Well, that partially explains Posh and her weight loss.

Poor kids.

Sandy:

Agreed. I knew a very bright lawyer with OCD. He described the routine he would have to go through before going to bed (checking doors and windows and turning off lights in a certain sequence, etc.) or getting out of his car (similar). If he didn't perform each check in the perfect sequence, he would have to start over, or he'd worry about it and have to start over anyway. Would take him an hour or so some nights before he could even think of sleeping.

Maybe the next sports betting pool Mr. Judd proposes, we could agree to send a DVD of the first season of 'Monk' to Mr. Beckham instead of the pool winner.

Tedium and then plain old bone deadening boredom. I often go as a business invite but would rather fly across Asia in a thunderstorm than sit through a game. I manage only because of my hip flask. Have to keep busy doing something. Lord knows you never have to look at a scoreboard.

Ah the beautiful game. Reminds me to head to the tivoe for el classico, Barca vs. Real Madrid, from last Saturday. The future my friends. As long as Tancredo and his friends don't get their way.

As for Becks, not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

My favorite Becks quote comes from Euro 2004. Wayne Rooney became the youngest player, at 18, to score in the history of the tournament but a few days later Switzerland's Johann Vonlanthen, a few months younger, eclipsed his mark. When Becks was asked after the match if Rooney was disappointed to lose his record so quickly, Becks responded that it would only motivate Rooney to go out and regain the record.

Look out for Rooney this summer. Still only 20 years old he might just win England the World Cup.

Ad of course we get the predictable "no one scores" in soccer refrain, brought to you by the same American public that lowered the pitching mound, brought in the fences, prevented pitchers from pitching inside, and pumped everyone up on steroids.

Now there's lots of scoring in baseball. Whoohoo. Much better than those nasty days of Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax when a game could actually be over in under 4 hours. So . . . exciting.

Fred:

Nicholas Cage does an excellent version of this in "Matchstick Men."

He comes across as a mix of Jack Nicholson's character in "Little Shop of Horrors" and Tony Randall's character on "The Odd Couple".

Why is this a story? We all know soccer fans are insane. So, it follows that the players also have disorders.

Too many shots to the head. The power generated by the pros, combined with the need to use one's head to stop such shots, spells brain damage.

In measured impact, a pro-boxer's shot to the head is much worse, but sustained over a whole career, the soccer ball may as well be Ali's fist - with less padding.