Sometimes you just need a change. This was certainly the case for American sportswriter Chuck Culpepper, who was sick and tired of covering the usual sport suspects: MLB, NFL, NBA, and even the Kentucky Derby. Super Bowls no longer brought him the joy they once had; everything here in the States had lost its luster.

So an intense curiosity was born, a curiosity for English football. Culpepper dropped everything and went to England to see one of the wonders of the world, the English Premier League. This text becomes a story of a professional writer turned fan who completely immersed himself in the England's game. He began to follow teams all across the country with a particular curiosity towards those threatened by relegation. Culpepper eventually chose the upstart Portsmouth franchise that was beginning their ascent up the table. He would travel to small town and large cities and see the smallest clubs and the giants of the game. He describes his journeys with depth, insight, and thoughtful discussion.

He became a fan of not only Portsmouth, but of its players and fans. It became quite obvious that the life of a English soccer fan was full of ups and downs, highs and lows. The joys of promotion were just as great as the fear of relegation. Both ideas are unheard of in American sports, but would clearly add some excitement. Could you imagine the lowly Detroit Lions or the Cleveland Browns playing to survive in the NFL? Or the New York Knicks clawing their way out of the cellar just to play another season in the NBA? Crazy stuff indeed, but exciting nonetheless.

That life Culpepper shared with the English was a beautiful one, but as his final words state: "I think it is hard being a fan". His short time in England was a time of discovery and redemption in some ways, but a challenging journey that left a lot to learn about the English game. It is definitely hard to be a fan, especially a new one.