abe's corner

C O N T R A

2011-09-03T10:59:00.001+05:30

Does anybody remember this?....ahh the hours and days that we all spent glued to the telly playing CONTRA over and over and over ....and over again.

It all started one bright Saturday morning (actually it was a rather cloudy day!), when I landed on my 'old' games HDD - as one of the E-Street Band wanted some games - and found this small exe lying around. I started it and my eyes almost popped out! It was a PC version of CONTRA! - Gloryosky! I started playing and before, I knew it was time for lunch! This game is still as addictive as it was back then! Jungle, Base 1, Waterfall, Base 2,...I can still remember my friends urging me (it was more than urging actually) to keep moving fast so as to move the screen along with us. Anyway, I am off to make a call to my old Contra buddies and then re-live it all over again.

Two movies and a Dinner...

2011-04-06T12:16:00.002+05:30

...would be better titled 'Good Popcorn and nice music' if you want to mention the good things alone! We wanted to go for 'some' movie and had our choices and since none us were strong with our sales pitch, the longest straw pointed to 'Battle: Los Angeles' - which in my opinion is a really weird name for a movie. For all I know, it could have been called 'The Attack of the metal space monsters' or 'Go down Pico blvd and take the exit' and it would have had the same effect at the box office. Well...I should not complain much because I literally walked into it - but the funny part was, when we walked the feeling was mutual. Anyway, the movie?in a nutshell? - Aliens land in L.A, Marines fight Aliens,Marines win and cheer with dramatic background music. Now you've seen it as well! If you had a good bag of popcorn, you might want to sit through it as well.

Moving on to...'The Eagle'. I have read great titles with Eagles in them but sadly this was not one of them. At least it had a story line and followed it meticulously but Channing Tatum still has to learn a bit on acting...specifically acting. Expressions, my dear boy, expressions do matter. Fair enough, The Eagle got our vote (remember the straws) over 'Black Swan' and 'The King's Speech' so it had high standards to live up to. It might not have been too bad a movie if the theatre had been slightly warm...and that could be due to the lack of people in it as well...in fact we almost had the whole theater to ourselves! Anyhow, two weekends were done.

Now for the best part (of course, any best part with me has to involve food!). Sandwiched between the weekends was a dinner worth remembering for all the wrong reasons. A five star hotel, you must be thinking it can't be thaaaat bad, well think again. The spread looked huge but on closer inspection showed nothing out of the ordinary, and more so looked very tame. The starters...not too bad, the main course was absolutely ridiculous with normal food made to look extra-ordinary and taste even worse. And the less we talk about the almost-no-variety dessert, the better. The positive part about the dinner was the music - the live two member band was GOOD and we certainly enjoyed it more than the food!

...so that was Two movies and a Dinner.

21 Guns

2011-02-10T16:30:00.000+05:30

Do you know what's worth fighting for?
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?

Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul

Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

Did you try to live on your own
When you burned down the house and home?
Did you stand too close to the fire
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone?

When it's time to live and let die
And you can't get another try
Something inside this heart has died
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

2011-01-01T23:43:00.003+05:30

It's 10 minutes to midnight and the new year has started - Welcome 2011 - Will it be better than 2010? or make 2010 look like a grand year? Only time will tell..
Here I am, hammering on my laptop with the Arsenal-Birmingham game on the telly(1 nil to the gunners courtesy RVP -for those who are interested) reminiscing about the year gone by and the new one walking in. On this, the first day of 2011, had a good time with the E-Street Band (sans Shriram) and now my thoughts drift to different people, to far off places and the good times. Not sure why but a couple of them feature prominently and I realize that I miss them now. A crooked smile manifests itself! Sometimes, I gather, people come into our lives and leave a mark. - And I guess, they are meant to be remembered with a big smile. I've had a lot of people in my half life (quarter life?) but the ones that come right in front when I hear a song, when I see an advert, when I hear a particular word, when I see a particular sign...and when I hear a name - have had a big role in making me who I am right now. Thanks and Happy New Year! :)

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-01T23:41:00.001+05:30

2010-06-11T10:31:00.002+05:30

Let the games begin...

With the WC about to kick off (literally) in a few hours time, I am all geared up for late night TV and pizza! As usual rooting for Italy (of course!) hoping for a second successive crown (might be a bit too much to ask though) so if the Dutch or the English win, I would still be happy - relatively. :)

FORZA ITALIA!

The TEAM!

2010-06-02T11:48:00.001+05:30

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Morgan De Sanctis, Federico Marchetti

Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti, Leonardo Bonucci, Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito, Christian Maggio, Gianluca Zambrotta

Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi, Daniele De Rossi, Gennaro Gattuso, Claudio Marchisio, Riccardo Montolivo, Angelo Palombo, Simone Pepe, Andrea Pirlo

Forwards: Antonio Di Natale, Alberto Gilardino, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Giampaolo Pazzini, Fabio Quagliarella

2010-05-17T08:16:00.002+05:30

Now that the football season is over - well, the WC is here - but the Leagues are dried and dusted and couldn't have asked for a better position for the mighty whites. Going up the ladder and Championship football beckons next season and who knows, maybe, just maybe the top division is in sights :) - MOT!

Speaking about the WC...umm..errr...the Italian squad does not look like it can cause any ruffles even in the New Zealand squad - with all due respect to them. It's gonna be a tough ask to keep the cup in Italy for the next four years. If Canna and co can stick together like they did four years back, then we might fancy a chance.

Man Utd 0 - 1 Leeds United

2010-01-03T23:16:00.003+05:30

Ahh...2010 starts with a cracker! Humbling the might Man United - in the FA cup - by a club which is two levels lower - my club - is bliss! Maybe this is the year when we finally get the glory days back at Elland Road!

Marching on Together!

Fire Away

2009-12-19T20:17:00.001+05:30

21 Guns for the Grammy!

I hope it wins. This song has something about it which makes it special! I am gunning for it!

...continuing on 2010...

2009-12-05T07:03:00.004+05:30

That draw technically means Italy could face Denmark, Japan or Cameroon if they top the group or face the Dutch if the come in second (assuming the Dutch win it effortlessly like they normally do - for the group stages)

...And that being said, the toughest could be

2nd round: Italy vs Denmark
QF: Italy vs Spain (damn!)
SF: Italy vs Argentina (double damn!)
F: Italy vs Brazil (bummer!)

But, hey, that's why it is the World Cup - there are no easy matches! :)

2010

2009-12-05T06:53:00.000+05:30

2010 World Cup draw

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France

Group B: Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria, Greece

Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia

Group D: Germany, Australia, Ghana, Serbia

Group E: Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon, Denmark

Group F: Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Slovakia

Group G: Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Cost, Portugal

Group H: Spain, Honduras, Chile, Switzerland

2009-10-26T23:26:00.000+05:30

Some things are better left without mentioning! sigh!
Leeds 1 - 2 Milwall.

MOT

2009-10-23T09:08:00.002+05:30

- 30 points from 12 games
- Top of the table by a clear 2 points and a game in hand
- Conceded just 6 goals
- ONLY team in England to have not lost a match so far this season
- Priceless, There are some things money can't buy! - Leeds United!

Marching On Together

Read it, Loved it

2009-10-20T11:18:00.000+05:30

From the Mirror:
1) Fabio Capello = Darth Vader
A renowned disciplinarian who rules his men with an iron fist, Capello has now taken to waving a laser around at training. It can surely only be a matter of time before he dons a black mask and cape, builds a bloody great Death Star over Wembley and starts obliterating planets in his spare time.

2) Gianfranco Zola = Luke Skywalker
The little guy fighting for truth, justice and a neat passing game in the face of near-insurmountable odds (ie West Ham's balance sheet), Zola also harbours a dark secret: he's Fabio Capello's son! Well, ok, he's about as tall as Fabio Capello's son, which is good enough for our purposes.

3) Sir Alex Ferguson = Emperor Palpatine
The master of all he surveys, he answers to no-one and crushes insubordinates with the awesome power of the force (or 'the hairdryer', as it's more usually known). It remains to be confirmed whether Fergie can actually shoot blue lightning from his fingertips, but it would certainly explain THAT David Beckham dressing room incident.

4) Rafa Benitez = Princess Leia
A natural rebel trapped in a seemingly endless battle with evil imperial overlords (Gillett and Hicks), hapless Rafa is forever needing to be rescued by his trusty allies (Torres and Gerrard). If he'd only swap the goatee for a couple of Danish pastries taped to the side of his head, the resemblance would be perfect.

5) Sam Allardyce = Jabba The Hutt
Well, they don't call him 'Big Sam' for nothing.

6) Arsene Wenger and Pat Rice = C-3P0 and R2-D2
Spindly, able to speak several thousand languages and with an uncanny knack for looking the wrong way whenever trouble rears it's ugly head, Wenger is a shoo-in for everyone's favourite protocol droid. Luckily he has a diminutive sidekick on hand to get him out of any scrapes.

7) Sven Goran Eriksson = Han Solo
An unflappable smoothie with a girl in every space port, Sven is the unlikely hero who manages to escape from each successive disaster with barely a scratch on him. The jury's still out on whether or not this makes Tord Grip Chewbacca, mind.

8) Harry Redknapp = Lando Calrissian
To Portsmouth fans, Redknapp's a former hero turned traitor who spends most his days with his head in the clouds. Their Tottenham counterparts would hail him a hero of the resistance, working wonders with limited resources to defeat the evil Emirates empire. Everyone else can't quite fathom why this shady supporting character gets so much attention.

9) Jose Mourinho = Obi Wan Kenobi
Concealing his rugged good looks behind an omnipresent Armani cloak, the Special One is the former apprentice turned master who can talk his way out of any situation and has dedicated much of his life to bringing down the evil Emperor Ferg.

10) Gordan Strachan = Yoda
Small, gnomic and given to near unintelligible pronouncements that superficially appear philosophical, but on closer inspection a load of rubbish turn out to be."

Leeds United

2009-10-01T10:23:00.001+05:30

The Champions League Semi finalists in 2001. Where are they now?

1 Nigel Martyn (43) : Retired in June 2006. Last club was Everton.
13 Paul Robinson (29) : Currently Playing for Blackburn Rovers.
22 Michael Duberry (33): Currently Playing for Wyacombe Wanderers.
29 Rio Ferdinand (30): Currently playing for Manchester United
3 Ian Harte (32): Currently Playing for Carlisle United
24 Danny hay (34): Currently Playing for Waitakere United.
2 Gary Kelly (35): Retired in 2007. Last club played was Leeds United.
21 Dominic Matteo (35): Retired in 2009. Last club was Stoke City
18 Danny Mills (32): Retired in 2008. Last club was Derby County (loan)
5 Lucas Radebe (40): Retired in 2005. Last club was Leeds United.
6 Jonathan Woodgate (29):Currently Playing for Tottenham Hotspur
19 Eirik Bakke (32): Currently Playing for Brann
23 David Batty (40): Retired in 2004. Last club was Leeds United.
11 Lee Bowyer (32): Currently Playing for Birmingham City
25 Jacob Burns (31): Currently Playing for Perth Glory
4 Olivier Dacourt (35): Currently Playing for Standard Liege
20 Seth Johnson (30): Currently Playing for Derby County
10 Harry Kewell (31): Currently Playing for Galatasary
28 Jamie McMaster (26): Currently Playing for Wollongong CFC
14 Stephen McPhail (29): Currently Playing for Cardiff City
16 Jason Wilcox (38): Currently Playing for Blackpool
8 Michael Bridges (31): Currently Playing for Newcastle Jets
27 Robbie Fowler(34): Currently Playing for North Queensland Fury
7 Robbie Keane (29) : Currently Playing for Tottenham Hotspur
17 Alan Smith (28): Currently Playing for Newcastle United
9 Mark Viduka (33) : Released by Newcastle in 2009

But all said and done, now the new look team is climbing the ladder and steadily as well. Without a loss in the opening 8 games (with just the one tame draw) we are all set for glory! Will this season deliver what had been always promising? Only time will tell.

Position Team P GD PTS
1 Leeds United 10 13 26
2 Charlton 10 10 23

Marching on Together!

The rise of the Phoenix

2009-09-03T13:25:00.001+05:30

Feels good to be at the top!

Position Team P GD PTS
1 Charlton 5 10 15
2 Leeds United 5 7 15

Last Christmas!

2009-08-11T09:32:00.002+05:30

Who has not heard Last Christmas?Well, this morning I landed on Cascada's version of LC and yes, you guessed it, it brought back memories - memories of School and College! So, immediately I dialed the numbers I had to and passed on the song and the news! LOL. - that's it! I know today is gonna be one heck of a day! ;)
Have a good day!

The Cup!

2009-07-30T08:16:00.003+05:30

In life, we should always know what we have and what we cannot have. In short, a cup has to be known as a cup and not a plate! (The 'Cup' comes into picture as I had already explained with a 'Cup' :D to people) Does something have the same value if it is forced upon? No. I don't think so. Whatever it is, work, relationship, a game it has to be from within, if not it will not be the same. Would I give 100% if my Boss forces me to do something? No. I wouldn't. In fact I would complete it (Cos I am paid to do it) but grudgingly. That kinda beats the purpose. Life, is there to be lived, and every minute counts and adds to it.

I started realizing a few things in the past couple of weeks and it has been rather sad that I have been blind to certain things. - like the cup. I had taken a plate and have been telling it is a CUP!

People, in our daily walks of life, have their own agenda's and we cross paths if we are meant to. When we do, how do we go about it? Do we enjoy it? Or do we try to squirm out of it? We all wear masks most of the time, that too different kinds with
different people. - How pathetic can we be?! Have we ever put ourselves in the other person's shoes and thought about it?

If you ask me, the best way would be to take the cup as it is and treat it as a cup! - I am trying to :). But I do know a few people who do not wear masks in front of me! - and Hats off to them! They have been true to their word. That way, others, at
least I, know what they are and that goes a long way.

Btw, the reason for the Cup is to protect a few identities :)

2009-07-30T08:14:00.002+05:30

Well, when you go,
Don't ever think I'll make you try to stay,
And maybe when you get back,
I'll be off to find another way.

When after all this time that you still owe,
You're still the good-for-nothing I don't know,
So take your gloves and get out,
Better get out,
While you can.

When you go,
Would you even turn to say,
"I don't love you like I did yesterday"?

Sometimes I cry so hard from pleading,
So sick and tired of all the needless beating,
But, baby, when they knock you down and out,
It's where you oughta stay.

And after all the blood that you still owe,
Another dollar's just another blow.
So fix your eyes and get up,
Better get up,
While you can.

When you go,
Would you even turn to say,
"I don't love you like I did yesterday"?

Well come on, come on.

When you go,
Would you have the guts to say,
"I don't love you like I loved you yesterday"?

I don't love you like I loved you yesterday.

I don't love you like I loved you yesterday.

2009-07-30T08:13:00.001+05:30

Stand up in a clear blue morning until you see what can be
Alone in a cold day dawning, are you still free? can you be?
When some cold tomorrow finds you, when some sad old dream reminds you
How the endless road unwinds you

While you see a chance take it, find romance fake it
Because its all on you

Dont you know by now no one gives you anything
Dont you wonder how you keep on moving one more day your way

When theres no one left to leave you, even you dont quite believe you
Thats when nothing can deceive you

Stand up in a clear blue morning until you see what can be
Alone in a cold day dawning, are you still free? can you be?
And that old gray wind is blowing and theres nothing left worth knowing
And its time you should be going

Brothers in Arms

2009-07-22T12:01:00.002+05:30

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you'll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you'll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
Ive watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the suns gone to hell
And the moons riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But its written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
Were fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

2009-07-16T19:32:00.000+05:30

Who is a friend? How do two people become friends?

2009-06-22T09:10:00.002+05:30

Some teams seem to be in Free fall and sadly Italy appears to lead the pack. Ever since the World Cup, things have not been going in the right direction and the 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil in the Confederations Cup sums it all. All Italy needed was a 3-1 defeat and they managed a 3-0 loss!hmmm...Not good. Not good at all with the World Cup looming. Unless things change quickly, the World Champions will be crashing out without a fight!

The Team that lost: :(
Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Dossena, Camoranesi, Montolivo (Pepe 47), De Rossi, Pirlo, Iaquinta (Rossi 38), Toni (Gilardino 57).

Man Utd accept £80m Ronaldo bid

2009-06-11T15:05:00.002+05:30

What the...???I have heard that the sky is the limit, but this is absolutely atrocious! 80 mil for CR7? Well...this is interesting stuff as ManU now have to replace Ronaldo with someone who is close enough. Sadly there are few and far in between.

It's done!

2009-06-09T11:06:00.002+05:30

Finally the speculation is all over. Kaka has moved to Real Madrid in one of the biggest moves of the summer. For the past 2 seasons, the rumour mill has been active in reporting interest from Chelsea, Real and Man City. After last season's fiasco with City, a few of us - like me- thought it would mean the enigmatic Brazilian would remain at the San Siro for a long time to come. But, alas, things have changed in just a few months. Real have done what City could not - prise Kaka away! The fee is reported to be staggering £56m, which would be the record. It's a sad day indeed over Milan and it will take a long time for someone to fill in the void left by his departure.

All said and done - He is one of the greatest players to don the Red and White.

E-Street Band

2009-06-08T11:58:00.002+05:30

Why now? you may ask. But at least now is what I would say. The E-Street Band has been part of my life for quite a long time. For those who do not know yet...

Shriram, Karthik, Anand and I are the ESB.

Initially it was only Shriram, Karthik and I for quite some time and then Anand was 'initiated' into the ESB a good 6 years back. From there, we have a come a long way through the up's and downs in life and have finally landed here - today! The fact that Shriram and I are in Bangalore, Karthik in Dubai and Anand in Coimbatore does not really make a huge difference in this modern world where everybody is literally a call away!

In my life, a lot of people have come and gone - some making a difference and some not quite missed. But I am certainly happy the E-Street Band is there and it ranks right up with a couple of other people.!

...for the E-Street Band!

2009-06-05T21:04:00.000+05:30

What constitutes a 'nice dream'? is the question.

TGIF

2009-06-05T21:01:00.002+05:30

Another week has gone by and brings us to yet another weekend. Ahh bliss! What the weekend holds in store - I do not know. But I hope it makes up for the 5 days at work and then again, for the next five days at work as well ;)

2009-06-03T14:07:00.000+05:30

"I want to go to Himalayas and sit there and do some coding for myself "
- great words by someone.

2009-06-03T09:48:00.002+05:30

This time it appears to be true. Kaka joining Real Madrid for a fee close to £56m. This is sad news indeed if it is true. But after Ancelotti's departure to Chelsea, this might have been on the cards.

2009-05-29T15:07:00.001+05:30

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Hail the Champions of Europe

2009-05-28T17:07:00.002+05:30

Last night was a night to remember for any football fan (except ManU fans) as Barcelona produced and outstanding display to bring the high flying red devils crashing to the ground. The 2-0 win, courtesy of Etoo and Messi, was worth both the goals and the 90 minutes of normal play. Barcelona came with a purpose, and ManU couldn't have done any harm by staying at OT.

The Spanish giants were a class apart with Xavi and Iniesta pulling the strings of their well orchestrated moves, and EtoO, Messi and Henry applying the finishing touches. For United, Ronaldo still had the energy and hunger but sadly no one else seemed to care about it. That just proved that Ronaldo cannot turn a game on his own. But, hey, Football is a team game and 10 others are expected to to their part as well.

In the end, Guardiola's men did the hard work and reaped the rich rewards with three titles this season (the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the Champions League). They were deserved winners in Roma.

BARCELONA - ^:)^ ^:)^

2009-05-27T22:53:00.002+05:30

Here I am, updating my blog sitting in Chennai...yes Chennai. The place is actually not that bad. I know I have been here before (quite a while back) but this time around it gives a different perspective. Maybe it's because of all that's happening around me back home, in Bangalore. This city is huge (and I mean HUGE!) and the roads are not that bad for the traffic. Though we always drive amazingly well on the lane markers, there are no traffic jams per se - so far at least. That for a city with the traffic and the population is quite remarkable.

I remember one of my close friends telling me about it long back and I, as usual, turned a deaf ear to it. But the weather is a serious damper. The way your skin kinda sticks does not leave too much to be desired. Hey, every place has its pros and cons. Every thing has its advantages and disadvantages. Just as everybody is different, so is every place. All we have to do, is learn to take the bad with the good.

Let me stop digressing...Again, my judgment may be a bit biased due to certain things, but all said and done, this place may not be such a bad idea! hmmm...

TII

2009-05-26T21:56:00.003+05:30

They say, A picture says a thousand words. Lets hope this one does!
TII - This is India!

2009-05-26T21:15:00.008+05:30

The D-Day is just around the corner! With the red devils eager to add another trophy to their glittering cabinet, the Champions League final promises a mouth watering finale. They are all ready for the final battle and in Rooney, Ronaldo, Vidic, Ferdinand and Van der Sar, they do have the firepower to bring any team crashing down to earth.

But....but...What stands between Man U and the trophy are the Catalan giants, who in all honesty, can stop Man U dead in their tracks. Never before have I seen such an array of individual brilliance brought together to perform in unison on the field. Barca can field a starting eleven which would put a 'Championship Manger' team to shame. In Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Etoo and Henry, they have potential match winners all over the place. Watching then perform their well orchestrated moves is pure magic. Lets hope the Spanish magic and the English resilience bring out an entertaining final!

Players to watch:
Man U: Rooney, Ronaldo and Vidic: The Ro-Ro combination has been quite deadly and can turn games around in a minute. Much will be expected out of them. At the back Vidic will have to be on his toes to keep the pacey Barca attack quiet and he has been a revelation for United. They need one more good game from him to finish a successful season.

Barca: Messi, Iniesta and Xavi: Barcelona has been the flamboyant team and they depend much on their attack. With create mid fielders such as Iniesta and Xavi, who can score and provide the final through pass, Barca are a force to reckon and the strikers will depend on their service. Messi, on the other hand, is a handful for any defence and a he will be expected to keep the ManU defence on their toes and perhaps hope to cause more than a concern.

Super Sunday...

2009-05-25T22:58:00.000+05:30

...and not mentioning Kimi's podium finish and Ferrari's revival caused a little uproar. So here it is! Raikkonen's third place did warrant more than a mention and after the recent performances from the Ferrari's, this must be marked as an awesome performance and a much needed boost for the Italian team. As most people agree, a GP without Ferrari is kinda boring. So bring on the prancing horse!

Weekend Drama

2009-05-25T09:57:00.003+05:30

The weekend had its share of Ups and Downs. Sunday became super Sunday for the Brawn GP and Survival Sunday for Sunderland and Hull City - at the expense of Newcastle and Middlesbrough.

First, Jensen Button and Rubens Barrichello drove a near perfect race to clinch a 1-2 at the Monaco GP. With Button winning 5 out of the 6 races this season, it certainly looks promising. The 'celebrity' crowd that Monaco offers were cheering on their 'home' hero - as Button lives in Monaco - and were delighted to see both the Brawn GP's crossing the chequered flag one behind the other. Watching the race at my dad's place brought back memories - memories of the battles between Senna and Prost, Hill and Schumi, between my friend and I. Those were the good old days.

...during those good old days, there was a team called Leeds United in the Premier league along with Newcastle United gunning for a top four finish. But this day, was quite different. Leeds are languishing in League one and Newcastle are fighting for their premiership status. All Newcastle needed to do was hold on to a draw as Man U were leading against Hull City. But, it had to happen, and a Gareth Barry drive takes a wicked deflection of Duff and ends in the back of the Geordie's net. 1-0 Down and staring at relegation. Shearer's calls along the touchline did not change much on the field and perhaps he should have donned a boot and walked in. - might have made a difference. Anyway, down go Newcastle into the Championship after 16 years in the top flight along with Borough who's 11 year stint came to and end West Brom (who were already relegated).

Can Newcastle rise up again? Or will they show the world how not to run a club?

Yet another disaster!

2009-05-15T14:32:00.003+05:30

From promotion front runners to also rans! The mighty whites failed yet again in the bid to climb out of League One and into the Championship. Taking to 1-0 defeat to Elland Road, they were able to play out a 1-1 draw which condemned them to life the lower League yet again!. If only Beckford had converted the penalty! Sigh!

Does God exist?

2009-05-15T12:18:00.002+05:30

Have you ever wondered if God does exist?I know he does. I have always been telling people that My Dad gave me everything that I wanted and God gave me everything that I needed.
Having said that, now taking this to another level by asking, Does God answer prayers? The answer is Yes. Even without realizing, I had been asking him for 'something' in my life and the irony is that it happened. Now, though I am reeling due to that, my prayer was answered and that answers the question.
I am just hoping that I will be smiling at the end of it.

Life II

2009-05-12T10:44:00.002+05:30

I just head home this hot monday afternoon. This day will be remembered for eternity. Eleventh of May 2009! Different thoughts spin in my mind. The passing traffic is just a blur. I weave through the maze of cars and slowly move ahead. Sometimes things happen in life which make certain changes that last forever.
The weather had been good - too good probably - and now, all of a sudden the storm clouds are hanging over and are threating not to budge. I must face it. I have to face it.

In life there are easy and tough choices to make and some of them hit you really hard. But the reality of life is that we have to move on whatever happens...I think I should stop!

...but I just realized, that I have one less friend in this world.

Not so great first leg.

2009-05-11T09:39:00.002+05:30

Millwall 1-0 Leeds
The First leg of the play-offs left a bit of a sad taste as Leeds lost 1-0 to Milwall. But, all is not lost, this puts the second leg at Elland Road in an intriguing position. If Leeds can score twice and keep a clean sheet - we go through!!

Next Thursday holds the key to the Championship!

2009-05-01T12:37:00.002+05:30

Here I am sitting in office and working on a holiday! God! Something's have to be done and I wonder how it all ends with me!hmmm...Anyway, I work for some time, then my mind wanders off to far far away! Trying to work when you are bored and hungry is quite a task!
Lets see if things change after lunch! :)

the unfinished lunch

2009-03-18T13:14:00.003+05:30

As the title entry suggests, I half gobbled my lunch to make this entry. There I was, having my regular office lunch and was asking the regular unusual questions -Why is this called this and why is that called that?and so on and so forth, when I realized that there were people providing input for these questions. ahh..food for thought! Seriously, have you ever wondered why a 'car' is called a 'car or a 'spoon' is called a 'spoon'? The Origin of origins is quite interesting. Some say most of the names have their origins in Latin. OK. If so, why is it called 'Latin' in the first place. You can go on and on like a broken radio with 'mindless' questions and you might even find the name game to be remarkable.

However, here is a fair warning if you linger on this topic too long!You might, no, will end with a severe headache....why is is called an 'ache?'...

2009-03-18T12:31:00.003+05:30

What comes closest to the X-Files? actually nothing, if you ask me! But supernatural does make me watch a few episodes almost everyday! Dean and Sam kicking the crap out of Demons, Shapeshifters and spirits may not be the ideal show for all but for fans of the same genre, this is a worth-every-minute watch. Why am I talking about Supernatural now? To make a long story short, nowadays, I seem to get up at odd times including 2 in the AM, and supernatural and PES seem to keep me glued till the sun peeks out. Hence the mention!

Pitter Patter.

2009-03-14T19:26:00.001+05:30

The rhythm of the falling rain outside brings about a special feeling deep down. It's not everyday that I get to sit at home enjoying my cup of tea watching and listening to the rain water the shrubs and give the trees a nice longing shower.

The evening was even more pleasant with the 'usual' peacocks taking their regular walks just outside. This has become a regular routine for the lovely birds (not one, not two but more than 5!) to show their beauty for all to admire. Then come the chirping birds reminding me where out world is headed to - a concrete jungle! Will we see the lions and the tigers ten years down the line? Where will all the birds
be then?

Staying at dad's house (the house where I grew up!) is always a pleasure, right from the flora and the fauna to my little lhasa yip yapping all over the place. Here is the place where I can have my cake and eat it too! :). But alas, as they always say, all good things must come to an end and I have to start again early in the AM on Monday to go back to Bangalore...Work beckons!Sigh!

Have a good weekend!

At a glance.

2009-03-12T10:54:00.002+05:30

The last couple of days have been just plain awesome - for the average football fan it may not be awesome though. With the Champions League games packing quite a punch, all the late-night-glued-to-the-telly stuff was worth every minute. Here are the final scores! (aggregates)

Barcelona 6-3 Lyon
Porto 2-2 Atletico Madrid (Away goals)
Man U 2-0 Inter Milan
Roma 1-1 Arsenal (Penalties)
Bayern Munich 12-1 Sporting
Juventus 2-3 Chelsea
Liverpool 5-0 Real Madrid
Pananthinaikos 2-3 Villareal

Man U look set to retain their crown and perhaps get an unprecedented quintuple! Liverpool on the other hand have been quite impressive in Europe and can pose a real threat. Barcelona, guided by the enigmatic Messi will always be a leading contender. Chelsea and Bayern, though rated high, seem to falter at the last hurdle but football can always be a game of two halves!

Friday!

2009-03-06T09:37:00.002+05:30

Nice! It's 20 minutes to 10 in the morning and there are two people in the entire office! I took a leisurely walk around the office and finally managed to find a single soul - the APA. Bored her to death for some time and then trudged back to by seat. Looks like the Cricket match has taken its toll ;)...ahh well, I have my kingdom!

The words of the great man...

2009-01-20T18:58:00.000+05:30

"I believe I have made the right choice.

"To have gone to Manchester City could have been a great project but in the past few days I have prayed a lot to understand what the right team would be and in the end I have decided to remain here.

"I don't want anything else, I just want to be well and be happy in the place where people love me.

"From this story I have understood how people love me at Milan, the fans and my team-mates have helped me make this choice.

"Milan has always turned down offers for me.

"I always said to everyone to first agree with Milan and then we can talk. But Milan had never accepted an offer for me.

"No member of my family has pushed me to go anywhere.

"I have not had any arguments with my father.

"My family has been very supportive and at no time have they forced me one way or the other.

"There were rumours that this story had come out because I wanted to renew my contract, this is not true.

"I have remained with the team where I am linked by heart.

"Saturday's game was no ordinary game for me.

"I was very emotional.

"Many children brought their drawings that they dedicated to me.

"When I left Sao Paulo to join Milan, a large part of the public criticised me.

"Now here all the fans are there chanting my name.

"Milan is my home, where I am close to and where my heart really is. That is what made me take this decision."

...sad but not true

2009-01-20T09:11:00.003+05:30

AC Milan playmaker Kaka has turned down a lucrative move to Manchester City. - This news from the BBC brings a huge grin to my face! Lets hope it stays the same!

"Kaka is a great champion and a great man. He's refused the offer from Manchester City giving privilege to Milan, his companions and his fans" -Berlusconi

2009-01-16T20:06:00.004+05:30

What a bloody day! It started out well then slowly took a boring turn and finally ended as a rotten egg! First, had a small tiff which totally irked me, then vented out all my anger and frustration (God, my team lacked any sense, were blind and deaf!) on the field - which is very bad on my part, I know, don't nod your head to it.

Now, am gonna take a break from Soccer and relax for some time - and not expect anything.

Sad but true

2009-01-16T10:04:00.001+05:30

"AC Milan have given their Brazilian superstar Kaka permission to talk to Manchester City" - BBC

The sad saga continues with City's relentless pursuit of the Milan Star. This is certainly sad news to people like me, if the deal goes through.

The bucket list...

2009-01-15T12:23:00.002+05:30

Every now and then, a list slowly makes it way to the back of my head and sometimes to paper or a blog - Flicks to watch! Right now...
Yes Man
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Revolutionary Road
Milk
The Wrestler
Gran Torino
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Valkyrie
Unborn

...are a few that made it to 'that' list!

2009-01-08T09:34:00.000+05:30

...Now that my little 'vacation' is almost over and I have to head back to Bangalore, was making a list in my mind of all the home made stuff I had over the last couple of weeks.

- Cake
- Apple Pie
- Dough Nut
- Biryani
- Poori
- Ghee Roast
- Toast
- Noodles
- Cookies
- Bhajji's
- Pakoras
- Chapathi
- Iddly
- Eggs
- Chocolate Cake
- and lots and lots of tea :)

Ahh...that was fantastic. Thanks Mom! and Dad! :)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-01-05T00:19:00.002+05:30

Staying at home for this extended period was worth every second of it. Mom and I wanted to celebrate my Dad's birthday this year in at least a small nice way and so we started...Mom baked a chocolate cake and I got the rest of the stuff done (the gifts and the decorations) and somehow we got everything done on time. And when the clock struck twelve, we went in with the cake and then called sis over the phone, sang 'Happy Birthday' and then cut the prized cake. Then it was party time! Had one helping after another and soon we were all full to the brim. Boy, was that cake heavy! Dad was thrilled with the presents as well (including the one from my friends!)...yawn...time to hit the sack now. Nighty night!

Happy Birthday again, Dad!

...and now for something completely different.

2009-01-03T23:21:00.001+05:30

"If the Ferrari president is right about the Singapore Grand Prix being a circus, then we have to be grateful to him for providing the clowns."
Bernie Ecclestone after the Ferrari pit crew allowed Felipe Massa to exit the pit box with the fuel hose still attached

"Dirk Kuyt is earning himself the reputation as Anfield's Prince Harry - in the frontline for three months and no-one knows anything about it."
Sun journalist Phil Thomas on Liverpool's non-flying Dutchman

"*!@!!*$!@!!"
Joe Kinnear reacquainted himself with Her Majesty's press, rattling off a world-record 52 swear words in five minutes.

"We will put in a report. I don't talk to referees. It's like complaining to your mother-in-law about your wife - it doesn't get you too far."
Mum was the word for Ulster coach Matt Williams after the Heineken Cup defeat by Harlequins

"I've been laughing - I said 'Dad, how do you crash a car at 30mph?'"
Lewis Hamilton after Dad Anthony stuck a borrowed Porsche in a hedge.

"It was unfortunate."
Hamilton not laughing four days later at the Canadian Grand Prix after crashing his car at about 30mph into the back of Kimi Raikkonen.

"Over the years whilst fielding at first slip, Dravid almost seems to have developed an ability to stick Kumble's balls to his hands."
ABC cricket commentator during Australia-India series.

"I've never been one for stats and milestones, I just try to do the best for my team. I'm the third fastest person in the history of the game to get 10,000."
Ricky Ponting showed remarkable knowledge for someone who was not one for stats and milestones.

"I should have punched him harder."
Eric Cantona revealed the main regret about the infamous kung-fu incident at Crystal Palace.

"The one thing Cristiano Ronaldo has is pace, quick feet and a great eye for goal."
Chris Waddle on Irish radio station Newstalk.

"Ghana are finding it difficult to impregnate the Cameroon defence."
Eurosport commentator during the Ghana-Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations semi-final. Think he meant penetrate.

Journalist: "You lost to Tsonga three times. Why?"
Novak Djokovic: "Because he was playing better."

...and now for something comepletely different.

"He [Souness] has just gone behind my back in front of my face."
- Craig Bellamy

"My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7."
- David Beckham

"We're definitely going to get Brooklyn christened, but we don't know into which religion!"
- Becks again,

"When people are talking about you, it means that you exist"
- Eric Cantona

"Soccer is a game for 22 people that run around, play the ball, and one referee who makes a slew of mistakes, and in the end Germany always wins."
- Gary Linekar

"We're at the top of a cliff and we can either fall off the edge or keep climbing"
- Gary Neville

"I've always been a childhood Liverpool fan, even when I was a kid."
- Harry Kewell

""What Zidane can do with a football, Maradona could do with an orange." "
- Michel Platini

Happy New Year.

2009-01-02T10:24:00.003+05:30

Happy New Year to one and all. This year, like its elder brother brings hope and promises to everybody. But here I am sitting at my desk hammering away trying to get some work done. God! The 2nd of the year and it's bloody boring to work! I drag myself to work on a few tickets only to get distracted by a call. "Yep. Happy New Year...thanks...Are you in a train or something?....". I hang up after a few more minutes.

Now, an IM pops up bringing a smile to my face. The same routine and the a few more lines and off she vanishes to get a cup of tea!...And I am still waiting. /:)

Ahhh....another call! bye for now!

31-Dec-2008

2008-12-31T19:35:00.004+05:30

On the last day of 2008, reminiscing back on this year, all I can say is 2008 was not bad, and am peeking around the corner for 2009.

Work has been the same though Sylantro has now, officially, become Sylantro-Broadsoft (more on that later). People leaving, people joining has been the trend all over the place so not much to bother there - unless people I like leave. So far that has been down to only one person - so hoping for a good 2009.

Life, in whole, has been nice with the occasional surprises. Every day is full of intriguing twists and turns but in general has been good. Having spent (still spending) quality time with my family, it sure is a nice way to end the year. Having a warm and caring family should be part of life. Well, I did learn a lot on how to live, what to do and what not to do - so it's good to go for the next year.

Friends have been the regular routine. Some getting married and flying off and some staying close as ever. There were a few who did make me realize not all is as clear as crystal.

Now for the Mighty whites, Leeds. Not so good after a bright start in League One. With the sacking of Gary Mac, Grayson now at the helm, a win to end the year, things might turn around in the new year.

Anything else? Yep. My HDD's are all working now! (keeping my fingers and toes crossed)

Happy New Year!

Christmas

2008-12-31T19:27:00.000+05:30

Christmas has come and gone this year but the holiday spirit still lingers on. The Tree with all its glitters, Santa's, bells, wreaths and small presents make their presence known with the occasional tingle and the streamers and cards show wishes from the past. Though, by the time I came home, Mom and Dad had completed the decorations, with a neatly wrapped present (mine!) under the tree. Ahh...some things do not change :) - When I left home a good few years back to move on to Bangalore, I thought I would miss all the charm in a family Christmas, but so far, that has not been the case. Christmas has always been the time to be jolly, with family and friends, with lots of good food and a festive atmosphere hanging in the air.

Mortal Kombat

2008-12-29T12:30:00.003+05:30

A few minutes back I got a rather strange phone call. Some guy was asking for a particular 'wei' in Chinese. Not that strange but after a few 'wei's, when I asked him for the number he wanted, he said "This is Kung Lao" - WOW! This was like a bolt out of a clear sky. Watching Mortal Kombat yesterday - and playing it as well, made me jump up when I heard the name Kung Lao. Well, after a few apologies, he hung up. hmm..Maybe I should have told him I was Shang Tsung :)

Live like a King.

2008-12-29T10:34:00.002+05:30

Day 9: 0824 hours
Coming Home is always a pleasure and the last 8 days have been just plain awesome. Living like a king (as some of my friends call it) is never something to complain, I would say.
I wake up to the sweet chirping of birds my window sill and get a nice cup of tea reading the paper. In the meanwhile the bath is made ready and I take a warm bath and by the time I come out, a few of my dresses are laid out. I make your pick. Then comes the healthy and heavy breakfast - which really is a break of fast!. After breakfast, it's off to my room to start my day's work (after all I am working from home!). Within an hour or so, a cup of tea and biscuits arrive on a plate. I much them happily and continue with the work. Anything else to eat? Is the question. Am good thanks is the answer!. After solving a few more tickets, IM'ing a few people and sending a few emails it's time again to go to the dining table - for Lunch. Mom and Dad wait for me to grace the table :). A sumptuous meal follows and am almost full to the point of feeling dazed (Yes, sometimes I am almost full!). Next comes another round or tickets, IM's and emails with something to munch on if needed. At around 1600 hours, the table beckons again for tea, biscuits and cake. One, two, three and maybe more pieces vanish quickly of my mom's home-made cake!umm...tasty! Maybe a few pakoras too. Off again. A few more tickets...and the rest. It's almost time to call it a day now. Goodbye's to my favourite people at work and I log off. Then its time for family, friends and the good 'ol places to hang around! Bye Bye!

Tea - Relativity.

2008-12-24T07:27:00.004+05:30

Here I am sitting at my table at 0700 hours drinking a nice cup of tea and listening to the birds chirping outside my window. How long has it been? How nice it is now! With all the concrete jungle's coming up in Bangalore, the early bird is never to be seen. Alas! What have we done to mother earth?.

"Gazing through the window at the world outside
Wondering if mother earth will survive
Hoping that mankind will stop abusing her, sometime"

Shifting from earth to down to earth now!

Life, people say, is there to be lived. Some live the dream and some wait for it to end. The sad fact is that everything in life is relative. For those not living the dream - the grass is greener on the other side. Anything, for that matter, is relative.

Why is it wrong? - Only because there is another way to do it. Thats relative.
What is good? - Because the other is 'bad'.

So on and so forth.

Well, I think I had too much sugar in my tea! :) - Have a good day or a good night (where ever you are - again relative!) ;)

A New beginning

2008-12-24T07:23:00.001+05:30

After the sacking of Gary Mac, Leeds have appointed Simon Grayson as their 9th manager in 10 years - not a good place for managers, I guess. But with Grayson's record, this could very well turn out to be a good move for the Yorkshire club. Having done a tremendous job with limited resources at Blackpool, much will be expected of him at Elland Road - even an immediate jump back in to the top 4 and a promotion perhaps!

Still a strong mighty white as ever can be!

The Draw.

2008-12-21T12:32:00.004+05:30

The draw for the Champions League has been done! And it's mouthwatering looking at the ties. Some of them bring back old memories and rivalries! Scolari's Blues take on -former Chelsea man-Ranieri's Juve. Am hoping for the Italian giants to knock out Chelsea and pile more misery on their 'near-Champions of Europe' journey. The other fixture which will prominently hug the limelight is the defending champions against Inter. Mourinho comes back to England, with his Nerazurri, to face his old friend - Sir Alex. That is going to be one hell of a game! One other intriguing game would be the battle between the Spanish tacticians: Juande Ramos and Rafael Benitez. Real do not look like the team that had been demolishing others in their path, but a trip to Anfield will surely bring the best out of them.

Chelsea v Juventus

Villarreal v Panathinaikos

Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich

Atletico Madrid v FC Porto

Lyon v Barcelona

Real Madrid v Liverpool

Arsenal v Roma

Inter Milan v Manchester United

The matches will be played on Feb 24/25 and Mar 10/11 as the Champions League knockout phase begins. Game on!!!

2008-12-18T06:37:00.002+05:30

Here I am, up from 0345 playing Pro Evolution Soccer, checking emails and now blogging! - Not that I wanted to be the early bird, but somehow got up and couldn't get back inside the covers. And the irritating knee after last evening's game is no help either. Anyway, all that aside, life goes on as usual, and me planning to go home today for the Holiday Season brings a smile to my face.

Though am gonna miss this place, a few people and Charlotte of course!, it's gonna be fun at home! Am kinda looking forward to it as the last few weeks have be rather tumultuous. Now that the dust has almost settle down, it's back to the grinding wheel.

'Tis the season to be Jolly! With a yo ho ho and a bottle of wine (lets skip the rum for the season :)!)

Light at the end of the tunnel?

2008-11-28T10:02:00.002+05:30

Any good news during these trying times is a welcome sign and name one that's better than the news that your club is doing well. Leeds United announced a profit of £4.5m and made the mighty whites all over the world smile with child like glee. Add to add to that, the news that the board wants to repurchase the Thorp Arch training facility and Elland Road within the next 12 months is mouth watering!
Elland Road is back! So are the Mighty Whites!

Robbo at his Best.

2008-11-24T21:42:00.002+05:30

Read something this morning on the BBC, which needs more than a first read. It left me rolling on my sides for a few solid minutes. This is an excerpt from Robb's Column today:

"Fabio's spent time with the players, realized the average IQ of the squad is slightly lower than that of a baboon colony and has kept the instructions appropriately straightforward"

Well. No one can explain it more explicitly! Long Live Journalism!

Today.

2008-11-24T19:32:00.001+05:30

Nothing Important Happened Today :-|

PS: I have to quote that title from the X Files.

Life as it is now.

2008-11-23T18:20:00.001+05:30

Hmmm...Right now, Am sitting here in my cube and trying to get some idea on a few issues. But nothing seems to work :) LOL - whats new huh? Ahh..there goes my finance lead, muttering something to herself. Not that it matters. Am all alone in my own
world now, typing all this and listening to 'Human' by the Killers. It kinda brings a smile to my face thinking about the good ol' times that I've had. There seems to be some kinda discussion in the corridor with three other guys...the Database should
be...blah blah...Another guy walks past them aimlessly (LOL). That's my company in a nutshell for today :) OK. OK. I'll stop. I know I've bored enough!
Anyway, that's life I guess, things and people change - some leave a big impression, and some don't.

The Italian and Italy.

2008-11-20T14:20:00.001+05:30

Good news for the English. There seems to be some hope, a ray of light at the end of the tunnel. Last night's international 'friendlies' left a rather good taste for the England Fans. A 2-1 win over rivals Germany will be regarded as a benchmark for the perennially under-achieving English. With Capello, they have a manager who is not only ruthless but hungry for the result. He does not look at the ego's, the golden balls or their over protective Club Managers. His principle is quite simple. You play well - you get the nod. This performance by the 'second string' England side was mighty impressive and will surely have the likes of Lampard and Gerrard shifting uneasily in their seats. And what is to become of Beckham and 'Owens' (as Capello calls)?
The Door is always open, he says, but with time running out, it might be a good time to play more Club Football :)
Well, that was the Italian.

Now for Italy. Unlike England, Italy had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Greece which was not quite the result all of us were expecting. The World Champions have not been at their best for quite some time and the rusty approach showed on the field as well. With Toni, they do have a marksman who can be the best on his day, but sadly, his days do not come as much as required. But, all said and done, a game not lost is always counted and there is always hope in the next few games. In the end, all that counts is the next World Cup. If they can hang on to it for four more years - all the losses and draws will be forgotten.

Sigh!

2008-11-18T11:50:00.002+05:30

God! Time sure flies. The other day when I was reminded about my Blog, I realized that it's been a long long time since I updated my 'corner'. Well, am at work now but will have to update about Life, Leeds United, the Rossoneri and BK. :)

The Rise?

2008-09-30T12:01:00.003+05:30

Dare I say? Is this gonna be the season where we see the mighty whites rise up again? Or will it be another year of 'so near, yet so far'. Having started strongly this season, Leeds United have to pull up their socks and fight it out to get back in the Championship. Third Place after 8 games is not bad but it has to be consistent and maybe even a bit better when the season closes.
Keeping my fingers and toes crosses :)

Sing a song of freedom...

2008-03-11T19:48:00.001+05:30

Here I am sitting in my room and cleaning up my hdd...when I hit upon old folders of songs...ahh that reminds me of a few people in my life who have 'significant' songs for various reasons!

Here I go...

"Meri Saamne Wali Khidki Mein Ek Chaand Ka Tukda Rehta Hai
Meri Saamne Wali Khidki Mein Ek Chaand Ka Tukda Rehta Hai
Afsos Yeh Hai Ki Woh Hum Se Kucch Ukhda Ukhda Rehta Hai
Meri Saamne Wali Khidki Mein Ek Chaand Ka Tukda Rehta Hai"

"Nothing's quite as pretty as Mary in the morning
When through the sleepy haze I see her lying there
Soft as the rain that falls on summerflowers
Warm as the sunlight shining on her head"

"The smile on your face
Lets me know That you need me
There's a truth In your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says
You'll catch me Whenever I fall
You say it best
When you say Nothing at all"

"And the thing that gets to me
Is youll never really see
And the thing that freaks me out
Is Ill always be in doubt
It is a lovely thing that we have
It is a lovely thing that we
It is a lovely thing, the animal
The animal instinct"

"We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the hills that we climbed
were just seasons out of time."

"Clue number one was when you knocked on my door
clue number two was the look that you wore
n' that's when i knew, it was a pretty good sign
that something was wrong up on cloud number nine"

If you are a friend of mine and while reading this, one song from this list hits you particularly then it probably was for you in the first place! :)

People, Places and Peanuts!!

2008-02-19T23:35:00.005+05:30

The last weekend was absolute fun! It started with meeting my friend of 10 years and then there is the snow!
I boarded with thoughts running through my mind. How will it be? What is it like to meet someone after two and a half years when you've had no contact whatsoever. Will it be like strangers greeting each other? Ideas and strange thoughts swim in my head. "...Hassan kneeling down in the middle of the road..." I continue to read "The Kite Runner" but every now and then my mind goes back to college, to after-college, and a host of other places. ...Amir Agha,.. Khaled Hosseini continues. I squint at the setting sun through the window, all the while playing with the thoughts in my mind.
'Peanuts'- The flight attendant breaks my sacred silence and I just force a polite Thank You!

My friend and I - shall we make it short and call her 'B' - have known each other for more than 10 years now and we still respect each other! :) She has been a fantastic person who understands you completely and sticks by you no matter what. I could go on but...Am pretty happy she came into my life!

I THINK I will miss her!

Thud! The wheels hit the tarmac!Welcome to Salt Lake City!

I make a couple of calls and trudge to the baggage claim and there she is! B looks as sweet as she did 10 years back and we wave to each other as though we are frantically bringing a plane to it's hangar, all the while with huge grins on our faces.

I KNOW I am gonna miss her!

After a quick round of hello's, we all pile into her friend's SUV - let's call him N - and I get my first real glimpse of Salt Lake City - Well, it's all covered with a white blanket of snow all over! Soon we were roaming around in downtown courtesy of the tram - which was a nice ride through town. Walking here and there with her explaining things to me kinda brought a smile to my face!And boy, did we have a lot of catching up to do! All through dinner it was talk, talk and more talk! Life has not been bad on us. God had shown mercy. With the weather nipping at us, we head back!

Activities on snow made up the entire Saturday and left us exhausted. N knew a lot of good places and the entire day was fun. All the while my thoughts kept wandering somewhere else and I just wished that Elle (another friend of ours) was there...to even things out! The day left us exhausted and as the sun was sinking over the white mountains, home beckoned. Sunday was another fun-filled day but as the time came for me to board my southwest back to CA, only the memories of the weekend were left. And to give an apt end - '...you say it best, when you say nothing at all' screams on the stereo and takes me back in time - to a time when things were at their best.Maybe I did make some mistakes back then. No. Not maybe, I did. Do I get a second chance? I probably don't deserve one. I smile to myself realizing the situation.

...Sad and slow goodbye's are exchanged and I trudge through the security check with mixed feelings all the while glancing back to see the physical distance slowly increase between us...

I WILL miss her!

Book of Secrets...it's no secret anymore!

2008-01-16T00:54:00.000+05:30

Phew! Was I glad to get out of National Treasure 2! It was not quite what I expected...in fact was not worth the few bucks that were spent! Anyway, not really interested in writing about it. The bottom line is, If you can spend an evening talking to an insurance salesman, do it, rather than watching this movie!

Well...I do have a list (bucket list, if you may! - lol)
- The Bucket List
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal skull
- Rambo
- Meet the Spartans
- Sweeny Todd
- Cloverfield
- Charlie Wilson's War

...will add more later.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T22:14:00.000+05:30

2008 if here! Gloryosky! 2007 is something of the past and 2008 is here in all it's glory! This new year has been a bit different as my friends -'Big Officers' - are back home and so they saw the new year well before I did! But we all had a nice conference call when the clock struck 12 in Bangalore and so was quite a blast. Now that it' s the new year here as well, things have settled down and another huge year begins with lotsa ups and downs and changes as well.

Reminiscing about the past year brings smiles and tears but in the end it has been a good year. And as someone said, - Life goes on - you bet it does!

Happy New Year to one and all!

The Walk of Fame!

2008-01-01T22:08:00.000+05:30

On the very last day of the 2007 I made it to the much awaited Walk of Fame! This has been on the cards for some time and this year did not disappoint me in that regards. After taking a long walk along the 'stars' I got kinda tired in the end and had to return back - without seeing a few of my favourites - well, that's always there for another day! Hollywood is a nice place to be - but still does not come close to the entertainment world called - Vegas!

Man of the Match - Andrij

2007-12-28T00:58:00.000+05:30

Finally a stellar performance from Shevchenko in the match against Aston Villa made the crowds look up to him. Sheva scored two goals and set up one in the 4-4 thriller at the Bridge.
A few snippets from the BBC live-text commentary during the match should sum it up.

1427: GOAL Chelsea 3-2 Aston Villa
A real striker's finish from, of all people, Alex, who collects a pass from the brilliant Andriy Shevchenko and takes the ball past a last-ditch challenge before drilling it home from 16 yards.

1410: GOAL Chelsea 2-2 Aston Villa
The superb Andriy Shevchenko equalises for Chelsea with an unstoppable strike from just over 20 yards. His ability has never been in doubt. What a finish.

His performance on the pitch - which was probably his best in a Chelsea shirt so far- spoke for itself and his class was quite unmatched on the field.
Way to Go Sheva!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-28T00:51:00.000+05:30

Ahh ....tis the season to be jolly...Christmas is in the air and it gives you a nice feeling deep down to see the happy faces and the holly around. I thought I would probably have to spend this Christmas alone but my family drove down and so we had a nice warm family Christmas yet again!

Now that it's over, am back at my desk hammering the keys - though still in the holiday spirit!
Happy Holidays!

Mighty forever!

2007-10-10T15:38:00.000+05:30

The mighty whites - after being sent to League 1 to ply their trade - showed the football world what it is to rise from the debris! The current position says...

		P	GD	Pts
11	Yeovil	10	-2	14
12	Leeds	10	15	13
13	Northampton	10	2	13

...and remember we started with a 15 point deficit!!! Except for the lone draw, it's been Glory Glory all around the park! With 9 wins and a draw, we are marching on together up the ladder.
True- the climb back to the Premiership is a tough one, but with performances such as this, we fear no one!
Marching on!!!

Life.

2007-07-06T12:13:00.000+05:30

Life is like a highway, sometimes everything appears bright and green and sometimes dark and gloomy (Note the use of 'appear' which may not be reality).
Yesterday, I had to drive a few things out of my mind, so took the flying Dutchman (my car) and headed out for a drive.
People and places change sometimes for the good and sometimes the result may not be what we wanted but one thing I have learned so far is, God does not give you all you want...He gives you all that you need.
I think and decide on the Outer ring road for several reasons. Green Day start "I walk a lonely road..." on the stereo...
Yes, I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known. Everybody needs time...alone, to think in retrospect. As I drive down, I glance at known places, places where I have been many times before.
'My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating'
All the cars and trucks zoom by, life seems to be a big blur. Sometimes certain changes hit you hard, so hard that it takes time to even gather the pieces and get up. But another lesson learnt in life is...Time is a great healer. Everything takes time - Patience is really a virtue.

Time slowly crawls as I continue on lane 3 almost oblivious to the traffic. Cranberries on the stereo with 'Animal Instinct'. The song brings back memories, and I bite my lip, not that I want to but I had to, to prevent a drop from trickling down my cheek. I hold on. An ambulance wails on the other side of the road. I glance at it for a few seconds. May God have mercy on the poor soul. It's almost midnight and I turn around to head home - have a meeting at work tomorrow morning. I stay on the intersection waiting for a clear lane to turn. Trucks, Cars and SUV's speed past. The headlights hit me hard on the face illuminating it for a fleeting second. I turn into the last lane, and slowly rest my foot on the accelerator. I come back to the familiar places. This time around I stop and glance, but for a few minutes and a wry smile escapes. The drop trickles down. I move the Dutchman into first and the speedometer slowly moves...0...10...20...

Life is on a highway...we move from 0 to 20, 30 and perhaps 40, and either brake hard or swerve around when something comes in the way. I had braked hard and in the process stalled my engine, there had been no room to swerve. The reality of the situation broke free - This is reality. My mind said accept it, my heart said no. An intriguing debate continues between them, each bringing forth its own valuable point. Thoughts and memories keep flooding and walk back and forth at the back of my mind. Some good and some even better. I realize this is life and this is how things change - not for the first time - but things could have been different. Things could have been better.

I am almost home.

Have a long day tomorrow. My Manager is not gonna be in for some time - that completes the case by taking it from bad to worse!
God have mercy on me.

History of the Whites...

2007-06-21T13:06:00.000+05:30

A sad look at the rise and fall of Leeds United in the last decade.

(Read as Games played-Won-Lost-Drew-Points)
Premier League
1997-1998: 38-17-8-13-59
Position:5th
European Honours: UEFA Cup Participant

1998-1999: 38-18-13-7-62
Position:4th
European Honours: UEFA Cup Participant

1999-2000: 38-21-6-11-69
Position:3rd
European Honours: UEFA Cup Finalist

2000-2001:38-20-8-10
Points:68
Position:4th
European Honours: UEFA Champions League Semi-finalist

2001-2002:38-18-12-8-66
Position:5th

2002-2003:38-14-6-19-47
Position:15th

2003-2004:38-8-9-21-33
Position:19th (Relegated)

Championship:
2004-2005:46-14-18-14-60
Position:14th

2005-2006:46-21-15-10-78
Position:5th (Play Offs)

2006-2007:46-13-7-26-36 (Docked 10 poinst for Administration)
Position: 24th (Relegated)

League One:
2007-?

BSNL BB Woes

2007-06-21T11:59:00.000+05:30

After much hassle and phone calls, I finally got a BSNL Broadband connection at my Dad's place so that it's better than the slow dial up we have but it was more a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire! OK. First of all I was not keen on BSNL but the fact that they were the only ones available in that area gave me no choice but to go with them. After applying for one, and waiting for quite a long time someone finally got the very neatly done (am being sarcastic here!) connection ready.

Now...fast forward to a few months later; I am absolutely SICK of the BSNL broadband! It's hopeless, worthless and what not! - add any other expletive you want. A simple capture shows how good it is.

Reply from 216.109.112.135: bytes=32 time=326ms TTL=48
Request timed out.
Reply from 216.109.112.135: bytes=32 time=322ms TTL=48
Request timed out.
Reply from 216.109.112.135: bytes=32 time=323ms TTL=48
Reply from 216.109.112.135: bytes=32 time=328ms TTL=47
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.2: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.2: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.2: Destination net unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.2: Destination net unreachable.

This is how the connection is (if you can call it a connection!), and this does not happen to me alone. Most of my friends who had no other choice (like yours truly) but to take a BSNL BB are going through the same road! Mind you, the timing out or not reachable is not due to a router/network or any other third party problem - the fact is the ADSL link is so bloody flaky that the connection stays up for 2 minutes then drops, reconnects and so on and so forth. My old dial up was slow (like the Tortoise) but was consistent and can get your work done over time, but the BSNL BB is fast (like the Hare) and you can get nothing done apart from losing your patience. In short, it leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouth! Never again, would I want to go for or recommend it even for my worst enemy!

...and just for the record, I have an Airtel BB at home in B'lore and its awesome!

Rossoneri with the Cup!

2007-05-24T15:02:00.000+05:30

AC Milan bring the Champions League back to Italy! Yesterday's final against Liverpool in Athens was not a classic as the one in Istanbul, but the result brought a big smile to the faces of the Milan faithful - unlike last time around! Though the reds enjoyed much of the first half possession, they paid their price for not converting any as Pirlo's free kick right on half time took a wicked deflection off Inzhagi and ended in the back of the net. Then on, Milan pressed forward in search of the killer second goal, and that arrived at the 82nd minute, again from Pippo who neatly finished after a through ball from Kaka. Liverpool were running out of ideas and the introduction of Crouch brought a change and they pulled one back in the dying minutes through a Kuyt header - but it was too late to make much of a difference.

At the final whistle, the proud Rossoneri were the happy bunch and the sad red's had a dejected look on their faces as they were not able to repeat the 2005 final here in Athens. Maldini - at 38 - was the oldest player in the final, but the proud captain of a mighty Milan team which, I should say, deserved the Cup. Holding aloft the coveted Champions League trophy, with Sir Alex probably opening the bottle of wine back in England, Maldini looked majestic surrounded by his team.

Milan have done the nation proud after all the Serie A problems.!
The night belonged to them!

AC Milan: Dida, Oddo, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski (Kaladze 79), Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf (Favalli 90), Kaka, Inzaghi (Gilardino 88).
Subs Not Used: Kalac, Cafu, Serginho, Brocchi.

Booked: Gattuso, Jankulovski.

Goals: Inzaghi 45, 82.

Liverpool: Reina, Finnan (Arbeloa 88), Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Alonso, Mascherano (Crouch 78), Zenden (Kewell 59), Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Hyypia, Gonzalez, Bellamy.

Booked: Mascherano, Carragher.

Goals: Kuyt 89.

The Final Curtain Call :(

2007-05-07T13:05:00.000+05:30

The day, season and all with it is over! Going into Administration was the only option to keep the club alive and the 10 points deducted as a result of it, sent Leeds United spiraling down to League One! All may seem lost for the once Mighty whites, but there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel! Though there is a dark cloud hanging over Elland Road and the atmosphere is gloomy, there is still hope that we can start from scratch again and get back to the glory days!

The Fall:
Six long years ago, Leeds were battling it out with Valencia for a place in the Champions League final - which they lost; fast forward to 2007, and they were battling for survival in the Championship - which, sadly, they lost. If they had won that battle and had marched on to the finals, things could have been very very different. Failure to qualify in 2000-01, 01-02 started the decline of a Club which had a proud history and an even more proud fan base. 2002 started the steep decline and Leeds took the shortest route possible to League One!

The Big-name Exodus:
Rio Ferdinand - 30m to ManU
Robbie Keane - 12m to Tottenham
Lee Bowyer - 100,000 to West Ham
Olivier Dacourt - 3.5m to Roma
Robbie Fowler - 6m to Man City
Jonathan Woodgate - 9m to Newcastle
Harry Kewell - 5m to Liverpool
Mark Viduka - 4.5m to Middlesbrough
Paul Robinson - 1.5m to Tottenham
Alan Smith - 7m to ManU

The once proud line up which was glittered with stars has to be re-worked on with home grown talent to take them up the ladder rung by rung - not one rung is to be missed or the fall might be greater than expected!

The Future:
Now, all that's left is a team with fringe players and few glitters here and there. More names, such as David Healy, leaving the club will not be a surprise and to be honest, nothing will be a surprise after all that has happened over the last few years at Elland Road. We look forward to fight in League One and slowly scratch ourselves back up...and this time around, try not to follow the same old path.

To be Remembered:
Leeds United showed the world "How not to manage a Professional Football Club"

Signing off with a heavy heart!
Abe - Always a Mighty White! "LUFC for ever"

Going Down. :(

2007-05-02T14:54:00.000+05:30

League One beckons! Sadly, that is true for the once mighty Leeds United. LU's fall from glory has been drastic and it was not long ago that we were contesting with the likes of Valencia and Lazio in the Champions League, but the latest 1-1 draw with Ipswich, more or less sent Leeds to League One. Nothing short of a miracle will help now!..it's a sad day at Elland road, but we will march on together!

Way way up on the other side, Liverpool sent Chelsea packing out of the Champions league in the Semi's on penalites and it's a welcome sight to see the sad blue bus head back to London! There are clubs and people to stop Chelsea and the sefl proclaimed 'Special One' - Mourinho. Though I feel bad for Terry and Sheva, Chelsea needed someone to bring them back to earth in the CL and the Premiership and this year Looks like Liverpool and ManU have done just that.

Well done Lads!

2007-04-09T17:42:00.000+05:30

Phew! For the first time in many months, there is a sense of renewed hope at Elland Road. Last Weekend's 2-1 win over Plymouth lifted Leeds out of the bottom three and one point clear of the danger zone. Though this win gave the Elland Road faithful a much needed boost, danger is still lurking very near. If Leeds can maintain their form and get a couple of wins under their belt, we might, just might beat the drop to League One!.
Marching on with the Mighty Whites!
Marching on Together!

Beating the drop...

2007-04-04T17:19:00.000+05:30

With the championship heading for a frantic finish as to who will take the plunge to League 1, Leeds United's hopes have been given a lift with the recent much-awaited win. The win coupled with suitable results elsewhere sees the Mighty whites in 23rd (one off the bottom!) and technically a win away from safety. Looks like it's gonna be a call for three between Luton, Leeds, Southend, Barnsley and QPR.
May God be with us!!!

Azzurri Power and English charm?

2007-03-29T12:29:00.000+05:30

The Mighty Italians - I have the right to say that as they top the world rankings and are the World Champions as well - took on the travelling Scots in Bari for their Euro 2008 clash. The Italians have not been as convincing as they had been in the world cup and were in a sort of a slump, but with Donandoni at the helm and with the likes of Gattuso, Pirlo, Toni and Buffon in the field, it probably was a slight slip, one would guess. And they wasted no time in assuring their fans of their skill by opening the scoring in the 12th minute with a quality header from none other than Luca Toni. The Scots fielded an attacking line up, but Zambrotta and Oddo were causing all sorts of problems for the Scots with running attacks on either side. And with 20 odd minutes Toni settled the game with his second strike of the night and brought the high flying Scots crashing down to earth.

Elsewhere, in Barcelona, Woeful England started the game against Andorra with the critics waiting on the aisle to kill them with words the following morning. As it is, there was nothing to really harp about England based on their performances in the recent past and with the goals drying up bug time, the lads had to 'stand and deliver' or else face the scathing attack day in and day out. After another lacklustre first half, they were deservedly jeered off the field for half time. Immediately after the restart, Gerrard saved England the blushes and sent in a a low 20 yard drive and then slid in to get his second with 15 minutes remaining. Unconvincing England were finally scenting a win after a long time (since the dark ages??!). David Nugent tapped it in from close range in extra time to get a goal on his debut, though it was rolling towards the goal after Defoe's shot was partly-saved by the Andorra keeper. This game showed (as I earlier stated in an old post) that you have to sacrifice a few good men to get the results. Gerrard was in his preferred position at the centre (with Lamps on the injured list) and it reaped in the results. Think Steve, think!

Anyway, a good day's work for the Italians and the English, I must say.

Sigh..Still the same!

2007-03-20T12:22:00.000+05:30

Sigh!...After managing a draw against Southend, with Luton being defeated elsewhere, we still find ourselves propping up the ladder! But the draw draws us level on points with fellow strugglers - Luton - and with just a handful of games remaining, Wise and Poyet will have to make 'wise' team selections to try and save the sinking ship called Leeds United.

The goals are starting to come slowly and that - My God - is a big big morale booster. Though the Premiership looks like a long walk back, League 1 has it's arms wide open in welcoming a club -which could very well be an example as 'How not to manage a Premiership Club'. League 1, 2 and the conference is not the way Leeds should be looking...it's the other way...up the championship table, the Premiership and then ultimate glory...in the Champions League!

Rock Bottom

2007-03-16T19:19:00.000+05:30

With Leeds languishing at the bottom of the Championship table, things look rather gloomy and overcast over Elland Road. Will the not-so-late Champions League Semi-Finalists complete the journey and end up in League 1? This weekend's game against Southend could be the key!

Born to Run.

2007-03-08T10:30:00.000+05:30

...Was reading, or rather continuing to read 'It's not about the Bike' which is about Lance Armstrong's 'Journey back to life' after he was diagnosed with Cancer, was under chemo for a long time and then bounced back into the limelight. Anyway, not to digress, there was this chapter called 'Survivorship' which was about how he lost all hope in cycling, gave it up almost for good and then how he found motivation (with help from fading 'Go Armstrong' and 'Viva Lance' scribbled on Beech Mountain) and started on his return to Glory! As I was reading this particular chapter with profound interest, the music in the background (my headphones!) added more weight to it! It was the boss singing 'Baby, we were born to run....'

'Born to Run' , by itself, is one heck of a song, but coupled with this read it produced an immense effect which sadly cannot be explained in words! In short - it has to be lived! :)

On top of the world.

2007-02-15T11:22:00.000+05:30

The day when the Mighty Italians reach the top rung of the ladder has come... FIFA released the World rankings and Italy have usurped Brazil for the first time since 1993, with Brazil slipping from top position after more than 4 years!

Fifa world rankings:
1 Italy
2 Brazil
3 Argentina
4 France
5 Germany
6 England
7 Holland
8 Portugal
9 Czech Republic
10 Spain

Moods of the Master!

2007-02-14T15:22:00.000+05:30

My Mood swings throughout the week surprise me sometimes! That made me realize that I sometimes live through the seven dwarfs in one week! LOL

DOC - Usually when am seriously working, tapping on my laptop furiously!
DOPEY - The Quiet days!Absolutely no arguments even.
SLEEPY - Like today, when I sleep, sleep, sleep and get up late in the morning.
GRUMPY -Sigh! Those grumpy days bring down the gayest of people who are around me. Wish they were far and few.
SNEEZY - Early in the morning, you let out one good sneeze, then it kinda follows and stops only when you're eyes are kinda watery. Feels good to go out in the sun on those days.
HAPPY - Ah....probably the best mood to be in. Luckily this is most of the time, so cheers me and all around me as well.
BASHFUL- This is something I have to learn! LOL. Well, certain people do say that I am a tad shy...:)

Anyway, be it grumpy or sleepy, there is always room for change and the people, environment, and all that has to go with it do play a good deal.

Robbo's rant on Woeful England

2007-02-14T15:20:00.000+05:30

1. Gerrard OR Lampard. That's OR! Not AND! Not one of you in the middle and the other out of position; not paper, scissors, stone before you decide which one of you is allowed to bomb forward. They do the same job. One has to go on the bench.
2. Carrick. Not up to it. Yes, messrs Hansen, Wright and Shearer, he is a lovely passer - as long as it's sideways or back to the keeper. He's weak in possession - he must have lost a lot of candy as a baby. And someone cuts his fringe with a ruler. Enough already.
3. Phil Neville. Ermmm... why? Barry would've been better at left-back - actually Carrick would've been. I know he's versatile but so are potato waffles.
4. Wright-Phillips. Wrong Phillips. Couldn't trap a dead cat right now. He's been used as a duvet for the Chelsea subs bench for long enough. Sell him so he can shed a few togs and believe in himself again.
5. Crouch. Not a starter, even when Rooney's out. The ref was ridiculous with him all night mind. He seemed to think that you could give away a foul simply by being too tall. But he's best as a nuisance to come off the bench. Rooney needs a direct replacement for Owen and, right now, that means Defoe or Johnson (or - and it can't be any worse - Nugent).
6. Tempo. Why do we try and knock it about like we're on the bleeding Copacabana beach? Until people in this country start training our young lads to look after a football (and I don't just mean keep it away from windows and thorn-bushes) then all we can rely on is that the opposition don't like it up em. The Spanish were right flaky for 10 minutes and then we slowed down. NO! GET STUCK IN!

When will they understand?

2007-02-08T17:36:00.000+05:30

Dear Lord! Another woeful performance by England! People may argue that this is just a friendly but wait till the games that matter come into the picture again. If they maintain their current 'form', reaching Euro 2008 by itself would be a tough ask. yeah...yeah...the important stars are missing, players are playing out of position, yada yada, you can go on and argue about it. Lampard and Gerrard cannot co-exist in the same team. If they do play, one of them will have to sacrifice his natural game and try to do something different, which has not really worked well as we have seen in so many games. But the point is, England do have quality players but they should realise that they are not the best and not as good as they think they are! - Come down to earth and start playing!

On yesterday's game, Foster will surely give Robinson a run for his money, and Woodgate proved that he is more than capable of standing in for Terry. But Phil at left back? That was a joke -I hope! The midfield, sigh, the problematic midfield, with too many cooks or should I say, too many acclaimed chefs, do not fit well together. Play either Gerrard or Lampard and then get a holding midfielder like Carrick or Hargreaves in. That leaves the sides open for Lennon, Wright-Phillips, Downing or Cole or bring Dyer down behind the strikers. Upfront, Crouch is not exactly the kind of hitman any defender would be scared off. Rooney and Owen are the only world class strikers that England can even whisper about. And unless they fire on all fronts, the English will have to wait for a striker of the class of Shearer or Linekar...to be born!

Drogba wants more from Shevchenko?

2007-01-29T11:24:00.000+05:30

Just because Drogba seems to be having a fantastic season, it doesn't mean he can harp to his hearts content. The SUN quotes him "On Shevchenko's side I don't really sense the desire to collaborate. I think that as a big signing he believes he is obliged to justify his transfer fee with goals at any cost."

Sheva is trying all that he can to adapt to the English lifestyle and the pace of the game but all this riff-raff does not help one bit. And if you ask me, the main reason why 'Diving Drogba' is having a ball on the field is because of the presence of Shevchenko. Where was Didier last season? and before that? How many did he score?a handful of plucky goals here and there. But now it's an entirely different ball game. The defenders are too busy trying to mark the talismanic Ukrainian which leaves Drogba a clear chance...and then he scores! And like any other professional striker, the more you score, the better is your morale, and you re-discover your form and continue on a good run. So instead of opening his big mouth, he should learn to keep it shut and roll on the grass while it's sunny!

Wedding bells.

2007-01-29T08:23:00.000+05:30

"Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away, Now it looks as though they're here to stay, Oh, I believe in yesterday. "

Um...actually, I started to write about my friends wedding and started as 'Yesterday' and then continued on with it.OK. So where was I?yeah. Yesterday was one of my closest friends' wedding but unfortunately I was not able to make it as it was out of town. Though I was not there to bring a broad smile to her face on her most cherished day, I was there in spirit and a small text message added to it. Remembering all the good times and the fun times almost brought a tear to my eye but that is how life is. You might have to wave a happy good bye to people near and dear and stick on with the not so dear ones! Anyway, the picture of her sitting there in the midst looking as pretty as ever would have - by itself - made the wedding more grand than it usually is. Here's to a great friend! Congratulations, and a happy Married life!

Vroom Vroom

2007-01-23T14:32:00.000+05:30

After an Early Sunday morning church service, taking a stroll down MG road to Coffe house can have it's own sights to see and behold. There, parked in all its glory was a blue BMW with its shiny coat glistening in the sharp morning sun. All I could do was admire it for a couple of minutes, but those few minutes were enough to see and feel the streamlined body and the nose-grill carved to perfection. A quick appreciation and then I continue on my walk down to the coffee shop for a nice plate of scrambled eggs and toast!

Have to March On...

2007-01-17T13:42:00.001+05:30

Leeds United's fall from grace seemed to stop last season and almost started a revival of sorts and made it to the play-offs. But this season, mixed transfers and sacked managers, tell part of the story. The rest could go down in history as to how not to play in the EPL. Leeds are languishing almost at the bottom of the Championship, level on points with Southend - which props up the table. Will Leeds' total downfall lead them further away from the stars and glory? I sincerely hope not! The Mighty whites who - not many season ago - were in the last 8 of the champions League are now fighting for survival deep in the bottom half. With the managerial changes, and new players coming in it's just plain hope against hope that things will get better around the corner. With the former Chelsea skipper, Wise, at the helm, we have experience and quality, but only time will tell if it was indeed a 'wise' decision!