Kochi Sports

[mohammedirshad06]

Even as the season IV of the Indian Premier League came alive in Bangalore during the weekend, the Kochi franchise had quietly begun the ground work to build their own loyal fan base back home.

The IPL Kochi team’s twitter account and its Facebook and Orkut fan pages were abuzz with comments and discussions on the latest moves at the bidding table. Kochi Cricket Private Ltd’s official website - www.kochiteam.com - with a fair representation of Kerala’s traditional specialties of nature, wildlife, art and culture has been online for quite sometime. It also displays select tweets by fans and the responses to them from the team along with links to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Orkut. On Saturday, the management had ominously grabbed local lad S Sreesanth, not to speak of other international stars, and fans came roaring along. They also came dressed in what could be the team colours - Orange.

On Sunday, the fan base slowly but surely gathered momentum. Its web interfaces are already flooded with fans. When the auctions started on Saturday the number of followers were just 200-300, but at lunch time on Sunday it had touched 1,050. In the twittersphere too the followers’ list touched the same mark.

Posts expressed joy, disappointment and frustration even as the auction drama unfolded by the minute.

Comments ranged on different aspects of the team, from the quality of the players bid, the team composition, match strategy, captaincy and the name and colour of the team jersey. Fed up with the auctioned players, Vini Merwe commented “we r a team of fast bowlers...no batsmen required...we ll make opponents all out for 10-15 runs and Laxman will chase it in 15 overs.” Deepu M T said “v r havin enough spinners...bt need a foreign fast bowler nd few indian batsman to stable d squad.” Then it was all about who will captain the team? What about Sreesanth, asked Kannan V S and the replies came flooding, most of them OMG! Then there were names of Mahela, McCullum and even Owais Shah. One furious fan, Jijin Nair, posted, “why so many bwlrs??? R V goin to start a bowling academy??? Blunder...go for a batsman.”

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/kochi/...ns/238275.html

Quite suprising. I too wonder, is Kochi IPL team going to start a Bowling Academy, with so many bowlers and no good strong batsman at all......

As proud Keralite, lets pray, KOCHI IPL to win the crown. God bless

[Binoj_viswam]

I think they have decided with Kochi Bruisers . Bruisers means bulls... not sure though

[Binoj_viswam]

[Aslesh]

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

[Aslesh]

Hope they wont end up with lot of bruises.

[Marathaman]

I don't like the mascot Too generic. Where is brand Kochi?

[Binoj_viswam]

Doesnt look like this is the logo. this is there in websites long back too

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

Ayyeee What a logo.... Not at all good...... It doesn't connect anything with Kerala and design looks like as if we are going to have a Barcelona bull fight rather than a cricket club.

Really bad and name too looks too kiddish..... Entha athinte artham? Bruisers means wounds anno? What an amatureish name? Really sad to see Kerala team in poor logo and name.

[JeanValJean]

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

disappoiting. Seems like a rip off from Deccan Chargers

[mohammedirshad06]

Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan says he will miss his previous IPL team Chennai Super Kings and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni but is excited to play for Kochi franchisee, the new entrants in the Twenty20 league.

Muralitharan, who had played a crucial role in CSK's title-triumph in IPL 3 and Champions League last year, was been signed up by team Kochi for $1.1 million at the two-day auction in Bangalore.

"I played with them for three years and have several happy memories with the team. My wife is also from Chennai and she is upset with this change but it happens in the game. I will miss Chennai, my teammates and miraculous captain Dhoni," Muralitharan said.

"Chennai had the excellent captain, a wonderful team and tremendous support. We enjoyed playing for them and last year was memorable in which we won the IPL and Champions league. I have taken a lot of wickets for them," said the veteran, who has 515 ODI and 800 Test wickets in his kitty.

"Kochi is a new venture and we will have new captain and new targets. I am quite excited about this. We will start afresh and try to give our best. I hope to have home like atmosphere in Kochi as well. I hope that people will understand my language (Tamil) in Kochi also," he added.

The spin wizard, who took 40 wickets in 40 matches for Chennai in last three seasons, said he wants to extend his IPL career for a few more years.

"I want to play IPL for the next two or three more years. I will try to perform with best of my abilities and experience. Team Kochi has put so much faith on me and I will not disappoint them," said the ace off spinner,

Talking about Kochi's combination of players, Muralitharan said they need some more young Indian guns.

"Kochi has experienced players like Mahela Jayawardhane, Brendon McCullum, VVS Laxman and Sreesanth. Now it is necessary to have some talented Indian youngsters," he said.

When asked about now CSK spinner Suraj Randiv's wish to learn the art of Doosra from him, the ace bowler said that he is willing to share his experience with the young bowlers.

"Suraj is a good bowler and future of Sri Lanka Cricket. Definitely I will give him important tips. Rather than the franchise, he is the one who will be benefited by playing for them. I am willing to share my experience and knowledge with everyone," said Murali.

Asked about his future plans, he said, "You don't know what is there in store for you. I will be involved with cricket for sure but not as a coach with any national team. May be at a shorter scale."

Talking about the snub the IPL franchisees meted out to Saurav Ganguly and Sanath Jayasuriya, he said, "This is franchise's decision. I don't know what is their thinking and calculations. I am also surprised but they are great players and will remain that."

Muralitharan, who quit Test cricket in July 2010, said it is his dream that bids adieu to ODI cricket with another World Cup Trophy in his hands.

"We are playing in the sub-continent. India will be the hot favourites but Sri Lanka is also a good team and we have played well recently. I hope that we can win the tournament which is my last one.

"I am happy that my name is there in the team. I want to bid adieu with the title triumph. I consider myself lucky as I was the part of 1996 winning team also," he said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/n...ow/7259747.cms

Welcome to Kerala, we love to see your bowling magic for Kochi. Welcome Home

[ypki]

India may host 2026 FIFA World Cup: FIFA president Sepp Blatter .........

http://www.indiatoday.intoday.in/sit...p-blatter.html

[Aslesh]

Haha what a joke. Do Indians know what football is?

[greatshankar]

Nice one - Courtesy: Facebook - The Official Kochi IPL Team

[mohammedirshad06]

Manorama News reports that the name of Kochi Team as

KOCHI TIGERS (or Kerala Tigers)

as hinted by Kochi Coach Jeff Lawson to Manorama. Final decision by the management later. http://www.manoramanews.com/cgi-bin/...me.do?tabId=14

What a name? What does tiger has to associate with Kerala? Is it because Sri-Lankan player Mahendra going to become our captain, tigers became part of Kerala?

A wrong name, for the our team........

[DileepKS]

It was later clarified that to be one of the proposals. Not finalized.

BUT... I think it was just capping the leak by Lawson.

We have the tiger reserves, right?

[ypki]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

What a name? What does tiger has to associate with Kerala? Is it because Sri-Lankan player Mahendra going to become our captain, tigers became part of Kerala?

A wrong name, for the our team........

We have 2 tiger reserves. The name is not bad. All IPL teams names are some what childish name. Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils... compare to those this name is very good

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by ypki

We have 2 tiger reserves. The name is not bad. All IPL teams names are some what childish name. Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils... compare to those this name is very good

I personally didn't like the name- Kochi Tigers..... I reminds me a comic scene of old Jayaram-Srinivasan movie, CITY TIGERS.....

Yes, most of the teams have amatureish names. But some are really best- Mumbai Indians (my favourite pick, because it highlights the value of Mumbai as well as Indians), Chennai Super Kings (The Singam is traditionally associated with tamil culture), Rajasthan Royals (the regalia of Rajasthan is well highlighted).

When one talks about Kerala, I don't think no one will associate tiger with Kerala. It would have been true, if it was elephants. What I feel, the name doesn't create a class apart for itself. Its too generic and cannot leverage a strong case of branding. The name of team is very important, as it must create a strong brand value in future, which seems to be missing, if management choose this name.

Thank god, they didn't name as Kochi Kings (reminds me of Dileep movies)....

[Jomy]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

What a name? What does tiger has to associate with Kerala? Is it because Sri-Lankan player Mahendra going to become our captain, tigers became part of Kerala?

A wrong name, for the our team........

IPL Kochi franchise to reveal name, logo and jersey in February

KOCHI: The Kochi IPL franchise Tuesday announced that the name, logo and the jersey of its team will be revealed next month.

The announcement came after coach Geoff Lawson earlier said he would like to name the team as Kochi Tigers.

"Nothing has been decided so far and what he said is his liking.We will give two more weeks for our fans to suggest a suitable name and then we will decide. All such things will be announced here itself in early February," said co-owner Vivek Venugopal.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/7311407.cms

So guys don't worry, letz wait for a better name...

[simpliCITY]

I don't like any of the IPL Team names. As Mohammed said Mumbai Indians sounds just good. rest are

And Kerala Tigers??

[maheshponneth]

Originally Posted by simpliCITY

I don't like any of the IPL Team names. As Mohammed said Mumbai Indians sounds just good. rest are

And Kerala Tigers??

Let it be KERALA ELEPHANTS or KOCHI ELEPHANTS