The RVP Conundrum - A delusional arsenal fan's prespective!!

RVP after his scorcher against charlton in 2006

"You should always try to show respect, and this is just basic stuff that all human beings should have in their life – just being nice to people. It’s the little things, like giving people a minute of your time in the street, you show them respect, and live with your principles on life."

 This was what Robin van Persie had said when he was given the arsenal arm band last August. For once I was so happy that the footballer I loved watching had actually said that is apt for for all walks of life. Even when he was injured I used to support him with utmost loyalty. I even tried to choke a friend of mine as he tried to mock a RVP miss. Over the period of 7 months from August 11 to February 12 the respect I had for him quadrupled. The way he had encouraged his team mates during the 4-3 Blackburn fiasco, and the subsequent winners in almost all the matches that followed, I started idolizing him and started seeing him in the same bracket as Dennis Bergkamp. The height of which was the goal against spurs on 26th February 2012 at the Emirates and the his celebration that followed!! I was so very happy that day as it spurred me to take one of the most idiotic decisions in my life. 

But what followed is nothing short of a disaster personally as an arsenal fan!!  Every year I have been an eternal optimist hoping that Arsenal would win something inspite of Losing its captains. For once I was so damn sure that there is a player who is ready to put his everything for the club. But alas i was served with the most damning of reality checks!! Here is the statement he released recently. He has come out and said that arsenal lacked ambition when, for once they bought couple of decent players at the beginning of a transfer window. Really what is ambition? Buying the best player in every position, that's not ambition, that's football manager 2012 or Find a sheikh for unlimited funds and win everything every season, that's not ambition that's cheating and doesn't really fulfill the true sense of achievement. Look at Ajax 1995 for inspiration.

Robin van persie was the first person Wenger bought post the invincible season. Coming to a team full of superstars he came with quite a reputation of being a hot head. Following the pattern of youngsters being integrated into the team via Carling cups, he became a first team regular by 2006. His best moments came against Blackburn and Charlton. The period from 2004-10 was littered with countless injuries, niggles and lay offs. In almost all those years, he had missed the crucial times of the season, but the  touch of class was always apparent whenever he played!! He formed a lethal partner ship with adebyor in the beginning of 2008-09 season. It was a partnership that was broken more due to financial reasons than footballing ones. Understandably fabregas is the biggest footballing talent to have graced Arsenal in the past few years. RVP comes a very close second. The biggest surprise was when he was offered a new 4 year contract when he actually had played only 20 games in 2008-09 season. I dont think any other club would have done that.

So what will the departure of RVP mean. Another year of rebuilding. Another year of no trophy (most likely) and another summer of trying to hold on to our precious talent.(Is there someone left?? ox of jack possibly). Over the past 7 years I have seen most of my favorite players leaving arsenal. Cole, Viera, Henry, Helb, Flamini, Fabregas and the list is endless. Along with the departure of Fab, RVP will be the most painful. The present team was built around him. If Henry was the hero of Hiburey, emiretes has had only one prodigal son and it is RVP w/o doubt.

I feel so terribly sorry for Arsene Wenger tonight. Whatever mistakes he might have made during his tenure, at his heart he is an Arsenal man. Through and through. The club had come before his own family. The club has come before his own ambitions and interest. For all the faith and time and effort he has put into helping RVP become the player he is, Wenger is left with only disappointment. Just like cesc, just like nasri, just like cole and adebayor. He is one supreme eternal optimist and a sagacious patriarch who will not bend even a tiny little bit from his principles. Players have been continuously stabbing him from the rear and he has been valiant enough to  take it in his stride and still produce a team decent enough to compete in most competitions.

Wherever he goes I hope RVP remains the focus of that team. I would prefer if he chooses Juventus. The old lady are a striker away from becoming a fantastic team. But one thing is for sure, he would never achieve the same cult status he enjoys amongst the arsenal fans. One of the bitter lessons we all should learn is that "Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving." - Einstein.  The same is applicable for Arsenal and Wenger must have perfected that art by now.

Personally i will try reduce the emotional attachment with the players and the club as it has been really painful. Its better to be professional and just follow the club.  But as always I will hope that arsenal win the quadruple and this fellow has a blinder becoming the best midfielder in europe. (No i am not kidding!!)

Hoping that diaby has an RVPisque return from injury!!

Bidding addieu to the Gentleman cricketer - Rahul Dravid

For the past 15 years, if there had been a sporting icon, whose career grew along with me, and I had the pleasure to experience his ups and downs, it has to be Rahul Dravid. When he burst into the scene, people hardly noticed him. "Over shadowed by others" was the norm of his career until the England series in 2011. I remember my granny calling him a Dhravam (literally meaning acid), because he just used to stick to the crease scoring at a snail's pace. But if there is a competition for the biggest Jammy fans around, I am sure I would be somewhere near the very top!! I enjoy every aspect of his game. I have been disappointed by him a few times, but then he is also a human being. I read really a lot of wonderful tributes when he retired. Though coming at later than most, I just want to express my gratitude to my sports hero for making association with cricket really enjoyable.

The earliest memories for me is the indian tour of west indies in 97!! So many scores in 80s and 90s against last of good bowling units WI had. In his second year he almost became a mainstay of indian test team. And then came the worst phase of his career. A trination involving india zim and kenya! and mind you India lost the tournament. India collectively played poorly and for the first time dravid was dropped from the team. But when recalled, he had an amazing tour of new zealand and as they often say, "The rest is history". I can write 2 more pages fully filled with facts about records dravid holds. A fellow blogger of mine has articulated it wonderfully well. You can read it here . All I can say is that, if I am batting I would only want dravid at the other end. I am sure I will break many records!! :D

So why do I rather respect him so much?  I Learnt the following things from him,

1. Importance of being patient, from the way he waits for the scoring opportunities.
2. Importance of hardwork. Just from the way he transformed himself from technically efficient blocker to one of the finest all round batsman. Starting as a predominantly leg side player, he has developed in his armory one of the most classic cover drives of the game.
3. How to adapt to change. He has had success in all types of pitches and bowling attacks. He has scored centuries batting at all the 7 positions. Just when was made captain, the spark in his batting was lost a bit. But he was one of the first captains to use batting powerplay efficiently. (England touring india in 2006-07) 
4. Actions are always louder than words. "Just look at his records." 
5. Being diplomatic - I can remember Dravid loosing his cool only twice in his entire career. Against Donald in Jburg in 98 and Micheal Slater at Mumbai in 2001.
6. Playing to your strengths. Dravid never changed his approach to the game. He built his game around his core strength, playing a technically sound game. Even for T 20!! 

There are a few things in which he has disappointed me.

1. Never handled the pressure of leading a team properly. Thats a fact. 
2. Never stood up for ganguly against chapell. Being his deputy he must have stood up for Ganguly. 
3. Long standing cold war between Dravid and Sachin with the later boycotting Dravid's felicitation and Dravid failing to mention Sachin in his speech. It was just sad. Not at all a good precedent.
4. Should have retired after the England series. Or after scoring a century at Bangalore. He failed to leave with a bang. :(.

But any how the positives easily outweigh the negatives. My favorites include,

Fav Innings : Definitely has to be the one against the english in Headingly. On a green top, a magnificent show of defensive batting. Ganguly made a bold decision of selecting 2 spinners on a green top. And won the toss and selected to bat also!! Because he had easily the most inform player in the world cricket then. Any highlights package u will watch on youtube will show his fifty in just a minute. But mind you it took him more than 50 fifty overs to reach the milestone. Easily one of the best innings I have ever seen. My favorite Dravid innings and one where india won because of a complete team effort.

Fav Shot: Has to be the leg glance through mid wicket. Not many players can play it like him. But if there is a shot that will remain in my mind, it will be the six he hit of murali against Sri Lanka in 1999 world cup. Have a look at this shot. Hoisting the best off spinner in the world over covers for a six.

Contemporaries who were his competition: OK no Sachin here. He is different from Dravid at every level. There are 3 players who come to mind. Kallis, Chandrepaul and Damien Martin. These players cannot be compared!!

So thank you Dravid, for making my student life really interesting. It was great following your career and hopefully I will be able to watch a Rajasthan Royals game before you totally retire from all forms of cricket!!  Rahul Sharad Dravid - Hats off to you!!