Someone asked me if I am writing the ultimate basketball book and I said, "I haven't the slightest clue."
And that's true. In between trying to figure out where I'm going and what I'm doing, I thought I'd travel the world, see exotic places and eat great food, and kill a few people while doing so. Ooopss. Wrong memory. That was a long time ago when I wanted to sign up for the French Foreign Legion.
And that's true. In between trying to figure out where I'm going and what I'm doing, I thought I'd travel the world, see exotic places and eat great food, and kill a few people while doing so. Ooopss. Wrong memory. That was a long time ago when I wanted to sign up for the French Foreign Legion.
In between trying to write the perfect story I've...
- been mistaken for a pro basketball player while shopping in Hong Kong,
- challenged Allan Caidic to a three-point shootout and lived to tell the tale,
- had my balls go up my throat in Harlem on my way to Rucker Park,
- been flattened during a charge by a wondrous ballplayer who has polio,
- watched Chinese kids ball in a court next to a whorehouse in Shanghai,
- played for a Fil-Am team in Queens that lost to a Korean-Am team where the PG who is a dead-ringer for Herbert Bautista, was Bassy Telfair's back-up at Lincoln High and he torched us for 27 points,
- been mistaken for Ticketnet as I've received at least 100 queries in the last few days about tickets to the Ateneo-La Salle game,
- and coach my neighborhood team that kicked the snot out of the inter-subdivision champs largely because of my point guard who once played for the Ateneo Lady Eagles.
Mhel Garrido was telling me the other day how the moment he got into the Ateneo High School, the team was winning championships. He was a frosh when senior Nolet Puno captained the Eaglets to the title. And that string continued until his soph year in college when the Seniors squad won the last of its 80's titles. Winning then made us confident. We never thought we'd lose. There was no fear that we'd get jobbed by the refs or we'd lose the championship.
And today, Harvy Liwanag of the Ateneo Medical School was recounting his lining up at 2am just to buy tickets to the game. I think I only lined up once and I can't even remember when that was. The one time I remember lining up was to buy tickets to watch the Pixies' play Coachella and while waiting in line, this guy in a Marilyn Manson shirt kept offering me weed.
You want to talk about cathedrals?
My perfect moment was Madison Square Garden except that I betrayed my loyalties by wearing a Chicago Bulls #23 and as a result I got a rude reception. That thawed out later on when MJ retired for the third time and I was pretty safe walking all the way from East 86th to midtown -- whew that is freaking far! More than 40 city blocks when a subway ride will cost me two bucks. But it's kinda scenic when you walk a straight line and pass by all those artists outside the Met and they offer you a painting for $25.
The fun thing about this year was writing about other squads. I was allowed inside the dugouts of UP, UST, Adamson, NU, STI, and Ateneo, and I was privileged to watch practices by DLSU, San Beda, and JRU.
I actually am thinking now of that book. It's kind of fun to be watching and taking a long hard look at the other programs. Really. Rick Telander wrote a book before titled HEAVEN IS A PLAYGROUND so it's something like that. I've written about my life in America including those Fil-Am leagues I joined. Even balling in the Cage. So there might be something in there. Anyways, watch out for STI and NAASCU for my column on Monday.
And today, Harvy Liwanag of the Ateneo Medical School was recounting his lining up at 2am just to buy tickets to the game. I think I only lined up once and I can't even remember when that was. The one time I remember lining up was to buy tickets to watch the Pixies' play Coachella and while waiting in line, this guy in a Marilyn Manson shirt kept offering me weed.
You want to talk about cathedrals?
My perfect moment was Madison Square Garden except that I betrayed my loyalties by wearing a Chicago Bulls #23 and as a result I got a rude reception. That thawed out later on when MJ retired for the third time and I was pretty safe walking all the way from East 86th to midtown -- whew that is freaking far! More than 40 city blocks when a subway ride will cost me two bucks. But it's kinda scenic when you walk a straight line and pass by all those artists outside the Met and they offer you a painting for $25.
The fun thing about this year was writing about other squads. I was allowed inside the dugouts of UP, UST, Adamson, NU, STI, and Ateneo, and I was privileged to watch practices by DLSU, San Beda, and JRU.
I actually am thinking now of that book. It's kind of fun to be watching and taking a long hard look at the other programs. Really. Rick Telander wrote a book before titled HEAVEN IS A PLAYGROUND so it's something like that. I've written about my life in America including those Fil-Am leagues I joined. Even balling in the Cage. So there might be something in there. Anyways, watch out for STI and NAASCU for my column on Monday.
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