With the advent of EURO CUP-12 and departure of IPL, the
tide of entertainment has turned to football once again. The football fever is
catching people by surprise. I mean that’s not normal in India where cricket is
a religion and cricketers gods. But the time has changed now and the new ‘Gods’
are rising!
When I realized this shift in trends, I was forced to
ponder, what on earth is wrong with people of India. What changed? Where is the
mob that devoted themselves for cricket? Where are those people of small cities
that relied on radios for the latest scores? Where are the toddlers that knew
no other game than cricket which they played even in the scorching sun? What is
bringing the dismissal of cricket as the ‘major sporting event’?
The answer lies in the following paragraph.
One of the major reasons that football is taking over the
world is that there is a whole lot more passion in this game. The crowd, the
jeering, the Mexican waves, the enchanting, the loyalties; all entwine together to make it an
exquisite entertainer. Now, unlike cricket, football doesn’t has to break-off
every five minutes, thus the momentum and thrill is maintained. Audience can
enjoy 90 minutes of pure athleticism without boredom. Plus the 90 min limit
enables one to plan out everything before and after the game. The thrill and
excitement knows no bound, and the non-anticipatory action adds salt to the
taste. Maybe, the business mindset of IPL’s accounts for the lost interest in
the game, or it may be the overdose of it. In all, football gives a totally
different feel that is not insured in the willow driven game. At a teenage level, since it requires not much
arrangement; just grab a ball (for starters) and remember few ground-rules, and
you are ready to go. It may not be the best choice in the sultry summers of
India, but who cares when you have donned a Messi’s jersey and have the
ball. The passion driving makes up for the fatigue.
So, don’t be surprised the next time you see the teenagers following
up the ‘Change the game’ mantra……because football is the next big thing after
cricket that's going to surface on Indian subcontinent soon.
