He was brought over to revolutionize soccer in America.  He’s being paid $250MM.  Tom and Katie threw him a lavish star-studded party.  He played all of 13 minutes on a gimpy ankle.  And then we took his shoes away.

California has the most stringent environmental laws in the world.  One of those laws prohibits the sale of products made with kangaroo skin, such as the Predator cleat from Adidas. That’s the preferred boot of David Beckham, the new center halfback for the LA Galaxy.  But the prohibition makes no sense; kangaroos aren’t exactly endangered, they are in fact becoming a menace in Australia.  “Kangaroos are like rabbits,” said Kalee St. Clair, who is from Sydney and has lived in California for more than four years. “They’re not protected at all, and we’re actually encouraged to kill them.”  Adidas has challenged the ruling, on the grounds that protecting a species with an exploding population threatens other truly endangered species.  A bill is making its way through the California legislature that would overturn the law.  In response, animal rights groups have come to the kangaroos’ defense, pointing out that ‘roos are half of the Australian national symbol.  (BONUS TRIVIA:  the other half is the emu, making Australia the only country in the world symbolized by TWO animals that can’t walk backwards!)

Beckham can’t afford a PR stink just now.  His multi-year contract with Adidas includes not only up-front payments but a cut of the profits of all of his products, including the cool new Galaxy jerseys.  So, bending like Beckham, David has switched – for now – to the synthetic Predator.  Glorious man-made fiber.  That should help him rehab his injured image, and perhaps his injured ankle.  Presumably, in his new shoes, Beckham will be able to run both forwards AND backwards.

Meanwhile, across town in Beverly Hills, David’s wife Posh Spice is tearing through her closet, which contains 8000 pairs of boots and shoes; her kangaroo boots are headed for the dumpster.