Will the IPL connect emotionally and financially?

The IPL organizers and bidders seem to have understood that watching and appreciating a cricket match is an habit or an obsessive compulsory disorder for the Indian public, whereas it is actually an option. Otherwise, why else would such mindless money be invested in IPL.
Attachment to the teams cause is what attracts the eyeballs of a viewer to a sporting encounter and not the fact that his favorite sporting star bank balance is going to add a few zeros. In a game like cricket, if you have to be attached to a team, you have to connect with all the eleven players and this happens only when they are representing your country. Nobody is going to feel disappointed if an X city loses a match nor there is going to be a great attachment to all the 11 players representing your city. I come from Bangalore but I would like to see Ishanth Sharma knocking the day lights out of Kalis rather than the otherway around. English Press is not going to take a team to the cleaners if they lose a match because viewers in the winning city are going to be terribly disappointed.
The most important assumption of the IPL business model is the love of Indian Public for Cricket. This love is very limited and specific to the matches being played by India alone. Our public cannot take a defeat lightly and come to the streets burning effigies and attacking players homes when the team loses important matches. Will the lose by a city team result in venting of such ires? Our love for cricket is more because of a certain TINA (There is No Alternative) Factor rather than genuine love for the game. These are the reasons why Cricket has become such a passion in India. How many of our self professed cricket fans know who was the Man of the Match/ Series in this years Ranji Trophy? How many know who is Sangwan and which grade of cricket he plays for India? Not more than an handful.
Will the players have the same competitive edge that they posses when they represent their country. Failure in IPL would not cost them a place in their national teams nor is it going to affect their records in any way. Some of the players are going to get three times of the amount that they will get by representing their country for a whole year. Even a year or two of playing for IPL is sufficient to take care of them post-retirement. They are not going to stretch themselves while playing for IPL. Nobody would like to get injured playing IPL and risk the chance of playing for their country. Thus, the contention that IPL would improve domestic cricket is as true as a lamppost being a rain shelter. Moreover, will two cricketers from the same country representing opposite city teams sledge each other. There is no emotions that are going to be involved in these matches. In that aspect the ICL players are better placed because once they join this league their international career is effectively over and they have to perform well in the ICL for their earnings to continue.
I am in no mood to waste 40 plus evenings of mine watching two city teams sweat it out for the profit of a franchisee. How na?ve the cricket administrators can be? Was it not a few years back the super series involving Australia V Rest of the World, a damp squib, though performance in these matches added to the records of the individual players.

Three poems for Valentine Day

Billion of stars may be waiting to twinkle in the radiance of your eyes!
Millions of words may want to intensify their meaning by describing yourpersona!
Lakhs of Ornaments may be wanting to enhance their charm by decoratingyour beauty!
Hundreds of eyes might want to bless their sights by feasting on your beauty!But only one Heart will beat for your well being always, that’s mine!Take Care, Until We Meet Again!
*******************************
UR Missed AlwaysUr missed always, in all seasons and for all reasons!
In the harsh summer, the pleasantness of Your face and twirl of thosehairs, made my days cool!
In those dark monsoon days, the twinkle in Your eyes, brightened my days!
In those chilly wintry days, the liveliness of Your touch, kept me warm!
During those spells of anger, Your courage made me see reason!
In the depth of sorrow, Your soothing words and solace helped me stayafloat!In the spring of happiness, your radiance and vivacious smile made theoccasion extra special!
Ur missed always, in all seasons and for all reasons!******************************************************************
Why do I love you?

More than the beautiful face, it is the refreshing simile that it gives!
More than the twinkling eyes, it is the far-reaching vision that they are able to have!
More than the sweet voice, it is the sweet and heartfelt words that come out!More than your beauty, it is the compassionate heart in it!

A satire on the various classes of the Indian Society

Nothing serious just a poke at the various classes of the Indian Society including me


Poor
Bank Balance:- Get us a bank account first.
Frequent Question:- Will the roof above us hold tonight?
Funda of life:- No Money, No Worry
Likes/ Dislikes - Cant have any if they want to move up


Middle Class/ Upper Middle Class
Bank Balance - In the black till all the EMI Cheques come.
Frequent Questions - Too many. Where is the best discount sale? Why does it take so long to open a demat account?
Likes/Dislikes - again too many
Likes - Family Values & Riches (V contrasting na)
Dislikes - Immorality, Cheating and Poverty (again v contrasting)
No wonder they get stuck for their life trying to manage the contrasts


Rich Class
Bank Balance - Very limited. More in black, gold and land.
Frequent Question - Which is the next best Real Estate bet?
Funda of Life - Accumulate as much as you can, God knows for whom.
Likes- Dislike
Likes - Increase in grams of gold ownership and property papers
Dislikes - New Schemes of Government to unearth black money.

Ultra Rich
Bank Balance - Kisko patha? It never ends.
Frequent Question - Where's the party tonight?
Funda of life :- Have many cars, designer clothes and affairs
Likes-Dislike - You cant have any if you have to reach and stay here.

Why my parents were happier than me?
My parents ethical values seem to me as obstacles for progress!
My parents worked for money but I live for money!
My parents celebrated to enjoy but I celebrate to show off!
My parents luxuries have become my needs!
My parents sweated to save money but I sweat to save my health!
My parents loaned in an emergency but I loan to create an unreal lifestyle!
My parents had a small home but I have a small heart!
My parents dreaded lies but I treasure them!
My parents lived by the times but I try to race against it!
My parents had friendships based on emotions but I have them as useful connections!
My parents achieved status through good deeds but I try to achieve it by increased needs!

No wonder my parents were happier and stronger than me

Why is the Indian Cricket Fan angry?

Indian team has made its most ignominious exit from World Cup since 1992,the average Indian Fan is angry. The experts of the game as well as the incapable team members are taking shelter in the guise that this after all a game. The average Indian Cricket Fan is being ridiculed for taking things to heart and that they don't understand cricket. This is nothing but the typical story of trying to cut off the branch of the tree on which you are seated. The media is also being questioned for making a national issue out of the defeat.
I am ready to buy the arguments provided somebody is willing to give answers for the following questions:-
a. Would our cricket stars have made so much money from endorsements but for the emotional Indian Cricket Fan on the street. Dear Cricketers, it is his blind faith that made the sponsors dole out such huge cheque to you. There are sports which involve a lot more sweating on the field than cricket, those players don't earn such astronomic sums.
b. Who gives exclusive interviews to the media? Who makes unrealistic promises to college students on hour long programmes? As long as the Media was giving positive coverage to the non-existent cricketing talents, walks on the ramps, the cricketers and the experts had no problem, they were all game for it. It is just when the media started questioning the obvious shortcomings of the cricketers, everybody is finding fault with the media?
c. A senior BCCI functionary today has ridiculed the media for making too much of India's chances of winning the world cup. India is going to play hardly 40 or 50 days of cricket every year at home for the next 4 years. Indian Cricket Board has sold its domestic cricket telecast rights for the highest price in the world (comparing other cricket boards). Why did the BCCI which was not sure of its cricket team winning the world cup sell its telecast rights at such astronomical rights?
d. Why does it cost so much to watch an international cricket match? After all most of the stadiums are built on land given by Government at throw away prices. What facilities does the cricket fan who sits in the gallery stands of a stadium get, not even a roof to brave the sun and he is required to shell out nearly a thousand rupees to watch a match.
e. What is the need to have Ranji Trophy Cricket, if the highest scorer and wicket taker in it don't find a place in the playing eleven. Joginder Sharma has been performing consistently with bat and ball for the past 3 years and all that he got was a single match in South Africa. A single failure is sufficient for Joginder to be banished to the annals of cricket whereas years of failure is not sufficient for Shewag to be dropped.
f. Anybody would get irritated to see the Ad "Ab har ghar mein Sachin" being repeated ad nauseam on TV even after the exit of India from WC2007. Why does not Mr. Sachin return the amount to the company and ask them to stop telecasting the Ad.
g. When a team loses as badly as India has done, most of the senior cricketers announce their retirements? Why have none of our senior cricketers have had the gumption to admit that they have failed and just quit from the team? Why do they want to hang on to the positions in the team?
h. They are not representing BCCI but wearing on India on their shirts and caps. When India loses, her citizens are bound to go wild. Let them wear the logo BCCI XI or ***** Cola XI and play from tomorrow onwards not even a mongrel would for care their defeat or victory.
i. There is no major country in the world which does not have passion about one sport. Defeat or Victory in that sport swings the mood of the nation. In India it is cricket. People are bound to react violently when you lose without a semblance of a fight. Just turn back the pages to last year, see how England reacted to its football team loss in the Soccer World Cup.
Dear Cricketers and Experts, when you can bask in the glory of our adulation for your insignificant achievements, better learn to accept our ire when you fail meekly or else find a different profession. If you are a mechanic, watchman, barber, painter, chartered accountant or any profession you choose and you fail, we wont come in the streets and protest. You are wearing Indian Colors and the hype in the country is such that you are valued next only to our brave Jawans who guard our frontiers. It is this hype which has brought you the riches. So next time don't tell we don't understand the game. Maybe yes, we don't understand the game or else why would we have showered so much of our attention on paper tigers like you.
I only hope fans do see the truth and stop idolizing these non-performing heroes. Let their victories and defeats not affect your daily schedules. Watch a cricket match but only when there is nothing worthwhile to watch on the TV.