Aamir, Big B Tweet talk

All of us who grew up on a heavy dose of Bollywood will die for this one to happen. I know I will for sure. If current trends are to go by, Twitter can perhaps champion this all by itself and stake its claim for getting two of the most talented actors in this era to come together for the first time.

We all know how meticulous Aamir Khan can be when it comes to movie-making. He devours a character during the entire making of a film and undergoes a physical transformation of sorts for that tenure.  And then there is our very own Big B whom I would fondly like to call the first citizen of Bollywood. While Big B and Shah Rukh’s product endorsement blitzkriegs are well-known, our perfectionist a.k.a Aamir Khan is extra cautious even in picking the brands that he endorses. This man really walks the talk. For instance, he uses a Samsung phone, a brand he endorses.

Big B finally convinced Aamir to hop on to Twitter as a means to build a rapport with his fans. After all, it is also the in-thing nowadays. It took a bit of thinking, but Aamir finally got on to the Twitter bandwagon. Understandably, he follows Big B (besides Salman, Imran and Karan Johar) and the tweet exchanges between these two Bollywood icons are always a pleasure read.

A huge fan of both these personalities, I can’t help but imagine a time when they will finally come together for a film, thanks to the bond that is now being cemented by Twitter. As a movie buff I have always envisioned a Shawshank Redemption-like script starring Big B and Aamir. What a delight that would be? The original version had Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, two powerhouses of acting.

Conversations between the two range from the FIFA World Cup to Rafael Nadal. Aamir’s respect for Big B became evident when he actually took to the latter’s suggestion and joined Twitter. He in fact began tweeting with a classic Urdu line as a mark of respect for Big B. As I see both these icons exchange notes on Twitter, I can’t help but dream of a film with both in it. Twitter is indeed turning out to be one Bollywood bonding tool.

Here are some excerpts from Big B’s and Aamir’s conversations on Twitter –

1. 
   SrBachchan @aamir_khan Brazil-Argentina in a penalty shoot out in the finals !! 01 Jul 2010 from web in reply to aamir_khan
2. 
   aamir_khan @SrBachchan with #Arg winning! 🙂 01 Jul 2010 from Twitter for Android in reply to SrBachchan
3. 
   SrBachhann @aamir_khan Morning ! Told you of the ‘madness’ you would create .. barely 2 days and over 70,000 followers.. that’s immense .. 02 Jul 2010 from web
4. 
   aamir_khan @SrBachhann thanks to you, sir 🙂 02 Jul 2010 from Twitter for Android in reply to SrBachhann
5. 
   SrBachchan T46 -Don’t feel like watching anymore football ! Brazil out ! Unbelievable !! Oh ! heartbreaking .. 02 Jul 2010 from web
6. 
   aamir_khan @SrBachchan Sir, Argentina! 02 Jul 2010 from Twitter for Android in reply to SrBachchan
7. 
   SrBachchan @aamir_khan I do !! After the midnight game !!.. this evening Nadal-Berdych at Wimbledon 04 Jul 2010 from web in reply to aamir_khan
8. 
   aamir_khan @SrBachchan what is your prediction, sir? 04 Jul 2010 from Twitter for Android in reply to SrBachchan
9. 
   SrBachchan @aamir_khan nadal so far .. But in this unpredictable season can’t say anything .. You ..? 04 Jul 2010 from Twitter for BlackBerry® in reply to aamir_khan

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Brazil Portugal Face-off

On 25th June, Brazil is going to take on Portugal in their Group G clash. Brazil is on a winning streak and the five-time champions are looking forward to beat Portugal and top the group. Portugal, on the other hand, have delivered a stupendous performance against North Korea in their previous match and it seems like they have their groove back.

Princy James, ‘football correspondent’ as she’s called in the editorial bay of  Yahoo! India, and guest writer Aditya Ramgopal,  engineer by profession and football fan by choice, tell you why they think Portugal/Brazil will win. Whose side are you on? And why? Leave us a comment below.

Princy thinks Portugal is going to win because:

*  The Cristiano Ronaldo factor: Though he has scored only a single goal in WC so far, Brazil better watch out, for the boy has already broken his goal jinx. Also, Portugal displayed some fancy footwork in their previous match with 7 goals, in what seemed to be a one-sided World Cup match since Germany routed Saudi Arabia 8-0 in 2002.

* The seven goals came from 6 different players, including a double from Tiago. Even if you are able to clamp Tiago, there will be five more to worry about. Beware these dangerous men – Meireles, Simao, Almeida, Tiago, Liedson and the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo.

Watch Portugal’s 7 goal shower against North Korea

*  Under the aggressive leadership of Ronaldo, Portugal have found their feet in South Africa and Brazil with all their flair will have to look out for the Portuguese ambition to lift the coveted trophy.

* The return of playmaker Deco will provide the much-needed resistance in Portugal’s line-up. His movement in the penalty area is something that Maicon and co have to look out for. With Fabio Coentrao managing the defence role with authority, Dunga will have to come up with an alternative to break the deadlock.

* Goalie Eduardo remains unbeaten and so far no team has breached Portugal’s goalie. So netting the ball isn’t going to be that easy with vigilant Eduardo safeguarding his post. However, coach Carlos Queiros may need extra adjustments to avoid Robinho or Fabiano anywhere near the Portugal box.

* Another important thing is the absence of Kaka who was given the red card during Brazil’s previous match against Ivory Coast.  Brazil won’t be the same without their brilliant midfielder.

Kaka’s red card: See video

*  Portugal enjoys the cushion of massive goal advantage and even if it ends up even with Ivory Coast on points, they are through.

* Bookies favour Brazil to Portugal, but football is an unpredictable game and if you go by history, you can find that teams which were less favoured always lifted the World Cup. Italy weren’t the favourites last time. And Brazil’s victory in 2002 was also not anticipated. Above all, France, who failed to qualify in 1994 made a historic comeback lifting the trophy for the first time in 1998. So who knows, it might be Portugal’s turn this time.

Aditya thinks Brazil will win because:

* Portugal were impressive in their rout of North Korea. However, there were murmurs that seemed to convey the feeling that the normally defensive North Korea were forced to play a more adventurous game due to, shall we say, pressure from higher up. [Unsubstantiated, of course.] This opened up space that exposed their defense, and allowed Portugal to come into their own.

* However, Portugal have been rather poor in qualification, and generally uninspired. If it’s the Portugal of the qualification phase, then the formidable defence of Brazil shouldn’t have trouble, despite Cristiano Ronaldo.

* Brazil have a quality back four plus two defensive midfielders in Gilberto Silva and Felipe who will have a tougher task especially because Brazil might be lacking in the creative department.

* Kaka was unfairly red-carded during the match against Ivory Coast, which means he will be suspended, whilst Elano looks doubtful due to injury. This means Dunga will have a bit of a headache trying to shuffle his side around. Ramires of Benfica and Josue of Wolfsburg might be forced into action.

* I wouldn’t be as confident as I was during the CIV match. However, Brazil have shown enough depth to get the job done. Expect a smash-and-grab win from Brazil, on the break, with the pace of Robinho, Maicon and Bastos to help Luis Fabiano.

Watch out for these guys: The Brazilian squad

Aditya R sporadically blogs about nearly anything that catches his fancy, including football and his love for the Brazil team, here.

Happy Birthday Messi!

There is only one Pele, one Maradona, and there can be only one Messi! The first two names are synonymous with legends, but Messi has still got a lot to prove to join the list of all-time greats. He is a legend in the making. Today, as Messi turns a year older and a lot dearer, expectations go higher. Barca’s super kid’s birthday coincides with the World Cup and if Argentina wins the World Cup, there couldn’t be a better birthday gift for him. Sadly, Argentina’s star player hasn’t netted a goal yet; still, Messi fans around the world have faith in him. Though he hasn’t able to score so far, Messi made some great assists in Argentina’s matches against S Korea and Greece. In the match against Greece, we saw Messi glide past the defenders towards Palermo who was there at the right moment to net the ball as Messi’s shot rebounded after touching the bar.

Fame is a boon and a curse the same time. Off  the field, it earns you stardom. But even stardom comes with its own share of hardships.  A star player will be more vulnerable to tackling which makes every movement hard. The more your ability, the more it will be put to the test. Messi dribbles past defenders like a gliding bird, often with great ease. Consistency is an added asset to him and he has always been able to render some crucial assists even when he fails to score. It’s hard to believe that he was a kid whose talent had been challenged by physical limitations (he had to depend for long on medications as he had growth hormone deficiency). Was Messi destined to be great, or was it his sheer talent that helped him rise against the currents of fate?

Watch Messi playing football as a kid

When Barca agreed to pay for his treatment, the club literally ‘adopted’ him. The Spanish club was impressed by his playing skills and they had no doubt about the kid becoming their star player one day. Messi’s attachment with the club thus began, and he didn’t let them down.

Messi was only 17 when Barca coach Frank Rijkaard decided to launch him for the league matches. He made an impressive start proving Rijkaard right.  He didn’t fail the trust people had in him, and Barca decided to not let this young prodigy go. He earned his Spanish citizenship and as Rijkaard’s team went on to win the La Liga and UEFA Champions League, Messi contributed 6 goals in his 17 league appearances.

Messi with Frank Rijkaard

A year later, the tally rose to 14 off 26 matches. An impressive hat-trick against Racing de Santander brought Messi to the limelight as he relentlessly helped a 10-men Barca level up against their offenders. The same season, he duplicated Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ against Getafe, which earned him the name ‘Messidona’. Interestingly enough, it was succeeded by a Messi version of Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ against Espanol.

In the 2007 – 08 season, Messi’s stardom rose and he got nominated for “Ballon d’Or”, the honour given to the best European footballer. He was also voted second in the FIFA World Player of the Year. With the departure of Ronaldinho to Milan, Messi earned the No 10 jersey. In 2009, Messi played a significant role in earning Barca the UEFA Champions League title scoring a goal along with Eto against Manchester United in the finals.

Watch Messi’s top 10 goals

In the same year, Barca went on to win the  Copa del Rey and La Liga, thereby completing a hat-trick. And there was no looking back for Messi from then on. Barca renewed his contract once again for a record sum and he went on to win the Ballon d’Or edging past Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo by a big margin. Messi continued his brilliant performance, justifying Barca’s move of signing him. Though Messi helped his team retain the Champions League title in 2010, his 4 goals against Arsenal in the quarterfinals were much talked about.

See video

Messi often fails to exhibit this same level of brilliance  while representing Argentina. Playing for the national team is different from playing for the club. It’s not just about the money involved, for in clubs, one can find a greater harmony between the players as they spend a huge amount of time together. Though the patriotic spirit does unite the players, they often fail to find the same rhythm when it comes to national teams.  Still, Messi was instrumental in assisting the goals – for Higuain and Palermo, and that would satisfy coach/mentor Maradona.

Despite being compared to Maradona, Messi keeps saying: “I’m tired of saying this. There is only one Maradona, and there is no one like him. I play my own way, and always try to do my best.” Messi wants to be Messi, not Maradona II.

Wonder what makes him so lovable. Of course yes, it’s his talent, but there is something more about him. He arrives without much ado, stuns the audience and leaves equally silently. Shy and soft-mannered, he contradicts other star players of his generation like Cristiano Ronaldo who is mostly in the news for reasons other than the game. Messi is no comparison for Ronaldo when it comes to girls [Messi’s name has been associated with only 3 girls so far :)] and endorsements. If you disassociate him from football, little do you get to dig into, save his charity work.

Messi is loved for what he is. By the world. And by me.

Happy birthday, Messi!

Read my previous post on Messi and Maradona’s relationship here.

Life Inside a Football

How I wish I got a month’s break from work to catch up with all the football action in South Africa. If flying to South Africa is not an option, I could even do with watching all the action at home on TV. What if someone paid me $3000 for doing just this? How about if this entire tournament unfolds inside a ball that resembles the Adidas Jabulani football being used at the World Cup? I could definitely do with something like that.

Adam Santarossa from Melbourne, Australia, is doing exactly this. Adam emerged the winner in a contest by a local soccer magazine and this is the reward he gets for being a football fanatic. Adam is perhaps the only person in Australia who is getting paid to watch the FIFA World Cup in the comforts of a ‘football home’. His total price money amounts to $10,000 along with other goodies like a laptop, Playstation 3 and a plasma television.

Adam is spending these 31 days in a 6-meter tall fibre-glass replica of the Adidas Jabulani tournament ball. Adam’s new home for these 31 days includes in-built couches as well as a kitchen. Considering the giant ball is located in the promenade of Crown Casino, Adam gets a 1-hr break for his ablutions at the Casino where he also gets to shower. This sports journalist even cleared his medical tests, psychiatric analysis and a police check to enter the competition. (Talk about addiction to football!) All he is expected to do is spend his time in his football home watching the matches, updating blogs and video diaries as well as the Facebook ‘manintheball’ page.

In more ways than one, this is indeed turning out to be the best football experience of Adam’s life. If you’re rich or lucky or both, you might even end up going to watch a game in person. But the odds of watching it all inside a ball and getting paid to do it is, well, next to impossible.

Can I switch lives with Adam Santarossa, please, God?

Here are my previous posts:

• Jabulani ki Kahani
• Exercise ke Side Effects
• Vikram clicks as Raavanan
• Fugitive for 40 years
• Owner’s Loss, Neighbour’s Gain – The Story of Debrahlee Lorenzana

Celebrating Football Goals

Soccer fever has descended upon us folks; and although I am not a such a huge soccer fan (never watched the leagues, am more a World Cup person) I couldn’t help but write about my favourite thing about soccer, the goals!

The artistry, presence of mind, an almost telepathic connection between players and of course, the pure genius (sometimes stupidity) of crafting a goal is exhilarating to watch.

No wonder the celebration that follows is something to watch out for; for players, fans at the stadium as well as viewers like us at home.

World Cup USA 1994, was especially memorable for two reasons. One, I was pitted against my father and sister; who were both supporting Brazil while I whistled for Italy. And two, for the wonderful display of the joys of fatherhood by Bebeto, when he scored a goal against The Netherlands (then Holland). His son Mattheus was born just two days before this match. Oh, by the way, Brazil won that match against Holland that day, and then went on to win the World Cup (much to my dismay; but that’s a different story).

They were rivals yes, I wanted them to lose yes, but I could not help go “Awww” when I saw the celebrations after Bebeto scored the second goal. Take a look at the video:

This next goal celebration made me laugh, and was the one by England’s Peter Crouch. The guy is 6 feet 7 inches tall! His signature moves have put him in almost every “Funniest-Goal-Celebrations” countdown there is. Take a look at his robotic moves.

Phew! There are so so many more we could talk about. But how about summing up with these two hilarious montages from celebrations everywhere. Enjoy!

And this one’s a Top 20 of the funnest, coolest goal celebrations, ever! Take a look.

Have a favourite goal you’d like to talk about? Let me know about it.

My colleagues, Princy and Anirban, have written superb posts on Football and World Cup. Make sure you catch those too.

To read my earlier posts, click here.

Is Maradona 'Messing' with Messi?

The King should be delighted and take pride in his best soldier. But unfortunately this case doesn’t apply for the Argentine squad – where the greatest player in football history and the greatest player of the times come together – Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

On field, there are many things that unite both – the talent, the agility, instinct, and how they dribble past the defenders; one can draw lots of parallels here. In fact,we can see a carbon copy of Maradona in Messi. Strange it might seem, but there are more things other than their short stature that unites Messi and Maradona. In 2007, with disbelief in its eyes, the world watched Messi replicating Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ against the Spanish club Getafe. Is it mere co-incidence or a miracle that the touches (13), duration (13 seconds), and the number of opponents (6) were identical to that of Maradona’s?

Watch Messi’s Goal of the century replica

It doesn’t stop here; weeks later, Messi even did a ‘Hand of God’ goal by punching in a score against Espanol.

 

Messi's and Maradona's 'Hand of God'

 

Maradona was a genius who failed miserably when it came to handling fame. His best achievements were always overshadowed by a story of deceit. The ‘Hand of God’ and the ‘Goal of the century’ is something that happened back-to-back! Outside court, he always sought wrong solace – drugs, alcohol, etc. Here was an incredibly talented but unsure man always seen fidgeting as if his overactive mind couldn’t be contained in that small body!

Talk about Messi! He is too young for the accolades accorded to him. Still, there is some unusual serenity in this guy that reminds of calm waters with powerful under currents. Aggressiveness takes a positive hue when it comes to Messi. Beyond the angelic face, there is something about him that sends cold shivers down the spine of the opponents. Like Diego, Messi too is hard to be contained, but only on the field.

What do you expect when the ‘best’ meets the ‘best’? Even before the World Cup kicked off, many doubts were raised regarding the Maradona-Messi relationship. In fact the not-so cordial affair had given way to serious apprehensions. Many doubted whether Maradona would be able utilize Messi’s full potential. The fact that Barca’s prolific Messi failed to yield the same with his national team fuelled these fears.

Is Messi considered an outsider in Argentina? Having spent more than a decade in Spain with Barca, he is not held that close to the hearts of Argentines as Maradona. Messi had his reasons – his club ‘Newell’s Old Boys’ wasn’t willing to spend for his medical expenses; Messi had no other option but to switch to Barca which meant cutting his national ties. Messi left his country out of need, not out of greed, and he was denied a chance to become a national hero like Maradona or Eva Peron or Che Guevara! But all these often fall to the deaf ears of the football fanatics of his country. Being not poor is considered a sin by the people there even if there is no logic connection between poverty and virtue; and nor does Messi care to owe an explanation, because Messi rarely talks for himself, and whenever he does, he lets the game do the talking. Virtuosity, not virtue, is what matters most to Messi.

When Argentines failed to rise to the expectations in their opening match, many doubted Maradona’s decision of excluding the ‘passing machine’ Riquelme from his squad. Maradona, they say, makes decisions with his heart not head, something that cannot be applicable in a game where tactics matter equally as talent.

Maradona and Riquelme – who inherited the former’s No 10 shirt at Boca, never saw eye to eye. Their feuds eventually lead to Riquelme’s omission from the World Cup squad; a big loss to the team. Many doubted Javier Mascherano’s calibre to replace Riquelme. But Argentineans’ big win over Korea erases all these doubts and allegations and Maradona is hailed once again, thanks to Messi and Higuan’s effort, and the great teamwork they exhibited.

Selfish player (?), a prodigy worth watching – the same Maradona is behind all these contradictory remarks about Messi. Has it got something to do with envy lying deep down under there? The fear of a new kid taking over his throne? Baseless fear I say, for Argentines’ love for Messi is different from that for Maradona, and Messi is the least desperate to take it over from him. In fact, the comparison is suffocating the kid a lot and it’s a heavy burden for him, by his own admission. In Messi’s own words: “To be the best player in the world, I have to prove it at the World Cup.” This task is shared by both Maradona and Messi alike – both have to lead the nation to victory to prove their worth. It could earn Messi a constant place in the heart of Argentines, a chance of becoming one amongst them.

For Maradona, it will serve to wash away his sins and he will be elated to a new high – someone who took his nation to heights both as a player and a coach. It was pleasing to watch Maradona hugging Messi after their stupendous showdown against the Korean Republic! Let’s hope that he will take it beyond there. It’s up to Maradona now, to cleanse his heart of everything personal, for that’s where Argentina’s fate rests…

 

Maradona hugs Messi after their win against Korean Republic