Dear Editor:
While I generally agree with Jordan Beane's assessment of the latest incarnation of "Fever Pitch," it would have been nice if he had investigated where the idea for the film came from. The recent Red Sox movie began across the pond with a different red-clad team: Arsenal, a passionately supported first-tier soccer team in England.
The new version of "Fever Pitch" is a bastardized version of a decent movie (not surprisingly titled "Fever Pitch" and starring Colin Firth) that was based on an award-winning book of the same name, penned by British sportswriter Nick Hornby (and can be purchased for less than the cost of a movie ticket).
The older movie is more faithful to the ideals of the original book, which strives to explain the author's obsession with Arsenal and how it has completely run his life ever since he attended his first game with his father at the age of 11. The Red Sox version appears to get the general idea without driving home the point the way the book (or even the first movie) does.
Even if you don't care for soccer, "Fever Pitch" the book is a must-read for anyone who can't understand why his or her significant other structures his or her entire life around "my team." Of course, if you're the kind of person who lives and dies by your team, this book justifies your existence and explains the very essence of who you are. The movies may not be cinematic dynamite, but the book "Fever Pitch" deserves more ink, seeing as it started the ball rolling.
Stephen Tucker Junior, CAS President, Screaming Eagles
