Maria and Sachin

(I was going to write how absurd to have a match for the third place in the World Cup.  All those 32 teams qualified for the World Cup are professionals.  In my opinion, any team can beat any other team on any given day.  All these teams vowed for the Championship.  It is a disgrace to make 2 of those teams to play for the third place.)

 

(But I am not going to write.  My strongest critic, my wife, LG, says she is tired of reading too many sports related posts.  Therefore, this will one will be the last.  Not for ever.  Just for a while.)

 

There was a news item that tennis player Maria Sharapova said she does not know who Sachin Tendulkar is.  Here comes most of the Indian newspapers and television channels “scolding” Maria for being so ignorant.  One newspaper (I think it is Hindustan Times) wrote:

 

We hope you read up on cricket soon, Maria.  Because this population that comprises 17.5% of the global population won’t take not knowing Ten(times God)ulkar lightly.

 

There are a lot of facebook attack also by the Sachin zealots.

 

This is just another cheap headline grabber designed to catch people in India who thinks the world revolves around them and everyone in the world knows (or cares) what happens there.

 

I fail to understand the purpose of this anger at Maria. Why should this thing be so shocking? Cricket is played and followed only in a handful of countries. Maria Sharapova does not come from any of those countries. Then why should there be an obsessive expectation that everybody in the world should know Sachin Tendulkar?

 

I’m not demeaning anybody’s greatness. I myself agree that Sachin is a legend, but would not expect everyone to know him.  Me, my wife, and son went all the way to England (Lords) and India (Chennai) to watch Sachin during the world cup a few years ago. I am sure he would not be offended by Maria’s remarks.

 

Just want to ask these guys if they know who Joe Montana is? He was the Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, American Football team.  In his playing days, he was the highest paid athlete in the world.  But I know that no one outside the USA would know his name (possible exception is Canada).  Just wiki Joe Montana if you want to know more about him.

 

If someone asks Sania Mirza who Joe Montana is, I would bet she will say “never heard of him” and she would not recognize him from S#@t.  Will Americans get angry? No.  They will say the guy who asked that question to Sania is an idiot.

 

PS: Someone wrote in NDTV that 50% of India’s rural population do not know who Sachin Tendulkar is.