NBA Memories and the 2019 Finals

So my last post was way back in January huh? Talk about your long intervals..

Normally you wouldn't find me blogging about the NBA anymore, but I decided to make an exception this time around in celebration of this momentous event.

First off, you gotta give mad props to the Toronto Raptors. They pulled off a highly improbable victory against a feisty Golden State Warriors team that fought toe to toe until the end despite being hobbled with injuries to key players at critical moments.

I won't go into the debate wherein people would say that this was just a fluke for Toronto and that they would be forever be questioned since the Warriors did not have much of Durant during the series and lost Klay Thompson to an ACL during the final game. I will say this though, that people also need to remember that Golden State capitalized on injuries during their championship runs too. In short, "Quits lang" :P Ok, enough about that..

I have been following the NBA avidly ever since late grade school, around the time of Jordan's second coming. It started kinda late for me because I wasn't really into basketball as a child due to my physical limitations because of my neurologic deficits. That and the fact that the only NBA exposure I used to get was the odd episode of NBA action that I would see from time to time on Saturdays.

My interest shot up when I got together with the boys. One of my earliest NBA memories with them was watching the NYK-HOU Finals during a birthday. After that I was pretty much hooked.  BestFriend even gifted me with a Barkley jersey from one of his trips abroad for use during our jam sessions.

Eventually cable TV and the internet came around and made the NBA all the more accessible to my corner of the world. Dynasties were pretty much the norm in the NBA, what with all the championship gear the Celtics and Lskers have accumulated through the years. Chicago was also pretty dominant in the day, with Jordan getting 6 rings before eventually hanging up his sneakers for good and becoming a back office guy for the Hornets. Too bad Barkley was denied his own trophy though. :(

I was also witness to the impressive performance put up by the Pistons to win a chip against a heavily favored and methodical Lakers team bannered by Shaq and Kobe. That was a series for the ages.

One of my most favorite runs in recent years was the 2008 championship run by Boston's "Big Three" of Garnett, Allen, and Pierce. Being a Garnett fan since his time in Minnesota, it felt really good seeing the Big Ticket get to win one for himself.

The emergenco of Lebron James seems to have ushered in a new era in the NBA where the balance of power would tip where the players would want it. Now you have superteams of players getting together by themselves, putting  together their own teams for a shot at immortality. AS expected, the competitive balance of the league began to be heavily skewed. It seemed like the championship trophy would follow lebron whereever he went, although the Spurs had a lot to say about that. :P

The most recent iteration of a superteam is embodied by the Golden State Warriors. They have a pretty stacked team that was seemingly unstoppable. I initially had no problems with them, since the team was patiently built over the years to become the powerhouse they are. I respected that. Then came the serpent known as Durant. He joined a stacked team that had just beat his ass the previous season and didn't really need him to win anyway, and just made them totally unbeatable. That's when my interest in the NBA waned dramatically, since the championship outcome seemed to be a forgone conclusion. What would be the point in watching anyway?

That's why I'm really happy for Toronto. I seem to have this tendency to root for the underdog, and also tend to side with the team that has not won a chip ("Give chance to others" is a big part of my morality). I'm also happy that the stranglehold of Golden State has been broken and the NBA can be fun again. 

This may sound pretty cold, but I'm happy that Durant will be taken out for a season to recuperate. I hope when he comes back he would have reflected on the impact his actions have caused in the league and how he ruined the competitive balance of the teams. Truth be told, I liked him a lot when he was with harden and Brodie on the Thunder. That was a pretty fun team. 

Rant aftermath

Whew.. That was a long one..

I would like to make clear that I am not targeting any individuals as I have no beef with anyone from that religion individually. Its just the system as a whole that sickens me..

Enough of that.. I'm gonna draw a line on all this negativity caused by religion and go back to our regular non-religious programming..

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The UAAP season is now in full swing, and al eyes are on DLSU with their spotless 4-0 record. I think we have a pretty even field this year, and that games can go either way for the most part. A good example of this would be Adamson's 1-point victory over perennial powerhouse Ateneo off a last minute jumper near the top of the key.. I really missed the UAAP, and I'm glad it's finally back onj track. I'm thinking of following the NCAA as well. a 10-team field seems interesting, and the balance of power seems to have shifted a bit away from San Beda and San Sebastian which to my recollection have been really successful in recent years. Sana lang hindi na sila larong kalye unlike before..

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I'm in the library for research yet again. This time it will be in preparation for a speaking engagement on a much bigger stage.. It is a burden I had no wish or intention to carry,. but I guess my chief had no other choice but to put me on the chopping block since everyone else already had their turn..I just hope I could put this off without a hitch..

Running out of steam

It has been HOT lately here in the Metro (and even all over the archipelago), with ambient temperatures averaging around 38-41C!!

I guess that's the main reason why everyone seems so sluggish lately. This heat just takes a lot out of you. :(

As usual, I'm typing a blog post again to jump-start the creative side of my brain in n attempt to overcome yet another persistent writer's block which has always been my nemesis whenever I have something important to do..

I took advantage of the recent long election weekend to get some much needed R&R via a staycation which resulted in buying a new basketball and getting the opportunity to shoot a few hoops with brother in XS. :) It was really nice to go back to the old school with brother, to finally be able to shoot hoops with him at a proper court! The experience was great, but it made me realize how terribly out of shape I was, And my legs hurt like hell from al the running and jumping.. to think that it was only just a shootaround with no real game taking place! :P

Follow the Fellow

After having read a profound and eloquently-written piece by one of my co-fellows, I felt a bit inspired to head back to the writer's table and make a new entry.

I have almost completed my 4th month of fellowship. Its really amazing how tine could fly by so fast. 

After having gone rhrough one of the more grueling weeks i have experienced so far, having a little bit of freedom is a luxury I intend to maximize for the next week or so..

We have just finished our first quarteryly examinations, as well as a practical test for procedures. I can't really say that I did well, but I think I did enough.. :P

There was also a series of presentations I had to make.. 3 in a span of four days!  Add that to the ever-growing mountain of unfinished charts i had at the records section, as well as the added responsibility of being the ABG reader of the week, plus the passing of my personal census logbook and my part in the annual admission census.. Whew!! It was incredible that I survived all that.. :P

Of course, it helps if one is inspired to do great things by someone special.. ;)

I have had the privilege of being introduced to a great anime about basketball "Kuroko no Basket" (The Basketball that Kuroko Plays).  It was sooo awesome! :D Very Highly Recommended!

I hear there's even one about Volleyball. I'll bet "little sister" would be interested in that one naman. :)

Next month will find me at the ER once again. I hope I can make it through those ten duties unscathed :P

Overheard in the huddle..

As was said by a coach (don't remember who) during an NBA game via those in-game mics they clip on for audio bites..

"There is no substitute for hustle. If you do not hustle, you will be substituted for!"


XD

Watchful Waiting

It rained today.. First time in quite a while.. Kinda like this blog entry, hehe.

Seeing as I often tend to start my posts with a commentary on how long it has been in between blog entries, I shall put that aside and just jump into the thick of things.

The diplomate examination has come and gone, and I now find myself nervously waiting for the results of the test (which is slated to come out tomorrow according to the information pamphlet we were provided at the venue). However, I have decided to wait it out for tonight in the hopes of getting an early lead on the news, whatever the outcome may be..

 This "watchful waiting" reminds me of my two previous licensure examinations, for Medical Technologists and Physicians. The wait for the MD boards was obviously the more nerve-wracking of the two, considering the relative difficulty of the latter and what was at stake as compared to the former.

Taking the MT boards was never really a necessity for me since I was already in Medical School at the time, studying to become a doctor. However, I felt that I couldn't just let all those years go to waste. It is true that I chose Medical Technology as my pre-med course, but I guess I wanted it to be more than that.. I spent my years in college learning the finer points of diagnostic laboratory medicine at one of the finer institutions of higher learning to offer that course. The least I could do was to see everything through full-circle to do justice to all the effort my professors exerted in teaching me, as well as my own attempts to make sense of all the information I supposedly learned in school. :)

I've been keeping busy the past few days with the very un-academic task of clearing out (yet again) my old room which strangely becomes a storage area  whenever I turn my back for a few months without sleeping in it. :P I can't believe how much junk we've accumulated in a few short years.. :l Part of the fun of clearing a room is rediscovering old forgotten stuff and the satisfaction of tossing some of them out since they were old/useless/really dirty/broken/rotting away and just taking up space anyway.

I also had to clean out my closet and am now wondering what the hell do I do with all those blazers I had made through all those years in residency (not to mention my failed attempt at Neurology which involved an entirely different set.)

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A lot of hoopla has been generated by the forthcoming fight between two of the top draws of professional boxing, namely Pacquiao and Mayweather. I admit that I used to be a fan of MP when he was just a straight-up fighter winning bout after bout against notable boxers like Dela Hoya and Marquez (who I still consider a cowardly counterpuncher to this day). All that changed when he dicided to stick his nose where it didn't belong and inserted himself into the PBA as a PLAYING COACH! The nerve of the guy! I mean, fine, he may have the strength and stamina to keep up with the rest of the guys since he is an athlete after all, but his "forced" entry into the PBA (getting drafted in the FIRST ROUND pa kamo!) made a travesty of the league I had grown up watching and admiring. The thing that sickens me is that he was only able yo enter the PBA because 1) he's so goddamn popular and 2) he's so filthy rich that he can make the league do what he wants, even to accomodate hime just because he "knows" how to play basketball (Pacman knows?)

It's such a shame.. When I was a kid growing up, I saw the PBA as a league where the best of the best played. Being the unathletic bum that I was, I knew I had absolutely no chance of getting in, since it was all about strength, speed, stamina, talent etc.., Thus, I had a ton of respect for people who played in the league, because not everyone would be good enough to get in. Fast forward it to today, and Pacquiao has set a bad precedent by showing the masses who idolize him so much that if you have enough money, fame, or influnce like he does, a little problem like lack of actual basketball talent is not an impediment to playing in the PBA, nor is a lack of any real knowledge of professional coaching a detriment to being named as a coach for a professional team.Corollary to that, shame on KIA for pulling such a publicity stunt! You have tainted the sport forever. I hope you're happy.. :( Oh, and I'm never buying any of your vehicles when the time comes that I will have the money to buy my own..

Yeah, I know, it turned into a rant again.. I'm just so pissed at what the PBA has become.. I used to enjoy the league so much.. Back when the only foreign-sounding names you would hear would be the surname of a commentator (that's you Quinito) or the coaches, and you would only get foreigners during the other Cups. The All-Filipino was my personal favorite, as I found it more exciting. Yeah sure, the imports turned stuff up a notch, but it cheapened the game since most of the offense became railroaded through them for obvious reasons..

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The UAAP Womens Volletball Finals is in full swing, with Ateneo taking the first win over an injuy-riddled Lasalle squad. This is unfortunate since the Lady Eagles, having swept the Eliminations automatically hold a one game advantage over LaSalle in what the analysts have defined as "something like a Best of Five series where Ateneo is automatically up 1-0".

In short, Ateneo only has to win two games to claim the title, while LaSalle has to win three.

I have began following UAAP Volleyball ever since "little sister" came into out lives as brother's significant other. ;) We were eventually hooked and continued watching even beyond her playing years. :P

LaSalle is now looking at a 0-1 deficit and are playing without their star spiker Ara Galang who was injured in the final set of a do-or-die match against NU for a chance to play in the finals against ADMU. The injury (ACL, MCL, Meniscal tear) sidelines Galang for the remainder of the season, making this series apparently lopsided due to the obvious loss of firepower on the side of the Lady Archers.

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Wow, this was a long one. Hehe. ;) Hopefully I'll be online again in a few hours with some (hopefully positive) news

Quick Hits

I rarely have time to myself these days, and today is no exception.

I still feel the need to write though, so here goes..

• Kudos to the NU Bulldogs for finally taking home the UAAP Men's Basketball crown after 60 years!

• Pacquiao is now playing in the PBA as a "playing coach" for his own team??? Is nothing sacred anymore?.. :(

• Is it just me, or are those UV Express drivers really just assholes? Especially those who drive vans along the North Avenue area..

• Too bad Gilas never made it past the Elims in the FIBA Worlds, and didn't take home the crown in the Asian Games. However, they were able to get people to start believing again, and that's the more important thing..

• I finally got that weight bench I've had my eye on for the past year or so. :) Thanks for the great discount!

• Saw a great piece of Audio by Bose. Expensive though, but the sound quality is just superb..

• Its almost November.. I can't believe that the three years are almost over...

• The RITE Exams have come and gone.. leaving me more anxious for the actual exams this coming March..

• My friends say that I should just let go, and move on.. Easier said than done...

There, a few quick hits for the night!

Tambakan

Uso na pala ang tambakan ngayon..

I just recently watched a replay of the World Cup semifinal match between hometown favorite Brazil going up against the ruthlessly efficient German team. According to the match report I read, it was a total rout, with Brazil bowing out of the tournament in the worst possible way, losing 1-7. This left the Brazilian home crowd anguished and in tears. Brazil is a football-crazy nation, and their projected chance of winning the cup this year was really good, so this was an epic letdown for them.

Anyway, since I knew what to expect, I just watched to see how Germany pulled it off, or  how Brazil let it slip away..

It was a massacre.. 5 goals in 26 minutes of play? Seriously? Man... :(

People who know me well know that I'm not really a big football man, but I felt really bad when I watched that.. It seemed so surreal.. In fact, I guess it was the most downright depressing thing I have ever witnessed in sports.. :(

UAAP Season 77 is finally underway, and the opening matches were, uh, somewhat disappointing.. 3 out of the four opening games were total blowouts.. I thought this was going to be a competitive year, with almost all the teams on equal footing? And UST lost badly as well.. Hay naku..

In other sports news unrelated to blowouts, the NBA player movement has begun. This year's crop of free agents appears very deep, which includes Miami's Big Three, and Carmelo Anthony. The biggest news I was able to get a hold of thus far is that LeBron James will now be coming home to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This has the shapings of a great team in the years to come, with James returning home to a team being built around last year's first pick Kyrie Irving.

A long long while..

*post was written a couple of weeks ago when I had the time to write, but no access to the web. So sad..

Ugh, internet is down at home, so I'm writing this entry with the hope of putting it up tomorrow before I begin work again in the hospital..

Since 2 months is really a long time to try and play catch up with a single blog entry, I'll try to avoid that entirely, thus making this entry another hodgepodge of various topics (both current and old) which I may have been too lazy to put down when I had my chances.

On the NBA Finals...

Today was the final game of the 2014 NBA Finals, where the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat in a dominant fashion on their home floor 4 games to 1 in a best of seven series. Using their tried and tested team chemistry and their experience, the Spurs manhandled the Heat in retribution for their Finals loss one year ago. About a week ago, I chance upon a video floating around the internet which was a tribute to the Spurs and their firm adherence to the concept of "team" basketball. The video highlighted their dynamic team effort and their flawless execution. I was in awe of their incredible passing, never hesitant to make the extra pass to someone who was more open, superstar or not.

After this bitter defeat, I have read rumors stating that the Heat might get Carmelo Anthony as an addition to their already potent arsenal. A tall order if you ask me, since their much-vaunted "Big 3", along with other key role players, will become free agents come season's end. It gets tricky since you get very little wiggle room in terms of salary cap space if you wish to retain the Big 3 and add Melo to the mix. I'm not really a fan of manufactured teams which are engineered to win the season from day 1, and prefer those that matured over time to become contenders who truly deserved a championship. Some people would point out to me that the Big Three of Garnett-Pierce-Allen was a manufactured team, but consider this.. Allen and Garnett are players who at that time were already considered to be past their prime.. They were brought in to provide veteran support to the frustrated Paul Pierce in order to help win a championship. I guess nobody would dare say that the current Miami Big Three are already going over the hill, so there's really a big difference if we look at it that way..

I find myself rooting for the underdog in most instances, especially for those guys who have worked hard in the league for years but are still unable to get that one elusive ring.. I really feel for Barkley, Ewing, and Reggie Miller, three legends of the game who were unfortunate enough to be around during the time that there was a dynasty going on someplace else (Jordan, Olajuwon, etc) and were thus denied championships..

On introspection...

I found myself thinking a lot in the car lately as I drive to and from work. I used to be irritated by the dull silence of the car and would often bring a small radio along so I could play my audio of choice to get me pumped while I drove (since the original radio of the car was destroyed when tropical storm "Ondoy" came to town a few years back). People who really know me know that I have this strange habit of talking to myself. No, this is not crazy talk. It helps me pick my brain and allows me to take a look at things from a different point of view.. Its kind of like having a conversation with my own thoughts..if that were actually possible..

What was I ab;e to get from all of that? Well, I guess you could say that it has led to self improvement a number of times, with things often turning out much better than expected in their own little ways..

*the entry ends here, because I think sleep caught up with me. :D

Barbero ka naman eh!

I'm currently waiting for my turn here at the barbershop. Having a little bit of free time because of the change in.rotations, I've decided to make the most of it and get my monthly trim.

A part of me says that I should have gone straight home instead, since today is Game 2 of the UAAP Finals featuring DLSU vs UST, pitting both Teng brothers against each other for the very last time at the collegiate level, with Jeric graduating after the season.

With that being said, its just so remarkable how far Xavier basketball has gone since the days of the King Stallion Eric Yao who inspired a generation to aspire for hoops greatness, Blue and Gold style.

I'm still on the road to recovery after the heartache I went through a few months back, but I guess you could say things are going as well as they could, given the present circumstances. No, I'm still not attached, and no, the girl I was raving about wasn't really that into me. It's really been just a process of moving on, and not really expecting anything anymore..

As I prepare for what would (hopefully) be my senior and final year at the hospital,,I think I'm starting to feel a bit of optimism shine back in my life.. I guess training really does that to you. It saps you to your very core, and sometimes leaves you clawing around in despair. There were still moments of desolation, especially when the things start to get rough, but I managed to pull through (with a lot of help from the BIg Guy Upstairs). :D

Now I find myself at the beginning of transition month, with the juniors starting to have their first tastes of the ER while our seniors teach us the intricacies of manning the ICU. Its a lot more responsibility, I know, but I would prefer sitting and thinking rather than staying up manning the ER any day. :P

Oops, there's my barber! I'l leave things as is for now.

A new season cometh..

Well now, it seems like the NBA and their players have reached an agreement about how to share the oodles of money they make each year, with a (possible) start of a new but shortened season slated on Christmas Day,

Whoop-Dee-Do! But then again, I don't really care anymore.. :|

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I have grown sick of this long labor impasse that has prevented the NBA from starting on time. All the anticipation is gone, and I've moved on to other things and realized that the NBA isn't really worth waiting for anymore.

Seeing as this wasn't the first time that the NBA went through a lockout in recent history, both sides could have taken steps much earlier to avoid this repeated incident which in the past hurt the league in so many ways: Among them, the quality of basketball suffered because of the scheduling, and casual fans were turned off and many have not returned since then.

Factor in my gripes about the league, and you have one disgruntled casual fan who will take his ball someplace else. Sure, I'll probably scan the league standings every once in a while just to see what sort of madness has been happening, but I don't think I'll even bother watching the playoffs and finals this time around.

Oh the weather outside is frightful..

Well, not really at the moment, but we've been having a spate of strange weather patterns lately. 

It's finally November in Manila! We're already waist-deep into the "-ber" months and Christmas is supposedly in the air already. :P The days are getting shorter and the nights longer. There's also the cooler breeze in the air, best appreciated at night to early morning.. :P

(Image source here)

Going back to my opening statements, it puzzles me as to why we have scorching summer-type heat in the afternoons to early evening (with it being November and all), which is usually punctuated by a sudden downpour, and man, it would rain really HARD for a few minutes before ceasing as suddenly as it had began. A quick peek at the weather satellite image from my favorite weather site yields absolutely nothing.

In other news...

A couple of days back, I went to see the new "Puss in Boots" movie with a couple of friends. I watched it, and it was AWESOME! Ok maybe it wasn't as good as, say, Shrek, but the entertainment value was definitely there. Having Antonio Banderas play the feisty little cat with the spanish accent was just pure genius! :P I'm really glad they decided to do this spinoff movie!

Based on the articles I've read at NBA.com, the NBA lockout is at its 4th month already. As talks and negotiations between the NBA and the Players' Union continue to drag on, the NBA calendar has already suffered with the cancellation of all the November games. Now the basketball world awaits with bated breath whether or not the players will accept the (last best) proposal put on the table by the owners.

With all the drama surrounding the lockout, and the basic premise of "Millionaires vs Billionaires" battling each other for a larger share of the pie, with owners claming unprofitability and the players not wanting to give up all the money they have for their bling, it's enough to make a casual fan like me lose interest in the league altogether. Sure, I'm a basketball nut, but with the way things are playing out, its just so "nakakawalang-gana" and as such, I seem to have lost my taste for the supposedly best league in the world. I couldn't help myself, so here are a few points about this entire mess that sets me off: (these may or may not be about the lockout, but would concern the NBA in general)

• Players stubbornly clinging on to their disproportionately larger share of the profit pie. I'm sorry, but with the state of the world economy as it is now, forgive me for not sympathizing with your concerns of how to pay for your next sportscar/mansion/wild house party. It may be true that a player's carrer is definitely shorter than the average guy, but these guys make more money in a year than most people could ever dream of earning in a lifetime. Why don't they just use their money wisely so that they'll be set for life once they retire? Oh wait, that's right..

• NBA players are getting drafted without finishing college. I mean, what the hell? True, some guys want to be able to earn money as soon as possible, and that a career in the NBA would yield a lot more money than a degree, but I can't help but feel that its such a great waste. Besides the potential of graduating with a degree, a college senior gains a lot more experience which should make him a better all-around player in the pros with better basketball IQ and a firmer grasp of fundamentals (well, ideally that should be the case). My cousin who lives in the States says that a degree does not necessarily mean that it's going to be your job for life. It just shows xompanies that you are capable of learning (coz lets admit it, a lot of stuff people do at work are not taught in school, but are instead learned on the fly at work.

• All these flashy players running and gunning. Though it may look great on highlight reels and posters, I often yearn for the 80s basketball when Bird and Magic were at it. They may not have been overly fancy, but they got the job done. I think teamwork was a lot better back then as well, as you would see fantastic ball movement in almost every play.

• Players making their own superteams. Its one thing to be assembled together by a good management office with excellent foresight, but it becomes absurd when players start taking stuff into their own hands and recruit each other to play together. What about competitive balance? :P

I know I'm rambling, but these are things that have been bothering me about the league for quite some time now. With all the hubbub the lockout has created, I don't think I'll be following the NBA anymore, unless there was some compelling reason to do so otherwise.

Was supposed to talk about other stuff, but its getting late. Maybe tomorrow then.

Yet another RP team frustration..

I have to admit that I was a bit ecstatic over the news I saw the other day.

The Philippine Team made it to the Semifinal round of the FIBA Asia Championships!!!

To my dear readers who do not follow Philippine basketball, this particular tournament would serve as a passport to an outright berth in the 12-team field which will be competing at the 2012 London Olympics. As a consolation, the silver and bronze medal winners would have another crack at an Olympic slot as they will compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament pitting them against the runners-up from the different continents, with the top three from THAT tourney going on to fill the final 3 slots in the Olympics. For a graphical representation of what I'm talking about, click here.

Imagine my dismay when all my hopes were dashed when the team was totally overpowered by an upstart Jordanian team (which beat perennial powerhouse Iran in the quarterfinals). It was painful because the RP team was more favored to win, having previously vanquished the Jordanians during group play earlier in the tournament.

Despite the loss, the Philippine team still has a chance to advance to the International qualifiers, provided it beats the loser of the KOR/CHN semifinal game to get the bronze medal.

Dammit. First the Azkals lost to Kuwait, and now Smart Gilas loses to Jordan.. I'm starting to get a bit annoyed at these Arabs.. :P

We Are Basketball | FIBA.COM

http://www.fiba.com/
The homepage of International Basketball. I can't believe I just discovered it recently. :P

Well, that didn't work..

Apparently, my previous attempt to revive my blogging streak failed miserably. So, I'm gonna inject another "shot in the arm" which would hopefully get things moving better this time around..

• Leaving for a med mission in a while. I was invited by my former clerks in UST (who are now interns btw. Congrats kids! :P) for an overnight stay at Cavite to help out at a clerk-organized parish based medical mission. I guess I need this to stay sharp and keep myself positive. Hopefully good things would follow..

• Speaking of missions, there's another one after Holy Week, the venue much farther off. Will probably bring a camera for that one. :P

• The NBA playoffs are now in full swing. The matchups are actually pretty good. This year has me rooting once again for the Celtics. I just wonder how they'll do for this run after trading away Perkins. They're up 2-0 against the Knicks though.

• Was finally able to take my sweet inspiration to see Serendra and the surrounding area. We sure can't afford to live there, but its definitely a nice place to visit. :P

• I finally decided to get on with my life and enrolled myself at a gym. 1st session was a laugh though, as I exerted myself too much and had an episode of near-syncope (although my brother contends that I really had passed out). Subsequent visits were much better though. :P

• Had the privilege of being treated to an overnight stay at Fontana there in Subic. The accomodations were pretty much the same as what I had seen when I visited a few years back, but I feel that the place had a bit more "sleazy" feel to it since it was taken over by a Chinese(?) casino company. I guess since the place had become more open to the public, it kinda lost its air of exclusivity

• Oh yeah, congratulations to all the graduates of batch 2011, Particularly to those kids from ADMU and the MDs of UST! (And of course the latest crop of Stallions to leave the stables. Luceat Lux!)

• I find myself a godfather for the second time over, although the child in question hasn't been baptized yet as she was just born a couple of weeks ago. :D

That's all for now. I PROMISE to write when I get back. I think this is something I really need to keep on doing in order to help myself heal.. ;)

Now THAT'S a ballgame!!

What a turnaround!

After that terrible experience of watching the UAAP, I was in for an unexpected treat yesterday in a doubleheader featuring UST vs UE and FEU vs AdU.

The first game wasn't really anything to write home about. It featured the UE Red Warriors getting a much-needed victory to start off the second round of their season against the 3-point shooting UST Growling Tigers.

Kudos to Paul Lee and company for bouncing back after that disappointing first round which saw them drop to the bottom of the standings, staving off last place with a win against perennial cellar-dweller UP.

The game was close for the most part, but UE bust the game wide open during the 4th quarter and never looked back. AS usual, UST's utter dependence on three point shooting never fails to astound me.. Sure, the hadworking Chris Camus had his minutes cut short due to early foul trouble, but UST still has a bunch of effective (albeit undersized) forwards who are more than willing to pick up the slack. One such player is Melo Afuang, who really did everything he could for UST's cause. I hate the fact that UST lives and dies with the three point shot, when it has a vast arsenal of scoring options if only one looks hard enough. C'mon Coach Pido, I know you were a shooter in your day, but shooters alone do not win basketball games! :(

When compared to other teams, UST seems scared to operate close to the basket. The basic UST play revolves around giving a whole lotta screens for the guards in order to free them up for a trifecta, which more often then not, results in a miss and a fastbreak by the opposing team. :P Once you shut down the shooters, the Tigers seem lost. As expected, they lost to the resurgent and very well-balanced UE team that may have finally got it's bearings, and UST drops down to 3-5. I know the UST lineup is composed of a bunch of greenhorns as the seniors of the team are only 3rd year, but COME ON!! I've seen rookies on other teams play with more heart and guts than this UST roster!

The most frustrating thing of all of this is that I'm from UST and root for the Tigers. Changes have to be made, and fast..

The first game made me so angry that I broke out a bag of microwave popcorn and settled down to watch the second game. I had not intended to watch but needed to wash down the stupid UST performance.. and I'm glad I did, as I was treated to one of the best ballgames I've watched thus far this season! :D

With FEU and AdU at number 1 and 2 respectively, this seemed to be a wothwhile game. FEU had swept the first round and was looking to continue this all the way to the finish. I have to admit that I had my doubts about Adamson, what with their team's reputation and all, but this year's bunch seemed.. different.

I wasn't disappointed, as I was treated to high-octane, disciplined, methodical, and high-performance basketball all throughout. You could see the players' confidence in the way they moved and switched the ball around.  There was good execution and the players were very patient in running their plays. The shooting was insane as well, with FEU putting up a staggering 81% field goal shooting at one point during the first half! Despite the high-percentage shooting, this was coupled by good defense coming from both teams.

FEU was up in double figures at the start of the 4th quarter, but AdU was able to claw their way back up and even took the lead during the last 3 minutes of the game. Of course it helped that FEU's shooting this quarter had turned really sour, but Adamson was not really that much better off. :P

Adamson eventually won the game by one point off an Alex Nuyles drive with 6 seconds remaining. With AdU trailing by one, the ball was inbounded from the sideline coming off a timeout. Nuyles got the ball and was momentarily open when Exceminiano gambled on a steal. The layup didn't go it but the putback by Eric Camson gave them the lead with 2.2 seconds to go. FEU had no timeouts left and was forced to inbound from the other end of the floor. A desperation heave from half court didn't go in and Adamson ran away with the victory.

Whew! What a game! :P

*a shoutout goes to my good buddy Jovi, who is the #1 prowler on my blog. :P Thanks for your continued patronage! Hehehe

UAAP Season 73 1st round ADMU - DLSU

Wow, the first Ateneo-La Salle game of the year! I'm gonna try things a little differently and give a running commentary of things that catch my attention in-game. Let's see what comes out of this.. :P

1st quarter thoughts...

- La Salle is definitely much better this year compared to the crap-ass team they fielded last year.

- Justin Chua has really come into his own. It's frightening to think how he'd play when he reaches his fifth year.

2nd quarter thoughts...

- La Salle's courtside reporter looks like she seriously needs a swig of the Sting energy drink

- .. and that becomes all the more obvious when you pair her up opposite the bubbly Jessica Mendoza.

- This La Salle big man Paredes is a beast! Excellent shotblocking and relentless rebounding! With a little more work, he could evolve into someone like the next Jervy Cruz, but with more blocking power!!

- The guy they picked for the "AXE Man of the Game" does look like he could use a spray or two of AXE

- Bodies flying all over the place! What the hell is happening??

- I like the way Salva attacks the basket. He moves so fluidly and finishes strong.

- Whadaya know? Ugly-ass Monfort gets a 4-point play opportunity!

- Halftime! DLSU 26 - ADMU 30 Low scoring...

3rd quarter thoughts... 

- Simon Atkins with 3 fouls already with barely a minute gone from the 3rd quarter. Not that it'd really make much of a difference anyway.

- Ryan Buenafe is able to give all these great assists. Probably due to the way he furiously attacks the basket, which causes the defenders pay more attention to him since he seems committed to going strong already.

- SAPAL KA!!! What a great block by Justin Chua on Ferdinand!

- What a play!!! (around 7:20 in the 3rd)

- Nice to see Eric Salamat hasn't lost his outside touch. Though his acting stinks! Tossing the ball to the outside as though you were hit hard AFTER you saw there was a no-call? Oh please..

4th quarter thoughts...

- Ano ba yan, nakatulog ang depensa!! (9:40-ish)

- HUUWWWHAATASHOT by Kirk Long!!!!!! (7:50)

- Ok, so the La Salle girl talks a little faster, but still in a totally boring monotone...

- I LOVE the new Penshoppe commercial!

- I'll say it again. Justin Chua has really taken his game to a whole new level!

- With his present hairdo, Ferdinand looks like someone out of an 80s music video

- Wow, ADMU with 100% field goal shooting this quarter! La Salle better do something quick, or Ateneo will definitely run away with this one

- Nice ID lace on Norman Black! :P

- ADMU up 7 (4:23)

- Tsk! Just when Ateneo had its first miss of the quarter, DLSU throws away the possession while still at the backcourt!

- Timeout Ateneo (2:38) while protecting a 5 point lead

- Whoa! Kirk Long fouls out!

- What a STOOOOPID foul by the La Salle roiokie

- MARATA THREEEEEEEEE!! (Last TWO minutes!!!!!!!) Ateneo 63-62 

- MARATA THREEEEEEEEE!! (1:28) Lasalle up 2!

- Lasalle ball! (0:48)

- Stupid Atkins! Misses free throw with 0:17 remaining. DLSU up 3. Ateneo Timeout

- Woooo! Nice Ateneo playboard! Norman Black got cool stuff! :P

- As the timeout ends, I wouldn't be surprised if they make a three..

- And the game ends with.. Justin Chua putting up a pair of missed threes?...

FINAL SCORE La Salle 66-63

Well, that was fun! Looking back at this, I guess I started out pretty cold, with only two lines during the first quarter. The idea of taking note of the time only struck me during the 3rd quarter. Let's see if we can do better the next time around.

A good game overall, as the score was kept tight almost all throughout. The defense was just CRAZY! And the fact that this was a last-minute come-from-behind win. :D

Shoot-em-up

I just came from the "old school", having been given the opportunity to pick up the basketball again and just shoot at will. I was in no shape to run the floor so I politely declined when my friends asked me to join them. I was content to just hold the ball in my hands and squeeze in a few shots while the players were at the other end of the floor.

The TV commentators say that one way to get a shooter going is to get him to the line and make free throws, as the psychological edge of seeing your shots go in would presumably help them get back in rhythm. I guess that can apply to anyone else who has ever picked up a basketball. Whether its at practice or at an actual game situation, seeing your shots go in gives one a momentary high (ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating here, but it does feel good, right?). Despite not having touched a basketball for about a year, my free throws still fall for me, and I was able to make a pair of threes as well. :P

I went there not only for the hoops, but also to be in the company of friends and batchmates. Iba pa din yung kasama mong lumaki eh.. In the midst of our conversation, Jonas told me that "Pag nandito ka sa Xavier, makakalimutan mo lahat ng problema sa asawa, girlfriend, trabaho, etc. Talagang basketball lang.." (or something like that) You know what, I'm inclined to believe him. When you're there, you just PLAY, without a care in the world.. For those brief hours of release, the worries of the world do not bother you, as you immerse yourself in the purity of the sport..

Two statements ring true here today:

1) Basketball is Brotherhood

AND

2) There's no place like HOME

:D

The only games that matter

Now that our console here at home is "fully operational" once again, It became readily apparent that despite the impressive gallery of games me and the bro put together, only 2 games are of any real interest to me..

The Basketball game...

and the Guitar game...

ROCK ON!! =P

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a season.. :)

Wow, that was cool.

Yesterday, the struggling UP Fighting Maroons chalked up their first win in UAAP season 72 against no less than the league-leading Ateneo Blue Eagles 75-65.

*for all the number-crunchers out there, sorry if you find any inaccurracies in the points I report. I wasn't able to watch the whole game and relied of the commentary to get my numbers right.

In an epic David-versus-Goliath struggle, the Eagles were able to grab an early lead,  leading by 16 points at the end of the first half. UP came back firing on all cylinders, grabbing a slim 5 point lead as they went into the final quarter. The Maroons were able to keep their composure and stood their ground, playing solid defensive basketball against a strong run by the Eagles led by season 71 MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini. The shots weren't falling for the Eagles as the normally steady three-point shooting of Emman Monfort, Jai Reyes, and Eric Salamat failed to connect at crucial points of the ballgame. Adding to Ateneo's woes were the highly spirited play of such UP stalwarts like the fearles Mark Lopez (who went for a breakaway layup despit the looming presence of last season's defensive player of the year Nonoy Baclao) and the hot hands of former Xavier skipper Woody Co who put up 3 cold-blooded three-pointers in the second half that sustained the winning effort of the Maroons. In a game where they were thought to be overmatched in rebounding, UP was able to get the critical boards down the stretch, denying Ateneo second-chance points and triggering fast break oppotunities.

The season has just busted wide open, with the lowest-ranked team beating what was percieved to be the best in the league. Its anyone's season now, and the games just got a bit more exciting.

Earlier, the DLSU Green Archers were able to pull off a sqeaker against the Adamson University Falcons, 64-63 (Didn't watch, but I heard they won by free throws by Maui Villanueva with 2 seconds remaining in overtime)

Here are my power rankings as of July 27, 2009 (which are not reflective of current team standings. Personal opinion lang ha? :P)

1. ADMU Blue Eagles - despite the loss against UP, Ateneo's towering lineup and depth on the bench is still a force to be reckoned with. There's just no real answer for Al-Hussaini's dominance in the paint. They also have so many options from the perimeter such as Eric Salamat, Emman Monfort, and even Jai Reyes. Nico Salva has been showing that effective mid-range jumper of his that gives ADMU a bit more versatility. Look for them to come back really strong after the loss as they take on Adamson on thursday (7/30)

Rookie watch: Typical of coach Norman Black not to use much of his rookies (unless you're as good as Ryan Buenafe, who has not been showing his usual game as of late)

2. FEU Tamaraws - Though they may not be too flashy, the Morayta-based dribblers have been playing steadily, anchored by veterans Andy Barocca, JR Cawaling, and Reil Cerventes. Aldrech Ramos is expected to take his game to a whole new level, as he's gotten bigger and stronger this season, but has yet to deliver on this promise. With four guards in the rotation, FEU will always have fresh legs for their highly effective pressing and trapping defense.

Rookie Watch: Hippo Nuondou has been a revelation for coach Glenn Capacio. He has a nice midrange jumper and passes well out of tight spots. His heft also allows him to snatch those rebounds despite being undersized compared to the other big men of the league. Ryan Roose Garcia is another rookie staring for FEU. Steady at the point, he gives Barocca a lot more fredom to move without the ball and get into scoring position. Oh, and he's got a decent shot as well. ;)

3. UST Growling Tigers - After losing Jervy Cruz and Japs Cuan to graduation, many naysayers have written off UST to fade into obscurity. But the lack of a legitimate big man dosen't seem to bother the Tigers as Dylan Ababou and Kasim Mirza have stepped up to the challenge to lead UST back to the Final Four. The UST players have really bulked up compared to last season, where they had a whole bunch of lanky long-armed wingmen who struggled at the post or while getting into position for the rebound. If UST is able to overcome to the adjustments that will inevitably be made against them in the second round, I look to them to take the number 2 or 3 spot in the Final Four.

Rookie Watch: Former Stallion captain Jeric Teng has been seeing considerable minutes for coach Pido Jarencio, putting up an average of about 10-12 PPG and giving UST yet another offensive threat from beyond the arc. "Robo-kid" just needs to work on his free-throw shooting though. :P

4. UE Red Warriors - I would have to say that UE is a bit more of the same when compared to last season. Despite the loss of James Martinez due to illnes, their nucleus of veterans is still intact with Elmer Espiritu, Paul Zamar, Paul Lee, and Parri Llagas (who seems more dominating in the paint this season). Neophyte head coach Lawrence Tiongson has made some tweaks in the game of the Warriors, but they are still the same high-octane team (only a little stronger, wiser, and better as compared to last year). I'll skip the rookie watch for this team because I don't know their rookies. :P

5. AdU Falcons - Still sporting a seemingly unremarkable lineup (except for maybe former Green Archer Michael Galinato), coach Leo Austria seems to have made headway with his team, as they seem to be playing more organized basketball this time around. With plays centered around Galinato, the Falcons have beeen able to get a lot of different good looks at the basket and made their opponents pay with their good ball movement. If Adamson stays true to form, and follows their coach's system, they may just have a shot of breaking into the #4 spot. No rookie watch here either. Sorry. :P

6. UP Fighting Maroons - Long since removed from the glory days of Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras. the state university has been through season after season of heartache and disappontment. The talent pool is just too limited for UP, however this year's lineup shows great promise, as evidenced by their shocking 10-pont victory over the highly touted Ateneo Blue Eagles. I believe that the game was no fluke, and is a foreshadowing of what this UP team can achieve. Magi Sison is showing a lot more bulk this season, while retaining the quickness at the low block which made him one of UP's scoring options last season. the undersized Mark Lopez has made his presence felt all over the court, from excellent transition defense, to fastbreak points, both against bigger opponents. Martin Reyes is always a marked man, and thus his numbers seem to have dipped considerably. He has to find a lot of other ways to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates to be more effective. Playing on his fourth year, Woody Co is slowly showing the form he once had when he led Xavier to the 2006 Tiong Lian title. Seemingly able to score from anty point on the floor, his versatility is a headache to any team's defense. Ditto on the rookie watch, as coach Aboy seemingly uses a short rotation list during games.

7. DLSU Archers - Although they are not at the bottom of the standings, the Archers seem to have been performing way under par this season. Compared to LaSalle teams of the previous years, this year's crop of veternans seems pretty weak. Led by Hyram Bagatsing, PJ Barua, Bader Malabes, and the under-performing James Mangahas (whom I expected to take over the void left by Rico Maierhoffer), I don't think DLSU will make it very far this season unless the veterans really shape up. Through the years, DLSU always seemed to be an underdog team, and that made them pretty exciting to watch. Despite the underdog label, they always had someone they could really count on to make the "miracle shots" that would bring them home. Not so with this team, which seemingly has an entire bunch of role players without anyone really taking the lead.

Rookie Watch: DLSU was able to bring blue-chip rookie Arvie Bringas into their fold, probably half-expecting him to bring a ready-made A-class game to the seniors division (like his SSC Staglets teammate Buenafe who took the UAAP by storm last season). However, things don't always turn out as planned. I think that all the hype must be getting to him. Instead of the killer look that Buenafe sported last year, Bringas looks like a deer caught in the headlights, groping for form and seriously struggling with his game. The sooner he can shake this off, the better the prognosis for LaSalle. Sure, they can very easily pull off a miraculous turn-around this season, but until that happens, at the bottom they will stay. :P

8. NU Bulldogs - Now under new management by the SM group, the Bulldogs are expected to make waves in the UAAP as the team's resources expand a great deal However, don't expect them to do anything fantastic just yet. :P Despite coach Manny Dandan's best efforts, NU still plays very disorganized basketball (Larong Kalye kung tawagin). They still have a lot of growing up to do in terms of basketball IQ. The best example I can think of is they way their point guard often looks over his shoulder back to their bench for instructions after he's just crossed the half-court line, providing a dangerous situation for a quick steal and a transition basket. Ponferada has been the cornerstone of this NU team, and can hold his own against the big men of the league.

Rookie Watch: Anjeet(?) Singh was reputed to be a sparkplug for the Bulldog offense. He isn't afraid to drive to the basket and works hard on perimeter defense. Admittedly, I am unable to give a fair assessment as I have only seen him play sparingly.