Anyone see that Calvin Abueva/One Direction billboard along C5?

Has Calvin Abueva joined One Direction? Hmm. Something's brewing over there along C5. Wonder what it is.

Sam Ekwe: A legacy and a journey

I tracked down former San beda Red Lion Samuel Ekwe to get his opinion on the proliferation of Africans in college basketball today. The short story sort of evolved from the issue to where Sam is now. For the record, I am all right with the Africans but deplore how their recruitment has become bastardized. I'll have something about that soon as I am writing a series of opinion-editorials on the UAAP's latest controversy. In the meantime, I hope you like this.

This appears in abs-cbnnews.com

Sam Ekwe: A legacy and a journey

by rick olivares

When the new college basketball season tips off, at least five NCAA and six UAAP schools will have Africans in their basketball rosters. And that’s not counting the other leagues around the country.

While the NCAA will be banning them from play in a few years’ time, the UAAP is going full blast on this with De La Salle digging deep into the sweepstakes with the transfer of Ben Mbala from Southwestern University to Taft this coming school year.

The floodgates burst since San Beda College paraded a 6’8” tower of power in Nigerian Samuel Ekwe who was a massive help in ending a 28-year title drought. With Ekwe in the line-up, the Red Lions first served notice by winning the Fr. Martin’s tournament during Ekwe’s debut. They then went on to win three straight NCAA championships to reestablish SBC as a college basketball power. They have since won one title with American Sudan Daniel and another with another Nigerian in Ola Adeogun.

I caught up with Sam Ekwe the other day to relate to him the changes in the college basketball landscape since he left. Ekwe is now playing with the High Desert Spartans in the West Coast Basketball League, a professional league in the United States. He also had a stint with WCBL team Santa Barbara Breakers.

When he learned of the legacy he left behind in the Philippines, Ekwe was happy. “If I have paved the way for my fellow Africans to find their niche in the Philippines then it is good. I feel good about it, if people follow what you did, that means it is a good thing. It is a life changing thing for me so I will always feel good about it. And it is all a blessing.”

It was former San Beda assistant coach Jude Roque (who along with current Red Cubs coach Britt Reroma) who recruited Ekwe through Filipinos based in Nigeria. At that time, Ekwe thought that he would be heading for Canada to try his luck. “Jude wrote me all the time,” recalled Ekwe of that period. “He told me how it would be good for me there.”

Before Ekwe could matriculate in San Beda, Roque had to do his due diligence. “I had to check the NCAA rules,” recounted Roque in a phone interview with this writer. “When I saw that it was possible, we had to make sure that all the papers were in order for Sam to go to us. Of course, the rules have changed since.”

Ekwe then said to be going to Manila to study to become a priest. “I attended Catholic preparatory, Catholic Grade school, Catholic High (missionary school) prior to San Beda,” revealed the Nigerian. “I said ‘If God calls me to the priesthood, I would go for it.’ But He didn't so is all good as well.”

Regarding his introduction to the Philippine brand of basketball, the Enugu, Nigeria native related: “When I first came to the Philippines, I knew how to play, but I needed to adjust to the way it is played there. It was very physical. Sometimes I felt like I always had to prove myself as a man on the court.”

Ekwe was a dominant force in the NCAA. In his first year, 2006, aside from leading the Red Lions to the title, he was also named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and a spot on the Mythical Five selection.

In 2008, he was also MVP of the elimination and finals round of the NCAA as he led SBC to a three-peat.

After his stellar if not legendary career with the Red Lions, the Laguna Trace Stallions of the Liga Pilipinas drafted Ekwe. “I wanted to play in the PBA, however the rule did not allow me to fit in, so after my contract with Laguna expired, I decided to migrate to the States.”

It has been a roller coaster ride in the US. The responsibilities he learned as a result of his stay in the Philippines has served Ekwe in good stead. He rents a small apartment where he does his own cooking and housekeeping.

On the basketball side, Ekwe has suited up for teams across the alphabet soup of pro-amateur basketball leagues around the West Coast from The Drew Summer League, Who's Next, WCBL, the Jester Black League National Pro-Am League (a tournament where R&B star Brian McKnight plays with his team, Goliath) and a few other leagues. Ekwe has also been contacted by a few NBA D-League teams for a tryout but the timing has never been perfect as he was either out of the US or preparing to leave. “It is always the wrong time but it is all good.”

Of late, Ekwe has been looking at opportunities to play in South America. But he has never given up his dream of playing in the NBA or even going back to the Philippines. “I’ve been to many countries but the top three are Nigeria, the USA, and of course, the Philippines.”

As the man says, the road isn’t easy, but it’s all good.

NU Bulldogs re-armed to the teeth for Filoil tourney

This appears in the Tuesday March 26, 2013 edition of the Business Mirror.

NU Bulldogs re-armed to the teeth for Filoil tourney

by rick olivares

Defending Filoil Flying V Premier Cup champions National University are heading into the summer competition sans three mainstays of their rotation from last season.

Choice Ignacio and Ajeet Singh are both out of the lineup while Cameroonian Henri Betayene is out with an injury. Two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player Ray Parks has only recently gotten back from a hand injury but should otherwise be ready for the summer tournament.

In the place of the missing Bulldogs are former Mapua Red Robins gunner JJ Alejandro and 6’6” Cameroonian forward-center Alfred Arogo. Alongside the pair of 6’7” forward-centers Emmanuel Mbe and Troy Rosario, the trio will form one of the tallest line-ups in college basketball. Also playing close to the basket are fourth year forward Glenn Khobuntin and Kyle Neypes.

The new additions will ensure a deep rotation for the Bulldogs that went as much as 12 deep in last year’s UAAP season.

“Just like last year, we want to use this tournament to polish our game,” said third year NU head coach Eric Altamirano whose Bulldogs made the Final Four last season where they were promptly dispatched by UST. “We try to give our new guys more exposure so they will get used to playing with our older players. I'm not really sure how we will do this year but hopefully we will still be playing until the first week of June.”

Added Parks: “I think we’re all a year older and wiser. Hopefully our shortcomings will make us hungrier for some championships this year.”

With all teams beefing up their line-ups, Altamirano expects all schools to take the same approach for the Filoil tourney. “I expect all the teams to be tough this year,” added Altamirano who once played for the UP Fighting Maroons. “But at least for this tournament, we are more focused with how we will play as a team and if we can execute the things that we worked on in the off season.”

The Filoil Flying V Premier Cup is slated for tip-off on April 13, 2013 at the Filoil Flying V San Juan Arena.

Bleachers' Brew #365 The Hypocrisy Rule Part 2 (on that two-year residency period rule in the UAAP)

This appears in the Monday March 25, 2013 edition of the Business Mirror.

The Hypocrisy Rule Part 2

by rick olivares

While in discussion with a team manager from a UAAP school the other day, he explained why his school voted for the imposition of the two-year residency rule for student-athletes moving from one UAAP high school to another UAAP college.

It goes like this: when a school recruits a person who happens to be a terrific athlete, it spends for his or her transportation, board and lodging, training, schooling, and allowances among others. Some of the better athletes are sometimes asked to sign contracts that will ensure their staying in the school system from high school until college.

This team manager believes that it is only right that the school keep what they invested in. Should the person want to transfer, the new school must pay for the expenses incurred (including some pricey freebies thrown) and the student must sit out two years before playing!

There is a lot that is wrong with that statement including the word “investment”. This not like a showbiz or broadcast talent leaving one station for another. That is a business decision where there are “no compete” clauses in contracts and such.

First of all, in the absence of rules, whatever recruiting methods practiced are considered legal. But that begets the argument that whatever happened to collegiate sports? Furthermore, is what is going on moral? Isn’t the term “student-athlete” and not “athlete-student”?

For the sake of argument, should student-athletes be signing contracts when they are minors (regardless whether they have parents or guardians with them at the time of the signing)?

Schools are willing to offer contracts to these athletic marvels that’s like a free pass to college but to the regular student in high school, he or she must still take the entrance exam to their own college?

I find it hilarious that a student who will pay tuition will not get a free pass while an athlete who will be paid to play for that school. And that is what is wrong with college sports today.

Let’s ditch that “amateur” tag. With all the recruiting going on with these rumors of packages regarding gas stations, cars, condos, houses and lots, allowances, paying for a parent’s medical fees, refurbishing a school’s basketball court, sending a player’s college coach (plus one) on an all-expenses paid trip to the United States, laptops, and whatnot, college sports has become professional in nature. And now they even come with agents!

Lost in the shuffle is education. What ever happened to education?

Once upon a time, I thought that the ultimate recruiting pitch was to play for a school. That was it. Playing for a school was a labor of love.

That changed in the 1990s when recruiting went into overdrive.

I find it highly offensive that in order to get players or keep players they have to be paid. And then as minors, even with their parents behind them, they are made to sign agreements. A kid at that point, not knowing the entire world before him, will sign just to get somewhere.

That is why I am extremely proud of Mickey Ingles, the recent bar top-notcher who captained his college football team to three titles then decided to forego his final playing year to study in China before plunging into law school. Mickey played in the United Football League for a while but as much as he loved the sport (he also never knew the UFL would get that big) he studied hard, worked part time in a law firm, then topped the bar. He now plays in my Ateneo Football League where he can still play the game on weekends. Ingles, in my opinion, is the epitome of the student-athlete and should do more as a more solid recruiting pitch that what any other package. You know, play on a winning team and get a good education. But then again, I could be wrong. The lure of the package especially for the not-so-well-off can be too enticing.

Unfortunately, the way college sports is run nowadays, winning is everything.

I believe that a player recruited for a high school, no matter what the cost, would have returned and paid that debt by already playing out the years asked of him. We would love for homegrown players to stay where they are but it doesn’t work that way. People will always make choices on what they want to do, what they want to learn, where they want to study (or even if they do not want to study for the matter), and where they want to play.

I can understand the one-year residency when someone transfers colleges but to sit out two years straight from high school to college? That doesn’t make sense. As I have previously written, it’s modern-day slavery.

Recruiting has become like trying to win the affection of a girl. You go out with her on dates, you spend for flowers, dining, movies, out of town trips, cellphones, laptops, gifts – doesn’t this sound all too familiar – yet some times, one loses her in the end because she chooses someone else. It is a fact of life.

How does one take rejection? Some drink. Some eat. Some cry. Some drink, eat, and cry. Some shrug and take the advice that “there’s lots of fish in the ocean.” Some do other things to be distracted. Some take it the wrong way by posting intimate videos or pictures on social media.

Some on the other hand, pass rules like a two-year residency period. 

-----------------------------

Here's The Hypocrisy Rule Part 1

And here is Senator Pia Cayetano's letter to the UAAP Board

Season Three Day One: What is the Ateneo Football League?

What is the Ateneo Football League?

by rick olivares

It’s about reliving one’s glory days

Ebong Joson downed a glass of water, refilled it then doused it on his head. “Sarap! Parang high school ulit!” he exclaimed.

It’s about playing a child’s game

Someone went up to Mike Zamora. Unfortunately, he couldn’t remember his name. Said Mr. X, “Hey, Mike! I heard you're playing the team of my son.”

It’s the third season of the alumni football league of the Ateneo and its brother schools

“Unfortunately,” said former Ateneo keeper and AFL tournament official Jerry Ngo, “We’re all a year older.”

It’s about playing a child’s game II

After Caf Bench United defeated Titan, 6-0, players from the losing side came over to shake their hands while saying, “Nice game po.”

It’s about playing hurt

Peter Ian Mortillero, who played on Ateneo’s UAAP Men’s Football three-peat champions and is suiting up for White Mamba, was playing with a tear in his ACL.

“Sana hindi lumala. Sarap maglaro kasi.”

It’s about being respectful of your elders

A player for two-time college champions, Aria, knocked down White Mamba midfielder Mickey Ingles who recently made news for topping the bar and being the epitome of the Ateneo student-athlete. The player profusely apologized to Ingles.

Quipped a teammate: “If he didn’t do that he’d be staring at a lawsuit.”

It’s about reliving your Ateneo school days and getting beat in their last game from last season.

Juan Sanz FC is named after the team’s late Jesuit professor from Ateneo de Naga. Last season, they took a beating from Loyola Agila, the two-time champion from the 31-and-above division, both figuratively and literally.

This year, they sent a much better squad anchored by the defense of central back Kevin Macasaet, the forays of new forward Joel Carbonilla, and keeper Atty. Jose Mari Carpio, is the brother of former national player and UST head coach Nonoy Carpio, and who after graduation from Ateneo took up law at Georgetown.

This year, Juan Sanz came to the AFL on a mission to beat Loyola Agila. They did with a 6-1 victory with four goals coming from Dave Clavo.

It’s playing because one loves the game so much.

While all the players are from Ateneo de Naga, four are still currently based in Naga City while three live in Batangas. On game days, the quartet from Bicol take the eight-hour bus trip to Manila and arrive early in the morning then they take the eight-hour bus ride back to Naga in the evening.

It’s a good thing they won their first match of the season for the second year running or else it would be a really long bus ride back.

It’s a family affair.

Yesterday, two families played one another – MyTunes FC are composed of the Achacoso family while Gana FC are from the Tanjuatco family (where the former won). This brings new meaning to the saying, “The family that plays together, stays together.”

It’s about champions.

White Mamba, composed of the 2004-06 UAAP champion team took on Aria, a team with a few members of the 2013 UAAP champions.

Later in the day, Boj Kohouty took on Mang Chester United in a match that went to a penalty shootout (there are no draws in the AFL). Yu Murayama, who recently took part in three penalty shootouts in the UAAP en route to the finals, was once more on a team that went to a shootout. In the UAAP Finals, he faced old Ateneo teammate Ty Caballes who won a title with UP as goalkeeper. Murayama scored the winning goal in each shootout. This time around, he had Caballes’ brother, Cyrus, as a teammate and who scored a spectacular goal from midfield to level the match at 3-3 before the shootout.

But Boj Kohouty missed two spot kicks while Mang Chester United made good on theirs for a 5-3 win.

Yesterday’s results:

4B United defeated ABS-CBN 7-1

White Mamba defeated Aria 2-0

MyTunes defeated Gana 9-0

Victorious Secret defeated Cay 8-6

Los Tontos Talentados defeated Atletico San Valentin 8-4

Tapulan United defeated Schublig 5-2

Juan Sanz defeated Loyola Agila 6-1

Team Popoys defeated Mix Vergara 5-3

Mang Chester United defeated Boj Kohouty 5-3 in penalties

B2002 Katipunan Craft defeated Teamba 8-4

Cojones defeated Psykicks Potato Corner 4-2
Caf Bench defeated Tita 6-0

My goals of the Opening Day

Aldous Tongson, Mix Vergara vs Team Popoys -- long range volley

Cyrus Caballes, Boj Kohouty vs Mang Chester United -- shot from midfield to tie the match at 3-3

Mickey Ingles, White Mamba vs Aria -- blows by two defenders, sidefoot shot that hits the first post then ricochets to the keeper and to the back of the net.

----------------

The Ateneo Football League was established in 2009 by Rick Olivares and Rely San Agustin. Jerry Ngo is our Tournament Director. He actually decided to stay home this summer and attend to the AFL rather join his family in a trip to Europe. This third season of the AFL, we will finally go to TWO conferences. 

Caf Bench United. Mga tambay sa Caf Bench.

Juan Sanz FC - the team from Ateneo de Naga (with a few from AdMU)

Mang Chester United (players from the Ateneo UAAP teams of the last few years)

Victorious Secret - players from Xavier and Ateneo

White Mamba (mostly made up of the 2006 UAAP Champion Team)

Belingon, Catalan to fight for Philippine honor at One FC Kings and Champions

This appears in philstar.com

Belingon, Catalan to fight for Philippine honor at One FC Kings and Champions

by rick olivares

Two Filipino fighters will be in the fight card for One Fighting Championship: Kings and Champions this coming April 5 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Kevin Belingon, who finally won his first One FC match in three outings with a first round technical knockout of Russian Yusup Saadulaev last October 6, 2012 also in Singapore, will be up against Vietnamese fighter Thanh “Alladin” Vu in a bantamweight match.

The 20-year old Vu defeated Malaysian Mohd Fouzien who is eight years his senior in his One FC debut for a 5-0-1 record. Vu decked Fouzien with a left-right combination barely a minute into the fight. He threw a few more punches while landing four knees to the Malaysian’s head and body before Japanese referee Kenichi Serizawa put the match to an end.

Belingon, the Ifugao native fighting out of Baguio City and who currently holds a 10-2 record is wary of his opponent. “I don't have much information on him because his fight was so short. But from what I can see he is quite technical with his standup. I will make sure I do not leave any openings and I will attack him when I get the chance. I am confident I will win this fight.”

Belingon has not fought competitively in the last six months but despite the ring rust, he believes it will not be a factor. “Absolutely not,” said the Team Lakay fighter who is looking forward to advancing in the One FC’s Bantamweight Grand Prix Final. “I have been concentrating on getting better with each training session and I a few new moves up my sleeve now. The version of me you will see on April 5th will be so much better than anything you have seen in the past. In Team Lakay, we push ourselves so hard in training that a layoff will not affect me. “

He helped out in the training of  fellow Tam Lakay fighters Rey Docyogen and Honorio Banario who both fought in last February’s One FC: Return of Warriors at Kuala Lumpur. Banario defeated fellow Filipino Eric Kelly while Shinichi Kojima defeated Docyogen via submission.

Newcomer Rene Catalan will be facing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specialist Alex Silva in a flyweight match as part of the undercards.

Catalan, a native of Santa Barbara, Iloilo is a four-time Wushu World Champion and an Asian Games Gold Medalist who one coached the Canadian National Wushu Team.

As a youngster, Catalan competed in boxing, taekwondo and other combat sports before eventually finding his niche in combat sports.  

He is excited to make his debut at One FC: Kings and Champions. “One FC is the home of champions and since I have been champion at my branch of martial arts, I was signed. I am excited to test my skills against champions of other disciplines. 

Despite facing a world champion in Alex Silva in his maiden fight outside the Philippines, Catalan debunked any nervousness. “I have competed in Wushu and Sanshou competitions all over the world so this is nothing new for me. I am more excited than nervous to walk out to 12,000 screaming fans in the Singapore Indoor Stadium.”

Regarding the Brazilian whose submissions are world-class, Catalan is optimistic of his chances: “I think this is a classic striker versus grappler matchup. I hope to stay on my feet and land a few strikes on him. I will finish him standing, no doubt about it.”   

One FC: Kings and Champions will be headlined by a Lightweight World Championship showdown between submission ace Shinya Aoki and our reigning Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu Boku and broadcast live on Star Sports across Asia. This historic moment will mark the first time ever a live Mixed Martial Arts event will be broadcast on the network.

Kaya and Pasargad figure in a 2-2 draw

Kaya and Pasargad figure in a 2-2 draw

by rick olivares pic by fritz dalida c/o interaksyon

March 21, 2013

Emperador Stadium

It could have been one of those moments where Pasargad self-destructed on its way to another poor result.

Goalkeeper Reza Ataei was whistled for a foul and a penalty after he bowled over Kaya forward Nate Burkey who had gotten inside the box. PSG head coach Essi Sedigh put his hands on his head and yelled, “No! No! No!”

Burkey had worked the ball inside but had two defenders on him with his back turned to the goal. He wasn’t exactly in a position to score when Ataei recklessly knocked him down like roadkill.

At that point, PSG was not only in control of the match against Kaya but was also leading 1-nil after Emmanuel MBata scored on a fabulous breakaway after a sublime header by forward Yannick Tuason in the 20^th minute.

PSG threatened to tack on a second goal with mobile centerback Jaham Taher coming close on a few occasions with a few long range shots from the outside.

Both squads were in extra minutes in the first half when Ataei committed his blunder. Kaya captain Anton del Rosario took the spot kick and sent the PSG netminder to his right but placed the ball to the left.

Sedigh was beside himself over the blunder. Instead of going into the half with a one goal lead the game was back to square one with the score all even at 1-1. The Iranian coach launched into a tirade against Ataei in Farsi to mercifully spare the Filipino and African players.

He mapped out how his team could get back on track but at the start of the second half, his squad still could not mount any controlled attack from the back as Kaya pressed forward aggressively.

Kaya was missing six players – Chris Greatwich and OJ Porteria were on national duty, Sean Illif had a foot contusion, Toshi Hosoe and Junior Muñoz had groin injuries, and Dario Dakic was the first of his two-match suspension following the Green Archers United-Kaya fight of several weeks ago. It didn’t help that Masa Omura went out early in the match after his vision was impaired. Lacking key and starting players, Kaya’s game suffered heavily. Forwards Burkey and Eric Dagroh could not get the ball up front.

They were up against a PSG team that had finally started to hum to life after four consecutive dismal performances. Ataei’s penalty had shifted the momentum Kaya’s way and PSG were hard-pressed to rediscover their game.

Three minutes after the re-start, Burkey collected a pass, ditched Jaham Taher who had fallen to the turf a few yards outside the box forcing Ataei to rush out. Burkey’s right-footed finish gave Kaya a 2-1 lead and they looked to continue to punish their now disorganized foe.

However in the 78^th minute, PSG found itself on the counter with Yonous Yaogo getting deep inside Kaya territory. He launched a cross that Kaya keeper Saba Sadeghi manage to tip away from harm’s way. Only the ball drifted to the left side of the pitch where new PSG midfielder Belinga Blanchard got to the ball and lofted a well-placed cross to an unmarked MBata who headed in the equalizer.

With time quickly dwindling away, Kaya sought to recover its lost lead but PSG beat back the attacks.

At fulltime, it was both a disappointing yet satisfying result. Both sides could have easily won and lost the game were it not for blunders on defense.

“We should have collected the three points but that’s football,” said Kaya head coach David Perkovic who is now 1-1-0 in two matches in the UFL’s Division One play. “Could be better but when you think of the number of players we lost for the match it isn’t so bad. But we have our work cut out for us.”

For Yannick Tuason, who had played with Kaya for five years before transferring to Pasargad, he was happy for two reasons. “It feels good to playa again and help in the effort,” said Tuason who had spent some time in Europe figuring out what to do. “At first it seemed weird to be up against my old team but once the game started it was fine. I feel satisfied.”

Sedigh in the meantime was feeling ambivalent. Had Ataei not committed the penalty, PSG might have won and gone up further in the standings. “But that’s football. At least it is not a negative result.”

The draw, PSG’s second in three matches for a 1-2-4 record, saw them move up to seventh place and away from the relegation zone while Green Archers United dropped to eighth spot in the tables after absorbing a 2-0 loss to Loyola last March 19.

Kaya remained at fifth spot with a 2-3-2.