BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Philippines submits bid to host FIBA Asia for 2011


Philippines submits bid to host FIBA Asia for 2011
by rick olivares

Tianjin, China – Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Emmanuel “Noli” Eala; Bernie Atienza, Chairman of the Competitions Committee and National Team Management Communications Head; and Rajko Toroman, Head Coach of Smart Gilas Philippine Men’s Team met with Federation International de Basketball (FIBA) Asia officials at the Tianjin Gym in Tianjin, China this morning to submit a bid to host the 2011 FIBA Asia Championships in Manila.
The SBP troika had an impromptu meeting FIBA President Sheikh Saud al Thani, Deputy Secretary General Hagop Khajarian, and Board member Jaemin Lee of Korea to discuss the proposal. The FIBA Asia officials were said to be supportive of the bid.

Several countries have submitted their bids including China, Iran, Lebanon, Korea, and Japan but the chances of hosting the premier Asian basketball event looks good for the Philippines because of political unrest in Iran and Lebanon plus the fact that China hosted this year’s championships.

The FIBA Asia Championships will be the zonal qualifier for the 2012 London Olympics.

The SBP proposal gave four reasons for the bid: 1) it is the Silver Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution in 2011, 2) it will be the first major sporting event of the new Philippine President, 3) it will be the first time for the country to host the event in nearly 40 years, and 4) to show the world that the Philippines is a strong member of the FIBA family.

A decision on the bids will be made before the end of the year.

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