Shame in Sports

Recently, two incidents in different sports have been hogging headlines in the respective interest zones - although one is turning out to be murkier... rather than just plain sad.

Bob Woolmer's death after Pakistan's loss to Ireland (and imminent departure from the World Cup) was shocking. Worse still was the fact that initial autopsy reports pointed to poisoning. Now it is confirmed that his death was indeed caused by manual strangulation. This world Cup will forever be remembered for this incident. And Pakistan's reputation has taken a further beating... this in the year that they are slated to promote tourism in their country.

Anyway, it seems that either a crazy fan, a deranged bookie or worse - someone from the PCB was responsible for his death.

The other incident is not as deadly or explosive - but still shameful. I refer to Cristiano Ronaldo and his tactics. I don't understand why someone with his supreme talents and abilities has to resolve to cheap tricks and diving to win penalties. Its ridiculous to see his manager, Sir I-Don't-understand-His-Fucking-accent, encourage this as well. Anyway - its not too long before someone breaks his nose out of sheer frustration. I hope that happens real soon.

But maybe he moves to Real Madrid next season - along with the MAN himself - Jose Mourinho. I may be compelled to support a team that has such a cheat. I hope he stays back at Man Utd. Shit deserves to stay in sewer.

20 years on...

In 1987, I was in Std. V, St. Joseph's Boy's Higer Sec School, Coonoor.

Wham! was the best I heard in music.. although I did manage to sneak few notes of rock music from seniors (cassette walkmans).

I Still Haven't Found What I'm looking For... the first U2 song I ever heard. And I watched the video 2 years later during a trip to my friend's place in Palghat (Shemoth). An often used VHS tape recording of a US countown.

Along with 'Exile on Main Street', 'Born To Run', 'Sgt. Peppers' and 'Darkness on The Edge of Town', I rank The Joshua Tree in my top 5 albums of all time.

20 years on, I'm 29 years old. And I love U2.

I have every DVD of U2, and nearly all their albums. I also watched them Live in concert.

This is my personal ranking (a very very difficult thing to do for an album like this) of the track listing on The Joshua Tree:

1. Where The Streets Have No Name: The Edge's guitaring, and the opening lyrics. How many times have you felt that you wanna run and hide - tear down the walls that hold you inside!!

2. One Tree Hill: The moon is up and over One Tree Hill, We see the sun go down in your eyes

3. In God's Country: About America - the dream

4. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For: Thats Gospel married to Rock

5. With or Without You: The forbidden act. Unrequited love. mixed up - its pure passion. I can't believe how people dedicate this song to their loved ones!!

6. Running to Standstill: Sweet the sin, Bitter taste in my mouth.

7. Bullet the Blue Sky: Best watchd LIVe actually

8. Trip Through Your Wires: good melody

9. Red Hill Mining Town: Very 'Bruce'

10. Mothers of the Disappeared: Typical U2 message

11. Exit: Ditto

Final thoughts: If you haven't made love to this album - do it.

The Cricket 'World' Cup...

This is my opinion. If you belong to the group of people who lives, breathes, eats, sleeps and fucks cricket - please stop reading.

I used to follow this sport right up till I started working. The fact that each 'one-day' game lasted over 8 hours was not going in sync with my idea of a productive day.

The 9th edition of the World Cup in cricket is currently being played out in the West Indies. Unlike the football World Cup where countries have to fight for a place in the top 32 - the cricket World Cup governing body (the super-intelligent ICC) allows every country with a desire to play at the event.

Therefore, we end up with teams like Bermuda, Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Bangladesh... and even Zimbabwe (to an extent).

The warm up games were mostly one sided with the giant teams (past winners) thrashing these 'minnows' by huge margins. In boxing terms, these newcomers were glorified punching bags for the biggies to correct their punches.

The results of the first few games were really sickening - teams winning by margins of 200+ runs, centuries by key players, stellar bowling performances by guys clearly out-of-form and over-the-hill.

Why I think the ICC is screwed up is because they allowed these teams to play the biggest event of the sport even with their poor standards and lack of experience. Why can't there be more regional tournaments for them to improve? Surely, the World Cup is not a place to give these guys a chance. Imagine if FIFA allowed more teams to qualify for the football World Cup - and we have India featuring. Worse - imagine India Vs France. This is as ridiculous as Australia Vs Netherlands.

The other aspect that is really annoying me - the venue.

By all accounts - the world Cup should have been staged at a venue where atleast the organisers could ensure a more-or-less packed stadium. The past few games had the stands empty - and this is supposed to be a World Cup!?! The timing also does not suit either Australia or the sub-continent - so, why have it in a place like the West Indies??

I paid S$110 for the World Cup PPV. Funny thing is that I won't be able to watch a single game because of the timing. What a waste of money. Thats 4 CDs gone down the drain!!

All knotted up

March 2001:

At the reception of Rediffusion DY&R - Prabhadevi (Bombay).

Arun meets Renu.

March 10, 2007:

At the Swan Lake Gazebo, Singapore Botanical Gardens

Arun marries Renu.

What happened in between is our past...

Lets look to the future!!