Why cant we respect out heroes??

Last evening, I caught the India – Pakistan T 20 match towards the end…the really exciting part, when I was pretending to read the latest issue of Femina (cos I cant watch india play….i have a superstition that they lose when I watch them play…its crazy, but its there)…..it was fantastic and we won and I am very happy for this young energetic team and all praise for the young captain Dhoni who I always felt had fire in him….the point of this post isn’t the post match analysis….god knows we’ve had enough of this on tv the whole of last night……I cant get over this prostitution racket that the media is running……I am so upset that I can use expletives and forget that this is a public forum……

Firstly, all and sundry people have an opinion…..makes me remember something a senior of mine said at the farewell we gave them when I was doing my MBA….(I don’t know if this was his original ) “opinions are like a#^ holes....everyone has one” …..i am quoting this because I am sick of the unintelligent people on TV who have opinions on Indian Sports….(yes Sports and not just cricket, because post Chak De! India, hockey has been on TV too…and there was a full blown debate on NDTV on how to better the lot of women’s hockey and the panelists were the full crew of the said movie!! Way to go PR people, good job!! And news channels I hope you get to sleep at night cos you just outdid yourselves and pimped fantastically) …..ok I am digressing…but that’s the angst I feel

Don’t get me wrong……I am not a great sports enthusiast, but even I can see that these “experts” are obscure people who comment on the players and team who have been out there in the field and given it their all…and the ones back in the studio have’nt even played 4 test matches straight….

Last night, a few things were very clear…..

• The team played well
• Battled odds, came together and schumcked the opponent team
• We clinched a nail biting finish and we deserved all the congratulations
• There was enough excitement to rake in the TRP’s for all the news channels

What I don’t understand is

• Why should sachin, saurav and rahul be brought into this
• After playing for the country for 15 odd years, is this the respect we have for them
• How can obscure people talk about the changing times and the fact that this team did it without the triumvirate when the trio in question isn’t even asking for any of your attention??
• How can we forget what these players collectively and individually have given the game??
• How are we equating their contribution with what the younger players are doing??
• And lastly why is the media prostituting itself when it had enough excitement for the viewers to be brought in anyway??
• And why is shah rukh khan’s view on taking of his shirt in his upcoming movie a comparison with Dhoni’s taking his shirt off breaking news?? (good job again PR guys of Om Shanti Om)
• Doesn’t the media have any respect for itself??

I was so disgusted….there was absolutely no need for sachin tendulkar, rahul dravid and saurav ganguly’s names to be dragged into the analysis of this win….discussions galore on changing of the old guard...go ahead, do it if you have the B@!!$.....send an inexperienced team for a really crucial series.....dont have anyone to guide the team and dont fall back on the genious or skill of the same people you are crucifying.....how can dhoni's team's performance, be anywhere connected to the trio who were'nt even present?? why cant we congratulate the team for what they have achieved and celebrate that……leave our heroes alone…they deserve that much respect……