Most sports writers have their own personal pantheon of inspirations. At the top of mine is Hunter S. Thompson.
The legendary gonzo journalist was never a soccer person ("Hey Rube," his published collection of essays for ESPN.com, mentions the sport just once in passing), but he was undoubtedly a writer with a keen sense of when things were about to get weird.
After more than a decade of following a J. League known as much for its wacky matchday promotions as its unpredictable results, I imagine that Thompson would agree with me that the ongoing attempt to create a genuine European-style super club at Vissel Kobe is probably as weird as it gets.