Adil Najam
Like so many others, I feel that we Pakistanis need to honor Bob Woolmer’s contribution to Pakistan cricket, to memorialize his tragic death, and celebrate his talented life. I believe that a good way to do so would be to rename National Stadium, Karachi, and call it the Woolmer Stadium.
The outpouring of emotions and affection for deceased Pakistan cricket coach, Bob Woolmer, is not surprising in its content, but certainly in its intensity. Pakistanis everywhere - and even those few who are not cricket fans - have been visibly shaken and shocked by his sudden death immediately after Pakistan lost to unrated and untested Ireland and kicked itself out of the 2007 World Cup Cricket.Political events at home right before his death - including the removal of the Chief Justice, the supression of protesting lawyers, the clamping down on the media, etc. - had already made for national discontent. The unravelling of the country’s beloved sport with the defeat against Ireland, Woolmer’s death, Inzimam’s retirement and PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf’s resignation seems to have only added to a sense of national anguish, anger and angst.
Pakistanis have rallied to Bob Woolmer’s memory not just because of its tragic timing, but also for its symbolism. Amidst all of the shattered hopes, broken promises and fallen heroes, he has emerged as a - possibly the only - symbol of integrity of cause and decency of character. Given how tense and lonely his last many months in Pakistan had been, one only wishes that we had showered similar love and gratitude on him whilst he was alive.
The one thing that everyone seems to be craving for (and demanding) is to memorialize this moment as a reminder not only of how he died but as a celebration of how he lived and served Pakistan. Some have chosen to pay him tribute in poem. Many have written testaments of affection, respect and regret. Cricket discussion boards have been abuzz, many - if not all - are saying that we should find some way to honor him. Suggestions have been made for giving him a civil award, building a monument, naming a road or a stadium, etc. There is even a petition that has been launched for this purpose.
- National Stadium, Karachi, is one of two most important cricket grounds in Pakistan and naming it for Woolmer would be a fitting tribute to him.
- Unlike ‘Gaddafi’ Stadium in Lahore, National Stadium is not really names after any person, and will therefore not need to be ‘un-named.’ Other options could be to name the Rawalpindi Stadium after him, but that may not remain a Test venue for long. While a new stadium is planned for Islamabad, one is never sure when and whether it will actually be built.
- We at ATP have long felt that we as a nation do not honor the individuals who make a difference (e.g., here and here). We are especially lax at memorializing non-Pakistanis who have made important contributions (also here). Doing so for Woolmer would not only honor him, but it may also teach us the virtue of doing so; and, hopefully, doing so before it is too late. Hopefully, it may even set a trend for honoring others, some who may even deserve these honors even more and are still alive!
There are, obviously, other ways in which one could pay tribute to Bob Woolmer. Some are outlined in the petition that I have already mentioned. In the end, what matters is that we do something - whatever it may be - and do so soon. To honor him now is also a way of soothing our own grief; dealing with our own guilt (was it, indeed, our needlessly pronounced passions for the game that caused this?).
Alternatively, one could name the road in front of the stadium after him. That would not be a bad option, but would it be enough?
To name the stadium is to ensure that we will think of him, of what he did, and of what happened to him, each time there is a series in Pakistan. And long after the wounds of the defeat against Ireland have been forgotten, cricket commentators will explain the name of the stdium to their audiences by reminding that that no one should take a game - any game - any more seriously than just a game.
BBC just reported that the Jamaican police now confirms that Woolmer died of natural causes and was not murdered.
Lawsuit anyone?
Many Pakistanis seem to be very gracious and respectful with regard to Bob Woolmer, pity however that there are those with such narrow minds and ungenerous hearts that they are unwilling to take responsibility for their own actions, or in the case of the Pakistani cricket team - inaction and then apportion blame elsewhere. Bob Woolmer did everything he could to help you guys, but hey, bottom line - he was a foreigner, so who cares ? Pakistan ‘achieved’ quite a lot during Bob’s ‘reign’ than anyone else and they would have achieved much more if they had all pulled together as a team. God help anyone who takes on that job - they’re gonna need it !
Good idea; Let’s also consider renaming Gadaffi Stadium “Woolmer Stadium”…let’s leave National stadium available for those who ‘rule’ Karachi. Besides unfortunatly hardly any international team’s willingly agree to play in Karachi so..
Shaharyar Khan on Woolmer: here
I read somewhere that reuters has released a report saying that woolmer’s strangulation resulted due to his falling against the sink or comode while puking.cant remember where ive read it or else i wudve posted the link.
@all those guys who want national stadium renamed
First learn to honour your own heroes before you try to honour the foreign ones! where were all u guys when the Former Pakistan Goalie “Qasim” was dyieng due to cancer? he needed money and pakistani gov gave nothing! where were you when Hassan Sardar one of Pakistans greatest athletes was also on his death bed coz of cancer and he couldnt afford to pay the oncologists consultant fee?
I totally second the idea, especially since Karachi saw, in Woolmer’s time, some great wins for Pakistan, (wonderful win against India after we’d been 30-6 or thereabouts, massive wins against England in a one-day) which further epitomize all that he brought to Pakistan Cricket. Whoever is responsible, should rename it.
Well the news about Woolmer is on the Frontpage of New York Times. It also says that he was writing a book about match fixing and some of the pages of his writings got lost a day before his death.
Cricket is not a game any more, It’s profession and serious business.
You hire people with a lot of achievements on their CV but they can sometimes fail in different environments.
That happened with Woolmer. A coach with lot of achievements but landed in a different environment i.e. stupid management and unruly students so Bob’s earlier achievements with South Africa and Warwickshire cannot be ruled out.
Professionalism, that is what we lack and that is why coaches fail in subcontinent. We make Bhagwans out of cricketers and then we ask them to get coached by someone. It is just too stupid. A person at height of stardom will not pscycholgically accept any coach no matter what.
So naming stadium etc are done by politicians in our country to gain popularity. Give this idea to a politician and I bet he will make an issue out of it and will ultimately win a seat in the elections.