(Home Depot Center, Carson) -- L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's self-redemption tour hit a pothole here today.

The mayor had hoped to get a warm reception from a crowd of fans welcoming soccer superstar David Beckham to the L.A. Galaxy.  Villaraigosa has said he wants to 'focus on his job' after damaging revelations came out last week that he cheated on his wife of 20 years by having an affair with a local newscaster.

The reception he got here was chilly, to say the least.

When Villaraigosa was introduced to the crowd, they booed.  Loudly.  The catcalls could be heard on the podium mike.  And so you could definitely hear it on the live TV feed that people were watching all over the world.

The mayor tried to connect with the fans, asking them:  "Who says L.A. doesn't love soccer?!"

He was greeted mostly with silence.  Very few people shouted back.

He tried desperately to generate some enthusiasm, but the crowd would not play along.