Beckham's rebirth continues in California sunshine

	David Beckham's return to Real Madrid's lineup sparked the team to its first league title in four years. AP
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CARSON, Calif. -- As David Beckham took a seat in one of the luxury suites at Home Depot Center, moments after walking off the confetti-littered field, a wide smile came over his face when he was asked about the auspicious day he chose to be introduced as the newest member of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"Someone actually told me two weeks ago, 'OK, you've got two options: you can do it on Friday the 13th or you can do it two days later.' I said, 'Well, I'd rather do it on Friday the 13th,'" said Beckham. "They said, 'Are you sure? Are you really sure you want to do it on that day?' I said, 'Yeah.' I'm not really a superstitious person and so far it's gone quite well."

Beckham has never been one to follow conventional wisdom or what his advisors always tell him. If he did, he surely wouldn't be holding a Galaxy jersey and explaining how he plans to make soccer as stylish in the States as his constantly changing hairdo.

"I've always looked for challenges," Beckham said. "This is one that I'm really looking forward to. There might be expectations out there, but I think there's always been expectations all the way through my career and I've always tried to handle it in the right way, whether things have gone good or things have gone bad."

At the moment things are going splendidly for Beckham. You could argue things haven't been this good for Beckham since 1999 when he won "The Treble" with Manchester United, married Victoria Adams and welcomed his first son, Brooklyn. Since signing with the Galaxy in January, Beckham has experienced one of the most unlikely renaissances in sports history.

The move made perfect sense when he signed the deal. He was riding the bench for Real Madrid, off the England national team and was thought of as "washed up" by most pundits. Yet over the course of the next five months, Beckham's career underwent a makeover that would even impress his designer friends. He earned back a spot in Madrid's starting lineup, found his way back on the national team and led "Los Galacticos" to their first Spanish title in four years.

Not only had Beckham redeemed himself but he was playing some of the best soccer of his career. By the time he walked off the field at the Bernabeu last month, it seemed only natural for Beckham to have reservations about taking his game to the States. Unlike Pele, George Best, Johan Cruyff and other soccer legends that had come to America in the twilight of their careers to pick up one last paycheck, Beckham was coming just when his stock was the highest that it's been in years.

"I just believed it was the right time to come," Beckham said. "People have said to me, 'You know you made the decision when you were out of the England team and out of the Real Madrid team. Do you regret that?' I've made decisions that I never, ever will regret and I believe I will never regret this. I don't at the moment and I won't in the future. I believe it was the right time for me to come because I'm at a level where I can still perform. I can still perform at a very high level, I'm not a player who has come here at the end of my career."

Beckham is not only playing at a high level, but no athlete in sports today attracts attention off the field like he does. Unlike his legendary soccer predecessors in the States, Beckham will do more to raise awareness about the game from casual fans who know him primarily as a pop culture icon.

"It's always nice to be loved and liked for not just the soccer and what I do on a football pitch," Beckham said. "I've always been honored for the people that have made me feel special all around the world. I've had that from the gay community around the world, the black community around the world, the Jewish community, which I'm half Jewish. I've had that from all different communities and people from all around the world, so I'm actually really honored when people say different things about me, not just about the football, that I make a different impression to many other people. If I can have that effect again in America, then great."

The first test of Beckham's effect will come July 21 when he makes his debut against Chelsea in an exhibition game at the Home Depot Center. In the meantime, Beckham was trying his best to meet as many of his new teammates before he begins training with them next week.

"One of them came up to me and I said, 'Nice to meet you,' and he said, 'Nice to meet you, too. What's your name?'" said Beckham. "It was a good start and a good icebreaker. It's nice to be part of a changing room with a lot of characters in there. You can see that already. It's going to be good."