Goal or Not?

Goal line technology was finally used in world cup football (or soccer, if you live in North America) a few days back and not a moment too soon either. I mean, I don’t understand why sports organizations are so backward about adopting anything that improves decision making. The argument about taking the game away from humans is silly. It is still played by humans isn’t it? As keen spectators, we just want to see both teams treated fairly and consistently.

But I still have one gripe. Couldn’t the football community have come up with something better than calling it “GoalControl”? Cricket came up with “HawkEye” which is way more cooler, surely football can do better?

Chairman of Selectors

When I first heard Sanath Jayasuriya was appointed as the chairman of selectors of Sri Lankan cricket, I shook my head partly in disbelief and partly in disappointment. Sanath was a great cricketer (in his day). But he seems to have now turned into this horrible politician who is intend on meddling in the one sport we are good at. What if he selects himself into the team?

But then I read this wonderful blog by Andrew Hughes on cricinfo.

http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/thelonghandle/archives/2013/01/dont_give_up_the_day_job_sanat.php

Andrew is right. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise. Better to screw-up cricket than the country's economy.

Conspiracy Theory

If you are the sort who tends to look for a conspiracy in everything, then you’d love to live in Sri Lanka these days. One recent incident in particular jumps up like a cat in heat. The ICC word cup!

Team Selection : Sana and Vaas were included in the preliminary squad. Now my 10 year old girl could have told you how stupid that was – and she does not even follow cricket! Why have them included? Well I reckon they wanted everyone to start taking about cricket – y’know, any publicity is good publicity right?

Venues : They created a whole new ground in Hamba just for the world cup instead of spending 0.0001 of that money on getting floodlights fitted in to SSC. There are two theories here. One is that MR wanted to show off – reminds me of Asterix and Cleopatra story where Cleopatra bets good ol’ Julius that she can build a great palace in 3 months… or something like that. Secondly, some big-wig(s) would have thought “What a great opportunity to get some decent commission?”. I don’t even want to discuss “Pallekele”.

Tickets Fiasco : I tried to find out how I can secure some tickets since early January. I was given a different date to call every time I called the cricket board. After three unsuccessful attempts I gave up. My previous unsavory encounter with the cricket board didn’t help me to summon up my courage to try one more time. I later heard that out of the 30,000 capacity at Premedasa stadium, only 8,000 tickets are available for sale to the general public. WTF? My theory is that MR, Ministers and Cricket Board Officials must have friends, relatives and debtors who collectively make up the rest of the 22,000.

Banned Items : I agree that one should not bring knives and even glass bottles to a cricket ground, but what about the humble Beer and Papare? Who on their right mind would spend one full day outdoor in blistering heat and 90% humidity without cold beer available like running water? And Papare? When did Sri Lanka ever play a single cricket match without the unmistakable Papare music in the background? I remember carrying a banner which in bold letters announced “Warne is a Wimp!” when we played against Aussies at the Premadasa in 1996 – how can you deprive a teenager that privilege? The theory? They wanted to create an outrage so huge that subsequently when they lift the ban, the fellow who lifted the ban can become a household name instantly. That works out well especially when there is yet another election around the corner.

Jeez, my head is spinning just by thinking about other possibilities. Time to have a cold beer and enjoy the re-runs of Lions crushing hapless Canada. Oh how I wish I had a Papare CD. Cheers!

Blogging, Soccer, etc.

I wish I was able to blog more frequently. Not that I have a lot to write about. But the main issue seem to be time - or lack of it. But I cannot let the world-cup, the soccer kind, pass away without adding a paragraph or two on how has changed my life - to be more precise, my evenings.

I’ve played to odd game of soccer when growing up. Not by choice, but since it required only a ball – or something that looked like a ball that can be kicked without losing a toe-nail. The goal posts were almost always a couple of stones or bricks. But as we grew up, we watched soccer players like “Klinsmann” playing on the Telly. The slightest touch of an opposing player used to send them sprawling across the paddock – they were far from the tough nuts like Springboks or All-Blacks. I was having none of that – so my days of playing soccer faded away.

Just like it had happened for many others, Africa and the Vuvuzela attracted me to the sport back again this time. Suddenly I found myself coming home from work, sitting in front of the Telly completely riveted to it. There were even times I watched back to back games till early morning hours. I started to back Argentina and Germany. Although Argentina eventually got knocked-out, Germany is well and truly in with a chance. Today a friend of mine invited me to watch the final on a 30 foot screen at a popular sports club – I am seriously thinking of going.

My wife says it is midlife crisis.