So what exactly is it that gives people this all-so-famous fake feeling of ownership. To begin with I have to admit that I am not a hard core supporter of any team; in any sport. Unless there is India, an Indian or a fellow mallu (Indian again but with deeper traceable roots allowed) involved I wouldn’t exactly be able to pick a team. But extreme peer pressure and the need to have something to look forward to while tipping my drink, always makes me pick a side.
All games which don’t involve our country require me to go through a tedious process of elimination to choose a team to root for. Now for the record, this does NOT involve morsels of food placed in boxes within my reach. In the case of such a situation arising, the decision would be purely based on quantity, given that the quality is maintained the same.
Anyway…. I do not consider this “inability” a curse; (No! I am not referring to the morsel-craving; back to the game) I would rather say it’s a relief, since on the occasion of a defeat to the exalted winner- of the aforementioned nomination procedure - I can still go on leading a normal life without feeling the need to proclaim my ability to play better than the players who live by it. I am also lucky to be exempted from that feeling of ownership I was talking about, where I have to deal with the pressure of “My/Our team is playing today” , “We always come back from behind” or worse yet the decisions such as “I think we should play XYZ instead of PQP today”!!!
The enthusiasm shown by these kinds of “fans” (read multitalented personnel who can pitch in as player/coach/owner) can only be understood with the ultimate ability of imagination and spirituality, to the extent of nirvana, which cuts you off from the real world.
Their(senseless) belief that the team they support and they themselves merge into one, can only be compared to the Supreme Being concept of the fictional planet Gaia of Foundation Series*. The sadder thing though is the non-existent timeline for these nerve creeping fans. Not even the players would bother about that 32nd minute mistake made 3 years ago. But our folks would hear nothing of it – a victory is an expected elation while a mistake is an anecdote for life! A conversation over coffee would be decorated with “My team…that day…”..”We should have scored”..Even the lower limit of the year of birth would not hinder their memories what with “WE” winning in 1912, 1956, 1987 and not to mention 2034. Obviously 2 of these would be a deadly disastrous combination – “We got you”, “You shouldn’t have done that to our player” and an occasionally entertaining throw of punches.
Though I complain, I have to admit the watch wouldn’t be a fun occasion if 70 odd people sat peacefully sipping their drinks, with as much interest as Sachin Tendulkar would have in proof reading this post! BUT...then again..”Get a life!”...Well all I can say for now is “Whatever keeps you happy”; as long as it is not in a normal being’s face.
I’ll tell you one thing though, WE won in 1975 and again in 1983 too.. (Go google) J
*FOUNDATION SERIES: A MUST READ for sci-fi lovers.
P.S: Why the heck does WORD check think I would prefer one or three dots instead of 2?..
Shanker
8 comments:
ah well... its all about the game... and hey do u think its an anomaly if u happened to be a fan of led zep or pink floyd even if they are from another country... this is just a another sort of fanbase - for the way the game is played by diff countries... i'll tell u something... i'd rather support arg even if india makes it into a WC...
and like the promotional bit for foundation series... it is one of the most underrated series of books out there...
@Joel : Once again u amaze me with your ability to post random unrelated comments that temp me to delete them :).. I'm not talking about why they are fans, its about how they follow.. do you ever say "we created Comfortably Numb?"...appreciating a talent and thinking you are in par with it are 2 different things.i admit to being passionate when i support a team. but i dont think "I am them and they are me " :)
rofl... yea i tend to do tht... but cm on... when its sports when u support a country u tend to use the 'we' thing... u tallin me u haven't ever done tht when supportin india?? have u not said 'we won' when india won a mtch (no i am not bound by the so called thing 'nationality') its how sports is... plus all those opinions are just tht opinions... for instance when the coach of KKR decided to try the multi captain thingy many felt it wud be a disaster; they never stopped to think whether they were an engineer or a doctor and not the coach did they... it was just their opinion voiced out aloud...
@Joel AGAIN! do u even read the post?! :P..i said supporting india like that makes sense...its atleast ur country playin..homework : read the post,.review ur comment!
i'm talking abt the exact phrase "Why did we do it" instead of "why did he/they do it"..i'm not saying ban fans..u got it all wrong i guess....
Well written da...Can't help but place myself in such a situation. I do this oh-too often when its with sports - not just team sports, but tennis also! Just like when you listen to an amazing song you sing aloud and feel as though you're one with the music - this too is just a part and parcel of the entire "package". You enjoy something the most when you feel you are part of it.
@Sadu : yes..i saw it yesterday when we were watchin the match... bwahah...
oohhhhhh.....AWESOME Post!!
esp. when all u cud hear is FB WC left and right...it is getting on my nerves!!!!GRRRRRRR!!!!!!
"Mistake at 32nd minute 3 yrs back"---ROTFL!!!!!!
loved ur blog...but dis line in particular - "a victory is an expected elation while a mistake is an anecdote for life"
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