Newer heights of Mediocrity

Four of us (me, Ar, Ad, Gunman) started from our humble abode aboard Ad’s swift (my a-star just wouldn’t seat us comfortably) picking up S on the way. We had managed to get our tickets through A’s friend and what an achievement it itself was. As, one ad rightly says ‘the biggest ticket in town’- IPL T20. Chennai Super Kings were entertaining Deccan Chargers at home – MA Chidambaram stadium at Chepauk. We knew parking would be a pain around the stadium so Ar advised that we better leave our wheels at Marina beach and take onto the three-wheeler(auto if you would) from there on. It was a task in itself to find a parking spot on Marina beach on that Sunday evening and after one full length we realized we weren’t the only smart ones. So, we turned back to find 4X2 m (or less) for Ad’s car. Finally, after being good Samaritans - we helped one person with his parking and also got our space in the process.

We took an auto and the driver happily agreed to fit all 5 of us in it on our short ride to the stadium. Surprisingly, the cops at the signal where we waited for a good 6-7 mins didn’t blink an eye at the sight of 5 (mix of healthy and bulky) of us struggling to stay within the frame of the three-wheeler. I thought they would wave us to a side for this transgression but they simply waved us on as the light turned green. Maybe they have bigger things (but like what??) to worry about than stopping an auto for plying at overcapacity.

We were supposed to meet V outside the stadium near the entry gate but that never happened. Had we envisaged the management (or lack of it) we would have not planned it like that. But that was hardly a disappointment (probably cos we weren’t there with our families) compared to the excitement the frenzy outside the stadium brought about. It was crazy…people draped in yellow blowing their lungs into those paper bugles. I was particularly impressed with a group of Deccan Chargers supporters who were face painting for free. Gunman thought of getting his face done (being a proud APite that he is) but our line had started moving and we didn’t wanna get late. Next time Gunman! Me being too critical of the mismanagement of the crowd could because I am a biased Mumbaikar who is fine with the idea of being pushed around on his way to office but not on his way to the cricket match :o). On second thought, local trains do have separate gents and ladies compartments.

My previous IPL outing was at Wankhede (IPL-I) and though the management was too good the crowd was nowhere close to the Chennai crowd. The Tamil masses were charged up to no end…awesome atmosphere. Little did they know that the Chargers will spoil the party. The row ahead of us was full of DC supporters so Gunman had good company, he even borrowed their placard charts for those Kodak moments. V joined us in as we couldn’t find him outside the stadium. I am not going to write about the match as it is not supposed to be a match report- we all know it was a non-contest with CSK unable to chase the total put up by DC. However, an incident on the ground during the DC innings is worth mentioning (actually is the reason for the title :P). There was a stray dog running around on the ground during the play. Initially, the play stopped and there was a less-than-half-hearted attempt to chase him out of the playing area but to no avail. And then, we Indians showcased our adjusting nature by letting the dog stay on the ground for good 12-13 overs of the first innings. Maybe it was a ploy by CSK to have another fielder on the pitch which nobody objected to ;-). The dog was having a gala time- running around the inner circle, occasionally being shoo-shooed by the players… all this while the match was going on. Guess the dog caught the best possible cricketing action- talk about VIP passes. Huh! Someone mentioned jokingly that that was actually a display of high security provided by the police- the dog was a sniffer dog. :-D

Now, I can totally understand if a dog had wanders into any ground, building, and place in India. I mean after all it is India and we have too many of those stray dogs and I truly believe they can actually get in anywhere. But atleast and I mean ATLEAST try to get it out of the pitch (that it had come in) – it’s a $4.13 billion brand after all this IPL. For Mr. Lalit Modi’s sake? The bloody game is being telecast to the whole world and this is what impression we cast on the world. The 1st world countries don’t think highly of us anyway and incidents like these don’t help one bit.

Anyway, I had a great time watching as a neutral and witnessing bantering between the majority home crowd and the dozen or so DC supporters in our stand. At break we went out looking for some thirst quenching liquid and some would-have-been-heavenly snack but only found empty stalls (we were too late), however, we finally spotted a fruit stall and savoured some life-giving fruits.

Getting out of the stadium was much easier, probably because most dejected home fans had left by then. V and Gunman had to bid farewell to the DC cheerleaders who were really awesome. More so because one of the CSK cheerleaders was a guy (that’s not the problem) who was... EXERCISING!!! Even I could put up a better show than him that too without being drunk. Honest.

Ar pointed out yesterday that he read about the (THE) dogs on the ground the other day in an article which said they had grown up in the ground and that they didn’t bite! What a piece of information to mention in an article. Ways to hide our mediocrity anyone???

he isn't that kind of a guy..

well, then who the f**k in Football is??? I mean which Football player goes out to with the intention to break fellow professionals' legs. It isn't a football game played at the central jail (if you would) that there would be that kind of players. It is just that these players are dangerous and while the world has moved on from the early years of 20th century the game itself hasn't moved...well, not much in England.

On the contrary, the subject in question is exactly that kind of a guy...Ryan Shawcross has broken 2 legs and caused serious injury to others keeping them out for months (season in case of the former) all at just 22yrs of age. It may not be intentional but is clearly a sign of dangerous play so a 3 match ban for career threatening leg break, in all my wisdom, is not just.

That said, what amazes me is the British media..there have been more articles feeling sorry for Shawcross than for AR-16 (whose leg got broke into two). The apathy shown towards AR-16 just screams of bias and hypocrisy. It is utterly unbelievable hearing people coming out in support of the 'good lad' that is Shawcross, hoping that he comes out of the trauma that he has had to go through. Damn that 19 yr old super talented AR-16 for breaking his leg on Shawcross' boots!! Who cares whether AR-16 will be able to play again we just want Shawcross to come over this...huh!!!

It is so funny how blatantly biased most ex-players and football pundits are when they forget Shawcross' past record and try to pass it off as an unfortunate accident. Well, it is unfortunate but accident it is not- when a coach tells their players to compensate for their lack of obvious talent by kicking the opponents hard this is what is bound to happen. For me Shawcross is the product of coaches who think roughing up the opponents is fine, media who showcase this as grit, commitment and physicality, ex-players and pundits who just say anything that is in favour of the British style of play or players themselves. Somebody ask them if Italians, Spaniards and Brazilians are any less committed. However, there are sane and objective people (media and ex-players included)who can call a spade a spade and have rightly criticised the rash tackles that still prevail in the game and have asked for more action to be taken against offenders. Don't for a second think that i don't like the physical aspect of the game...it is a contact sport and we all love it for this but dangerous and reckless play has no place in any sport.

Wenger is rightly cross and agitated after seeing 3rd of his players being stretchered off the pitch with broken (and i mean snapped into two or more) and hanging legs (ankles) as results of reckless and dangerous tackles all within 4 years. As Wenger rightly said 'I don't believe in coincidences'..Sir, you don't have to because this is no coincidence. This is a result of the conventional wisdom spread around by the media about Arsenal 'not liking it rough'. After the incident the team gelled together like never before (in this season) and came out flying. AR-16 has Edu-9 and AD-2 to look up to in getting on and coming out of this injury.

All these media persons, these pundits, coaches etc. jumping to Shawcross' defence seem to miss the point here. Would all people still defend Shawcross if his tackle had left Rooney's leg hanging in mid air??? I think not.

Lost Friends

By virtue of being from a Defense family I have travelled a lot and made a lot of friend but what hurts is that i have also lost a lot of those friends along the way. Going through old albums or school chronicles reminds me of the great times and friendships I had with some of those and how they are now lost in time.

Sometimes when I do happen to get in touch with them again (thanks to the orkuts of the world) it always isn’t the feeling that I had expected would take over me. Don’t get me wrong but we grow up into different individuals in different surroundings and circumstances; even though i enjoy remembering the old times i really am unable to relate with some of them now. In fact, it would be easier talking to complete strangers than some old friends because you know you have to start fresh. Whereas with old friends, it isn't that easy.

It is like this, most of us have had some teenage crush or love (for the serious ones..he he) and do remember how much we used to like them but when face to face with them again we hardly feel the same. Let alone feeling the same we find it unbelievable that we liked them at some point in our lives. It is just that we tend to grow into completely different individuals but had we stayed together our growing up would have affected each others’ and we may have been different than what we are today. In which case, we would still like them and be their friends (more importantly be able to relate to them)..hmmm!

This brings me back to the old lost and found friends- I have met a few of them till date. While the idea of catching up with some evoked great enthusiasm and excitement it didn’t quite excite me as much when it came to others. Infact, I don’t even know at times what to talk to some of them. I guess, in some cases its best to not find your lost friends as their last memories are the wonderful ones which you always will cherish.

Is this what I want?

Many a times when I sit thinking (mostly while smoking or before going to sleep or while taking a dump) , I, inevitably end up asking myself- ‘Is this what I want?’. The answer is always a crisp and clear 'NO'.

Now, I am, by nature, a content person of sorts and have my priorities set quite clearly for me. I would be happy if I don’t do great in my career albeit have a wonderful personal life. I don’t want to become a hi-flying corporate honcho who is respected for his work and is in big demand but has no time to do things he wants. Not that I am a corporate honcho but I definitely don’t see myself headed in the direction i would want to. Well, then what do I want?

Let’s say-
Professionally: a career in sports; before you go all ROTFL let me make it clear- I can’t be a sportsperson (now) :o). so wishfully-realistically, associated with some sport (footy anyday)..say branding of a club, consultant in a sports management firm.
Personally: living in a small and green town where everyone has time for themselves (Goa or sleepy towns of Kerala come to mind), where I can spend hours sitting in my veranda enjoying tea or whiskey, where everybody minds their own businesses- basically life is laid back. Go on a trip to a new place every year.

Is it possible-
Now, my profession shouldn’t be a bone for my family unless of course I get paid big bucks (without being on the wrong side of the law) because, otherwise, I might just be able to meet their needs but not their wants.
My wishful personal life would mean for them to be OK with the sleepy(‘dead’ for them) and ‘green’(village or jungle for them) town. I doubt they will.

So there it is… what may be the best for me may not be the best for my loved ones and I definitely don’t want to be a recluse to the ones that really matter. So, I am destined to be in this rat race forever OR maybe (just MAYBE) I can find a way out and a balance to keep myself and my family really happy. There definitely are people who manage to be professionally and personally satisfied- doing work that makes them happy from within and returning home to lives that have everything to love about. Such, for me, are successful people.

As for the rest…Guess we can’t live our lives just for ourselves; we got to live it for our loved ones too.

Songs that remind me of the good times -CD 1

I don’t know about others but I associate a lot of songs to certain times in my life and whenever I hear those songs, they take me back to the times and a sense of nostalgia takes over me.

To mention some (chronologically):
1. Lambada (Kaoma) - Hmmmm..Jabalpur is it? DSOI and the varous monthly functions there...those early days of teenage.

2. Dilbar dilbar (movie Sirf Tum)- Reminds me of the SSB, Apr ’99 in Bangalore (erstwhile). What a time it was.. bunch of youngsters, fresh out of school getting together to clear one of the toughest interview/selection process that can be. A good 20 odd days spent bonding over politics, Indian Army and girls (of course).

3. MLTR songs (MLTR, Colours, Played on Pepper) – and I feel I am back in my Engineering college, the 1st – 2nd yr period. Sitting in the blocks during the long preparatory leaves or in the (proper) hostel enjoying the monsoons from my window whilst listening to some magical compositions on my roomy’s 800 watt ‘local’ music system.

4. Koi nahi aisa (Dillagi) – Engineering really brought out the happy go lucky in me and some of my buds

5. Jaadu hai nasha hai (movie Jism) – takes me back to T-ILP at Trivandrum, Dec ’03-Mar ‘04. It was, in the truest sense, what is called a ‘Paid Vacation’. Lasted more than 2 months..went around, visited places, made friends, had a blast.

6. Girlfriend, Ale Ale (movie Boys - Tamil) – back to Trivandrum again. Thanks to my Tamil speaking friends they got me addicted to these songs. They (didn’t really teach me any Tamil other than some nice words but) told me the meaning of these songs…and there was always A.R Rahman to behold.

7. Aao Na (movie Kyun Ho Gaya Na) – aah, those night shifts in T way back in 2004. Used to doze off listening to this song on the system and get paid for that (Life!)

8. Somewhere only we know (Keane) – What a time it was on the Isles. Good quality work, a good life and good money. How I miss killing a bottle or two of various scotches over a weekend (along with my friends). Tried so so many different whiskeys and turns out my favourite beer(Stella Artois) and whisk(e)y (Jameson) were introduced to me then only.

9. Show me how to live (Audioslave) – Bangalore (Bengaluru I mean)..summer internship. Aha! Strictly 9 to 6 and good stipend. Was put up with my engineering friends A, G and V and boy what drinkers these guys are. V is only short of an alcoholic- I mean the guy has 3 -4 pegs every freaking day!!! G and A are a bit sober in comparison to V but they are all heavy drinkers…Sangliites! So, how could I not be party to that atmosphere? If my memory serves me right, in the 60-65 days that I spent there, I think I didn’t have my tipple only on 7 or 8 of them.

10. Khuda Jaane (movie Bachna Ae Haseeno) - Well well well, this was S's caller tune for quite some time (and i just don't like her current caller tune) and this reminds me of her. Not to say that i forget about her otherwise but just that it takes me to the sep-oct of 2008 (MBA) when i was getting to know her. You know, those early stages...

Somehow (and gladly) the times I am taken back to (by these songs) are only the good ones. Not like I haven’t had any bad times at all... maybe I just don’t associate them with music.

Who likes gloss anyway?

I never fail to notice, while travelling by air, the obnoxious amounts of make up most air hostesses wear. I mean what’s with that?? Why do they try to look like some Japanese dolls with red/pink cheeks? I travel a lot (not a lot by air though) so I am guessing, like me, most travelers would want it to be simple (except for those who are paying for luxuries), clean and decent. Nobody likes to travel with too loud people, music, decor OR MAKE UP!! All the more not, when it is worn by those who are supposed to be your hosts for the journey. It’s just ghostly, cheap, irritating…glossy! Most of them look like people with no fashion sense (let alone fashion..not even basic sense).

I mean most of them are smart things, they really don’t have to put those kilos of make up on them to look ‘better’, you ask me.. it only makes them look funny. I don’ think they like to do it themselves, I mean there can’t be that many ill-fashioned air hostesses flying people around. Although, there can be that many airlines that want their hostesses to look good..err white (white and pink). First, why such fixation with the white skin. Second, if you wanna do it then can you not be a bit subtle and normal to look at. The way these hostesses make up, it seems they dip their faces in a plate full of foundation, then in another plate full of some other white thingy and then paint sunsets on their cheek bones. Yukk!!!

Or...maybe, just maybe..these air hostesses are actually part of a smuggling syndicate and smuggle cosmetics across borders by applying it on them. later scraping it off their faces and stuffing into those bottles/packs. who knows!

So, a sniper shot down a footballer

Big Deal??? I mean it's now a common practice whereby a sniper hidden somewhere in the crowds or on the roof of the stadium or the VIP boxes (if you will) shoots down an attacking player making a marauding run inside the penalty area of the opposition. Sometimes the snipers even shoot down players not making any dangerous runs. These snipers are present all over the world, more so in Europe and do shoot down players (mostly attackers) from time to time in matches at various grounds. They are believed to be a real terror in Italy, so much that they even shoot down Italian players practicing at their football practice sessions. The one shot down by a mystery sniper this time was Edu-9 and it hurts me because he is a gunner and UEFA have, this time around, taken it upon them to do something about it (by charging him of diving). Why? Rather… why now?

Edu-9 dived and won a penalty against Celtic... to go down like that is just cheating! But maybe the authorities are to be blamed for letting these things happen week-in week-out, what are other honest (till then) players to make of this? Maybe Edu-9 is then a victim of authorities' indifference towards this type of cheating which has infested this game so long.

OK, now i am not condoning diving in any form, sort or shape. All i am on about is the lack of consistency shown by the Football authorities, in this case Monsieur Platini's UEFA. This was also not to set a precedent (in which case the claim can be that henceforth all such incidents will be dealt with severity) as the same had already been set in 2007 when the Scottish FA reported a dive from a Lithuanian striker and UEFA imposed a 2 match retrospective ban on the player. Good move if you ask me but then the same should have continued thereon. I mean they were using video evidence they couldn't have gone wrong. The ronlados, drogbas, gerrards, rooneys, RB-7 of the world have all time and time practiced (their art of) diving and even won penalties (crucial ones that have changed seasons and tournaments for their clubs, countries) long after that incident involving Lithuanian player. So where was UEFA in the last two years, what's with this waking up all of a sudden? I think i know, UEFA is still the good-for-nothing body that it is, it is just that this time around the media blew the incident way (and i mean WAY) out of proportion. Why? Simple...it was a foreigner and one from Arsenal!! When Owen does this, he's 'clever' and won a penalty. When Rooney does that, he's ‘passionate’ and will do anything to win. When Ronaldo does (did..since now he is in Real Madrid and not Man utd- the darling club of the English media and the refs) it they would just laugh it off. The only player who has got stick, any close to what Edu-9 got for his act, has been Drogba. So, lest UEFA becomes consistent with their treatment (or even cognizance) of such incidents it (action against Edu-9) will remain a joke. plonkers!!

Talking about the punishment itself, it is a yellow card if the ref spots the dive. It is a 2 match ban if the ref doesn't spot the dive (or maybe the fact whether the resulting penalty is scored also plays in, or even the result of the match).

My beloved Gunners went to Old Trafford this weekend and we saw within a gap of a few mins two genuine (one stonewall) penalty claims turned down by the cowardly referee (playing his whistle to the home crowd or simply to man utd)- RVP-11 was clipped inside the box (obviously there were no replays...we all know about the bias of English media) and then Fletcher clattered into AA-23 (a two footed challenge inside the box getting nothing but the player) and referee waved 'play on'. Some refs would give a red card+penalty for that challenge and all would give a penalty. And as if this was not enough, the Professor kicked a waterbottle (did not talk or complain to anyone) out of disappointment when in the injury time min RVP-11's goal was disallowed for a WG-10 offside and the ref to everyone's amusement sent the Professor to the stands. Shame! a total shame. Although (and rightly), Keith Hackett, the chief of the referees' association (or some sh!t like that) is due to apologise to the Professor for his sending off. Wenger later described the events (in terms of refereeing) as "It was Old Trafford-ish. We know how things work,". And he is right, history (even recent) of English football will tell you what he means. And one arsenal supporter (alwaysafc) rightly welcomes the new term from Wenger's dictionary, he says on 606
"TRAFFORDISH! Thanks Arsene.. We all know what it is... but we needed a word to describe it."
Coming back to the referee, It could be just two big mistakes by the referee and nothing more but then why doesn’t the FA do something about it (poor performance from refs)... i mean any paid professional is bound to be reviewed for their performance (or lack of it). I agree it is a thankless job but then it is also a powerful job and it is a shame when the talking point of a match is poor officiating; spoils the football. Some refs try to be the talking point after the game by misusing their power and there are others who try to keep a low profile by being consistent at both the ends of the pitch and not be the centre of attraction- the latter for me are examples of good referees. So while the authorities want to check players' retrospectively using video evidence and punish those who cheat why can't the same technology be used to evaluate referees' performance and appraise them (maybe relegate the regularly faulting refs to lower league, pay cut... just thoughts) because we all know how much impact bad refereeing can have on teams and their campaigns. After all, not long ago an English referee dished out 3 (THREE) yellow cards to the same player in the world cup. Ring any bells?