Roger Federer: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Roger Federer totes up Francesco Totti.

What he said:

“It’s a good joke, but there’s some truth in it because, in a certain sense, we belong to another species.”

Roger Federer is feeling his age as he jokingly responds to a reporter’s query whether he and the 39-year-old Roma star, Francesco Totti, should be provided protection by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

He added:

“Francesco and I embody our respective sports. What he has done for football is unrivalled. He’s an example, a contemporary icon.

No one should tell you when to stop, it’s such an intimate and personal decision.

If he wants to keep on going, I’m right behind him. With me, he’s always been super nice. This year, if I see him, I’ll be asking him for some restaurant tips.”

Totti’s employers are still undecided whether to offer the icon an extension—a record 24th year at Roma.

The Italian is the second-highest ever goal scorer in the Serie A notching up 244 goals. The all-time record holder is Silvio Piola with 274.

What Federer really meant:

“Us ageing superstars of sport—we’re an endangered species , relics of another age. We’re dinosaurs, really.”

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What he definitely didn’t:

“Totti, myself and Po—we’re Kung Fu Panda 3.”

Anthems: The IPL makes music for fans and players

Sports is entertainment.

Music is entertainment.

And always the twain shall meet.

Right from songs performed at opening and closing ceremonies to stadium songs, music and sports co-exist to create harmony and melody.

Even Sachin Tendulkar was never without his headphones when not on the playing field or in the nets.

And let’s never forget the national anthems.

IPL 2016 has begun. Theme songs for the eight sides occupy prime time on television as a precursor and sideshow to the bawdy spectacle.

The following are the anthems of the eight teams in this year’s edition of the Indian Premier League:

Watering the IPL…(Updated)

Lok Satta Movement (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The water shortage in the state of Maharashtra will not affect the IPL or that’s what the High Court states. But the drought hit citizens of Latur will be wondering how water could be utilized for grounds and pitches but they have to rely on out-of-state water trains that arrive late.

The IPL is a socio-economic activity and provides employment to people. Hence, it should not be stopped.

The BCCI must exercise corporate social responsibility and monies from ticket sales must be made available to suffering victims. Simultaneously it must try and make its stadia more ‘green‘ utilizing sustainable practices such as water harvesting and treating. It would go a long way towards making cricket fans and players feel more responsive to social needs.

The Mumbai High Court delivered an historic verdict that all May IPL games in Maharashtra are to be shifted out-of-state.

The BCCI seem completely blind-sided by the decision of the judges.

Such a scenario was probably never envisaged by the cricketing body.

Arguments that non-potable water would be used to hose pitches and contributions by state franchises and the BCCI to the Chief Minister’s relief fund should be adequate recompense and response to Latur farmers’ grief and pain melted no ice.
While it’s no one’s case that the judgement will actually resolve the acute water shortage problem in the state, the public interest litigation drew national and international attention to the plight of ignored peasants in the country’s most developed state.

A photo of a match between Chennai SuperKings and Kolkata Knightriders during the DLF IPL T20 tournament (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The real heroes of this story are not the BCCI, the players, the franchises but the litigator—Loksatta Movement—and the judiciary.

The dying farmers of Latur needed to be heard and the Loksatta Movement became their voice.

Others such as Sunil Gavaskar and  Rahul Dravid may disagree calling the IPL a “soft target” against which the ire of aggrieved or suffering parties is directed.

Public opinion that the government and the BCCI whose executive committee consists of leading politicians such as Sharad Pawar and Anuraag Thakur cutting across party lines care very little for societal problems was at the crux of the suit brought to the notice of the bench.

Ironically, the esteemed  judges were more aware than the BCCI—who runs the IPL like a corporate entity—that molding perception plays a huge role in handling a ‘crisis‘.

While not quite a crisis for the BCCI, the IPL management team can draw a leaf from crisis management texts to avoid such onerous situations in the future. Scanning the horizon for perceived threats must also be an integral part of scenario analysis and forward planning.

Access to potable water in 2005. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Luis Figo’s futsal Premier League hits roadblocks

Luis Figo’s dream of introducing the five-a-side variant of soccer—futsal—to India may be still-born.

LuísFigo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Portuguese ex-footballer was in the country to sell his new venture Premier Futsal as its president.

The 10-day event is scheduled to begin in mid-July and will consist of eight city franchises whose squads will have 56 international players and 40 Indians.

Each side would have three international players, one international marquee soccer player and one Indian player.

Each squad would have 12 players.

The eight chosen cities are: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad and Goa.

Figo said:

“It’s a new challenge and adventure I have taken up which I hope to make as a success and that s why I said yes to this new project.

People love soccer and cricket out here. India has a huge population, a huge market and it offers a huge opportunity for doing sports events with great success. I am doing something positive for the sport and the country and my experience as a soccer player will hopefully help me in this development.

Back in Portugal I have played futsal extensively growing up which instilled quick thinking, skills and close control.”

The proposed league hit a speed-breaker when the world body FIFA wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) claiming that the Futsal Association of India is a non-affiliated group and thus the Futsal League is not sanctioned by them.

Futsal is played mainly indoors and consists of two halves of 20 minutes each.

The main differences between traditional soccer and futsal are listed below:

The Futsal Association of India (FAI) was formed in 2007.

Namdev Shirgaonkar is the former president of the organization.

They are affiliated with Association Mundial de Futsal (AMF) since 2011. They claim to be Founder Members of Confederation of Asian Futsal (CAFS).

FIFA World Cups for Futsal have been held since 1989 and the next is scheduled in Bogota, Colombia this year.

FIFA has competition from the Asociación Mundial de Fútbol de Salón (AMF) which was founded in July 1971.

Futsal tournaments as organised by AMF predate any tourneys organised by FIFA.

The promoters FAI have probably foreseen opposition from FIFA and AIFF. Talent will be scouted from all over India for the league; it’s unlikely that existing AIFF players will participate in big numbers lest they fall foul of their parent body.

We can only hope that budding footballers are not penalised for being part of this league much like players in the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) were.

If the concept takes off, expect the AIFF to consider floating a rival franchise.

Futsal , if it succeeds, could very well popularise the game further in the country making it more accessible to the masses. We could very well see Futsal leagues mushrooming nationwide and schools, colleges and universities taking part enthusiastically.

Padma Lakshmi: Boxing

“…a boxer is trained to sustain pain, to absorb it, to let it happen and let it go. And that’s a very important skill to have in life. Because you will get hit.”
—Padma Lakshmi.


Embed from Getty Images


Marlon Samuels: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Marlon Samuels faces off with Shane Warne.

What he said:

“Maybe I have a real face and he doesn’t.”

Marlon Samuels was not a gracious winner despite his match-winning knock in the World T20 final at Kolkata against England.

The volatile West Indian was quick to let loose a volley at his long-time bete-noire Shane Warne dedicating his man-of-the-match award to the Australian spin king turned commentator.

The duo have a history of clashes dating back to the second edition of the Big Bash league.

Samuels said:

“I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind. Shane Warne has been talking continuously and all I want to say is ‘this is for Shane Warne’. I answer with the bat, not the mic. I played a Test series in Australia (in January 2016) and Shane Warne has a problem with me. Don’t know why. I’ve never disrespected him. It seems that he has a lot inside him that needs to come out. I don’t appreciate the way he continues to talk about me and the things that he keeps doing.”

The facial jibe was a reference to Warne having admitted to using Botox in the past.

What he really meant:

“It’s my turn to face the mike. Warney, can you stand the music?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’d really like a bearded and moustachioed Warne, wouldn’t you?”

Shane Warne. At the WACA gound on 15/10/2006 Photo taken by me – user:Moondyne (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Sreesanth would have been a Scottish tearaway.

What he said:

“All I wanted to do was go to Scotland, study, settle there and marry a blonde.”

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth admits that he was never interested in politics when he was young.

The banned fast bowler turned politician is standing for elections to the Kerala State Assembly on a BJP ticket.

He laughs:

“When I was younger, I was not interested in politics or even knowing about the ruling party. All I wanted to do was go to Scotland, study, settle there and marry a blonde.But my life changed because I decided to stay back.”

Sreesanth’s father was a Communist leader.

On questioned if politics is merely a shortcut to return to cricket, the ex-cricketer replied:

“My decision to join politics has nothing to do with my personal life. The first time I was asked to contest (from Madhya Pradesh) was two years ago when I had just gotten married. So if I wanted a shortcut, I could have done that back then. I haven’t even spoken to Anurag Thakur yet. Even after being given a clean chit by the court, I was told very clearly that the (BCCI life) ban will remain. I am not someone who looks for favours — in fact, I was not even the most liked player by my captains.”

Power is what draws him to this game of Russian roulette.

He adds:

“Power is everything. But there was no support till I won the (match-fixing) case.If I can change somebody’s life with a bit of power and help from the government, that’s the best gift I can give someone. I am done with the game……I am putting it on hold for now.”

What he really meant:

“Life was simpler when I was younger. I had simple dreams and Hollywood tastes.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“If I were to do that now, would you term that getting away Scot-free?”

England verus West Indies: Let the fireworks flow

England take on the West Indies tonight in Kolkata in the sixth edition of the T20 World Cup.

Neither team is a stranger to the pressures of a final; both have emerged victors in the shortest format of the game.

Joe Root and Chris Gayle will be the cynosure of all eyes.

They are key players for their respective sides.

But finals have an uncanny knack of producing unlikely heroes.

The biggest stars have to perform to the greatest expectations.

Can they? Will they?

Some simply choke under the weight of expectations. Remember Ronaldo in the World Cup final in France in 1998 and his mysterious illness? It could well have been him and not Zinedine Zidane holding up the trophy. (Ronaldo did make amends in 2002. And it was Zidane who got the boot for his infamously provoked headbutt in 2006.Still not a Suarez.)

That’s not the point of this exercise.

It’s simply that cricket is a team sport and that it takes eleven players to get the side across the line.

The better side is simply the one that can keep it together more consistently and more often than other sides.

Those are the teams that make it through a tournament and emerge victorious.

Will it be Eoin Morgan’s England? Or will it be lovable Darren Sammy’s musketeers?

I really don’t know and I really don’t care.

For once, in this tournament I can be neutral and simply say, “Let the fireworks begin.”

Press reactions to Dhoni’s bantering with Samuel Ferris

The Indian media appears miffed with MS Dhoni’s antics with an Australian journalist who had the ‘insolence’ to ask him the dreaded ‘R’ question.

From the video, it’s obvious the talismanic skipper took the loss to Windies to heart and felt that joking around would take out some of the sting.

The ploy backfired and how.

Suveen Sinha for Hindustan Times wrote:

“When did retirement become about fitness, or even ability? Many cricket players left the game with a triumphant show in their last game. The most recent example is New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum. But for the most telling instance, look no further than Sunil Gavaskar.

Gavaskar’s last Test innings, in which he scored 96 in a losing cause against Pakistan on a snake pit of a pitch, was a true masterclass — a great affair with batting perfection, unlike the brief T20 flings that get talked up these days.

Till the end Gavaskar embodied unthinkable ability, temperament, concentration, technique, and understanding of the pitch, bowling, and match situation. Hell, he even mastered the one-day game at the end of his career, a format he abhorred in the beginning. Yet he kept his date with retirement.”

Vedam Jaishankar for FirstPost  responded thus:

“Dhoni mistakenly believed that journalists had to react like fans to every situation. He probably did not realise that fans are expected to be fanatical and most forgiving of the follies of their heroes. Their love and hero-worship could withstand the most horrendous of mistakes or transgressions. Unfortunately that is not how a professional journalist works. He is expected to be a lot more detached, objective and even critical where required. Now that’s the grey area ‘heroes’ don’t understand.”

Samuel Ferris, the offending reporter, was much more circumspect in his description of the incident.

He said:

“For the record, I never asked if he was going to retire, just how keen he was to play on. I’m not trying to retire one of the greats.

I even prefaced it with ‘You’ve achieved pretty much everything in cricket’ to soften the blow and try to make me not look like some blood-thirsty mosquito looking for a headline (which I most definitely was).

Then he smiles and asks if I can repeat it. Great, I mumbled. I pony up again and ask, and instead of an answer I get an invitation.

An invitation to come join him on stage. At first I politely decline, but he insists.

Who am I to turn down India’s greatest-ever captain?

I’m welcomed with a warm embrace, a sympathetic arm around my shoulder and a crisp white smile, the same smile I’ve seen on a dozen commercials featuring Dhoni on Indian television selling a vast range of products.”

We all know what happened next.

All said, the question won’t go away until Team India starts winning again or Dhoni actually quits.

Sanjay Manjrekar: Self-confidence

“…one important quality needed for true greatness is great self-confidence……………if there is a hint of self-doubt, then that will stop you from being truly great.”
— Sanjay Manjrekar.