Games and Sports

The adrenalin pump of the final few minuets, the agony of a lost cause, ecstasy of a thrilling win , abject despondency, rabid chauvinism, elation, redemption, consternation, emancipation. Just some of the emotions one associates with sporting contests. Just what is about sports that brings a divided lot together, makes sharing of individual grief or joy with absolute strangers akin to sharing of emotions that are mutual. What is it about sports that makes fully evolved adults of our species behave like the harbingers of human race, tribal loyalties, unwarranted passions, envy, hatred, pride, machismo…you name it you will get it. Surely scenes of brute men pushing and shoving each other to carry an elongated and inflated piece of rubber past a touch line cannot be anybody’s idea of pleasure.
Yet…..

Sports.. people like you and me taking multiple forms of physical exertions to sights of aesthetic beauty. Think of a Roger Fedrer cross-court backhand . Men coming together, their bodies in synchronized motion and writing poetry, think of the Argentine football team that campaigned in 2006 world cup. Men crafting strokes that defy laws of physics, VVS Laxman anyone, demonstration of the might of mind, heard of the that Texan cyclist. Sport has the uncanny knack of challenging the frontiers of human achievements every day. Its not without reason a swimmer would any day take an Olympic gold to a world record, for she knows which one is permanent. You don not see advances made by BMW every week, you see distance runners push the envelope every day. Sport also makes an ass of you like nothing else. So you thought Milan were the European champions after 45 minutes. Yes they didn’t put money on India back in 83 and yes I am as baffled as you are as to how Mr. Bubka missed out on all those Olympic golds. Most of us indulge ourselves in some sport or the other in our formative years. We either get the final touch, for we are right there on the goal line, or we hit that inch perfect cover drive and never repeat it again. If nothing else there is always a catch to remember or that rare victory over a better player in an individual sport. In due course worldly tasks take over and the dream of that one moment when the world is watching and we produce that magical moment remains just that.
For we are conditioned to consider notions of conquering the world as illusions. Lives programmed to attain a semblance of materialistic success. Fighting to survive in our comfort zones. For survival it is. It’s narration varying with the stakes involved. So we live but the instincts have their own lives. And then we hit pay dirt. We either discover a team that plays our beloved game just the way we wanted to or a player living our dreams. If the two do not suffice marketers come along tom - toming sporting success as panacea to all the distress the nation endures. So we are glued to the tele all night and are willing to risk physical harm to be a part of the spectacle. Some of us are lucky for we do not let the glitter of stars and the hype overshadow our love for the game, others succumb to hero worship and pseudo nationalism.
In a world where its tough not be cynical vis-à-vis sports, crass commercialization called IPL being the latest edition, a contest still does it to me. Then there is nothing like taking sides. Roger and Nadal at 07 Wimbledon had me glued to the seat till the last bloody point. Watching Roger hit the till than invisible top gear in the fifth set and make an enthralling contest a once in a life time game was special. Here’s the confession- if Nadal had won the game I would have never bothered to bring up the game ever again. Oh the joy of rooting for the underdog and see them prevail. Add to that the mystery of the process. How does a middle aged blond lead a bunch of nobody’s to a level of success they possibly never thought was possible. How do teams, and individuals, wriggle out of seemingly hopeless situations and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Can the mind consistently beat talent. Why is that some are fearless and bigger the stage better they are while some forget basics and crumble when the stakes go up. Do let me know if you have got answers to any of those.