高级英语阅读课文1-4

1Unit1sportsBeyondBeckhamByMalcolmBeithNursingabrokenfoot,WayneRooneylimpedoffthefootballfieldjust27minutesintoEngland'sEuro2004quarter-finalagainstPortugal.Histournamentwasover,butwhatahardgameithadbeen:RooneyhadshotfourgoalsandgivenhisteamthehopeDavidBeckhamhadfailedtoprovide.Surelythe18-year-oldRooneywastheOne,thoughtthefootballexpertsfromBirminghamtoBangkok,thegoldenboywhowouldreplaceBeckhamasthenewfaceoffootball.Butthehypedieddownassoonasthequestionofdollarstranslatedintosense.Sure,Rooneyisaverygoodplayer,declaredonecommentator,butwhatcouldhepossiblysell---potatoes?IntheAgeofBeckham,ittakesmorethanfootballskillstobecomeaglobalfootballicon.Aplayer'sabilitytosellteamshirts,shavingcreamandeverythinghasbecomeevermorecrucialtoafootballclub'sabilitytoestablishitselfasaglobalbrand.AtthetopofthefoodchainstandsBeckham--thesarong-wearingstarwhosegoodlooks,family-manimageandcelebritystatushavehelpedselleverythingfromGilletterazorsintheUnitedStatestoMeijiSeikachocolatesinJapan.Butallgoodthingsmustcometoanend,andtheAgeofBeckhamisnoexception.At29,Beckhamisenteringthetwilightofhiscareer;thefootballindustryisbeginningtocontemplatehowtofillthevoidthathis2declineasaplayerandeventualretirementwillcreate.Indeed,thatquestionwasonthemindsofmanyoftheworld'sclubbossesandmarketingexecutiveswhoattendedtheannualfootballtradefairinDubai,UnitedArabEmiratesinearlyDecember2004.NewcastleUnitedchairmanFreddyShepherddeclaredfranklythatManchesterUnitedhadlostsomeofitsstardustsincelettingBeckhamtransfertoRealMadridin2003.Nowthewholeindustryisworriedaboutlosingitsbrightness.ThereisnoobviouscandidatetofillBeckham'sGuccishoes.Rooney,19,istoouninspiringoffthefield;thepug-facedLiverpudlianhasonlylocalappealandlacksacelebrityreputation.ThesamegoesforRealMadrid'sMichaelOwen,althoughhe'scuteenoughtofemalefans.Otherstars,likeManchesterUnited'sPortuguesepassionateCristianoRonaldo,ItalianFrancescoTottiofASRoma,ArgentinewonderboyJavierSaviolaofMonacoandArsenal'sNo.1FrenchmanThierryHenryhavepotential.Buttheirglobalrangeislimitedbyoneimportantfactor:Theydon'thavetheEnglish-languagefeature,saysDominicMalcolm,asports-economicslecturerattheUniversityofLeicesterandauthorofTheFutureofFootball.SpeakingEnglishhascometoberegardedasavitalassetforanyfootballerhopingtowinoverfansfromBuenosAirestoBangkok.ItisgenerallybelievedthatthenextBeckhammaywellhavetobeEnglishorAmerican,justasmostglobalpopiconsare.ThelackofsuchafigureisleadingEuropeanclubexecutivesand3sponsorstoconcentrateonfillingregion-specificmarketingneeds,particularlyinAsia,whichisnowseenasthemerchandisinggoldminethatcouldhelpbringEurope'sailingteamsoutofthered.WhenCrystalPalacesignedChinesestarsFanZhiyiandSunJihaiin1998,theclub'sproductsflewoffshelvesacrossChina,andcreatedinstantbrand-namerecognition.TottenhamenjoyedasimilareffectwithJapanesestrikerKazuyukiTodalastyear,asdidParmawithJapanesestarHidetoshiNakata,whoisnowatFiorentina.We'reseeingplayerssignedinEuropebecauseofthecommercialopportunitytheyopenup,saysMalcolm.Itenablesafootballclubasabrandtoexpandintoamarket.Considerthis:WhenChinesestarLiTie'sEvertonplaysagainstManchesterCity,whereSunJihainowplays,anestimated300millionChinesewatchthematch(lessthan1millionBritstunein--andthat'sifRupertMurdoch'sBSkyBchoosestobroadcastit).Somecriticsarguethatteamsaresacrificingqualityinthisquesttobuildinternationalbrands.ManyoftheAsianplayerstransferredtoEuropehavefaileddismallyonthefield--Toda,forinstance,playedjustfourgamesbeforebeingsentbacktoaJapaneseclub.ThispromptedMohammedbinHammam,theheadoftheAsianFootballConfederation,toaccuseEuropeanclubsofexploitingAsianplayersasslavesforcommercialpurposesearlierthisyear,demandinginsteadthattheyhireAsiansonplayingabilityalone.Nevertheless,someteamsaregoingout4oftheirwaytohelpraiseplayerqualityalongwiththeirreputations;StockportCountyFCinBritain'sDivisionOneplaysannualexhibitionsinChinaandofferstrainingscholarshipstolocalplayers.Recruitingplayershastobepurelyabouttalent,saysaformerexecutiveofonebig-nameEnglishclub.Iftheplayerhasmarketingvalue,it'sabonus--butnotthereason.Ifyoudothatyoustarttoendangertheintegrityofsportingprinciples.Perhaps,buttheseprincipleshavelargelydiedinrecentyears,assatellitetelevisiondraggedfootballfromitslocal,smallrootsandtransformeditintoamultibillion-dollarindustrythatfavoredbrandingoverballskills.Asthefootballingworldmovesintoanewera,desperatelyseekingitsnewcashcow--orcows--fewclubsorsponsorsarelisteningtotheoldtimers.SomestilldreamoffindingtheOne,perhapsinanAmericanlikeWashingtonDCUnited's15-year-oldGhanaianbornFreddyAdu,whohasendorsementdealswitheveryonefromNiketoCampbell'ssoup,andhashelpedraiseattendanceathisgamesthispastseasonto50percentaboveaverage.ItmaybethatthepersonwhorivalsBeckhamisgoingtobethepersonmostcloselylinkedtotheAmericanteamwheniteventuallywinstheWorldCup,speculatesMalcolm.Othersthinkthat'snotlikelyevertohappen.So,whenBeckhamfinallyfadesintothehistorybooks,asBillGerard,aprofessorofsportsmanagementandfinanceatLeedsUniversityBusinessSchool,putsit,it5willbeacaseof'Thekingisdead.L