Conexión Miami / Beckham: A business trip
There’s little news in the fact that David Beckham, in his well-known role as a stadium project lobbyist, came to Miami last weekend, watched the scoreless tie between the Honduran and English teams, or visited the picturesque neighborhoods of Little Havana and Little Haiti.
There is (or I see) little news, because TV, radio and the digital media have colluded to amplify Beckham’s latest political adventure, the almost irresistible version of a dreamer who wants to build a soccer stadium in the heart of Miami — no way anywhere else! — and surround it with water, “since Miami is all water,” as Beckham has stated with some imprecision.
Nor is there much news in the fact that The Spice Boy has already ordered the construction, beginning in November, of the walls of the Miami Beckham United stadium, although he still needs to win the city referendum and receive the blessing of politicians, environmentalists and businessmen.
However, last weekend, while watching a soccer training session at José Martí Park in Little Haiti, Beckham said something that resembled news or sounded to me like news:
“I’m starting to know a little bit more about politics, which I’m glad I didn’t go into as a kid.”
Florida has the nation’s best beaches
According to coastal expert Stephen P. Leatherman, Florida has 4 of the 10 best beaches in the United States, with Barefoot Beach, in Bonita Springs, the best beach in the state and the second best nationwide.
The list, which bestows first place on some beach in Hawaii, ranks St. George Island State Park, Cape Florida State Park and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in 3rd, 7th and 10th place, respectively.
Knowing that Leatherman is a professor at Florida International University might make us suspicious about the reliability of these data.
However, maybe we should agree with Governor Rick Scott that “it’s no surprise that Florida beaches lead the rankings of the most beautiful in the nation” because Florida beaches are “nature’s jewels.”
But thinking that way means trusting in a politician who’s seeking reelection. So, one might — at the risk of paranoia — be plunged again into suspicion.
James rehydrated
LeBron James is off the charts. Let me make the story short: We’re told that one day he removed his Cavaliers jersey and said he would move to Miami. Why, LeBron? Because I want a championship, of course.
So he came to Miami and, with Dwyane Wade’s assistance, won not one but two championships and two Most Valuable Player titles. Two MVPs with Miami and two he had with the Cavaliers added to four — four MVPs for LeBron.
LeBron has been compared to Michael Jordan, who is no less prodigious and had five MVPs. They say comparisons are never fair. Could be. I only know that LeBron becomes dehydrated in all games. Did you see him last Thursday in the first game against San Antonio? Ninety degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) at the AT&T Center.
Despite the energy drinks, despite the fact that a Sprite beverage bears his name, LeBron became dehydrated, suffered cramps and went to the showers. As expected, later he gave several interviews, thought about Miami, answered innumerable letters and insisted — in the style of Stallone in “The Expendables” — that he would return Sunday to the AT&T Center and wouldn’t hide.
Did you see him Sunday against San Antonio? Yes, sure you did. He scored 35 points and ruined the night for old Gregg Popovich.
The most expensive trip not yet taken
When a city, a country, a county, whatever, thinks that leaving that place for a while is bad, something that should be forbidden, something that goes against a precept, against a moral code, I would like to know what criteria it uses.
Put more precisely, I would like to know how that city, country or county can sleep at night with that opinion in mind, then wake up and regurgitate the argument that it is a city, country or county in a land or liberty, or whatever.
I’m speaking about Miami-Dade, of course. And I’m speaking of the absurd idea of forbidding trips to Cuba because, allegedly, those who travel to Cuba spend U.S. money that the Castros, the world’s greediest tyrants, end up pocketing.
Things being what they are, according to a poll done by El Nuevo Herald, the promiscuous politician Charlie Crist would lose five times more votes than he would win in his quest for the state’s governorship if he carries out his macabre, sinister plan to visit Cuba.
Doesn’t that make you weep, dear readers?
