opportunities whisk by

What velocity do opportunities whisk by?

Spanish sports’ golden age

Spain is witnessing its golden age in sports. I would cut to the chase and reason with a theory that could point as to why it is so. Surely, it is not just coincidence.
The theory goes- A country’s generation born close to an Olympics benefits immensely. And if the country continues to aspire for sporting success, there is a good chance, it will produce champions.

It is 2012 and it has been 20 years since the 1992 Barcelona Games.20 years is a generation. We can also figure in that 1982 FIFA World Cup was held in Spain. The Olympics needs sporting infrastructure, and this sporting base is used by future sportspersons. The exposure breeds familiarity, practice pushes perfection, academies produce prodigies. In simple words, reaping what you sowed.

Now it is an observed fact that taxpayers keep on footing the bill after Olympics are done with. Athens is still burdened by the massive expenditure when it hosted in 2004, so is Atlanta from 1996. Infrastructure built for big ticket sporting events can actually go to waste. But the same stadiums can be used to breed academies or used to host events of relatively lesser profile, which keeps the money coming and encouraging sportspersons to excel all the same.

The sportsmen and women make nations proud on the world stage. The link between hosting an Olympics and becoming a sporting power can be made for South Korea and Seoul 1988. South Korea however is a tiny state and it is easier for them to use the facilities built. They have carried the momentum all the while getting new sports and disciplines. Some nations go the other way around and host an Olympics after becoming a sporting giant, like China did at Beijing 2008.

Coming back to Spain though, I suggest that it’s because of the push that the country got from Barcelona 92’and their pursuit of sporting excellence, that they are reaping success. Spain has always had a great football league, and yet they were under-achievers on the world stage. With an unprecedented successive Euro-World Cup-Euro treble by Spanish football team, they now have staked claim to be the one of the best teams ever.

Also the Catalans do not consider themselves to be part of Spain. A thing that surfaces every now and then at Barcelona’s Camp Nou at the time of El Clasico. That independent identity feud aside, Spain noticeably is not just producing champions from Barcelona and Madrid. They are also coming from Oviedo, Seville, Valencia and Málaga.

Moreover and importantly, it is just not about football anymore. Spain has champion teams in basketball, handball, futsal and watersports. They have Gemma Mengual in synchronised swimming ; Sergio Garcia and recently Azahara Muñoz in golf .They have won the Davis Cup 5 times since 2000, and have had Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco, Sergie Bruguera, Carlos Moya, Aranxta Sanchez Vicario , Conchita Martinez in tennis. Motorsports has Fernando Alonso’s double world championship in Formula 1.Moto GP has the talents of  Jorge Lorezo, Dani Pedrosa and Nicolás Terol among others. Even if we discount Miguel Indurain’s 5 consecutive Tour de France titles between 1991-95, Spain has had Oscar Pereiro and Carlos Sastre winning in Tour de France in 2006 and 2008 respectively.Spain were hockey silver medallists at Beijing Olympics in 2008. The list is long and impressive. Read more here.

To conclude with an analogy, the museum benefits Gaudi, Gaudi benefits the museum.

Players need stadiums, stadium needs players.

Spain benefits with both in its golden age of sports.

Viva espana

Deservingly Spain are world champions after years of under achieving although possessing the strongest of domestic leagues and the biggest and most glamourous of clubs in Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Spain has Barcelona as its core and plays the same style as Barcelona in La Liga.

This Spanish side –who could afford to keep Cesc Fabregas on the bench, played the best football during the cup. Spain combined flair, aggression, intent, precision, ingenuity and inventiveness as we saw them attack in waves after waves unrelenting in pressure and scything the defences.

It’s fitting too that the four teams that made the semis Spain, Netherlands, Germany and Uruguay played to win and looked to score goals. All four had their own distinctive attractive style which reassures and comforts that football still remains beautiful.

The Iker Casillas led and Vincent del Bosque coached Spain thoroughly deserved their victory - they continued to try to play their beautiful passing game in the face of intense provocation. The best team won and there is no denying that it is a popular win too.

Group of death - world cup

Predicting and choosing teams to support in a World Cup as open as this one is a very tough thing to do .Every cup throws up a tough group and this once, the '

group of death’ is group G ,because it has 5 times winners Brazil ,the mercurial Portuguese ,the dangerous and upset causing Ivory Coast slotted in with the North Koreans.

It remains group of death because even after you manage to finish second you have to face in all probablility - Spain. The team that is playing the most beautiful, most enticing , mesmersing football at the moment , even ahead of Argentina.

Brazil have forgave their style and flair, their natural USP ..what’s worse they dropped their most beguiling creative force- Ronaldinho. And this is not just me saying. Even the Brazilian great Socrates, who led them in 1982,feels so. Here, have a look…

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/worldcup2010/3000625/Socrates-Im-bored-of-Brazil.html

The rip,curl,slash,dash,whips and turns of Brazilians have made way for a brand of football that is not that pretty to watch. Sure Brazil is Brazil ,but isn’t that not why they have such following the world over? That said, Brazil may well top the group and reach as far as the finals. And I guess from the group of death, Portugal will go through too, because Ivory coast is missing Didier Drogba with his forearm fracture.

I would have picked Ivory coast for going through to round of 16 and even beyond had Drogba been fit and available..They are the best African nation by a fair distance. Also, just think if Brazil ends up 2^nd in group, then we have the ultimate Latina clash in round 2

Brazil v Spain..

Of the other groups,I hope France crashes out in round one because they cheated their way into South Africa.

And the whole of France knows it. Thierry Henry hand balled not once but twice to hook in the ball into play against Ireland in the last play-off. It would be poetic justice if they crash out and Uruguay and Mexico go further from group A.

Netherlands and Serbia are dark horses, who can reach the quarters, if their form in qualification is anything to go by .Argentina look to be easy group D winners ,but any of the three can go ..I tip South Korea though.

England have a slight outside chance to repeat their 1966 heroics, but do they have the guts to win a penalty shoot out? England is inspired and propelled by Rooney. He just has to fire and surely they will miss Beckham in dead ball and free kick situations.

Since 1962 ,the World cup has been changing hands from South America to Europe every four years, so with Italy being the holders ,it is the chance of a South American team to win, but not necessarily .

The teams with realistic chances are Argentina,Spain,Brazil,Portugal,England and possibly Netherlands .Whatever may happen,

But,I believe that the best thing to happen would be either Spain or Argentina winning.

Because its the beautiful game -joga bonito(play beautifully) ..

and the ones playing most beautifully must win ..