Friday, April 30, 2010
Today @ SingCity
From ESPN: Yankees not most-hated baseball team? Screw the haters, man!
With 27 World Series championships, baseball's highest payroll and some of the most boastful fans in sports, the New York Yankees have to be the team other baseball fans love to hate, right? Wrong.
According to a formula created by The Nielsen Company, there are four teams more detested than the Bronx Bombers, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The No. 1 most-disliked team in baseball, according to the formula, is the Cleveland Indians.
The Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' archrival, rank No. 2 on the list.
The formula helps determine whether consumers have positive, negative or neutral reactions to brands in their online messages. Nielsen's "Sentiment Rankings" range from 5 to minus-5. No team finished with a negative number. But six teams finished with a number lower than 2.
Some of the others making the not-so top 10: Chicago White Sox (No. 7), Baltimore Orioles (No. 8), New York Mets (No. 9) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 10).
At least one Indians blogger wasn't surprised by the findings.
"I can believe that though," Deep Left Field Indians blogger Ed Carroll told the newspaper. "The team does a lot to alienate its fans."
The Cincinnati Reds (No. 3) and Houston Astros (No. 4) also ranked higher than the Yankees on the hatred scale. The Washington Nationals (No. 6) were the only other team to have a number lower than 2.
The San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics were the most popular teams among fans, according to Nielsen's study.
A couple of books I picked up at Borders (Wheelock Place in Orchard Road)
Finally got me a new copy of this DVD
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Universal Studios Singapore
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Day One in Singapore April 2010
This takes me back when I first became a fan of football: the New York Cosmos
Castrol & A trip to watch the World Cup in South Africa
An interview with Castrol’s Country Marketing Manager Paul Salapantan.
Rick: How did Castrol come about getting involved in football?
Paul: Castrol has been so involved with motorsports that we just had to take a look back and see what we were missing out. It’s fine really and an obvious choice but we figured out that we were missing all these ordinary blokes of guys and girls. Football is the world’s number one sports and its values are so in tune with Castrol that it just had to happen.
There are so many groups or even sports that we could tap into. We’re not just into this World Cup in South Africa but even the next one in Brazil. It’s a worldwide commitment to the game.
Rick: And that opportunity here in the Philippines was through Soccer Fiesta?
Paul: First of all, we had to determine which groups to support. All have the same passion and zeal for sports but the ideal situation for us was to affiliate ourselves with groups and outfits that can get things done.
When it came to soccer fiesta, it was an easy decision to partner with people like Rely San Agustin and Peter Amores who have a passion for sports. Rely knows what he’s doing and his heart is in the right place. Peter is doing an amazing job with the Futkaleros.
Rick: So what do you think of Soccer Fiesta?
Paul: I think it’s a wonderful way to get our feet on the ground. The turnout could be better but with all the summer camps going on, all these events going on, we are still happy. It’s also a way to let people know that we’re here and we’re supporting football.
Rick: So this is like when McDonald’s first came out in the last World Cup as a supporter of football?
Paul: Yes. Exactly. McDonald’s was known for its involvement in basketball and now, four years later, they’re a huge part of the world game.
Rick: I take it that you’re having the time of your life with this.
Paul: Definitely. It makes me feel young again. My kids are playing the game. Everyone is getting into it. I used to play this (in Colegio de San Agustin) and now – how things have turned around – I’m a part of a company that’s into its development.
Rick: Then this is a righteous opportunity!
Paul: It is! If you want to watch the World Cup Finals – and that’s for the Cup! Then this is your chance. It’s an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa to watch the world’s biggest sporting spectacle outside of the Olympics.
CASTROL SKILLS CHALLENGE
Castrol is giving away an all-expense paid trip to Johannesburg, South Africa to watch the 2010 World Cup FINALS Match as the grand prize. Only one winner will win this. For every purchase of at least 2 LITERS of selected Castrol products from any ACE HARDWARE STORE or BOOTH situated at the event, entitles the bearer to a one-time slot at the Skills Challenge Qualifiers. He can participate at the following qualifying dates:
May 1 @ the BLOCK Atrium SM City North Edsa (We will be taking the top 50
Qualifiers for this day); STARTS AT 3PM.
The objective is to finish the obstacle course at the fastest possible time. The challenges involve basic soccer skills such as dribbling, juggling, shooting, passing and shuttle running.
If the bearer qualifies, he will come back on May 2 (the BLOCK SM City North Edsa) for the Finals. Winner here gets the grand prize.
OPEN TO:
2. Must have a valid passport
3. Must have proof of purchase of at least two (2) liters of selected Castrol
products from Ace Hardware that is purchased from April 1, 2010 to May 01, 2010.
(NOTE: PRICE MAY VARY PER VENUE)
Castrol Magnatec (1 liter) – P 299.00
Castrol Edge (4 liters) - P 2,772.00
Castrol Edge (1 liter) – P 700.00
Castrol Edge Sport (4 liters) – P 3,560.00
Castrol CRB (4 liters) – P 640.00
Castrol CRB (1 liter) – P 165.00
Castrol CRB Turbo (4 liters) – P 740.00
Castrol CRB Turbo (1 liter) – P 187.00
Castrol Power 1 (1 liter) – P 250.00
Castrol Power 1 Racing (1 liter) – P 450.00
4. Must fill-up and submit the Official Castrol Skills Challenge Registration Form
online via download at www.soccerfiesta2010.multiply.com or at the venue.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Smart Gilas' imports for the FIBA Champions Cup?
Game 2 of Smart Gilas' North American tour
The New York Yankees visit Obama
A Chat with the Ateneo Blue Eagles' Jason Escueta
Rick: Hi, Jason. You came over from the USA, right? What part? You grew up there?
Jason: I’m from Los Angeles, California, but I pretty much grew up here in Manila. I lived in Caloocan 'til I was 16 years old before moving to the U.S.
Jason: I was a walk-in tryout. I wanted to see if I can be a part of the team. I was part of a traveling team from L.A. that goes here every year. I actually tried out twice. I wasn't invited to stay the first time so when we went back again I wanted to see if I can make it the 2nd time around. Thank God I did.
Jason: Yes, basketball was my first sport. I played volleyball in my high school too. I did play in some Filipino and Asian leagues in the US.
My basketball idols are Grant Hill and Hakeem Olajuwon. I really liked how they play because they play very simple but efficient.
Jason: It wasn’t as tough as I expected. The hardest thing about playing for Team B is the morning practice. Other than that playing for Team B was great. I had great teammates and great coaches. It made my first two years in the Ateneo so much better.
Jason: Playing for the Blue Eagles is one of the greatest feelings I've felt in my whole life. When I was younger I never imagined myself playing college basketball. So now the feeling of wearing Ateneo across my chest is really a dream come true and one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.
Jason: JP and I have been dedicated from day one to win a championship ever since we were on team B. It is still our goal even after our transfer to team A. JP is a very hardworking and talented player, and I believe that with his continued improvement he will be a very important factor to successfully defend the crown this year. We know we both will step up and we'll do what is needed in order to win.
Jason: It isn't that difficult to fit in with the team. Everyone has been great to the new players. The veterans of the team have been supportive to everyone, not just the rookies, in order for us to be on the same page when the UAAP season starts.
Rabeh and Nonoy will probably go down as two of the best basketball players in the Ateneo, so of course there is pressure, but that pressure doesn't fall on me alone. We have a very capable team and I believe that when the time comes we will fill out the void that is left by Rabs and Noy perfectly.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Game 1 of Smart Gilas' North American tour
Bleachers' Brew #206 The Trainer
The Trainer
by rick olivares
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Train like the pros. Jim Saret’s second Speed, Agility & Quickness Camp (sponsored by Milo and APEX – Athletic Performance Enhancement Training) improves agility, hand-eye coordination, explosiveness, reaction time, conditioning and power development. The next camps will be held from May 12-20 at the Ateneo football field 8am-930am and the Philsports Arena, in Pasig City from May 12-20 430-6pm. Interested parties my text Cookie at 0906-387-5058 or Jen at 0920-952-1979.
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Soccer Fiesta. You can win an all-expenses paid trip to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa by joining the Castrol Skills Challenge at the Soccer Fiesta at The Block at the SM City North EDSA. It entails simple juggling, dribbling, passing, a shuttle run, and kicking the ball into the goal in the fastest possible time. A participant must be at least 18 years old with a valid passport and he/she must purchase at least 2 liters of selected Castrol products at any Ace Hardware store. The Qualifying Round will be held on Saturday May 1 at while the finals will be held on the following day, Sunday, May 2. For a demonstration on the skills challenge, look up “Soccer Fiesta 2010 Castrol Skills Challenge” on YouTube. This an opportunity of a lifetime, folks!
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Is it in you? It was only recently that I learned of the story of Gatorade and how it began as a simple science project that helped the University of Florida win a football game. The fallacy about Gatorade is that drinking it during games will help replace those lost electrolytes. The truth is, one has to hydrate or drink it before, during, and after games. The sports energy drink giant has embarked on its sweat test program where they will monitor a few UAAP and NCAA teams. They’ve prepared a hydration program for the squads that should provide very interesting information about the teams and their progress especially after the college basketball season is done.