Merdeka Feelings

It seems there are less flags flying, less TV and radio ads, less ‘feeling’ towards this years Merdeka celebration.

I am not the most patriotic person having been brought up overseas for the first 12 years of my life but I have been back for over 10 years now (since Uni) and this year it seems to me that Merdeka just like another day for most. Most people are just happy they get a day off work and not excited about Merdeka. It used to be a fairly ‘big’ occasion with a majority of cars, office buildings and apartments flying the Jalur Gemilang proudly. The best TV ads used to be during the Merdeka period and most with the underlying message of unity and striving for success. Are Malaysian content with what they already have? Are we getting complacent?

In my view, this is very disheartening. It’s no wonder that we can’t get people to support our sports teams. If we can’t even support the Country in its biggest celebration, how are we supposed to love and support our football or hockey team.

Although I use to “Pledge Allegiance to the Flag” and Sing the “Star Spangled Banner”, I am no longer a ‘fan’ of the United States. It could be because of their political policies, but that’s a discussion for another day. If there is one thing we should follow the Americans when it comes to Independence Day, we should follow the way they celebrate it. There is no difference between the 4th of July or 31 August but the way it is celebrated. The Americans are proud on the 4th of July and have BBQ’s, parties and functions. Most Malaysians will be sleeping in or at shopping centers. Sad but True.

Last Week In Review

Top Achievers
Last weekend saw Valentino Rossi continue his domination in MotoGP. I seriously think he is the most dominant person in any sport at the moment. Winning 9 out of 11 races (the other 2 were podium finishes) is no easy task. He needs to win only one more race to be the Champion yet again.

The English Cricket Team winning the 4th test after forcing Australia to follow on. Follow on is when you force a team to continue with their seciond innings as their 1st innings score is more than 200 runs short. The English need to win or draw the final test to win the Ashes for the first time since 1989 and to temporarily halt Australia’s dominance in world cricket.

The All-Blacks beating the Springboks in a very fierce game. The All Blacks just have to beat Australia next weekend to win the Tri-Nations Cup. The All-Blacks also have a new kicker now. He's young and good. The All Blacks tend to dominate when they have good kickers (like the days of Grant Fox) in their squad. Could be a start of an All Black revival to the top of Rugby.


Disgraceful matters
The Malaysian Taekwando Federation for dashing the hopes of Junior fighters by sending a junior national team to Khazastan for the Asian Junior Championships only to find out upon arrival that they were not eligible to participate as the Malaysian Taekwando Association has been deregistered.

EPL referees. In my opinion there has been more bad calls in the first 4 weeks than there were in the same time last season. To date, 3 cards have been either rescinded or downgraded due to bad calls. There is also no consistency whatsoever amongst referees. To many are getting away with bad tackles whilst some are getting unduly penalized.

The French trying to discredit Lance Armstrong’s achievements in the Tour De France by claiming that frozen piss from 1999 has been tested and is positive for the banned drug EPO (blood booster). French Logic: How can an American dominate OUR sport? Lets tarnish his reputation. Human Logic: A guy comes back from death (fighting cancer). Why the F#%K would he take drugs to be a better cyclist?

My hopes
Australia wins the final test of The Ashes and retains the trophy. I’m an Australian fan and I dislike the English in sports. On that note, I also wish that England do not qualify for World Cup 2006. Unlikely but I can hope.

Maria Sharapova reaches the final of the US Open. I just want her to be on TV in skimpy tennis clothes for as long as possible.

Valentino Rossi does not win the next race in Japan but clinches his Championship in Sepang. I want to be there to see a living legend win a Championship.

Just Like Life

Why I'm a Sports Freak

Excitement as your team is about to win.
Joy when they do.
Despair as your team is about to lose.
Sadness when they do.
Accomplishment when you get a birdie.
Frustration when you miss a 2-foot putt.

To me sports represent a snapshot of life. During a 90-minute game of football, 4 quarters of basketball or even during the final over of a cricket match every emotion can be felt. Depending on who you are these emotions will vary. Two people sitting beside each other watching the same game will have two different emotions at the very same time. That’s the beauty of sports.

Just like life there is a timeframe and in this timeframe you try to win or at the very least, play your best. Just like life, it’s not over until the final whistle blows or the final ball thrown. Just like life, you win some and lose more but the sweetness of victory outweighs the despair of defeat tenfold. You can play golf on the same course for 20 years but you will never play exactly the same game. Just like life, no two games are ever the same. Just like life you have to beat the challenges in order to succeed and if you don’t succeed you just have to try again. Just like life there are people better than you in something but on any given day you can be better than them too. Just like life decisions have to be made. Just like life you make wrong ones and some correct ones too. Just like life there are heroes and villains. Just like life there are obnoxious ones too.

I enjoy life, i have to enjoy sports too... because, its just like life.

Star Spangled Badminton

How do you elevate the status of a ‘second tier’ sport?
Create American World Champions. Then Nike and Adidas will invest in the sport.

I like to believe that all sports are played in a fair and true manner. Games aren’t fixed, no winner is decided before hand and sporting apparel companies to not decide which sports succeed and which don’t. It might be naïve of me, but it makes me believe in the truth of sports. But when you have an American World Champion in Badminton it shakes my beliefs. What next? America wins the Thomas Cup?

Although my beliefs are shaken, I still believe in the true meaning of sport and the Americans won because of passion and determination. Suprises do happen in Sports. Also because the World Championships were played in Anaheim, California.

Fourth and One

One of the toughest situations to call a play in American Football. Do you go for the First Down and risk losing possession advantageous to your opponent or do you punt the ball away?
******
Besides being a terminology used in American Football it is also the name of a book I am currently reading. It is written by Joe Gibbs a Hall of Fame coach for the Washington Redskins. Firstly, some background. The Washington Redskins is the team I support the most in any sport on this planet (The colour of this blog is based on the Redskins team color). I was surprised to walk in to a second hand bookshop in Ampang to find this book.

1983 was the first and only time I saw Coach Gibbs, it was the first time the Redskins won the Superbowl and I was with 500,000 other Redskins fan lining the streets of D.C. in pouring rain just to catch a glimpse of the team and coach. I was 10.

Imagine my surprise to find this book in Ampang. It is a semi-autobiography of Coach Gibbs, a self proclaimed sports lover that was average in almost every sport growing up. It is a story of a man from a small town in North Carolina whose passion is sports and eventually became one of the greatest coaches in American Football.

Reading the few chapters of the book, I realize the few traits we have in common.

Firstly, he said that he was never great in sports, he was just good but he always had more passion than others. He was chosen for school and university teams not because he was the best but he had the drive and passion. I found this inspiring as I was not the best athlete in school or university but I still played rugby, cricket and hockey for my school. I even played American football and hockey for my university.

Secondly, he was always ‘bored’ or felt unfulfilled until he got his head coaching job. He changed jobs often but had good contacts and friends around him all the time. He loved to take employment risks but had to always think about his wife and kids. Again, this is similar to the way I feel about my job, bored and unfulfilling. I also have to think about the family consequences should I have to change jobs. I also would like to believe I have a lot of good friends.

The only difference is with his drive and passion towards sports there are opportunities for him to go for his dream in the sports industry in the US. Here, my opportunities in the sports industry is limited. It’s something for me to think about. How to succeed in the sports industry here in Malaysia? I do have the passion.

Maybe the answer will come when I finish reading his book.

Finally Its Here..

I love Fridays. More so that tomorrow is not a working Saturday. I’m in such a good mood. As usual, my tune of the day is Friday, I’m in Love by The Cure. The song always makes me feel good. I have also been listening to all the songs I downloaded last night. Ahh…. good old school R&B. They just make good R&B anymore.

On the sporting front this weekend will probably be all about the EPL here in Malaysia. In particular Chelsea vs. Arsenal. What to watch if you’re a sports freak this weekend:

Rugby Union – Australia vs. South Africa
EPL – Chelsea vs. Arsenal
Golf – NEC Invitational
Formula 1 – Turkish Grand Prix
Tennis – Cincinnati Masters Series

I guess I’ll pretty much watch all the events listed above either live or on a delayed telecast. As for playing anything, I doubt I’ll have time. Too many family commitments, maybe a game of tennis or hitting some balls at the driving range on Sunday evening is the best I can do.

Have a great weekend!!

Slight Reminiscing..

Song I just Downloaded:

1. Bobby Brown - Every Little Step I Take
2. Lisa Stansfield - Been Around The World
3. Sybil - Don't Make Me Over
4. Bvsmp - I Need You
5. Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
6. Faze - Cold Sweat
7. Timex Social Club - Rumours
8. Shalamar - Night To Remember

Three words.... Piccadilly Tea Dance...

Damn.. those were good days... anyone who stepped foot in the place would understand where I'm coming from... It would also give away your age.

Only Music in My Head

Colleague : Don’t forget to prepare the Letter of Offer by today.

Me: …..

Tap on shoulder… “Don’t forget to prepare the Letter of Offer by today.”

Me : (removing earphones) huh??.. oh… ok..
********
I've finally solved my office boredom issue.
I have loaded my office PC with 398 mp3s. Now I can shut the office out. YES!!
I reckon by next week it will 500 mp3s. Time to go home and start downloading again.

For those who still use Real player or Media player to listen to mp3s or music, I highly recommend downloading i-tunes, its free and its awesome.

Note : Is someone out to get me or am I just absent minded? I came back from lunch to find one of my earphones in my coffee...

River of $$$

Sg. Wang Plaza. Literally, the River of Money, is still my favourite shopping centre. KLCC, Lot 10, Starhill, Midvalley Megamall are all decent destinations but it doesn’t have the character of Sq. Wang. As soon as you walk in your emotions change, it could be lighting, it could just be layout of the place but I’ve never left the place without buying something. Anyway, things that interest me are cheap here. PS2 games, DVDs, Music CD’s, computer software.


Today’s lunchtime adventure to Sg. Wang

Madden 2005 for PS2 – RM4
Mac Software (4 discs) – RM20
Acoustic guitar strings – RM16
Three DVD 9s – RM20

Countless amounts of ah-mois - Priceless.

Missing the Point

Dear Boss,

I have no motivation to perform. I will do just enough of what is required of me and no more. Should I get a better offer somewhere else, I will be forced to move. Please, please, increase my motivation.

Regards.
Unmotivated Worker
**********
4.00pm – meeting started.
4.50pm – meeting ended.

50 minutes of “blah, blah, blah…. blah, blah, blah… and more blah, blah blah.”

My boss had a bank wide strategy workshop and brainstorming session over the weekend with other bosses. Today she called her team in. The ‘bosses’ have come up with strategies and ideas (with help from external consultants) to improve the Bank.

They have new plans every year but they always miss the most important point. All the new strategies and ideas do not address this one simple factor. Motivation. The level of motivation is so low amongst the working level that if it is not taken care of, all the strategies and ideas they spent time and money on will go down the drain.

I'm a Neutral

Typical Football Fan : Which team do you support?

Me : None, I’m a neutral.

Typical Football Fan: How is that possible?

Last weekend saw the return of the English Premier League. Surprisingly, this is one of the only leagues that I do not support a single team. I am as neutral as Switzerland when it comes to the EPL. Some people don’t understand this. They walk around wearing their jerseys, talking like they own the team, i.e. we bought so and so this season… but then some of them don’t have a clue in hell why they supported the team in the first place.

To me there has to be some reason to support a team… “I studied there”, “ever since I can remember my dad made me support xxx”, “it’s the only team I have ever watched live in a stadium”, etc… these are legitimate reasons to support a team… not “because they won last year mah…” these people don’t even know the name of their home stadium let alone any other statistics...

I guess its these ‘bandwagon fans’ that make the money for the Man Uniteds, Real Madrids, Liverpools and Arsenals of this world…

“What, jersey RM300? Bolehlah.. I support them mah!!”

Hazy Days Part II

Since my last posting, the haze has not improved. It seems to have worsened. Damn.. Its a weekend, so I guess all sporting activities have to be cancelled.

Things I can't do this weekend-
(1) Play Golf (I just got a new driver too!!)
(2) Tennis (played once in the last month but would like to play if it wasn't hazy)
(3) Chill by the Swimming Pool (Note by the pool and not in the pool. I can swim well, I just don't like to)
(4) Watch the start of the EPL season in an outdoor beer garden (e.g. Oasis) due to the haze.

What I'll end up doing-
(1) Play sports on my Playstation 2
(2) Spend too much time indoors
(3) Watch the EPL from my couch (probably stoned* as I can't go out)

*I don't want to but due to circumstance (the haze), it looks like I have no option..

Hazy Days

KL is engulfed in a haze that is worse than ever. It smells like someone set fire to the city. Nevertheless, there is a haze that has been around longer than the one outside my office window… The haze in my head… Shit!! There’s someone actually playing golf at RSGC!!

*******
I forget why I enter a room;
I forget who I was suppose to call;
I forget birthdays I used to remember;
I forget the date;
I forget who you are.

Damn… I’ve stopped smoking weed but my head is still hazy…

The Weekend that Ended and Started

Last weekend there were two important events.

1) The Final AF concerts marks the end of 2 1/2 months of Melayu's going gaga over Mawi. No more Aznil, no more Hotlink AF ads, no more, no more... thank god for that.

2) The Community Shield marks the official start of English League Football. 9 1/2 months of Dykes, Shebby & Masefield, Celcom ads, football and more football...

*******

Final AF concert - As predicted by the Media (The Star, Malay Mail & other prints), Mawi won AF season 3. He could have croaked through both his songs in the final concert and he still would have won. The Malay "Rednecks" decided this since Week 1.

Talent wise he wasn't the best, he can't dance, can't act and wasn't the best vocally but he was an icon for the Malay "Rednecks". Why? Mainly because he is from Felda, has a nasyid group and has won various 'mengaji' conpetitions.

The other Malay in the Finals was Amylea, she sings alot better, is the best dancer in the academy and the best performer. She was the only person to get a standing ovation, for her rendition of GnR's Sweet Child of Mine. Why didn't she win? Her parents play in a pub band in Langkawi, she is not shy and she has an attitude more acceptable in other countries, not here in Malaysia.

Saying all this, this is Malaysia, so, our 'rednecks' are the majority and in the case of AF, it has spoken (or smsed).

*******

As the Community Shield is the curtain raiser for the upcoming EPL season. Below are my predictions for the upcoming season.

Champions - Chelsea will still be at the top of the League at the end of this season. They further strengthened an already strong team with the singnings of Wright-Phillips, Del Horno and the return of Crespo.

Runners Up - Liverpool. I putting my head on the line by predicting Liverpool above MU and the Gunners. This is mainly because they have vastly improved the team with their offseason signings. Team morale is high with Stevie G staying at Anfield but The key factor is Rafa Benitez.

3rd & 4th - It will be a toss up between Arsenal & Man. United. This is mainly because both didn't spend during the off season and will be relying in pretty much the same team that didn't win last year. Arsenal signed Hleb but lost Vierra. Man U signed Park Ji Sung and Van De Sar. Neither team has improved much this offseason on a team that never looked strong enough to win last season.

Friday, I'm In Love

The whole week has been a long struggle. Like a Gen-2 in an F1 race or a mule racing stallions in the Kentucky Derby. But now its 5.30 on a Friday and I'm rejuvinated. I'm alive again. I feel Good!!. I'm going to listen to the perfect song one more time. Then go home. Maybe have a drink. Well.. most likely have a drink. To those that have never listened to this song, I advise you to download it. The perfect Friday evening song.

Friday I'm In Love - The Cure
I don't care if monday's blue. tuesday's grey and wednesday too. thursday I don't care about you. it's friday I'm in love. monday you can fall apart. tuesday wednesday break my heart. thursday doesn't even star. it's friday I'm in love. saturday wait and sunday always comes too late. but friday never hesitate...

I don't care if monday's black. tuesday wednesday heart attack. thursday never looking back. it's friday I'm in love. monday you can hold your head. tuesday wednesday stay in bed. or thursday watch the walls instead. it's friday I'm in love. saturday wait. and sunday always comes too late. but friday never hesitate...

dressed up to the eyes. it's a wonderful surprise. to see your shoes and your spirits rise. throwing out your frown. and just smiling at the sound. and as sleek as a shriek. spinning round and round. always take a big bite. it's such a gorgeous sight. to see you in the middle of the night. you can never get enough. enough of this stuff. it's fridayI'm in love.

Another Late Night

Baby's asleep...
Wife's asleep....
85% of Malaysia's asleep...

As usual, I'm still up. Its hard being a nocturnal creature. I sleep on average at between 1.30am-2.00am everyday. Its no wonder I'm late for work everyday.

Oh well... to past time tonight I did a 100 question quiz on liquid generation. I chose this particular quiz because last week Ms. J had created two 80's based quiz for me to do. Now, I had found the ultimate 80's quiz.




How can that be? Knight Rider is what made David Hasslehoff... I HATE HASSLEHOFF!!

I don't plan to release an album that sells only in Germany although I wouldn't mind playing his part in Baywatch.

Man... I need to get some sleep. Hopefully, a few blondes with silicone injected breasts wearing red bikini's running in slow motion up and down a beach will be the focal point of my dreams tonight... I just hope David Hasslehoff won't be singing or running in the background..

Local Bloggers

Just a thought.

Being relatively new to blogging and just recently started reading blogs I have come to realize that there are quite a number of Malaysians that can express well in English. Most of the local blogs I frequent justifies this statement.

It is quite refreshing to know that not all the money invested into overseas education was wasted in the so called "kampung melayu/cina/india" syndrome. Saying this, I even expect that some of these good writers didn’t even go overseas to pursue their education. The only downside is that I feel that most of these bloggers are from the more affluent sector of society.

End of thought.

In the Realm of Fantasy

Fantasy Sports.

It is dream of many testosterone filled males to be a Manager, Chairman or Owner of a sporting club. Be it football (soccer), baseball, basketball or even Formula 1, running a team and winning is the ultimate goal. With the existence of fantasy sports, this has become psuedo-reality. The English Premier League is starting in 10 days and parallel to it so will fantasy football. Here comes –

9 ½ months of long nights analyzing players…
9 ½ months on deliberating on decisions as if the world depended on it…
9 ½ months of talking of nothing but fantasy football during happy hour…
9 ½ month of watching games I wouldn’t watch if it wasn’t for fantasy EPL…
9 ½ months of sheer frustration and joy…

I play fantasy baseball & basketball with people I don’t know in America but I play fantasy EPL with my mates… It matters a lot to win… It matters a hell of a lot!!