I’m a big believer in putting things into the universe that you desire to concretize into reality. Teachers, professors, mentors, friends, and any lowly soul who has become a willing ear over the seemingly endless years of my educational career have frequently encouraged me to publish my writing. Because the writing process can be grueling, I always laughed dismissively, shunning the intense mental labor involved in producing meaningful and provocative prose.  With time though, I am warming up to the permanence and satisfaction of leaving a text legacy. As such, I have titled this blog a book I WILL write. Who knows, maybe this will be one of the many…

If you read my post from a few weeks back, you will have learned that I can be quite inquisitive and intense in my approach to life and the topics that I am passionate about. You would also know that I am a big soccer fan, a first class foodie, and am driven by understanding global cultures and identifying the connections that make us human. Although at first glance it might be difficult to imagine an intersection of these divergent paths, my book will be that. It be a view of the world through the lens of soccer, explaining the historical, cultural, political, social, economic, religious, and linguistic reasons behind the sport’s biggest rivalries and phenomena. I will explain the salience behind Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, AC vs. Inter Milan, Celtic vs. Rangers, Red Star vs. Partizan Belgrade, and the reasons why humble cities often host the most successful teams.

Rather than divulge too much, lest a prying eye swipe the idea :), I will leave you with a bit of an excerpt:

In a country the size of the state of Texas, one might expect a sense of brotherly love and comradery to dominate. But like in any band of brothers, the case of Real Madrid vs. Barcelona seems to imply that familiarity breeds contempt. These global giants sit atop the most glorious perches in global sport, glimmering from the glow of trophies and international admiration. On the pitch, however, a different story is told. Insults and fouls fly in Castellano and Catalán, linguistically representing the divide that has alienated these sides since the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. After years of repression and marginalization during the half-century regime of Francisco Franco, the side from Catalonia serves as a public bastion for Catalan identity and independence as much as it is recognized for its ball possession. A win against Madrid is a win against the central lechera, the government, the man. From the stands, chants of “Visca el Barça, Visca Catalunya” can be heard; this is more than a game, it is an expression of identity and a cry for recognition. Independents and nationalists share the bleachers; they they order garlic-perfumed, tomato-soaked bread in the concessions. Don’t ask it’s name (pan con tomate, pan amb tomaquet), a fight may erupt. And the game hasn’t even begun…