Bloody Confused!: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer
In the throes of becoming jaded and cynical about the American sportswriting scene, Culpepper, a London-basedLos Angeles Timesjournalist covering European sporting events, writes about the internationally known Premiership soccer league and its overzealous fans. The rough-and tumble British soccer sport quickly captivates Culpepper, who wrote on American sports for 15 years, as he learns the rivalries between the fans and teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Portsmouth. A humorist of sorts, he can't help making snide comparisons between the rowdy, cheering British fans and their more somber American brethren, while touting the emotional high of regional pride over big team profits. He falls under the spell of the struggling Portsmouth squad, realizing that the die-hard fans live and die with the fortunes of their players and teams, describing vivid action scenes as thrilling as any in American hockey or football.(Aug.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.