Twenty/20... Clear and Present

If It’s Hip, Fast and Furious, Is It Cricket? - New York Times

I guess NYT (and, Somini Sengupta) should stick to reporting on things that they know about. This is NYT equivalent of Sports Illustrated reporting on the 2000 elections. Maybe, NYT thought Ms. Sengupta is competent to report on Cricket since she is south asian. And, maybe Ms. Sengupta thought she knew cricket because she was born in India. Or, maybe India was not getting enough coverage in this "flat(ulent) world" But, tell me, when did Sree Sreesanth become a batsman.

Anyway, I wonder how many of the NYT readers cared to treat this a little more than one of those travelogue/ exotic sports articles. I remember an American friend of mine (a good midwestern boy) ask me - "Why do you think Cricket is not popular in the US?" with the look which said - "I don't care about your answer." And, I told him - "It is a gentleman's sport."

I had fun reading this open letter to Flintoff

And, I had a good laugh when a friend of mine sent me this.



MISBAH THOUGHT HE WAS SENDING THE BALL TO A PLACE WHERE THERE WAS NO ONE.
HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE IS A MALAYALI IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD!!!

I am not sure if I like the Twenty/20 format - with just 20 overs and 11 players it is easy for everyone to get lucky. But, it sure does make for entertaining cricket

It is almost winter...

FOX Sports on MSN - NFL - Desperate Bears turn to Griese

My favorite Bears joke goes this way - "Bears are the only Chicago sports team who live up to their name. Come winter, they go into hibernation."

No wonder then, last year's performance had me worried. I thought all those talk about global warming is really true. Boy, am I glad that they are back in "form".

Here are a few other Bears jokes.

"What do you call a Bears match? Unbearable!"

"Who is the Bears Quarter Back?"  Wrecks Grossman or Rex (that was) gross man

With Rex gone we need Brain Griese's help for a few more jokes. Griese hands... anyone?

Freedom of speech or freedom to preach?

Why Ahmadinejad Loves New York - TIME

According to the author of this article, the Cheshire Cat smile worn by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is because he converted a not so interesting visit to an University to an international media event (Let us not fool ourselves, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to a farmhouse in Iowa is bound to be an international event). I think, the Cheshire Cat grin is possibly because he has exposed the truth about the professed supporters of "freedom of speech" to be nothing more than freedom to preach.

In the days leading up to the event Columbia tried to justify the invitation as "freedom of speech", "need to hear from the man himself". But, when the host opens the meeting with his judgements and opinions, you know that this is a deaf audience.

"Freedom of speech" alone does nothing without active listening to complement it. And, to listen well it is required that you do not judge until you have heard the other person and had a chance to give it a thought.

Adam's bridge and monkey business

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Offer to quit in India gods row

One more of the comical episodes that color many development projects in India. I bet the guys protesting the creation of the canal are not from south tamilnadu. I bet most of them have not been to south tamilnadu and good number of them have not heard of ramesvaram. Of course, you do not need to know all these to protest on "matters of religious bearing". And, then the government (like all "secular" indian governments) tables a report questioning the existence of "Ram" (wonder if they would do similar reports questioning if "jesus" and "muhammed" ever lived). And, of course, the report has no bearing on the project. The project has to be assessed and communicated to people on its merits not on the existence of "Ram". Amidst, all this minister Ambika Soni offers to resign - great! Does that change anything related to the project?

So, why not try to communicate the details of the project - its merits and costs to people close to the site and affect by the project in simple terms. Now, that is not as difficult as proving the existence or non-existence of "Ram".