If, during the current World Cup tournament, you鈥檙e looking for a funky and fun book about soccer, then 鈥淓ncyclopedia Blazertannica鈥� is just the ticket. Everything from the book鈥檚 offbeat design to its subtitle spoofing soccer as America鈥檚 sport of the future 鈥渟ince 1972鈥� has a humorous undercurrent. The authors are a pair of English-born broadcasters who started a popular soccer blog called 鈥淢en in Blazers鈥� that has inspired a TV show of the same name on NBC Sports. It鈥檚 considered a gathering place for American fans interested in immersing themselves in soccer鈥檚 history and culture. Their book covers a multitude of bases, from dressing room music and fake injuries to such playing greats as David Beckham and Roberto Baggio.
Here鈥檚 an excerpt from Encyclopedia Blazertannica:
鈥淒raw: A tie occurring when the final whistle blows and the scores are level, with both teams departing honors even. A feature that many American broadcasters feared would hold the sport鈥檚 development back in the United States where sporting sensibilities traditionally demand a clear-cut way of determining a winner to be lauded and a loser on which to pour scorn. Englishmen feel differently. Not losing is what is important. Even more than winning. Not losing is winning.鈥�
