he got game

A lot has been said about Virat Kohli; the middle finger raising, girl chasing, charismatic youngster has been in the news for a long time. What is refreshing to see is that all the stuff off the field does not seem to affect his performance on it. And what a performance it was yesterday. A batting CLINIC. 183 in 148 balls against a formidable Pakistan bowling attack. It was an absolute treat.

Virat Kohli embodies everything that we need not only in Indian sport but also the political arena. Young, brash, willing to take risks and above all, skillful..being able to back the talk and walk the walk. We need more Virat Kohlis. HE GOT GAME.

chin up Lamar

I like Lamar Odom. I've been a fan of Lamar ever since his Clipper days..when he came in the amazing Nike Freestyle commercial. I was thrilled when he came to Lakerland via a trade involving Shaq. A player as versatile and athletic as Lamar...I thought here we go....finally a Pippen to Kobe's Jordan. Unfortunately though, Lamar never fully got into his role. He was brilliant...but in short stretches. He has always been quite distracted and turning from HOOD (say South Jamaica, Queens!!) to HOLLYWOOD. His wedding to one of the Kardashians (does it matter who?) and the subsequent 'reality show' got me thinking how hard he really wants to play ball...or just live the lifestyle of a baller.

The CP3 to Lakers trade was a massive fiasco. For the players involved in the not-to-be trade it was devastating. Some took it on the chin and became stronger (shoutout to my man Pau Gasol for keeping it real) and others took it really badly. Lamar especially. He has always been the sensitive type. He demanded a trade from the Lakers (I am sure he regrets it now) and got it. Being dealt to the Mavs for absolutely nothing seems to have dented his confidence and he just not the same player who was using his skill, getting in KG's grill, drilling a three pointer and contributing to a championship team. Now I read the news that he is going to be demoted to the D league by the Mavs for a game. Knowing Lamar, it is not a good move. He is going to take it hard. And may note even recover.

Lamar has been a warrior, recovering from personal tragedy, finding solace on the court and with his Laker teammates. I hope his Mavericks teammates are there for him and he bounces back. Keep your head up Lamar. Keep your head up.

KobeMask

Everyone who follows (and some who don't!) basketball know by now that Dwayne Wade broke Kobe Bryant's nose during the all star game last week. It was a hard, cheap foul but enough has been written about that so I'll just let that pass. What was interesting was that reports that not only did Kobe suffer from a broken nose but also a concussion. Now that is serious stuff. Everyone was wondering how he will adapt. Today we got our answer.

The Lakers played the Timberwolves today and Kobe was....well...Kobe. Jumpers. Dunks. Steals. Assists. Rebounds. All there. A stellar game. All wearing a face mask which must be making him look even more fearsome to those guarding him. Even haters can't help but appreciate the dedication Kobe has to the game of basketball. Respect.

Rise of the hockey spirits

The FIH Olympic Hockey qualifiers are on right now and it is absolutely refreshing to watch India play. What is even greater is the attention the media is finally giving Indian hockey. I am not sure if this is the result of the trashing the cricket team is receiving in Australia, the lack of any major bollywood scandal or anything else. Seeing Hockey get the front page of newpapers gladdens me. We've also got some massive results in the first few games and I hope the momentum carries on in future play. We have a lot of grassroots hockey projects going on all over the country and this can be just the boost they need for more and more kids to pick up those hockey sticks. Rise, team India. We are with you.

hit this for a six, Yuvi

When he first burst onto the Indian cricket scene, there was no one like Yuvraj Singh. Lightning fast in the field and in between the wickets, fearless batsman and bowler and thoroughly outspoken, Yuvi was an injection of excitement into the Indian cricket team. His attitude carried over to others and he has been part of some great wins for Indian cricket. His playboy image apart, his first love always has been cricket.

Now he has been diagnosed with a rare type of seminoma, a malignant tumor between the lungs. He has been battling this for at least two years and finally receiving much needed treatment for the same. It is supposed to be completely curable and we hope to see Yuvi back on the field in a few months.

Yuvraj Singh is a warrior and someone our team needs, not just for his cricketing talent but for his attitude. He is the catalyst, the adrenalin of the team. As the whole nation prays for his speedy recovery, our media as usual has gone overboard with the attention on him. Don't keep reminding him about his illness with this report and that report. Let the guy heal up in peace and battle his demons....I'm sure he will come up on top.

who would you want to be?

As kids we often have these wishlists - what would you wish for if you had three wishes? A lotta guys in my gym also have similar wishes - I wish I had those abs, I wish I had those arms. Well the human physique is so amazing, we have the power to make these wishes come true.

This morning I was thinking...if I could have an ideal physique, which one would I have? I personally think basketball players have the most ideal physiques. They have to be a combination of quickness and strength. Look at Dwayne Wade and Lebron James. Amazing physiques. Soccer players too have a good physique...less bulky...like Beckham. Boxers are great too but they lack the footspeed and leg strength I am looking for. NFL players have a great physique. And strength too. Like TO and Michael Ray Gavin. Purely cosmetically, Randy Orton from the WWE has a great physique. Alister Overeem is a BEAST now.

Decisions time....so many choices to choose from! Its tough because a lot depends on what body type one is. Whether you're Endomorph, Mesomorph, Ectomorph goes a long way into defining what kind of physique one can achieve. I think I'd go with a physique like Lebron. Mix of strength, speed and athleticism, Time to hit the gym.

(when it comes to game though, Kobe all day...)

Los Angeles - Represent

The NBA All Star votes are in and on the West squad, four out of the five guys wear Los Angeles across their jersey. It is quite impressive for any city to dominate the all star voting....the funny thing is the co-tenants of the Staples Center don't really like each other much. It all started when CP3 was a Laker for a few hours until the NBA decided to extend their reach and veto the deal. CP3 ended up in LA eventually but as a Clipper and there has been bad blood between the teams ever since.

It is not really a rivalry...Lakers are a storied franchise and the Clippers are just getting into their groove. One thing I'd grudgingly admit though is that the Clippers are ahead of the Lakers this season in where they want to be...

Anyway...four Los Angeles players on the Western Squad. It is quite likely that Gasol is voted in too. Los Angeles. Represent.