Sports Unlimited !!

Last month (for cricket it's 24X7) or so have seen a loads of sporting activity and interestingly all sports have been of my liking from Euro '08 to Indian cricket & French Open as well as Wimbledon to F1. Strangely all the teams I supported have gone to the finals so a satisfying feel is there. In F1 I have been a big fan of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari from the days even when I didn't watch the F1. Now even though Schumi has left the scene but I still cheer for his Ferrari legacy. Now that Massa is leading the board as well as Ferrari is on top of teams leader board that is satisfying. Now I am awaiting the Sunday's showdown in Britain given that Massa crashed in the pre-race practice session. Moving over to Euro Germany has been my favourite from the earlier times I liked Germany for not so football reasons. My reason for their liking has been the spirit with which they rose after second world war disaster and another reason has been that East as well as West Germany crossed the Berlin wall and became a one country again(Pakis & Indians learn something .. at least we can live peacefully). This appreciation for them turned into my love for there sporting teams or personalities from there hockey to football teams and then to Schumacher and then tennis legends Steffi Graf (My favourite Men's tennis player has been Andre Agassi and Women's was Steffi Graf ... I always wanted them to be one even before they married and somehow by chance they married each other) & Boris Becker. Then in football I loved Oliver Kahn and now current favourite is Michael Ballack. I was saddened when they lost to Spain in the finals but that what is sports and even though Germany was not at its best in the Euro still they reached finals and I am proud of that as there staunch supporter. In tennis I dearly want Fedex to complete his Grand Slam by winning the French Open but I guess for the moment Rafa is the undisputed king of clay which was clear from his ruthless beating of Federer in the French Finale. Anyway cometh the Sunday and it is again Fedex VS Rafa and it is the Federer's part of season with Wimbledon title in the offing and US open title in the waiting. Women's part in Wimbledon is not on for me with Sharapova and Ivanovic both missing the finals. Ohh!! I am a Indian and it can't end without Cricket ... some call it our pseudo religion. The loss in the Kitply Cup Final when the Indian win was a foregone conclusion even in the minds of Pakistani Team was a rude shock but that is Indian Cricket team for you they will never win when you expect them to win surely. Now in the Asia Cup finale is on Sunday between India & Sri Lanka (we can't replace them with Pakistan ... can we go for sms poll?). Edge is squarely with Lankan tigers with Mendis playing as a unknown weapon and Jayasuriya-Sangakara duo in prime form(actually to me it looks age doesn't matter to Jayasuriya). I am firmly hoping that UV (Apna Yuvraj yaar) would fire big time in the final. Watch out!! So the build up to the Super Sunday has been quite phenomenal with my favourites India, Massa and Fedex all in the reckoning but with odds are stacked against all of them. I hope my support will turn the tables on them. After finishing this I will sit and prepare myself for Beijing '08 with a prayer for Tibetan cause. Am I sounding philanthropic ?? Don't say that I am serious. Com'on Sunday for now.