Fixers' future fixed!

Some days back while going through the newspaper, I was a little concerned about my nation when this piece of news relieved me of my concerns, ‘Spot-fixing in IPL-2013’.

While the monotonicity of ‘Comedy Circus’ kept on increasing, India desperately needed some new way of coping up with the pressures of daily chores. And as they nearly lost all hopes, IPL spot-fixing came to the rescue. Thanks to Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan’s party needs, we really found some entertainment. Also, Bollywood was feeling kind of left out, so Vindoo Dara Singh joined in for some ecstasy. Sreesanth was reported to have been searching for a heroin to cast her opposite to him-self. Now, his movie might be in jeopardy, but a movie based on him is definitely a thumbs-up. His journey has been one heck of a called-in, thrown-out kind of ride. Right from taking the decisive catch in the finals of T20 world cup or returning respect to Dale Steyn through a six or the controversy with Bhajji, he has never been shy of expressing emotions; perhaps a too ostentatious emotional show-off.

                Meanwhile Comedy Circus producers are surprised that how this controversy is collecting so much attention without much effort; while they have been up their asses working vehemently creating countless seasons after seasons, and still their major viewership is acquired by lazy teenagers who don’t want to get exhausted by working up their way to the remote. The producers are furious; even China’s little peek-a-boo at LOC gained better attention. The producers are now contemplating new dimensions for accretion of lost ratings even going as jejune as hiring Sunny Leone for the hosting or Navjot Sidhu for stand-ups.

                Dawood is also not happy on becoming a household name blamed for all illegal activity saying, “It’s not fair. Please cut me some slack. And for god’s sake can someone please explain to Mr. Kisu Kisaan that I had no hand in the robbery in his house.” This was a much awaited reply that was being anticipated from Dawood, after Kisu lodged an FIR last month against Dawood for kidnapping his two bulls.

                It really surprised and shocked everyone to the core, except for the general Indian viewers. Now you are surprised?? nSeriously, ask any paan-wala bhaiya in your locality and he will brief you about how he had a hunch that this IPL was fixed. Though he may not explain what spot-fixing exactly is….but neither can half the population of cricket crazy clique. Isn’t it true?

                The verdict is far from over; there are still names to be unfolded and more entertainment in line to be served freshly to the ever-cynic Indian-kind. Many startling revelations are just waiting to be unfolded….just wait for it!

        

HATS OFF to the MAESTRO

Sir Alex Ferguson retires. Citing health reasons, he said, “The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly. It is the right time. It was important to me to leave an organization in the strongest possible shape and I believe I gave done so. ”

Well, I am not a great fan of Red Manchester, but I do respect this man. I have always appreciated his composure, intensity on the pitch. The way his sheer presence inspires his team and the respect he incurs from adulating fans is one that only greats can achieve and he is no exception. 

For the 27 years that he served the club, not once did the United administration must have thought about installing a new manager. He has been calm, unruffled and dedicated in making a team that is balanced in every sense, be it age-wise, or position-wise and stardom-wise as well.

He has been a solid inspiration to the young crops of managers that take cues from him in managing their respective clubs. The large numbers of good-bye messages on Twitter reflects so.

He joined Old Trafford in 1986 from Aberdeen and never looked back as the Red Devils have dominated not only the English but European scene as well. His tally includes 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 2 Champions League titles. The 71-year Scotsman will join the team’s board members and will serve as ‘Ambassador’ in the upcoming season. Till now, United have two games left and one of them is a home game against Swansea where we may expect some emotions from the not-so-much expressive coach.

                Well, talking about replacing him is a contentious issue. United never had to think about the position of manager, it was already in very capable hands. It’s always hard to replace a veteran; plus the void left for the first time in 27 years, is a thought that United administration would always have dreaded. But it’s time to answer that. Rumour has it that Everton boss David Moyes may be stepping in his shoes, but before the confirmation from the official website; it’s going to be a matter of fierce debate. Former Chelsea and current in-charge of Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho is also a sought-after name by the grim fans. The administration is also in pressure to declare the new name, as Manchester United are listed on New York stock exchange, so any change in administration will have to be reported back to its shareholders. So, the secret can’t and won’t be held long.

                Whoever is chosen as a manager, he will have a tough time handling the pressure but it would not be so gruesome on the pitch considering Sir Alex has left his team in the strong possible shape.

#RESPECT and good luck on your future endeavours Sir Alex!

LEARN TO SAY ‘NO’

We are social animals, we tend to form groups, everyone has a group of friends where he’s comfortable and can hurl as much abuses as he is capable of. Also, no matter how much creepy the teasing gets, one has to imbibe every bit of it. Groups can’t be completed without that person who gets teased the most, the guy with the best relationship advices (but oddly he’s still single), the guy who gets virtually-raped every year at holi…

                The sort of person that I am going to talk about is the mix with shades of a sycophant and a person with a clean image. This person is not bad per se; has a decent level of self-respect, may connect with you with ease, and may be the most talented…..but one thing’s for sure; he’ll be sanguine and charming as hell in his conduct.  I am sure you all have one or two acquaintances possessing these traits. As common as this trait is, as such, it is also not tough to demarcate such qualities in a person.

                When given a task, this person takes on the responsibility with utmost sincerity even if the task is not his cup of tea. Saying ‘NO’ to something wouldn’t cost him anything, but for him, saying no is the only one thing he can’t do. He may fail the task, but renouncing the task is the last thing on his to-do list. I believe that quitting the task and honestly accepting the truth is much better than having to give explanation later. That’s why I look upon such persons with a little caution. There is no shame in relinquishing a little control.

Another scenario where presence of such individuals hurt most is when the person is at some higher position and one seeks help from him. Instead of just clearing his stand, he would give a false impression of trying to help; but instead, in reality, he’s just making you visit him over and over again. It seems as if their motto is “Promise today, equivocation tomorrow”. In India, the babus are infamously popular for such acts. Be it the kutcheris, banks or any ‘Sarkari Suvidha Kendra’, wherever you go, you are queued to be victimised. Indian governance system isn’t un-swayed by this.

                Then there are individuals who can’t deny a favour to a friend on face but try to gain sympathy of randoms by talking behind his back. C’mon yaar, Be a MAN (or Be a wise woman), I strongly suggest you to talk about why you can’t grant him the favour, or why you can’t do his work,; may be he’s a better person than you and he might understand your situation. It’s better to be strong first and say no than having to make efforts to placate the lost friendship and be off the hook later.

                I have seen some girls who don’t quite enjoy the company of certain individuals around her, but she can’t get rid of them, because she can’t have ‘the conversation’, or in simpler terms can’t say NO to them.

Thereby, I am running a collective request to such individuals to please understand what I am trying to say and think about how easier your life can be after you work on the advice. 

Kai Po Che- Movie Review

First of all, let me clear out the meaning of this phrase most of us heard for the first time; it's a Gujarati phrase for 'I have cut' used when one cuts the kite of someone. The title couldn't be 3 mistakes because there is no 3rd mistake committed by the protagonist to reminisce about.

Based on Chetan Bhagat's third novel '3 mistakes of my life', which I rate worst of all Bhagat's work owing to its uncanny climax, where Ali and Ishaan make the riot and irate environment into their cricket field.
Although the novel was a bestseller, and did receive some polite reviews in some department, and I did learn about the so-called and implicitly understood 'Bro code' from this story for the first time, when Omi warns Govind of his ill-adventures with Ishaan's sister Vidya; Chetan is currently on 1-1(Hello: a flop, no one said hello & 3 idiots: currently an epitome of bro-hood) and will be hoping to have the odds to himself. And it will not be a surprise if the trio of Sushant, Amit Sadh and Raj Kumar Yadav steal the limelight from upcoming releases. They inhabit the characters wholly and have done full justice to their roles.
The portrayals, especially by Sushant and Raj Kumar really make you glue to the screen. While this chemistry does wonders for the movie, Raj Kumar also succeed in making the awkward chemistry between Govi and Vidya look believable and at times gives the only string to hold on for the romantic.
The story, as expected imbibes beautifully, the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, the Godhra Kand, and the communal riots between Hindus and Muslims, while relating their after-effects on the three protagonists' lives.

The ending does gives the audience a surprise, but it doesn't seem inept considering the history of our bollywood movies. Abhishek Kapoor deserves his part of credit, especially after he was initially snubbed by the big names of Bollywood.

In all fairness, a one-time watch, a pure entertainer and another portrayal exemplifying friendship....I watched it with friends and I hope you do too. 

Ronaldo vs. Messi battle- My take

 A common debate encountered between football fans is: Who is better??

Ronaldo or Messi

When it comes to hardcore fans, opinions don’t concord. Messi sure has the lead with his 4^th Ballon d’Or but it isn’t enough when he has a fierce competitor like Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo’s transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 made them stand head to head and pit against each other. The rivalry between their clubs fuelled up the comparison talks between them. While Messi was product of a brilliant product of Barcelona academy that they exhibit ostentatiously, Ronaldo was brought at Bernabeu on popular fan appeal.

Although both have different roles, different positions, different methods at their respective clubs, but the comparison between them is inevitable owing to the fact that they have shared last 5 Ballon’dor amongst them. Both give 100% to their clubs.

Ronaldo has an unflinching pace that takes defenders with surprise; his sharp acceleration helps the cause.  Messi likes to take defenders one-on-one while inching closer to the opponents’ goal-line.

                Well, I am not taking any sides, but every individual has a right to have an opinion, so in order to facilitate that I have garnered some points that can ease you into making your judgment.

1. Pace and acceleration: Ronaldo has a pace like a leopard, out-beating his markers is a walk in the park for him. Messi has sufficient pace to do the out-pacing and he puts his dab body in good use by making low profile supporting runs.
2. Ball control and Dribbling: Dribbling is the Magnus opus of Messi. Infact most of his goals are the result of his gifted supremacy in dribbling. On the other hand, Ronaldo though has a supremacy in the step-overs (or the scissors), but he has been seen a little shy of perfectly executing at times.
3. Assists: I consider both players selfless, though Ronaldo is often touted as a selfish player, but having played at winging position myself, I know that wingers don’t get many chances to prove their selflessness.  
4. Strategy: Both players are good at crafting clear-cut opportunities for their teams. They are not only great cool finishers but are equally expert in engineering opportunities that literally beg for finish.   
5. Shooting: Shooting from a distance is what has made Ronaldo a priceless treasure. His thunderous shots are a scary sight for even best of the goalkeepers. Messi hasn’t been seen much with the long shots but he can’t be underestimated for that.
6. Acrobatics and weak foot ability: Messi has been termed weak in this particular department, and it is quite true owing to his meager 5’7” height, but in recent seasons, he has been making constant progress to subdue such allegations. Statistically speaking, he scores a fair amount of goals with headers. Ronaldo leaps over jumping defenders is a constant sight in Real’s game and its quite clear that there’s no dearth in his aerial abilities. Weak foot ability is a thing, though isn’t a necessary quality but is a great quality to have when bailing out from a compromising situation. Both wizards have excellent weak foot ability, which helps them to gain extra points and fan appreciation.

Another quite impressive quality to consider is free kick taking ability. But I believe when you are in a 5-star team, it isn’t a much needed one. Generally such teams already possess a free kick genius, for example Barcelona has Xavi while Madrid had the services of Beckham and Roberto Carlos.

The discussion will not end, and may never end, but one thing’s for sure that the duo will keep us entertained in the years to come.