"Am Mr.X Representing INDIA Sir"

I Just Like to start my new post with 2 Quotes: 

"Goal of Team India at the Olympics: Rio jao. Selfies lo. Khaali haat wapas aao. What a waste of money and opportunity."

This Quote & Shobhaa De , a well-known columnist, author, and socialite, with 7.7 lakh followers on Twitter are trending on social sites.

Now an another Quote:
“I feel like a beggar asking for such things” 

This Quote won't be so popular as the earlier one, as Shobhaa De like Indians wishes to discuss & create Controversies than finding a little time to share some realities. These words came from the mouth of a sprinter from Odisha called Dutee Chand, who had to run from pillar to post, not for a ticket to Rio but to get running shoes. Until June, her concern was the lack of spike shoes as the ones she used had worn out. 

Being an Indian, Shobhaaji has the right to express what he think. We can't blame for that. There are many other Indians too who express their disappointment through different  trolls and all. One of my favourite trolls was " Olympics is an event created for the other nations just to  insult India once in every 4 years". We can't blame them too. Blindly when we hear such things we would also laugh because it's a reality. Its so sad to hear that Since 1900 India has only won 26 medals (out of which the bronze that Saina Nehwal won in London 2012 was a gift from her opponent who withdrew from finals after sustaining a calf injury) which reveal the fact that our athletes don't perform well when it matters the most.
But Being a Small Sportsman, a hardcore Sports Addict, I won't Blame our Athletes for their Performance and I would be there with them in my prayers, especially in the bad patch.

Its like claiming a gold ,When the Athletes like Dutee Chand and all participates. That's how Our Olympians are living in this world before Olympics starts. Unlike other countries We just discuss these Olympians only during Olympics or Asian Games. That attitude has to be changed. When we treat an athlete like an engineer,a doctor or as any other professional the things would change. The money given to the medalists after winning should be given 3-4 years before when they start practicing to achieve their goal.

Through Shobhaaji's  tweet, she simply meant that Indians are fools to invest Athletes like our Hockey skipper Sreejesh, a farmer's son from Kerala, who took to sports at the age of six to realise his Olympics dream in Rio.I just mentioned his name as She tweeted on the day our Indian Hockey Lost to Germany in the last seconds. We all know that even though India have a great past in Hockey, our team didn't qualify for the Beijing Olympics,was last in the London Olympics and Germany,our opponents,the 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist won their 4th gold in London. Still, the side and the skipper,who started from zero didn't give up, they tried their level best, but unfortunately an extra time goal changed the things against their favour. In Games these things are common, the only thing we could do is just curse yourself for being unlucky. Yesterday the Same Indian Side beat Argentina. Not just Gold defines glory, we have to appreciate the hard work too.
When we blame our Olympians one thing keep in mind   burden of carrying the hopes of a billion plus Indians are on their shoulders. You and I, mere wordsmiths, won't comprehend it. Let us not even try. 

The Indian woman's national field hockey team has  qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics for the first time since the 1980 Summer Olympics and they lost to giants like Australia and Britain cheaply. What we audience watch is "they lost", they forgot "they qualified since 1980". Kabir Khan and all happens in movies only, in real life we have to wait for miracles and hopefully God will do such miracles in some hardworking athletes in coming days.  Many such stories! Dipa Karmakar the first Gymnast from India to qualify for the games.  Can we Imagine an Indian attempting  extremely risky Produnova?  When the whole world appreciates her, a well known Indian is insulting our athletes.

There is a joke in our country, now we call it as the troll: " How will we become athletes When our SCIENCE -MATHS teachers borrow the P.T. PERIOD( OR GAMES HOUR)!" This is a joke, but its a reality in many of our schools. Unlike China and all, we Indians are not giving importance to Games as we give to other professions. How many parents in this country wish their child to become a sportsman? In states like Kerala Media and all have time to celebrate a Politician's Resignation from a party, but don't have time to discuss their Olympians when the medal tally is ZERO.Unlike other nations, Our Athletes don't have money, enough infrastructure, still, they perform to make our nation proud, improves day by day! LEAVE ALL THAT. TRANSFORMING AN INDIAN TO AN OLYMPIAN IS AN ANOTHER BIG TOPIC TO DISCUSS,BUT NOT FOR NOW.

 "I am sure, with our support, things will change. I, for sure, am going to be with our athletes, especially when the chips are down.” The amount  of confidence that the Indian Contingent gets from these words said by Great Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is something we can't even imagine . So Shobha De, Please don't discourage our athletes by making such comments, especially in between the games. You don't know the impact of a "good wish" especially when the  Indian Contingent is down. Let us follow the words of Sachin, the greatest ambassador of sport in our country.

The first half hasn’t gone according to our plan, our expectations. But still,  there are many Sainas and Tintus to Participate. So as SACHIN Said, "Be with them, be behind them". 

Did PARIS Said "“Khaali haat wapas aao. What a waste of money and opportunity” in French? "  After the agonising fall of French gymnast, Samir Ait Said when he broke his left leg ???


"AM Mr.X REPRESENTING INDIA SIR"
BE PROUD & SAY IT LOUD!


courtsey; TS SUDHIR, A SENIOR JOURNALIST
-RJ :)

COPA AMERICA:A look back at the oldest intercontinental football tournament.

Time for little bit sports and now its the time for Football as 100th  Anniversary of Copa America is taking place in the USA.

As the Copa America Centenario comes about on 100 anniversary of the oldest intercontinental football tournament(older than the world cup itself ), let us take a look back at the tournament's glorious past.

The Copa América, formerly known as the South American Football Championship, is a men's international football tournament contested between the
national teams of CONMEBOL, determining the continental champion of South America. It is the oldest international continental football competition. The first Copa America was contested in Argentina in 1916 among the four major footballing teams in South America, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile, as the 'Campeonato Sudamericano de Football'.Uruguay would emerge triumphant in the very first edition and would go on to retain their title in the 2nd edition held in their own home soil. The Copa would subsequently be conducted every year till the inaugural world cup in 1930(except 1919) adding Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru along the way. It is also worth noting that the governing body of football in South America, the CONMEBOL, was established only after the success of the first tournament in 1916.
After the first world cup was conducted in Uruguay in 1930, a subsequent altercation between Argentine and Uruguayan FAs saw the Copa being suspended till 1935 when it was held in Peru. Since then the tournament has been conducted in a more or less irregular manner until now. After eight years of absence from 19677-75, the event resumed in 1975 and officially acquired the name Copa América. The tournament then had no fixed venue, and all matches were played throughout the year in each country.

The competition reverted back to its old format, involving a host in 1987 and subsequently started the current format involving 12 teams in 1993. Since then 2 teams from around the world have been invited ever since in order to fill in for the 2 remaining slots after the 10 members of CONMEBOL were granted automatic qualification.

Till date, 44 such editions of the Copa have been held in which Uruguay and Argentina remain the most successful with 15 and 14 titles respectively. But most of the success of these two teams have come in the yesteryears, with Argentina failing to win since 1993 and Uruguay facing a 16-year trophy drought between 1995 and 2011. Chile one of the participants in the inaugural tournament managed their first Copa in the last concluded tournament which they hosted last year.

This year a special Centenario edition of the tournament is being held in the USA involving all the teams from the North and South America(ie the CONMEBOL & CONCACAF members.)

Over the years, the Copa has produced some memorable moments be it the initial power struggle between Uruguay and Argentina or the most followed present-day rivalry between Argentina and Brazil. The Copa also has produced surprise winners including the recent triumphs of Chile and Uruguay as well as the 2001 victory that Columbia managed in the tournament they hosted. The tournament has also thrown up surprising results such as the Honduras win over Brazil in the 2001 tournament and both Brazil and Argentina failing to make the semis in 2011, despite entering the tournaments as the favorites.

It is also worth noting that two of footballs greatest names, Pele and Diego Maradona, neither managed to win the Copa America during their careers. Argentina dominated the copas in the 50s and early 60s when Pele managed to inspire Brazil to its first three world cup triumphs and during Maradona golden period, Argentina was initially overpowered by Uruguay and Brazil and then the legend failed to take part in the Argentine teams that triumphed in '93 and '91.

Both don't have a Copa :)

It is also worth noting that Argentina made the finals in 27 of the 44 tournaments so far while Uruguay has appeared in the semis on 34 occasions. In recent years Brazil too has emerged successful with triumphs in both 2005 and 2007 bringing their tally to 8 titles.

Among individual honors yesteryear stars, Ziziinho of Brazil and Norberto Mendez of Argentina holds the record for maximum goals scored with 17 each, whereas among relatively recent players Gabriel Batistuta of Argentina has 13 keeping him tied in the 4th spot.

The present-day favorite Lionel Messi holds the record for most assists with 9. He also has the most man of the match awards with 6, but yet hasn't managed to win the famous trophy in the blue and white stripes of Argentina.

Going into the 2016 tournament, Argentina enter as favourites this June following the Brazilian decision to rest their top star Neymar in favour  of the Olympics that is to be held in Rio in August but still are expected to mount a firm challenge with the team including numerous stars such as Willian and also a rising gem in the youngster Gabriel dubbed 'Gabigol' by the Brazilian media. Holders Chile would also fancy their chances, led in attack by Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez and boasting Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to lead the side.2011 victors Uruguay would also be in with a shout following the return of Luis Suarez, who missed the last edition through a FIFA ban and also boast the likes of Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin in their ranks.Peru, Paraguay, and Equador led by Manchester United's Antonio Valencia too are capable of springing a surprise , while the USA managed by the tactically astute Jurgen Klinsmann is bound to be a challenge for any side and despite missing their star striker Radamel Falcao, Columbia involving the 2014 world cup top scorer James Rodriguez is bound to be in with a shout.

2016 Copa America Centenario edition would be the largest till date and is bound to be an interesting watch for all football fans around the globe.
-GT