For those of you waiting patiently for updates, there won’t be any until after Christmas. I’m currently taking part in a research project in Oaxaca, Mexico and won’t be posting until I return to Gringolandia.

If you’ll permit me a moment of self horn-tooting, I was recently interviewed by a Saudi journalist about a previous post I did on Why Saudi Arabia’s Players Don’t Go Abroad. While he may have slightly overestimated my knowledge of Saudi soccer, I am honored nonetheless to appear in the online edition of Aleqtesadia newspaper, which is an financial-focused publication. For those of us whose Arabic is a bit rusty, you might want to check out the always hilarious online translation of the article, in which “it should be noted that researcher David Keys attends a letter doctorate at the University of California at San Dyeju America.”

Salaam alaikum to my people in Saudi Arabia

Speaking of letter doctorates at the University of California San Dyeju America, that has been responsible for my lack of posts this past week. I have a couple interesting interviews coming up this week and I hope you will enjoy reading the results of them.

I want to let everyone know that I am likely to only be posting twice a week at least for the next couple of weeks. Having just started graduate school, I am focusing my energy on that endeavor. I am hoping that I will have it all under control soon enough and be able to return to my regular three posts a week schedule. Thanks for reading.

In case you’re interested, an article originally posted here has been picked up and published in the Christian Science Monitor. The piece, which I titled The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis and How Language Affects our Understanding of Soccer, is in today’s Monitor on the commentary page under the headline Win or Lose, It’s How You Say the Game. It has been edited from the original essay, but contains the same basic ideas.

Since I started this blog at the beginning of the year, I’ve been surprised and honored by how the readership of my blog has grown. I’ve been curious to know who exactly these people are who are taking the time to read my website. So, inspired by Ives Galarcep, I’d like to do a Culture of Soccer Roll Call. I’ve gotten to “know” (such as one can on the Internet) some of you through your comments, emails, etc., but I’d like to know more about other readers with whom I have not communicated.

Below, if you would be so kind, please tell me your name (first name or posting nickname is fine) and where you live. If you have a website of your own, feel free to list it. I’m always looking for good new reads.

Thanks for reading Culture of Soccer.

Apologies for the lack of updates. I’m on vacation now and will be until next week. I may post something this week, but no guarantees.

This is not me, though it would be nice if it were (photo: destination360.com)