WINNING TROPHIES, WINNING HEARTS

 



“Some things are better than winning.”

Claire Annette Noland

 

I enjoy watching important matches, including cricket. So, I did watch the last few overs of India Vs. England ODI-series decider. My 28-year-old son and 85-year-old father-in-law, who are greater cricket enthusiasts than I am, had watched almost the full match…

It was truly a tough match, well-played by both the sides. There was heavy suspense till the last ball. And, finally, as is the case in every well-played game, the team which manages to hold the nerves better, walks away with the trophy…

Indian boys did!

But, certainly, the England boys – particularly Sam Curran – deserved praise for their fighting spirit… They went down gloriously, like heroes!

I am not writing this Post to add my own expert-commentary to yesterday’s game. My knowledge, and update about all sports are very limited. But, I am, always, moved by some subtle things while watching sports… Some little gestures by the players, captains, coaches, referees and, even, the members of the spectators. Sprots is called sports exactly for that reason. While all of us know, that only one side can win, we, often, forget to notice the subtle moments that win our hearts, irrespective of who wins the trophy.,,

Yes, I am extremely moved of such moments… They last longer in my mind than the ‘Trophy Moment’…




Last night, my son said, pointing to the ‘Trophy Moment’: “Dad, watch who are in the front… Who hold the trophy aloft… Watch where Kohli (Captain) has placed himself in the photo-frame… This is a great gesture, first started by Dhoni and, now, Kohli continues to follow.”

Probably, to me, that was the highpoint of last night’s victory by our team… Let the freshers and the extras hold  the trophy aloft… Let them be in the photo-frame…

Well, one may simply brush it off saying, “What big deal?”

That’s why I said, such gestures are ‘subtle’… And, let me add this: they are tough acts to follow!

Zooming out… Let’s think of every other sphere where we may win trophies. The best Actors and Directors need their spot-boys, make-up guys, technicians and caterers on the sets. Ditto for the winners of Best Singer, Composer, Music Director  etc. But, we rarely hear a word of praise and gratitude for these folks… I think, it’s so everywhere - when trophy comes, when the cameras come…

Sportsmanship is a majestic term… In contains so many subtle things. But, the foremost being ‘Respect’…




Therefore, let me say this in conclusion: While winning trophies may need our aggression, winning hearts needs our gentleness.

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

 

Pic.: Outlook

 

Videos: 1. Roland Garros 2. Game of Cricket

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi...
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How ...
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or pain...
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...