OD'ing on Sports

If you are an out and out sports fan, now is as good a time as any to be alive and enjoying it. Euro '08 was sensational to say the least and more so in comparison to the last edition. Greece winning it did nothing for the popularity of the beautiful game for sure. The latest edition sure was a great relief to die-hard football fans. The game between Russia and Holland was as breathtaking a game as any I have witnessed.
Between yesterday and today, I was privileged enough to watch individual sporting brilliance rich enough to have me spell bound late into the night and again transfixed to the TV early in the morning.
When you watch Sehwag batting, you have to suspend all your knowledge about the game and enjoy it. He makes it worth your while in spades. The rest of India's famed batting order made it seem as if they were playing on a minefield and Sehwag on a featherbed. Such is his dominance when in full flow. I hope to see many more innings like this one from him, having seen pretty much all his specials from the time he made his debut. People like Sehwag make it interesting for us sports fans.
Meanwhile far away in England, Freddie was doing what he does best, once again. Pulling England out of the pits singlehandedly. He bowled a spell so intense and hostile, he had Kallis gasping for breath. They say test match cricket is under threat. Not by a long stretch if yesterday was anything to go by. But its more and more dependent on players like Sehwag and Freddie to keep the interest alive. With a legion of the big boys in the twilight of their careers, the sooner cricket unearths players like Sehwag and Flintoff the better it is for the game.

Then in the morning today, I watched a display of insanity and inspiration all at once at the 14th X games. Three guys on skateboards showed the world, what sports at its purest is truly about. They drove each other to such heights of performance that they traded the top spots between each other after every attempt. They fell, but got up again and tried again. They applauded each insane stunt the other one pulled and in the end, the bravest of them won. Take a bow Bob Burnquist and Danny Way!