ViruRulez Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 It's been a bitter pill to swallow. Kind of surreal. The immense adrenaline rush of winning the semi-final, followed by the intense anticipation of the final. The first-over rush when Kumble got Gilly out, and the hope of victory when Ross Taylor was going big guns. It has been a maelstrom of emotions. Yet as I sit here making my final entry for this blog, there is this sense of calm. True we are all a bit upset. Who would not be, if the team you supported for a month, who came back from the dead in the middle of the tournament, who went out there match after match in the hope of glory, in the search of victory, lost in the finals? And what makes it even harder is that it was not a one-sided affair. The boys fought till the end. From the oldest member of the squad to the youngest, the intent to win was shown clear on the field. But then i guess things like this happen in sport. But somewhere I am happy. In my entire career of cheerleading, there have been so many times that we have cheered for teams who just could not get their act right on the field. Not so here. This team was right at the top. They turned around, fought with conviction and never gave up easily. It was matter of pride to cheer for them. Because they lived by the game and they fought for their belief. There is this feeling of a vacuum. Of realising that the roar of the crowds has been silenced. Today evening or tomorrow there will not be another match with 20,000 people screaming their lungs out when a wicket falls or a six is hit. Tomorrow we won't shiver on the stands in the cold of the night. Tomorrow we probably will be back home where people do not really know what the fuss is all about when you talk about cricket. Tomorrow it will be watching a Knicks game on television. I guess it is time to pack up and call for the taxi to the airport. Every journey has an end. I guess that's the beauty of any journey. Sure, it's been tiring, it's been cold, and for once i am not complaining about going back home for some well-deserved rest. Living for nearly a couple of months on the road and sleeping in hotels can be hectic, and the thought of home definitely sounds nice. Will I be missing this? Hell, yes! How can you not miss the crowds, the excitement, the adulation and the experience? Both South Africa and India have been etched in my consciousness. From the busy bazaars, to the animal safaris; from the land of the diverse to the land of rainbows - it has been a journey like I have never undertaken before. So yes the bags are packed and the adieus said. In a matter of a few hours we should be across the Cape, flying back to our families, our friends, Papa John's and Starbucks. Homeward bound. The last ball has been bowled , the umpires have taken the bails off and we have been left with some snapshots for our family albums. I guess it's time for the closet writer in me to retire as well. Until next time - if there is ever one - adios! Rebecca Lee is part of Royal Challengers Bangalore's Mischief Gals cheerleader squad
Mr. Wicket Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 What a shame to see this series of insightful, hard hitting and knowledgeable cricket writing end. Such brilliant insights, analysis and an understanding of the game (and of course, no dull and painfully tired cliches) that could compare with people like Makarand Waingankar, Gideon Haigh or Mike Selvey. Cricinfo's really gone downhill. Wasn't that long ago that you had guys like Amit Varma and Chandrahas Choudhury writing some really great pieces on the site that made it worth checking out for much more than the scorecards and archives. Now we get the great opinion columns from the cheerleaders and dancers adoring the front page, and people like Varma leaving and others like the excellent Mike Holmans being kept to tiny blogs hidden in the site.
Lurker Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 What a shame to see this series of insightful, hard hitting and knowledgeable cricket writing end. :hysterical::hysterical: This reminds me of an article I read in an Airline magazine entrip yesterday evening. It basically dealt with "information overload" and how there is simply too information out there to store..let alone read and digest. Apparently there is this measuring term called exabyte that is essentially a billion billion bytes. In 2006 3 million times the information was created than all the books ever written! Now you know the role Rebecca Lee plays in cyberspace..plus I have added about 100 or so in that exabyte too! :--D
The Outsider Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 ^ It took Rebecca's last post to draw out Lurker's first in the IPL forum. :giggle:
Lurker Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 ^ It took Rebecca's last post to draw out Lurker's first in the IPL forum. :giggle: I would much rather look at it as the ending of the tournament making me come alive Shwetabh :giggle:
graphic23 Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 What a shame to see this series of insightful, hard hitting and knowledgeable cricket writing end. Such brilliant insights, analysis and an understanding of the game (and of course, no dull and painfully tired cliches) that could compare with people like Makarand Waingankar, Gideon Haigh or Mike Selvey. Cricinfo's really gone downhill. Wasn't that long ago that you had guys like Amit Varma and Chandrahas Choudhury writing some really great pieces on the site that made it worth checking out for much more than the scorecards and archives. Now we get the great opinion columns from the cheerleaders and dancers adoring the front page, and people like Varma leaving and others like the excellent Mike Holmans being kept to tiny blogs hidden in the site. This was a section of the website that exclusively dedicated for IPL and was made to be something that should be humorous and one that should not offer any insight into the game - modeled after the way T20 should be viewed. I don't see a problem really. The main website still comes up with a LOT of really good articles.
observer1 Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 methinks the old fogeys here have too much of a nostalgia bug in them. at this rate, they will be soon be saying that the only way to travel is by ship, and not by air; espousing the merits of a mont blanc fountain pen over a lamy; and saying that the only wine worth drinking is a st emillon and not an amarone.... the two will co-exist, and co-exist well. to each is own etc., and to some, like me, perhaps a smaller minority, everything is fun.
Guest Hiten. Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 People complain when she shakes her booty. People complain when she tries to give her meaningful insights on the beautiful game of T20. What a bunch of trolls (points at the Red C()cks fan), ICF is breeding :hysterical: Leave the poor soul alone:icflove:
Mr. Wicket Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 I didn't complain when she gave meaningful insights. I didn't notice any in the first place. (PS: What is this beautiful game you're talking about? The only abbreviated, 3 hour long beautiful game I saw was last week - when the Gays got their asses whipped at Fenway Park again.) And being a Blue Gays fan you're the last person in the world who should comment on anything baseball related.
Mr. Wicket Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 saying that the only wine worth drinking is a st emillon I'll never turn down a bottle of Cheval Blanc, but bleh, who goes out of their way to find St. Emilions beyond the usual 3 big estates (Cheval, Pavie, Ausone)? Give me a Hermitage, a Medoc, a Burgundy... any Burgundy...
Guest Hiten. Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 I didn't complain when she gave meaningful insights. I didn't notice any in the first place. (PS: What is this beautiful game you're talking about? The only abbreviated, 3 hour long beautiful game I saw was last week - when the Gays got their asses whipped at Fenway Park again.) And being a Blue Gays fan you're the last person in the world who should comment on anything baseball related. I ain't no Nostradamus, but things will change for Jays and we will do better than C()cks this year :--D. 2-0 in 2nd Innings (UP) B->....YEEEHAWWWWW :finger:
ViruRulez Posted May 26, 2009 Author Posted May 26, 2009 methinks the old fogeys here have too much of a nostalgia bug in them. at this rate, they will be soon be saying that the only way to travel is by ship, and not by air; espousing the merits of a mont blanc fountain pen over a lamy; and saying that the only wine worth drinking is a st emillon and not an amarone.... the two will co-exist, and co-exist well. to each is own etc., and to some, like me, perhaps a smaller minority, everything is fun. :dito:
fineleg Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 Imagine having two IPLs in one year (per L$Modi) :omg: (Moar circus!)
ViruRulez Posted May 27, 2009 Author Posted May 27, 2009 Imagine having two IPLs in one year (per L) :omg: (Moar circus!) Dont underestimate genius L$ Modi.. I wont be surprised if he makes the second IPL even a bigger hit.. he is the king of marketing and if IPL and T20 is marketed well in US as he plans it might bring a lot more $$$$$ .. US people will spend more compared to Indians and so I would not be surprised if it is a big hit there
fineleg Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 L$M should be wary not to overdo this, and kill the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg. Come to think of it, if he manages to do the above and the goose is gone, it is not such a bad thing either B->
Guest Hiten. Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 IPL is over and its time to curse the damn thing...yay!
ViruRulez Posted May 27, 2009 Author Posted May 27, 2009 L should be wary not to overdo this, and kill the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg. Come to think of it, if he manages to do the above and the goose is gone, it is not such a bad thing either B-> He is looking at US markets which are not into cricket leave apart T20 .. if he can make the US people interested towards IPL by his aggressive marketing then he need not worry about the golden goose I personally believe that one IPL and one CL in a year is enough but if L$Modi can penetrate cricket into the US before the APL (which mainly comprises of Pakistanis) and make it popular then I wont mind.. if cricket has go to the US, then I think India should be frontrunner to introduce it and rope in the moolah
fineleg Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 ^ Only the immigrants from cricket playing countries who are in US will watch. Seems like you are thinking Americans may take to it. Theoretically possible, however practically speaking it is unlikely.
Mr. Wicket Posted May 27, 2009 Posted May 27, 2009 The American market has several sports already filling it. Baseball, professional and college level basketball and football, then to a lesser extent ice hockey. I highly doubt Modi'll be able to get enough of a foothold into that market to make cricket a viable long-term thing in the US. And if cricket is introduced in this format with big hitting, cheerleaders and 3 hour matches, they'll just stick to following baseball and watching pathetic third rate teams like the Blue Gays lose. Which, um reminds of one thing...
ViruRulez Posted May 27, 2009 Author Posted May 27, 2009 The American market has several sports already filling it. Baseball, professional and college level basketball and football, then to a lesser extent ice hockey. I highly doubt Modi'll be able to get enough of a foothold into that market to make cricket a viable long-term thing in the US. And if cricket is introduced in this format with big hitting, cheerleaders and 3 hour matches, they'll just stick to following baseball and watching pathetic third rate teams like the Blue Gays lose. Which, um reminds of one thing... I agree that it would not be easy to dent the American market but Lalit Modi has proved everyone wrong each and every time somebody raises a finger.. Lalit Modi is a marketing genius and I wont be surprised if he succeeds in making an impact in the US market.. anyways I dont want 2 IPLs + 1 CL but I will like another IPL in the US instead of the APL starting with Pakistani nerds
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