Everyone keeps saying, "Look at NASL! Look at their fate! It's inevitable!" But they're wrong. What killed the NASL is either a non-issue or not a big issue with MLS. There is no over-expansion like the kind than ran crazy in NASL and other leagues *coughcough*NHL*coughcough*. While the NASL tried to Americanize the sport and ultimately failed, MLS tried changing things up, but then went back to the international norms after realizing that American soccer fans didn't like the changes.

Third, MLS has fostered home-grown talent, unlike in the NASL where it was sign all of the big names you can and leave the Americans on the bench. Thanks to the Designated Player Rule, MLS teams can go out and get international stars to help build their teams, but still develop their own talent. The result is a slew of talented American stars like Taylor Twellman, Landon Donovan, and Jozy Altidore, to name a few.

Last, but certainly not least, is the simple fact that MLS teams are turning a profit in their own stadiums. NASL squads often found themselves behind the financial eight-ball, partly because of bloated contracts to international stars, and partly because they played in cavernous stadiums built for football, not soccer. MLS suffered a similar stadium problem in their early years, but the shift to soccer-specific stadiums will be known as the moved that saved MLS. Teams like the Galaxy and FC Dallas, who are in their own soccer-specific stadiums, were among the first to turn profits, with other teams expected to join them very soon. Add into the fact that they have a lucrative TV deal with ESPN and other networks, and it won't be long before MLS becomes profitable for everybody involved.

Say what you want about David Beckham's first season in MLS, or about the league as a whole, but be prepared to eat your words come 2008 and the years following it. MLS and Beckham are both here to stay, and while the sport might never catch the NFL or NASCAR, history won't be repeating itself.