How Hockey changed my life

It was a disappointing day in Sports History of India. Loss to Spain and all hopes are gone. It is really sad to see our team going out in this way. Thrilling win against traditional rival Pakistan was really great and created a lot of hope in people for Team India. This hope came out more of emotions & happiness rather than the ability of team to win big matches. The yesterday’s Do or Die Match against Spain finishes all this. People will talk about this loss for coming 3-4 days, after that they will be busy discussing IPL starting from 13th March.

I was never a great hockey fan (I am still not) . Like 90% (May be more) of the Indians I also live in the virtual cricket world. I still love to talk 200 of Sachin than win of Indian Hockey team against Pakistan. I understand the terminology of Cricket, I listen to Comentatory like an cricket expert, I always have valuable suggetions for team India despite they never reach to destined ears. But contrary I don’t understand all the terminology of Hockey, few I do because once I played it during my school days (Believe me I have a stick too J ). I can discuss for hours on playing 11 selection for next match of India but I don’t remember a sigle player of Hockey. But I still want our team to win. After all I am a true Nationalist, and Match against Pakistan is always a question of National pride. So winning the opening match against pakistan gave me enough satisfaction. But Probably I would write in details about my theory of these difference and causes someday.

Few Hockey experts says that we are still very much on traditional hockey style and have not yet adopted and practiced Europeane style of Hockey. Its not the era of DhyanChand, the game has been changed. Now it is more than your skills of dribbling, game has become fast like Football. European countries have modified the style of the game as per their comfort. These people are so called experts, they must have speaking right things so Team India, please listen.

Hockey played a great role in my life and I could say it has changed my life entirely. It is something uninque, people play hockey and hockey played with me.

It was the day when I went to meet my Sports Teacher to get information about hockey as I was preparing for my dreamed SSB Interview and my historical resume had few words praising my Hockey Skills in School days (It was not a lie, I played once, I swear). My ex sports teacher was a national player of Hockey once and he had a natural intrest in the game. Our Schools always keep No. 1 position in Hockey Till date (I wont reveal the secret behind… J). Very enthusiastically he taught me everything, lengh/width of the ground, positions of the players, style of the game. I made notes of everything and I bet I can get cent marks in quiz out of those notes even today. After few days the long awaited and prepared D day came, I was sitted on the hot seat in a dirty white shirt, Khaki Necker and a belt mentioning my candiadate number on my chest (Don’t Laugh, I came for interview directoly from Group Tasks , they didn’t even allow me to change my dress. I told them that I have purchased a new Tie for this Interview but it didn’t help.). In front of me a man (Sorry, Brigadier) with heavy mustache was sitted. He asked me many questions before he came to the question of my great hockey skills in School days. I explained him with all of my energy how I won matches for my School, like all interviewers he was also a patient listner. Once I completed all of my fabricated match stories he asked me a very simple question “How Does Lefty plays Hockey” and I went into deep state of Zen Meditation. I came out of my meditation when I heard the heavy voice of Brigadier ——- singh (I forgot the name J ) saying YES, I don’t know what strike in my mind and I said “Lefties use different type of sticks”. And obviously my interview lasted not more than 10 minutes after this. The national game Hockey destroyed a line of career for me. I HATE hockey. L

I could have been Captain Siddharth Joshi Today, rather than “Sid” but Hockey ruined everything.

I am all along the way with the lobby asking Cricket to promote as a National Game, and more importantly the game of Hockey to remove from the pretigious position.

Its enough of the fun, Lets go back to work (Did I tell you, I am at Office J )

Cheers