Beer, Chips and Cricket

This is a site about drinking beer, eating chips and thinking cricket. I am not a former player, a television commentaror or a journalist; my qualification to being worthy of hearing is that I drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of chips and think a lot about cricket. The thoughts need not be politically correct and often include colourful language but there will be no deliberate bias towards any player, community or state. I don't care about popular opinion or perceptions and I speak it as I see it.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Article up on Rediff - A title makes a lot of difference

So rediff put up my article here

I had given the article a title of "Cricket Hero Worship - Take a Chill Pill". Basically the idea of the article, even though it takes SRT as an example, was about hero worship. With the title given by Rediff "Love Tendulkar for what he was", it basically sounds like a SRT-bashing article ... :-) ... once u read the title and form an opinion, it is really hard to change it while reading.

I am gonna get flak .... but I said it as I thought! That is the best I can do!

Cheers

The Chuckster

posted by The Chuckster @ 4:50 AM  

26 Comments:

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 5:21:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The article was valid - If only you had taken more care about not pricking his fans so directly,they might have actually thought about the facts instead of flaming you.

    You certainly didn't have to bring 'patriotism' in it - that must have enraged many - as I can make out from the comments there.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 5:27:00 AM, Blogger Satya said…

    Hey Sriram,

    Just read the article in rediff and have also gone through the messageboard. Was chuckling seeing the comments on there!

    Anyway, I thought it was a brilliant article with a lot of commonsense and perspective! Both are things we lose when we are subjected to extreme emotions! So its nice to hear someone talk with both the above qualities once in a while!

    As you said, you just took the example of Sachin! Replace sachin with any other name and it would still be valid!

    Have just 'discovered' your blog! Am sure you have other interesting stuff on here! I will keep coming back!

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 5:34:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey Sriram

    Though i'm a lifelong Tendulkar fan (Not just for his cricketing skills, but for the way he handles himself on and off the field), i have no objections to the spirit of your article on rediff - You're right, no one deserves to be idolised this way. While i understand that you intended the article to be a general one, the tone and words indicate that you have something against Sachin - Is this true ?

    Reading through about 10-12 of your articles, this view is further strengthened..especially considering you wax lyrical about Sourav several times. So is this a case of trying to diminish Sachin to show Saurav in better light - Correct me if i'm making wrong presumptions here - I've nothing personal here !

    Also, you mention that Sourav is the best ODI opener India has ever produced.. Surely you can't believe that, given that he doesn't have s single knock of note against the pre-eminent ODI side of the last 10 years, Australia ? Your comments on this particular point would be of interest to me !

    Coming back to idolising, while i know it is foolish, let's be practical - We're a country of 1 Billion, where the vast majority do not find anything to cheer about in their daily lives - They're probably stuck in dead-end jobs with no future.. their personal lives no great shakes etc... how else can they bring joy other than to cheer, dream about and idolise individuals like Shah Rukh, Amitabh, Sachin, Gangs, Bips etc... ? It is not logical to do so, but it is not practical to expect this not to happen in our country !

    I have another small disagreement with you.. Any sportsman who plays for India (Frankly, though ours is a BCCI team, i can wager everything i own that the cricketers do not play for BCCI - If you know what i mean). Any sportsman has this "josh" while playing for his country. DId you ever watch any of these World XI vc Aus XI matches.. they're so insipid.. Australia is trying its best to win.. for Australia.. nobody in the World XI is trying too hard..no wonder the results turned out the way they did ! This is to me, is ample proof, that you always give extra when playing for your country.

    Even Leander Paes, who wears his heart on his sleeve when he plays the Davis Cup, is not paid for by the government, doesn't mean that he's not playing for the country. Of course, he's doing a job too, but there is a little bit more than that.

    Hope you take my comments in the right spirit mate !

    Regards
    Praveen
    pravnash@gmail.com

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 6:07:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hmm...

    I totally agree with Praveen's reply..

    And, Praveen u tried to be very very decent in asking him the clarifications about the blogger diminishing the Master Blaster..... U cud've actually whipped him.. thats really fitting and deserving for the blogger.......

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 6:27:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Praveen:

    Actually 'Idolising' is another area that the author unnecessarily brought up in that article that shifts focus - who cares if someone idiolises SRT for the next 100 years or even after that - thats their personal wish. That idolising can be done even after he is out of the team- no problem.

    Point is, Why does he still have to be in the team?Based on the past track record - which includes non- performance over recent years??

    I think thats the question the author intended to convey but deviated to other things.

    Anon1

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 7:21:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Well said Praveen!

    The people who hint that Sachin should step down has the responsibility of showing one single player who has consistently scored in atleast 3 or 4 seasons and haven't got his chance in the national team. Sachin is not yet a burden and contributes excellently even in times when he fails with the bat.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 7:38:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Brilliant article Sriram. Loved reading it, especially the part about patriotism and how disconnected it is to cricket. Superb. Will follow your blog regularly from now on.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 7:42:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Very incisive!

    Finally someone hit a nail on the head!

    But I fucking hate you for killing the joy of Sachin's century so soon!

    Having said that, I agree Indians overdo everything. One only has to compare Sachin to Ponting and see how much we are obsessed with him compared to Ponting's adulation in his own country and then look at their performances.

    Though I think Sachin is a nicer man intrinsically than Ponting.

    Overall, I doubt anyone could have put it in words better than you.

    Well said, even though the fan in me is eager to make you bend and get medieval, I understand your reasons and agree to it on a rational plane.

    Keep writing!

    Regards
    Mukul

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 7:46:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey sriram,
    excellent article...the comments to ur post were funny and revealing...the objectivity culture will take a while catching up with us indians, it seems...till then we will continue to wallow in mediocrity, patronizing our under-achievers....

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 8:48:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Sriram,

    Read your article, I understand your point. But the fact of matter is Cricket in India today is part of Entertainment Industry. If Doni and other young guns are Crowd puller, Tendulkar still has a good audience and pulls BIG money for BCCI.

    SRT still have few years worth of value left in him and everyone including spectators and going to squeeze him till last drop. SRT still has enough endurance to run the last lap for us.

    So instead of getting overtly emotional of cricket, just chill with that bottle of Beer and munch some chips.

    Leave all the analysis and critic talking for commentrators to rattle, thats what they paid for.

    While us mortals can enjoy the sport, take kids to park and show how titans fight it out.

    Peace

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 9:02:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Loved your article on rediff.... It was written beautifully.

    Appreciated it very much.

    -Anish

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 9:07:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi,

    Truly speaking, haven't come across anyone so daringly point out the iconic images of Indian history, be it SRT, Amitabh etc.

    It surely required guts to put it in black and white.

    You are right for most part of the article and it has made us think on a different perspective also......

    True, SRT has performed over the years, made us happy, got paid and over paid for his deed. Very Good.

    But now if he has lost his touch and not able to live it upto high standards that he himself has set for him, it is fine, why not call it a day when you are atleast liked by people. Don't get into a situation like say Ravi Shastri who was kept on and on and on....and when it was a limit, he was shown the door. Why not say good bye graciously like Gavaskar.

    We too do good / very good things in our jobs. Get paid and appreciated for what we did, but if things don't go well for us, we are NOT told, ok boss, as you did very well 5 years back, so no worries now and we will continue with sitting on past laurels!!!! no way....

    The most important thing in consideration is NOW, TODAY. Forget the past which we will not be able to change and don't keep on waiting for good day to come. Perform TODAY, Perform NOW, that should be the only mantra.

    Will keep coming back for more interesting and thought provoking articles.

    Keep it up buddy!

    Prince

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 9:18:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Dear Sriram,

    I am sorry this mail of mine doesn't bring any euphony to your ears.

    Your are an ignorant who talks what he sees. You actually don't do your home work properly before writing an article. For me this as equivalent to a crime because you are using the power of media to a bad effect. You seriously do not know anything about cricket. You just waste your as well as others time. Please do some home work before writing an article for some prestigious site. Generally I do not react to your vauge article but now your articles are giving me headaches. You are simply writing not because you believe in that but because you get some appreciation if you criticize Sachin Tendulkar. But you are not alone in this race. Many stupid and ignorant people are doing the same thing. Come on write some sense if you want to make big.

    By the way I did not read your article beyond first paragraph. That was good enough to make out about your knowledge for cricket. You said that Sachin has been hit four times on his head. Thats perfectly right. Your facts are right. But by any chance did you happen to see those four deliveries? I tell you. No you did not see that. All those four deliveries did not rise as they dhould have expected to. But you are not intelligent enough to make this thing out. And you spreading your ignorance to other people. Please start writing some sense. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are the two top most batsman in the world for short pitch balls.

    Just for your knowledge, I dont remember the name of the ground but it was the last test match of india's tour to austrailia. In that test match Rahul Dravid gots hit on the head. And that was so bad that his ear starts get bleeding and Ganguly immediately declares after that. Dravid also gets hit on his helmet on the last tour of India to pakistan. But I am sorry my friend you doesnt seem to know these facts.

    Kindly expand your cricketing knowledge before writing crapy articles. Your articles are not worthy enough beyond two lines. Also you should be using strong words like PATRIOT. So far what you have done for your country?

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 9:36:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    very nice piece.
    Sachin said "I always bat as I feel is the correct way to bat. I have played long enough to know what is good for me. I do not want to know what others are thinking,"
    Arrogance. But guys half has good have been more arrogant.
    I don't know how he can justify his batting against Harris in the third test. Threw away a chance to win a test series away. A century under very little pressure can cover up but will never alter the fact that he threw away the chance to win. Dinesh Karthik, a man of much less talent, showed the way it needed to be done. Even seeing that, I cant belive Sachin thinks the way he bats is always the right way.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 9:40:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey with words like that, do you eat them for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

    I know Google gave this piece of electronic real estate free to you, but hey at use some real estate up in your head to good use.

    Read more, understand more keep your mouth shut, drink less beer and Eat a Humble Pie instead of those chips.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 9:48:00 AM, Blogger Arunkumar said…

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:23:00 AM, Blogger Mungeri Lal said…

    Good article, buddy, I also blog (with a readership of one!), and I wrote down my own sentiments about SRT this morning. If anyone cares to read...http://shubhojyoti.blogspot.com/2007/02/tragedy-of-srt-i-will-always-hang-on-tv.html

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:40:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey.. read your article. It's very well written. But don't try to justify anybody's patriotism in anyway, including yours. That is something that can never be quantified.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:46:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    U son of a bitch rotten bastard

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:48:00 AM, Blogger RamaDrama said…

    That was one frigging awesome piece,Sriram! I can see the diappointment of childhood heroes as we grow up to find their skills executed in better fashion by others in their category and wish our "aging heroes" can once again live upto our "adulation times" except our reason denies that pleasure as we know they are not performing as well as they did in their peak. Be it Rajnikanth, Shahrukh, Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Manirathman or Rahman(Yup..we Indians are obsessed with Cinema and Cricket), your article will fit right in.

    It is strange coincidence. I was writing a blog about GURU to be posted and was saying the same thing about Mani.Good one buddy!

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 10:52:00 AM, Blogger MG said…

    Sriram,

    I appreciate the way you have written the article. Just plain facts and extremely well managed. I have my reservations about some points (after all I am also a Sachin fan :), but its a job well thought and done.

    Now, I have become a fan of yours and would not like to miss on any blog posts from you, so what do I do? I subscribe to your blog.

    Congratulations for writing a blog which opens up the eye.

    Mayank

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 4:42:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The rediff articles meadered and I lost patience before it came to any conclusion. Again a case of too wordy spoiing the broth.

    As regards Sachin, he has no shame if he is even half a patriot as claimed. What happened in South Africa can never erase my memroy of his ineptitude. When he got out in the second test for a blob, I thought he should have been garlanded and a band following him as he walked out. Such was my indignation. Cricket is game of character and Indians sadly have reduced it to numbers and advt. contracts. I guess cricket is better off without Indians.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 6:22:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi..You have a point with regards to his recent performances in test cricket. But as far as ODIs are concerned his performance has not been that bad. He has not lived up to his own standards.But his performance still warrants a place in the side, especially with his bowling.As far as sachin is concerned,a lot of people including me will see him through sepia-tinted glasses as the man who gave hope to an entire nation when he was batting.He'll remain that forever.
    But i understand the gist of ur article,nobody is above criticism,which is right.

     

  • At Thursday, February 01, 2007 8:21:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Well Done Ranga. Not for critcising Sachin but to engage so many people on a forum. But my personal advice is be careful as well. You have put up your pic as well on your website. Fans are crazy so just be careful.
    Agree with Satya's point that you shouldn't have brought in patriotism here. Speaking about the game would have been fine but you put feet on the tiger's tail as we say, Criticizing Sachin's patriotism in 'India' is unforgivable ( I mean comparing your patriotism with his 'is' critsizing in some eyes :) especially given the fact that this bloke has given so much pride even though the cricket has passed thru betting scandals etc ). Anyways... I Hope rediff pulls out your article soon before some morons start making a big issue out of it. All the best.

     

  • At Friday, February 02, 2007 2:27:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    beh******d tere support mein jo replies hai wahi rakah hai kya

     

  • At Thursday, February 08, 2007 12:53:00 AM, Blogger Nitin Nigam said…

    Wonderfully written article.It was very well formatted, I coudnt find a single spelling or grammetical mistake. Thats all, i could pick out of the article.

     

Post a Comment

<< Home