[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

Still we know cricket, cricket and only cricket. (Sad and sigh.)

I dont get this cricket bashing.

Please if it gets more eyeballs whats the problem? Do you realise how many homes it feeds today?

The other sports have been given a step motherly treatment by you people.

I played hockey at University level and cricket at national level. Till the time I was playing- 10 years back we had the same facilities for both.

Cricket has got in the money for a lot of sportsmen here.

A sport is being looked at as a career option. Can you believe such a thing is happeing in India?? Where each parent runs to get his student in engg or medical?

If cricket can do that why is it being blamed for the other sports misery.

One person has been single handedly controlling the fate of sports in India over 2-3 decades now. Think about it.

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

.......Please if it gets more eyeballs whats the problem? Do you realise how many homes it feeds today?

Cricket has got in the money for a lot of sportsmen here.

A sport is being looked at as a career option. Can you believe such a thing is happeing in India?? Where each parent runs to get his student in engg or medical?......

A Career Option! Feeding Homes! That's where it is not a 'sport' anymore, but a pure entertainment, only next to Cinema.
As you rightly said, Cricket has been transformed from a 'sport' into a 'show business' in the past 10 years. This is why other sports are being ignored.
That was the point I wanted to make and thanks for clarifying.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

A Career Option! Feeding Homes!

Yes.

Whats your point?

That's where it is not a 'sport' anymore, but a pure entertainment, only next to Cinema.

You are oblivious to ground realities I think.

Have you watched basketball or baseball in US? Or do you think that too is also entertainment.

As you rightly said, Cricket has been transformed from a 'sport' into a 'show business' in the past 10 years.

LOL. Ok you can assume whatever you want but thats not what I meant.

Cricket has reached these heights not because the government gave it special grants to this sport only.

Coming from my home state. We have one dedicated cricket ground in the whole of the state. That too an open one - gymkhana.
Yes till today.

We do have players like Asnodkar and Jakati though.

Whereas there is dedicated hockey and footbal grounds. An international level swimming pool too.

I think you watch only IPL matches and got excited by watching the filmstars and the cheerleaders.

When was the last time you watched a 1st Division Cricket Match or a District Level tournament of cricket?

This is why other sports are being ignored.

Which sport has got ignored and by whom?

Heard of PHL - Premier Hockey League or National Football League? What are you expecting?

That was the point I wanted to make and thanks for clarifying.

Sorry but the sarcasm is lost.

You sound like an arm chair activist who doesnt know jack about the situation of sports in India and like lot of other clueless people have found a bashing bag called cricket.

I have been there and done that. There is no discrmination at the state level for any sport.

If any thing has been an hindrance to the sports its quota and state politics which people like you are blind to.

Quick question: How many goals has Dhanraj Pillai scored in olymics for Indian Hockey? No google. Lets see your answer.

[RajaTaurus]

Dear Spitfire,
I am not surprised by the Quick Question, as Cricket itself is thriving on statistics. It doesn't matter how many goals X scored from Y direction at Z angle on dd-mm-yy date, at hh-mm-ss time. Those loads of statistics belongs only to cricket.
All you had said above is inly supporting my argument, which is 'cricket is being pampered by everyone while other sports are not'. Why your state hasn't given any ground for hockey?
When Indian team got kicked out of ICC World cup, nobody regrets. When they got thrown out of T-20 WC in their second edition, we forget it so easily. So what, we have IPL anyways.
But, when Indian hockey team loses a match, it is 'pathetic show' and gets the least attention.
However, I am only happy to see the crowd at Delhi as well as the coverage on media on this WC.
Thanks for participating mate, please note that no sarcasm intended by me, it was genuine concerns that came from bottom of my heart.

[maddy42]

@Raja: Well what spitfire is saying is Hockey is in its state because of the administration and more than anything else. All the sports other than cricket comes under the sports ministry and is being handled by one person from a decade if i am not wrong.

Well did you know that pune had a Commonwealth youth games? The shoddy job made for these games was the reason it was never covered.

Anyways sorry for going OT. Lets stop bashing one sport over the other everytime. This is similar to walmart being bashed everytime someone talks of small stores loosing business.

Go Hockey. DId anyone see the game today??

Knock Knock: Between all these arguments India lost todays game against aussies. Bad luck. Hope we do alot better.

Go India

[RajaTaurus]

Well, India wasn't expected to post a big win against Australia anyway, But from 3-0 Half-time, at least they scored 2 goals. That shows their commitment to fight back and not to give up. Ozees were pre-WC favorites and #2 in the World. At least India has passed the mountain now. It will be (I hope) a down-hill ride from now on, as they have Spain, the surprise up-setters England and finally SA. With this form and a little bit of more luck, we can win all the remaining matches and worst case barring England.
I dont expect India to make to the Semis, but there are chances, if England falters mid-way. It will be Eng and Aus from Pool B, with Ind or Pak trying to sneak in.
Let us watch the show as it unfolds.
Finally, it is truly heartening to see the audience cheering the team for every move.
Go India. We are With you.

[wanderernomad]

Guys this is becoming a thread for inter game rivalry than the WC thread. Please lets just stick to discussing the hockey games only.

[nkapoor777]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

Guys this is becoming a thread for inter game rivalry than the WC thread. Please lets just stick to discussing the hockey games only.

+1 to that.

Any body going to the India-Spain match tomorrow? I am trying to get my hands on tickets for the same.

[Country Road]

This Indian team is a much improved one. Yet quite a way still to go to the top. I hate to say but the Aussies completed slaughtered us in the first 10 min of each half. Too fast for us. I think we should have slowed down the game a bit and changed flank regulary. Depending on long balls like the Aussies was also not a good idea. We need atleast 4 more points to go to the next round. Chak De India

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by Country Road

This Indian team is a much improved one. Yet quite a way still to go to the top. I hate to say but the Aussies completed slaughtered us in the first 10 min of each half. Too fast for us. I think we should have slowed down the game a bit and changed flank regulary. Depending on long balls like the Aussies was also not a good idea. We need atleast 4 more points to go to the next round. Chak De India

Can't agree with you more. From a slow dribble and run type game into a super fast pass and run type game, it was just a sea change and it showed with our boys. They took time to get adjusted to the change of game style and by the time, they were 2-0 down. But, overall I agree with you that this is an improved team in skills and attitude. More aggressive and good mix of dribble and pass you can watch. I bet on winning Spain and SA, keep fingers crossed with the English Dark Horses.

[maddy42]

Anyone has links online where i can watch the game?

[RajaTaurus]

http://ngetv.net/
I watch the matches on the above website. Don't know legal or not.

[RajaTaurus]

Sorry guys,that website is now wanting to install some software and please ignore it.
The live streaming is coming on www.justin.tv
Please check it out.

[RajaTaurus]

Man, Ozees just Mowed down the SA 12-0. Total domination and playing at their whim. Ozees are in terrific form and sure difficult to beat by any team now. SA boys totally clueless. I think Indians did far better than SA to hold them to 5 and score 2 goals against Ozees.

[vamsi.kona]

Another setback for India. Lost against spain 5 goals to 2. Now the chances of qualifying for next round are getting tougher. i wouldn't say over but tough definitely. Currently we are placed 4th in the group