Shtick Shmick....
Monday, 1. October 2007, 15:09:40
Those folks following the news from the sub-continent over the last couple of days would have noticed that the Indian cricket team were crowned the World Champions in the inaugural Twenty 20 Cricket World Cup.
Cue mass hysteria in the nation. Cricket is after all pretty much the only game at which we get back at the British for 300 odd years of colonial rule. Nothing like being able to stick it up to your past masters. Or something like that....
While the organisers deserve credit for a tournament nicely done, the final itself was a fitting end to the Twenty 20 circus. India vs. Pakistan is a match made in heaven for advertisers and viewers alike given the tensions that exist between the two countries. Keenly contested to the end, the final was decided in India's favor after the last Pakistani batsman decided to get a little cute. Or cheeky. Or idiotic. Depending of course which side of the border one's allegiances lay.
Back home the masses were in a state of delirium. The last time India won a World Cup (albeit in the longer form i.e. 50 overs) was back in 1983. Naturally, where once the fans would have taken to burning effigies outside player's houses every now and then (and will do so in the near future), people couldn't wait to welcome the team back to home soil.
Once back in Bombay the team were given a rousing welcome by a crowd of indeterminate number.
All's well that ends well, then......
....except not.
There was however one section of the sporting establishment that was left feeling hard done by the cricket team's success. Money was what had the proverbial manure hitting the fan.
While the victorious cricketers were being rewarded with Porsches and millions of dollars in prize money, all our national hockey players who had most recently won the Asia Cup were left to wonder what their bank balances would have looked like if hockey and not cricket were the nation's favorite sport.
Thing is, prior to cricket becoming a marketing man's dream it was hockey that held the nation in thrall. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago India were the indisputable masters of their trade winning all the silverware there was while weaving pretty patterns around dazed opponents.
They were so good that Hitler (yes, he of the first name Adolf), once stopped the Olympic final so that he could offer Dhyan Chand the post of general in the German Army.
On and on it went until the last medal. A bronze in the 1984 Olympics. They've never won a major tournament since.
The Indian cricket team lifted the cricket world cup the following year beating a highly fancied West Indies side in the final.
The country it seems had found a new and sexier mistress....
The debate has raged ever since. Are other sports in India being marginalised due to cricket's popularity. The answer is most likely to be 'yes', although as far as hockey is concerned a lot of the blame for this also has to be laid at the feet of a grossly incompetent Indian hockey federation (the current federation head used to run anti-terrorist operations and treats dissent within the organisation the same way he dealt with criminals i.e shooting them down) and constant bickering amongst players. The idea that our cricket team is more successful is bankrupt due to the fact that the last World Cup we won was in 1983 at around which time hockey's popularity too started to wane. The difference then is in the marketing.
That said, field hockey is still an enchanting game to watch. As always the India vs Pakistan matches are electric and offer the best viewing in terms of fluidity. The Argentina vs. Brazil of hockey if such a comparison could be made. In terms of playing style at least.
Getting back to the present, the hockey team feeling left out, cold and miserable (not really) decided to throw a hissy fit and go on a hunger strike till someone shelled out some cash rewards. The bank that sponsored the team duly obliged with Rs 500,000 for each player.
As for the rest of the intended audience for this protest....they would have stopped to listen, except for the fact that they were all attending the parade held for the Indian cricket team.
Cue mass hysteria in the nation. Cricket is after all pretty much the only game at which we get back at the British for 300 odd years of colonial rule. Nothing like being able to stick it up to your past masters. Or something like that....
While the organisers deserve credit for a tournament nicely done, the final itself was a fitting end to the Twenty 20 circus. India vs. Pakistan is a match made in heaven for advertisers and viewers alike given the tensions that exist between the two countries. Keenly contested to the end, the final was decided in India's favor after the last Pakistani batsman decided to get a little cute. Or cheeky. Or idiotic. Depending of course which side of the border one's allegiances lay.
Back home the masses were in a state of delirium. The last time India won a World Cup (albeit in the longer form i.e. 50 overs) was back in 1983. Naturally, where once the fans would have taken to burning effigies outside player's houses every now and then (and will do so in the near future), people couldn't wait to welcome the team back to home soil.
Once back in Bombay the team were given a rousing welcome by a crowd of indeterminate number.
All's well that ends well, then......
....except not.
There was however one section of the sporting establishment that was left feeling hard done by the cricket team's success. Money was what had the proverbial manure hitting the fan.
While the victorious cricketers were being rewarded with Porsches and millions of dollars in prize money, all our national hockey players who had most recently won the Asia Cup were left to wonder what their bank balances would have looked like if hockey and not cricket were the nation's favorite sport.
Thing is, prior to cricket becoming a marketing man's dream it was hockey that held the nation in thrall. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago India were the indisputable masters of their trade winning all the silverware there was while weaving pretty patterns around dazed opponents.
They were so good that Hitler (yes, he of the first name Adolf), once stopped the Olympic final so that he could offer Dhyan Chand the post of general in the German Army.
On and on it went until the last medal. A bronze in the 1984 Olympics. They've never won a major tournament since.
The Indian cricket team lifted the cricket world cup the following year beating a highly fancied West Indies side in the final.
The country it seems had found a new and sexier mistress....
The debate has raged ever since. Are other sports in India being marginalised due to cricket's popularity. The answer is most likely to be 'yes', although as far as hockey is concerned a lot of the blame for this also has to be laid at the feet of a grossly incompetent Indian hockey federation (the current federation head used to run anti-terrorist operations and treats dissent within the organisation the same way he dealt with criminals i.e shooting them down) and constant bickering amongst players. The idea that our cricket team is more successful is bankrupt due to the fact that the last World Cup we won was in 1983 at around which time hockey's popularity too started to wane. The difference then is in the marketing.
That said, field hockey is still an enchanting game to watch. As always the India vs Pakistan matches are electric and offer the best viewing in terms of fluidity. The Argentina vs. Brazil of hockey if such a comparison could be made. In terms of playing style at least.
Getting back to the present, the hockey team feeling left out, cold and miserable (not really) decided to throw a hissy fit and go on a hunger strike till someone shelled out some cash rewards. The bank that sponsored the team duly obliged with Rs 500,000 for each player.
As for the rest of the intended audience for this protest....they would have stopped to listen, except for the fact that they were all attending the parade held for the Indian cricket team.
Demonic laughs have followed. Unadultered glee!!!! Its fun to be happy once again!!! 
WIDGETIZE