Few people not from the mass media or a sponsor company get to attend a press conference. More so if the person is all of 14 and the sportsman being grilled is giving his first PC in his home country after having sealed a world championship title abroad for the fifth time. Which is why I consider myself really lucky to have managed this on Sunday.
Viswanathan Anand made his appearance shortly after 11, for an event organised by his main sponsor, of which my father is a part. He addressed youngsters about many things, including a blow-by-blow account of the eighth regulation game, which was the turning point of the match. The holder was a point down and needed a win to not trail and put more pressure on himself. He won in just 17 moves, a record, the small number also making it easier to go through for the students. (What if he had chosen the 77-move second tiebreak game?) This was followed by a brief autograph and picture session.
Some time later, the press arrived in large numbers. TV channels were to beam the PC live, and set up their cameras and slung their mikes over the speakers. Print media people took a seat and whipped out their writing material, armed with the press release. The cameramen stationed themselves behind a row of chairs. Photographers knelt abominably close to the stage, standing up when the champion arrived and blocking view of all present. They also took a keen interest in his wife Aruna, who was also there.
The humble star spoke for a while, again going through the seventh game, this time with a tad more detail. He then sat down and answered the myriad questions from the press. The questions ranged from retirement to family to Kasparov, and the articulate 43-year-old answered most of them. Some were asked and answered in Tamil.
Many answers were laced with humour, while some dealing with Kasparov's comments showed displeasure. As is with many aging sportspeople, the question of retirement reared up again and again. Some were as inane and how the man felt on winning it for the fifth time. Some were probing, some were unnecessary. But Anand handled them with ease and grace. He did not at all seem tired or jetlagged, he looked like a champion.
Turning to a more popular sport, there are no outstanding favourites for the Euro this year. Sure, Spain as holders are very formidable, but they are missing Villa and Puyol. Torres and Pique look out of sorts. Xavi and Iniesta, the team's core, are aging. They had a flawless qualifying campaign but that does not indicate that they will perform against big names.
The Netherlands, with their starry line-up, look strong as ever. Robin van Persie has come off a great season with Arsenal, albeit trophyless. Arjen Robben made two finals with Bayern Munich, but missed penalties have hurt him hard. They will be wanting revenge after their World Cup final loss after extra time.
Germany's midfield is peerless. Many players have been picked from Bayern and league champs Borussia Dortmund. The young talent is hard to miss. Joachim Low, the young coach, will be yearning to crack the Spain puzzle which cost them the last Euro and a spot in the World Cup final. Though the Champions League loss will still be hanging over the Bayern players, Schweinsteiger in particular, they have the power to shake it off and win a first major since 1996.
Don't rule France and Italy out either. Both have found young talent and will want to make the world forget their group stage exits in the World Cup. If France have Ribery, Nasri and Benzema, Italy have Balotelli, Cassano, di Natale and Pirlo. Italy in particular will look to overcome the fixing scandal which has attacked the Serie A. England have the power to make it to maybe the last eght, but missing Lampard, Cahill and Barry for the tournament and Rooney for the first two games will hit them hard.
And the unpredictable may happen like it did in 2004 and 1992. That is the reason the likes of Croatia and Sweden play. Never underestimate a team like they all did back then. Always be ready for a surprise.
The party begins Friday. Who's your winner?
Viswanathan Anand made his appearance shortly after 11, for an event organised by his main sponsor, of which my father is a part. He addressed youngsters about many things, including a blow-by-blow account of the eighth regulation game, which was the turning point of the match. The holder was a point down and needed a win to not trail and put more pressure on himself. He won in just 17 moves, a record, the small number also making it easier to go through for the students. (What if he had chosen the 77-move second tiebreak game?) This was followed by a brief autograph and picture session.
Some time later, the press arrived in large numbers. TV channels were to beam the PC live, and set up their cameras and slung their mikes over the speakers. Print media people took a seat and whipped out their writing material, armed with the press release. The cameramen stationed themselves behind a row of chairs. Photographers knelt abominably close to the stage, standing up when the champion arrived and blocking view of all present. They also took a keen interest in his wife Aruna, who was also there.
The humble star spoke for a while, again going through the seventh game, this time with a tad more detail. He then sat down and answered the myriad questions from the press. The questions ranged from retirement to family to Kasparov, and the articulate 43-year-old answered most of them. Some were asked and answered in Tamil.
Many answers were laced with humour, while some dealing with Kasparov's comments showed displeasure. As is with many aging sportspeople, the question of retirement reared up again and again. Some were as inane and how the man felt on winning it for the fifth time. Some were probing, some were unnecessary. But Anand handled them with ease and grace. He did not at all seem tired or jetlagged, he looked like a champion.
Turning to a more popular sport, there are no outstanding favourites for the Euro this year. Sure, Spain as holders are very formidable, but they are missing Villa and Puyol. Torres and Pique look out of sorts. Xavi and Iniesta, the team's core, are aging. They had a flawless qualifying campaign but that does not indicate that they will perform against big names.
The Netherlands, with their starry line-up, look strong as ever. Robin van Persie has come off a great season with Arsenal, albeit trophyless. Arjen Robben made two finals with Bayern Munich, but missed penalties have hurt him hard. They will be wanting revenge after their World Cup final loss after extra time.
Germany's midfield is peerless. Many players have been picked from Bayern and league champs Borussia Dortmund. The young talent is hard to miss. Joachim Low, the young coach, will be yearning to crack the Spain puzzle which cost them the last Euro and a spot in the World Cup final. Though the Champions League loss will still be hanging over the Bayern players, Schweinsteiger in particular, they have the power to shake it off and win a first major since 1996.
Don't rule France and Italy out either. Both have found young talent and will want to make the world forget their group stage exits in the World Cup. If France have Ribery, Nasri and Benzema, Italy have Balotelli, Cassano, di Natale and Pirlo. Italy in particular will look to overcome the fixing scandal which has attacked the Serie A. England have the power to make it to maybe the last eght, but missing Lampard, Cahill and Barry for the tournament and Rooney for the first two games will hit them hard.
And the unpredictable may happen like it did in 2004 and 1992. That is the reason the likes of Croatia and Sweden play. Never underestimate a team like they all did back then. Always be ready for a surprise.
The party begins Friday. Who's your winner?
No comments:
Post a Comment