When Schumi hit the chicane
All sportsmen have two faces. The first of the competitor, the one that we see more often; looks you in the eye, reflects that hunger to win and pounces on every opportunity he gets. The other face, the rarely seen one, is that of the spectator; driven by hope, victorious by imagination and riding on his sheer disbelief in failure.
- Updated: 22 January 2013 18:37 IST
All sportsmen have two faces. The first of the competitor, the one that we see more often; looks you in the eye, reflects that hunger to win and pounces on every opportunity he gets. The other face, the rarely seen one, is that of the spectator; driven by hope, victorious by imagination and riding on his sheer disbelief in failure.
The transition from one to the other is so swift that even the subject doesn't know what side he is on. Just like a coin, the two sides can never come face to face yet they are a part of one entity. The more you flip the coin, the more neutral it seems.
When a player tosses the coin, it gives him a chance to win. But what happens when he continuously keeps getting it wrong? Does he start to believe that the time has come to keep the coin back in his pocket? I reckon it's the perfect stage for the spectator in him to rise. Overawed by the charm of victory, he'll keep tossing it, until his spirit finally resigns to his fate.
Now, before you think that an article of a certain sport in which 'a toss decides who bats and bowls', has been misplaced, I'll spill the beans. I am talking about none other than Michael Schumacher, the man who I credit this blog to, not just for being the subject but also being the reason for my interest in Formula 1. All good things in life have come with a Messiah and for me, Schumi was that prophet who preached Formula 1 to an extent that I had never imagined.
I can still recall him winning 12 of the first 13 races in 2004; I was just 14 back then (now you can guess a girl isn't writing this). Schumacher was different in those times, he had that ruthlessness in him which made him dig out results and that's why he won all those races.
Today, I find a man, with a similar look and name, but an entirely different driver in him. I know chasing the pack will never be a part of his plan, but somehow I believe that the 2010 season was all about that for him. Other drivers, who probably grew up watching his videos, can stand on the podium and look down on him. How fair is that for a Schumacher fan?
How hard it is to let go of something, you've held close for so long, I may not know at all, but I think there is a thin line between a come-back and a 'want-back'. I really hope that 'mein freund' hasn't confused between the two.
I just wish he keeps the coin back in his pocket before the spectator takes over him.