The mess

The commonwealth games that is.

It was reported even a year back that things were behind schedule. No media person, no organizing member is able to defend the progress (only give assurances that it will be pulled togehter somehow...). Instead of taking the responsibility Kalmadi (who has been with the Indian Olympic committee for thirteen years or more, comes out in attack against another CWG member who has been there for two).

I think the media should ask him what has been done for the Indian Olympics during his tenure and why are the facilities so much behind schedule? Shouldn't we have taken remedial measures a while back? I also think tenures of IOC presidents etc. must be curtailed to a single term, to get new ideas in, to give new energy to sports in the country.

I actually don't think we should even be hosting these games, until our sporting infrastructure is improved across the country and until our infrastructure is ready.

I had also seen an article on F1 in Delhi. Isn't there some conflict of interest here? Isn't there a oversight committee? Given that F1 is not an Olympic sport, why is the IOA even involved?

Perhaps India will pull through and host the games successfully, but I am not sure I will feel any great pride.

mirror mirror on the wall

Not to single out bhajji for yesterday's performance (as the blame can be shared liberally), but came across an interview which taken out of context, resonates with the performance in the match yesterday.

"Main sochta nahin hoon" - :)

"How many bowlers send down six different deliveries in each over?"
duh, the object is not to bowl as many different deliveries, the object is to take as many wickets as possible. Heck, I think I can bowl six different deliveries an over, just not near the stumps.

"It’s sad that I hardly get to see spinners who can turn the ball on any surface." Sadly, neither do we...

"They’re happy just rolling their arm over... They should, instead, express themselves and bowl the deliveries they can really be good at... "

talking about someone else....?

Read the rest of the interview, for a chuckle or two...

media frenzy in cricket

My TV time has reduced significantly as work deadlines have overtaken me. But in the limited time I have watched the news, I have been unable to bypass the media circus surrounding the Indian cricket team. The television media (in a quest for ratings) have lost the ability to give a balanced, mature view of events. Rather hysterical reports are the norm, with decibel levels of reporters consistently at an unpleasant pitch (always shouting).

Several years ago, I used to be shocked by news items with words like lashes, blasts, snubs. Now I always believe that it is a mild statement to which some spice has been added. In fact I am tempted to get a collection of reporters and have a demonstration of lashing.

To the media, I ask to look around you in your office -- don't you have disagreements with your colleagues and bosses, or is always one happy family? Even assuming that there was a tiff , until it impacts the performance of the team, why should it become issue of this magnitude? There is almost a sadistic wish to find problems in a successful team.

Until the media starts self-policing, I will rely more on print media to get balanced reports.

Astro tips

There is one team that needs the most help this year - KKR (what with the allegations of racism, match-fixing investigation, multiple captain-coach theory for a solitary D/L win etc.) So pooling my knowledge (albeit non-existent) of numerology, palmistry (predicting by reading my palm for KKR -- a novel concept that should go well with the team with many theories), factoring in saturn in the horoscope, I have some recommendations for KKR.

Switch the gold and black around, so that it is predominantly gold with black on one shoulder and one sleeve (black for "nazar" effect). This will tend to blind opponents as well.

Douse out the fire on the helmet? Bat on fire I can perhaps understand, but helmet on fire? Can't be good feng-shui. seriously what does it mean?

Change the brooding SRK image on the website with the helmet on fire (just because...)

Instead of covering up the numbers on the back of jerseys with ugly tape, go to the reebok store and buy some plain ones. Note that even if you cover it up, the number is still there close to your back working its evil magic.

KKR has too few words to leverage the 'K' concept of Balaji telefilms. So add a few words. Kyunki KKR be ...

Official statement from KKR on racism?

Thus far I have seen no official comment (from the CEO or owners of KKR) on the racism charge. This is a serious charge and "no comment" answer from the team management should not be accepted. It is not enough for Buchanan to respond, it is important for the CEO or owner to make a statement, as it otherwise sets a poor precedent.

Whoever is subjected to discrimination, as owners and as a business KKR has to handle it (trying to wish it away really speaks poorly of them). If the allegation is false, then the accused do need a statement strongly in their favor, because once you are charged with something like this, it never goes away.