Today the MLS got another boost in drawing power with the Chicago Fire signing Cuauhtemoc Blanco of Club America to a two million dollar a year contract. Blanco will be able to play for the Chicago Fire on his contract with the Mexican league giants expires. Chicago has a large Hispanic population and the enigmatic, former national team captain will help draw even more fans to a thriving MLS franchise.

The big player in the deal is, of course, Goldenballs himself David Beckham. US fans have never seen a phenomenon like the celebrity of Beckham. No player who has played on these shores, even Pele, will command the media coverage and foreign interest of Beckham playing for the Galaxy. Every time a ball is dropped at the Home Depot Center foreign cameras will be there to cover the action.

To me the Beckham rule is going to help the MLS in two ways; quality of play and a deeper talent pool. Don't let the uneducated sports writers in America tell you any different Beckham still has a great deal of talent on the pitch. I've seen most of his games this year for Real Madrid and what I see is an experienced player with a good two years left in his legs. In the case of guys like Blanco and Reyna in New York both players are shells of their former self but the will add experienced play to their positions. Shit, being around a Youri Djorkaeff in New York when he was 18 has turned Michael Bradley into a better player. Having older guys with European experience can only help young MLS players at their position.

Another advantage that the Beckham rule is going to provide is an alternative market to aging European players. For many players in big European leagues their shelf-life as an every match player is 4 to 5 years tops. The money is the big European leagues is always going to better for the average player in America. Many players at 28 or 29 instead of dropping down a league or finding a lesser European league could come to America command a decent amount of money and player in a better climate. Would the average footballer play in January in England or July in Southern California. With the Beckham rule and the players it is already beginning to bring in the US could become a destination for quality European players.

Oh and trust me I realize that Blanco and Reyna are completely washed-up as players. Anybody who watched Blanco in the February US-Mexico game could tell you that. Reyna is basically a man with no knees because of his 87th knee injury.