Hooked on torment
Original article found here
I read the original article published on Cricinfo yesterday. The only word to describe it is BRILLIANT!
"...All fans - the ones like me who need sport to give a sort of shape to life - are masochists. What else can you be when you switch on the TV at three o'clock in the morning knowing that your team is going to get a pasting - again?"
My love for cricket started with the Relaince World Cup in 1987 and strengthened over time. But 1991-92 was the time when I got 'Hooked' on the torment to use the author's words. That was the time when I flirted with playing more than just 'galli' cricket. Classes were given a ditch, white became the uniform and Azad maidan in Mumbai became a second home. About 1995 is when I realized that I wasn't good enough to make it big - but I continued to be hooked.
"The pact between a fan and his team is sacrosanct. It cannot be broken. It is not like the colas or the cars or the credit cards or the car tyres the players endorse. Don't like it? Flush it down the toilet. Sell it off. Exchange it for something better. Buy a new one."
I had never before imagined a better way of putting in words as to why we keep on following the same teams for life - India and Mumbai for me. Another argument is that why follow domestic cricket when there is so much big bang available on TV. For me, having been to the Mumbai grounds and having personally seen players of the current generation in the Mumbai team and the history keeps me attached. I distinctly remember Mumbai loosing the Ranji final in 1991-92 to Haryana and Vengsarkar's heroics during that game. I also remember the 1994-95 "Tendulkar" season. The most recent 2009-10 season when Mumbai held on to beat a strong Karnataka side by 6 runs.
"....Every fan realises this: feeling miserable is part of the deal. But riding the misery and sticking with it is the deal. You can't support another team (Namibia?), or suddenly be passionate about another sport (ice hockey?). It's this or nothing. And nothing is so much worse."
And yes thats true!
I read the original article published on Cricinfo yesterday. The only word to describe it is BRILLIANT!
"...All fans - the ones like me who need sport to give a sort of shape to life - are masochists. What else can you be when you switch on the TV at three o'clock in the morning knowing that your team is going to get a pasting - again?"
My love for cricket started with the Relaince World Cup in 1987 and strengthened over time. But 1991-92 was the time when I got 'Hooked' on the torment to use the author's words. That was the time when I flirted with playing more than just 'galli' cricket. Classes were given a ditch, white became the uniform and Azad maidan in Mumbai became a second home. About 1995 is when I realized that I wasn't good enough to make it big - but I continued to be hooked.
"The pact between a fan and his team is sacrosanct. It cannot be broken. It is not like the colas or the cars or the credit cards or the car tyres the players endorse. Don't like it? Flush it down the toilet. Sell it off. Exchange it for something better. Buy a new one."
I had never before imagined a better way of putting in words as to why we keep on following the same teams for life - India and Mumbai for me. Another argument is that why follow domestic cricket when there is so much big bang available on TV. For me, having been to the Mumbai grounds and having personally seen players of the current generation in the Mumbai team and the history keeps me attached. I distinctly remember Mumbai loosing the Ranji final in 1991-92 to Haryana and Vengsarkar's heroics during that game. I also remember the 1994-95 "Tendulkar" season. The most recent 2009-10 season when Mumbai held on to beat a strong Karnataka side by 6 runs.
"....Every fan realises this: feeling miserable is part of the deal. But riding the misery and sticking with it is the deal. You can't support another team (Namibia?), or suddenly be passionate about another sport (ice hockey?). It's this or nothing. And nothing is so much worse."
And yes thats true!
posted by Sachin Phadnis at 7:25 AM
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