Random Thoughts on Sports

Way to go Celtics!It has often been said that this is a good time to be a sport fan in Boston. I would go further to say that it is a good time to be a sports fan, period. During this decade and a half that I have spent in Boston, I have seen the Patriots, a team that had no trophies earlier, win three Superbowls. I have seen the Red Sox break an 87 year old curse to win two World Championships and just yesterday, we saw the Celtics win their first trophy since 1986.

There were other happenings in the past couple of weeks in the world of sport. We saw Tiger win the US open.(Golf) Then for the forth straight year, we saw Federer fall short of winning the French Open, the only grand slam that has eluded him.It has often been said that Federer and Tiger Woods are the 'best ever' in their chosen sports. Both men are on the verge of setting records in terms of number of championships. Are we all living in special times to see 'greatness' happen everyday?


Did I say that Federer and Tiger are the best ever? Think about it. Golf and Tennis have been around for several centuries now. Do we live in special times where humankind's talents have advanced multi fold?

One cannot ignore the inborn talent when we talk about Tiger or Federer. Neither Tiger nor Federer has a weakness in their chosen sports. No one downplay the handwork, discipline and dedication each puts into his game. I am sure there are others who work equally hard. I am reminded of Lendl who did all he could to win Wimbeldon but lost in three final appearances. But how do these two, Woods and Federer manage to stride past all those other greats when it comes to breaking records?

Yes, there is still work to be done by both men. Federer must break Pete Sampras' record of 14 grand slams and to prove himself further, win the French Open atleast once. It would be most impressive if he pulls off a Grand slam, by winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open(tennis) all in one calendar year.

The last man to achieve this great feat was Rod Laver, but this was when Tennis was played on two surfaces only, grass and clay. Technology then produced several kinds of artificial surfaces, each with its own idiosyncrasies.

In recent times, only Andre Agassi has won each of the Grand Slam championships though he did not do it in one year. Mats Wilander came close winning three of the four championships in one year.(Wimbledon eluded Wilander too.)

While technology has created challenges by creating different surfaces to play on, it has made life easier for players. Racquets are becoming bigger and lighter and have moved with the times from wood to metal to graphite to magnesium. As a result Tennis serves are faster than ever before.(Years ago, my hero John McEnroe suggested bringing back wooden racquets to make the game more geared towards talent, than towards strength.)

Golf clubs too, are made lighter and with bigger and bigger sweet shots. This makes swinging and putting a lot more easier. Another factor has also helped the game. In the past, Golf was a retired man's game. It is only in the last couple of decades that youngsters have taken to Golf.

These are probably some of the reasons why we see peak performers in these sports. In closing, I must say that Federer did not capture even the Australian Open this year. I hope that the media hype did not jinx his progress. Part of me fears that he has burnt out.I hope I am wrong. I want to see him win three more grand slams and I want to see him do them soon. I wish to belong to these times when History is being created.

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Confessions of a Voyeur

Almost an eternity ago, I was a teenager in Madras(Chennai) facing the problems all teenagers have. One day as I sat in class unable to comprehend what was being taught,(I don't think I put in the effort) a buddy nudged me and pointed in the direction of the window. The school building overlooked a filthy canal with slums on either side.

Something always interesting was happening there. Each day in the life of these people was a party, minus the food. They laughed, fought and celebrated at the drop of a hat. Infact, a death in the slum was actually a cause for celebration. They danced and whistled around the body as it was carried to the cremation ground. It was always better to watch these people's lives than listen to the lesson. Their lives were kinda' like the reality shows of today.

I digress. Actually as I looked out all I saw was a tree. My friend, however asked me to keep looking. First I saw an arm, a leg and then... Some woman was having a bath right behind that tree. We laughed and showed the rest of the guys our great find. We were the coolest of guys for that day. Looking back, I feel neither remose nor shame. It was fun then, probably a mix of teenage harmones and peer pressure made us look out and enjoy the sight. Those peeping Tom days were behind me.

Or so I imagined. A few years ago I worked in a company where our cubes overlooked a dentist's office. As we were older boys now, we had bigger toys. One of my coleagues got a nice pair of binoculars. Who would have thought watching some guy or gal suffering a root canal was so much fun! I guess I like the act of Voyeurism is very underestimated. It feeds our lust, sense of adventure,and a lot more.

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Sensitivity in America

Guess this falls into Reader's Digest' 'All in a day's work genre.'

A colleague, friend and a member of the QA team(All three are the same person) was actually a healthy guy. One day, as he went about his normal chores, he felt that his heart was beating abnormally fast.
A visit with a doctor revealed that he needed surgery for a 'hole in the heart.'
The day of the surgery finally arrived. My buddy was just getting ready to leave. In a uniform show of solidarity, the rest of the QA team actually staged a mock fight as to
who was going to get his office, his computer,etc. I decided that since I could not stop them, I would join them.

The QA manager, a friend of mine and countryman told him not to worry and that he would take care of his things. Immediately, he stuck his name-tag on the surgery guy's computer.The place was ablaze with laughter. I also learnt about humor, American style.

For the record, the surgery went well, thanks to the lord and touch wood.I feel no shame in indulging in that behavior. Like this guy did, the real sport that he was, I would be laughing all the way to the operation room. As Harvey Mackay said in one of his books, there is no excuse to take oneself seriously.

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Musings of Arlington MA

Here I am reminising of the past again, thinkng of a one bedroom apartment I used to inhabit with my wife a decade and a half ago. Located north of Boston in 'Arlinton Heights', Massachusetts, this apartment was part of a building situated close to a six-lane interection. Yes, it was small unlike the house in Norwell we live in now, but it had its advantages. Everything was within reach, the remote, the telephone and the music system. This apartment was a little above ground level, a cross between a basement and a first floor apartment.

The building had a swimming pool, but the main attraction was a 'bike path' that ran for 13 miles right next to the apartment, from Davis square to Bedford.(It may be longer now.) no cars or motorized vehicles were allowed here. Most people travelled on bikes or on foot and some on blades. This is where the two of us learnt to Rollerblade.

Among the other inhabitants of the building were two of the nicest of elderly ladies I have ever known. They always had a smile and a 'Hello' for us. It is so heartwarming just thinking of them. Our most frequent visitors were my classmate from India and his girlfriend(She's his wife now.). These ladies would talk to all of us so nicely.

The great thing about Arlington was that it had easy access to Boston. The 'T' (the train system) did not come to Arlington. Its Residents did not want the T as they feared it would bring in undesirables from the city into the town.
Life was tough initially as we did not have a car, grocery shopping was touch. Moreover, Arlinton was a dry town. It did not have liquor stores. Only restaurants served 'adult beverages.' One had to go to neighbouring Belmont, Lexington, Cambridge or Sommerville to buy a six pack. Still I loved Arlington.

Arlinton's most prominent landmark was a big pillar, dedicated to three soldiers killed during the American Revolution. Arlington's neighbour Lexington is the birthplace of the American war of independence. Also in Arlinton center is the Regent Theatre which became part of Bombay Cinema later. However, on could watch slightly older English movies for $2.50. (Too expensive compared with the $1.50 ticket price at the Sommerville theatre on Davis square.)

Next door to Regent was a Mangolian Chinese restaurant, owned and operated by a wonderful Chinese family. They treated us so well each time we went there. Their menu was one of a kind. A Chinese collegue who lunched with me there certified that their food was special. Unfortunately, the restaurant disappeared one day and in its place was an Indian restaurant. I inquired with one of the waiters who said that the younger daughters in the family did not want to run the business. Well, life goes on..

I have other fond memories too. I played tennis with some friends on weekends. There was acoach from China who gave me tips on how to improve my game. Soemtimes I played tennis in neighbouring Belmont, near a school that was beside a large beautiful lake full of Geese and ducks. There were other waterbodies close to us too. There was the Arlington reservoir a short walk away from our apartment. There was Spy pond in Arlinton Center.

My first daughter was born on November 11th at the Mount Auburn Hospital when we were in Arlington. I remember making several trips to the ponds, neighbouring parks and pushing a stroller on the bike paths with her.

There was a Karate school, Rocky Di Ricco's school of Kenpo Karate, close to where i lived. One day, after my daughter was born, I signed up for a three year program. So began my study of the'arts'. The school is one of the best in the New England Area. It was amazing to meet some of the most balanced youngsters who were part of this school. One could sense how 'centered' these kids were compared to some others I encountered during my bus rides to and from work.

The instructors at Di Ricco's were outstanding. Rocky Di Rico, the head instructor was addressed as Shihan, which meant Senior Teacher, a title of respect that he commanded with his personality and outstanding athletic abilities. He was small made and well into his forties. However, when he demonstarted his techniques, it was clear that this was someone you do not mes with. There were other instrcutors too who came from diverse backgrounds. One was a security guard, another a police officer, another a draughtsperson, a Reiki practitioner and a massage tehrapist. I also made a lot of friends within the school, from several nationalities. The greatest souvenier I picked up in Arlinton was a Black Belt from this school. I got the belt in 1999 a year after I relocated to Quincy on the South Shore.
Rocky DiRicco's has relocated now. I miss you all, if you ever read this.


During this phase, I responded to a mid-life crisis and began taking Piano lessons from an outstanding instructor. Ed Rosser from the Powers School. He encouraged me to do almost a half a dozen recitals. As it happens in life, he relocated too. He wrote a wonderful letter, one of my priced pocessions.

The high school in Arlinton was good too. Some of the students who came to the Karate school were from there. I remember a few getting admitted to Harvard. One thing that comes to mind is the story of a project taken on by some students of the school that is narrated by Peter Lynch of 'Fidelity' fame. After researching a few companies these students bought stock in them and at the end of the year, these stocks outperformed most stocks that the Street experts invested in.
Moral: Beware of being an expert.

Sometimes I drive by Arlington Heights. It has changed, in some ways, for the better. There is a 'Trader Joe's' and a 'Massive Video' that I'm sure makes it convienient for the residents. These thoughts may not seem like much to you, but I get goosebumbs just thinking of those times. My mind is filled with images of lush greenery from the bike path in summer and the chaning colors of the trees on the path in fall.

To quote Sir John McCartney,
There are places I remember,
With lovers and friends I still can recall.
Some are dead and some are living,
in my life, I love them all.

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