The past two weeks have not been good for Indian sport. First, there was the pay-me-when-you-play-me hockey drama and then, the money-spinning gala that is the Indian Premier League. Both came together perfectly to prove to the rest of the world that, irrespective of the quantity of money in an Indian sport, there is no class. Rich - as in the case of the IPL, or poor - as in the case of Hockey India, it makes no difference.
Of course, the Indian hockey players were damn right to demand payment for their performances. Anybody who can play their heart out for their country despite being treated shabbily deserves credit. Still, that did not stop some officials from suggesting that money shouldn't matter - the 'pride' in playing for the country should be enough! The sheer stupidity of the statement astounds me - 'pride' doesn't pay for food, clothes, or decent accommodation, which are the bare necessities for any human being, let alone players representing the country. Sure, the timing of the protest may seem insensitive, but it was the only way they could get any attention. And it is a well-known fact that for a player to perform to his fullest, off-the-field issues have to be sorted so that the player can focus. Thankfully, after a lot of threatening and media barbs, common sense prevailed and the players did get some of their money, but the way the cheque was handed over - in front of dozens of cameramen - was as if it was a favour to the players. Like I said - no class!! Then there is the election issue - Hockey India has affiliation issues with some of the regional associations and until they are sorted out, the election is stalled. All this with the World Cup being hosted in Delhi less than a month away. Shame.
Just when people were pointing to cricket as an example of how sport should be run in this country, Lalit Modi and his comrades (read:franchise owners) decided that there was no way they would be outdone in the media by HOCKEY of all sports. The IPL(Indian Patriots League?) auction turned into a silent anti-Pakistani agenda, with no Pakistani player picked by any team, apparently due to doubts over their availability. Again, no class. At least we could have been given a decent excuse!! The Pakistani players were included in the auction after some teams had indicated that they would be picking them. The visa problem had been overcome, and since when has availability stopped players from being picked? The Mumbai Indians had Dwayne Bravo flown home mid-IPL by private charter so he could play a game extra - he won them that game. So the problem is clearly something else. If it is Government pressure, then it is sad that the franchise owners have given in, because this will just be the beginning. The other explanation could be that the owners feared a negative reaction to the Pakistani players' selection after the 26/11 attacks. Still, one would expect someone of the stature of Vijay Mallya to rise above the cowardice. His team could have done with Afridi. And after all, it wasn't a gun-toting Afridi who killed people on 26/11, so why should he bear the brunt?
Sport should be shielded from political issues, because it is what unites us. Once that last bridge is burnt, there is usually no way back. I hope the IPL changes its mind and allows the Pakistani players to join teams, because the tournament will be much the better with some of them playing.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
F E A R
You’re sh-sh-shaking, feeling cold yet sweating at the same time. Your heart is beating at twice its normal rate. A myriad of horrific thoughts penetrate your mind, not allowing you to think straight. All you know is that somehow, you have to find a way to be safe. You are scared.
Everyone feels fear, albeit not always in the way described. Some fear heights, others fear looking fat! Yet more people fear cockroaches, a low exam score, food poisoning, the boss, terrorists, failure, being cheated, change, an unfulfilled life, and most of all, death.
Fear. That awesome, all-pervading emotion which resides in us, which humbles us, makes us human. It keeps us living on the edge, afraid of what might happen next. The dustbin you throw your garbage into, may explode. Some maniac might fly an airplane into your workplace. The stock market may crash. You may contract swine-flu. Even simpler, your boss may fire you, your girlfriend/boyfriend may ask for a commitment, you could get bitten by a stray dog, a eunuch may curse you for refusing to part with a tenner!
Afraid? Feel like you’re walking around in the open with a big, round, impossible-to-miss target painted on your back?? Be brave. Don’t take cover. Fight back.
Fear inspires us in an almost perverse manner to do things we never thought we would, or could. A person provoked by fear is capable of anything. Would you kill if you felt your life was in danger? Would you lose a friend for a job which would give greater ‘security’? Would you trample all over somebody weaker to slip out of a dicey situation? Would you sign a pre-nuptial agreement to ensure that if the marriage does go wrong, you’re still ‘safe’?
No?
It is in the face of fear that we get to know what we are really made of. Do we only talk big, or can we step up and act when the situation demands it? Our lives are shaped by how we respond to our fears. We can feel sorry for ourselves, run in the opposite direction with our tails between our legs and ‘secure’ ourselves first when we see potential for trouble. We can believe every terrorist, every politician and every other fear monger and let them rule our lives. Or we can decide to show some mettle and at least face our fears, if not conquer them. Sure, we should be a little afraid. Fear is a part of our way of life, a major motivating factor. But it shouldn’t be a constant distraction. We shouldn’t avoid walking past a dustbin just because it may explode. We shouldn’t sit at home every time there is a bandh in the city. We should take career risks, even though there is a chance of failure. We should visit Afghanist… naah, that would be crossing the line between being fearless and being foolish!
Everyone feels fear, albeit not always in the way described. Some fear heights, others fear looking fat! Yet more people fear cockroaches, a low exam score, food poisoning, the boss, terrorists, failure, being cheated, change, an unfulfilled life, and most of all, death.
Fear. That awesome, all-pervading emotion which resides in us, which humbles us, makes us human. It keeps us living on the edge, afraid of what might happen next. The dustbin you throw your garbage into, may explode. Some maniac might fly an airplane into your workplace. The stock market may crash. You may contract swine-flu. Even simpler, your boss may fire you, your girlfriend/boyfriend may ask for a commitment, you could get bitten by a stray dog, a eunuch may curse you for refusing to part with a tenner!
Afraid? Feel like you’re walking around in the open with a big, round, impossible-to-miss target painted on your back?? Be brave. Don’t take cover. Fight back.
Fear inspires us in an almost perverse manner to do things we never thought we would, or could. A person provoked by fear is capable of anything. Would you kill if you felt your life was in danger? Would you lose a friend for a job which would give greater ‘security’? Would you trample all over somebody weaker to slip out of a dicey situation? Would you sign a pre-nuptial agreement to ensure that if the marriage does go wrong, you’re still ‘safe’?
No?
It is in the face of fear that we get to know what we are really made of. Do we only talk big, or can we step up and act when the situation demands it? Our lives are shaped by how we respond to our fears. We can feel sorry for ourselves, run in the opposite direction with our tails between our legs and ‘secure’ ourselves first when we see potential for trouble. We can believe every terrorist, every politician and every other fear monger and let them rule our lives. Or we can decide to show some mettle and at least face our fears, if not conquer them. Sure, we should be a little afraid. Fear is a part of our way of life, a major motivating factor. But it shouldn’t be a constant distraction. We shouldn’t avoid walking past a dustbin just because it may explode. We shouldn’t sit at home every time there is a bandh in the city. We should take career risks, even though there is a chance of failure. We should visit Afghanist… naah, that would be crossing the line between being fearless and being foolish!
My First Post
I don't really know what to start off with.... so I am posting an article which I wrote for my college magazine... It's my take on FEAR......
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