For those who feel that “Random Thoughts of a Demented Mind” has touched you in some way (appropriately or inappropriately) in the course of your life, kindly consider voting for me at this year’s Indibloggies.
Voting has closed.
I have been nominated in two categories this year: 1) Indiblog of the Year [Old RTDM followers will remember me coming runners-up in this category last year] and 2) Most Humorous Indiblog and I humbly solicit your precious votes for both the categories.
Oh yes I will leave the “popular awards do not matter to me” and the ” I only blog for the pleasure of it, acknowledgement be damned” clichés for after the competition. Just like I did last year.
[Update 0: If you are using your gmail accounts to vote, the confirmation mail from Debashish may wind up, in some cases, in your Junk mail folder. Kindly check for it there.]Update 1: Debashish, coordinator of Indibloggies has asked me to spread the word that there was a glitch in the Best Science/Technology category {not in any of the other categories}. For those who are interested in that category, kindly visit http://indibloggies.org/polls-2006 and follow instructions. Again this glitch does not affect any of the other categories.
Update 2: A recommendation for Best Designed Indiblog for Megha whose blog has the most amazing original design. She is also the one who designed the redirect script from my old blogspot blog to this new one for which I am, in the best traditions of Amar Singh, eternally grateful.]
Just to vote for you, I had to randomly click on rest of mandatory questions.
All the best mate.
Ok, I voted for you. Now can you fix that banner randomizer so it pops up that Mithun collage a few more times than normal? Or could you just post the direct link to it?
All done. But the voting process is quite stupid. All the categories are mandatoy, which means I have to choose one even if I have no clue about any of those blogs!
Done! Now you should disappear till the next elections
GB, don’t worry, we will take care of that.
Allright, that’ll be a buck….nah, make it five.
Done! and yeah.. mandatory voting sucks!
Is there a way of “scientific rigging” that Didi Mamata has been screaming about to use and get you the award this time? You have to win. period!
Just finished voting. Best of Luck !
Ok GB,
I have voted……… for You
But I thought I would let you know a Secret!!
Almost always (i.e.roughly around 100%),Candidates whom I have voted for end up losing their deposit…….
( In Kerala,the BJP hardly gets 4% to 8% of the votes and I have always voted for them)
I thought it would give you some Comfort…
All the best!
done
At your service sir.. Done GB
Has anyone realized that Nilu gets more hits than any of the nominees of the Indibloggies?
Done. All the best, Greatbong.
GreatBong,
I must say that I was surprised to see RTDM listed under humour! I mean, do people really think you are joking? You might have a real problem here my friend
All the best my friend…btw, can Mithunda become your Amar Singh?
Done.
sure. But you must pick on Dravid again for saying that
“No one will ever know what I think about a specific player”. Not even the selectors? There goes the motivation down for anyone to perform. I mean, if the captain is not going to share his thoughts on your performance with the selectors, what chance do you have of gaining recognition etc. Now, we know why boys dont perform under Rahul.
I say, bring back dada as captain. Or someone stab dravid like it was done unto seles. This time he will win the WC even with this team - maybe, he can make even Dinesh Karthik into a match winner and kumble into a ‘diver’.
You got my vote because I never almost read any other blogs except RTDM. You should have been nominated for Best entertainment and Best design also.
Best wishes.
RTDM votes = RTDM votes 1
Done.
Voted for you in both the categories. Best of luck.
Lalooji ka foto lagane se kya hoga… unka pooja bhi kijiye… agar Lalooji ka ashirwaad aapko mil gaya, to fir aapko ‘bhot’ ka jaroorat nahi rahega… aap vaise hi jeet jaayiyega..
All said and done, I think you’ll make it this time man… A Laloo photo is a good omen in any kind of election.. anywhere.
Best of luck dude. Voted for u.
Hi GB,
Have been reading your blog for quite sometime, but I was always bothered by the fact that I had’nt commented on any posts of yours. So, here is how I express my wish that you keep writing and entertaining, educating us. My vote goes for you!
Keep Inking!!
Regards,
Ganga
Done!
Best Of Luck!
All de best ..
Done and keep up the good work
Done man…ur blog is the best, always intresting and entertaining, yet informative.
You will be the first one this time…
Voted for you…
Tarzan
@Arnab,
Just voted…..I am sure you will win. All the best.
I am gonna vote for you GB, even though I am one of the nominees myself. Keep writing :).
Dear readers of RTDM,
The Oscars awards for movies are generally sneered by critics as many many great films have are routinely ignored for tawdry feel-good type movies. One such instance was the 1994 Oscars when ‘Forrest Gump’ trumped Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ for the best picture award. Several years later, you will find the second film in almost all critics’ top 100 list and is widely heralded as a revolutionary process of film-making, while the first one is just regarded as a good film. Also a director like Martin Scorsese never won the Oscars, although many ordinary directors won it.
Coming to the Indian blogosphere, any person with a discerning eye can easily tell that this blog RTDM, is definitely the best there is. But last year, it was voted runners-up. Why? Well it was the same Pulp Fiction :Forrest Gump thing that got repeated.
I request all readers of this blog to vote for RTDM as well as persuading your friends and family to do so too even though they may not be current RTDM fans, as today’s uninitiated is in all likelihood tomorrow’s fan. When evaluating blogs, please try to skim the cream from the milk. What seems voluminous to the eye can actually be a stuffing of block-quotes, and extracts from established media intended to con you and conjure up an artificial body of work; and an intelligent person will never vote for an artificial body of work while heartily doffing his hat to original works of splendor and wit.
There is speculation in the media that historical wrongs are going to be rectified in this year’s Oscars by giving Scorsese an award which he deserved earlier. There is also speculation that the historical wrong of RTDM not winning last year is going to be set right this year. It is with this hope that I, yourfan2, a longtime reader and fan of RTDM request you, dear reader, to make that speculation a reality by voting for RTDM. There can be no better way to show our love for GB (yes I am glad that the way that I address him is actually more well-known than his actual name).
Thanks again and best wishes,
yourfan2
GB,
Please add an addendum about checking the gmail spam folder if voters cant find the indibloggies mail in their inbox. Some people may be lost while trying to vote for you if they aren’t aware that the confirmation email has gone to the spam folder. Cheers.
Hey, there’s an option of None in all the categories. So voting is not mandatory in all categories.
Here’s to Greatbong! Let’s make him win this year!
@Sam, Aspi, Uday, Bhopale, Kishor, Anonymous, Amit, Dipanwita, Rima, Kailas, Jedi, Yourkg, Shadows, Sayon, Raj, Suzi, Vulturo, Puneet, OS, Agamon86, Ink, Gangadhar, Debopam, Hari, Jeets, Tarzan, Oi, Yourfan2, Shan,Raman:
Thank you for your votes.
@Aspi: I am sure Prabhuji will oblige with more frequent appearances in the blogger header.
@Uday, Amit : The voting has changed —-now none of the categories are mandatory.
@Rima: For that we need to invoke the ghost of Jatin Chakraborty.
@Kalias: Maybe this time will be an exception. At least I hope so.
@Nitin: I dont know. Am I? Will Mithunda give my son a “foreign” car—let me see.
@Raj; On the contrary, I applaud Dravid for backing players he believes in.
@Suzi: Well do look at the other blogs on the list…..some of them are truly excellent. Best Entertainment aah thank you. For best design, I think that the only blogs that should make the cut are self-designed “from scratch” blogs and not mere customizations of free and professionally designed themes. Which is why by my logic, I do not think this blog should make it to the Best Designed. Of course, the criterion for selection for this year’s Indibloggies has allowed customized blog designs.
@Agamon86: Indeed he is.
@Oi: Honored.
Was reading the other blogs in humor category. You should win hands down. Best of luck.
Hi, could you send me the script for the redirection from blogspot to this URL? Was having trouble with a similar issue. And if it helps, I did vote for you
Hey GB, you want to WIN?
Please write to CPI(M)@AlimuddinStreet.marx and I am sure that their boys will swing into action.
They will only ‘humbly-request’ that you will get your views passed by Biman-Buddha before you put them up for general consumption. Also, you must not wear a white hat or behave like Subhas Chakraborty.
Instead of those funny class enemies who feature on your masthead, you must have Marx-Engels-Lenin. Stalin, Ho Chin Mihn, Mao Tse-tung, Tito, Deng Xiao Peng, Saurabh Ganguly, Feluda, Professor Shonku are also permitted.
In the HOT Girls section you have a rich choice– Rosa Luxemburg, wives of Mao, secretaries of Lenin, Brinda Karat ete.
As villains– petty bourgouise, Nicholas ll and his family, USA and its presidents, Mamata Banerjee, BJP and its allies, anybody who supports any other party…….
You must also paint your blog red.
As a rerward you are permitted to paint town a similar colour.
Greatbong, Here’s one more vote…….. from me. Wish you the best and hope this time you will win & not [edited] Amit Varma. I still wince when I think of his article in the UK based Guardian newspaper about Ganguly’s ouster when he misinformed everyone that Ganguly was brought back into the Indian-team for the Pakistan tour because politicians in the Indian Parliament forced the BCCI to include him. Sure Ganguly switched sides from Dalmiya and joined hands with Pawar (his trip to Delhi to meet Pawar) and that’s 1 of the reasons he was included. Since Ganguly-bashing at that time was flavor of the month, he wrote that article going with the trend. Now that Dada’s back, not a peep has been heard on Varma’s blog.
But the biggest reason I voted for you is not that I hate Amit’s blog but because I feel that you are a much better blogger and a terrific writer than him and the rest of the nominees. So Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!
[GB writes: Captain Haddock—let us not get excessively negative about a fellow competitior. Consequently, I have removed some lines from your comment, for the sake of this not becoming a “real” (i.e. personal) battle of the blogs kind of thing. I hope you understand.]
GB, voted for you on both categories.
Awaiting your speech when you WIN.
oh my God .. i completely forgot that I had already filled in the survey and went ahead and voted for you again from a different id. I must be getting old.
@GB - u really need this shit? what does it do - bolster your confidence/respect amongst peers/ego boost ? ur good, u know it, keep it at that….btw…voted for you.
Voted - do we get a TV or something in return
Is there any option for best South Indian blog ?
I saw your post and thought : Would I bother to vote for all the blogs I frequent?
After a short pause pondering over this question, I did click the link, went through the survey and submitted it. The answer by the way was ‘No’.
cheers,
GB, keep it going!
Voted for you Arnab. Keep the ink flowing. More cricket, more humour , more Prabhuji, more ‘classy’ films, more everything.
@Captain Haddock- Perhaps we should meet each other and I treat you Chivas Regal while you treat me Johnny Walker Black Label. You just cannot imagine how much I hate Amit Varma. I hate him and his blog more than anything in the whole wide world.
Regarding [edited] reaction about Ganguly three words are sufficient- the words he used in his Guardian reports - peevish, petulant and touchy- words which accurately describe Varma.
Voted for you, Arnab - just like last year. Fingers and toes crossed.
Award or no award, you are the best.
Voted 4 both nominations….
Best wishes..
@bengali boy, yes let’s do that while spewing epithets/expletives about Varma, just like Mel Gibson. If rebuked by GB, we can always claim that we were sloshed to the gills, like Mel
Aur Bihari.. kaisa hai…
If there is an award for people who write in the comments section and inspire others to do the same,
I guess KISHOR is
THE HANDS DOWN WINNER!!!!
But this is very unfair on Indibloggies. They don’t have an award for best south indian blog. I hate these people.
But this is very unfair on the part of Indibloggies. They don’t have an award for best south indian blog. I hate these people.
Voted for both categories. When I voted, all categories were still mandatory, so for other categories I just chose based on the blog names. Hope all that effort doesn’t go in vain. All the best.
Done.
@Kishor:
“But this is very unfair on the part of Indibloggies. They don’t have an award for best south indian blog. I hate these people.”
Yes. We all agree with you. But if South Indian blog was announced, everything would fade in comparison, no? So in sympathy, South India should give a walk-over. yes, that’s the fair thing to do.
So what will come out of the voting? Any material awards?
Voted for you though.
To be fair to Amit Varma he did publish this piece on his blog.
GB,
Before I vote, I need to know, what is in it for me ?
To pre-empt any smart alecs, do remember this,at times one vote can make a difference, so be good to me.
best wishes…!
btw, the ‘no ans’ option is gr8 !
Hope you win! All the best.
@Kishor & Sayon, all blogs are South Indian, aint they?
Asterix, how can all blogs become south indian ?
GB, FYI, we have just crossed 300 mark on HImesh post. Really GREAT.
@Gnan, they don’t become south India, they ARE South Indian. Did you not know that Kashmiris are South Indian? Ask Kishor and he will tell you HOW.
Ooops, that was my comment to Gnan.
Thank you Asterix, you r the first citizen to recognize Southisthan.
@Sriram: Well as we know this is a contest about popularity…and the ability to mobilize a lot of people to vote for you.
@Anjana: Please go to http://greatbong.blogspot.com and View Source. Go the javascript tag and there is the code where you need to change the old URL and the new URL and you should be ready to go.
@Swati: Did you put “Vote for GB” campaign posters on the walls of Barrackpur station ?
@Captain Haddock: The question is not in rebuking anyone :-). While the right to like or dislike specific blogs is of course upto you, I would prefer not to have “negativity” with respect to adjectives for bloggers (in other words, saying I do not like Mr X’s blog is okay, saying “Mr. X is ….” should be avoided)
@Asterix, Puneet, BongoP’o'ndit: Thanks
@Jhingalala: The enjoyment of being patted on my head. Of being “liked”.
@Kishor: Why dont we institute one of our own? And yes thanks to all of your efforts, Himesh thread has broken all records.
@AjayDas: Ok.
@Chandra, Anirban, Rahul, Ritwik: Thanks
@Nikhil: Bihari?
@Mohan, Tintin, Racoon: Thanks. There are some material awards like a statue.
@Gaurav: Whats in it for you? The pleasure of knowing that you did something “good”.
@Indranil,Aniket: Thanks
Voted for you for both the categories.
your post on the Shoiab Akthar- Sehwag photo is priceless…waiting for the WC’07 & your associated posts.
Good luck.
Hi Greatbong
Somehow failed to vote last year
Hailing from Dravida Nadu ,my votes are traditionally influenced by the freebies .
Still managed to vote for Atanu,INI Signal and Great Bong -only for sheer joy of reading
sorry for the off-topic comment… Sourav da has been declared the man-of-the-series in the just concluded 1-day tournament with SL. i supported the decision to exlcude him from the team. but boy have i not been proved wrong!
-D
Hey GB, why can’t I vote? I’ve done the needful and the election commissioner dude said he will send me a mail which hasn’t yet arrived. Is this the opposite of stuffing votes in the ballot box that I don’t get a ballot to vote? Or am I doing something wrong? I know candidates are very helpful during election time. So will you please help me? I am somewhat technologically challenged. But I intend to vote for you.
On a different subject, did you read Guru Greg’s interview in Cricinfo? It’s a bloody long interview, in patches very times good, but it’s very amusing when he talks of Sourav. Obviously, he is not very confident of talking about him and begins to waffle. Often he’s very vague. Check this out - on being asked if he expected Sourav to return to the team, he says: “I expected that he could do that. Whether I thought he would do that or not is a different story.” Now, are expectations devoid of thought? If he did expected him to make a comeback, how come he is not sure whether he ‘thought’ he would come back? Dishonesty often creeps in through your language.
But the highpoint of the interview is his stout defence of Suresh Raina He says, “If you look at Suresh’s record now and compare it with Sachin Tendulkar’s record at the same stage of his one-day international career, you’ll find it’s exactly the same.” Yeah, possibly, but comparing Sachin with Suresh is like comparing Netaji with peyaji. Mairi!
Yourfan writes:
@rani: I am also a tech challenged person but have you seen the update that GB has given: “If you are using your gmail accounts to vote, the confirmation mail from Debashish may wind up, in some cases, in your Junk mail folder. Kindly check for it thereâ€. It is better that GB answers this but don’t know when he is going to answer so I thought I put in my two cents.
@GB: Why is this post going to be till 20th? We love to read the post along with the comments later too. We want this post with the comments to remain – what say you?
@GB: Voted for you in both categories. Am hoping you would win with a comfortable margin.
@Kishor: I was dying to ask you this for a long time. Why are you so obsessed with South India and people of south indian origin. Granted that you are now a close second to GB(on his own website) in terms of popularity, but still why???
Arnav, things are looking good for Bongs in general, what with Mithunda starring in a mainstream hit and Ganguly bagging the Man of the Series. If you don’t win, we can have a Kolkata bandh in protest.
In any case, to ensure that you win, do check out the auction for my endorsement.
Guys,
If anybody, just out of curiosity, wants to know what crow tastes like, here is a first-hand account from someone who has just had to eat his share:
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/280602.html
I leave you with 2 gems from Greg Chappel’s interview on, where else, Crookinfo:
1. “I expected Sourav to come back”
2.”I felt Sourav still had 3-4 years of cricket left in him”
GB, looking forward to a post on this from you
Dear Ravi, Janani Janma Bhoomischa Swargadapi Gareeyasi. Also there are many reasons. Who is our current president? APJ Kalam, a south indian. Who is our finance minister ? Chidambar, a south indian. Who is our cricket captain? a south indian. Who is the chairman of Infosys ? a south indian. The list goes on. South India is just great and tomorrow’s leader of the world.
Here are more reasons for u Ravi. Who is the film star getting highest remuneration ? Rajnikant (20 crores). Who is the second ? Chiranjeevi (10-15 crores). Where is Bangalore ? In south india. Where is Hyderabad ? In south india. South India is just great.
@rani: you are barking up the wrong tree. The emphasis is on “could” vs “would”, not on expectation and thought.
Done.
@Kishor
Saurav IS a south indian, only his parents are bengali.
@Ravi Ivaturi
The way Kishor’s popularity is going, he’ll end up as the prime minister and also grace the cover of the Times as the most popular man of this century.
Captain Haddock: Except, that’s precisely what Chappell had told Ganguly in Zimbabwe 18 months ago too. Give up captaincy, go back to domestics, focus on your batting and you can lengthen your career by another 2-3 years. I don’t see anything he has said there that amounts to eating crow. I thought it was a pretty good interview actually. Like most others, even I was not sure what he had been doing with all that experimentation, but I must say he has explained his philosophy quite well in that interview. You don’t have to agree with it, but there is certainly merit in his argument.
Before I am branded a Ganguly-hater/Chappell-chamcha, let me point out that I had criticised both Chappell and Dravid when Ganguly was dropped. http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.cricket/browse_frm/thread/c6384730f94663f8/77462844394ad943?lnk=st&q=&rnum=3#77462844394ad943
Follow the posts by ‘dp’ on that thread. Here’s a sample:
”
> I think it’s more the coach than the captain. I don’t think Dravid’s
> especially vindictive.
Knowing him, I don’t think so either. But being silent and not fighting
for his long time friend and captain to get what is due to him is only
marginally better than being vindictive.
So, the question now is, will 6 straight losses against Pak and England
be enough to get rid of this coach-captain combination?
dp [Go Akhtar, Go Flintoff!]
”
How do you know it is me? Send an email to the address given there and I will reply from my id
http://floggerdelux.blogspot.com/
seen this?!
@Kishor - Please expound on the merits and demerits of South Indian women/girls vis-a-vis North Indian ones.
Would love to hear your views.
Dear yourfan2, South India, North India, or Europe, for that matter anywhere else on this earth, woman have only one purpose: To make man’s life a hell.
Swati, r u really saying that or sarcastic ?
Dear yourfan2, definitely south indian women are superior to north indians. They had been ruling the Hindi film industry and stopped migrating to Mumbai after south indian film industry has become very big. For ex: Waheeda Rehman (from Hyderabad), Vyjayanthimala, Hemamalini, Rekha, Sridevi, etc. This indicates how great south indian women are.
@Kishor: No, my dear chap. Swati’s not being sarcastic. Her views are endorsed by quite a few of us regular visitors of this blog. Stand for election and see!
Oh, certainly! Kishor is the man. And let me take credit for being the first of his growing and tremendous fan following. I recognized the master first!
Guys, what’s the tally for GB to date? Any idea how he’s doing at the hustings? He has to win! Get friends, family and fans to vote NOW!
Yeah, Ranjan is a real genious and his writing style is very good. I think he shud start his own blog.
Thank you Sayon, if Amitabh Bachchan files nominations, then i too will definitely file nominations for president. Plz give urs and swati’s votes to me.
there voted!
yes, both categories
Hi arnab, I am sure u will win buddy! All the best!!!
@yourfan2
other south indian women that kishor forgot to list
1. golda meir
2. sirimavo bandernayake
3. indira gandhi
4. margaret thatcher
5. marie curie
6. me
also, if hilary rodham clinton becomes us president, she too will become south indian.
white house will get kolam adorned doorways.
us postage stamp to be released to honor pongal.
ivy leagues to leave sculling and take up snake-boat racing.
the golden arch fast food joints to serve mac-idlies, mac-dosas and mac-vadas.
every wall street firm will shift its headquarter to chettinad.
Jayalalitha will become the governor of -er- Texas?
Or Florida?
@JM, Prasanna: Thanks
@Rani: Some of the election officials’ mails land up in the Bulk mail folder. And sometimes yes I have heard they have problems landing up anywhere. Iwould recommend using an alternative email if say your gmail account does not get “registered”.
And Chappell and that Cricinfo interview…phew. I wonder what part of Greg’s master plan included the personal attacks on Sourav.
@Yourfan: No this post is going to be there beyond the 20th. Its just that it wont be “sticky” that is it wont stay at the top. If you notice I made this post on the 13th. I made a post on the 14th about Vday. Following normal blogging conventions, 14th should have been above 13th. But by making the 13th post sticky, it will stay at the top no matter how many new posts I make. After 20th, I will remove the sticky part so that it will ’sink down’ with time like all other posts.
@Ravi, Ram, Sameera, Suresh: Thanks
@Gaurab: Note the “b” in “Gaurab”. That is there to compensate for the “v” you put instead of “b” in my name (you addressed me as Arnav). Plus me being a Bong this is how I would pronounce your name.
And why just Bengal? There may be all-India strike if I lose. Why even the Shiv Sena may go on a rampage strangling people with rakhis left over from Valentine’s day….
@Raccoon: Yes I did.
@Kishor: Do you realize that your popularity is only making GB richer? You should break away and start your own blog, like the way A R Rahman broke away from Ilayaraja years ago and see where he is now. (I swear I am not being sarcastic)
@GB: My apologies, but I had to tell him the truth!!!
@Mohan,
GB preempted my retort to you in his reply to Rani. Let me quote the GreatBong himself “And Chappell and that Cricinfo interview…phew. I wonder what part of Greg’s master plan included the personal attacks on Sourav.”
If GC’s masterplan was to “help” Sourav getting his form back by dropping him and forcing SG to play Domestic Matches, do you believe that the personal attacks, vicious email, derogatory interviews to Cricinfo & Guardian, vindictiveness during selection meetings were also part of the masterplan?
Maybe it was a very convoluted form of motivation, that GC insults a SG so much that SG just has to fight & regain his form.
Arnab,
been there, done that. bhalo kore likho. onek kichhu zanti pari ekhane ese.
And even change their name to Shib Sena?
@Swati- Yeah..and Kishor should never be interpreted prima facie. Consider this- Columbus called USA as India and its natives as Indians.
So we are not only considering land south of Vindhya mountains, but (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States) as well. Maybe Kishor has a Texas ranch where he spends his vacations chewing tobacco and riding bareback. But in any case there is definitely more than what meets the eye.
@captain haddock: let’s see.
email from Zimbabwe - As a coach it was his duty to report what he thought about the team and the captain. It is not his fault if the inept bcci couldn’t keep a confidential report confidential. My only criticism of his role in that affair was that he had no business asking Ganguly to step down from captaincy *during* the tour, because selectors had appointed him captain and coach has no authority to remove him. Apart from that, I had no issues. If he thought Ganguly was faking injury or causing divisions in the team, let him report it to bcci by all means. I certainly don’t have enough information to decide whether it was factual reporting or personal attack with ulterior motives.
Interviews to Guardian - All he said there was he didn’t realize how important being captain was to Ganguly’s life and finances. And that is a fact. Most endorsement contracts have captaincy clause attached, apart from other clauses like performance, being part of the team etc. All Greg seems to be saying there is that he didn’t consider this aspect when he suggested to Ganguly to give up captaincy. i.e. if he understood the financial implication of it, he probably wouldn’t have suggested it so causally perhaps. I don’t see how that is a personal attack on Ganguly.
Vindictiveness during selection meetings - You and I might think it was vindictiveness, but according to Chappell, Ganguly needed time away from international cricket to reassess his role and focus on his game and fitness. So, from that perspective, yes, keeping Ganguly out of the team was part of the plan.
I voted for you in both the categories. Adn guys not in spam section I received the mail from Indibloggie very much in my gmail inbox.
@Mohan:
Are you being just contrarian or naive? Because whatever be the reason, you are just being ridiculous. Sourav’s supposed greed for money was not the only thing mentioned in the email that Chappell sent. He was also disruptive, divisive, et al. Now are you saying that it was within Chappell’s right to send such a vituperative email about the captain of his own team, that too in the course of a series? And yes, all of the charges were unsubstantiated. The only charge that one could lay on Sourav was that he was out of form. but a divisive influence? The man who actually brought cohesion to the Indian team for the first time? C’mon.
And also, remember that Ganguly was the ONLY one singled out for this treatment, as if he was the cause for all that was ailing the team. Dravid’s silence and Chappell’s and More’s words had all but ensured that Sourav’s career was over. Do you deny that it was clear to all of us then that they didn’t ever want Sourav back in the team?
And if you can’t decide whether his email “factual reporting or personal attack with ulterior motives”. when it is quite clear that you obviously favour the former, then I also reserve the right to believe the latter.
And considering that the injury faking, team dividing, and greed for money has not been borne out by any subsequent evidence, I have no choice to believe that Greg Chappell is a liar and a cad. The onus is in the prosecution to prove guilt, and Sourav has not been proven guilty on any count. Instead the prosecution - Chappell, Dravid, and More, are now eating crow, much like a DA says how great the system is when a prisoner he convicted is freed later as a result of DNA evidence.
Finally, the different in class and dignity between Sourav and his coach and captain is so clear now - coming back to work with those who wanted him finished, and then performing brilliantly, he could have just lashed out either by word of gesture (remember Nasser Hussain in the Natwest match gesturing to the scribes after his 100?), but he didn’t. He could have mentioned in even one interview given to his Bengali lobby scribes, that he felt vindicated, or that he had replied to his critics, or anything showing just that bit of frustration or relief, or victory, but no - he has preferred not to say anything that would lower him to Chappell’s level.
I think that is aggravating Chappell most of all. That is why he’s in overdrive nowadays taking credit for Sourav’s return, supported by his cronies, Shastri, and the Fawning Four - Dileep Premechandran, Anand Vasu, Sreeram Veera, and Sambit Bal.
Oh, now add Mohan to that list.
Dear Mohan, i really don’t know why u r tyring to fight for a losing cause.
@Shan: I realize that this is an emotional issue for lots of folks on this forum, but I think it would be better if we don’t resort to name-calling (”ridiculous”, “fawner” etc). Coming to your points:
“Now are you saying that it was within Chappell’s right to send such a vituperative email about the captain of his own team, that too in the course of a series?”
I do believe that Chappell had every right to send that email. In fact, he would be remiss in his duty if he actually belived all those things about his captain and didn’t report it to bcci.
“Do you deny that it was clear to all of us then that they didn’t ever want Sourav back in the team?”
I don’t know about you, but it certainly wasn’t clear to me. It was clear to me that the selectors and Chappell didn’t want Ganguly in the team at that time, but I can’t say the same about ever wanting him back in the team.
“And if you can’t decide whether his email “factual reporting or personal attack with ulterior motivesâ€. when it is quite clear that you obviously favour the former, then I also reserve the right to believe the latter.”
I don’t know where you got the idea that I obviously favour the former. As I said, I don’t have enough information to decide either way. Actually, those are not the only two possibilities either. It is quite possible that those charges were false, yet Chappell believed in those charges not because he had a personal grudge against Ganguly but due to some miscommunication/misunderstanding, as it happens so often in such situations.
“The onus is in the prosecution to prove guilt, and Sourav has not been proven guilty on any count. Instead the prosecution - Chappell, Dravid, and More, are now eating crow,”
That’s what I don’t understand. Chappell wrote an email with some complaints against Ganguly, bcci conducted an enquiry and decided that Ganguly was not guilty of the charges. There ends the matter. I don’t see where eating crow comes into picture. If bcci were a professional organization, we shouldn’t even have been aware of that email, let alone discussing it two years later without having access to all the background information. Not every case that prosecution brings results in a guilty verdict, but that doesn’t mean we should accuse them of being liars or ridicule them for “eating crow” when they say they accept the court’s verdict.
“He could have mentioned in even one interview given to his Bengali lobby scribes, that he felt vindicated, or that he had replied to his critics, or anything showing just that bit of frustration or relief, or victory, but no - he has preferred not to say anything that would lower him to Chappell’s level.”
Good for him. Not that I expected any less from this classy gentleman.
“Oh, now add Mohan to that list.”
Yes. That clearly explains why I had supported Ganguly and criticised Chappell on rec.sport.cricket.
@Mohan:
Bcci conducted an enquiry? How come I didn’t hear of this enquiry commission? Maybe you are privy to more insider information than I am, but my impression was that BCCI just brushed this under the carpet and there would have ended Sourav’s career, but Sourav decided otherwise, and fortunately for the team, so did Vengsarkar.
And you think Chappell was okay in writing crap about Sourav, making unsubstabntiated allegations, but you don’t think we have any right to question those? Chappell slandered him, called him names, and ruined his reputation, and we are not supposed to ask if his conduct was above board?
And how does it matter that the email was leaked or was supposed to be private? The fact is that Chappell wrote it. Let’s not forget that.
And when these allegations were found to be patently false, why wasn’t Chappell pulled up for defaming Sourav? Why did Chappell not tender an apology? Or is that not part of his job? His job just ends at making the allegations? What purpose did this “enquiry” serve then, if Sourav did not get any restitution or apology, AFTER the allegations were found to be false?
Instead Chappell is now taking credit for his return?
Sorry, but this is seems to be a one way street where Chappell is free to do as he likes, without even the threat of repurcussion or consequences. While an ex-Captain is vilified, numerous allegations raised, but he does not have any avenue of appeal. It’s like - “So dude, you lost a year and half of your career because of these false allegations. Tough! But we can’t do anything. It’s the coach’s prerogative to drag your name in mud.”
Or are we supposed to he really happy and satisfied, not to say grateful, that Sourav is back in the team. He’s back, so what are we complaining about, right?
The fact that you had supported Sourav then and are supporting Chappell now on the same issue doesn’t show objectivity. It speaks volumes about your fickleness, and nothing about us “emotional” Sourav supporters.
At least were were consistent, while you are tying yourself into knots defending the indefensible.
@All: I’m repeating what yourfan said. In case you’re using gmail to vote note that the conf may end up in your trash folder so please look there and make sure you do. Go for it!
@Shan:
“Bcci conducted an enquiry? How come I didn’t hear of this enquiry commission? Maybe you are privy to more insider information than I am,”
No, this was no inside information.
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/220337.html There was a review committe formed comprising Gavaskar, Shastri and Venkat apart from some board officials who heard all the parties and gave their report.
“And you think Chappell was okay in writing crap about Sourav, making unsubstabntiated allegations, but you don’t think we have any right to question those? Chappell slandered him, called him names, and ruined his reputation, and we are not supposed to ask if his conduct was above board?”
We don’t have any right to question him simply because we don’t have all the information. Those who did, the BCCI review committee, decided that both Ganguly and Chappell will stay and that’s where matter ends as far as I am concerned. As for slander, that’s where the leaked email part matters. It would have been slander if Chappell had said all those things in public, but he didn’t. He wrote that in a private report to his employers which he has every right to do.
“And when these allegations were found to be patently false, why wasn’t Chappell pulled up for defaming Sourav? Why did Chappell not tender an apology?”
Again, that’s something for bcci to decide. After going through all the facts and hearing both parties, they decided that no apology was necessary and both should continue. Unless you have doubts about the review committee members and the Dalmiya-led BCCI which appointed those members, I don’t see how anyone could have any grouse about the process that was followed.
“While an ex-Captain is vilified, numerous allegations raised, but he does not have any avenue of appeal.”
Ganguly did have an avenue of appeal - it was the bcci review committe. And it seems like he was okay with the judgement of the committe.
“So dude, you lost a year and half of your career because of these false allegations. Tough! But we can’t do anything. It’s the coach’s prerogative to drag your name in mud.”
I think you are seriously confused. Ganguly didn’t lose a year and half of his career because of those allegations. In fact, even after all that email hungama and the review committee etc. he played 2 tests against SL before he was dropped for the third test. And then, he played couple of tests again in Pakistan.
“The fact that you had supported Sourav then and are supporting Chappell now on the same issue doesn’t show objectivity. It speaks volumes about your fickleness, and nothing about us “emotional†Sourav supporters.”
Nothing fickle about my stand. I had criticised Chappell then for two things - a) for asking Ganguly to step down from captaincy in Zimbabwe which he had no right to ask, b) for dropping Ganguly for 3rd Test against SL, specifically for picking useless Kaif over him. I was okay if Yuvraj had played ahead of Ganguly in the XI, but Ganguly should definitely have been in the squad as 12th man ahead of Kaif.
What I am “defending” Chappell now is over a totally different matter. All I am saying is there is no contradiction or “crow-eating” in what he said then and what he is saying now. He had asked Ganguly to step down from captaincy, go back to domestics, work on his batting and he can lengthen his career by 2-3 years and that’s precisely what he has said in the CI interview recently. I don’t see where he has been made to eat crow.
Hi Arnab !!!
Sorry for voting a little late though……
Done
And yeah…the mail from the moderator had indeed ended up my spam folder…..
If you don’t win hands down in both these categories, it would be as realistic as seeing Mamata Banerjee as Bengal’s CM next year.
All the very best. ?
@ Kishor :
YES !!! South Indians rock !!! Soon we’ll see
1. Shakira butt-shaking and lip-synching an Illyaraja (spelling mistake???) number sung by Mano and Minmini.
2. People working late in the Sillicon Valley ordering Uttapam/Pongal/Sambar-Rice etc instead of Pizzas/Pastas over the phone for dinner.
3. Bruce Willis flaunting a white shawl over his shoulder while balancing three burning cigarettes between his lips diaplaying a most astonishing and mysterious art of juggling. (Influenced by Rajani-Saar)
5. Bryan Adams becoming nostalgic about his times in the land of the Great Southistanis and singing ” Sambar of ‘69 “. In fact, the Great Southistanis are ahead of Mr Adams in this. There’s already a version of ” Sambar of ‘69 ” doing the round in the market.
What a great pleasure would it be to wake up in those times… !!!
Debolin, u r really funny. Nice comment.
@ Gnan : Thanks.
OOPS….I missed the point no.4…
Soon we’re gonna see the retail giants Shanthi Sagar, Sukh Sagar, udupi Sagar, Krishna Sagar etc and of course the g-r-e-a-t Iyengar Bakery opening thousands of outlets all over the world, from Mogadishu to Mississippi, from Harare to Hawaii … and much smaller players in the market like Walmart, Fabmall and FoodWorld would lose out and cease to survive the competition.
Eurake! I found Debashis’ mail in the spam list of my gmail. Have voted for you GB in both categories. Got his confirmation too. All the best. I’ll come back when payback time comes