On Research: writing what you know (or find out)

Tell me if I told you this story before (that's a frequent request I've begun making of friends, family, and students if I tell a tale one too many times)...

I first became truly obsessed with the sport of soccer during the 1994 World Cup, when I saw the US beat Columbia due in part to an unfortunate own goal by the late great Andrés Escobar. I have been a #USMNT fan then and forever since, although there's some other club teams I support as well.

That's been a while ago; Eric Wynalda was a forward for that team, and now he's a TV and radio pundit looking to run for the US Soccer Federation presidency.

Some years after that, as my love for the sport grew, I began thinking of maybe setting a story in the world of soccer, especially in Europe where the big leagues were, such as the Premier League and Serie A. There was one problem, however; I didn't know anything about them.

So, that's where the research comes in.

I've often been accused of being one of those people who knows a little someth…