What is it about Sport?
For me it's cricket, for others football, rugby or tennis. I have blogged about India playing England in the forthcoming cricket series and the most recent news is that my absolute favourite Indian cricketer and former captain, Saurav Ganguly has been dropped from the team. Stupid I know, but when I heard the news, it was a bit like a gut check. Saurav has been one of the most inspirational captains India has had and, to me, represented the best of the entrepeneurial, cocky and smart new India that has emerged over the past few years. This is an excellent article which hits the spot about why he is such a compelling man.
But then I got to thinking, why should it matter to me so much whether India wins or loses, or whether Saurav is in the team or not? It can't be explained, I think, although it is such a common feeling and that mostly with men. Why does it bother me but my wife couldn't care less? In fact, I sometimes ban Shadi from being in the same room when there is a match on, because in that Indian superstitious way, there always seems to be a wicket or two when Shadi says "oh, they're just going to lose again".
But then I got to thinking, why should it matter to me so much whether India wins or loses, or whether Saurav is in the team or not? It can't be explained, I think, although it is such a common feeling and that mostly with men. Why does it bother me but my wife couldn't care less? In fact, I sometimes ban Shadi from being in the same room when there is a match on, because in that Indian superstitious way, there always seems to be a wicket or two when Shadi says "oh, they're just going to lose again".
posted by Akash at 4:44 PM
6 Comments:
Yes, someting i have pondered on. why do i find sport and watching sport so fascintaing, and most other televison coma inducing ??
Simply put i think women are intrinsically more interested in other people. Women gossip, semmingly endlessly to me, and sponsor most soap operas and reality television. Why ? becasue they are just interested i other people, regardless of what they are doing, or how 'real' it is.
Me, i find that a staggering waste of time.
Sport at it's highest level offers so much, admiaration of talent, skill, character etc. The one thing that some miss the most is that at the heart of many decent contest there is genuine human drama, and you can observe alot about 'people' in these moments.
I guess it all goes back to school playground days.
Anyway, off to the driving range now.
My head is turned in your direction Bobby. I shall be most interested to read your retort :)) Such debate is most enthralling to me. Long may it continue.
I've thought a lot about this too. I think sports lets people feel as part of something larger that their own lives. It gives them pride although rationally, why should it? I used to be a huge football fan (American), but this was as a teenager, during the time when my hometown team was doing very well. I still remember how dejected I was when the Washington Redskins lost to the Raiders in the superbowl.
I've long since grown out of it, and it puzzles me to see how grown people spend so much emotional energy on something so removed from their own control. I also think that way too much money is lavished on athletes. Do they really deserve it? Whatever the market will bear, I guess.
Sandeep, I agree, women gossip and take pride in it - in fact there is a woman I know who is the worst gossip around, always poking her nose in everyone else's life and making judgements on people which is a bit steep considering she has three children from different men, chain smokes and know nothing about colour coordination - some people, honestly!!
anyway, i wondered how long it was going to be before Bobby delivered his prayer upon the Ganguly altar -i mean , come on , he is so immature, can't play a hook shot, pretty bad at front foot shots and Rick is right, creates a poisonous atmosphere in the Indian dressing room. Yes, i agree that at some period India needed to have a character like Ganguly, cocky and arrogant , that gave two fingers to the rest of the smug cricket world ( i must admit I am quite attracted to this) but he took it too far and did not abide by the rules that all others did - he played his superior upbringing and opporunities too much and was rightly chastised for it.
in any event, am looking forward to a great series - i can see the Brits already making there excuses - no Vaughn, Trescothik blah blah blah -
good to see Anju weighing in on this - how are you ?
"there", should read "their" - of course
Now no Simon Jones. England will toil.
Ganguly ? Whatever....
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