Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Football News
Word is Peter Crouch will leave Liverpool for either Aston Villa or Manchester City this coming January 2008. He simply will not thrive in Rafa Benitez' platoon system. It's lost on Bentiez that in 23 caps for crouch, he has scored 13 times and in those matches, England won every one of them. I thought in the last UEFA Champions League finals rematch with AC Milan, Benitez brought him in too late to make an impact. I'd love to see Crouchy finish his career with the Reds, but if it's going to be the best for his career, then I wish him the best.
But it's gonna be tough seeing him in another kit. Just ike it it with Robbie Fowler.
On the other hands, after this season, it is expected that Sir Alex Ferguson will be moved to a front office job with manchester United while... Jose Mourinho will replace him as chief gaffer. Hokey Smokes, Didier! What are you gonna say now?
The launch for the new Predator football shoe went well in London. We'll try to get pix of that.
Support the candidacy of Ed Formoso for Philippine Football Federation President! This guy's heart is in the right place. When the Azkals' games in the ASEAN Cup Qualifiers were shown on Solar Sports, it was Ed who personally raised the money needed for the games to be shown. No BS with this, dude. He'll help get football in this country off the ground.
Escape to Victory
I was reading an excerpt from S.L. Price’s excellent book, Far Afield the other day and there was a part where he was reminiscing with Michael Jordan about their days at the University of North Carolina. Despite his fame and his accomplishments, Jordan’s secret refuge was those days before he became a global icon. And Price told of how Jordan would talk of those good old days.
Many people try to escape or forget their past for various reasons. I myself wish to bury more than quite a few of those relics and memories. But there are many precious and golden that even when I’m fighting those bouts of unhappiness I retreat to them.
Just last night while I was fighting off the effects of food poisoning, I was watching Robert Rodriguez’ Planet Terror. It’s not the greatest movie in the world, but Rodriguez never intended it to be an art film or something akin to even Saving Private Ryan – a masterful film cut across the swath of death and destruction of war. Planet Terror is nothing more than a 1970’s zombie flick that’s meant to pass the time by. The 70’s weren’t so innocent and much of it I didn’t like since disco ruled during the decade’s end. But aside from Marvel Superheroes, Saturday morning cartoons, fantasizing about Cheryl Tiegs in that famous fishnet swimsuit, and Farrah Fawcett-Majors flashing those dazzling pearly-whites in a bikini, I loved football. I loved the mud on my face and my spikes. I loved the sweat from heat of the sun and the incandescent celebration that exploded from a goal.
The 70's -- here I am speaking like some ancient dinosaur -- was decades removed from cable television and the internet. The only access I had to the New York Cosmos was when I was at my grandparent’s place. Watching Rodriguez’ retro film made me think about a couple of films: One on One starring Robbie Benson and Escape to Victory starring Sly Stallone, Michael Caine, Max Von Sydow, and Pele. Now since I have the DVD of Escape to Victory (I bought it at Best Buy in East 86th and Lex), I ejected the zombie flick and plopped Victory in.
Then as it is now, it’s a treat to watch a film about football set during World War II (military adventure and football are two of my favorite genres). The story is about when the Germans played Allied prisoners in a friendly match in occupied France. Unknown to German intelligence, the Allies and the French underground hatched a plan to spring the players in a mass escape. I never knew it back then but the film was inspired by a true story when the Germans played Ukrainian prisoners who once played for Dynamo Kiev before the war. The Germans lost handily every time out and the sore losing Master Race sent the Ukrainians to labor camps where many of them perished.
The film directed by John Huston received a great deal of attention for its stars and the football players it featured. There was Tottenham great Osvaldo Ardilles, West Ham and Manchester United’s Bobby Moore (although he was more heavy set since he was well past his playing days in the film), Mike Summerbee of Manchester City, Werner Roth, Pele’s teammate with the Cosmos, Co Prins of Ajax Amsterdam, Hallvar Thorensen of PSV Eindhoven, and several players from Ipswich FC, Anderlecht, and Manchester City.
Football plays an integral part of the film. The prisoners of war are coached and represented by John Colby (Michael Caine) who agrees to play an exhibition match against a German team, only to find themselves involved in a Nazi propaganda tournament. In the end, the POWs can leave the Nazi camp only to play the match; they are supposed to return to the camp after the game. During the match, despite the match officials being heavily biased towards the Nazis, a draw is achieved after great performances from Terry Brady (played by Bobby Moore), Luis Fernandez (portrayed by Pelé), Carlos Rey (portrayed by Osvaldo Ardiles) and Arthur Hayes (portrayed by John Wark). American soldier Robert Hatch (Sylvester Stallone) plays goalkeeper and makes excellent saves including one last save on a penalty kick as time expires to deny the Nazis the win, drawing the game 4-4. Although, the POWs scored a goal which was called offside by the referee, that should have made the score 5-4, the crowd began to chant "Victora!"
Some team members plan to escape at halftime (led by Hatch) but the rest of the team (led by Russell Osman saying "but we can win this") want to carry on with the game despite being behind at halftime. They manage to escape at the end of the game amidst the confusion caused by the crowd storming the field after Hatch preserves the draw.
Les Shannon, ex-Burnley F.C. player, choreographed the actual game presented in the film while Pelé designed of plays. Gordon Banks, England’s World Cup winning goalkeeper, coached Sylvester Stallone. The game was filmed in the Stadion Hidegkuti Nándor in Budapest, Hungary.
Watching it again for the nth time the other night while battling a fever, I enjoyed it just as I did back then. That was a time when Pele’s bicycle kick was one of the most incredible sights I thought I’d ever see. There aren’t many football movies I like. Kuno Becker’s Goal I & II are okay, but Escape to Victory is still my fave.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Some Kind of Mystic
(this appears in my Monday column in Business Mirror) 
As a young man observing his rich father’s new acquisition – the New York Yankees – Hank Steinbrenner, then in his teens, bathed himself in the incandescent glow of a second straight World Series triumph in 1978. Even better, he sat beside the Yankee Clipper himself at the Stadium where he helped America’s team win a number of championships.
“Is there a difference winning a World Series with the Yankees and winning it with another team,” asked the heir to one of sports’ proudest and greatest teams.
The great DiMaggio smiled at the young Steinbrenner and exclaimed, “Of course there is. You win one with another team and its okay. But you win one with the Yankees, you’ll be remembered forever.”
It’s a remark that borders arrogance, but coming from the great DiMaggio, he who was celebrated by Simon and Garfunkel in that timeless ditty “Mrs. Robinson,” he who won titles, went off to war, came back and won more even more titles… it was continuing the legacy of the Bambino and the Iron Horse. Of the famed Murderer’s Row and Joe McCarthy who cleared the stain of the Black Sox scandal. It’s a fact, Jack, and you could look it up in the Library of Congress.
Remember one of the first things Curt Schilling said when he joined the Boston Red Sox via the Arizona Diamondbacks: “So this means I gotta hate the Yankees now, huh?”
What pool of mystique is there playing for a great team?
First of all, it requires a bevy of championships that begets a standard of excellence; this affirms their mastery and class over the field. Second, their feats are canonized and immortalized in popular culture living on beyond generations. And third, the team inspires fanatical devotion and an equal opposite to ferment a rivalry.
It makes an Argentinean openly declare fealty to a club he’s not even been with for a year? Javier Mascherano transferred from West Ham to Liverpool in January of this year and less than two months into the new season, he proudly said that if he cannot play for Liverpool for life then he’s leaving England. Dude… this is Liverpool FC. We’re talking about Anfield, You Never Walk Alone, Bill Shankly, Hillsborough, Bruce Grobbelaar’s ‘spaghetti legs,’ Istanbul, and more Trebles than the total number of Red Devils it takes to change a light bulb. The Falklands War has truly been consigned to the dustbins of history.
Chelsea FC has done well over the last couple of years thanks to Roman Abramovich’s billions and the superb managing of former gaffer Jose Mourinho. They’ve won two Premiership titles in the last three years yet when the West London team squares off with Merseyside’s Reds, they still get riled when the Kop chants, “You’ve got no history.” Chelsea executive Peter Kenyon says that there’s a difference between connecting with the fans on a long-term basis and attracting them because you’re the new club that just won the Premiership. It takes time and a more robust grassroots connection.”
In LFC we trust, lads.
What makes Norman Black, head coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, feel the pressure of handling a winning program: “A lawyer can lose a case and few people will know. A businessman can make a bad decision and few people will know about it. But if Ateneo loses to La Salle, the whole country knows about you.”
Ah… Ateneo. When Aileen Grajales passed her entrance exam of the Masters Program, with a twinkle in her eyes she proudly wore it all the way from the Jesuit school’s Rockwell campus all the way to Loyola Heights while taking the MRT and LRT. And to think that she would only don the blue and white for one year as opposed to her several playing years in Lyceum. It’s not a knock against her alma mater; Johnny Depp may have made pirates (hence the Lady Pirates) de rigueur but blue and white any day is a lot sexier.
When you talk about Argentine club football you start and end with Boca Juniors. From Diego Maradona to Juan Roman Riquelme to Martin Palermo. Theirs is an unsurpassed legacy in Argentina. In fact, “end” is appropriate. For many a Boca Junior fan, once they’ve shuffled from this mortal coil, it’s in their will and fervent desire to be buried in a Boca coffin or for their ashes to be scattered on La Bombonera.
“Everyone (Argentine) club out there gauges their chances of winning the Clausura depending on how good Boca’s line-up is,” Maradona once said glowingly about his club that he elevated to a world power status (he also gave Naples a Serie A title as well). “But for Boca, no season is successful if it doesn’t end with a championship.”
So when the allure of $275 million and the further riches because of wearing pinstripes is the prime factor in re-signing Alex Rodriguez for another 10 years, I say no.
Sign someone who truly wants to be a Yankee. Someone who wishes to immerse himself and add to the aura and mystique that plays nightly in the Bronx. Some one with the traditions of eye black, cracker jack, of someone who longs to play in one of the most famous bits of real estate… the playing field of the House That Ruth Built.
It’s a tradition. And he’ll be remembered forever.
The author believes in old school loyalty and is proud of the fact that players like Larry Bird, Ervin Johnson, and Joe DiMaggio played out their entire careers with their one team.
UFC 78: Validation - Sorry, man. It bored the heck out of me.
Disappointing fight by Karo Parisyan. He may have collected a unanimous decision but the fight was darn boring. Not surprised the crowd at the Pru booed him and Ryo Chonan.
Thiago Silva is one mean dude. Houston Alexander had no chance. No chance at all. Thiago was just raining strikes on his chrome dome.
UFC 78 didn't do much for me and I would imagine a lot of other people. It seemed boring, lackluster, and at times uninspired. I thought that the fight had some great cards except that they didn't deliver.
Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva
Chuck "the Iceman" Liddell
So here's to seeing Chuck Liddell versus Wanderlei Silva in a Light Heavyweight match next month in UFC 79 Nemesis. The Iceman lost his last two fights and he needs a win badly or else it's all over for him. Except that Wanderlei is no pushover. Silav hasn't competed in a while after his suspension for Pride 34. And now he's back at UFC for one of the most anticipated fights of all time. Both are coming off consecutive losses so someone has to give here.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
With the Blue Eagles
Nah, I'm not replacing Ford Arao or Zion Laterre on the team. This was just an outtake of last Thursday's re-shoot of adidas' The Brotherhood campaign. This time the shoot involved the entire teams of the Blue Eagles, Lady Eagles, and Blue Eaglets. Watch out for these cool billboards on campus.
I chatted with a number of them to gauge morale and their thoughts on the season that transpired. Mike Baldos was really excited to be in the line-up, but the joy soon gave way to -- "ganito na lang ba 'to." Meaning not getting much playing time. But he was truly grateful that he was tapped by the coaching staff and played very well against some tough teams. "Kailangan mas mag-improve pa ako," he says.
Chris Sumalinog is still hoping to get a break and contribute. "One break lang," he asks. "Kaya ko naman mag-contribute." You have to like his optimism when it isn't easy sitting at the end of the bench. Everyone's thoughts are on just getting wins and hopefully a championship somewhere. "Sana kasama ako sa team pag nangyari yun," wishes Chris. "At makalaro."
Sunday Morning in Ateneo
I just dropped Matt off in Ateneo where the second module of the Ateneo Football Center is in full swing. If I wasn't feverish (I've been this way since I ate something terrible yesterday afternoon), I would have stayed to watch.
Nothing like a game of football, the smell of rain on the morning grass, the aroma of hot coffee from somewhere, and the shrill whistles that call for the start of activities.
Some folks bring books or laptops, but most watch the game going on. I watch intently and reminisce.
Time was while in the grade school, all we had were intrams and lightning football as moderated by Bro. Jess Oscariz. But when the late Chris Monfort put up the AFC, I'd say that it was the first organized sports system in the Ateneo. Even ahead of basketball. And when you think about the numerous championships from every level that sprang from it -- you can't help but be proud of it. I'd say Jong Castaneda has done a good job while inheriting the AFC from Chris.
It's fun to watch even seeing girls involved. The daughters of my neighbor and former ABL teammate Atty. Bert Mendoza all play in the AFC. Every module has some 300+ participants. There's even quite a number of students from other schools.
It's 730am Sunday morning and people are lining up to get their morning papers and Starbucks coffee. Then they haul out back onto the fields.
Nothing like a game of football, the smell of rain on the morning grass, the aroma of hot coffee from somewhere, and the shrill whistles that call for the start of activities.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Move over, Kuno. Here's the next best thing to the real thing!
There are only three Playstation games I play: NBA Live and my all-time fave...Tekken. But dudes seriously, FIFA 08 is going to dislodge Tekken (my fave characters are Forrest Law -- Bruce Lee, baby -- and Jin Kazama) as my number one game.
FIFA 08's got great animation, a whole slew of game modes, a slower game for easier pick up (but take note, it can get tricky), and it's got great atmoshphere -- they got the stadium chants, game commentary, and over-all ambiance of a match. It's very authentic which is a great compliment to any game representation.
I'd give this a 9.5 out of a 10. So why is it not perfect?
The menu is rather confusing. But it's not so bad. I'm supposed to be working but I'm on the pitch right now.
The Chicago Bulls
"We need to get out of town," says Kirk Hinrich referring to the craziness and booing back in Chi-town. And they proceed to drop their first game to Phoenix. Up next...Los Angeles. Although they're up against the Clippers they'll be in the heart of Kobe-land.
Everyone says that the Bulls start slow. Well, that's a goddam excuse. To say that in the NBA it's how you finish is a fallacy. There have been lots of teams that broke out of the gates from the beginning and won the championship. Need I elucidate?
The difference for the Bulls this year is their psyche. I'd blame John Paxson for that. Not Kobe Bryant. If the Bulls are indeed in need of veteran help they should have traded for the right person during the summer. For sure they got Joe Smith in place of PJ Brown. But was Smith the answer? Even then people weren't convinced. Yet all that pre-season talk about Kobe going to the Bulls totally undermined the team. Then Luol Deng and Ben Gordon didn't sign their offer sheets. So they are playing for their impending free agency. I'm not even sure if another Headband-gate will help them this time around.
Of course, it's still too early to pronounce the team dead on arrival when they've only played seven matches. But they are in need of CPR that's for sure.
As Scott Skiles said it, they're going to see what Chicago is all about during this western road trip since they'll be in Los Angeles for three days. Three days of intense media scrutiny.
When you have Raptors guard TJ Ford openly wondering what is wrong with the Bulls you know there's something wrong. He can feel it on the court. Different body language. Different game.
As Hinrich said as well, "We're playing like we did several years ago."
Maybe the Bulls are suffering from overgrown baby disorder.
Tennis 
Cocaine snorting ex-champs?
Nikolay Davydanko throwing a game?
And now Tommy Haas allegedly poisoned by opponents prior to a Davis Cup match?
Anyone for CSI-ITF (Crime Scene Investigation-International Tennis Federation)?
Gary Sinise will nail these bad guys in the space of an hour.
I'm not really into DefCon 4 with what's going on in tennis because I'm more interested in seeing if Masha will regain her form (her game, silly), if Andy Roddick is to Roger Federer what the Cleveland Cavaliers were to Michael Jordan, if James Blake will ever win a grand slam, if Elena Dementieva is giving away her mobile phone number, if Nikolay Davdanko really was into game fixing, if Tommy Haas was truly posioned, if Martina Hingis is just another coke-snorting blonde...
Damn...
Friday, November 16, 2007
Will Someone Snatch That Crown Off Tim Duncan's Head?
"You can't have it! It's mine. You'll have to pry it from my cold dead NBA Championship ring-adorned fingers," said TD.
"That can be arranged," cooly replied the Mavs.
During the last NBA Play-offs, I had to endure my good friend Rely San Agustin walk into the office after every San Antonio win and say, "Spurs, baby!"
To which I answer with the obligatory, "The Spurs suck big time, dude!" Followed by "The Admiral couldn't guard the Dream," and other stuff like how the four-time NBA champs are soooo boring.
In reality, I don't really hate the Spurs. While living in the States, I would oft wear my Manu Ginobili authentics (I have both home and road jerseys) on weekends in Manhattan. Yes, I was a fan of the Argentine since he was a swingman for Kinder Bologna and was ecstatic when he joined the Association. He's rounded out into an x-factor for his team, huh? And it's pretty hard to guard a guy who can shoot from the outside and drive in for a thunderous dunk. During the Spurs' third title year, I thought he should have been named the finals MVP not Tim Duncan. Thankfully, they rectified that mistake last year by naming Tony Parker the MVP.
Ginobili and Brent Barry may be the flashy players on Pop's Spurs, but the team more or less plays textbook hoops much like Larry Bird's Celtics did back in the 80's. The old Air Force man wouldn't have it any other way, right? So how come I don't like them?
Maybe it's because I'm an Eastern Conference guy. It has always been hard for me to root for the western teams. I liked the Sacto Kings for about a couple of years coz of White Chocolate, C-Webb, and company, but had they gone up against Allen Iverson's Sixers or Vince Carter's Raptors, I would have stayed true to my roots...the east is it.
Maybe it's because I think the Spurs have won enough and someone else should have an opportunity. Definitely!
Maybe it's because that Robert Horry is the luckiest schmuck in the NBA. Seven rings for being a part-time big (or cheap depending on who you're talking to) shot artist and an overrated bum who only shows up in the play-offs.
Maybe it's because I don't like Bruce Bowen.
Yeah, that's gotta be it. Snicker. Snicker.
When Golden State slew Dallas in the first round last year, I thought that San Antonio now had their road to the finals cleared of any obstacles. Sorry, but I thought that the Phoenix Suns weren't good enough to take them out (but I guess I'll have to thank Tim Donaghy now for that).
Said the Big Fundamental, "We were just happy to see them (Dallas) go away."
Dallas may crumble at the sight of the Miami Heat and the Warriors, but they eat Spurs for breakfast.
Today's 105-92 win may not count much in the early goings but should Dallas continue their recent trend of domination, it might play some mind tricks on the Spurs should they ever meet come play-off time. But the NBA's second season is altogether another animal. That's when the Spurs are the toughest.
Yet if it's possible this season, the Mavericks got even tougher with the addition of Maurice Ager and Eddie Jones. Seeing as to how the Bulls are so terrible to watch right now, I've been following the fortunes of Boston and Dallas (and Phoenix). This is a make or break year for all of those teams.
Maybe one of them will actually knock the crown off Tim Duncan's head.
Collegiate National Championship Update
November 19
2pm University of Mindanao vs. University of Visayas
4pm San Beda College vs University of Santo Tomas
November 21
2pm Far Eastern University vs Systems Technology Institute
4pm Ateneo De Manila vs. Jose Rizal University
Venue: the Arena in San Juan
Games will be televised on BTV at 5pm and 7pm respectively.
The Governator on Football
I thought that this merited re-posting in Brew. Check this out. You're about to be terminated Pachuca!
Political Fútbol
By Jack Bell
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, is best known for playing the Terminator. But Saturday night, during the game between Chelsea and David Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., the Govinator accepted the role of soccer advocate.
ESPN reporter Bonnie Bernstein cornered Schwarzenegger and asked him about the sport and its role in the U.S. athletic landscape. He provided perhaps the most intelligent and passionate defense of the game a U.S. television audience has ever heard:
Bonnie Bernstein: Governor, growing up in Austria, how popular do you remember football or soccer being back then?
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Well, I played soccer myself. I think this, like in America every kid plays football or plays a sport. You know in Austria everyone played soccer. As you grow up through school you play soccer and then later on also, and you watch every soccer game and become a fanatic about the whole thing. So, it’s really nice to see how soccer is becoming so big here in California and all over the United States. I’m looking forward to that great great explosion in soccer.
BB: Obviously, Beckham and the Galaxy have the nation’s attention right now. How realistic do you think that soccer will be able to kind of keep that momentum going and will it grow in popularity?
AS: Well, I think they are doing the right thing by bringing big stars over here because it’s all about that you know to get the media attention, as you can see. As Beckham says since he has come here he has gotten the most amount of media attention anyone could ever get. So that’s really staggering.
I think that he would inspire a lot of young kids, my young kids, who are really looking forward to coming here. That was not the case four years ago. So I think it starts with him and that is the key thing. And to educate the people of the great athleticism that it takes in order to become a great soccer player and what it takes a kind of a tremendous amount of speed power that you have, an explosive power you have to have out there and the coordination and how talented you have to be with the ball. Left leg. Right leg. How well you really have to keep the ball under control with your head. The passing. The accuracy. So, it’s really, I think they are some [of] the greatest athletes, it’s still a debate, may be are the greatest athletes in the world and it’s terrific to watch.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Fight for the Future
Fight for the Future
Champions League Match 6
November 14, 2007
Blue Eagle Gym, Ateneo De Manila University
Ford Arao sat quietly by the upper box section (close to the short cut to the athletics office) of the Blue Eagle Gym. For the most part in his five years in Ateneo, the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center was like home. It was their practice center and their refuge for convalescing. The only time the Blue Eagles played at the old barn was during pre and post-UAAP season tournaments.
Arao came straight from his PBL team practice. He was tired and looked every bit of it but he was glad to be home. “One more time, Ford,” I cheerily greeted him on my way out with Lady Eagles Coach John Flores. The big man stood and slapped hands with us.
“Hindi pa tapos,” he smiled referring to his customary post-game comment during the Blue Eagles’ hard climb to the final four of the just-concluded Season 70.
And they were going to host the San Sebastian Stags at Blue Eagle Gym.
Eric Salamat arrived around 2:30pm and immediately chatted with his former schoolmates in front of the gym. “It’s no problem facing them,” he said when asked about playing them. “It’s all business.”
Demolition DerbyAteneo started out with Rabeh Al-Husseini at the slot, Nonoy Baclao and Bacon Austria manning the forward position, and Eric Salamat and Kirk Long in the backcourt.
The Stags immediately threw a physical man-zone at the Blue Eagles with their guards bumping Long and Salamat to force them into turnovers and hurried shots.
Little did they know that the Ateneo coaching staff in all their post-UAAP scrimmages had the referees calling the same ticky-tacky calls they were being whistled for. And the officials for the game were PBL referees who aren't whistle happy at the slightest contact.
So the team played a more frenetic passing game and began pounding the rock inside. “Can’t foul your man if he doesn’t have the ball,” said Salamat later on referring to the team’s quick passing game. Relishing his starting job and the opportunity to play against his former school, Salamat and his buddy Long were pests on defense and forced the Stags’ guards to let their forwards handle the ball. And this is where things got interesting.
With Al-Husseini playing a more physical game and Baclao altering the shot trajectories of the Stags’ big men, Salamat (five steals) and Long played the passing lanes. And the duo, along with the second unit, proceeded to run their former NCAA foes out of the gym.From an 8-all score at the 5:40 mark of the first quarter, the quicksilver line-up of Arao, Ken Barracoso, Yuri Escueta, Salamat and Long wound up the first 10 minutes of action with a mighty 18-0 kick. The two teams were pretty much even in the second quarter until Ateneo’s patented third quarter surge saw them pile up an already huge 20-point halftime lead (44-24) into a 62-35 bulge. By the fourth quarter, the Blue Eagles had an answer for every Stag basket as they held on for the win.
The Replacement Killers
Barracoso was spectacular as he scored on a variety of drives and calm outside shots (he would finish with 13 points, four rebounds and one assist and one steal) to break the dam wide open. His three-pointer with the first quarter clock winding down was a monstrous statement. “All I can try to do is get better,” said the now-goateed swingman. “I’m grateful that coach is giving me the opportunity to make up for it.”
As Coach Black stated after the game, while they are trying to win as much as they can, they are also using the opportunity to prepare the other players for their next UAAP campaign.
And for the hundred-plus fans who trooped to the gym on a late-Wednesday afternoon, they got to see Mike Baldos who should emerge as a scoring force for next year throw his guards off with his version of the dream shake on his way to 10 points. Salamat, ever the hell-raiser, was the catalyst for the game as his stifling defense on the San Sebastian guards, made it difficult for their offense to set up.
It’s a luxury to have that defensive pressure from inside (Baclao) and out (Salamat) for it creates scoring opportunities for all. The Blue Eagles scored 33 turnover points to San Sebastian’s measly five points off turnovers.
If Gallent was an animated figure by the sidelines of the Recoletos team during the first half as he worked the officials and cajoled his players to execute better, he never got back up from his seat during the second half. The Blue Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals with a 78-51 victory.
After the game, Black exchanged high fives with his players. “Thanks, Ford,” he said to his big man who will don the Blue Eagle jersey for at least one more game.
Arao (8 points and 5 boards) smiled as he made his way to the dugout. “Hindi pa tapos,” he simply said. And then he was gone.
Post-game:
Before the team trooped to the dugout for a final post-game huddle, Norman gathered the players, “Let’s get ready for the school hymn,” he said. He stood for a few moments and seemed puzzled. “No singing,” he asked to no one in particular. You have to admire someone who has great respect for the school’s traditions. Thanks, coach!
“Hopefully, we’ve got three more games in us,” said the third-year mentor. “But now we’ll be up against the tougher teams. We’ll be working hard for this.”
In the meantime, Eric Salamat trooped out of the gym looking around. “I’m hungry,” he softly said amidst the sea of well wishers. “Pero mas gutom ako para sa championship.”
Ateneo 78 - Al-Husseini 18, Barracoso 13, Salamat 12, Baldos 10, Arao 8, Escueta 7, Long 6, Baclao 4, Austria 0, Reyes, 0, Monfort 0, Sumalinog 0
San Sebastian 51 – Viray 9, Aquino 9, Bulawan 7, Ballesteros 6, Juan 6, Delgado 5, De Leon 5, Raymundo 2, Saquillo 2, Najorda 0, Del Rio 0, Zulueta 0
And the nominees for new PBA Commish are...
The candidates for new PBA Commissioner are lawyer Chito Salud, telecom executive Lambert Ramos, businessman Arben Santos, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Patrick Gregorio, National Basketball Association Asia executive Carlo Singson and Ricky Palou, former PBA finance director and Ateneo’s representative to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines board.
Pretty interesting bunch.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Random Stuff
Spoke with Joe Lipa and he cleared up some stuff. To his knowledge, he hasn't received any notice that he's been banned from the gym. So he's going to proceed with the simple training for the boys to work out their rust. He knows he's not going to be there for long so he's not doing any recruiting or what. He's just calling for practice.
The Ateneo Men's Football Team. Sorry but I haven't really followed them since the end of the last UAAP season. I'll make an assessment of them soon. Kinda hard since I didn't get to see them much in action. If Hamed were playing this year I'd say we'd have a fighting chance. But as long as my main man Pat Ozaeta's suiting up, we'll always have a chance.
Blue Eagles account vs San Sebastian will be up tomorrow around noon.
A Clash of Blue
A good friend of ours Mickey Ingles is inviting everyone to watch a special practice game between the "old" (meaning players of the three-peat era) and the current Blue Booters team at the Ateneo High School field at 7pm.
Cheer our team on, guys! It's also the last year of team captain Pat Ozaeta. Hey, Pat!
Go Blue!
A Strong Uni-Games Showing by the Blue & White
The Ateneo De Manila University sent seven of its teams to Bacolod for the 12th University Games that took place from October 22-28, 2007.
Some 42 universities and colleges from all over the country sent their athletes to Bacolod where the University of St. La Salle once more hosted the annual sporting event.
Of the seven Ateneo varsity teams that competed, five placed at least third in the standings.
In basketball, the Blue Eagles ran roughshod over the competition in their first six games before falling to Far Eastern University 59-67 in the championship. It was actually their worst game of the tournament as they came out flat while the Tamaraws flexing their muscles for next year’s UAAP campaign were firing on all cylinders. Prior to the championship, the Blue Eagles beat their foes by an average of 44 points per game.
In football, the Blue Booters lost in the semi-finals to De La Salle University 0-4 while the Lady Booters finished in third place. It was the highest ever placement for Ateneo Women’s football in team competition.
The men’s volleyball team failed to advance beyond the eliminations while the men’s and women’s lawn tennis teams and the men’s and women’s athletics teams finished at third place as well.
University Athletics Director Richard Palou said that he was very happy with the showing of our athletes. But he still felt that the Blue Eagles should have played better and maybe even won their championship match. “But that isn’t so bad when you consider that the team was without several players who were either abroad or had graduated already,” said Palou.
Ateneo will now train its sights on its second semester teams as it hopes to better its over-all finish.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
How about some old school loyalty to the club?
Defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano will quit English football if he fails to agree a permanent move to Liverpool, he said on Sunday.
'I only want to play for Liverpool,' Mascherano told British newspapers. 'I hope the situation will be sorted in the next month. 'If I cannot play for Liverpool I will not play for another club in England. Not even Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United.'
Mascherano is from Argentina signed an 18-month loan deal with the Anfield club when he left Premier League rivals West Ham United in January. In 30 caps with the Argentine National team, Mascherano scored two goals.
Are you listening, Mr. Show-Me-the-Money A-Rod?
The Audacity of Hope in the Business Mirror
This is posted in my other blog: http://the11-25pages.blogspot.com. And it's out today in the Business Mirror.
Collegiate National Championship Update
Games tomorrow at Blue Eagle Gym:
UE vs STI 2pm
ADMU vs. SSC 4pm
UE is upset because of their low seeding (the media seeded them as such, Dindo). DLSU won't play because Franz says his boys are tired.
Let the games begin.
