Posted by We have a bit.
It’s not so much that we don’t really care about any of the teams – you can get over that. It’s more the feeling that none of the matches actually matters yet.
They’re still going to be playing in a few weeks’ time and maybe then the table might have started to take shape and there’ll be some context, but at the minute it feels like we can just ignore the IPL for a while and then return for the important bit.
Even Andrew Symonds thinks there might be a bit too much cricket when the two new teams have joined as well – and he doesn’t even do anything else with his life other than mooch about in flip-flops and sit on his fat, saggy arse watching Aussie Rules in the pub:
“Lalit needs a band of merry men who are going to put their heads together and ensure they get it right. He obviously wants the IPL to be the best and the most special thing in cricket. But to get that you have to look after your cattle, you can’t just keep driving and whipping them.”
We like that he calls himself a cow. He is kind of bovine-looking. Think it’s the neck.
Andrew Symonds doesn’t watch Aussie rules, he watches Rugby League. It is this kind of poor researching that gets blogs compared to newspapers.
Well said, jrod. And it’s not just shoddy research, either. The application of a bit of logic would have suggested that someone who played the intelligent, thinking man’s game of cricket would, once he had retired, be more likely to be drawn to the cerebral pastime of rugby league.
It’s no coincidence that Britains best ever chess player came from Leigh. How many grandmasters has Essendon ever produced, eh?
7.
Didn’t realise Australians still played rugby league.
Thought they were all middle-class now.
Guess even Indian selectors have, they must have missed Utthappa’s run riot in this tournament not to select him for the T20 WC.
The amazing commentary team is trying it’s best too to make sure people lose interest but addicts like me just press the mute button and watch it anyway.
My hometown (Pune) is getting an IPL team. Now I am in an unenviable position where I have to decide between Mumbai Indians and Pune Whatever. And to cap it off, Pune team is owned by Sahara corporation whom I absolutely loath. I am pretty sure Pune Whatever will be the Mets to Mumbai Indians Yankees.
Think the Pune stadium’s being built out of town, between Mumbai and Pune, isn’t it?
We get the impression it’s a second Mumbai team in all but name for the benefit of the new millionaires in the Sahara gated community and similar places.
Your knowledge of Mumbai-Pune relationship is frighteningly accurate, KC!
I just started watching it this week. But the Kiwi vs Aus test is about to start, so maybe I will lose interest again.
What are the chances of getting Navjot Siddhu to be a commentator in Hamilton, just in case the Kiwis decide to bend over again?
Shockingly inaccurate information on a cricketers favourite past time then a equally shocking correct understanding of the relationship of Indian Cities.
Are you well?
We’re never well.
You should know that by now.
“It’s not so much that we don’t really care about any of the teams – you can get over that”
How is it that we can get over that exactly?
Its just that I’ve been trying for two years now and that’s the one aspect of enjoying the IPL that escapes me.
Can someone please tell me what the Kingfisher fair play award is?
It sounds like one of those pity awards they give to the athletically challenged kids at school. My year 7 sportsmanship medal still sits proudly on the mantelpiece, right next to my 12th man of the year trophy.
When I’m reduced to discovering non-sensical anagrams I know I’m bored.
“Indian Premier League” becomes:
Rape Maude in lingerie
A ideal umpire in green
In a pea-green delirium
An imperial greedy dung
Undermine a girlie ape
Impugned an eerie liar
And now I’m bored with that even. IPL has me double-bored. And reamed. And countersunk.
6 anagrams, congratulations on your 1st DLF maximum Bob.
Is the IPL still going?
The what now?
Not yet, but that’s probably because it’s the first year I’ve watched any of the games. The TV coverage is frightningly bad and there seem to be so many games (and there will be even more next year).
Oh and it’s always good to hear someone of the intelligence of Andrew Symonds pronounce on the future of the game! Mensa awaits
This is the first year I’ve been able to catch the coverage.
Apart from watching the game between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab last weekend, I haven’t really got into it.
Way too long a tournament for me.
I find I have the games on cos in principle I am watching them cos it’s cricket on the TV. But I find the continued sponsorship references and general exclamations are something to ignore, so I do.
So it’s on but I’m not paying it any attention except when Ishant Sharma’s hair comes on screen. Waiting for Hayden to get out with his mongoose. Oh and AB took a stunning catch the other day. And I thought Mandira looked good in yellow. That’s my level of interest now.
The Abu Dhabi match starts on Monday – so I will listen to Durham’s progress on the radio instead.
It’s funny how many people find the necessity to declare their lack of interest in the IPL publicly.
I’ve not seen a ball of live cricket since 2005, it’s just nice to see come cricket, despite the corny bits.
Sure the standard of cricket is poor, and of the TV coverage even poorer. But unlike in the previous years it is a closely fought tournament. There seem to be 3 good teams (Mumbai, Bangalore, Deccan), 3 mediocre ones (Delhi, Chennai, Rajasthan) and 2 bottom feeders (Kolkata and Punjab). This grouping does make league games more meaningful, but then I thought the same about the Australia-Pakistan one dayers earlier this year.
Then there is always Danny Morrisson (“He is an exceptional young talent. In yellow.”)
Did somebody just say “I think MRF have also sponsored the moon tonight” in the game between someone with Shane Warne in it and someone without Shane Warne? I’m worried that they might have done.
The logic of this post makes about as much sense as Symonds watching Aussie Rules. The reason for only caring about the IPL once the matches have more obvious outcomes is precisely because you don’t care for any of the teams.
It’s not about obvious outcomes. It’s about 56 matches to get rid of four teams. Each match is of little significance. Supporting a team makes very little difference.
Imagine we support Royal Challengers Bangalore. If they lose a match, it barely matters. They only need to win a handful of matches to finish in the top half. Finish fourth and you’ve as good a chance of winning the thing as the team finishing top.
At least towards the end of the league phase, there might be the odd must-win match.
True, it might be more meaningful if there were more distinguishing 1st and 4th – say finals locations depending on ladder positions.
I still think wanting “must-wins” is about obvious outcomes, though…
Oh, see what you mean. Thought you meant that we were hankering after one-sided matches.
Thought that was weird.