Its Saraswati Sabatham bro..... Chill

Its nice to recollect old movie but its a different thing to call it the gospel truth, in reference to Agara Mudhala Ezhuththellaam       its from Saraswati Sabatham is a 1966 Tamil mythological movie which had a host of stars in it including Sivaji Ganesan, Savitri, K. R. Vijaya, Gemini Ganesan, Manorama and Nagesh

It basically when Narathar goes and poke the 3 Goddess of Wealth, Knowledge & Strength which was the most. So the three Goddesses, each decide to choose someone on earth and bless them powers so that each of them can prove their power and make the other two Goddesses lose. Saraswati (knowledge) blesses a mute person, Vidyapati , to speak and gives him all the knowledge in the world. This song comes from that scene sang by T.M.Soundarrajan




Agaram - is how the letter a (அ) is written in Tamil  - So the kural says just as அ is the beginning of language or speech or the written word

Full lyrics

agara mudhala ezhuththellaam ariya vaiththaai devi
aadhi bagavan mudhalendrae uNara vaiththaai devi
iyal isai naadaga theebam yEtri vaiththaai neeyae
eendravar nenjai indru kuLira vaiththaai thaayae

uyir mei ezhuththellaam theriya vaiththaai
oomaiyin vaai thirandhu pEsa vaiththaai,ammA pEsa vaiththaai

eNNum ezuththenum kaN thirandhaai
yEtram tharum kulumai aatral thandhaai
aiyam theLiya vaiththu aRivu thandhaai
oLi thandhu mozhi thandhu kural thandhaai
Omkaara isai thandhu uyara vaiththaai devi

It breaks my heart, that you had to become something so wrong, to do what you thought was right!!

Where do you draw the line, even when your feet on the ground, we tend to change position based on facts, events that we come across or is put before us. Sometimes its crystal clear and sometimes its on different shades of grey.

We wrestle with situations such as these, in our day to day lives, more so when you in a position where you have a judgement call you need to make, more so when it will affect your friends.

Do you be honest and make the call and hope your friend understands or do you like and become something you are not just to save a friendship.
A while back a 'brother' of mine decided to leak a story to the opposition as he was disgruntled over the fact that I made a policy decision for the good of.  It backfired as I was proven right but the repercussion was far more bigger as I has lost the trustin that person. I did not have  a vendetta, I merely resigned my self to accept that the kind of person he is.

This quote came to mind " It breaks my heart, that you had to become something so wrong, to do what you thought was right!!"

Today was such a crossroad, I had to be honest to the position I hold and if that friendship is true then it will survive this test.

Nice way to end the year

Tomorrow marks another milestone, a nice way to end 2013, its the Div 2 finals of SHL2013, a state without a turf that continues to run the league, take part in almost all national tournament and winning some of them.

However, there is not enough recognition given to people behind the scenes that make it work, the people who not only have a FULLTIME job, but a family, responsibilities, commitments and  shit load of other stuff. Despite all this, they spend time, to come together to do the job or carry out the task assigned to them and do it to the best of their abilities sacrificing their time especially on weekends. 

 

Of course there are mistakes, sometimes somethings over looked,  but I would work with people like these on any day of the week and twice on Sunday as the saying goes. Not just the league, even preparations for tournaments, people who work behind the scenes to prepare the team often get the short end of the stick.

What I find today is a growing culture of unappreciative amongst the participant and teams, the way people are hung out to dry should anything goes wrong seem to be getting more vicious and crude. Words that are used in public is not the way we were brought up.

Over the past few days I have had to fight off the urge to scream or swing the bat over the silliest excuses by teams and officials, sometimes I had to bite my tongue because of the position I hold and the image it creates if I lash out... oh yeah, patience  if not my strongest virtue. Part time people helping to run the league the best they can, are ridiculed, scolded and at times held for ransom, and I HATE it.

There are many a times I drive my team up the wall, I have a simple rule, if you cant do the job, step aside, someone else can , because there are deliverables when you dont do it the whole team looks bad.

People today are quick to criticize, lament about enforcement of rules and bitch about officials, but when you ask them to help or advise... all TIN KOSONG. These guys come nad  help hockey coz they are PASSIONATE about it and if you dont know the meaning GOOGLE it

If I were to pick on a few times, I would have lost it and gone on a rage
1. Bukit Jalil - KL vs Selangor National U21 when an idiot (unfortunately is a member of an affiliate of Selangor was urging KL to score more goals against us, yeah we lost 5-1). Imagine my rage, imagine the feeling of the boys who are playing?

2. SHL2013 Semis - when another idiot instigates and works up the crowd just coz he doesnt like the opposing team and its coach. Hockey does not people who are there to run down the game.

Hopefully tomorow when the league ends, its a mile stone for all of us, I am the last guy who wants to be infront of the camera but if you get a chance to shake hand with the guys who works behind the scenes and thank them. You be surprised how much that can mean to a person.

For me, I am smiling, why? Via a VERY VERY suppportive No 1, 2013 has been an awesome ride Winning the National U16 Indoor 3 times in a row was great, Winning the Razak Cup 2013 was a sense of accomplishment and duty to take us back to where we belong, winning the National U21 was flipping awesome because the President believed in long term development and I had to fight detractors along the way.


My goals for 2014
- Get the turf up
- Stay in Division 1 Razak Cup
- Win SUKMA Silver
- Reach the Finals U16 - Indoor
- Get a Big sponsor for SHA

Hey we cant keep on winning - no turf... yet!!!

We did it..... now lets focus on whats next

 Behind every success or milestone as I like to call it,  there are difficult paths, obstacles and sometimes walls you have to face and overcome it. There also detractors, backstabbers and people who move against you just to spite you.... and foils your plans.

I remember how a certain ex-selangor official urging KL to score more, left me in rage but I just smile.

I remember when a Selangor born player left to go play for another state because they offered him better money

I remember when we lost one to KL 5-1 watching the team dish out a poor performance  and we kept on saying its just one game, 3 points, you can still do it

I remember when we said the last time we won this... these boys weren't born at all

The time spent planning this, going to the ground executing it, finding the funding and coping with a State Goverment being oblivious  to the maintenance and infrastructure of sporting facilities in Selangor, there were many a times, I wish I could drop to my knees or punch the wall in frustration.

The late nights, the brain storming, working with the management team and coaches does take its toll on you but  the results were justified. 

No amount of money can justify the time spent, the passion and heart that went into achieving this goal. 

We proved despite a turf with the right people we can achieve something.

Guess what WE DID IT!!!!!

Now lets focus on the next target

The grey lines... sometimes I want to be a Will McAvoy (Newsroom)

I organize events time to time, with one such event is coming up, I can never comprehend why people ask for extension after extension so much so it drags our timelines. A lot of effort is taking by people on the ground to send notices, repeated sms and phonecall almost begging and even threatening to throw them out. Then again you cant throw everyone one out, so you cajole, urge and get teams who are interested in the first place to move their flipping ass.

I have been running the league and tournaments from scratch since 2009 and a few other events both state and national before this. Granted we may not be organizing the world richest tournament. Year on year we have completed on schedule, and paid prize money and allowances on time and on schedule. So when you give so much to the teams and a officials why is it they can even reciprocate 25% of what you do.

If you tell me rules are rules, I agree, but we work hand in hand with the teams on this. I dun sit on a high chair and dictate instead we reach out to team to get them to move their ass. So one would ask why bother organizing if teams are not co-operative...  again its a "...Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation

You need rules and guidelines,  in if everyone wanted to go do their one thing then you only get one result. Chaos!!! So what if a marque team decided to take a lackadaisical attitude and submit documents late? For example in Hockey - TNB National League what if TNB failed to submit their documents Would you throw them out? Would you beg them to join? How would you draw a line of your title sponsors team not fielding a team coz some bumbling idiot decided to take it with the mentality "aiyaaa they still have to accept my application what!!!" (#$$%^#@$@ is mt retort)

Again its a "...Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation

There is a reason why we set deadlines why we have rules NOT because we want to feel powerful or high and mighty it because we want to grow the league the best way we can. And looking at it we are merely replicating and tailoring rules set at the National level down to a state level. 

So it pisses me off 

- when rules call for photos of players which you can take easily on a  smart phone and you bitch about it. (We are not taking your photo for matching making its for player Id and press releases when necessary)

It pisses me of when jersey numbers are supposed to be between 1 and 32 and you send in 67 and 88 (hello! welcome to basketball??)

If pisses me off when your players home colors jersey numbers are different to your away color jersey numbers and you bitch about it. ( its not bingo night!@!!)

Guys must be having their period!!!

At our end - All this thing we do, rules we set, the promotion we do it if for the Teams. Its to create awareness, raise the profile , hopefully attract the sponsors and bring in more teams year on year heading to the future. For a state without a pitch to play on and running a league year on year - you try and do that

  I want to be a Will McAvoy

Team pays a small entry fee that probably 5% of the operation cost, organizers work hard to bring in sponsors and if anyone telling you that running a state league, you make big bucks if either delusional or a dum dum. There are enough noise makers out there who cant tie their shoe laces together let along work as hard as my ORGANIZING TEAM does.

To quote a line from the movie Jerry Maguire -
I am out here for you. You don't know what it's like to be ME out here for YOU. It is an up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing siege that I will never fully tell you about, ok? Help me... help you. Help me, help you.

dont call it a comeback

Many a time I asked my self how long will i continue to blog... the past one year much has happen good things and bad things and painful things but more often then not death of loved ones or people I know .... this prompted me to write.

I am Vadai and I been blogging since 2005

Death ... mortality ... life goes on

Death has a funny way of creeping up on you personally, I mean its out it happens every day every hour but it doesn't really hit till someone close to you or someone you know is taken away. Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher said - Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.

As you read that number and to the end of this line, about another 10 have died
That’s about 1.8 people per second! 
= 108 People per minute
= 6,461 People per hour
= 155,060 People per day
= 56,597,034 per year

This week it visited 2 people who are related to me, both which I had more then just a cordial relationship with and would meet, visit and bump into each other as I grew up. Despite being elderly there was always that jovial nature that they shared with the younger me  with as much banter and closeness would allow.  When within 4 days when these two people passed on, I was shaken.

Initially it was the sadness I could not attend the funeral, the last goodbye but as the layers slipped away it, I found there were so many indirect factors, frustration of not achieving a target in hockey, letting something slipped away further compounded the situation when news of the death reached it the end I realized it was more about mortality.  There is some truth to the old saying, “There are only two things you can count on in life: death and taxes.” Everyone experiences death. Death and dying are an inevitable part of human life. but when it happen to someone close to you, you begin to question your self.

To be frank, I am not afraid, I try to give it all I can in my life for me and people around me. I try to leave an impact today then worrying about it tomorrow, sometimes dont see it that way, I dont blame them. I have learned growing up of giving 101% leaving it all on the table.

...Be it with friends, hockey, music, socializing, football and anything I put my heart and soul into, I have learn to give it all, for there may not be an opportunity tomorrow. These deaths has not changed my outlook in life, I dont feel the need to push the panic button,  but it reinforces what I believe and I want to continue to do what I am doing now without fear or favor. It dont matter if the people around me understand me or dont share my passion,  for in the end when I lay down... here lies Darthvadai Singam

I am perplexed

I am prepelxed, at times confused and at others a little irritated by this thing we call comminucation between friends


Eg 1 when someone does not sms or call you in a while and you reach by phone or sms and say hmmm "Hey how you doing not heward from you in a while bla bla bla ..." and you get a reply.. "Well I wanted to see how long before you would get in touch with me" and I am like WTF???
 Comment : you seriously got issues!!

Eg 2 a pal facing a prob so you ask if everything is ok and you get a reply yeah I am ok... aparently that is a lingo to say " no no no I am facing the mother of all problems and I am waiting for you to ask me properly, or ask me a few times before I can tell you about it" and I am like WTF???

 Comment : you seriously got issues!!

A spark born 11 years ago

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. ~Johann Schiller



Life sometimes can be like a chinese serial or a tamil drama especially when you have a young kid that elders say was as notty as you were as a kid. Being with a kid it has its fair share of twists and turns for fathers. Growing up with Junior Vadai, we have lived thru political & economical turmoils family splits and wars, 9/11 and much move but life does go on, each day each month each year is a new page to write on. Sometimes you visit the same pages again. having a son can be one of the greatest joys they will ever experience but also one of the greatest challenges between balancing the need to give freedom your son while placing appropriate boundaries.

Boy he has a temper.... but it at time justified, there are so many negative influences out there and you can never completely shield from him, in the end, you try within reason to teach him... and trust me that is not easy task.

Watching him grow up year after year, looking back at pictures and video clips, talking about him with close friends is magical, amidst the trying and difficult times, between wanting to provide everything and can only provide somethings, not to mention the curve-balls that lives throws you in the end it is and will always be about him.


I love my nephews and nieces too, I love kids-- Bringing a child up, bringing a son up is an ADVENTURE - Being a parent gives you an insight into a developing mind, it never ceases to amaze me how almost overnight they can learn new skills, tricks and watching them do something for the first time never ceases to amaze me.

Another year go so fast

Movie Cast Away - Ending - Life ever thrown you a curve ball?

I often think about Life ever thrown you a curve ball? Something happens that you would never have expected. Especialy with my kid around I tend to spend think of eventualities and probabilities. I look at the lives around me and try and learn from them

I do know what I want to do in my future, when my kids grows a little older but there is always that curve ball. It may very well be that it is not the curve ball itself that surprises us, but it is the disappointment from our expectations not being fulfilled. Is our expectations too high or they were placed on the wrong people


I love the details when Hanks comes back, like getting ice again, and I was always really affected by his simple realization about life’s setbacks, “The sun always rises, and you never know what the tide will bring in.” Maybe it was how good Hanks was in that scene, but I always loved that simple line.


Which bring me to the Movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks, I love the ending for Castaway no matter how many I see the movie - In then end Tom was driving up to deliver the one package he did not open on the island to that woman's house who later drove up in the pickup.

I love that Hanks is at a literal crossroads, that he feels the wind and revels in the knowledge that he has complete freedom of choice, nothing holding him down. The music swoons and we move in on him, and he looks past the camera, maybe to Mexico, maybe after the pretty girl in the truck with the ‘wings’ symbol, maybe he’s looking at nothing at all. And then it fades out.

The ending means sometimes people reach a crossroads in their lives where they don't know which way to go. Life is often ambiguous and sometimes options are ones that leave you with more questions than answers.

In response to Rizal Hashim - hoki kena ikut bola

http://rizalhashim.blogspot.com/2011/10/hoki-kena-ikut-bola.html

In my honest opinion it boils down to 4 factors - money, structure, popularity, enforcement

Fact is hockey does not have the maturity, depth, and ground structure that football offers to the community neither does it pull in the $$$$ as compared to football

Management of competitions, development and training have NEVER been properly attended to nor enforced as they do not have long term planning or the conviction. There is no structured calendar and it is always a yo-yo decision making year after year. There are facts

money
almost all states are reliant to government or development funding, the ability to raise fund and build on their own if difficult, all state hockey association do not have ground they own to manage or any form of revenue generation form naming right to jersey sponsorship

structure (competitions)
because the sport of hockey at national level is played seasonally for a period of 2 or 3 months there is no continued competiton for players. You have the national league for a period of 5-12 weeks and thats about it, the rest of the year the clubs who tie these players for a contract over a year do not have much to do.

State competitions too are minimal and short, this is both due to cost of taking partner in long terms competition versus national team calendar.

Note : Our national team is one of the most traveled and has the longest training camp compared to any of the top 10 playing nations in the world

Most states do not have league or even proper playing venue, those that do are at the mercy of the state to pay rental fees etc etc, when it come to maintenance or replacing the turf the states rather let it become a white elephant case in point Selangor having 2 turf and both not playable...and they organize their league games in KL!!!

Getting a SOP out for tournament rules, disciplinary action, stadium requirements are there but not enforced. Selangor Hockey Association introduced a code of conduct for all players and officially to sign for any tournament organized, match official are also trained in game situation, methodology of writing reports and review of match sheets but this is not emulated at national competition and national level.

So when it comes to disciplinary action ther eis always going to be a grey line of application.

We do not have SOP on club transfers, so what club do is tied down players to year long contracts, there is no transfer fees coz the rules do not apply when it comes to player eligibility and not economically viable

In review of the MHL, the amount of money spent on the team for a 2 month competition is far more bigger then the prize money, granted we have airtime on ASTRO but you got to go out there and market the league, sell it as a package, tie up corporations to club 2+1 contracts, we are not doing that. Any medium sized corporation given the air time the league team gets on ASTRO would be able to sell its position on a jersey or team name.

There is also an ambiguity of sponsorship, TNB give MHF the money but all the money is channeled to the league, one party claims they are already giving money to the national body, should that not be filtered down to the states, another party says the money is only for the league and shockingly this is a 7 figure sum.

If MHF are serious about marketing the league then they should bring into consideration license of players, while it may be cumbersome on the initial application over the long term the requirement for a players license will help regulate the add on effects of players transfer, ownership. the overall goal is to raise the standards of the league.

I do not blame if one club dominates the league as they have the financial muscle for it, but I am against the notion that they need to be curtailed. Hockey in Malaysia has more then just 20 great payers, its a matter for getting them, training them and developing then, the onus for this like with the clubs and states.

We do not have a structured calendar compared to football which is very seasonal our calendar depends on the result. For example in 2010 if we do not qualify for the Olympics then calendar changes, if we qualify national hockey competitions is put on hold.

Without national players in the league it is very hard to attract sponsors, raise the standards of the league and increase viewership.

My two cents

Time and time again we do not have the conviction to make brave decisions for the good of the game...if at all times its gonna be a popularity contest whats the point.

Time and time again we become the laughing stock of other nations because of our compromises, inability to make a stand.

1. For MHC there are no states that are affiliates of MHC only reps from MWHA & MHF.

2. States cannot be affiliates of MHC & MHF - dont make sense dual membership. Name the state that hold dual membership??

3. Be brave
a) Invite as per the constitution the reps from MHF & MWHA to the EOGM - they are the one with the power to change the constitution

b) Invite the states as OBSERVERS for the EOGM as they are not members

c) Full membership for states that have merged the men's and womens like KL, Penang and a few others entitled 1 vote

d) Provisional membership for states that have separate bodies for men or women. For a term of one year - this forces them to merge or else they dont get voting rights coz at present state that have merger get 1 vote, states not merged dun have any votes.

e) Reduce the number of VP. go back to the basics 1 President 2 Deputy President (1 guy 1 lady if you really want) 3-4 VP dats it then ur sec-gen Treas-gen and states are council members.

4. Make a stand
States struck off bar them... yes it kill hockey at lower levels but its the law, go down tothe ground, meet reps there work with them ot revive the body

well dats my two cents

Wat the heck are you trying to do?

Did someone shift the goalpost when were not looking??

In today news NST Hockey: MHC prepares to take over - spoke about the merger of the men's and women's hockey association in line with the international governing body (FIH) December deadline.

Fine and dandy, then came the shocker where only 10 affiliates from each body were invited. So there is an uproar from the remaining 6 on the men's side and god knows how many more on the affiliates on the women side.


Here is what I cant figure out so can someone explain to me like I am a 6 year old? Cos this is what I dont understand

1. MHF http://www.malaysiahockey.com.my/- 16 affiliates,
2. MWHA http://mhc-mwha.org - 9 affiliates
Pulau Pinang, Perak, Selangor, N. Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Terengganu, Sarawak & PDRM

MHC was formed on July 16th
On Jul 17, 2005 in the NST - MHC the solution - by Jugjet Singh
THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) was born yesterday, and will be operational once the Sports Commissioner's office endorses it. The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) and the Malaysian Women's Hockey Association (MWHA) met yesterday, and agreed that the best compromise to satisfy the International Hockey Federation (FIH) was to have MHC as the umbrella body. The MHC will be responsible for organising international tournaments, but the local leagues and other development programmes will still be run separately by the MHF and the MWHA.
MHF president Raja Nazin Shah said they had three options on how to satisfy the FIH, and the MHC was accepted by all. "The first proposal was to merge the MHF and the MWHA and the body would be called the MHF, and the second proposal was to have a body called the MHF with Malaysian Hockey Association and the MWHA as members.

"But the third proposal, which was to have the MHC with the MHF and MWHA as members was the most popular," said Raja Nazrin. The MHC will have no more than 10 elected office bearers each from the MHF and the MWHA. The proposal will be sent to the Sports Commissioner's office tomorrow.

The MHC will have a president, a deputy president, four vice-presidents, four council members, one secretary, one assistant secretary, one treasurer, one assistant treasurer and not exceeding four independent members.

"The election will also be fair for the MHC, and for example, if the president is from the MHF, then the deputy president will be from the MWHA," said Raja Nazrin. And the situation is the same for the other positions. For example, two vice presidents will be from the MHF, while two from the MWHA. And if the secretary is from the MWHA, then the assistant secretary will be from the MHF. "The representation will be on a 50-50 ratio, as we want both the men and women to be equally represented when making decisions," said Raja Nazrin.

Elections will be held every two years, and if there are any conflicts in either the MHF or the MWHA, the MHC's decision will reign supreme. "We have always had a good working relationship with the MHF, and this new umbrella body will make it even better," said MWHA president Raja Puan Sri Noora Ashikin Raja Abdullah.


a) Now the members of MHC are MHF & MWHA so how did states apply to be direct members of MHC?

b) When did the constitution of the MHC change to increase its membership to include other states?

c) are the 10 states holding dual membership in MHC & MHF???

d) By right the only people who can vote at the MHC-EOGM are reps from MHF & MWHA, the reps from the states are observers

e) States hockey association merges or un-merged needs to apply to be members of MHC you can de-facto transfer membership from one association to another. The constitution stats that clearly.


The OLYMPIC COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA - TWENTY FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT FOR PERIOD 1ST JUNE 2006 to 15TH MAY 2007
In compliance with the directive of the International Hockey Federation, the Malaysian Hockey Federation and the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association was amalgamated to form the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC). As a result, the Malaysian Hockey Federation and the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association ceased to be Ordinary Members of OCM, with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation taking their place. The Council approved the Malaysian Hockey Confederation as the sole governing body for Hockey in Malaysia on 14th October 2006.

So when I read the news article that only 10 states can be sent letters to something is VERY WRONG!!! States are not members of MHC, they are members of MHF & MHWA, they have no voting rights they are observers.

Only members of MHC can vote at the EOGM - now you have to define who are the members of MHC

The problem is the organization are not being transparent on who are the 10, how they got selected and most importantly will it be legal... We cant continue time and time again making blunders and then paying the consequences for it

The straw that broke the camel's back

The idiom the straw that broke the camel's back is from an Arabic proverb about how a camel wearing shoes is loaded beyond its capacity to move or stand.

This also gives rise to the phrase "the last/final straw", used when something is deemed to be the last in a line of unacceptable occurrences. Every notice how most of the times in a relationship it's something small(which leads to a big fight) that winds up ending it?

Most relationships have disagreements that the beauty of it but after a while the failure sets in when one too many compromises or one too many disagreements reaches a point when disgust sets in.

Relationships are not just confined to lovers, even in familiy or even friends there things happens, while the yarn and tale about trying to repair it and wise words "remember why we started this in the first place" all comes to mind, it does not hide the fact disgust sets in and leaves an ugly taste in your mouth

I had no problem digging in and battling through some very hard times, but something small made me say "enough is enough". The revelation hit, not over a major difference, but rather over something quite trivial.

The last straw is usually based on disgust its an emotion that will engulf your mind body and soul... its not a bad thing. It can come in handy to use it to get rid of poisonous people as well.

My Word is Stronger than Oak

Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promise.
~ Anonymous.

This statement is from a movie starring Tom Cruise. It denotes that a promise from me is stronger than any contract you can ever sign. Basically its bout keeping you word, or your promise, in this day and age with the vast improvements in technology and communication and the advent of social networking tools people tend to neglect the promises they make or the word they give. It boils down to responsibility, ever more so in today's world you have to be responsible for you action, your deliverance and not take people for granted.

I do not make promises I dont keep, and do my best to deliver what I said I will, but I shake my head in amazement when some dont even care. Forget about life and death, even the simplest things like after confirming that you will attend the match and you dont show up and the cheek to come around later acting nonchalantly like nothing happened?

Or a fren who says I will meet you at 6pm but doesnt show up or forgot about it. In the end, what makes man a man are the choices he makes. Not his past, not his rapport, but by the things he stand for.

That counts in my book.. so stand up and deliver instead of pussy footing around

You must a dimwit to argue with an Umpire

There was an opinion written in The Star Today about Malaysian hockey must bite the bullet, overall he touched about the recently concluded Razak Cup and Hockey in Malaysia.

As I read thru it having been apart of Razak as a player and Umpire, I understood where he was coming from

There was a paragraph or two that got my attention.....The experienced teams like KL and Perak were a letdown when it came to sportsmanship and discipline. My daughter commented. “Why are the national players protesting relentlessly at the referee each time?”

Being a qualified referee and player I could sense the players were “playing” with the referees to gain advantage. This is an unacceptable culture. We need role models.

"people argue with the umpire when they don't agree with the decision the umpire has made in the game"

Does it actually happen? Based on my experience yeah is does, there is a whole of a difference between questioning a call and arguing a decision. I am not gonna single out National Players coz it is rampant throughout the system. Its ok for Players to argue.

So there hockey players who represent state and clubs can be categorized as intelligent/educated players... well not like we can call them stupid players right!! . Why do so many players argue so vociferously with refs after a decision has been made, most players must be truly a tubelight.... How often do you see a decision reversed as a result of protests? Umpires after all are only human, the only thing to be achieved is a wound up ump....

Now how many time have we hard this phrase and yet time and time again we see it happening, especially with the advent of players swearing at umpires and the Tv camera catches them

The problem they get away with it. Team Captains let it happen, Umpires turn the other cheek, Managers (dont get me started), Coaches add fuel to fire, Technical Officials who dont bother all this and more contribute.

Now I ask you this, when is the last time you saw an umpire being applauded at, thanked after the game for a good advantage, a correct decision... Gosh I dun recall ever... It must start, and must start with everyone!!!

Milestones & What's next

Mallory O'Brian: And we went to the moon. Do we really have to go to Mars?
Sam Seaborn: Yes.
Mallory O'Brian: Why?
Sam Seaborn: 'Cause it's next. 'Cause we came out of the cave, and we looked over the hill and we saw fire; and we crossed the ocean and we pioneered the west, and we took to the sky. The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration and this is what's next.

I am a great fan of West Wing, its was a television series that inspired and continues to inspire people even after its 7 magnificent seasons and this is a quote from an episode in that movie..

Milestones

We all wanna leave our mark, do our bit, some talk more, some do more but nothing says it best that actually doing it. A fren of mine often used a phrase "Walk the Talk" and that became synonymous with what I had envisioned for em in May 2009 when I got elected to a position in a hockey body.

We needed to shock the system, revitalize the sport, raise the bar in performance make a change, put in place a plan and execute it.. soon the WE became I, it had to start with me, If I do not step up then I cannot expect others to do the same. So we became I!!!

In the part 27 months we have made changes, I used the word we here because of the support I got from outside the association I was elected to. Too many dead woods but my friend and fellow hockey lovers believed in what we wanted to do, withing the association in the main council there was only 5 of a possible 22 that actually bothered to life a finger to support, there rest were set in their own lazy ways or finding ways to sink out projects

To put it simple without my friends and supporters none of this would have mattered So when I stand here and say we have made milestones, I give all the credit to them.

This past 1 month has been THE TOUGHEST if not one of the toughest

We aaccomplish 3 major events

1. PSC Tournament - Synergy
2. 100PLUS-SHA Awareness Clinic (over 200 kids and major coverage in TV and print media)
3. Synergy Indoor Hockey Tournament (full indoor spec)

Trying to manage this along side with work and friends and family certainly toll its on my mind and body especially with some friends and family. While some walked away and some choose to make a stand, I did not gave time to battle back but merely just accept them for the choices the made.

At times it meant going to the ground and carrying out the task my self or roping other friends to help me out or even phone calls round the clock, what ever it took to get the job done, we did it

The icing on the cake of this milestone was the 100plus kids program and the indoor tournament

WHATS NEXT

I dont know... looking for a challenge, to inspire or be inspired but at the same breath I hate having to same the same problems, I wonder if ther eis a light at the end of the tunnel when other look at what been done and take the I to become a 'WE'

Walk the talk