July 2010 - Once again from Doha

Composed a blog and when clicked 'PUBLISH POST' error occured and the blog went kaput!!!!

World Cup Finals 2010: One month from June 11 to July 12 2010 - great spectacle put on by South Africa. Just showed how when a committed government, enthused people and full support from the FIFA organisation and in particular sepp blatter - world cup can be organised in Africa. It showed to the world that South Africa has arrived. It organised in a very short notice IPL II and Now the World Cup - massive infrastructure being built with stadiums, new metro rail etc., With Secrity a great concern but at the end with relatively no incident the game has passed off beautifully. South Africa spent nearly more than USD 3billion for this game. More than the money it brought the people together - whites and blacks under one roof, side-by-side, which is a clear winner by all counts.

SPAIN: Campeones!!! Campeones!!! - as the result shows they are the world champions and they deserved it. THey played a great game of football and a consistent game of football. But when the result of the first game shows - lost the first game to switzerland and became the first team to go on and won the final and lift the world cup even after losing the first match. The perennials underdogs has finally achieved the peak of winning the World Cup. They have a great midfield and the control they have over the game, their passing and all were excellent - Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Iniesta, Ramos on the left flank, with Pedro and not to missout David Villa -one of th few world players who really excelled in the big stage. With Ikor Casillas under the bar - leading the front (His Girl Friend is the Spain TV Reporter - Femme Fatale, wow!!). This victoy has united the nation which has been divided by ethnically (catalan, madrid etc.,)previously even the team has been rift with split. They also shown the world that the victory in the european championship of 2008 is no fluke...Odd one is that they scored only eight goals overall!!

Netherlands: Shame of a game they played in the final. Till final they played very good football but against spain they lost the plot (at the end all the teams which played against the spain lost the plot) don't know how to control or go against their passing play, control of the field in the Mid Field area etc., They decided attack is the best defence so they attacked the players not the ball and at the end they were like school kids with 7 yellow cards and 1 red card to heitinga. They played really well against Brazil and knocked out the great Champion side - first time they defeated the brazilians in the world cup finals!!!

Uruguay: Diego Forlan - Golden Ball Award; it shows the calibre of the player. He played very well. The team as such excelled in all the areas. What a game against Ghana. Louis Suarez - Hero or Villain - if you are a uruguay supporter then he is a hero if you are a african nation supporter then he is a villain - stopped the ball going into the net with his hands (he is not a goal keeper by the way!!!)- GOT EJECTED - Red carded; Resulting penaly by Gyan hit the underbar and uruguay was given an opportunity to live for next day. They went on to win the match through Penalties and lost to netherlands in the semis. First time after winning the inaugural world cup they are in the semis!!.

Germany: Young Team with Majority of the players in 20s - reached the semis. THey played two games which are the best games in this edition of the World Cup. Against England and against Argentina. Both the teams England and Argentina were like school kids out on the pitch. THey thrashed both of them. England 2-1, argentina - 4-1; Mueller, Ozil, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Podalski - all are under 20s!!!

Argentina: They came to this stage with the World Player of the Year - Lionel Messi. But went out in the Quarters itself, with messi not able to meet the Net (0 Goals from him) Utterly disappointing performance.

Brazil: Pathetic performance. It seemed they were not prepared to play. Kaka nowhere at his best!! Robinho tried his best. Most sad aspect his one player felipe milo red carded in the match against Netherlands...

Africa: With the exception of Ghana - who really missed the semis with a wisker really. No team played to the potential. Atleast south africa scored one victory and draw one - which is excellent to say!! Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast all gone in the first round itself.

RAAVAN/RAAVANAN: Great Movie or DUMB Movie - that is the question still to be answered. One thing is certain - there is only two paths to be taken - Good Movie or a Bad Movie there is no middle path as average for this movie. I saw both the versions - Looks like Tamil was better presented - not the language , vikram, prithviraj were excellent. The combination of Abhishek and Vikram didn't somehow got the same feeling. Aishwarya --- OHH MAN what a beauty - you cannot show her more beautiful than this !! Hats off to Santhosh SIvan and Manikandan!! Cinematography was excellent. The film was visualised excellent. It was a tough film for Mani - at the end something was missing -is it the emotions that we are all used to seeing a tamil film!!! May be!! But Mani has put up a great show - visual, Music, performance by actors all were excellent. Rahman as usual was brilliant - one thing is the songs were used beautifully and kattu sirukki was a complete surprise!! Somehow the song usure poguthe didn't melt the heart - somehow the positioning didn't clicked i think so!!!... Could be a great collection for DVD!!!! keep on watching Ash and hearing the songs and BGM's and the Visual - nature at its best!!