End of the road

Close to a week after the World Cup ended in bizzare circumstances, we have seen more about the controversial departure of Zinedine Zidane from the world of football and the Italian FA scam enquiry, than the World Champions themselves. deservedly so.

As far as the final was concerned, the Year of the Dog curse stayed and the Italians hung on to win on penalties. I believe there is a lot of luck associated with penalty shoot-outs; but it works both ways; what goes around, comes around and all that shit; and the Italians for once came out as winners. Though I feared their overall team strength, it was heartening to see that the French really had the upper hand for the majority of the game - much against expectations. But strangely, in the space of a few minutes, Viera, Henry, Ribery and Zidane were all out of the game - arguably, the best players for the french. It did have an impact as a few of them would have definitely been one of the penalty takers. However, this is speculative shit.

So, as the Thierry Henry of the Arsenal colours did not make an appearance in the finals, I am closer to setting my expectations as far as he is concerned. 50% of me thinks highly of the guy, because of the style and his goal scoring exploits in Arsenal colours. The other 50% does not, because of his ego and the related reluctance to play with the rest of the team and his insistence to play his own type of game, irrespective of the situation. I attribute it to his ego, because I get the feeling that he thinks (and also wants everyone else to think) that he is an All-Time Great already (the title is usually reserved for the top mid-fielders the World has seen - i.e. Pele, Maradona and Zidane). And therefore, he has every right to play the way he wishes to. Its another thing that it works in Arsenal because the team is genuinely built around him. Thats why the truth is: much as Arsenal needs Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry needs Arsenal and Arsene Wenger.

It pissed me off to see Ribery, Malouda do all the hardwork of working across the layered Italian defence, bringing the ball closer to the box, but finding no one there. Mr. Henry was lurking somewhere much behind, waiting for the ball to come to him. What is the point of having a 4-5-1 formation, when your forward refrains from being positionally available for his mid-fielders. I felt similarly in the Champions League final: when in the second half, an impressive Ljundberg and Fabregas combined to take the ball forward through the left and break through to find no fucking Henry to put the ball in - that cost us the trophy. To me, it appears that Henry is obsessed with himself, which is a good thing for a sportsman, but not so good for the team if it does not gel with what the other 10 players are upto. A la Sunil Gavaskar.

As you can see, I am struggling to understand this fellow and more so what I think of him. My previous post shows the hope that I carry everytime that there is an important match coming up. However, after this tournament, I have finally set my expectations in place. He is a good, stylish player, but I would not expect him to inspire a team on his own to a great victory (in a final).

On the contrary, I am quite prepared to think that the world has seen one of the greatest to finish his career in Real style last Sunday. He deserves the red card all right, Mr. ZZ. However, talks of the red card in his final match, that too a WC Final, will taint his career is all balls. It is disappointing, that as a footballer, he could succumb to such provocation. Am certain that every amateur sportsman would have learnt that such drivel is part of life and that such provocation will be used to intimidate opponents. The Guardian has a hilarious piece on the mother of all insults.

But the look on his face as he brought down the Italian took me back to the ZZ interview that I had read a couple of years ago in The Observer (incidentally, one of the all-time best interviews I have ever read). As a kid, he could never complete a game because he used to be red-carded due to a short fuse and violent instincts. The look that he had on his face, is one of the most violent ones I have ever seen on a football pitch. He was smart to have used his head to bring down Materazzi rather than his hands. I think he would have broken his face & snapped his neck in that event and would have been arrested for murder. And imagine this: being led off the pitch in handcuffs. So, in retrospect, alls well that ends well.

I feel that his reaction was a tribute to his honesty and his lack of respect of how the world saw him / how he wanted to see him (critics, media, footballing legends, fans, history - it all) and I totally respect that. He returned to what he was when he started playing in the streets of Marseille. A perfect ending, in my mind.

In his most recent interview explaining his actions, the following comment stood out: "We always talk about the reaction, and inevitably it must be punished. But if there is no provocation, there is no reaction. First of all you have to say there is provocation, and the guilty one is the one who does the provoking. The response is to always punish the reaction, but if I react, something has happened." This has uncanny resemblance to what another french man had to say after the Old Trafford fracas 3 years back (a rare picture of the two gentlemen together).

On hindsight, I enjoyed the World Cup. good games, good sides And inspiring performances. an educating experience.

The Year of the Dog

Its half time, one each to France and Italy.

Earlier, I was at the neighbourhood food court for dinner. Was joined by a couple of old chinese men. Asked me what I thought about the final. France. They seemed concerned. "You put money?". Yes. Seemed distraught.

"This is the year of the Dog". And every 12 years before and after. "Only Brazil or Italy have won in the year of the Dog". Quick calculations later, and I realised that it was true. 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958 and 1934. 3 for Brazil and 2 for Italy. Given the chinese are extremely superstitious, am sure thats where every China man in this world has put their money - Italy.

Not only does the French have to beat history, the extremely efficient Italians but also about 1.5bn Chinese people praying together. That sure is a tough one to beat.

Theirry Henry and his Italian baggage

Thierry Henry has lived a couple of lives. Probably more than just a couple. As a youngster, growing up in a middle class neighbourhood of Paris, he used to be an aspiring footballer like most kids were. Before the Champions League finals, they interviewed his friends from the area. They were saying that he was never guaranteed a starting place in the more competitive games. Henry never showed any indication that he would be the player that he is today for Arsenal.

Then he rose through the junior ranks, as any junior anywhere would. Spotted by Wenger for no apparent reason, he was brought to Monaco. After a few years, Wenger moved on to pursue his personal agenda. Henry was then picked by Juventus, as he was showing promise. Besides, everyone wanted French footballers at that point - that was the beginning of the golden generation for French footballers. So he was brought into the "toughest" leagues to partner the likes of Zidane, Thuram, Del Pierro - it was the break that TH was waiting for - a big club, big team mates. However, it never was easy for TH at Turin. He was a joke apparently. The Italians still laugh at him as they would recollect the ball going through his legs often. His morale was going nowhere. His friends at home, probably were smirking as well.

Fate intervened, as Wenger took charge of Arsenal and bought him over to London as a Striker. Even as he departed Italy, there was a lot of ridicule thrown his way by the Italians. The King Size EGO that we have come to associate with Henry today, was hurt.

In the following years at Highbury, there emerged an Henry that none could recognise. His friends in the interview described it as a "miracle". Unlocked by the vision of Wenger and everything else (the AW style, his team mates, his english girl friend, the highbury pitch, fans) , TH has become truly a star footballer - and a stylish one to boot.

He had his opportunities in recent years to get back at the people who ridiculed him the most - the Italians. Played his role in the 5-1 decimation of Inter Milan in 2003 and more recently knocked Juventus out in the Champions League. And ofcourse, the hatrick against Roma in Rome in 2002. But there could never be a better opportunity than tomorrow to pay it back in full.

The Italians will start as favourites - but this man could help in completing the dream run that the French have had so far. Will that Henry from Arsenal emerge? I hope he does. I think he will.

FINALly

Who would have thought of this final at the end of the first couple of group games. Italy - boring; too defensive; will fail against a younger, attacking side; problems at home. France - way too old; no team unity; manager who has no vision; infighting; poor team morale; cant score goals; will fail against a younger, attacking side; remember 2002? etc. But thats the way the World Cup works.

Predicted this final at the time of the QF, but got the semi-final opponents of the finalists wrong. Italy-Germany game was amongst the best of the tournament. Full-on attacking game and just showed the strength of the Italians in terms of midfield & defense. Clearly, they would start the finals as the favourites. And am sure the UBS analyst must be praying that they win. On the contrary, the France-Portugal game was a compromise. Glad that none of the 6 important french players picked another yellow.

Whilst, the Italians will start as favourites, in line with my view on Day 'T-1', I am putting my money on the French, considering that they have come this distance. Do they have it in them to manage one more game of full-on intensity, is the question. Patrick Viera and Claude Makalele will need a big game to stop the marauding Italians. Zidane will lift the cup. Atleast, I hope.

Hope remains

The English got knocked out and Richard Williams of the Guardian captured it right.

".. A successful apprenticeship in the upper reaches of English football wraps such an effective comfort blanket around a young player that he is seldom exposed to the harsh realities of the outside world, and never confronts those moments in which failure really does mean disaster. When they are called to summon reserves of resilience at moments of extreme pressure, they discover those reserves either do not exist or have been depleted by the demands of domestic football..."

I do think that the English league is emerging as one of the toughest leagues in the World. But the performance of what seemed an 'Incredible 11' in this tournament, clearly indicates that its more due to the foreign coaching and the Henrys, Xabi Alonsos, Cescs, the Israeli Boy, Heinzes, Makeleles, Petr Cechs, Crespos around. Lampard, Gerrard and Beckham seemed half their usual self. While they ground to yet another win at each stage, what was apparent was there seemed very little fluidity - possibly, symptomatic of the English way of life. It can also be attributed to the long season, clueless coach etc - but those are just excuses. The English are not benefitting it from the quality league that it has. They need the outsiders to keep it going - but thats another discussion all together.

But as always, there are exceptions. None more than this man. Probably because, save for his t-shirt, there is very little English in him. His performance for England, has many people (incl me) admitting to our complete lack of understanding of what he is actually capable of. Mr. Williams has an explanation for this also.

"...Before Hargreaves was born, his parents left Britain to make a new life for their family in Canada. They succeeded, and in so doing may have laid the mental foundation for his son's career. Owen Hargreaves arrived in Munich as a 16-year-old and began a long struggle to establish himself among the superstars in the first team at Bayern, in a country where he knew no one and had to learn the language from scratch. When times were difficult, when he was dropped or suffered injuries, his parents' example of ambition and self-sufficiency can have done him no harm..."

The weekend belonged to the Marseille Dancer and this team. Who collectively squashed and killed the Opportunist fan! Ha.. what joy.

the draw is set now..

spectacular quarter-final draw. for the connossieur i.e. opportunistic football fans would term france being there an 'upset'. but isnt that the beauty of the World Cup - its the opportunist vs the connossieur

Anyway, here goes:

1. Germany vs Argentina: Evenly matched I would think. Am indifferent. Ma money on ARG
2. Italy vs Ukraine: Italy
3. England vs Portugal: Tough game - England
4. Brazil vs France: France it is

France will take out the English in the semis and Italians will surprise the Argentinians, with yet another scratchy last-minute goal. Further bad news from Italy will then be the excuse for the azzuris to lose the finals to the suprise winners of FIFA World Cup 2006 - Les Bleus.

Another update

The second round has begun. Not major upsets yet but some exciting matchups ahead. In the first round, my score reads 26 out of a possible 32. Which clearly means the odds were a bit too much. However there are some exciting games ahead - ghana v brasil, france v spain and the quarters game between germany and argentina. I am glad that the french got through and I am still willing to still plug for them to be the eventual winners. England looks too disorganised.

Quote of the day & Update

From the Guardian ya: "It depends on who the woman is. A little bit is OK" - Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez adopts a quality not quantity attitude to pre-match slap'n'tickle.

Ok a quick update, from my second round of punts: lets see, with 6 groups completing their first round, out of a possible 24 bets, I got 20 right. The surprise one being Australia getting past Croatia.

Ok more laters.

.. bets looking extremely dodgy

10 days into the World Cup, and there haven't been too many unprecedented results so far. With the last league match left for each group, there could be a surprise or two awaiting us. My picks have performed quite dodgily - actually turning out to be the likely upsets of the first round!! But as any punter would tell you, one has to review views based on market reality and get on with it.

(Like to clarify that my bets are based on the risk-reward metric; before anyone questions my intelligence)

First, a look at my picks at the beginning of the tournament:

1) Group G

France: poor team morale, age, internal strife & poor choice of 1st team is holding back this team. And after a couple of draws, they could well be packed up yet again in the first round. I suppose I took a Nick Leeson type punt on the team, hoping that things could not possibly get worse. As Mr. Leeson learnt, apparently it can.

View: France (No. 2) would squeeze through with a win against Togo. The Swiss would bow out despite a win against the Togans, as they would lose/held to a draw against the Koreans (No. 1). As you can see, I am not cutting losses on this one yet.

2) Group E

Czechs: Got blasted by an extremely impressive Ghana side. Very likely to exit in the 1st round stage, as they would be unable to beat the Italians because of the numerous injured forwards and ageing mid-field.

View: Ghana (No. 1) will take care of the Americans and finish first against all odds. They would join the Italians (No. 2) . A definite upset. Am cutting loss in this case, in the wake of the impressive African performance.


Now, lets go through the other countries in alphabetical order.

3) Group A

Ecuador and Germany already through to the 2nd round. Who will top the group? Think it would be a draw between Ecuador (No. 1) & Germany (No. 2) and Ecuador topping the group on better goal difference. Another upset of sorts.

4) Group B

On current form, would go with a draw between England (No. 1) and Sweden (No. 2). If one of them had to win, I would think it will be England. If Sweden loses and T&T win agst the Paraguans, Sweden will go through on a better goal record.

5) Group C

The Group of Death has turned out to be straight forward, at least when one looks at the results. Think the Argentenians (No. 1) should finish the league stage comfortably as 1, followed by the Dutch (No. 2) i.e. ARG will beat the Dutch in their final game. ARG: a good bet for a title win - cohesive, young and attacking with defense looking tight, so far atleast.

6) Group D

No matter what transpires between Angolans and the Iranians, Portugal (No. 1) & Mexico (No. 2) should go through. One of the more boring groups in the league phase.

7) Group F

I see the Croats (No. 2) pulling off this one against the Aussies, in a last gasp qualification. And ofcourse the Brazilians (No. 1).

8) Group H

Spain (No. 1), another fav based upon performance in their first match - should top this Group with 3 wins. Another, brilliant recovery will see the Ukranians (No. 2) scrambling through to the next round.


Winner of World Cup: Going through quickly with the rest of my World Cup calculator, it emerges that England will be the next World Cup winner.


Ahem! Looks like this too will be revised at the next review, which will be held prior to the beginning of Round 2 i.e. 23Jun06.

In this round, I have made 32 predictions (choice of teams & positions), lets see how many will be spot on. Please let me know if anyone is prepared to give me 10-1 odds that atleast 50% of the predictions would be 'right'.

where am I putting my money?

Its Day T-1 before the BIG cup begins, and I have been wondering, as most people, who is going to lift the cup.

My money on Day T-1 is on France. The choice is not driven by emotion but more so by by the high odds, resulting from the internal strife that the team is suffering from at the moment, injuries, ridiculous omissions, poor form in the pre-qualifiers etc. Pretty much the situation Brazil were in 2002.

The press seem to go on about how the key players are jaded - which is true for most other big teams, but conveniently forgotten. I look at the team and think it is as good as any other around. Admit that they can't be considered as favourites - but thats why I think they will win the tournament.

And there are the Czechs - watch out for these aging boys as well.

Within Day T+7, I shall put out a note on the likely future for each of the big teams in the tournament.

PS: Like my Boss told me, "And, please not Brazil".

Kannagi is back.. and the Jap connection

Our Dravidian hero, Karunanidhi is back in power and trying to fuck Amma, or atleast her ideological policies. in other words, the Statue of Kannagi is in the process of being reinstated on Marina. It was removed as Amma's vasthu consultant advised her that it was that evil statue that was consistently preventing her to get away with corruption, like the way her Dravidian brother used to. Neednt say what MuKa's consultant told him.

Empirical evidence also suggests that there will be less rain going forward. That, we can wait and see.

While searching for a picture of the Statue of Kannagi, came across yet another Tamil-Jap connection. Kannagi used to be the name of those maiden servants of Gods & Goddess in Japan in ancient periods. These days 'Kannagi' is amply used in modern day Jap pulp fiction, comics etc. Like the following for instance. Now, it seems to make sense why Amma feels threatened oredi.

The Dutch Master

It was just a matter of time before this mans name appeared out here - Dennis Bergkamp.

My first sighting of the Dutch Master was in a game for Holland, around 1990 - dont recollect against whom the game was being played. In the penalty box, a young Bergkamp traps the ball that comes sailing in, turns around and slams the ball in. He runs back celebrating with a clenched fist - with a look of quiet confidence which I didnt quite understand at that point.

Was familiar with the name however, as 'Sportstar' did mention his name as one of the men to watch in the 1990 world cup. There were reports that he would succeed the great Dutchh trio from AC Milan eventually - Guillt, Van Basten and Rijkaard.

At that time, my football viewing was restricted only to the World Cups, given the limited coverage on TV of the various international leagues. Further, I was not fortunate to come across anyone who could explain the beautiful game that football was. I was a sucker for cricket (like most of us were) and was quite happy with that. Also explains why I dint have a clear favourite team - in terms of a club or a country at that time.

Brazil seemed to be the outright favourite for most people I knew - because of their incredible style and their success in World Cups. For me however, I continued to watch World / Euro Cup without the passion of a football fan i.e. not dreaming or spending sleepless nights worrying bout a team's performance the next day.

Then came the World Cup in France*. 1998. Was a quarter-final game between Holland and Argentina. Was surrounded in the TV room of a hostel in Lucknow, by hordes of opportunistic Argentinean, Brazilian and French fans. In the humid environs of the room, my eye caught its first "moment" of the beautiful game.

It was a humid day in Marseilles, France as well. The match was tied and in the 89th minute a long ball was sent sailing by De Boer to the other end of the pitch. There was Bergkamp waiting on the right hand corner of the pitch. With couple of Argentinean defenders rushing in on him, there was little time to do anything much - for most footballers, that is. In what seemed too casual for an international game - let alone a World Cup QF match - Bergkamp traps the ball with his right leg stretched out with ease, side steps the Argentinean hulk, and slams the ball at an acute angle. Over the Goal Keeper and into the goal. Minimal fuss and maximum skill.

Holland wins.

That moment, I realise, was very critical for the future of football - for me. It was my moment of falling in love with the beautiful game. It was a personal moment as well - because in that room of some 100 people, not one really caught on to that moment of sheer class and elegance. People, opportunistic that they are, were talking of only Baggio, Beckham, Ronaldo and more recently, Zinedine Zidane.

Though I wasnt convinced of Holland as a team, was disappointed when they went out to the Brazilians in a penalty shoot out in the semis. Disappointed that I couldnt see any more of Dennis Bergkamp.

Circa 2000. With the TV coverage of the EPL being splendid, sat down to watch a few games on a drug-induced, lazy Sunday. The match was in Highbury, London and the team that was playing was Arsenal. And from my understanding until that point, the Gunners were considered a boring team. The famous back 4 etc. But the team I was watching bore no resemblance to that primitive understanding of mine. Here was a team, packed with genuine athletes with the sole intent of scoring goals - and beautiful ones at that.

Spearheading the attack, was none other than the Dutch Master, Bergkamp himself. Of course there were other exceptional players out there - Henry, Viera, Wiltord, Pires, Lungnberg, Tony Adams, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour, Martin Keown amongst others. And managed by a tall, thin Frenchman, Arsene Wenger. Here was a finally a team, that I wanted to belong to.

At that point, I felt miserable not catching the run of this team beginning with when Wenger took over the reins of the club in 1996. In other words, missing out on this beautiful vein of football that Arsenal played. In the most unlikely of events, Wenger was picked from the remote leagues of Japan to become the first foreign coach of an English premiership team. Bergkamp was his first signing, amongst a lot others that were to follow, that would revolutionise the way football was played - in England at least. And finally in 2006, in Europe as well. Anyways, this note is about Bergkamp, and not about the vision of Arsene Wenger.

In the past 6 years, that I have been an Arsenal fan, nothing excites me more than watching the Dutch Master - evolving from an outright striker to a master play maker. Over a period of time, Bergkamp left the bulk of the goal scoring to some of his younger and accomplished colleagues. While he focussed on threading passes and using his enhanced vision & intelligence to set up some of the greatest goals one has ever seen. On hindsight, Bergkamp was clearly the pioneer of "beautiful football" that one has begun to associate with Arsenal over the last 10 years.

The current season for the Gunners has been one of many disappointments and recently of sheer exuberance. With fair share of controversies thrown in - Patrick Viera being sold, Ashley Cole sulking after the brief Chelsea love affair which went horribly wrong and Thiery Henry contemplating his future with this under-20 side.

It also happens to be Bergkamps last season before he excuses himself from the football pitch. Also happens to be the last year of football being played on the great Highbury pitch.

Which brings me to the weekend’s match at Highbury. As has been the practice this entire season, the day was dedicated to an Arsenal stalwart by the fans. It happened to be the 'Dennis Bergkamp' day. It was pleasing to see scores of Arsenal fans dressed in the Dutch Orange (complete with hair dos etc) to support the master - a sight that one seldom sees in a club match. And am sure each one of them were hoping (just as I was) he would get a few minutes.

The game appeared sealed with Helbs inspirational goal before the interval and forced Wenger to pull out Henry with about 30 minutes to go. After another 10 minutes, Wenger brought in Pires and Bergkamp in a double substitution. The entire Highbury stadium rendered an applause, that I have not seen too often in any sport. It just seemed for that minute, all the Gunners - on the field and off it - had taken time off to bask in that environment. And it just took that minute, for West Brom to equalise.

There was confusion quite obviously. It was not the way it was meant to be. Honestly, I wanted to put all my money on Arsenal winning at that point. But I dint expect the way it happened.

Bergkamp and Pires combining, again in a moment of sheer class, to take the lead. What appeared to be yet another complex maneuver, was suddenly made to look less complex and easy.

And then the moment that I have waited all this season: a forceful run by Pires (?) down the right, to pass the ball to the Dutch Master. Only for Bergkamp to slot it past the goal keeper for Arsenals 3rd goal for the evening. Everyone at the stadium and watching the game, took yet another minute to celebrate the genius of the Dutch Master.

Theres another one in the backyard

I saw a family thats moved into the 1st-2nd floor landing.

Fucking shit! Just one more floor to go (4th-5th floor).

Its going to be our door next.

Summers here and heat burns all over.

From the train travel is it?

Where else man?

Democracy, man, Demo crazy. Fuckin shit.

Apparently, the Tree Index has taken a further 10% hit in the last week. The last 10 sqkm tree patch at Borivili is under threat.

Whats that noise?

Holy shi...

Champagne for my real friends, and real pain for my sham friends

Edward Norton as Monty in '25th hour', a Spike Lee joint.

Australia retain The Ashes!

A week from now this might be the only post with this headline. But I see the Australians winning the last test, thanks to a dogged Aussie performance and some classic English faltering.

This is however subject to a few things. For instance, the Aussies going only with 4 bowlers (not 5 as some seem to suggest) : McGrath, Lee, Warne and Macgill. And retaining the same set of batsmen.

Ponting wins the toss and decides to bat on the first inning wicket. At least that way, it will be way too early for the English bowlers to feign injury for his comfort.

Nice bright sunny day and the Aussie openers put on a good start of 60 odd runs before Langer leaves. Hayden stays on rather stubbornly and carries on till the end of the day, taking his side to 290 odd. And for the loss of 4 wickets.

Hayden goes for 155 in the first half of Day 2 and then Katich and Gilchrist begins the renowned Aussie assault. Gilchrist fires a 60-ball 94 and Katich stays on till the final wicket. Finishes not out on 125, taking Australia to a mamoth 552 in the first innings. Overworked Flintoff and Giles finish with 3 rather costly wickets apiece and a semi-fit Simon Jones unable to find his reverse swing.

The Aussies are clearly in front, an hour from the close of Day 2. In an attempt to reinstate its authority over the series, England races rather quickly to 340. All out but. Bowling highlights : McGrath's return to his measely best and 'wickets-at-regular-interval' performance from the two stawlarts of the series, Warne and Lee. With 15 overs to bowl on Day 3 and an opportunity to enforce the follow on, Ponting decides to bat, in what turns out to be a daring move.

Bob Willis and Ian Botham moan the lack of the usual Aussie killer instinct.

In the second innings, Justin Langer's first hundred of the series takes Australia to a 439 run lead. Pointing declares just after lunch on Day 4, leaving the English fans a little confused on the likely outcome of the series.

With the loud chattering of the Aussie 11 ringing in their ears, the English openers fail comprehensively for the first time. Before Warne begins his first over, the pommies are reduced to 49 - 4. Courtesy McGrath. Flintoff and Pietersen try their best, before a 5-wicket 10-over spell of Macgill demolishes the English. 270 run win and The Ashes travels all the way back to Down Under.

This definitely will not be the resurgence of the ageing Aussie side. But quite clearly, the beginning of the end for this Aussie side in current shape and form.

But, alls well that ends well. Messrs. Sv G E and Beckham can breathe easy. McGrath can retire peacefully. Ponting keeps his job. Hayden, Gilchrist and Gillespie can calmly ponder over their respective future. Nasser Hussain can still strut around proudly. The frown will remain on Stevie Waugh's face. Decision on the 'Best English Allrounder' and 'Best English Cricket Team' can be taken at a more appropriate time. And Captain Marvel, Michael Vaughan can lick his wounds in anticipation of greater things that lie ahead for his side.

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Its always difficult to stick ones neck out. But its made easier, when one is most comfortable with the outcome being completely the opposite!

Interview with Anand Vasu

The following link takes you to a fairly long interview with Anand Vasu, Assistant Editor with Wisden (www.cricinfo.com)

http://noise.rickeyre.com/2005/08/ [download netsessions2_hi.mp3]

The interviewer is one Rick Eyre (Aussie cricket journalist) and covers topics starting with the Ashes, the difficulties of being a ball-by-ball commentator, the fiasco at Sri Lanka, Dravid vs Ganguly as the captain and the upcoming Indian tour of Zimbabwe.

Nothing really controversial, however champions the cause for a new Indian captain in the form of Rahul Dravid - which I completely agree with.

Do note that the interview only starts well into the netsessions program - after about 6 minutes.

Rick Eyre also hosts an interesting cricket website - http://cricket.rickeyre.com

The Second Coming

On his return to International football

"I would not want people to talk too much about it in case what I have to unveil gets badly interpreted, but what is happening to me is quite mystical and gets out of my control,'' Zidane said.

"This is even irrational and that's why I am the only person to be able to truly feel it.

"One night, at 3am, I suddenly woke up and I then spoke with someone. But no-one knows it. Neither my wife nor anyone else.

"Until I die I will never tell (who that person was), this is just too crazy. This is someone that you will probably never meet.

"During the hours that followed I was on my own with that person, at home, and I took the decision to come back.

"I had never experienced that before, I felt pushed by this force which dictated my behaviour. It was a revelation for me, I had to obey that voice that was advising me.''

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Nuts? Whatever, good to see the champion back.

Spare a thought

As of today, these guys dont know if they will return alive! Will they meet the fate of their predecessors - who crashed after sending smiling photos from space?

Worse - NASA suspended all shuttle flights after Discovery's yet another disastrous take-off; pretty much telling the crew, "In God we place our trust".

Despite a successful repair job yesterday, imagine what must be going through their heads - right now.

Meeting Shantaram

Gregory David Roberts - The Man who has seen too much

March 24, 2005

We stepped into Leopolds after much deliberation as to where to have dinner. As always, it was quite crowded and took a while to get a table. While we were settling down, I glanced at the next table. Tourists - amongst the giggling American variety, there was a face I seemed to recognise. It was of the person whose extraordinary life account I had just finished reading. Gregory David Roberts, aka "Shantaram". Wasnt enitrely convinced until I saw a couple of autographed "Shantaram"s on the cashier's counter.

After much urging from across the table, I got up to wish the man as he walked up to the cashier.

"Yes I am", he replied on my query whether he was indeed Gregory David Robert. Not knowing what to say next, I quickly then said that it was quite an enjoyable book. "Thank you man" he said in a rather pleasant tone.

"Did the story and all the incidents happen for real?" I queried.

"Its a novel", he politely answered. "Well, did I go to Arthur Road Prison weighing 90 kilos, only to return reduced to 45 Kilos? Yes, I did. Did I go up to the apartment of the three Nigerians to threaten them and leave them on a plane out of the country? Yes I did, but the context from that presented in the book is quite different. I have taken situations that I have been in and weaved a story around it. I have also messed around with the chronology of events." I suppose the description "based on a true story" on the rear cover, arguably, holds true.

He seemed to fit the image that I had had in my mind as to what Shantram would be like. Will be quite interesting to see Johnny Depp play the leading role in the forthcoming movie about an escaped Australian convict - who moves to a slum in Bombay in the early 80s and within a matter of months finds himself well entrenched within the underworld, forging passports and eventually fighting with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan.

"What made you title the book, 'Shantaram', considering that everyone in the book refers to you as Linbaba?" I asked.

"The name 'Shantaram', which was given to me when I was at the village, is important to me. It is something that I try and live upto. There was a turning point in my life 15 years ago, after which I decided that every day I shall try and achieve something positive. And I hope that one day I will truly possess the name 'Shantaram'."

"I thought you were kind of forced to by the publishers, as it sounded more cool than Linbaba."

"No way, I would never let anyone touch a comma of my writing. My writing is very important to me and every word in that book is mine", and he made a gesture of running a knife across his arms. What he had just said, and the manner in which it was said, appeared to be a dialogue straight out from the book.

I then posed another important question that continued to plague my mind: "Did they really serve alcohol (as in, spirits) on the ground floor at Leopolds in the 80's?"

He smiled and said, "Not really. Thats something only a Mumbaikar would know. Like Sea Rock being in Juhu. People who know Bombay have asked me how the fuck did that come in! I have slipped in a few things like that".

"None of the characters are true either. There was no Didier or Abdullah, though they are loosely based on characters I have met."

"I quite liked the character of Vikram Patel actually", I mumbled.

"Thats nice. What did you like about the book?"

"Well, I related to the book, as it covers aspects of the city of Bombay that caught my fancy when I moved here 6 years back. I go to this dargah on Marine Lines, and I have met a number of guys there, that seem to fit the description of the people you have written about. It seemed to bring to life things that I've always wanted to know about."

I however did not say that the book did sound a bit school boyish at times. And that certain portions sounded quite cliched, with good amount of moral sermonising judiciously thrown in. But thats the thing about the book - it is written straight from the heart and from real experiences. Or at least, I would like to believe so. Not technically brilliant as a professional author would write. Infact, the book won the Literary Review Bad Sex award in 2003! I however thorougly enjoyed the accounts of how the underworld operated and the mentality of a fighter pitched in a street battle.

"Its been nice meeting you and if I see you around here again, I can autograph your copy."

"So, you are around for a while?"

"Yes, I am writing the sequel to the novel. Am also writing the script for the movie. You know that its being made into a movie right? Ya, so I've been looking for a place in Colaba for the last couple of weeks and havent figured out anything so far. I'm gonna be around for a while".

We exchanged goodbyes, he left holding his right hand over his heart and wished us both "Good luck". A bit dramatic I thought, but thats Shantaram.