Friday Stuff

Post-UST-NU match interview with Pido Jarencio

- I think that at the height of the walk out and petulance showed by the French National Team in South Africa, I wrote that new coach Laurent Blanc should not get any of the players for national duty. And in an upcoming international friendly against Norway, they'll be bringing in an entirely different squad to play. Yes, there's really nothing at stake like the Euros or WC qualifiers but it's good. Maybe the ban should be extended up to another couple of matches.

- Still more fallout from the World Cup -- Diego Maradona is not renewed as Argentina coach. Now that was something coming his way. His allegations of "betrayal" by football association officials is standard reply. Just as much as coaches who blame the officiating for their troubles win or lose. 

- On my final words on the WC in South Africa, here is my first XI: 

GK - Iker Casillas

Back Four - Maicon (Brazil), Lucio (Brazil), Carles Puyol (Spain) & Philipp Lahm (Germany)

Midfield - Thomas Muller (Germany), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Xavi (Spain), Wesley Sneijder (Holland)

Forwards - David Villa (Spain) and Diego Forlan (Uruguay)

I was tempted to list Arjen Robben in the midfield but Xavi was so crucial to Spain's success. Ditto with Portugal's Eduardo as keeper but Saint Iker was better throughout the tournament. The same for Miroslav Klose but he's a better poacher and Villa was superb in the World Cup taking shots from the outside or in.

- Tough loss for DLSU in yesterday's match against FEU. I thought in their final play in regulation, the ball should have been given to Joshua Webb so he could take it to the basket. As it happened, Joel Tolentino was the one who drove and got smothered. It was a reversal of their win against Ateneo where they were in the lead for pretty much the whole game until they ran out of steam in the last few minutes of the game.

- Big games today at the NCAA. Mapua takes on Letran while in the main game it's JRU versus San Sebastian. Letran needs the win if they want to get back into the hunt for a Final Four seat. A loss would doom them because they'd be at 1-4. That gives Arellano some leeway. Remember the Chiefs finished at #5 last year (or was it sixth?). As for the main game, the Heavy Bombers need to get a lot of players involved in the offense and to rebound some if they want to win against the Stags who are heavily favored for this game. If Raycon Kabigting, Nate Matute or Alex Almario are hitting their shots from the outside that would open up the lane for the Lopezes -- John and Mark who are great athletic specimens -- and Joe Etame. But anytime you throw in Calvin Abueva in there, this guy creates havoc both figuratively and literally. And if Ronald Pascual (great lift on that jumpshot and the best I've seen since Don Don Hontiveros) is active on both ends then it's going to be a long afternoon for JRU.


I'll say this about JRU -- if John Wilson were playing they'd be a heavy contender. As such without him... it's just a San Sebastian-San Beda affair.


-- I cannot believe that Roy Oswalt might have a chance to go to the Philadelphia Phillies. They have Roy Halladay and if they get Oswalt now those guys are going to be unbeatable. 


-- The sooner Alex Rodriguez hits #600 the better it will be for him and the team. All those at-bats and waiting causes some anxiety and that excess energy is better off left for something else.