AL KHOR, Qatar -- There was the tainted bid vote. The convoluted date shift. The endless (and tragic) construction. The allegations of alarming human rights abuses. The fear from LGBTQ fans. The climate concerns over air-conditioned outdoor stadiums. The last-minute flip-flop on beer sales. The disturbing rant from the FIFA president in what was supposed to be his greeting.
It has been, by any measure, a preamble like nothing sports has ever seen before, a prologue that could also be its own book.