Thursday, November 14, 2013

Bite Me Randy Newman: Farewell to the Little Master

Today's an emotional day in India, as legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar competes in his final test match for his country. Described as "the Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan of cricket" by contemporaries, Tendulkar closes his 24-year international career against the West Indies in his home city of Mumbai.

The diminutive Tendulkar made his debut for India as a callow 16 year-old, starring for club and country for nearly a quarter-century and completely rewriting the sport's record books. He was the first batsman in international history to score 100 international centuries (scoring 100 or more runs in a single innings), the first to score a double century in a one day international (ODI), and the first to score more than 34,000 runs in a career.

"It is hard to imagine any player in the history of the game who combines classical technique with raw aggression like the little champion does," said legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar in a 2008 article.

No less an authority than Sir Don Bradman, widely considered the greatest batsman of all-time, and the only player thought to be Tendulkar's equal, was a fan. In his biography, it's said that Bradman "...was most taken by Tendulkar's technique, compactness and shot production, and had asked his wife to have a look at Tendulkar, having felt that Tendulkar played like him. Bradman's wife, Jessie, agreed that they did appear similar." Setting aside that business about having his wife look at another dude, that seems to be high praise. Maybe it's some sort of cricket thing.

Tendulkar's rise on the international stage was matched in time by that of his nation, linking him inextricably with India's emergence. Says The Guardian, "For a quarter of a century he was the repository of a nation's hope, its favourite son, and in so many ways the stages of his journey mirrored the Indian nation's own progress on the world stage."

Standing a mere (but robust) 5'5", Tendulkar was dubbed 'The Little Master' early in his international career. He became one of India's most beloved sportsman, ranking 51st on Forbes list of most highly compensated athletes even this year, earning $22m despite being well on the downside of his playing run. Derek Jeter is said to hold him in high regard.

In a touching side note to the legendary Tendulkar's swan song, his aging mother, who has never seen him compete in an international test, will break her custom and attend today's match.

So Bite Me, Randy Newman, and a fond farewell to Sachin Tendulkar.

I guess this means 'The Little Master' is up for grabs. I've got some ideas.

38 comments:

Squeaky said...

Dance partner?

mayhugh said...

Sachin Tendulkar was also the correct answer to one of the questions in Slumdog Millionaire. Icon.

I think the G:TB staff should reflect on how they would fill in the blank in "The Muhammed Ali and Michael Jordan of ______" to describe each of their contributors.

zman said...

rob, based on your closing sentences, am I to assume that you would like us to call you The Little Masturbater now?

rob said...

dipshittery, large hadron collider, and short people all work for me in that blank.

Danimal said...

apathy, disinterst, whatever. and what's the opposite of prolificness?

Danimal said...

spelling too

Danimal said...

but only when it comes to gtb

Danimal said...

oh, and being censored. am pretty good there too.

zman said...

I am the Danny Duberstein of math and fuckin.

Danimal said...

and stringing a litany of comments together and then disappearing for a week, rinsing & repeating.

Mark said...

Wait, we're making a big deal out of the tweet Matt Barnes sent out (then deleted) last night?

Mark said...

Also, despite already having 6 players from Rutgers on the roster (most from any college for an NFL team) Greg Schiano brought Wheelhouse fave and former Rutgers tight end DC Jefferson for a tryout yesterday. Did I mention that DC was available because the Cardinals cut him after he was arrested for a DUI where he was more twice the legal limit? Well, yeah. That happened too.

zman said...

The Bucs need more distractions off the field.

zman said...

And every team needs more Scarlet Knights.

rob said...

this is actually the third gtb post that mentions sachin tendulkar. we're global, and shit.

rob said...

you can get the tribe +17 tonight in wichita. if you're a degenerate. and an idiot.

rob said...

kid from my high school (best high school east of the mississippi, woodbridge senior high school mighty vikings, suck it danimal) committed to play football at alabama today. that's new.

Mark said...

He's a beast. #1 DE in the nation. During the recruiting process he spoke repeatedly of the importance of academics in his decision. So naturally, he chose Alabama.

zman said...

Akademiks?

zman said...

Ed Reed is a Jet.

Danimal said...

Sippin on a 12 yr Balvenie. Haven't touched it in the past year. How that is the case I do not know. Also Watching tosh.o and a clip of a dog poopin on his owner's car seat. I bet I am the only person in the world doing both of these things.

T.J. said...

GTBers - any and all Seattle bar and restaurant recommendations are welcomed.

Danimal said...

Is t Walt out there on GTB land? If so...here is your chance.

TR said...

I made a $50 bet w/ a co-worker that the Knicks wouldn't win 50 games this year. It's fun to root against them now that I've divorced them, fandomwise. And I like my chances even better now that the Sixers and Celts may suck less than previously thought.

TR said...

I love Ed Reed on the Jets. They need some veteran help at the safety position, and Reed's HoF career peaked while that toe-sucker Rex was the DC.

Marls said...

Can't wait to see the tribe implode in the second half.

TR said...

Brad Nessler's outfit is a special kind of awful tonight. Striped suit, striped shirt and striped tie. You have to go solid w/ one of those.

rob said...

marls, you're going to get banned.

rob said...

towson beat temple. those guys might be pretty good.

Marls said...

The reverse jinx worked the other night. I was hoping to keep it going.

rob said...

i see you

rob said...

if you had the tribe +17...you pushed. yet another in a long recent string of good 20-30 minutes undone by bad stretches.

rob said...

gaaaaaaaah:

Artist Pyotr Pavlensky has made eyes water all over the world with his protest against Russia's descent into authoritarianism – nailing his testicles to the ground in Red Square on Sunday to denounce Vladimir Putin's "police state".

Clarence said...

Marls was right. The Tribe, leading by a point at halftime, bled out in the second half and lost to the Shockers, 79-62.

Fellas, I hate to be the Negative Nancy, but it's much. much more of the same for us, right?

Clarence said...

Scott Boras is mouthing off so that baseball teams spend many more tens of millions on his clients and he gets richer. If anyone happens upon him with a tube sock full of batteries, I will suspend my normal belief that it's wrong to wallop a person in that instance.

Clarence said...

And since I have the podium to myself now, I will say that we've been calling Al Leiter "Senator Al" since our early days at Misery Loves Company. Ever since he wielded his authority and threw a co-tantrum with Johnny Franco to ship Kazmir to Tampa for a busted elbow.

In truth, we Mets fans who still exist dig Leiter, but as we saw from Curt Schilling, ERA and political opinion tend to diverge a great deal. Stay tuned.

Dave said...

hey gheorghies!

i am the muhammad ali of cheating at board games.

Clarence said...

You're kind of the Julio Cesar Chavez of cheating.