Random Thoughts

Carlos Tevez

2007-05-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

There's only one Carlos Tevez. This was the phrase echoing through out Upton Park last Saturday 05/05/2007. Carlitos Tevez was recently awarded the Hammer of Year award with a whopping 84.5% of the votes. Tevez in his short span at West Ham has become a folk hero. He has single handedly propelled West Ham's resurgence.

To anyone who has watched Tevez play - it becomes clear from minute one that he is an absolute pitbull. His tenacity and never say die attitude along with his mesmeric ball control have made him a hero in under 3 months at Upton Park in London.

His trickery earned him a free kick, by the Bolton D. He stood over the ball and curled the free kick above the wall into the top corner of the net. He celebrated wildly by running to the substitutes bench. His second goal was simple tap in, courtesy of Lois Boa Morte, simple - but deadly and accurate. He then created a chance, by crossing the ball for Noble to volley it into the back of the net. One thing about Carlitos is his gigantic heart. He gives it all. He was voted South American player of the year 3 times in a row - and now England knows exactly why. His speed, vision and finishing combined with his free-kicks is potent. During his time @ Boca, he won it all. He then transferred to Corinthians - in Brazil. The first time an Argentine had ever played in Brazil. That year Corinthians won their first Championship with Tevez spearheading the attack. He carved a story like never before. For the first-time ever, the best player in Brazil was an Argentine. Joga Bonito indeed but by an Argentine.

He now has the same effect at his third club. But now he's leading the way for survival. It took Tevez a little over 5 months to adjust to the pace and style of the English Premiership, not to forget language and cultural differences. But now under Alan Curbishley, he has been played in his right role. He has the freedom to roam - and even when he doesn't score, its hard not to notice him as he's creating the chances. A player that has an influence on a team across 2 different continents is something special. A player absolutely adored by his fans when in Brazil and now in London. Messi might be the next Maradona, but as Maradona once said "Tevez is Argentinian prophet for the 21st century".

This kid has the world at his feet. He has great finishing ability. His pace is fantastic only second to that of Messi. He dead ball skills are dangerous as he showcased with a sublime free kick. Copa America 2007 - Carlitos Tevez will be a revelation once again.

Riquelme

2007-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

What compels a player to scorn at his manager? What drives him to rebel? What makes him a legend in the eyes of everyone who follow football? What makes him an idol in the eyes of everyone at the El Madrigal? Is it his vision? Is it his sublime passing skills? Is it a fleeting thought that slices a defense open? Is it a dead ball that makes it to the back of the net - or a dead ball thats almost impossible to defend against? Who is this lazy magician?

An introvert, slow in the eyes of English critics, glorious in the eyes of some, master tactician in the eyes of others. His pace maybe slow compared to other midfielders. He recently claimed he doesn't care about Villarreal anymore, and is happy to be back home @ Boca Juniors - adorning the infamous but legendary #10 jersey.

"Riquelme if he played in Brazil or was more open to marketing - would have been called Riquelminho, and would've been #1" - Jose Pekerman.

History will be written, yet again. Wait and see. -- February 23, 2007

And now history is close to being re-written. Allegedly Alfio 'Coco' Basile the coach of the Argentine National Team has been in touch with Riquelme, who not too surprisingly wants to come back to the national team for the Copa America. He has been in scintillating form this season for Boca Juniors. A few goals of his are reminiscent of his original playing days at Boca followed by his celebration - hands to his ears running on the side of the pitch.

Many don't understand Riquelme or his game. He is equally hated and loved. The number 10 shirt is a huge responsibility and I believe after Maradona, Riquelme is the only one who has upheld the shirt - to an extent. Where Ortega failed, Riquelme shone. Where Aimar failed Riquelme outclassed. Where D'Allesandro failed, Riquelme accomplished. Yet he doesn't have the pace of the mentioned attacking midfielders. What he does do is majestically dictate play. He is Zinedine Zidane. When players don't know what to do with the ball - they simple give the ball to Riquelme, and the lazy magician conjures something up. He is the fulcrum, the axis to a team and cannot play any supporting roles.

His comeback if it does happen - Riquelme might be the only other #10 from Boca to win a major title with Argentina - The Copa America 2007.

Yesterdays - Edit

2007-05-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

This is an old one I wrote when I was 16 1/2 years old. God, I had talent back then. Whatever happened to me now?

Look at thyself
And ask,
'Is it worthwhile though'
To Imbibe
Thyself in Melancholy?
If thy's faithful COMPANION -
Is solitude
Grief like the rest of thy's -
Emotions needs -
Sometimes a rest;
'Cause life's description is -
Of fraility
So, bid farewell to YESTERDAYS.

My First

2007-05-01T05:55:00.000-07:00

Growing up in B'lore, I discovered the sport of football. Everyone in India always played the pseudo national sport - cricket. So when I first got a taste of the 'beautiful game' I was overwhelmed. I was 7, it was 1986 Fifa World Cup - Mexico. My parents had one television - color. The games were shown live in India, a little after midnight due to the time difference. I knew one player, one star, one genius whose talent still remains unmatched today - Diego Armando Maradona. Him dribbling past the entire English defense, and mimicking the same against Belgium left me speechless. I was fascinated. Fast forward to the end of the cup, Maradona proudly raising the World Cup - no one ever in history had so much influence on a single World Cup. One might say - Diego single handedly won the World Cup by himself.

Playing football on the streets bare feet, is how I learned. The sweat, dirt, tar pebbles of the road embedded into my sole didn't hinder me. Calouses, sore heels didn't weigh me down. I was still in search of the elusive - first goal. I was 7, and I played with kids of varied ages from 7 - 12. This made the competition a little harsh. It was never too easy going up against a 12 year old. I lacked the speed, the endurance and the strength. I was easily thrown off the ball, lost possession far too easily and panicked in front of goal - which was 2 flower pots 10 feet apart. As I kept playing all I could dream about was this magnificent sport. I envisioned scoring my first goal, celebrating. It was not to be for a short time. I kept playing, kept getting better. Back at home everyday after school I kicked the ball onto a wall and practiced control.

2 months in - we organized a game a fine Saturday evening. By this time I had pleaded for my parents to buy me cleats (studs) - shoes that soccer players wear. Proudly I graced the field that evening. Summers in India were brutal. The sun hadn’t completely set and the dust laden air kicked up by kids who had already played made it only worse. The smell of kerosene run by auto rickshaws faintly filled the air. In a distance on the field, a herder with his only cow looked on. People on the street walked in a hurry midst the traffic. Some kids still not quite as lucky as me, came up to me to check out my shoes, commented on how good it was, wished that they had the same shoes. Still something inside me - made me feel a little undeserved. There were kids still playing without shoes, who were better than me, faster than me and generally more skilled. The game started and I always played midfield. I was better, more confident on the ball. Even though I wasn't fast enough I played, I fought for the ball, my 'never say die' attitude didn't go unnoticed. I was a passer of the ball. I didn't hog the spotlight, didn't try to take on defenders one on one. All this maturity at my age then, now that I reminisce is astounding to me.

Soon there was break, I passed the ball to a guy upfront, who crossed the ball across the face of goal. I somehow managed to get there at the right moment. Rest is history. The ball cleared the goal line. I was ecstatic. Sure it wasn't the prettiest goal, but I was there to chest the ball barely over the goal line. A classic poacher never complains about the lack of beauty of the goal, but I wasn't a poacher, I was a midfielder who started and ended the play.

That’s that.

Yes really ...

2007-04-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Fueled by fleeting thoughts of motivation,
Nurtured by the warm rush of comfort,
I tread on -
Drifting between thoughts of reality and has beens,
Silently comtemplating the what ifs
I tread on -
Effortlessly surveying my surroundings,
Casually observing my abundant thoughts
I tread on -
Quicky brushing aside drowsiness,
Immersing myself into splitting sunlight
I tread on -
Longing for that one truth
Patiently reviving oneself
Renewing the fire within
I strive -
I tread on.

Shh - The kid's got talent

2007-04-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

So another one of my paragraphs about football. This time however its not about the game itself or its popularity. Its about this precociously talented teenager - Messi. Yes he maybe once again dubbed the new Maradona after Saviola, Ortega, Aimar, Riquelme etc. and yes the players above were far from El Diego. But something tells me - Messi might yet be the closest. Back from injury and hungrier than ever.

When I watched the game - there was nothing special from Messi. He was all over the pitch -defending, attacking, running at defenders, dropping his shoulder, turning, dribbling. So okay, all his performances are special compared to other players, but when I say it was nothing special I mean that in comparison to his own past performances. It was the typical Messi on the right side of the pitch. He created opportunities, combined fantastically with the sublime Ronaldinho and created chances. But this game was different. It was the El Clasico - and Messi's a teenager.

His first goal was taken calmly as he burst into the penalty area and coolly slotted past Casillas. His second goal - smashed into the roof of the net, only demonstrated his poacher instinct. His final third in the 90th minute to earn Barca the draw was immaculate to say the least. He picked up Ronaldinho's pass which was meant for Gudjohnsen, skipped past 2 Real Madrid defenders - leaving them for dead, and put the ball behind Iker Casillas. His calmness and poise intertwined with his speed, close ball control and skill was astonishing. Fantastic finishing to the game - which saw the youngest Barca player get a hat-trick. At 19 he has carved his way into the El Clasico history books along side Cryuff, Maradona, Lineker, Di Stefano, Ronaldinho to name a few. Yes its far too early, to say what he might turn into in the future. But for my money, it doesn't get any better than this.

Yes, there have been better performances by Messi, but what makes this special - is that he has just added another dimension to his game - a little away from his dribbling, beating defenders and creating chances. He's turning into a goal scorer as well. Scary, indeed.

Ronaldinho a Brazilian himself hailed Messi as the most sublime talent in Barca. Well, Ronaldinho might be a little humble about his own talents - but nonetheless that is some lavish praise .

Without further delay - enjoy: Highlights of probably the greatest derby on the planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrFoDFb90SU

LA Galaxy declares bankruptcy

2007-01-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

So I assume everyone's heard the news - David Beckham moving to the States for a whopping 250mill for 5 years. This translates to approximately 1 million/week in wages. The MLS created the Beckham rule - in order to coax the former Man. United and Real Madrid stalwart to join the LA Galaxy. Well maybe stalwart is not the right word to describe him - but I will not bash Becks in this paragraph.

Now I understand the grand scheme of things. Market Becks and force him down our throats. His picture plastered US Weekly, People and SI magazines. Billboards with his pretty face on it. Yes marketing. This is what it all comes down to. Here's my bold prediction: In 2 years people will be sick of him, the MLS will lose credibility (not that it had anyway in the first place), and LA Galaxy will declare bankruptcy. That would be awesome. Lalas declared that Beckham was one of the all time greats on the world stage. Is he kidding me? Yes to people in the States who don't follow soccer week-in and week-out, overly marketed Beckham might seem like the best player ever - surpassing Maradona and Pele. But anyone who follows soccer knows that Beckham won't be in his/her top 11, or even in the B team.

Lets analyze Beckham's qualities as a footballer. He's a dead ball specialist, his passes and crosses are accurate. The second part is essential for ANY midfielder. So that leaves him with one - being a dead ball specialist. He can't shoot with his left. So I wonder what propelled him to such fame and stardom - oh I know marrying a spice girl, and scoring a goal when England was on the brink of elimination - from qualifying for the world cup in 2002! Its pathetic.

Now here comes a list in no particular order of players better than Becks focusing strictly on dead ball skills (midfields, 'en ganche' positions, attacking midfielders):

Juninho (BRA)
Riquelme (ARG)
Ronaldinho (BRA)
Pirlo (ITA)
Deco (POR)
Totti (ITA)
Tevez (ARG)
Zidane (FRA)
Henry (FRA)
Aimar (ARG)
Nakamura (JAP)
Veron (ARG)
Giggs (Wales)
D'Alessandro (ARG)
Carlos (BRA)
Figo (POR)

The list goes on and on. The catch is this: People in the states don't know half of these players, but in the rest of the world they are idolized to some extent. Beckham is washed up at 31 years old. While other players at his age perform week in week out in Europe and are starters for their clubs, while Becks was dropped to the bench at Real Madrid. Becks never made an impact during his time at Real, he was bought strictly for marketing. Another 'Galactico' rule.

In the end, does it really matter? It does. Soccer in America won't be spurred by a washed up superstar (in the eyes of some) signing for a MLS clubs. It will take off, when the US performs well on the biggest stage of all - the World Cup. Until then, be warned - all the washed up Ronaldos, Beckhams and Ronaldinhos won't solve a thing. Veron one the greatest midfield architects moved back to Argentina to play for Estudiantes and won the Apertura tournament his first year beating Boca Juniors. How great news like this gets eclipsed is saddening.

But I will credit Beckham one thing: He knew he couldn't compete in Europe, and if he renewed his contract he would've been worth around 8 Million for 2 years. This was a shrewd and intelligent move on his part - and for that I give him credit. Bend it like Beckham - could've easily been Bend it like any Argentine or Brazilian. Its pathetic, its sad.

This day ...

2006-12-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 6:00 AM to find myself horrified, horrified of what today might bring, and then I realized I needn't worry - I have a pack of Parliament Lights next to me. So I proceeded to step outside in 65 Deg weather - and have a cigarette which opened the flood gates of my anus. After which I proceeded to take a dump in peace - while listening to Stern. He had James Brown as his guest - and when he spoke he reminded me of Ali. His speech impediment I presume was caused by him fellating crystals of crack at the height of his popularity.

I took a lengthy shower and was pondering what was in store for me at work. This thought was quickly brushed aside when I realized I had forgotten to charge my iPOD. You see iPOD to me in the morning is crucial. When on the subway it comes in very handy - when some hobo is staring at you - and you proceed to glance at your iPOD and pick music (even if you're not) while at the same time turning up the volume. So on the Q train which this woman - with extremely large breasts with a doo-rag and missing teeth was staring at me, I stared at the ad for Queensboro Community College and wondered if this pseudo eclectic mix of people (I still can't figure out if the Asian guy is Filipino or Japanese - I assume Filipino since he was missing the Samurai sword) from various backgrounds really went to the college and pursued medical transcription while at the same time getting paid to be on those posters. And then 2 minutes later it was my stop. And now the google applicance on our servers is not working - and search indexing is taking forever to catalog information. This is where I stop ranting and pick my phone and starting answering calls from business groups .... the plight of corporate slaves today...

Drinking

2006-12-02T06:39:00.000-08:00

So DJ and I were discussing this morning, DJ asked me if I wanted to
drink today and I snapped (lightly) by echoing Gandhi's words that I
don't drink (even if only on weekdays). Then I realized something,
having worked in the city for a little over 2 years my commute was the
main culprit in me not indulging myself more frequently in drinking.
Then it dawned on me. People weren't meant to sit in cubicles adorned
with boring shades of gray for more than 8 hours a day. This sort of
ritualistic, inhumane custom is what drives people to drink
vigorously. Sure my day is filled with an abundance of smoke breaks,
yet somehow, walking back up the stairs – back to my cubicle is
nightmarish to say the least. So why am I writing this little
epilogue (even though this isn't some literary masterpiece)? Well 'm
not at lunch and I have a few minutes to kill before I go back to do
some mundane coding, writing some useless software that is supposed to
better processes only for upper management to come to me later in the
day (at 5:00 PM) with a suggested list of "improvements". Such is the
plight of professionals in today's world.

We all get jobs. We all try to hold on to our jobs. We all try to
impress our employers by going a little further than necessary every
day. All this for what? People might interject and say – "So that I
can move up the corporate ladder and make a measly $2 more per hour
(well maybe more – if you're not working the grill at KFC). The
ultimate truth is enjoyment. We all work to enjoy ourselves at the
end of the workweek. We all pursue higher education, get better jobs,
and get remunerated slightly more to sustain higher levels of
enjoyment. Now enjoyment doesn't necessarily translate to drinking –
who am I kidding? Yes it does. Drinking inhibits lack of social
skills, inhibits phobias and concerns and makes you revolt in a
fashion similar to the Chinese students at Tiananmen square. Drinking
makes people socially apt. Whether you resemble a komodo dragon or a
wildebeest you're suddenly deemed worthy of hanging out with Fabio
and/or Alyssa Milano. Some might say I don't drink – I can have fun
when sober. Yes maybe, but you'll have more fun when you drink. When
you're sober you feel pain, you feel eyes watching you, when you're
drunk you're the epicenter of the earthquake, you're the apex of
drunken humanity you are Nelson Mandela in a non-apartheid society.
Anything is possible when under the influence. You can talk about
fulfilling dreams and ridicule yourself and your peers.

I could go on and on. In the end there is only one thing that makes
us all truly sane. It's our ability to unwind and be insane from time
to time. Being away from the ordinary for extended periods of time
can have disastrous consequences but drinking 2 nights every week
jealously and vigorously can help everyone a little. If only Gandhi
had discovered the benefits of alcohol – he would've been more
violent, I mean do you really need to preach non-violence when you're
a country of 300 million (in 1947) up against a British army of far
lesser numbers? Its clear, its true. Sobriety has its benefits. But
everything needs moderation including sobriety.

I say let's drink, lets rejoice.

Tool

2006-12-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

I was at Home Depot yesterday - buying a hamper, shelves whatever essentials I need to further the chillage, so to speak. I went up to this cross eyed tool and asked him where I could find hampers. He points to Aisle 2 across the hall. Except Aisle 2 is where they sell paint. All I want to know is who is incharge of hiring? Seriously I was eloquent, enunciated to perfection and the guy pointed me the wrong way. Then I got to thinking while standing in the checkout line. Maybe I had misunderstood him. Maybe he never said aisle 2. Maybe he was pointing at aisle 99, but his eyes indicated aisle 2. Did I mention he was cross eyed? Another scenario was that maybe further down aisle 2, there were hampers next to paint utilities. Wait a sec, that makes no sense. Why would you group hampers with paint? I didn't have a chance to confirm this, but I will be making a trip back today to purchase a microwave - and I expect to find it in the small appliances/electronics section. Surprise! its in aisle 9, next to outdoor furniture. I can't wait. I really can't. Okay I have to be honest when I first asked him the question about the hampers, I had my iPOD on, BUT it was plugged in one ear, and my other unoccupied ear was perceptive to all sounds including anything the guy said about aisle 2.

Anchorman

2006-12-01T06:44:00.000-08:00

Greatest movie ever made. The intellectual content in this movie outshines any other "Braveheart, Ben Hur, or Troy". I mean seriously what do you get when you have a a moron, a clinically retarded douche bag, a cowboy sportscaster and a wanna be porn star? Sheer amusement. I laughed so much - there was an abundance of snot to start a snot fair. Not that we need a snot fair in Jersey - but I digress. Ron Burgundy with his innate obtuseness defines hilarity. I wish Bryant Gumbel would learn something from him. Instead what does he do? Reports on serious issues in the sports world. Seriously Bryant - who gives a rats ass about a race car driver who lost his lower limbs, when I could listen to Ron Burgundy inform us 'bout a squirrel that can water ski? For my money it doesn't get any better. Who needs Doppler 10000 when I can listen to the weather report from this movie. Its almost as accurate as Al "I lost 1000 pounds because I was too lazy to hop on the treadmill and instead opted to get my stomach stapled" Roker. You know what else - this movie has cameos from Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn. These two guys are real men. What do you mean no? Name another man as manly as these two. They did their own stunts in extreme Dodgeball. Trust me you wouldn't want to get nailed in the nuts. The best part - there's always Kelly Bundy (Christina Applegate - if you want to be a dick about it). I would rather listen to Kelly's gibberish than Katie Kouric's(sp?) views on the world. If I got paid 10 mill/year and read off the teleprompter every morning, I would kill myself. Thanks for being original bitch. Then there's Matt Lauer. He's has an opinion about nothing. With his brand new haircut every summer - he spews off about some shit. I hope he realizes when he gets old that his life was as purposeful as that of a retarded donkey.

If you haven't watched this movie you need to strangle yourself. You don't deserve to breathe. I would suggest moving to the Arctic (yes its spelled with a C, dimwit). I was first informed about this movie by Dre. Thanks dude. I finally watched it a few months ago, and it has changed my life - well not really ..... whatever, I'm done.