Nightmare Kills Aussie Dream!

None but the diehard Italian optimist would have hoped for Italy to join the elite club into the next stage of the World Cup knock out. And for the sarcastic pessimist of all the hype blown out of proportion surrounding the football gala, there must have been some reason to think twice in his next line of attacks on the millions of maniacs.

Beckam did the trick yesterday to justify the Indian 'International' movie's name; and what a slice it was indeed with the artistic touch of a master craftsman, sliding right past the goal post, squeezing through the gloves of the desperate goal keeper! The one free kick made all the difference yesterday. And today, it was a twist of fate from the Aussie stand point! And it was indeed ironical that the Yellow shirts, who went into this game as underdogs were actually quite aggressive and dominated over the favourites for most part of the game. Frustration was written all over the face of the Italian coach who had nothing to do but to gesture wildly in the air, wondering if he really deserved to be in his seat at all with such a meak show by the Italians. A ball possession ratio of 61 - 39 against the Blue men did not quite tell the whole story. The Italians looked dead on the field; they stood as if they were just out of a deep depression, struggling to find their true selves, doubting every cell of theirs before making a move. Most of the game was played in the Italian half. Well, the Aussies surely deserved a win today!

Just as the Italians struggled to avert conceding a goal and getting the game extended into the extra time came the horriffying act that stabbed, killed and burried their opponent for the next four long years. For a team that thoroughly dominated the opponents, conceding a penalty in the last 10 seconds of the game would be a nightmare that would haunt the Aussies for the rest of their lives. "Cruel" was the word the commentator used to describe the situation - and there couldnt have been a better adjective! The Aussies were aggressive, confident, dominant, valiant - and the most unfortunate!

"Clearway against Football": Critics Grill Clearway!

Critic: Is it true that Clearway is a headstrong blog?

Clearway: No idea what you mean by that. But if you are hinting at Head and Shoulders, Clearway doesn't advertise in its space.

Critic: I concede that might not have been the best way to start an interview.

Clearway: There are no defined paths to go about doing things. I never accused you; so you dont have to concede anything.

Critic: Well, the main purpose of this chat is to draw your attention to the way you are being perceived.

Clearway: I dont see what is to be achieved by that and how that would affect me.

Critic: Alright, let me get to the point. Why have you not reported the World Cup?

Clearway: I would have reported it if there was no other way people could have known that the World Cup had started. I did not report it because people already knew that the event was underway.

Critic: Is that a valid reason? I find it as more of an excuse.

Clearway: Well, that was a response; you may categorise it as you wish.

Critic: The point is, what do you plan to achieve by choosing not to report an event as big as the World Cup!

Clearway: Well, there is no point in reporting it. I told you that.

Critic: An event that draws all eyes to it, that has so much of History about it, the biggest entertainment of the world, a feast for every football lover, and you see no point in talking a word about that?

Clearway: So, what do you expect me to say? That the World Cup has started off in Germany? That is a mere news and makes no sense. I might report the event if the football got lost when the game was all set to begin and all the stores in Germany ran out of stock just then.

Critic: That's being cynical about something Historical.

Clearway: Im being neither cynical nor historical; Im just being practical.

Critic: Okay, what's your opinion about Brazil being the most favoured team?

Clearway: Everyone talks about Brazil because they do not know much about the other teams; and they can't imagine not talking about football in a World Cup season!

Critic: Does it mean that you discount Brazil and dismiss it's world renowned skills?

Clearway: Im not a Discounter nor am I an employer of the Brazilian team to dismiss them. I was talking about the froth in all the talk about Football.

Critic: The discussion is not about people; it's about football.

Clearway: Perhaps, that might have been a reason why I did not report the event?

Critic: Okay. Which country do you think would run away with the World Cup?

Clearway: It would definitely not be India. As for running away with the World Cup, anyone could do that. But winning it is different.

Critic: Ahemm . . . so who do you think would WIN the World Cup?

Clearway: I can easily predict that. But suppose my prediction turns right, the winning Team will have to give me the World Cup and walk back home.

Critic: Whatt???

Clearway: Don't worry; I have some other cups with me. I shall give one of those to them.

Critic: The whole discussion leads me to infer that you are not interested in the World Cup, or you are not a Football follower or you want to stand out from the crowd desperately.

Clearway: Whom do you refer to as the Crowd?

Critic: The Bloggers of course. You do not want to be associated with every other blog and you consider yourself superior.

Clearway: How sure are you about that?

Critic: Otherwise, a blog the reports News and Views from India should definitely have talked about Football in its space. And you have chosen not to do so.

Clearway: Getting back to your point about your inferences, Number 1. Yes, Im not interested in the World Cup. If I were, I would have played in it and tried to win the Cup all for myself. Number 2. Yes, Im not a follower of Football. The football gets kicked all around the ground and I can't keep following it to every corner and into the goal posts. Number 3. You yourself have termed the Bloggers, a "Crowd", a strongly objectionable term, considering the individuality of every Blog. I take strong exception to your usage of a term that was totally unwarranted.

Critic:

Clearway: And what I want to achieve by not reporting about the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany, and why I'm hell bent on writing not a single word about the colourful event followed by mad people all around globe is entirely up to me. You never deserved an explanation about that.

Critic: So, finally, are you going to write about it or not . . . ?

Clearway: That's a Straight "NO"! And no reasons would be furnished, whatsoever. I have other important things to do than write something silly about Football!

Let there be some Space for News: Media

Alright, it was a tragedy! That Pramod Mahajan was fatally shot by his own brother, that he was such a young and promising leader, that the family had to go through the ordeal in the days that followed the incident till his demise and to cap it all, that his son kissed the doors of death and returned to life while his aide was not all that fortunate, all of these couldn't have been any worse for the family.

But why waste all the front page space on a family affair? And this seems to go on and on in the media that seems not to be getting enough news to fill its pages. The BJP leaders have visited Rahul Mahajan who is now in police custody - that is only to be expected of them and is an act of basic courtesy that they do so; the party ought to stand by the family of its senior member when the family has been torn apart. But again, that's a Party affair!

The sorry story of Rahul Mahajan is more of a human interest one than anything of National interest. There could be other important events happening around that may have a deeper impact on the lives of a typical reader. Let the media have its heart in place and think with its head.