Greatness is not an exaggeration

He stands as the perfect contradiction to the statement "Greatness is an exaggeration".

(This short piece is just a mention of a few aspects that add glory to one of the finest batsmen cricket has ever produced)

Let me begin by telling you this :

Indian audience indulges itself in hero-worship. That's a fact. You can see it everywhere. But we are ruthless too. When it comes to being worshiped, you have to keep winning hearts, keep restoring the faith, and the pride. There have been many whom I don't want to name, who appeared to be climbing those stairs, only to find that the junta has lost faith in them. You drop from a superstar to just a star who was once close to being idolized. To be in such a country and in such a state for about twenty years is, simply, superb. (Don't hold it against me when I miss some statistics. My piece doesn't deal much with it)

Sachin is someone who deserves such a worship. He has stood against generations of bowlers. Generations of those who analyze his every match, his every move, his every mistake and then come up with a strategy to constrain him. In spite of that, to come up to bat to the satisfaction of over a billion hearts, and to surpass the expectations each time, is nothing short of amazement. May be to come up to bat can be termed as a mandate. To play is what he is expected to do. But the difference is not in the decision to play. It lies in the way he responds to such expectations. He has to thwart the tricks of each and every bowler and their captain. His every analyzed weakness must be controlled, and not merely controlled, it should shock the opponent. It is not a case of "should" but it just has been. His weaknesses to some of the offside deliveries had to be worked upon to result in a boundary. Its not ordinary and its not common to outplay the cunning opponent.

Rarely do you see a player who is watched by so many. And mind it, success brings its own share of rivalry and jealousy. Every Henry Olonga, Andy Caddick or whatever their names are, come to the scene of international cricket stating that they would be the ones to send him to the pavilion, only to find that it was their deliveries that went there, faster than the time spent in running to deliver them. It is so common. They are flawed not in their bowling techniques, they bowl some good balls. But in assuming that they have the master all sorted out, that is foolishness. There's really a great difference between confidence and over-confidence. We hear too many dialogues about this in the movies. But its true. The master copes with his weaknesses, with the so many heads that try to out-think and out-wit him. That he has been successful in doing this is not just evident from his successes, but from the knowledge that the faith of those billions is only growing. Here is a man who is standing against all, constantly foiling their plans.

Here's a thing. Ricky Ponting is currently the man who is atleast in the vicinity of looking at the records that Sachin makes, albeit miles, or rather, hundreds of miles, away from them. But Ricky enjoys a rare advantage that Sachin does not. He isn't under so much of analysis. He needn't carry an onus of expectations. Sachin has to, every single time. While stating facts, it is important to add that Australians have been those who analyze their opponents to the highest degree. Its quite evident. The amount of tricks they come up with almost sometimes makes the game more of a kind of chess rather than cricket, but all's legal. Now, would Ricky have lasted so long had he not been an Australian? Would he have been able to deal with his weaknesses, some of them propping up as he gets older, if he were under the scrutiny of the Australians ? I guess not. Yes its true that he has come up well against his weaknesses to spin. But you see, his opponents are not as cunning as hist team were. Now don't get me wrong here. It's perfectly alright that they plan the demise of the opposition. Its essential. But I would only want to point out that Ricky just isn't subjected to the enourmously tiresome, gruesome tests that Sachin went through. That's a very big advantage, if you know what I am talking about.

Now there comes a talk about India not winning matches when Sachin scores. It would have been probably okay for a boy to state that the word "psychology" is spelt without the silent letter 'p'. We could have at least patted the boy who answered that a better-luck-next-time. It's just lack of knowledge, but not here. The comparison isn't apt. But that exactly is the point I'd like to make. It isn't appropriate to state that its bad omen for India when Sachin scores. Tell you what, if Luck had ever to choose an adversary to work against, it would mention that the name Sachin would be in the last ones in its list. This may be exaggeration. But we all need luck. Not just to play well. But luck to evade bad luck from coming up. Last time I heard was that Liverpool lost their match against Sunderland this season because a beach ball showed up just in between the ball and the goalkeeper, the result of which was a deflected goal to take up 3 vital points away from Liverpool, or rather 2 vital points. This is the sort of bad luck that you don't want to happen. Here in comes the importance of good luck. To stop keeping the bad luck from popping its head up.

There may be a certain amount of take-it-for-granted in the Indian team because even though the master has amassed half the 350 single handedly, the rest of the ten couldn't contribute enough. It's a shame(read pity). For someone who has fought so well, this is the sort of anticlimax that is least appropriate. Our team surely owes an apology to him. But he will still play. And will still outclass the opponents. And it wouldn't be much news when he does that, because that is what is expected. And he will still keep raising the bar.

This is one who stands out to let us know that greatness is not an exaggeration, but a virtue, which, though seemingly impossible, is actually possible.

Just to let you know, there was one guy who was holding a poster the other day during the 5th ODI between India and Australia. It was comparing the gold rates per carat to the number of runs Sachin has made and he usually surpassed the rates. That was an awesome idea of his to show that statistic up. :)

I don't want the multiplex

Damn these multiplexes!!

They are legally robbing us and we are letting them.

I dont want to pay in full when I sit in the front row to watch a movie. I dont want to pay for the overpriced popcorn-thums up-sweet corn during the intermission. I cant stand the attitude they display at the theatre.

I love the ordinary theatres. They are big, have a bit overpriced rates for the popcorn (what's movie without a popcorn, huh?), they have different prices for different seating locations and mostly, they have the crowd that boos, cheers and comments. That's fun! I don't know wat we'd become when the movies don't hav such crowds. Without the newspapers being torn and thrown high, without the whistles and comments(read "nasty"), without the dances, without the difficulty of getting to hear and/or watch the movie on the first day of its release (obviously, of a bigger star). Hmph, thats one sad life without all of it.

Seriously, I mean, I can't pay so much for a flop movie, right? Plus these guyz form these alliances and then decide which to play and which not to. Where are the PEOPLE ? The juntha. The population. The power holders in a democracy. Well, they are busy watching pretty girls. We are the ones that run the movies, not these multiplexes. Apart from the pretty girls over there, what else is so worthy? Unless it's an IMAX screen which is the largest screen in India, the rest of the mutliplexes, often, fall short in quality to the regular movie halls.

Somebody somewhere should be sharing my views. With all the english films being screened only in the multiplexes, I miss watching them in the regular ones and stopped buying popcorns.

What I am listening to...

Just wanted to write about stuff that I am listening to.

Right now, I am addicted to (In no particular order) :

1. Use somebody - Kings of Leon.

This was a serendipitous discovery. One that I wouldn't have dwelled into without the help of

youtube or my lousy workplace which drove me desperate to find something new to listen to.

Of late, I've been searching for songs, artists or music that I haven't heard. It's simple, actually. First you have to like something. Then enter youtube and search for it. You'll be shown a list of "recommendations" and you just need to explore that category.

"Use somebody" is good. It has a different feel altogether. The lyrics are good too. The voice reminds me of James Blunt and, needless to say, its a bit inclined towards sounding "haunted". This song inspired me to write up a little stuff of my own and it shaped into Painting a picture, in one sitting.

2. Romeo and Juliet - The Killers.

Again a serendipity. I stumbled upon this band when I came to "Use somebody" on the youtube. Heard to a song and thought of getting the entire set of songs that they composed. I googled and finally heard to their discography and found a few songs that I liked. This one, in particular, had a different set of lyrics. Like someone just started writing up something and then set tune to it.

The rhyme caught me. "Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start. And I bet, you exploded in my heart", etc.

3. The Scientist - Coldplay.

The connection with Coldplay is through blood. What I mean to say is, I came in touch with them through my cousins. They had come to visit us during the winter of 2005 (they stay in the UK,

and ofcourse Coldplay is an english band). They thought of buying us some stuff and I asked them to buy me a music album of their choice. They were arguing over Radiohead and Coldplay and found "The rush of blood to the heart" over there. This was Coldplay's hit album and it had "Clocks", the presence of which, on the cover, made my sister to insist on buying it.

It also had "The Scientist", which made my brother feel likewise. So there I was, listening to the clocks and the scientist. At first I heard the scientist only twice and lost interest in it. After a couple of years, in 2008, it caught me by storm and didnt quite leave me, if ever for small intervals. Right now, I still hear it regularly. Great guitar, a different depth to the lyrics (mostly it cant be explained). Nice video, but I am talking about the music anyway. It's an amazing song to me.

4. For reasons unknown - The Killers.

Great lyrics. Love the combination of music and lyrics.

5. Ruby, don't take your love to town - The Killers.

The way this song goes, just love it. The way the music goes till it says "Oh Rubyyyyyy" and then it stops and it says "dont take your love to town" and the music starts again. Saw somewhere that it was sung by Kenny Rogers as well, but have to google that up.

6. Buy me a rose - Kenny Rogers.

Amazing. Nice with a guitar. It's a slow one, but has nice lyrics plus slow music. My brother introduced me to this. He has a set of songs to which he's practising guitar and this is one of them.

7. Priyatama - Guna

This is dubbed from a tamil movie to telugu. Greatt lyrics. Heard it on my way home, on the radio. Instantly liked it.

8. Povodhe prema - Oye

Nice one. Telugu.

Also listening to are :

Tum agar mujhko na chaho - Dil Hi To Hai (1963. Raj kapoor's hit)

Dooriyan and Aaj din Chadeya - Love Aaj Kal

Pehli baar mohobbat - Kaminey

Nayan tarse - Dev D

Nenu nenuga lene - Manmadhudu (Telugu)

Til I collapse - Eminem

Leave out all the rest - Linkin Park

Painting a picture

Walking on the road
I see the sun shine
I couldnt tell if it was sinking or rising
Lots of birds chirping
I think its sinking
Evening time
More than a gentle breeze
Trying to disturb by unruly hair
I reached a park
Small one near our place
A swing there was, another broken
A slide there was, with a ladder to climb onto it
Children were on the swing
There were some on the slide
Some climbing up
Some sliding down
And both happy
Sun is behind the trees now
Hitting my face through the spaces
I think I can paint a lovely picture
But realize its incomplete without you.

Some were playing cricket
With stones as wickets
The others just sitting on the wall
Chatting about the movie tickets
There sat a couple
Looks like they are in love
Whether lovers or brother-sister I dont know
Whichever love is love after all
I think I can paint a lovely picture
With the sun sinking in
And the sky growing golden
With the kite flying above
And the one holding the thread
But I realize its incomplete without you

Now where should I put you in
On the wall ? its quite silly
On the slide ? still the same
Playing cricket ? its mad (sure love is)
In the swing ? looks right
Beside me ? Oh wait,
I wouldnt be painting if you were beside me
All I would do is to stare

Disgrace and injustice and what the media says about it

I really didn't think that I would, at some point of time, support Chelsea FC. I quite dislike them. Its just that feeling you have against someone without any reason. Partly attributed to prejudice. Anyway, this is what this entry is about. Its about the recent outburst over the indecent exit of those eleven from the Champions League.

If Tom Henning Ovrebo had been dragged into court and sued for the millions (they might have been crowned The Champions, who knows ?) that Chelsea has lost, he'd have nothing to plead but temporary insanity, if at all temporary insanity could count for more than ninety three minutes at a stretch. Turning down what many see as clear penalties, and not one or two but a full four of them is really over the bar and over the bar a lot. Agreed that if Drogba hadn't dived game in and game out, there'd had been pretty good chances that Ovrebo might have given the penalty. Agreed that Chelsea could have scored when there were good opportunities and all Drogba did was to keep Barca's hopes alive (and probably the ref's as well). Agreed Chelsea havent taken the advantage of the twenty odd minutes when the visitors from across the sea had been reduced to ten (owing to another misjudged red card. Now whose side is he anyway?). But still, four penalties is way too much to disallow.

What followed after the match was a thing that the media was happy to pounce on. Drogba termed it all a "f*king disgrace" which most would say is true. One, from the guardian, was voicing the fans when he said that "Ballack should have gone all the way to do a Zidane". Ha ha. One leading Barcelona newspaper also sported a cartoon where a kid asks his mom that he needs a Barca shirt. But which one," his mother replies, "the goalie shirt, the home shirt or the referee's shirt?"

John Terry must have kept his calm and talked to his jumping mates. But the leader was far from it. Its really a shame to see such world class players act that way but one can only say that one can understand it. But that doesn't mean that they should go unpunished. It speaks of the quality of the team when one faces such adverse situations. "Character" is what should be shown here, at a time when the scenario least demands it. And thats what makes players great and a team great. I just don't understand how they couldn't do this one act. A team of the class of Chelsea should have kept calm however emotional they might have become. Anyway, being normal isn't bad at all. The ref. really deserves a full Zidane done to him.

It has to be mentioned that Chelsea really didn't play football at Camp Nou. All they did was "par k the bus". It was almost a 10-0-0 formation. A f*cking disgrace too, I dare say. All they did was pass, pass, pass. Only one good chance that was ruined by (no prize for guessing it right) Drogba. The rest was really frustrating to any football lover. Hence, the Spanish press were quoting this debacle as justice done, even if they find it delayed (till the 93minutes, that is).

At the end of the day, it was a bit of clumsy effort by Chelsea and a big big hand of the ref that made them see the end of the road to the final. A 1-1 was on the cards, but the way it drew is a shame.