Hockey and Cricket

All of a sudden Indian Hockey is on the center stage albeit for the wrong reasons.For some strange reason,media and the people in general are reacting with disproportionate shock and surprise at Indian men's hockey team not making it to the Olympics.It is not that Indian hockey was in a very good shape till yesterday.Indian hockey has been on a downward slope for quite some time.The advent of astro-turf(earlier it was played on grass) in hockey made the game more suited to european style of play which was based more on power than plain skill.Other than this,the step-motherly treatment of Hockey by the government ,the media and the public has also hurt its prospects.It is easy to blame the Indian Hockey Federation led by supercop K.P.S. Gill for all that is wrong with Indian hockey but the malaise runs deeper.Without big money coming into the game ,youngsters will not take to hockey and therein lies the catch.Money will not start coming unless the sponsors are assured of the game's popularity among the masses and with Indian hockey team performing poorly it seems a far-fetched idea.Another disconcerting aspect is the differential treatment meted by the government to cricketers and to other sportspersons.After the 20-20 win, the cricketers were showered with money from almost all the state governments but the Indian hockey team which won the Asia Cup(by any standards a more creditable achievement)was hardly given its due.And after all this we raise a hue and cry if Indian hockey team does not qualify for Olympics ....