Beckham makes L.A. favorite to win Cup

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

There's are myriad reasons for choosing Houston or Los Angeles to win the MLS Cup.For nearly two weeks, the experts have picked apart both teams, looking at the defense and offense for Sunday's final, scheduled for 7 p.m. (MT) on ESPN and Galavision at the Home Depot Center.Many doing the picking have appeared to make the Galaxy the obvious choice, for good reason.Brad Davis is out for Houston and the Dynamo will suffer without their playmaker.Yet, even if Davis was healthy, L.A. would still be the top choice. First, the Galaxy have not lost at home this season and, all MLS Cup formality aside, this is just another home game.The most important reason is hunger. David Beckham is hungry to win. It has been obvious since the opening playoff game that the Galaxy midfielder is eager to create a championship legacy within the MLS.During L.A.'s 3-1 victory against Real Salt Lake, Beckham's teammates picked up on his intensity. The Galaxy should bring that same game Sunday.martyr@sltrib.comTwitter:Rsltribune