So the big MLS story of the day is that Columbian striker, Juan Pablo Angel, is coming to the New York Red Bulls. Not exactly the player rumored in the summer Ronaldo but an international level player with years of European experience. The Red Bulls are rumored to be paying out his 40,000 ($80,227 USD) pound a week wage he recieved at Aston Villa. This fills the Red Bulls two Beckham rule player slots and presents an interesting strike force Altidore and Angel. Playing along-side Angel is going to turn Altidore into an even better player. I'm going to take this transfer as good for the US National team (Altidore's further development) and good for the MLS (another quality player to enhance the product).

Although anybody who has watched Angel at Villa the last 2 years may disagree and say the Columbian is cashing in. He has struggled to secure a starting role at Villa and may use the MLS as a way to continue to cash in on a big contract. Players like Angel are going to pose an interesting question to MLS fans: Do you believe there is a point to dropping money on players like Angel? This is the type of player that is going to be coming over with the Beckham rule. As MLS fans we are going to have to hope that getting a chance to play in a new league and get bigger roles is going to re-envigorate these players. The first week was fairly positive with Claudio Reyna really showing some of his old skills but then he got injured again. What is to happen when guys like Blanco get to the MLS?

This is a critical time for the future survival of the MLS and every signing needs to be scrutinized. A couple bad Beckham rule players and the league could become a group of teams straddled with debt like the NASL.