The recent focus on the Football World Cup is a clear indication that deep down inside we all want to win... or at least.... watch others winning. I am amazed by the number of people who also support the underdog. This is another phenomenon that is interesting. We like to back the winning team so that we can revel in the victory, but somewhere inside is a sympathetic cord that vibrates excitedly when the underdog not only survives, but wins... against the odds.

1. The Best team does not always win.
   Early predictions were about Argentina, Germany, Brazil... and a few others. The Dutch may not have even been serious contenders, and though they had been in the final twice before, they had never won the cup. Spain... even though they were the Euro Champs... were not really in contention. Put another way, even the best team on the day might lose. (and we can call it Bad Luck... Hand of God.... Bad Refereeing or any other expression that makes it easier for us to accept the reality.)


2. Even Non-players can enjoy the game.
   While football aficionados will enjoy watching the game, I was amazed when my wife and daughter got drawn into the games closer to the final on the 11th of July. Was it the media that was responsible? Was it that we are social creatures, and want to be part of the action... and not left out? Why is it that we want to be part of what’s Happening?


3. People get passionately involved.
   We have all witnessed the euphoria of cricket... and what it does to us when India is playing. I have seen many people missing work to watch the match. The nation almost comes to a halt when India is in the final... We party on the streets... when we win... we curse our stars... and we mourn when the team loses.


4. Where are we on the world map?
   We have over 1 billion people, but we are not able to even qualify for the Football World Cup. We look up to a few individual winners that we have produced in other sports.... Prakash Padukone, Wilson Jones, Michael Fereira, P T Usha, Vijay Amritraj (and Anand), Ramnathan Krishnan, Vishwanathan Anand, Abhinav Bhindra, Sania... and more recently Saina Nehwal... and we feel fabulous when they win... and desolate when they lose. We align emotionally with these greats... but now the big question that I have always wanted to ask...



WHAT HAVE WE DONE ? Have we tried to...

• Play a sport (at least up to the State level?) (There s a lot you can gain from competing, and with a little coaching, it is not impossible to be ranked at the state level)


• Promote the sport (whichever one you want to)
  • through sponsoring a player... or an event... or
  
  
  • at least buying a ticket and watching the match live?
  
  
• Encourage youngsters to take up a new sport... at least for fitness and mind control? (Vijay and Anand Amritraj took tennis classes to overcome an asthmatic problem)


• Join a Committee/Council that promotes sports/games? (One of my friends plays amateur table tennis but he is on the National TT council and does a lot to promote the sport)
5. Random Thoughts.
   The value of a game or sport is tremendous... be it physical fitness... or mental toughness... or team playing... or learning to win... or lose. The game – can also be exciting for the spectators. (Don’t we all know that?)

We know a lot about how fair/unfair referees or umpires are... but how many of us have seriously studied the Rule Book?

We can be silent spectators. But, what if we make up our minds to play at least one game or sport? Wouldn’t that be great? While there’s a lot of fun watching... but what’s even better is to get into the game. I could hear my neighbours shouting... screaming... clapping... and that is something that all of us could be doing... because if nothing else... at least out of curiosity... you could get someone else interested to watch the game.... and increase the TRPs ... so that more sponsors would back the game...

For our sakes and for the sake of our country... lets articulate those impressive patriotic statements like Mera Bharat Mahan, and India is the Best! But over and above all this... LETS DO SOMETHING.... however small to add some real value to some game!

I look forward to a day when India is on the world’s stage for ALL Sports... we have the people, the resources, and the need... all we have to DO is to...

BELIEVE... and... WE CAN DO IT!

Try to compete and be the best
Play for fun or even take the test
Watch the game and enjoy the zest
Life’s game is on... there’s no time to rest.