Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Sailing the still waters
Earlier two posts were about cricket. It was tough to understand for outsiders who have never seen it even on idiot box. But, sadly, that’s the only thing I wanted to write about. Admittedly, I am crazy about the game or is it maniacal? May be, I guess. So this time I’m going to write something related to Athens. Yes, Athens you’re right!
Before that, for a moment imagine a world without McDonalds, Pizza Huts, Chipotles and Sex and the City and no football or baseball grounds! What a wild thought. The nearest thing you can imagine is a fish out of water, right?
I feel the same way sometimes, so are the most Indians on the OU campus. There is no biryani to lull the tingling sensation by taste buds. The nearest movie theater that screens any Indian movie is either in Cincinnati or Detroit. And the worst part, the weather and the wide outfields with a good six-inch grass are never conducive for any form cricket, even if you’re maniacal about the game!
Most of the time you find people glued to laptops or in the sack, except a few sweating out in the Ping Center for a six-pack figure! For me surveying the brick-roads of Athens has become a habit of late (I’m not working with Athens administration).
But the arrival of much awaited spring has changed all that. Now, the hot destination for Indians is Dow Lake on Strouds Run Road. Canoeing is high on everybody’s agenda.
It’s the best scenic beauty I have ever seen in Greater Athens Area. If you are stressed out in life, of course you are, it’s the end of quarter, and it’s a nice place to find some respite from the hustle and bustle of college life.
Besides canoeing there are many attractions like hiking, fishing, beach-volleyball and hunting. If you are fond of walking through woods I bet it’s the best place, straight out of ABC’s Lost. There are two trails worth trying, Broken Rock Trial and Indian Mound Trail both are pretty long around 15 miles each. But be sure to check for hunting zones and wary of losing path. We called it quits after a two-mile arduous walk for two reasons—for the fear of losing track and the trail was boggy for the most part, it was tough getting our steps right!
And our next attempt was canoeing. It’s fun. Canoes are available pretty cheap starting at $6/ an hour and three dollar for every extra hour. It was easy sailing the still waters, even for novices. If you have any long-term plans check Craigslist.
How to reach there: Click here
For all other details: Click here
Finally, if you are looking for a romantic hangout I bet it’s the best (without making your wallet lighter). If not, take your doggy out for an evening stroll, either way it’s worth it!
Correction: The Indian Mound trail is only 0.6 miles, Sorry!
Before that, for a moment imagine a world without McDonalds, Pizza Huts, Chipotles and Sex and the City and no football or baseball grounds! What a wild thought. The nearest thing you can imagine is a fish out of water, right?
I feel the same way sometimes, so are the most Indians on the OU campus. There is no biryani to lull the tingling sensation by taste buds. The nearest movie theater that screens any Indian movie is either in Cincinnati or Detroit. And the worst part, the weather and the wide outfields with a good six-inch grass are never conducive for any form cricket, even if you’re maniacal about the game!
Most of the time you find people glued to laptops or in the sack, except a few sweating out in the Ping Center for a six-pack figure! For me surveying the brick-roads of Athens has become a habit of late (I’m not working with Athens administration).
But the arrival of much awaited spring has changed all that. Now, the hot destination for Indians is Dow Lake on Strouds Run Road. Canoeing is high on everybody’s agenda.
It’s the best scenic beauty I have ever seen in Greater Athens Area. If you are stressed out in life, of course you are, it’s the end of quarter, and it’s a nice place to find some respite from the hustle and bustle of college life.
Besides canoeing there are many attractions like hiking, fishing, beach-volleyball and hunting. If you are fond of walking through woods I bet it’s the best place, straight out of ABC’s Lost. There are two trails worth trying, Broken Rock Trial and Indian Mound Trail both are pretty long around 15 miles each. But be sure to check for hunting zones and wary of losing path. We called it quits after a two-mile arduous walk for two reasons—for the fear of losing track and the trail was boggy for the most part, it was tough getting our steps right!
And our next attempt was canoeing. It’s fun. Canoes are available pretty cheap starting at $6/ an hour and three dollar for every extra hour. It was easy sailing the still waters, even for novices. If you have any long-term plans check Craigslist.
How to reach there: Click here
For all other details: Click here
Finally, if you are looking for a romantic hangout I bet it’s the best (without making your wallet lighter). If not, take your doggy out for an evening stroll, either way it’s worth it!
Correction: The Indian Mound trail is only 0.6 miles, Sorry!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Unsung Heroes
As the much hyped and invested Indian Premier League comes to an end it brings many issues to the forefront, on-field and off-field. The culture vultures have been training their guns at cheerleaders and their ‘deplorable’ flesh show. And, arm-chair critics are in fumes over the brazenness with which Indian Board conducts its operations. On filed, pugnacious Bhajji slapping no, hitting, yes that’s the correct word, Sree Santh in true WWF style, then the latter downplaying the incident by saying shake-hand at a wrong place, yes you’re right Sree Santh in front of cameras!!!
Nobody knows, culture vultures or arm-chair critics, the difference between fine-leg and long-leg. So they talk nuisance, that’s trivia, it’s not cricket. Let’s talk cricket, what’s interesting about the game is, have a look at the points table. The Rajasthan Roayals, which was dubbed as the underdog, won the much coveted trophy. The Chennai Kings and Punjab XI stand second and third. Let’s go further down, in fact all the way down to the bottom, we find the Deccan Chargers (my home team!!), just above them the Royal Challengers and then the Mumbai Indians. Interestingly these three teams are the priciest of all, the Mumbai Indians price was $120 million, the Royal Challengers, 116 and the Deccan Chargers, 114. That’s not all. These teams went for broke at the players’ auction, but still languishing at the bottom of the table unable to get their horses out of paddock.
Is there any correlation between the big bucks and performance? Negative, yes, that’s what statistics say. And Deepthi Nandan, a freelance sports writer, agrees, “Many of those costliest players failed to perform but unknown players like Shaun Marsh, Asnodkar did really well, that’s been the highlight of the tournament.” The Rajasthan Royals was fined for spending too low at the auction table; two months later they happily stand at the top, and the other low-budget teams Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knightriders stand way above the costliest of the lot.
Individual Performances
Scratch further, look at individual performances, Andrew Symonds, Dhoni and Sachin fetched about $1.5 million each but their cupboards sport a bare look without any player of the match trophies. On the other hand Sohail Tanvir, Goni and Watson, sold at $150,000 each, have won matches single handedly. Here too, negative correlation between price and performance. According to Hindustan Times each run came off from Dhoni’s, costliest player of the lot, bat was worth $3500 whereas the highest rungetter in the tournament, Shaun Marsh’s each run was valued at just below $50. In bowlers category, Sohail Tanvir’s, the most successful bowler, each wicket fetched him just above $4000 but Ishanth Sharma’s each wicket earned him a whopping $135,714. That’s what still amuses Vishal,a PR professional and an avid fan “I was surprised nobody was ready to buy Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir at their base prices.” None of the franchises was ready to buy these players not even at their base prices. Over a course of month they proved everybody—so called analysts, strategists, punters and money-minded owners-- wrong.
In true Bollywood filmi style Hum kisise kum nahin (we are inferior to none), these motley group of players proved it is the fire in the belly, passion filled hearts that drive performances in arena, not big bucks and glam sham. They needed a window to showcase their skills to the outside world. The IPL has been just that. Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence, the IPL is just about that, it proved all are equal, at least in sports arena. It’s the single-minded determination and zeal to excel that separates champions from the mediocre, not renting each limb to endorse a different product.
Barter System
But with bartering system coming into effect from the next season all this is going to change, those who fail to perform will be exchanged for another player. But, Srinivas, a cricket coach based out of Hyderbad, sees no logic in it, “Who will be ready to take a non performer, even if they do it will be for another non performer. It doesn’t make a big difference.” Of course, who would exchange Marsh,Watson and Pathan? None, sure.
Come next season, it’ll be the time to sit and cherish the on-field exploits of thses unheralded heroes, once again. Three cheers!
Nobody knows, culture vultures or arm-chair critics, the difference between fine-leg and long-leg. So they talk nuisance, that’s trivia, it’s not cricket. Let’s talk cricket, what’s interesting about the game is, have a look at the points table. The Rajasthan Roayals, which was dubbed as the underdog, won the much coveted trophy. The Chennai Kings and Punjab XI stand second and third. Let’s go further down, in fact all the way down to the bottom, we find the Deccan Chargers (my home team!!), just above them the Royal Challengers and then the Mumbai Indians. Interestingly these three teams are the priciest of all, the Mumbai Indians price was $120 million, the Royal Challengers, 116 and the Deccan Chargers, 114. That’s not all. These teams went for broke at the players’ auction, but still languishing at the bottom of the table unable to get their horses out of paddock.
Is there any correlation between the big bucks and performance? Negative, yes, that’s what statistics say. And Deepthi Nandan, a freelance sports writer, agrees, “Many of those costliest players failed to perform but unknown players like Shaun Marsh, Asnodkar did really well, that’s been the highlight of the tournament.” The Rajasthan Royals was fined for spending too low at the auction table; two months later they happily stand at the top, and the other low-budget teams Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knightriders stand way above the costliest of the lot.
Individual Performances
Scratch further, look at individual performances, Andrew Symonds, Dhoni and Sachin fetched about $1.5 million each but their cupboards sport a bare look without any player of the match trophies. On the other hand Sohail Tanvir, Goni and Watson, sold at $150,000 each, have won matches single handedly. Here too, negative correlation between price and performance. According to Hindustan Times each run came off from Dhoni’s, costliest player of the lot, bat was worth $3500 whereas the highest rungetter in the tournament, Shaun Marsh’s each run was valued at just below $50. In bowlers category, Sohail Tanvir’s, the most successful bowler, each wicket fetched him just above $4000 but Ishanth Sharma’s each wicket earned him a whopping $135,714. That’s what still amuses Vishal,a PR professional and an avid fan “I was surprised nobody was ready to buy Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir at their base prices.” None of the franchises was ready to buy these players not even at their base prices. Over a course of month they proved everybody—so called analysts, strategists, punters and money-minded owners-- wrong.
In true Bollywood filmi style Hum kisise kum nahin (we are inferior to none), these motley group of players proved it is the fire in the belly, passion filled hearts that drive performances in arena, not big bucks and glam sham. They needed a window to showcase their skills to the outside world. The IPL has been just that. Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence, the IPL is just about that, it proved all are equal, at least in sports arena. It’s the single-minded determination and zeal to excel that separates champions from the mediocre, not renting each limb to endorse a different product.
Barter System
But with bartering system coming into effect from the next season all this is going to change, those who fail to perform will be exchanged for another player. But, Srinivas, a cricket coach based out of Hyderbad, sees no logic in it, “Who will be ready to take a non performer, even if they do it will be for another non performer. It doesn’t make a big difference.” Of course, who would exchange Marsh,Watson and Pathan? None, sure.
Come next season, it’ll be the time to sit and cherish the on-field exploits of thses unheralded heroes, once again. Three cheers!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Confused Loyalties
Watching sport with friends is always a pleasure because you get to see your friends raging with frustration over his/her favorite team’s dismal show. Is there any better way to derive sadistic pleasure? Be careful, some times the hunter becomes the hunted especially if you support a team that is habituated to go down. Luckily my teams have been on a winning trot or I have been with winning teams. I support Brazil in soccer and my roommate roots for France, in tennis he simply adores the grace of Federer and I love Nadal's brute power. He is a big fan of Sharapova’s game or that’s what he says whereas I go with Justin Henin, sadly I need to find another player as she bows out.
But in cricket it has never been a question.
With the invention of the Indian Premier League that has changed dramatically. When ever we sit together these days to watch cricket I hear a strange word. Hitherto never heard, as alien as a flying saucer, by the way have you ever seen one? The word is ‘your team.’ When I heard for the first time I was amused rather than shocked, now I am getting used to it. Till now it used to be 'we' or 'us' or 'our' team. We had won together, lost together but stayed together.
Now the fans first identify themselves as the Kolkatans, the Bombaites and the Bangaloreans than a collective term Indian. Markedly the city pride has overtaken the Indian pride. My friend, Dipankar, proudly breaks into conversation with three Benagali words Korbo, Lorbo and Jeetbo which means work, fight and win, that’s his home team the Kolakata Knight Riders’ anthem, that’s not the end of mania he often shouts Hoog Lee, catchphrase of his team.
“I don’t see it as a new phenomenon rather it is unfolding now or may be taking it to a higher plane,” says Kranthi Kumar, a journalist with one of the largest circulated vernacular dailies, Andhra Jyothy, in India, over phone. Expounding further he adds “we have had state and zonal teams before and this is a step further.”
Interesting thing about this phenomenon is flares of passion and loyalty can be seen in an alien land over nearly ten thousand miles away. The IPL has mixed everything up, throwing many questions about one’s loyalty. It is hard to find a true repository for your frenzy where players are bought and sold like race horses. Initially we decided to enjoy the individual brilliance of Sachin, Symonds, Murali and an assortment of players. But over a week that proved us entirely wrong. Then we decided to go with a team, for me it was a straightforward decision the Deccan Chargers as I have spent all my life in Hyderabad. But Adarsh pondered over a couple of teams as he had lived in many cities—Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. At last he decided to stick with the Bangalore Royal Challengers, his hometown team.
Famous cricket historian and the Guardian columnist, Mike Marqusee, argues this frenzy and loyalties are not sustainable his reason is “the new franchises, unlike the English football clubs on which they’re modelled, are not the creations of history and community; they do not belong to the fans the way Manchester United or Liverpool belongs to the fans. They have been created from the top down and sold as a finished but ephemeral item to a passive audience.”
But for time being his argument pales away as everybody is firmly rooting for his team. The holistic Indianness has made way for regionalism for the first time in overseas. Spill over has been evident elsewhere. For the first time cricket teams at the Kent State University, unofficial though, were drawn on regional lines, “Yes, it was for the first time and it was because of IPL. Even we played truncated version of cricket like IPL,” agrees Karteek.
Everybody is ready to wear his heart on his sleeve; I am a step ahead planning to wear across my chest come my new imported jersey.
But in cricket it has never been a question.
With the invention of the Indian Premier League that has changed dramatically. When ever we sit together these days to watch cricket I hear a strange word. Hitherto never heard, as alien as a flying saucer, by the way have you ever seen one? The word is ‘your team.’ When I heard for the first time I was amused rather than shocked, now I am getting used to it. Till now it used to be 'we' or 'us' or 'our' team. We had won together, lost together but stayed together.
Now the fans first identify themselves as the Kolkatans, the Bombaites and the Bangaloreans than a collective term Indian. Markedly the city pride has overtaken the Indian pride. My friend, Dipankar, proudly breaks into conversation with three Benagali words Korbo, Lorbo and Jeetbo which means work, fight and win, that’s his home team the Kolakata Knight Riders’ anthem, that’s not the end of mania he often shouts Hoog Lee, catchphrase of his team.
“I don’t see it as a new phenomenon rather it is unfolding now or may be taking it to a higher plane,” says Kranthi Kumar, a journalist with one of the largest circulated vernacular dailies, Andhra Jyothy, in India, over phone. Expounding further he adds “we have had state and zonal teams before and this is a step further.”
Interesting thing about this phenomenon is flares of passion and loyalty can be seen in an alien land over nearly ten thousand miles away. The IPL has mixed everything up, throwing many questions about one’s loyalty. It is hard to find a true repository for your frenzy where players are bought and sold like race horses. Initially we decided to enjoy the individual brilliance of Sachin, Symonds, Murali and an assortment of players. But over a week that proved us entirely wrong. Then we decided to go with a team, for me it was a straightforward decision the Deccan Chargers as I have spent all my life in Hyderabad. But Adarsh pondered over a couple of teams as he had lived in many cities—Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. At last he decided to stick with the Bangalore Royal Challengers, his hometown team.
Famous cricket historian and the Guardian columnist, Mike Marqusee, argues this frenzy and loyalties are not sustainable his reason is “the new franchises, unlike the English football clubs on which they’re modelled, are not the creations of history and community; they do not belong to the fans the way Manchester United or Liverpool belongs to the fans. They have been created from the top down and sold as a finished but ephemeral item to a passive audience.”
But for time being his argument pales away as everybody is firmly rooting for his team. The holistic Indianness has made way for regionalism for the first time in overseas. Spill over has been evident elsewhere. For the first time cricket teams at the Kent State University, unofficial though, were drawn on regional lines, “Yes, it was for the first time and it was because of IPL. Even we played truncated version of cricket like IPL,” agrees Karteek.
Everybody is ready to wear his heart on his sleeve; I am a step ahead planning to wear across my chest come my new imported jersey.
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