KISS goes to High School (taken from ESPN)

It was 1974 -- the straitlaced football heyday of Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler -- and in northern Michigan, you could hear a pin drop in the way-too-tight Cadillac High School football locker room before games.

That's when an enterprising assistant coach named Jim Neff had a brainstorm. Why not rev up the Cadillac defense by playing a little pregame rock and roll? Like, for example, KISS?

When the bold plan led to a big winning streak -- and a conference title -- Jim Neff and the band he loved hatched a daring plan … to make Homecoming the following year an event the town of Cadillac would never forget.

Nearly 35 years later, no one has.

In the fall of 1975, the Vikings of Cadillac High School in Cadillac, Mich., were coming off an undefeated season and a third-place finish in the state of Michigan. With aspirations of having another great season, the team stumbled out of the gate with a 0-2 start. Head coach Dave Brines believed his team needed a jolt. "I've always felt that emotion, desire and those things are more important than athletic ability. It's what a kid thinks in his mind, and we always taught if you think you can do it, then you can." (Photo from Cadillac Yearbook, courtesy of Jim Neff)

Brines and assistant coach Jim Neff had a revolutionary idea about motivating the team. Neff recalled the conversation: "Brines said, 'We need to loosen these people up,' which was a startling statement to me because as an old Marine he was pretty straightforward and straitlaced. And I said, 'Well, let's play some rock and roll in the locker room, and that will loosen the kids up." (Photo from Cadillac Yearbook, courtesy of Jim Neff)

The plan worked. Cadillac went on to win the rest of its games that season. When KISS heard about the Vikings' use of its music as inspiration, the band made plans to visit the school during Homecoming the following year. On the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 4, 1975, KISS arrived at Cadillac High School. And the party was on. (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

The band was brought out to the football field. Harry Hagstrom, a member of the 1976 team, was one of the players on the field that day. "The football team, the cheerleaders and some of the band people, we met them on the football field. The football team were all in our uniforms, and everybody had their face painted and they took a bunch of photos." (Photo courtesy of Cadillac News)

Neff remembered that the members of KISS wanted to do something "footbally" with the team. "Brines and I looked at each other and said, 'Footbally?' Well, Paul [Stanley] turned out to be a pretty good athlete. He could jump and run even in the big shoes, [and] throw the ball pretty well." (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

While Stanley was busy throwing the ball around, Gene Simmons was making friends with head cheerleader Melissa Codden. "[Simmons] was interesting because he was interested in what I had to say and when you're 16 not many people are interested in what you have to say." (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

The band then went indoors to answer questions and pose for photos with the students of Cadillac High School. Bill Barnett, a sophomore wide receiver on the team, recalled: "They gave us a fire-up talk, they talked about their music, they talked about New York and where they came from and they were just so happy to be part of our football team. Here was a national band, a touring act, they're just at their peak, they're coming up, it's the biggest time in their careers, and to be spending time with small-town America, it was just amazing." (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

After spending time with the team, some younger siblings and teachers' kids also got time with the band. Simmons remembered one particular conversation: "There was a 5-year-old boy who I was having an argument with, and he was criticizing me for putting on the makeup wrong. And I'm arguing with him: 'Look, you're not qualified to say that, you just learned how to wipe your butt -- I know how to, I'm Gene Simmons.' He goes, 'Yeah, but the corner doesn't have the downward swoop, you went up.' Sure enough, the little putz was right." (Photo courtesy of vintageKISSphotos.com)

Later that evening, KISS took to the stage in the school's gymnasium for a concert that was never forgotten. Neff recalled the show: "It was incredibly loud -- I'm talking standing-near-an-airplane-engine, make-your-ears-bleed, drive-you-back-into-the-back-wall loud. The gym had windows along the upper levels and we opened those windows, and there are stories about people who sat in their backyards a mile and a half to two miles away and listened to the concert." (Photo courtesy of Cadillac News)

Simmons recalled the concert: "We were aware that there was a special thing that was going on, between fan and band. There was none of that 'We're the rock stars, you're not, pay homage to us' [stuff] -- it was a celebration for everybody. You won, we won, we're here to pay youhomage." (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

The next morning, the members of KISS were invited to a civic breakfast with the mayor and city council. Simmons posed with a copy of the local newspaper celebrating the band's visit. (Photo courtesy of vintageKISSphotos.com)

To everyone's surprise, the mayor got into KISS makeup, which was applied by Simmons himself. Stanley was amazed at the way the band was received. "In 'Superman,' is it Bizarro World? It's kind of like that. You suddenly see the mayor and all these politicians in KISS makeup, and I'm thinking, 'Is he going to get re-elected like that?'" (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

Throughout the visit to Cadillac, KISS went out of its way to pose for photos and sign autographs. Hagstrom recalled the band's kindness: "They were the absolute nicest, polite young guys that you'd want to talk to. We'd ask them questions and they'd tell us their backgrounds. … You couldn't ask for nicer guys." (Photo courtesy of Cadillac News)

After the civic breakfast, the band members were guests of honor in the Cadillac High School Homecoming parade. Stanley remembered: "To have a ticker-tape parade and everything through Cadillac, Michigan … you couldn't beat it. It was something that elevated the spirit of that city to a whole other level, and to have a part in that, how great is that?" (Photo courtesy of vintageKISSphotos.com)

John Coffell was one of the students at the parade. "Everyone was around the float … they were throwing out KISS candy, those little chocolate kisses, and I don't think they were throwing them too far because the float was just surrounded. … It was just unbelievable." (Photo courtesy of Cadillac News)

The students turned Main Street into KISS Boulevard for the day. Hagstrom recalled: "That was something … they named downtown Cadillac KISS Boulevard and it was amazing the number of people that came out to see -- it was very well-received." (Photo courtesy of Cadillac News)

The Homecoming parade ended at the football field, where the band members began their goodbyes. (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

Neff on what happened next: "We assumed they were all going to get into limos and drive away, and out over Lake Cadillac came a gigantic helicopter -- landed dead-center on the football field. They jumped into the helicopter, flew out of town, throwing leaflets out that said, "Cadillac, KISS loves you." (Photo courtesy of vintageKISSphotos.com)

Some 35 years later Paul Stanley says those two days in Cadillac left a special imprint on the band. "To this day I still look back and go, 'That's something that most people never, ever get to experience ... on either side, either the ones who were there or a band.'" (Photo courtesy of Waring Abbott)

Danny Arruda is a feature producer for ESPN's Enterprise Unit.

In a new ball Park. Chan Ho signs with the Yankees.

Last February 28, South Korean pitcher Chan Ho Park, who broke into Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he pitched for eight seasons before moving to Texas, San Diego, the Mets, then back to the Dodgers for another year before hooking up with the Philadelphia Phillies last season. Though already 36 years of age, he's still got zip in his pitches receiving a vote of confidence from the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez who said: He had great movement in his pitches and his velocity was up in the 90s."

Thus far the starting pitching staff for New York has CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Javier Vazquez, and probably Phil Hughes. Park will join Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte (a World Series hero for New York), Alfredo Aceves, and some others to set the table for Mo Rivera.

Said Park, "I've got to do what I've got to do. But I'm trying to get a ring and that is the most important thing." The South Korean finished with a 3-3 record for the Phillies and a 4.43 ERA in 45 games for the National League champs last season. In the World Series against New York, he pitched 3 and 1/3 scoreless innings drawing raves from the Yankees brass who hopes his breaking ball and fastball will also baffle foes en route to a possible title #28.

Supplemental reading: The Yankees start spring training with a trip to the arcade. Great report by Tyler Kepner.

photo is by Kathy Willens/River Avenue Blues

Behind the bid to host the World Cup in Indonesia

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

Remember that saying? That referred to the Trojan Horse gambit that was used in the siege of Troy.

And that comes under the guise of other concerns. And believe it or not, it’s also in football.

Indonesia bid for the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If chosen, it will be the second time that football’s greatest event will be held on Asian soil after the joint South Korea/Japan staging in 2002.

It sounds pretty impressive when our neighbor is mired in similar problems to our PFF. The bid is chaired by a politician, some businessmen, and the local sports body but it is to this day, not openly supported by the national government. Indonesian fans are excited by the possibility but know better as two football officials have used the bid to try to hold on to power or win the local presidency of the Persatuan Sepak bola Seluruh Indonesia or PSSI.

Of course, it sounds impressive and will no doubt be good for Indonesia and regional football, one will have to sift through the whole bid deeper to find distrubing patterns.

The practice of rotating continents to host the quadrennial event is laudable but many people, football officials use it as a bargaining chip to hold on to power. We’ve seen that in South Africa as Sepp Blatter was able to swing the votes from that area as well as in Brazil (that will host the 2014 games). We’ve seen Mohammed Bin Hamman use the promise of financial support to keep his stooges in power here in the Philippines (where is it, Oh, Wise One?).

The problems plaguing the staging of the World Cup in South Africa and Brazil are unlike anything other countries have experienced before. From security (a huge huge concern that to date has not been alleviated) to the availability of stadia to lodging and transportation, there is much to consider. It is a point of view that is shared by Indonesia's Minister for Youth and Sport Andi Mallarangeng who stated that the PSSI should focus on improving the local's standards before looking to host such an expensive venture.

We do not advocate that it be kept in the west forever but countries that are struggling with their economies and other domestic concerns should be eliminated from contention. In choosing cities to host the games, the decision must be made without emotion.

In Brazil, those who oppose the move to host it are under attack by football lovers. It’s not that the critics do not want the World Cup, they believe that their country misappropriates monies that should be allocated to education, poverty, job creation, healthcare, and dealing with their staggering crime problem rather than host football where the windfall is fleeting.

It should behoove one to know that FIFA does not act on complaints by smaller football associations that are supposed to be under the national sports agencies. But how does that help their plight when obviously the local NSA, the PFF in particular, does not even bother to comply?

In Jakarta, Nurdin Halid, the president of the PSSI, the local counterpart of our Pera For Football,s orry Philippine Football Federation, is being asked to step down. As good as the Indonesians are in regional football where they are ranked #134^th in the world by FIFA, they are beset by problems ranging from grassroots to finances.

Indonesia has a long history in football and is the first Asian country to compete in the World Cup when they played as the Dutch East Indies in 1938 yet lost to Hungary in the first round. They are the fourth most populous country in the world with around 230 million people scattered across 17,000 islands. The right to host would represent a nice turn around for the country.

People say that there’s politics everywhere. There will only be so if people choose to play the game. Unfortunately, even the world’s most popular game has to suffer for it.

Royalty, baby. Royalty.

If there is close to being a super power in college sports then it’s the University of Santo Tomas. The España-based school knocked up its 37^th UAAP general championship – and their 12^th straight – with their runner-up finishes in the football tournaments. The Tigers chalked up 305 points from first and second semester sports.

In far second is De La Salle with 252. Far Eastern University is third with 229. Ateneo is at fourth with 222 followed by UP with 219, and UE at sixth with 172.

Adamson (83 points) is sure to lock up seventh place while NU (33 points) brings up the rear. The two have yet to dispute the Men’s Baseball Crown the last sport that still has to be played out. Adamson is up by one game in the Best-of-Three series. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday March 4.

Sugod mga kapatid

FEU Tamaraws back-up goalkeeper Bricks Caballero ran up the pole to bring down the FEU flag and run around the pitch like crazy after their 1-nil win over UST in the recently concluded UAAP Men's Football Finals. (photo by Ateneo and FEU alum Brossi Gonzales). I was behind the UST goal when Caballero scampered up the pole to haul down the flag. I thought it was amazing how quickly he made it up and down. I was chatting with Ompong Merida at that time and didn't snap a pic. I asked Brossi to take it since he was on the pitch. Great shot, dude!

The Last Shot of Michael Jordan

The Last Shot of Michael Jordan

by rick olivares

The Black Cat apparently only has four lives.

The first was with his first stint with the Chicago Bulls and led them to a three-peat. The second was that successful comeback when he led them to a second wave of titles in the late 90s. But in his Third Coming, it was so-so with the Washington Wizards. The bad luck that has surrounded the franchise since it last won an NBA championship in 1979 as the Bullets carried over to Jordan.

Now the Black Cat is in his fourth life as a Bobcat and the principal owner at that. If he thinks that he can back down his man on the blocks to solve a problem then he has another thing coming.

If there are athletes who still refuse to hang it up when they are past their prime then this is as close as it gets to someone who is a suit.

In basketball, Jordan had plenty of time to hone his game and come back as the most devastating force on the basketball court known to man. Unfortunately, there is no such luxury afforded to a General Manager for Basketball Operations where he wasted the money of Washington owner Abe Pollin and Charlotte’s Robert Johnson. We don’t need to even go into the draft choices or hires. Suffice to say that they were and are locked in mediocrity with not even a snowball’s chance in hell of going deep in the play-offs.

Maybe I shouldn’t forget that the Bulls’ battle cry during Jordan’s early years in the league was first to get to the play-offs then challenge for the title. And his Bulls did every year.

For a struggling team like Charlotte, making the play-offs is huge. But in the watered-down competition of the East, it’s easy to make it even with a losing record.

One would think that he would get it right after that embarrassing stint with the Wizards. After his second retirement with the Bulls, MJ’s handlers came out with a flyer for his basketball camp with a shot of him making the shot against Georgetown in 1982 and Utah in 1988. “Some things never change” it said.

That was the truth. Only it had the wrong images. It should have shown him being cut from the varsity in Laney High and Pollin giving him the boot.

At his age, I wonder why he still carries this chip on his shoulder. His Hall of Fame induction speech was of poor taste. One can say that there was a touch of dark humor to it as he took shots at former teammates and foes. For you reading this -- stop being an apologist for Jordan. I was and am a huge fan. But the great player-bad teammate image first offered by writer Sam Smith in The Jordan Rules then corroborated by Michael Leahy in When Nothing Else Matters (the chronicle of his Washington years) is all true.

His teammates – Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc, and Steve Kerr were on hand but he only acknowledged Pip. The smiles on people’s faces were strained as Jordan went on. It could have been his shining moment that even after his inglorious exit from Washington and his divorce from his wife Juanita, he would have done that great speech and leave no dry eye in the house. It would have ranked as one of the best speeches ever yet with his legacy on the line, he true to form, hit a dagger.

As it is, he still needed the Last Word. By taking shots at slights real or perceived.

And now with the Bobcats, he still wants the Last Word.

Former Chicago Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause had an obsession to build another dynasty after the old one of Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen-Phil Jackson was scattered across the two conferences. The attempt to sign the big free agent names of the day backfired. No one of All-Star caliber did sign with the Bulls and 12 years after the rebuilding continues.

Jordan, who idolizes former Los Angeles Lakers great Jerry West, took on the role of General Manager for Basketball Operations where he hasn’t exactly excelled. This time, it’s his money on the line. It’s all on him. He cannot run a team from the golf course. He still gets by on a lot of goodwill simply because of who he is.

Charlotte Hornets owner George Shinn loved meeting the fans and sitting down to talk hoops with the players. Jordan has to do more than beat his rookies in a game of H-O-R-S-E. He is the owner now.

In Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals, the Bulls were on the verge of putting the Los Angeles Lakers away. But Jordan tried to do too much by taking every shot and missing with the game drawing to a close. Phil Jackson called time and asked Michael who was open. Jax had to ask twice before His Airness mumbled, “Paxson.”

“Then give him the fucking ball.” scored the coach.

Pax nailed five jumpers from that point to put the Lakers out for the count.

With the future of this woeful Charlotte franchise on the line, creditors clearly didn’t want to work with Johnson anymore so he had to make that pass. Who was open? Jordan.

He wanted the ball. Now he needs to make these shots because this is one game that is definitely for keeps.

----

This commentary appears in the Thursday March 4 edition of the Business Mirror.

Michael Jordan loses twice to Gerald Henderson in a game of H-O-R-S-E.

----

NBA's All-Time 50 Greatest who struggle as a coach or in a front-office capacity:

Earvin Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Elgin Baylor, and Wes Unseld. Am I missing anyone? Bird did have a measure of success in his three years as head coach of the Indiana Pacers. McHale had his T-Wolves reach the play-offs only to make first round exits habitual. He should also get a championship ring for trading Kevin Garnett to Boston. It seems that Jerry West is the real exception here with his success as LA Lakers GM. Bill Russell had success as a coach with Boston but not with Seattle.

Back when the game was theirs and it was young for us

Theo: "So, Kareem rebounds, feeds Worthy on the break, over to A.C., to Magic, back to Worthy in the lane and --(Suddenly the other man pulls out a Walther pistol with a silencer and aims it at the Guard's forehead. Before the Guard can react he pulls the trigger.) Theo: "... boom...two points!"

Remember that classic line from the movie Die Hard that made a huge star out of Bruce Willis? I remember that and that film was shown in 1988 when the Los Angeles Lakers won their back-to-back title over the Detroit Pistons. The quote I used -- that's how lethal that team from LA was. Surrounded by All-Stars, it was Magic who made them go. Reading the book reminded me of their greatness. I didn't root for them. I didn't like them at all. I was for the Sixers then the Celtics (before I shifted to the Bulls because of you-know-who).

I've got this huge back log on books and between jumping from one writing assignment to another to home chores to resisting the temptation to just go couch potato for a day, I finally began going through in earnest Jackie MacMullan's When the Game Was Ours. As steeped as I am in the story of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson there are still a lot anecdotes and nuggets of information that delight me as a fan and as a reader. I never knew that the Celts (save for Bird) quit on Bill Fitch in 1983. They weren't out to win an NBA championship; they were not playing so Fitch would get fired! Jeez! And there's more. You gotta read it.

Reading all When the Game Was Ours made me reminisce about those days. Of how you were for La, Boston, or Philadelphia. You were new jack cool if you rooted for Michael Jordan (and everyone did as a secondary fave). Everyone tried to run the break like the Lakers or shoot three-pointers and rub the soles of their sneakers like the Birdman. And I tried to post up like Kevin McHale.... hahaha. Hey, I do have a Kevin McHale Boston jersey and I love it.

In school then, the son of a government official once wore an authentic Johnson Lakers jersey and at that time, not many people wore one; at least here. He sure was a hit amongst schoolmates. And yes, he was a pretty good basketball player too. Everyone wanted Bird and Magic (and Doc) stuff then. But the first one I ever got was Chris Mullin's #17 G-State Warriors. Yup, made by Champs, the only one that manufactured that at the time.

If anyone had FEN (Far Eastern Network) out of Clark Air Base, you were the man because that was our only link to the NBA until -- was it GMA-7 had their NBA on GMA (hosted by the Dean).

I'm rambling now. Just wanted to share my thoughts because I have a bunch of things to do today not to mention deadline. But go read MacMullan's When the Game Was Ours. Even if you read Birds' book Drive, this book is a nice companion read.

What can I say? It was well played. Congrats, Canada!

This is one of those games that even if the team you're rooting for lost, it's no shame because it was a bloody well-played one. It was riveting and worthy of a gold medal match. When Zach Parise flicked that puck underneath Roberto Luongo's pads with 24.4 seconds left in the third and final period, I was ready to parrot Al Michaels. Not with a "Do you believe in miracles?" but with a "Do you believe in deja vu?" I thought that Ryan Miller didn't cover the net very well when Sidney Crosby slapped that winning goal in. It was such an odd but difficult angle. But that's hockey. If Parise's goal sucked the life out of the stadium then Crosby's shot, well, it sucked the air out of me. 3-2 Canada. Double hockey gold. But what a ride? Team USA wasn't even expected to medal. Good job? Hell, it was a fantastic job still! And Ryan Miller... tournament MVP. Woooo!

Photos taken from Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated. Must have been one heck of an experience watching a Gold Medal match in such a frenzied atmosphere. Is it close to the Gold Medal game of the Dream Team against Croatia? The Redeem Team vs. Spain?

UST Men's Football Team: Tiger Fall

Tiger Fall

UST was on the verge of draping the UAAP football landscape in gold and white. But fate was cruel and had other ideas.

story and pics by rick olivares

One hour and thirty minutes after his UST Tigers lost the UAAP Men’s Football Championship to FEU, coach Marjo Allado was still at the Ateneo pitch with some friends. They talked about miscellaneous stuff but every now and then, it would drift back to the game. Allado bit his lip, said a few words but generally remained quiet. They all wanted to leave but didn’t want to at the same time. Misery doesn’t love company but it sure helps keep it at arms length.

An hour earlier, the field was still filled with activity as the joyous and triumphant Tamaraws made their way to the team bus for their blissful ride back to their dorm and a hearty victory dinner. The UST team washed up quickly and made their way back to España. The tournament officials ate a quick merienda, held a quick meeting, then left.

Now save for a few people throwing around a Frisbee, a couple of kids kicking around a football, and grounds people cleaning up the field that for two months was the venue of intense competition, the pitch was quiet.

To the uninitiated, the game might have been rough even a tad dirty with all the extra motions. “That’s nothing,” said a sports writer on the scene. “Typical larong Illongo.”

The UAAP Men’s Football Finals of Season 72 billed FEU and UST. But to the protagonists, there was something more. It was the Battle of Iloilo played in Manila.

Allado, a true son of Barotac Nuevo, played for UST under Nonoy Carpio where the Tigers won the UAAP title in 2000. As a coach who replaced his mentor, Allado helped the Tigers win in 2007 against pretty much the same Tamaraws squad they did battle today. In 2007, they won in penalties 4-2 erasing the painful failure of the 2005 finals where they lost to Ateneo also in a penalty shootout.

Among his squad, he counts several fellow Barotacnons and Illongos --- there are a couple from Janiuay and Calinog. Rookie of the Year Christian de Juan is from Janiuay but grew up in Barotac. He was suspended for the Game 2 on account of two yellow cards.

Over at FEU, head coach Adolfo Alicante is from La Paz, Iloilo but played for Santa Barbara, hometown also of striker Jason Cordova and defender Raymond Buensuceso. A few other teammates are from Barotac Nuevo.

Outside regional rivalries, the Manila-based squads of FEU and UST (including UE) are fierce rivals.

The Tigers, playing without any pressure at all, began beating teams left and right. Against the Tamaraws in the first round, twice they came back from deficits to forge a draw and a point. In the final match of the eliminations, the Tigers dropped their foes 3-1.

But if they thought the Tamaraws were going to be easy pickings in the finals, they were about to face an altogether different squad.

For one, FEU is a much older team. The only holdovers from the UST title squad of 2007 were goalkeeper Johnson Lee and defender Dave Basa. The core of the Tamaraws – Francis Gustilo, Glester Sobremisana, Cordova, Buensuceso, Romnick Jover, Jake Hugo, and Ronie Espinosa had extensive championship experience. They had made the finals for the last three years but only had one title to show for it. However, they had a world of experience.

“Our inexperience in the finals showed,” summed up Allado of their 1-nil loss in Game 1. That inexperience was clearly evident with De Juan who picked up a yellow card for diving. His team would miss him greatly in Game 2. Since the second round match with Ateneo, De Juan played with a minor injury. With two recent deaths in the family, a lot weighed on his mind. “Last playing day,” he said prior to the match. He couldn’t wait to go home to Iloilo. At the same time, he was more upset that he couldn’t join his team in trying to win the crown.

Growing up in Janiuay (then Barotac later on), he had to be fetched from the field to stop playing. “Para hindi makalaro ngayon – masakit.”

If De Juan felt the pain in his heart, teammate Mario Clariño playing alongside De Juan in the top of a 4-4-2 formation, felt pain in his knee. All season long, he was playing on a partially torn ACL. Incredibly, it didn’t seem to affect his speed and was one of the tournament’s top scorers. “Kapag nagsimula yung laro, medyo nawawala na. Dala na yan ng adrenaline at pride.” he underscored before the game. In Game 2, without De Juan who kept opposing defenders nervous and unsure of whom to mark, Clariño had a few scoring chances. As a result, UST’s overall game lacked pace and fluidity.

On the other side of the field, FEU too was struggling without three of their regular starters – Cordova, Jover, and Joshua Almenar. They had some chances but UST did a better job of stopping FEU’s attacks behind the tournament’s Best Defender, David Basa.

But in the 75^th minute, Tamaraw midfielder Filsan Akut took aim at the UST goal from just outside the box. The shot hit UST defender Ronnel Lagrimas in the back. The ball went to FEU rookie Dexter Chio, who was a few yards behind the play. Without hesitation, he blasted a rocket straight at the goal.

The Tigers’ keeper, Lee, saw the ball bounce off one of his defenders but with four players outside the box obscuring his vision, he didn’t see Chio’s shot until the ball was nearly over him. “Huli na nung makita ko,” he rued afterwards.

In a defensive series and with time fast running out, the one goal was huge. All season long UST never tasted defeat. They had shown uncanny resiliency in turning back challenges and bouncing back. When the game wasn’t going their way, they were able to defend and force a draw. But in the game’s final minutes, they redoubled their efforts with a pace now born of desperation. Midfielder Mandie Lunag’s sending off after a red card did them in.

As the Tigers trudged to their bench, broken and in tears, Allado fought to keep an impassive face. Team Assistant Coaches Kim Versales and Arman Esteban bemoaned a most painful day. Earlier, the UST Women’s Football team failed to defend their crown when La Salle upended them 1-nil to snap an eight tournament losing streak to the Tigresses. “Ano ba naman ‘to?” cried out Esteban.

Just then, former national head coach Juan Cutillas, who watched the Finals Series, came over to offer some support. “You must come back from this,” said the Spaniard. “You have a great team.” Allado nodded and managed a pained smile. He was too choked up for words.

One hour and forty-five minutes after the game had ended, with the sun fading fast, Allado got up, thanked his friends for their support, and made his way towards Katipunan Avenue. He flagged a cab and left with a friend. Before he stepped inside the cab, he looked back at the pitch where glory was cruelly snatched from his team an hour and forty-five minutes ago. He went in, closed the door, and was gone.

For the UST Tigers Men's Football Team 2009-10. Bawi next year! Viva Santo Tomas!

It was hard rooting for a team in the finals. I enjoy chatting with the FEU guys from Cordova to Aguisanda. But since they won one before, I wanted this UST team to get their chance at glory.

The Tigers were fun to watch in the way UP was fun to watch last year. These guys played with a lot of heart and perhaps more than any other squad out in the tourney, there was a joy on their faces when they were on the pitch. They played pressure-free and totally enjoyed it. So it was a tough tough loss. One of the most heart-breaking post-game scenes I've seen. I refuse to post any of the pics I took save for the shot of Clariño with his back turned. Kudos to Johnson Lee for trying to pump up his teammates.

FEU is still a cut above everyone else. Those guys know how to play the game. I actually thought that Glester Sobremisana should have been judged the best midfielder. On a short game, he is the best. He's got that deft touch and makes smart and nifty passes and sets up teammates. How many assists did he have all year?

I know I said that DLSU was disappointing early on, but they sure turned it up in the second half.

If you love the game of football, you do more than cheer for your team. You watch everyone else. In this year of supposed parity, it was fun.Til next time. Hopefully with less BS from the sidelines.

Pics from the final day of UAAP Football competition

The Ateneo High School football team won the official first ever Juniors Football title. The last two years of competition was only as a demonstration sport. DLSZ won the first and Ateneo won the second. Mico Mabanag was named tournament MVP, Jean Clariño was judged Best Striker with 5 goals, and Micah Alampay was the Best Goalkeeper.

The FEU-FERN team was every bit a challenge for Ateneo. Highly dangerous and with tremendous skills, this team will be one to reckon with when they move to the seniors ranks. But they have one more year together in high school. Alandel Domekyas was named Best Defender of the tournament.

The starting XI of DLSU for Game 2. The game plan was to protect Miel Ampil. The onus was on defender Anna Frumenti to stop the run throughs and give her side the confidence to attack. Final showing better judgement with a staggered back four, the defense was better and allowed for more scoring chances. Samantha Nierras was the Best Midfielder and MVP of the Tournament, Anna Frumenti the Best Defender, and Adrianne Yniguez who scored the winning goal off a clever assist by Nierras, was named Rookie of the Year.

The UST starting XI for Game 2. Sad day for the team that scored more goals than any other team in the competition. I think they racked up 15 or 16 goals and gave up 6. Will double check. Ticking this off at the top of my head. Arlene Gavile was named the Best Goalkeeper. Mariane Narciso was the Best Striker with 12, yes, 12 goals.

The Fair Play flag before the Men's Championship. Jae Hyung Park, at the top of the formation, played for FEU-FERN last season. He arrived early to cheer on his former teammates that played in an exhibition match with Ateneo. His team won 3-2.

The starting XI for UST in Game 2. They were without Christian De Juan who was out on two yellow cards. Dave Basa was the Best Defender of the tournament. De Juan was the Rookie of the year.

The starting XI of the champion FEU Tamaraws. The core of the squad won two titles in their four years together. Jason Cordova played his last match for FEU in Game 1 and was named Best Striker. Ansing Gustilo was best Midfielder. Ronnie Aguisanda, the pride of Cagayan was the Best Goalie. Jake Hugo was named MVP of the Competition. Dexter Chio, on the extreme left first row, scored the winning goal. Chio is a just a frosh and looks to play a huge part when they try for a repeat next season.

At the end of the day, at the end of the game, they are still a bunch of kids at heart. The Tamaraws chanted, "Bo-ra-cay! Bo-ra-cay!" afterwards. There are a couple of national players on this squad -- Cordova, Glester Sobremisana, Aguisanda, and I think Gustilo. Support the Azkals in the upcoming Suzuki Cup.