Height of 'Optimisim' of a die hard fan

Being an Optimist I'm quite flabbergasted that SRK has already begun apologising when KKR is very much in the reckoning for a semi-final spot especially with the MASSIVE advantage of playing the the last 2 games at home and the final game against a team that has already qualified. They will know the exact run-rate required if it comes down to that and they'll be up against a not-so-motivated Mumbai side who might just take it easy.The road to semifinal will be as shown below:

15 Apr DD must beat CSK  | DD 14 from 13 matches CSK 12 from 13 matches
16 Apr KXIP must beat DC | DC 12 from 13 games KXIP 10 from 13 games
17 Apr MI beats RC           | RC is 14 from 14 matches
17 Apr KKR beats RR         | KKR 12 from 13 matches and RR 12 from 14 matches
18 Apr KXIP beat CSK       | CSK 12 from 14 games KXIP 12 from 14 games
18 Apr DD beat DC           | DD 16 from 14 game DC 12 from 14 games
19 Apr KKR beats MI         | KKR 14 from 14 matches

So other than Mumbai the semifinalist would be RC,KKR,DD. The bottomline is KKR has to win which is too much of expectation from them considering their present performance.

Interestingly KXIP can also reach semifinal if this happens:

 15 Apr DD must beat CSK   | DD 14 from 13 matches CSK 12 from 13 matches
16 Apr KXIP must beat DC  |DC 12 from 13 games KXIP 10 from 13 games
17 Apr MI beats RC           | RC 14 from 14 matches
17 Apr KKR beats RR         | KKR 12 from 13 matches and RR 12 from 14 matches
18 Apr KXIP beat CSK        | CSK 12 from 14 games KXIP 12 from 14 games
18 Apr DD beat DC           | DD 16 from 14 game DC 12 from 14 games
19 Apr MI beats KKR          | KKR 12 from 14 matches


So other than Mumbai the semifinalists would be RC & DD. The final spot would on run rate between RR,KKR,KXIP,DC,CSK.

Cricket is a funny game and there is a possibility that one of these two equations being correct.

L S D

It’s a good idea to import Tarantino’s movie making style mixed with the style from “Blair Witch Project”/ “Paranormal Activity” to set a new dimension in Bollywood movie making. The problem is, handling such a task needs an understanding of Indian audience. Dibakar Banerjee has made a wonderful attempt to bring out a new dimension in movie making with his movie “Love,Sex aur Dhoka” but the representation lacks the sensitivity of putting forward a critical social issues taken up in the movies.
 

One can argue its reality shown at point blank. I agree to this but what’s the whole of showing them? Does this movie serve the purpose of raising social awareness? No. Is this a “Paisa Vasool” movie? No. So if the movie is neither social nor entertainment then why make this movie at all?

This movie has 3 distinct real life stories shot in cam coder mode showing three independent interrelated stories to bring the concept of Love,Sex and Dhoka as applicable to modern world. The first story deals with honor killing. The second one deals with voyeurism and pornography while the third one deals with exploitation in entertainment industry juxtaposed with sting operation.India has read these stories in some form or other in recent past and the movies just brings it out in celluloid screen.

Director Dibakar Banerjee has made a wonderful attempt to bring out a new idea to bollywood film making. If you really want to watch the movie then go with an open mind to experience something new. Whether you will like the new thing or not will be entirely your discretion. As for me I am yet to decide whether to love it or hate it.

Reservation and Future...

If you are a guy born in coming years who does not belong to the reserved classes I am sure you will curse your birth. No matter if you have merit or skills you might have to struggle extra to establish yourself. The reason is 33% of bright future is reserved of certain class of people who prefer to remain backward after 70 years of independence and 33% of bright future is being reserved for women, so if you are neither you will struggle with rest of the people for the remaining 34%.

These reservations has actually wiped of the importance of merit in education system. I am not sure these reservations will take India forward but it will make life difficult for a majority of the middle class. Reservation is necessary for people who are backward socially or economically but when laws such as these are implemented in India, it turns out that there is more misuse of these laws.

The road cleared for 33% reservation of all MP, MLA seats for women and this is the topic that’s making round these days. I support this reservation with a little reservation of my own. I am sure 33% women MP’s and MLA’s will do much better and efficient work than the current MP’s and MLA’s. They will present a better picture of parliament during those live telecasts. But this step actually will go forward with 33% reservation in education system as well. Then I have a problem. Education builds the future of nation and reservation will only make that more fragile than strengthen it.

Imagine this:
Rabri Devi is in parliament instead of Lalu Yadav, thanks to the women reservation bill, having argument with Mamta Banerjee on Rail Budget with Jayalalitha pitching in with her views and Sushma Swaraj leading the opposition on a walkout.
I will surely watch this budget live!!

The 2 Idiots

If I look back at world cricket and think about some of its major blunders I would certainly list the entry of Chappell brothers in the game and their contribution thereafter as the stupidest thing to happen to world cricket.

After India’s exit from world cup in 2007 Ian Chappell wrote about Tendulkar "Before anybody else makes a decision on what will happen to Tendulkar the player himself has to have a good long look in the mirror and decide what he's trying to achieve in the game". I wonder how he will explain this point now.

His brother Greg, well I don’t have enough words to describe how much he has harmed world cricket/Indian cricket in the recent past. His mindless theories have not only damaged the game but also depleted a strong team. We too much have already been written about him and I don’t need to vindicate my point. But i am sure Irfan Pathan who is now out of the Indian world T20 team would appear to testify this.

In June 2009, in a published article Chappell alleged that Tendulkar plays only for records and he had become burden for the Team India and that Tendulkar should quit.Tendulkar, a non-controversial personality in cricket world has finally reacted sharply to Chappel.Tendulkar said " Some people make allegations just to gain popularity. Ian Chappel has no knowledge of cricket".

Before the Australian tour last year Ian Chappell wrote "Sachin has been an outstanding player. And to be an outstanding player for such a long time takes a lot of things. But for a long part of his career he was the best batsman in the world. I don't think he is that anymore. I think Ricky Ponting has taken that role over now." Well now history has proved the truth.

Greg Chappell on the other hand after doing what he did to Indian cricket and earning his retirement fund from BCCI told "I am not interested in India. Not interested in Indian cricket".

When player become old and retire they bask in the glory of their past. These two brothers have really a glorious past. They will always be remembered as the people to mock the game by bowling underarm. So when they insult the greats like Sachin or Sourav they should remember their past.

I understand they are old and they need to earn their lively hood by writing columns or providing coaching to national/club teams. Greg and Ian are doing the same. But the problem lies in their capability to understand the game. With all due respect they are the 2 idiots of world cricket and no matter what they write or try to coach they will never be able to hide their incompetency.

They will never gain the respect or awe from the game and its lovers because of their inability to respect the game itself.

As it is the foreign relation between Australia and India is at its lowest in the recent past so it would be good is the media from both the countries puts a tab on the big mouth of the 2 idiots so at least no further damage is done to the game.If we can do this then "All IZZ Well" for World Cricket