I’ve been re-reading one of my favorite books, probably the reason that I’ve become obsessed with the English football team Arsenal: Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. Instead of being organized by chapters like a normal book, it’s organized almost like a blog – each entry a beautiful piece of writing revolving around a particular game. One particular passage in the book, about why Hornby loves the game so much, really caught my eye:

“…there’s the athleticism… and the way that strength and intelligence have to combine. It allows players to look beautiful and balletic in a way that some sports do not: a perfectly-timed diving header, or a perfectly-struck volley, allow the body to achieve a poise and grace that some sportsmen can never exhibit.”

(I would add to that list the last-second clearing of the ball off the line, an amazing feat that Bacary Sagna performed in yesterday’s game – a clip of which can be viewed here.)

Fever Pitch is, however, very un-bloglike in that it’s incredibly accessible, even for someone not so interested in soccer (like most Americans). In stark contrast, I don’t think any casual reader could make heads or tails of Arseblog or Gunnerblog. I think this speaks volumes about the value of both old (book) and new (blog) media and how both can coexist.