Friday, February 09, 2007

Transcripts of Marlonspeak

...are here.

Well you can only judge these transcripts on your gut feeling - there is little else for backup as yet. I am inclined to go ahead and call Marlon Samuels naive on this evidence, unless it was a most intelligently disguised information-sharing carefully designed to safeguard against tapping.....I mean Marlon truly seems to have a close personal relation to this punter who repeatedly encourages him as a good mate would.

Even so Samuels should be punished severely for compromising non-negotiable rules. But breaching rules is far more forgiveable, and digestible, than the bitter concoction that is breach of trust and adulation.

However I had already handed a clean chit to Robin Singh yesterday even as those misinformation centres called Indian news channels (barring NDTV perhaps, who report an unconfirmed report as such) were deep into speculating 'why Robin Singh could have done this' based on what now comes across as a falsity. I was shocked out of my wits to hear that name when I heard of his mention in the tapes.

Robin Singh is amongst the first names to spring up in Indian cricket lovers' minds whenever someone mentions the terms 'commitment' and 'sincerity'. We have seen his efforts for ourselves and felt for the man when he strived for his team's cause. He has served Indian cricket to the fullest extent on the field and has since continued his good (and customarily unsung) work by preparing youngsters for international rigours.

Listening to coverages of the 'breaking news' across the channels I felt like being pushed to the edge of a cliff. I was obliged to take a side and I chose his. It was as much a vote for Robin as a desperate answer to a question asked of my ability to continue putting faith in distant people that feel like family. I would have (and still have) no option but to give up following and loving this dirty game-of-cheats called cricket if Robin Singh, of all people, is found guilty.

I lost my greatest childhood cricketing hero to the 'black rain' in 2000 but could somehow get over it. This man Robin never got such a pedestal from us and yet is far, far more important to us for what he is respected for. I am praying hard, mostly for myself, that I am proven right by the investigations.

Tailpiece: We learn that Marlon's room no. was 206 that night, which is also the number of bones in his body. I think the West Indian cricket lovers know what to do with those if their boy has strayed.......

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