Sideline Slants

THE JOE LIPA SAGA
Word is the Ateneo gallery/BBB will clap and cheer for UP Coach Joe Lipa after the Maroons-Falcons game on Saturday, September 15 (the Blue Eagles play the Bulldogs in the main game of the double header at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium). But I will try to confirm this with BBB coach Al Neri.

I spoke with good friend Sid Ventura and we'll be sporting I LOVE JOE armbands or some such. Taking a cue from what Rain Sison did some seven years ago. Speaking of Rain, I interviewed him last Sunday after the DLSU match just when they were switching off the lights. I asked him to shed light on what happened during that turbulent season when Ateneo alumni were both fascinated and mollified with Da Nose. I'll probably post that later in the day here on video. It's revealing. Thanks, Rain!

Said one winning coach who apprenticed under Lipa and is not an Atenean, "Buti pa sa Ateneo even when they were divided over keeping or letting him go, they had the decency to let him finish out his contract. Even when he left Ateneo, mas tumaas pa ang respeto ng mga Atenista sa kanya. He will forever be "coach" to them. Coach Joe went home to pursue a dream in UP. Same as before when he went back, pinilit. And by the same forces trying to remove him for a second time. Mismong alma mater niya ang nambabastos and naninira pa sa kanya."

But how does the coach feel? He's weary and down and all set to give up. Man....

THE LAST ADMU-DLSU ENCOUNTER
Those who asked what Chito Loyzaga did during the game (he was in BLUE; he went to the AGS and would have played on for the blue and white if he had made it all the way) hold your horses. Before I moved courtside, I sat beside him and Adamson coach Jing Ruiz in the patron section. And he was really upset when he saw the damn officials calling stupid fouls on Chris Tiu and Nonoy Baclao that gave the Green Archers an opportunity to catch up. He texted UAAP Commissioner Ed Cordero and told him that the refs aren't the show and they shouldn't decide what happens. Sorry, but Ateneo has been on the raw end of officiating for some time now. I'm not saying that it had any bearing on the game, but it's nice to see people or fans who care about the game. It wasn't even about Ateneo or La Salle. It's about fairness and calling it right. Patas lang, mga ref.

Chito and I have been friends since we're teammates in the ABL. I worked on the REMEMBER THE TITANS photography exhibit that was sponsored by San Miguel Corporation for the now-defunct LEAD INSTITUTE OF SPORT where I tried to feature his father, the great Caloy Loyzaga. Over at Solar Sports, we featured the Baseball Pilipinas game on Sports Desk so we got to talking again. We're currently working on a multi-part story for Baseball Pilipinas. Nice to see you there, Chito!

THE RYAN BUENAFE SWEEPSTAKES
The hunt to bring San Sebastian's prized player continues... DLSU is said to be dogging his every move to convince him to hop on the LRT to Taft instead of going the opposite direction to Loyola. UST went through his current coach who in turn asked/forced him to wear a Tigers shirt during our second round encounter. Where is he going? We're not going to know until he enrolls next year.

ON DLSU'S END GAME WOES
In an article written by Business Mirror's Joel Orellana on Tuesday, September 11, (DLSU coach Franz) Pumaren "cited that the team's suspension last season as the culprit to their inability to close out games. "You can play in as many minor leagues as you want but the UAAP is a different league. You have the television and the people watching you. I guess we're still feeling our way. We still lack the killer instinct. And the way I look at it, the one year absence took its toll on the team."

Coach, after the suspension, your team was abroad on training, you played everywhere and even won a pair of pre-season tourneys -- well, to put them in your words, minor leagues. I wondered nga how your players had time for anything else like their main reason to be in school. Okay to the wise guys, here... we all know they're there to study not to play hoops. But then again, your school trumpeted the victories but downplayed the losses. Hindi ba nga kaya ang lakas ng "we're back" -- ng alumni niyo?

Ah, spin control. I get it. Anyways, the Archers will bounce back. They always do.

Some wag, sent me a note that said, regarding the DLSU-UE game on Thursday, he remembered the words of former president Joseph Estrada regarding nepotism in the government and in running after crooks, "Walang kaibigan, walang kamag-anak." Of course we all know what Erap really meant. So what happens during the game will be mighty interesting.