kick after a series of jabs. The left leg struck St-Pierre in the head and knocked the welterweight champion down to the mats. He would have lost the title then and there, had it not been for his flexibility and strength. “1

thought I had him there,” said Condit.

But St-Pierre had spent many hours honing his ju-jitsu just for that situation. Eventually, the champion’s wrestling over matched Condit’s and he managed to get back to his feet with only visible damage to his face. But it was St-Pierre who landed the majority of significant strikes 71-36.

“Y’m sure he feels like he got hit by a bus right now. I’m not even going to talk to him about it for a couple of weeks,” commented Dana White, President of UFC, when asked about the potential super fight with GSP against middle weight champion Anderson Silva. But he adds, “I think we can get it done.”

might not appreciate the switch, the free-kick specialist probably only has another season or two left in him, so it definitely wouldn’t be a long-term deal. Even if you have no respect for Becks as a player, you have to love the possible ads that could emerge from such a signing. Crocodile Dundee meets David Beckham: priceless.

David Beckham has helped the MLS grow as a league. It’s still rubbish soccer to watch, and half of the players are there on physical ability alone, but it’s progressed miles ahead of where it was prior to Beckhams arrival. He’s accomplished everything that could have been hoped of him. When Beckham takes his leave following the first of December, it will be with his second MLS Cup in tow; you heard it here first.

For years now, the debate has been raging on about who is in fact the best pound for pound fighter. Most loyal GSP fans will not change their mind, but Silva has yet to be challenged in his own weight class the way St-Pierre had with Condit. Although I am certain White could make the event happen, I don’t believe the match should. As skilled as St-Pierre is at the moment, a challenger like Silva may be too overwhelming, especially after an injury. I suggest that instead Silva should raise his weight to 186 Ib and face light heavy weight champion Jon “Bones” Jones.