18 September 2008

A Soulberry epic and the nature of the beast

Soulberry's patience with a blogpost means that we have what is an epic by blog standards. Sure, it is a derivative work, tipping its hat to both Orwell as well as JRod, but in the end it is more than a sum of its parts. And as if my sense of anticipation wasn't already peering over the edge of the cliff, this post has me licking my lips in anticipation of a free fall (one that I know will hurt from memory). Well done!

The hurt from Sydney required the euphoria-balm of Perth. If not for Veeru and Pathan and the rest, I can imagine the dark feelings I'd have been harbouring right now. Those sections of our personalities that we spend an entire lifetime attempting to surprss, require only one cathartic moment (or a series of events) to grow and take control - The Exorcist, Bhool Bhulaiyya style..

I saw the ugly Indian cricket fan grow inside me, and I wrote about it, disdainfully observing the effigy-burners outside my self, but fully aware that there was one within me. Thank god for Perth, thank god for the tri-series, for the ruffian within had a good reason to go back within his shell. Phew, I am sophisticated again, I can glibly talk about the games many 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune', how you 'win some and you lose some'..

Or did he?

What is the nature of this beast? Is he separate from the remaining, more respectable (the reading, English newspaper reading, DVD-purchasing, argumentative) parts of my self? How different is the effigy burner from the joyous dancer at India Gate when the young ones took everything at Jo'burg, or the one who lost his voice in the swooning Mumbai crowd? Are they the same person, only manifesting differently to a changed cricketing environment? Very primal - comfortable when winning, or even losing by an inch, but lose badly or raise a suspicion of being cheated out of a win, and there is no damming this ugliness, like an mother beast with its cubs and back to the wall.

I am without sophistication. This is me, the cricket fan.

7 comments:

Soulberry said...

John, thanks for taking up the article.

I was determined to begin this year's series with a good look at my own past indiscretions.


Unlike Georgie out there, and Uncle J, I usually felt it was possible to fight back and hard without the need to look up vocabulary in any alternative dictionary. Through the last Ozzie series, my beliefs proved frail...I spoke in public spaces in a manner I wouldn't normally speak in private places. I had discovered...rather I should say I re-discovered...a part of myself who had morphed long ago from an equal partner to a resident to a statue on the mantle....the best came alive after many years. I was an adult but not one at the same time...like you say, and Orwell, I guess I was merely a conditioned sports fan back then.

This time...Bucknor or no Bucknor...Symo or no Symo-like...P.Ricky or no P.Ricky, and Clarke...I aim to preserve the positive aspects and speak (not rant) about the hows and whys of the negatives...for they too have to be recorded for accuracy purposes. I doubt if it will be that jingoistic as it was from both sides...wotsay?

John said...

Soulberry, you are an example of how restarint can not only be good, but fun as well. Jrod is an example of how a lack of restraint can be a lot of fun, but need not be a destabilizing influence. After all, without provocation, how do you expect to grow?

As to your question, I doubt the there will be anything like the previous series. However, without Symo, I fully expect Clarke to try and fill the gap. Hopefully, the little rat will be under greater spotlight this time round, and should be the necessary source of provocation. But I guess, "de-escalation" will be what every one will be thinking.

Anonymous said...

That'sss da ishpirit... good one... I rather be an uncouth blunt cricket fan who mouths his direct thoughts than a sophisticated cricket pimp who writes in a column.

John said...

Great to see you around, Scorpi. Giving voice to thought has its advantages. But then are you condoning the effigy-burning, stone-throwing peoples?

Anonymous said...

Those are not fans John... they are betters who lost money.

John said...

How're you so sure?

Anonymous said...

Hmm... ok I have helped out quite a few of my classmates who are in the television news line. Most of the time, there groups call up the station and informs that there will be a protest. Once we landed onto the scene without a camera and didn't announce ourselves as the press. The bunch of guys were sitting and yawing with their effigies. The moment the crew came, bang started all the hullabulla.

In all essence, there were 6 people creating the fuss and a 100 onlookers, mostly amused.

And on betting rackets, seen so many small time guys outside railway station alleys... seen even fights break out when someone lose their money, after being informed that a particular guy won't be playing :)... this is after laying the bet... small amounts though.