The IPL Auction - wonder what is actually up for grabs here!!!!

Don't know where and how to begin...
Maybe by saying that money does suck life out of you at times. And the beauty is you don't even realize it..

The concept of IPL messes with my head majorly.
It is supposedly a win-win for everyone except the game, or so I thought until recently.

Everyone knows how the advertisers, the sponsors, all the cricket boards, the team owners, politicians, the TV channels, the audience, the players, even the cheer leaders and that weirdo Lalit Modi are "benefited".

All these days I thought the only thing murdered here was the game. I shudder to even think about sportsmanship. That is more of a weed I understand..

Whether it is good or bad for the economy is beyond fathomable limits of my minuscule brain.

So, the summary so far is:
Winners: Almost Everyone
Loser: Cricket

There is one BIG factor left unconsidered here. Of course, because it doesn't affect the "benefits" in any way at all. And that is - the emotion of the players (or should I say cattle?). I would categorize the players into 3:

1. Those who have been bid..err.. I prefer saying bought.. for the highest amounts. Ok, you guys have nothing to complain or so I would like to believe.

2. Those who feel they have been bought for lesser than they deserve while someone else has been bought for more than they deserve.. Eg. Dravid - $500,000 and Ravindra Jadeja - $950,000. Hmm.. sad... but better luck next time is what the system says! I am SO SO hoping against hope that there is no next time..

3. Those who have not been bought at all. Spare a thought for these players.

My heart reaches out to Ganguly especially and I can't believe that there was actually a huge lump in my throat yesterday when I saw his name in the list of players left "unsold" (yikes, makes me feel pukish saying that word). The system is such that it is deemed fair to crucify the man who once changed the face of Indian Cricket. Yes, I know that we should not live in the past and that the man is not in the best of his form anymore. That still doesn't justify something so bizarre which would not have happened, but for this circus called IPL!

There were others too, including Chris Gayle. This insanity sure is a voluntary infliction. And all of us are part of this catastrophe, willingly or unwillingly.

Its killing to witness the stalwarts of the game dwindling into mere pawns. They are left with little choice and are fading into mute veiled spectators watching the spirit of the game dying a silent death. There is no place for dignity in this cash-stricken IPL-world.

IPL Auctions SUCK BIG TIME!!

As I said, we are part of this and will surely watch IPL.. Not helping, I say!!
The saga continues...