My tribe used to be nomadic, but I have never been one to wander. In my 41 years, I have lived in only 11 different houses, apartments, and dorm rooms. Aside from family, I have only lived with two other people, an ex-girlfriend in Seattle and a freshman-year roommate at Gonzaga University. I also hate to fly. Whenever I travel, I have nightmares about dying in plane crashes. Once I dreamed I was working in an office, safely connected to the earth, when an airplane crashed into my building.

Yes, I have always been a lonely, frightened, homesick bastard.

So during my recent trip to France, when I returned to my hotel room at the end of each working day, I turned on CNN International for comfort and heard endless reports about the upcoming European Cup championship soccer match between Manchester United and Chelsea. This match between two venerable British franchises was to be played in Moscow, Russia.

This match was expected to be so passionate, and its fans so crazed and potentially riotous, that the Russians were curtailing alcohol sales. You read that correctly. Russians were worrying about the negative effects of inebriation.

I don't drink, and I'm not violent, but I love my Sonics with passionate intensity. Many crazy and contradictory British folks are traveling to Russia so they can watch the game on Moscow sports bar televisions. Will I have to ignore my fear of flying and hatred of right-wing billionaires and make a few crazy and contradictory trips to watch Kevin Durant lead the Oklahoma City Whatevers?