Ramblings on Sports and Superdome Re-opening

The New Orleans Superdome, which just over a year ago became a symbol of the chaos and suffering, re-opened yesterday for the Monday Night Football. Katrina destroyed much of the New Orleans last year, including the Superdome. Till Katrina happened, Superdome was the site for big time events - site of six Super Bowls, a mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II and the convention that propelled Bush to the presidency. Katrina changed all that. Superdome became a symbol of misery. After one year of repairs and 185 million dollars the Superdome is once again fully functional. I am very glad thats its re-opened and Saints are back in Superdome playing football. If Superdome can be rebuilt in one year after that tremendous destruction, people believe that their houses and neighbourhoods can be rebuilt too. It is a symbol of recovery now.

The fans and people of New Orleans can look to their team for hope and happiness. Like almost everything else about life in the United States, the way we approached sporting events changed in past few years. In the wake of Sep 11 events, many New yorkers turned to their favourite teams for some joy and hope. Sports remain a joyous escape not just for the people in suffering, but for everyone. I think we need sports to fill some sort of genetic void in our modern lives.

My love affair with sports started at the age of 10. It all began with Cricket and as the time progressed, I started liking other sports too. Now, I follow most of sports known to Mankind. I guess I'll always be one of those guys that sifts the sports page out of the newspaper. But, what I love most about sports is the worlds into which it can take you. As a fan, brazen emotions spill forth, and you maintain little control over yourself. I have spent many sleepless nights because of too much joy or too much sadness, whenever my favourite team wins or loses a final. It's all part and parcel of being obsessed with sports and I love each and every bit of it.

ESPN commercial says it right, "Without sports what would we(I) hold on to??"