Saturday musings

The past two weeks have been kind of crazy at work. Did a video (three days) and had to attend a bunch of meetings here and there. One of the things I have been working on is a press conference for the Philippine Men's National Football Team this coming Tuesday, November 23, at the PFF House of Football in Pasig City. A colleague remarked that it's a good thing I didn't melt when I was there. Au contraire, it's the other way around. Hahaha.

One cannot keep taking shots at others. And besides, this is for the national team before they head off for Thailand the following day for some training and a friendly before they are off to Hanoi, Vietnam for the Suzuki Cup Finals (December 1-9). What does this mean for my class in Ateneo? I'll be moving one of my classes to another day so everyone's up to speed. Will coordinate with the Comm Department on this.

Next year, we're (at Gatorade) are looking to work with more football events and we've already signed up with the UFL. As for me, I've been pushing for the Azkals for the longest time and now, I am not only getting my wish but this is to give back to football. Lost in the Asian Games and the NBA and PBA seasons is the fact that the Azkals are competing in the Suzuki Cup (formerly The Tiger Cup). They play three elimination matches and if they do well they will advance to the knockout round. When I was with Solar Sports, it was a source of immense pride for us to televise a pair of their tournaments on television. 

While meeting with the PFF (using my journalist's hat for one and a Gatorade hat for the other), I broached the idea of doing a press conference for the Azkals as a send off and to signify our help for them by providing the nationals with some product (the details of the plans will be concretized in the coming weeks). So that's on Tuesday and I invited friends from print, online, radio, and television to cover the presscon. I'm putting together a press kit and all. I want to do this right. You see when the nationals returned from Panaad four years ago, I attended a press con at Mizuno in Magallanes. I made sure that my TV crew was in attendance. But what was shocking was that I was the only sports journalist in attendance. All the others were from the lifestyle and entertainment sections or wherever. So naturally they asked the most moronic questions like do they know any Filipino words (to the Fil-foreigners) and their favorite food. How about you know anything about football to the insufferable. There was no press kit and I was the only one who knew everyone in attendance. So you can say that I am determined to make this a much better organized one. 

Now I am also hoping to join the Azkals in Hanoi. So am working on my papers and accreditation and I am so stoked about this. Now if it doesn't push through then I am okay because I get to attend my batch's homecoming celebration/reunion in Ateneo. If I do go along, watch out for some great coverage on the team.

Now the other week, I sat down with Quinito Henson to interview Henry Tsai about his involvement in the PFF mess. Mr. Henson came out with his column today in the Philippine Star. Mine will be out on Monday in Business Mirror. What does this all mean? I am giving everyone a fair shake and to tell their sides of the story. 

All these ongoings the past few days (and considering it is my youngest son's birthday today and there was a party at home), I've not been able to do proper writing. I am also working on the first ever Bleachers' Brew podcast that should be out soon. 

I've also finished Gary Andrew Poole's Pacman book and it's not a bad read but honestly, it could really use a lot of work. I wonder if this is because that many of the anecdotes he recounts are from afar and not like he is embedded with Pacman's entourage. Again it's not bad but maybe because I compare it to other coverages and athletes which is why I find it kind of lacking. 

So tomorrow and the next few days I'll have the Alaska game story up, my Brew column in Biz Mirror, the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the Collegiate Champions League, and the Azkals. Plus I am finished the stuff for a friend of mine who needs some corporate PR done. That's it for now.