PERMANENCE

THE GREAT MARIKINA FLOOD

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:52:16 GMT

Coming off a grueling work week, which included back-to-back pick-up basketball games and three consecutive heavy drinking sessions, I was drained physically and mentally. I literally ached for some rest. I was excited for last Saturday (September 26) since I will finally be able to recharge and get some Me Time. All I wanted to do was to wake up at any time I want (i.e. any time later than my daily 8:00 a.m. wake-up call) and enjoy a laidback day. The first objective, I was able to do. The second objective? That’s an entirely different story. To say that I had a busy Saturday would be a monstrous understatement. It would just be like saying Manny Pacquiao is a good boxer. Or that the analogy I just used was terrible.

I woke up at around lunchtime. I slept soundly thanks to the lulling rain and the fact that I had too much to drink. It was still raining hard when I got up. I immediately looked outside the window of my room. My prediction was confirmed: our street was already flooded. It didn’t come as a surprise to me though since this is a normal occurrence in our area whenever it rains continuously. Hence, my quick prediction. So, I carried on with my usual weekend routine. I ate lunch, read the newspaper, and browsed channels on the T.V. The flood continued to rise. But being the self-confident bastard that I am, I just easily dismissed it, thinking it would eventually subside, like it always does. Boy, was I completely wrong. I had a giant red X mark plastered on my bastardly face.

After about an hour, the water entered our kitchen. We live in an elevated house and it was the first time flood managed to storm inside. Minutes later, the uninvited guest entered our living room. At that point, I started to feel a little nervous. More ticks later, the water was already in the master’s bedroom. I could hear the Black Eyed Peas song and proverbial Facebook status message mocking me: “I’ve got a feeling, that tonight’s gonna be a long night, that tonight’s gonna be a long long night.”

In just almost two hours, our house was virtually a four-cornered archipelago. Me, my father, my brother, my brother’s friend, who was unfortunately stranded in our house, my nine-year-old cousin, and our helper scrambled to salvage all our appliances, furniture, and important belongings. We stored everything on our second floor—from the microwave to important documents to favorite underwear. We really moved things fast. We could put any American house mover out of business. You’ll be surprised at how effective adrenaline mixed with nervousness can be. We were, however, fighting a losing battle. If we were fast, the flood was faster. The water was just too powerful and unstoppable. It just kept coming and coming. It kept inviting more and more company to our already suddenly crowded house. It looked like we were in an episode of World’s Most Amazing Videos.

As we were moving more of our appliances and furniture, the refrigerator suddenly crashed to the water. And for the first time after a very long time, I honestly felt scared. It was like “Shit, this is for real.” For the first time in my entire life, I saw my father become vulnerable. He really looked like a hapless man fighting a relentless force. Like the pavements and the plants outside, our spirits were slowly being drowned by the flood. We were being cornered and pushed to our second floor. It was us against the furious mob of flood and mud. The water on our first floor was already chest high (I’m 5’8” so you do the measuring). The water outside our house was, in local term, lampas-tao. Our house has seen thousands of typhoons and thunderstorms since it was built in 1989. We have experienced floods of all sorts, but nothing compares to this one. Nothing is even remotely close. This is the Godfather of all floods. The Floodfather. It gave us an offer we can’t refuse, or in this case, escape.

After seemingly endless hours of moving stuff and other belongings, we finally retreated and put our hands up. We did the best we could. It was just too much to bear. It was a vicious and exhausting cycle: go into the water, pick up furniture, carry it up to the second floor, go back down, and go into the water again. I couldn’t really say that we gave up, we just literally let nature takes it evil course. Although none of us did audibly, I knew every single one of us prayed that the rain would stop. It had been raining for almost 20 hours. Fear is an unfamiliar element in our house. But at that moment, fear was in every nook and cranny of our now-humbled abode. Fear was swimming, floating, and lurking in the rising water. The lack of electricity and phone signal didn’t help as well. I looked outside the window and saw our entire subdivision covered in water and conquered by darkness. It looked like a giant black blanket cloaked our area. The stillness and the silence only heightened the sense of fear.

We ate dinner in candlelight. I’m telling you, it was far from being romantic. Especially when your dinner is Cheesewhiz sandwich and tap water. We were able to save the food from the refrigerator but they were no use since we had no means of cooking. There was nothing left to do after eating except sleep everything off. But even the exhaustion did not make me sleep. I was still scared to go to bed, fearing that the water might rise anytime. I felt like a kid terrified of the monster under the bed. Only this time, I was terrified of the water under the second floor. Our first floor looked like a floating market in Bangkok. All the little things we failed to move were aimlessly floating in the muddy water. It felt like a scene in Titanic, only it was for real and not some CGI-laden film.

I laid in my bed for over an hour and I still couldn’t sleep. The only form of entertainment I had was a deck of cards. Luckily, I had a pen and some paper inside my filthy bag, enabling me to write this sort of Great Marikina Flood memoir. Even though I was able to preoccupy myself, I struggled writing with only a candle serving as my table lamp. I was back to the old school! This is far from being a Jose Rizal masterpiece though. Good thing I also had my iPod to keep me sane and somehow alleviate the stress. After several Toe, Explosions in the Sky, and City & Colour songs, I was finally able to get some shuteye. I think that was around 11:00 p.m.

The second I opened my eyes the following morning (September 27), I immediately checked our stairs if the water was already gone. I was more than relieved it did. But another daunting task was at hand: clean-up. Although every single bone in my body—from my cranium to my fifth metatarsal—were still throbbing from the abuse they endured the day before, I had no choice but to get up and get down to cleaning business. It wasn’t exactly the weekend I pictured it to be. Our subdivision was a mess—in every sense of the word. Dirty and damaged possessions were all over. It was like Godzilla threw tantrums and threw everything on the streets. You would easily scream “putik!”—and it’s not the the toned-down/euphemistic version of “puta!” There was literally mud all over. As in mud-uming-mud-umi talaga. Mud-ugong paglilinis. Mud-uming kukuskusin. Mud-uming kalat. Ok, I should stop now. But seriously, seeing our house covered in the brown smudge, my heart and jaw dropped to the floor, which was also covered in mud by the way. I couldn’t really explain how I felt during that time. Dejected? Devastated? Disoriented? I honestly didn’t know. The only thing that would’ve made it any better were 30 hot bikini-clad women wrestling in the mud. But that didn’t happen of course.

Telling you how we cleaned the house would just bore the wits out of you (not that I haven’t bored you yet). The bottom line here is nature doesn’t nitpick. Nature can unleash its fury and hammer down its wrath in any place at any time. For years, it was the other provinces that have been drastically hit by natural calamities. It was our turn this time around. It was our turn to suffer and realize that none of us are above nature and the Powers Up There. We will always be reduced to mere spectators whenever nature decides to put up an impromptu show. And there will always be encore performances. Just over the weekend, I had a front row seat, albeit reluctantly, to nature’s most recent performance. It was astounding and unsettling at the same time. If there’s one thing I learned out of the historic disaster, it is how to really empathize with calamity victims. Before, I only felt sympathy for the affected people whenever I see them on T.V. But now, I know what it really feels like. It was a cold, harsh, mud-covered lesson for me.

I’m a pretty optimistic person. Personally, I know my family can easily move on from this. I just genuinely hope others will do too. Looking back, I’ve also realized we were still more fortunate than the other victims. All of our walls are still intact, we managed to save lots of things, we had enough food and water, and most importantly, none of us drowned. It has been said that God doesn’t give us a problem we cannot overcome. I can only agree with that. Our house will never return to its original splendor. Our house will not be cleaned up in a blink of an eye. But I know we can float on. I know we can bounce back. One tile at a time. One room at a time. One spirit at a time. All it takes is a little resolve. Although 30 hot bikini-clad women wouldn’t hurt either.

PAKIBASA LANG MGA POGI'T MAGAGANDA

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:58:49 GMT

May kinasusuklaman ka bang politiko? May crush ka bang Presidentiable? Naaaliw ka ba sa mga advocacy campaign? Naiirita ka na ba sa nunal ni GMA? May gusto ka bang i-share sa iyong nakaraang voting experience? May saloobin ka ba na konektado sa eleksyon?

Kung oo ang sagot mo ay saktung-sakto ka dahil nangangailangan kami ng mga saloobin at opinyon tungkol sa paparting na carnival na kung tawagin ay Philippine National Elections.

Puwede mag-contribute in any form. Kahit essay, one-liner, quote, tula, kanta, drowing, photograph, o kung ano pa man ang maisip mo na makapagpahayag ng saloobin mo. 'Wag lang isang buong nobela o kaya sand castle. Hindi rin kailangan masyado seryoso o intelektwal o aktibista ang tono. Basta kung ano lang nasa isip mo. The bottom line is: get your message across. Para ka lang nakikipag-debate sa mga kainuman mo sa kanto.

Ang mga iko-contribute ay isasama sa isang web publication na naglalayong maging aktibo ang kabataan sa darating na eleksyon. 'Wag kayong mag-alala dahil in good faith naman ang paglabas ng publication.

Sa mga gustong mag-contribute ay pakipadala lamang ang inyong mga obra maestra sa kantonista@gmail.com o kaya ay mag-send ng personal message dito sa aking Livejournal o L.J. ayon nga sa mga cool na cool na acronym-loving people.

Sa kasamaang palad ay wala kaming maibibigay na kahit anong uri ng kabayaran sa inyong mga contribution dahil kasing nipis ng pakpak ng ipis ang mga wallet namin. Isang dumadagundong na pasasalamat lang ang aming maibibigay.

Aasahan namin ang inyong mga sagot. Olrayt? Olrayt! Maraming salamat!

BECAUSE I'M SHAMELESS

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:09:08 GMT

The first round of the 72^nd season of the UAAP ended with a bang yesterday. Nothing’s really surprising about the records with Ateneo and FEU, as predicted, lording it over in the standings. The second round will surely be more physical and more competitive since teams will scramble for the precious Final Four slots.

With that said (the first paragraph was just to cover up this shameless plug), visit www.uaapsports.com for your one-click stop for everything that is UAAP. It not only covers the men’s basketball tournament, but the women’s and the juniors’ as well. Get all the latest scores, updates, and features about your favorite players. There are even live chats with UAAP personalities and John Lloyd Cruz. Ok, not John Lloyd Cruz.

For an even more unashamed plugging, some of my articles have been fortunately published on the website. If you have time to burn or you simply just want to get bored to hell, you can check them out by clicking on the following: Paul Lee, Emman Monfort, Nico Elorde, and Yellow.

Violent reactions are more than welcome. Make my face fall splat on the ground.

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But wait! There’s more! The plugging doesn’t stop there.

Let’s all give our full support to Powerade Team Pilipinas by watching all of their games in the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship in Tianjin. All the games will be shown live on BTV and C/S 9.

The Nationals have advanced to the second round and they have a strong chance of moving to the quarterfinals, barring any major injuries or worse, insane officiating, which is as rare as fake plastic diamonds in international competitions.

2^nd Round Schedule

Philippines vs. Chinese Taipei

August 10, 2009

4 p.m.

Philippines vs. Iran

August 11, 2009

11 a.m.

Philippines vs. Kuwait

August 12, 2009

9 a.m.

You really can never have too much basketball. It’s a fact. It has been extensively researched since time immemorial by the great minds of civilization: from the life-preserving Egyptians to the inventors of the wheel to Hugh Hefner. It’s true.

THE UNWANTED UAAP PREVIEW PART 2

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:25:08 GMT

Just a couple of updates since I posted Part 1 of my yearly unsolicited UAAP preview. First, it was reported that La Salle's L.A. Revilla will miss Season 72 due to still unclear medical reasons. Second, La Salle apparently left out RP Youth member Papet Paredes and La Salle Greenhills star Martin Reyes on its official roster. That brings the Green Archers' rookie total to six, and not eight as I posted in Part 1.

With that said, as promised, here's Part 2 of the preview. Part 3 will be about my predictions for the season's individual awards. I know it's extemely early to tell, but I like to believe that I have some sort of foreshadowing abilities. Fortunately for you, you don't need to believe me anytime.

National University Bulldogs
Last season: 2-12 (8^th place)

NU is like a troubled celebrity. Think Lindsay Lohan. Every year, despite her histories of failures, you expect to see signs of improvement because you want her to succeed, but in the end, you always get disappointed. Every year, before the start of every season, the NU Bulldogs make us believe that they are a different team: wiser and more mature than the previous one. But when the actual games start, we see the exact same team: chaotic and self-destructing. Sadly, this year will end in another disappointment.

The entry of business tycoon Henry Sy to the NU picture may be a welcome development in terms of school sustainability, but that doesn’t mean that NU will get more wins on the court.

Without any research, can you name five players who will suit up for NU this year? Since their magical run in 2001, when they entered the Final Four for the first time in history with players like Froilan Baguion, Rey Mendoza, and Jeff Napa, the Bulldogs have never showed any semblance of a winning team. Not even close.

For the past four years, only one player comes to mind when talking about the NU Bulldogs: Edwin Asoro. Now that he’s gone, more frustrations are in the horizon. He has done practically everything for the Bulldogs, except mop the floor. He was a one-man wrecking crew. No player in NU’s history had this importance since Danny Ildefonso in the mid-90s. It doesn’t need to be said that the team will be greatly affected by the graduation of Asoro. The numbers don’t lie: 30.5 MPG, 13.5 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG, and 2.0 BPG—all team highs. Head coach Manny Dandan will need all the creativity and brilliance in his bones to find players who can soften the blow of Asoro’s adieu.

The departure of Asoro, despite his awful shot selection, will only give more woes to the team’s already lethargic offense. NU was the second worst offensive team (only better than Adamson) last season with only 64.6 PPG. Without Asoro, Jonathan Jahnke, and Raymond Aguilar, the team’s top three scorers from Season 71, the question now is: who will provide the points? Honestly, there’s no clear answer yet. The only clear thing about NU this year is that they will languish at the bottom of the standings. Yet Again.

Players to watch: Ajeet Singh and Jessey Garcia

University of the East Red Warriors

Last season: 9-5 (4^th place)

The Dindo Pumaren era is now over for UE. After five frustrating seasons of almost-made-its, the Red Warriors decided to go on a different path and establish a new identity. They want to forget their monumental choke job in the finals two seasons ago and last year’s uninspired performance. The entry of new head coach Lawrence Chiongson may not easily translate into a UAAP diadem, but it’s a start towards a new direction. And that’s exactly what the Warriors need.

Chiongson, known as free-wheeling tactician, will run a fast-paced system with the Red Warriors. This could actually work well for them considering they have athletic and spitfire guards like Raffy Reyes, Paul Zamar, Rudy Lingganay, and Lucas Tagarda. Pumaren played a more deliberate system with low post plays and kick outs, which eliminated UE’s obvious strength, which is speed. One underrated factor about the Recto-based squad is their defense. UE was the second best defensive team in the league last season, allowing only 64.4 PPG. The Red Warriors like to play scrappy defense and this usually leads to forced errors. This is where the speed part comes in. If they can convert the turnovers to easy fastbreak points, then racking up wins wouldn’t be too hard.

A big blow, however, to UE’s campaign this season is the absence of James Martinez. The sweet-shooting guard tore his ACL and will likely miss Season 72. The former San Beda Red Cub was supposed to be the leader of the team now that Marcy Arellano and Hans Thiele are gone, but as it turned out, red is not lady luck’s favorite color. Martinez led UE in points last season with a 10.0 PPG and also contributed on other departments (4.0 RPG and 2.5 APG), so his absence will surely be felt.

Fortunately for UE hopefuls, there’s another guard who’s all set to take the next step: Paul Lee. He played below par last year as he, for some reason, was used sporadically by Pumaren. But this proved to be a blessing in disguise as Lee channeled his frustrations in his first conference in the PBL and became an instant star for Bacchus Energy Drink. He came out of nowhere to surprise everyone with his all-around play (first in points, second in assists, and third in steals) and ran away with the Best Player of the Conference trophy. Lee blossomed under the helter-skelter system of Chiongson in the PBL and there’s no reason why they can’t do it again in the UAAP.

Players to watch: Paul Lee and Raffy Reyes

University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons

Last season: 3-11 (6th place)

After an embarrassing 0-14 season in 2007, the UP Fighting Maroons returned to the win column last year with three much-needed victories. Head coach Aboy Castro has done a masterful job in instilling to his young players a positive mindset. There’s no question that his players have the youthful passion and exuberance, factors that are also valuable in college basketball, the only thing they need to do this year is put the “fight” in Fighting Maroons.

Like most young squads, the Maroons have the tendency to ignore the importance of defense. UP was the worst defensive team last season with 77.8 points allowed. That’s simply unforgivable in college hoops, wherein low-scoring is more of the norm than the exception. Except for Mark Lopez and Jay Agbayani, players hardly showed dedication to play defense last season. Playing defense is the worst part in basketball: it’s hard to do and it hardly gets noticed by the fans. But defense also spells the difference between winning and getting a big fat egg on the standings.

With the graduation of outspoken leader Jay Agbayani, this is now Martin Reyes’ team. The sweet-stroking southpaw must learn how to control the team especially when his teammates start to play too much one-on-one basketball, most notoriously Woody Co. Reyes continues to improve his scoring number each year as evidenced by his career-high 11.4 PPG last season, and Season 72 could be his breakout year. Another Reyes who should also help the maroon side of Katipunan is rookie Mikee Reyes. The explosive guard from La Salle Greenhills will add another scoring option at the backcourt and should battle fellow diminutive guard Mike Gamboa for minutes at the point guard spot now that Arvin Braganza, who led the league in assists last season with Adamson’s Jerick Cañada, played out his eligibility.

There were games last season that the Maroons just simply stopped fighting. It’s understandable that large margins could suck the energy out of any team, but still, that doesn’t mean that the players can just go through the motions and wait for the time to expire. Every game, no matter how lopsided, has a lesson. That’s what the Maroons need to understand. With their young core, they need to chew up every bit of lesson they can get and try to improve every game. The learning curve will only get higher as the season goes along.

Players to watch: Mikee Reyes and Mark Lopez

University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers

Last season: 6-8 (5^th place)

Jervy Cruz was in tears when the UST Hymn was played at the end of their final game last season. It was the perfect image to describe the Tigers’ Season 71 campaign: sad and frustrating. With a solid lineup made up of majority of the core of its 2006 champion team, UST was deemed as one on the top contenders last year. But as it turned out, the Tigers’ growls were silenced as they played below everyone’s expectations.

UST’s record last year does not reflect the amount of talent they had. They lost only by an average of 4.5 points and could’ve won four more games if only they delivered in endgame. What spelled the Tigers’ doom last season were their inaptitude to close out games and their horrific shot selection. Pido Jarencio’s lack of coaching acumen also contributed to their demise as he failed to lead his team during crucial stretches of games. UST could’ve easily beaten any team last year except for Ateneo, the only squad that convincingly won over them. But again, the España squad simply underachieved.

With a younger and weaker core this season, it looks like UST will even go further down the standings. Last year, the Tigers fell short because of wrong decisions, this time, they will fall short because of lack of firepower. Aside from Dylan Ababou, who finished fourth in the league in points last season with 15.4 PPG, there’s no other player who can change the flow of the game. Clark Bautista, Jeric Fortuna, Chris Camus, and Khasim Mirza may be solid players, but they will struggle to find consistency. UST is now Ababou’s responsibility. He is the deadliest offensive weapon in the UAAP today. The only thing he needs to do is pass the ball more and lessen his turnovers. Considering he gets a lot of touches, he only managed to dish out 1.1 assists per game last season, while committing 3.1 turnovers in the process (third in the league).

Scoring was not a problem for the Tigers last year as they were the best offensive team with a 78.1 average. But that is actually a tarnished statistic since they also gave up a lot of points. UST was the second worst defensive team (only better than UP) with 75.8 points allowed. With the departure of Jervy and key guys Japs Cuan, Mark Canlas, Chester Taylor, and Francis Allera, the Tigers will scourge for points, but they should make up for it by playing better D. Speaking of, if there’s one player in the entire UAAP whose graduation will leave a colossal effect on any team, it’s Jervy. He led the league in points per game (19.8) and rebounds per game (13.7) last year. There’s really nothing to explain. But that’s part of college hoops. Players come and go. For now, the Tigers will go as far as Ababou can take them. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look too far.

Players to watch: Chris Camus and Emilian Vargas

THE UNWANTED UAAP PREVIEW PART 1

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:14:00 GMT

Another inexorable virus will slowly sweep the nation in the coming weeks. Thankfully, it absolutely has nothing to do with our health. Despite the increasing Influenza scare in majority of the metro’s colleges and universities, the much-awaited 72^nd season of the UAAP season is all set to open shop next month. Local basketball fans are expected to swarm the Araneta Coliseum this July 11 to support their schools, scream their official chants, and salivate over their favorite players in the country’s most popular basketball league.

For some reason, there are not many UAAP previews available on the Internet. I considered this a sign that the basketball gods have commissioned me to make my personal preview yet again— to the chagrin of my avid readers, all five of them. I’m making this a three-part special post because I have this false and hubris-plastered belief that people wait for my blog entries.

Again, like in my previous UAAP previews (like this one), my analyses are all based from what I know last season. I will gauge the teams according to the players lost, players retained, and players added. I don’t like to depend on the teams’ performances on pre-season tournaments since these are just like normal pick-up games with better lights and better uniforms.

Adamson Soaring Falcons
Last season: 3-11 (7th place)

Season 71 was a season of transition for the Falcons. First, they underwent a coaching transition: from being handled by a loose but mediocre Bogs Adornado to being handled by an austere but competent Leo Austria. They also experienced a system transition: from having a legitimate scoring threat in Patrick Cabahug to well, not having a legitimate scoring threat. Paul Gonzalgo didn’t really scare the daylights out of the opponents with his offense.

These transitions were reflected on the court as the players struggled with consistency. Despite having a knowledgeable tactician in Austria, who returned after a one-year absence, the Falcons lacked the fluidity and mentality to set up their plays. They looked like they still have oily residues of Adornado’s style. They had difficulties adjusting to more organized basketball. The fact that they didn’t know who to go to on offense didn’t help as well, what with a lineup made up of role players like Jerick Cañada, Michael Galinato, Marc Agustin, and Jan Colina. Need proof? Adamson was the worst offensive team last season with a measly 64.4 average. In addition, only Gonzalgo had a double-digit scoring average, barely making the cut with 10.2 PPG.

Things, however, are looking bright for Adamson this season. With one whole year of togetherness under their young wings, Austria and the Falcons are now more familiar with each other, and more importantly, with the whole system. The only time the boys from San Marcelino will encounter the word “transition” is when they run on the break. The Falcons are expected to capitalize on their speed, which will be spearheaded by jitterbug court general Cañada, who shared assist leader honors with UP's Arvin Braganza last year (4.1 APG). The Falcons have decent size inside, but their big men, despite their agility, are not used to playing back-to-the-basket. That is why it is logical for them to put the pedal to the metal and just run, run, run.

The Falcons may not soar up to basketball heaven this year but all signs are leading to improvement. Their acquisition of controversial rookie Jaypee Importante (expect a typhoon of pun intended comments on the kid’s surname) from the PCU camp will shore up their firepower. The PBL experience of Cañada, Galinato, and Colina, the improved play of guard Lester Alvarez, and the comeback of veteran Leo Canuday give Austria a readier core compared to last year. Adamson flapping all the way to this year’s Final Four is not a consensus improbability but more of a waiting reality.

Players to watch: Jan Colina and Lester Alvarez

Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles
Last season: 13-1 (Champion)

Back-to-back is the obvious battle-cry for the Ateneo hopefuls this year. All eyes will be on the Blue Eagles as they try to win consecutive UAAP titles for the first time since 1987-1988 with players like Jun Reyes, Olsen Racela, Jayvee Gayoso, and Danny Francisco. Still with a strong lineup and an indomitable head coach in Normal Black, it looks like the loud battle-cry will shatter every team’s eardrums this Season 72.

With or without Chris Tiu, the pride of the blue side of Katipunan is still considered one of the top teams this season. Reigning MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini is still the most dominant big man in college hoops and he will get tons of help inside the paint with defensive stalwart Nonoy Baclao. Last year’s top rookie Ryan Buenafe, meanwhile, will play a bigger role as the team’s second option now that Tiu played out his eligibility. Rounding out Ateneo’s solid holdovers are Eric Salamat and Jai Reyes. The former is still the team’s top perimeter defender (Salamat led the league in steals last year with a 2.1 average), while the latter inherits the leadership tag from Tiu. Salamat and Reyes may not score in bunches every game, but they sure bring a lot of intangibles to the table.

The Blue Eagles are slam-dunking personifications of the old basketball adage “defense wins championships.” Ateneo was the top defensive team last season, allowing only 62.3 points per game. If the Eagles want to repeat, then they should continue to D up. If there’s one concern for the Eagles this season, it’s their thin bench. The team’s sophomores will need to spread their blue wings more if they want to duplicate their Season 71 success. Justin Chua and Vince Burke will literally have big shoes to fill as back-ups of Al-Hussaini. This is not actually a good development for Ateneo since Chua and Burke still have unpolished low-post skills. Expect Nico Salva, Tonino Gonzaga, and Oping Sumalinog to play better though after showing blitzes of potential last year.

Tiu’s absence will not be that big of a factor as most people think. It may be cruel to hear this, but the Blue Eagles don’t really need Tiu anymore. His teammates have already learned from him and it is now their time to show it on the court. Besides, Black has made intelligent players out of most his wards. And with a title tucked under their belts, they all know by now the fool-proof equation to winning in the UAAP: hard work plus high basketball IQ. Back-to-back? Why not?

Players to watch: Ryan Buenafe and Oping Sumalinog

De La Salle Green Archers
Last season: 10-4 (2nd place)

It looks like the Green Machine will be heavily recalibrated this season with a roster made up mostly of rookies—eight to be exact. Head coach Franz Pumaren will have his hands full in greasing up this year’s Green Archers. His clear goal is to make them as effective and as well-oiled like his past teams. If there’s one man who could make men out of boys, it is Pumaren—and no, it’s not because of his trademark daddy moustache.

Having a team made up of rookies is unfamiliar territory for Pumaren since he usually has the luxury of having a balance of veterans and greenhorns. The only other time he also had a bunch of rookies was in 2003 (JV Casio, Gerwin Gaco, Ryan Araña, etc.) But knowing his caliber, he will find ways to make the best out of his young guns. One thing going for La Salle is that most of the rookies already played for Pumaren in the RP Youth Team, so familiarity issue is already scratched off. The only thing that needs to be addressed is their readiness. Will they succumb to the pressure and physicality of the UAAP? The only rookie who can immediately say “no” is Arvie Bringas. The former San Sebastian Staglet will reinforce La Salle’s weak frontline and will probably get the staring nod at center now that he is the team’s only tested big man with Ferdinand and Marko Batricevic sidelined.

The other rookies will have to earn their minutes as most of them play the same positions as rotation guys James Mangahas, L.A. Revilla, Bader Malabes, Hyram Bagatsing, and Peejay Barua. Simon Atkins and Kish Co will return this year and will also be part of Pumaren’s immediate rotation. Of the two, expect Co to contribute more as he will be one of the main options at the four spot along with Maui Villanueva. On the other hand, Atkins, who retracted his decision to choose showbiz over basketball, will probably play back-up point guard since Revilla had an impressive rookie year.

The most important factor for this La Salle squad is not the entry of new players but the exit of old players JV Casio and Rico Maierhofer. It will be extremely difficult for the Archers to fill the gap left by the two stars. To put things clearly, Casio led La Salle in points, assists, and steals, while Maierhofer led in rebounds and blocks. But aside from their production, it is their leadership and composure that will be missed by the team. While Mangahas has proven to be a capable leader, his play in crunch time remains to be seen as evidenced by his M.I.A. in last year’s finals. Barua has the skills to put up points but he lacks leadership qualities. For now, it will be Pumaren who will lead his young team and hope that someone will pick up the cudgels as the season goes along. On paper, it looks like La Salle will fall short of the Final Four. But it’s hard to imagine a UAAP semifinal without them. And don’t forget: Franz Pumaren is still calling the shots.

Players to watch: Hyram Bagatsing and Arvie Bringas

Far Eastern University Tamaraws
Last season: 10-4 (3rd place)

If there’s one team that poses the biggest threat to Ateneo’s back-to-back hopes, it’s the FEU Tamaraws. Remember, FEU is the only squad that beat the Blue Eagles last season—and that was a game wherein Al-Hussaini put up 33 points and 20 rebounds. How come FEU still won? One letter: D. The Tamaraws match up well with the Eagles because they play terrific team defense. FEU was the third best defensive team (behind Ateneo and UE) last season with only 69 points allowed. The Morayta squad did not have the best players last year but still managed to get wins because of their dedication on defense.

Things, however, are different this time. With the graduation of the likes of Jervy Cruz, Tiu, Casio, and Maierhofer, FEU now boasts of majority of the best players this season. Mark Barroca is hands down the top point guard and an early candidate for MVP if his play with the Smart Gilas RP Team is any indication. Aldrech Ramos remains one of the league’s top defenders after leading the league in blocks last season (2.9 BPG). J.R. Cawaling and Reil Cervantes also belong to the upper tier of their respective positions with their improving talent and PBL experience. The entire league can expect nothing less from the Tamaraws and head coach Glenn Capacio will make sure that they won’t play below expectations.

Like Ateneo, the main problem for FEU is its tame supporting cast. Cameroonian Pipo Noundou will finally suit up for the Tamaraws after a two-year residency. He will quickly be part of the rotation after his fine showing in the pre-season. But then again, that’s just what it is: a pre-season. It will be interesting to see if things will pan out for him when the actual games start. After Noundou, there’s not much in the FEU cupboard except for Paul Sanga and Jens Knuttel. Roose Ryan Garcia, another rookie from the RP Youth Team, will likely be brought in slowly by Capacio. It’s a must for the FEU bench to step up if they want to make it to the finals for the first time since winning it all in 2005.

Capacio, known as a tough defender during his PBA days, has instilled the importance of defense to his players. That same philosophy will bring them to greater heights this season. Anything less of a finals appearance will be a disappointment for FEU and the pundits acquiesce that there’s no way the Tamaraws won’t be able to barge into the Last Dance. Perhaps the only way to prevent FEU from doing so is to kidnap Barroca, Ramos, Cervantes, and Cawaling and put them in an island far far away.

Players to watch: Pipo Noundou and Jens Knuttel

WALANG BAHID NG RIGHTEOUSNESS ANG POST NA 'TO

Fri, 22 May 2009 09:25:19 GMT

First time ko lang makakapag-post ng dalawang entry sa loob ng isang araw (halatang wala pa rin ako masyadong ginagawa dito sa opisina). At nangyari ito dahil na-inspire ako kay sa Chick N' Joy at Aga Muhlach at dahil gusto kong sumakay sa bandwagon ng Hayden Kho jokes.

Isa kang nakakadiring dilemma para sa mga kalalakihan

Ayon sa pinakabagong tsismis, 40 iba’t ibang sex video pa raw ang nagawa ng hayup na doktor. Mapapaisip ka talaga kung makukupalan ka ba sa kanya o mapapasamba sa dami ng de-kalidad na chicks na “nakasama” niya. Tanong nga ng aking analytical na kaibigan na si Don: “papayag ka ba na may 'makasama' rin na 40 sobrang magagandang babae pero kasing bigat ng problema ni Hayden Kho ang magiging problema mo?”

That’s tough, man.

AGA MUHLACH IN DA HAWZ!

Fri, 22 May 2009 06:34:09 GMT

May shoe endorsement ba si Manny Pacquiao? Meron. May pain reliever endorsement ba si Manny Pacquiao? Meron. May sports drink endorsement ba si Manny Pacquiao? Meron. May mobile network endorsement ba si Manny Pacquiao? Meron. E may chichiria endorsement ba si Manny Pacquiao? Wala! Si Aga Muhlach meron.

Move over Boy Bawang

Isa na namang katawa-tawang produkto ng isang local food company ang chichiriang ito. Isa na namang malinaw na katunayan sa kakulangan sa originality ng mga Pilipino. Mukhang hindi na naman pinag-isipan. Kung ano na lang unang pumasok sa kukote. Bahala na moves. Tamad na nga kumilos, tamad pa mag-isip. Akalain mong nakagawa pa ng chichiria base sa popular na manok ng Jollibee? Iniba lang ‘yung spelling: mula Chicken Joy ginawang Chick N’ Joy.

Pero malinaw naman na hindi ‘yung pangalan ‘yung laptrip. ‘Yung mukha ni Aga Muhlach ang nakakatawa! Hindi ko masyado maipaliwanag kung bakit ako natatawa. Siguro dahil hindi ko lang talaga na-imagine kahit ga-bulbol man lang na mapa-plaster ang mukha ni Aga Muhlach sa mumurahing chichiria. Sobrang out of place. Parang Sasquatch na nagba-bike sa Baguio o kaya matinong congressman sa Pilipinas. In a more coñotic and artistic phrasing: it’s so surreal!

Hindi na kailangan pa ng philosophical analysis ni Rene Descartes kung bakit mukha ni Aga Muhlach ang nilagay sa packaging. Sa dami ng Chicken Joy commercial ni Aga Muhlach, na-associate na ang pagmumukha niya dito. Maituturing na ngang redundant kapag nagsuot siya ng Jollibee costume e. Taun-taon, may bago siyang Chicken Joy commercial kung saan ipinamamalas niya ang world-class Aga Muhlach brand of acting: kung makahawak ng manok akala mo kamay ng syota ang hawak. Nakangiti pa tuwing kumakagat at ngumunguya. Sinong ungas ang ngumingiti habang kumakagat o ngumunguya ng pagkain? Si Joker lang siguro. Well, tsaka si Aga Muhlach, apparently.

Isa na naman itong blatant copyright infringement ng maliliit na kumpanya dito sa Pilipinas. Ipupusta ko ang milyun-milyon kong nunal sa katawan (kasama na ‘yung dalawa sa ilalim ng bayag ko) na hindi nagpaalam ang ASY Food Corporation kay Aga Muhlach na gagamitin nila ang poging-poging post-Bagets niyang litrato sa chichiria nila. Pero ok na rin kasi at least hindi nabayaran si Aga Muhlach ng siguradong malaking talent fee—isang bagay na hindi na niya kailangan dahil marami na siyang pera. At isa sa pinakakinaaasaran ko ay mga taong may excessive wealth.

Naisip siguro ng mga may-ari ng ASY na “kinuha na natin ‘yung pangalan e, bakit hindi na rin natin isama ‘yung endorser?” Kung magnanakaw ka nga lang naman, ‘yung complete package na. Sino ba naman ang engot na magnanakaw ng TV tapos hindi pa isasama ‘yung remote control? Pero kung iisipin, parang mali rin ang pagpili ng ASY kay Aga Muhlach. Sino lang ba ang bumibili ng tigpi-pisong chichiria? Mga bata. Kasama ba sila sa audience demographics ni Papa Aga? Hindi. Masyado pang inosente ang mga bata para ma-hypnotize o ma-tempt ng sacrosanct na mukha ni Aga Muhlach. So in effect, hindi rin sila mae-entice bumili. Kung mukha sana ni Santino ang nilagay nila, edi siguradong panic buying ang mga chikiting.

Although ‘yung mukha ni Doc Aga nga ang nagtulak sa akin para bumili ng Chick N’ Joy kahapon sa tindahan malapit sa opisina, binili ko ‘to for exactly the opposite reason: para kutyain ang endorser na supposedly magpe-persuade sa akin na bilhin ang produkto dahil gusto ko siya. Ako pa nga ang pinakaunang bumili dahil ako ang unang bumawas sa supot. Isang pagpapatunay na hindi talaga siya appealing sa mga bata (maraming bata na naglalaro sa may tindahan). Wala nang laman ‘yung balot sa picture kasi pilit ko nang kinain. Pakiramdam ko kamukha ko na rin si Aga Muhlach. ‘Yun siguro ang nutritional value niya: mas popogi ka at makakadagit ka rin ng chickas na kasing ganda at talino ni Charlene Gonzalez. Nakakabagabag nga lang talaga kung bakit lasang keso ang Chick N’ Joy (kalasa niya ‘yung tigpi-pisong Cheesedog na chichiria). Wala ka talagang malalasahang manok kahit kasing sensitibo pa ng Cueshe ang tastebuds mo.

Pero to be fair, logical naman ang pagpili ng ASY sa Chick N’ Joy bilang pangalan ng kanilang chichiria. Halos lahat ng bata ay gusto ang Chicken Joy ng Jollibee, at sa paggamit ng ASY sa Chick N’ Joy, iniisip nilang makakagoyo sila ng bata na marahil ay iisipin na lasang Chicken Joy nga ang chichiria. Nakasandal sila sa gullible at unpolluted na utak ng mga musmos. Masama man pakinggan, nina-nice fake nila ang mga bata. Pero hindi ba ganun naman talaga ang goal ng mga marketing strategy? Gawin ang lahat para maloko ang target market sa pagkonsumo. All’s fair in love, war, and commercialism.

Para tapusin na ang malabnaw na entry na ‘to, hihiram ako ng isang inspiring quote na talagang nagtahi sa kultura ng ating bayan at nagbago sa pananaw nating mga Pilipino: “Isa pa, isa pang Chick N’ Joy!”

UPDATE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF UPDATING

Tue, 19 May 2009 07:50:00 GMT

I must've done something good to humanity during the past few days because Someone Up There miraculously freed me from any workload today. That automatically means a not-much-awaited blog update since it feels like I haven’t written anything (plug scripts don’t count) since World War I. If you’re looking for a socially responsible, extremely informative, and incredibly entertaining post, then you’ve come to the right place…for everything that don’t fit those descriptions.

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Work has slowly eaten me alive. It just hasn’t digested me well enough. The loads of free time I had when I was still with the sports department have found their resting place. Although my new stint gets cruelly exhausting at times, it’s really not much of a bad deal since I’m learning a lot in producing and editing videos. There are also delightful instances when I get all revved up to make a plug just because I have a sudden surge of idea, which occurs as often as the Parting of the Red Sea, or just because I think of a highly appropriate song that can be used for the plug score. I know I’m nowhere near the talent of some of the producers here, but I try to improve everyday and consume everything I learn when I observe their work.

I can’t say that I’m completely enjoying my job though. I would still return to the sports group without batting an eyelash if given the chance. Aside from the incomparable rush of covering sports competitions, I also miss the traveling opportunities. Going out of town beats a monotonous day in the office anytime. My former group mates have all went to an out-of-town assignment already (they have more lined-up in the weeks to come), while I’m still trapped here in my worn-out desk. But again, I’m trying my best to be stoic about everything that has happened. Just be thankful and make do with what I have.

Another little problem I have with my new work is my already limited vocabulary mileage. When I was with Solar Sports and BTV, all I could think about were sports jargons, and now that I’m with C/S Origin, all I could think about (not that I think a lot) are law, crime, and forensic terminologies. I have this tendency to get stuck with words or phrases I use in my daily writing even when it comes to writing about a totally different topic. I get so used to the tried-and-tested formulas that I tend to unconsciously turn a deaf ear to other methods that could also work.

So in an attempt to address this, I’ve reunited with my bookshelf and started to read books once again. I got so used to reading articles and reviews on the Internet that I forgot that I have put several novels I bought on the backburner. While online write-ups are clearly more practical and equally entertaining, they don’t usually provide the imagination and imagery like short stories and novels do. Most movie and music reviews also use technical terms and follow a specific blueprint (gist–positives–negatives-conclusion), which somehow defeats the purpose of me not being confined to a specific subculture of words and phrases.

I’m almost done with Chuck Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters and Audrey Niffenegger's A Time Traveler’s Wife. I believe I’m not the only one who has the habit of reading different books in the same period of time. It has become an unhealthy habit since I usually mix up the characters. My friends and officemates have already recommended books so I would appreciate it very much if you do the same (although I don’t expect much from all of the three readers of this blog). Business World super reporter Don recommended David Halberstam’s sports novel The Breaks of the Game, Severo super vocalist Enzo suggested Chuck Klosterman’s fictional novel Downtown Owl, and television superstar Lia Cruz raved about Haruki Murakami’s memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. You can’t go wrong with those three authors (and those three recommenders as well). Send me those titles!

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The NBA Playoffs has been everything as expected. The Cavaliers made little birds out of the Hawks, Orlando booted out the defending champs, the Nuggets trampled the skeletal Mavericks line-up, and the Lakers squeezed past a relentless Rockets squad.

Of all the quarterfinal match-ups, it was the Lakers-Rockets tiff that interested me the most because of the word I just used in the previous sentence: relentless. When the Rockets lost Yao Ming to a season-ending foot injury, they were expected to just roll over and get punched by the insanely hackneyed “Houston, We Have a Problem” headline yet again. It looked like a fair initial observation since they were facing a loaded and experienced Lakers squad. But instead of allowing themselves to be buried alive, the Rockets pushed the Purple and Gold to seven games with their resiliency and we’re-not-intimidated visage. Although the deciding game turned out to be a rout for the Lakers, the Rockets proved that hard work can sometimes trump talent.

On a more personal note, I would like to commend one of the players I look up to the most, Shane Battier, for another masterful job against Kobe Bryant. Of all the statistics, it was Kobe’s field goal percentage that I closely followed during the entire series. It was the first thing I looked at every time I checked the boxscore to gauge how well Battier defended Mr. 81. Although Kobe shot a respectable 45.3% in the seven-game stretch, it doesn’t reflect how hard he had to work for his points versus Battier. The Duke alumnus stayed with Kobe all series long. He challenged every shot, sacrificed his body, and even modestly endured a “You Can’t Guard Me!” denigration from the Lakers superstar. In addition, he did not foul out in each of the games which just further solidifies how well he played defense against the most complete offensive player in the NBA today. No one can stop Kobe. You can only contain him. And that’s what Battier has done every time the Rockets faced the Lakers for the past few seasons.

If you’ll notice, Battier doesn’t score or even attempt shots that much. He only averaged 6.7 shot attempts and 7.7 points in the series yet he played an average of 37.0 minutes per game (second to Ron Artest’s team-high 38.2). Despite not contributing much on the offensive end, Battier stayed on the floor because of his tough-as-nails defense and intangibles. It’s almost impossible not to admire a player who does all the things Battier does. Unless you’re the one he’s guarding, of course.

Read this epic New York Times feature on Battier to have a deeper understanding of what I truly mean. It’s everything I have observed since Battier was drafted in the NBA. Only he wrote it way ahead of me and waaaaaaaaaaaay better than what I could have done.

25 THOUGHTS YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT (TAGALOG VERSION)

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:02:48 GMT

1. Matindi pa rin ang hangover ko sa aming matindi at magulong pag-iikot sa Camarines noong Holy Week.

2. Gusto ko ng napakalamig na Red Horse at napakalutong na sisig na may itlog.

3. Pangit pala talaga ang pakiramdam kapag ikaw ang tumira ng last shot tapos hindi na-shoot.

4. Maganda pala talaga ang Mayon Volcano (kahit sa malayo ko lang nakita).

5. Sana buhay pa si Jeff Buckley para may tsansang mag-collaborate sila ni Jose Gonzalez.

6. Panalo ang philosophy na ito ni Slavoj Žižek na nakuha ko kay Bimbo.

7. Nagsusulat pala ng food/restaurant reviews si Armi Millare para sa Philippines Free Press.

8. Hindi marunong maging pangit si Emmanuelle Chriqui.

9. Kadalasan misunderstood ang genuine initiative bilang pagiging lider-lideran.

10. Mas bulok pa sa mga basura sa Payatas ang NBA Fantasy ko ngayong taon.

11. Salamat naman at medyo naka-adjust na rin ako kahit papano sa C/S Origin (manood kayo ng Medium tsaka ng Law & Order).

12. Bakit ba parang takang-taka at diring-diri ang ibang tao kapag sinabi mong hindi ka pupunta sa Boracay ngayong summer?

13. Sino pang may alam na bilihan ng matitinding DVD maliban sa Hidalgo, Metrowalk, at St. Francis Square?

14. Alam ko medyo luma na siya pero sino pa rin ang mabait na magreregalo sa akin ng Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto ni Chuck Klosterman?

15. “Ang sarap mong ihawin…ipalamon sa mga pating...wala kang silbi…wala kang silbi sa amin!”

16. Gusto ko na magpa-tattoo ulit pero wala pa rin talaga akong maisip na logical at sensible na design.

17. Kawawa naman si Ted Failon.

18. No cigarette stick tally: 86 days and counting.

19. Hindi ako makadesisyon kung sasali ako sa paluwagan dito sa opis.

20. Subukan niyo bilangin kung ilang beses niyo maririnig ang mga salitang “ang init” sa loob ng isang araw.

21. Ipupusta ko ang lahat ng brief ko na matatalo si Brian Viloria sa Linggo.

22. Kasing hirap i-figure out ng Egyptian Hieroglyphics ang pagpupursigi ng ibang babae na magkaroon ng tan lines.

23. Gusto ko maglagay ng maliit na inflatable swimming pool sa kuwarto ko.

24. Saguijo naman diyan!

25. ‘Di na dapat talaga kinukuha ang pay slip dahil madidismaya ka lang kapag nakita mo ang halaga ng kaltas sa suweldo mo.

IT'S ANOTHER WORK RANT MOFOS!

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:25:48 GMT

I’m back with Solar Sports and BTV! I can’t believe it! It’s true! Our supervisor told me that I’m really not suited for C/S Origin! I’m overflowing with elation! I can fill up the Grand Canyon with my happiness! This is the greatest moment of my employed life! I’m back like baby back ribs!

Yeah, and Buddha had dreadlocks.

Me going back to the sports department at this time is as impossible as Pol Pot getting canonized by the Vatican. I keep telling myself that time has a strange way of making things work out. Unfortunately, time is not really one of my good friends right now. I need immediate tangible effects.

I’m now officially part of C/S Origin. The group welcomed me and Crosby, who was originally transferred to Jack TV, the other day and oriented us on what to expect. While they were talking about all the basic channel information and their production process, I kept telling myself: “This shit is really happening.” I was only half-attentive to the brief meeting since I was sulking and raging inside at the same time. I was Zach dela Rocha after an ugly break-up.

Most people are die-hard scream-your-lungs-out fans of change. I’m not one of them. I don’t easily embrace big drastic changes. I loathe them in fact. I’m the unofficial spokesperson for the If-It-Ain’t-Broke-Don’t-Fix-It Movement. I don’t like being back to square one. It feels like all the things you did before automatically go to the wastebasket.

That’s exactly how I feel right now: I’m back to fucking square one. I need to adjust my daily grind all over again. I need to familiarize myself with the in and outs of the channel. I need to learn a different editing software. Most of all, I need to adapt to a new group of people. That’s the hardest part of this entire reshuffle. I don’t have a Ph.D. in making new friends, especially if we hardly have anything in common. And that’s the case with the guys of C/S Origin. Only one of them likes basketball, which is the only subject, apart from movies, that I can talk endlessly about. Most of them regularly go to the gym. I don’t remotely care how my body looks. I have nothing but good words for the guys at C/S Origin since they’re all nice and friendly. I just feel that I’m going to have a hard time fitting in.

The channel heads haven’t assigned me to anything yet. Honestly, I want to work right now so I can get my feet wet. But I guess they’re still figuring out how to squeeze in two more people in their already tight rotation. This is a double-edged sword: it’s either we gel in perfectly or we completely disrupt their chemistry. Again, the sports jargons can’t seem to move away from me. They’re like clingy relatives.

This is going to be a long year for me.

An old saying tells us to make lemonade if given lemons. Well, what If I don’t like lemonade?

SOLAR SPORTS NO MORE

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:24:10 GMT

Today is my most fucked up day at work.

Our group was dissolved due to the fucking wretched retrenchment. No, we didn’t receive the pink slip, but we were assigned (or scattered) to different channels. Like majority of the production employees, we’re now under the merch group, which makes all the plugs for the shows.

Our now former group, Local Sports Production, was the one assigned to do sports programs (Sports Desk, Finish Line, House of Hoops, etc.) and cover events sponsored or organized by Solar Sports or BTV. That means no more out-of-town shoots, front row seats to major sporting events, interviews with renowned sports personalities, and picture taking with Ms. Earth candidates.

While we’re still thankful that we still have regular jobs, the thought of starting from scratch and leaving what we’ve gotten used to for almost three years now is, well, fucked up.

And I’m the one who was fucked the worst.

Among the seven of us, I clearly got the bad end of the, as the supervisors said, “take it or leave it” deal. Gelo and James were assigned to BTV, Pierre and Kristian were assigned to Solar Sports, and Crosby and Ogie were assigned to Jack TV. Me? I was assigned to C/S Origin. Yes. Say it aloud with me (with your best Ari Gold impression): WHAT THE FUCK?

The six of them were robbed of all their money and valuables. I was robbed of all my money and valuables and was anally fucked by the mugger who turned out to be gay. That’s how I feel.

I have nothing against the hardworking people behind the channel, I just honestly don’t have any inclination towards the programs on C/S Origin. If I was transferred to Jack TV, then I really wouldn’t feel fucked-up since most of my favorite shows are there. But C/S Origin? Come on. I can’t even name three shows from that channel. Heroes? I’m not even sure if that’s still on C/S Origin. I don’t even watch Heroes! So what? Cut my head off.

Just to be clear, I genuinely appreciate the fact that our supervisors fought for us during their meeting with the management, who wanted to kick us out. I completely understand that this is still a business. At the end of the day, what’s important is that we still get something every 15^th and 30^th of the month. But still, the surprise “dispersal draft” (sports terms just won’t leave my vocabulary) is a bitter pill to swallow.

Me being shipped to C/S Origin is like giving Michael Jackson a teaching job at an all-boys primary school. It just doesn’t feel right. It’s a fucked up idea. It’s like going on a first date with intense diarrhea. It’s really fucked up. It’s like all these stupid analogies.

But then again, I really have no choice right now but to comply and be thankful that I’m still here. I’m just rambling right now. What happened hasn’t really sunk in yet. Pardon my incoherence. Unfortunately for you, expect more work related rants in the days to come.

NOSTALGIA WINS BY KNOCKOUT

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:14:43 GMT

Nostalgia always gets you when you least expect it.

I was rummaging through the cluttered files in our office for something to read while attending my regular meeting with the white marble bowl when I found the portfolio I passed when I applied for this sports scriptwriting job on a rainy day back in August 2006.

Part of the dull-looking portfolio is the compilation of all my Varsitarian (UST’s official student publication) articles. Reading them while taking a dump isn’t the most astonishing nostalgic moment, still, it gave me lurid flashbacks of my dreary yet delightful deadline-driven days in the college paper.

I miss the leg work, the paper trail, the attribution, the lengthy sit-down interviews, the brief ambush interviews, the transcribing of the inaudible interview, the appointments, the direct and indirect quotes, the authoritarian AP Stylebook, the red editing marks, and of course, for the unavoidable self-centered brain wave, seeing my name on print. In sharper words, I miss journalism.

Despite the recurring financial headaches and the interactive death threats posted by free online news services, I strongly believe that print journalism is here to stay. Even Time thinks so. Though journalism acrimoniously rejects me from time to time, I still find myself attached to it. I think about it during idle times, especially during those slow minutes between being awake and being asleep, like a toned-down concupiscence.

Journalism is the mushy diary entry, the butterfly in the stomach, the washed-up wallet picture, the dry rose petal, the awkward parent meeting, the long walk at night, the five-hour phone conversation, the surprise Valentine’s gift, the cheesy notebook lettering, the crumpled bus ticket, the obvious e-mail password, the basketball jersey number, the sweet prom dance, the two-year-old text message, the sudden sleep loss, and the memorable first kiss.

Journalism is my true love. Scriptwriting is my unrequiting girlfriend.

Nostalgia is one hard-hitting blindside puncher.

STEVE SNUB (A HO-HUM NBA POST)

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:58:10 GMT

Surprisingly, no one has extensively picked up on the Steve Nash All-Star snub angle yet. Here’s a player not chosen to the midseason spectacle just two seasons after winning his second straight MVP award. Yes, just two seasons. Even Laguna Beach aired for three seasons. Unfortunately, Nash is now the second fastest former MVP to be left out of the All-Star Game.

Wes Unseld holds the unenviable distinction of being the fastest, after for some strange reason, he was not selected to the 1970 edition despite winning both the Rookie of the Year and MVP honors the previous season. Moses Malone and Bill Walton also missed the All-Star Game one year after receiving the Maurice Podoloff trophy. But to be fair, they were both sidelined due to major injuries. Dave Cowens, Bob McAdoo, Charles Barkley, and Karl Malone, meanwhile, were booted out of the Game three seasons after winning the award.

Nash, a six-time All-Star, was not included in the Western Conference lineup this year despite a pretty decent season. His non-selection also rubbed salt to the wound since it prevented him from playing in front of the Phoenix fans, who venerate him on a daily basis. The Santa Clara product only finished sixth in the voting among Western guards with 677,211 nods—more than 13,000 down from last season.

There’s no denying that Nash doesn’t attract millions of fans like the Kobes, the LeBrons, or the T-Macs, and this ultimately derails his chances to be an All-Star starter (the only time Nash was a starter was in 2006). So what? Coaches love selfless players like Nash and they will surely include him in their sacrosanct All-Star reserve ballots, right? Not this year. As it turned out, Nash was unpopular with the tacticians as well.

Most seem to have forgotten that Nash is a two-time MVP

The snubbing of Nash is glaringly justified and acquiesced upon by the majority. The Suns are currently eighth in the West with a 26-20 record and have lost six of their last 10 games, including shockers to doormats Charlotte, Indiana, and Minnesota. Nash’s numbers are also going south: his 14.6 points per game is his lowest since 2000, his 47.9% shooting is his lowest since 2004, and his 3.8 TOs an outing ties a career worst. It is also mildly absurd to see three Suns (the two being Shaquille O’Neal and Amare Stoudemire) in the All-Star Game with their underachieving record.

Simply put, Nash doesn’t have a spot on the West squad. It’s a consensus among fans and observers that David West is not worthy of an All-Star nod, but is Nash a more suitable choice? The answer is no. The West’s second unit is already loaded in the backcourt with Chauncey Billups, Tony Parker, and Brandon Roy. Picking Nash in favor of any of those three is as logical as licking your grandmother’s decade-old dentures.

What makes the Nash snub striking though is that he was unceremoniously excluded from the All-Star Game. Here’s a future Hall of Famer and one of the top 10 point guards of all time—and he’ll watch instead of play. Was the snub too early? Probably. Recent MVP winners don’t usually receive the cold shoulder on the midyear showcase. Oscar Robertson played in seven straight editions after winning the MVP in 1964, David Robinson suited up in five straight after 1995, while active former MVPs Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett have yet to miss a contest.

This year’s All-Star snub doesn’t mean that Nash has hit the dead-end of his phenomenal career. But at the same time, it also makes his back-to-back MVP seasons feel like centuries ago. And as the midseason classic rides off into the proverbial sunset, pardon the pun, Nash will be unpopularly noted as the fastest multiple MVPs winner to be left out of the All-Star Game.

DAMN YOU WOMAN!

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:08:57 GMT

It's a bit late, but still.

This picture of my long-time crush Tina Fey is from the January 2009 issue of Vanity Fair. It was taken by renowned portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz. Minus the copyright laws and other legalities of course, I (amateurishly) edited it to serve as a better desktop background for my daily ogling pleasure.

I’m more than willing to cut off one of my balls if I could just go back in time and witness that photo shoot in person. I've been crushing (such a girly word) on Tina Fey since her early "Weekend Update" years on Saturday Night Live and I've always imagined how she'll look if she tried to be more conscious of her looks. I’ve read the article twice and I just can’t help but be envious of her husband. Smart is indeed sexy—or smoldering-lava hot in the case of Tina Fey.

YOU DRAYB MYSELF KREYZI

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:06:24 GMT

Nakipag-away na naman ako sa tricycle driver kaninang umaga. Hindi na naman ako nakapagpigil. Parang weekly habit ko na ang makipagtalo sa mga drayber dahil sa kanilang ‘di mapantayang panlalamang at pandarambong.

Background: P15 lang ang bayad mula sa bahay namin hanggang sa Marcos Hi-Way.

Ako: “Eto po bayad.”

Kinuha ng drayber ‘yung bente pesos

After five seconds: Nakaupo pa rin ako kasi hinihintay ko ‘yung sukli.

After three seconds: Naka-freeze lang ‘yung drayber at parang hinihintay na akong bumaba.

Ako: “‘Yung sukli?”

Inis na nagbigay ng dalawang piso si manong

Ako: “Kinse lang ang binabayad ko.”

Drayber: “Disi-otso na dito.”

Ako: “Kinse lang ang binayad ko mula Lunes hanggang kahapon.”

Drayber: “Disi-otso na nga kami.”

Ako (nainis na): “So kaninang madaling-araw lang nagbago ‘yung bayad sa mga tricycle? Ang aga naman gumising ng boss niyo.”

Galit na nag-abot pa ng dalawang piso ang drayber.

Puwede na kong maglakad palayo at tumahimik na lang dahil nakuha ko naman ‘yung P5 na sukli. Kaso dahil uminit na ang ulo ko at sadyang wala akong pasensya sa mga mapanlamang na public vehicle drivers, ‘di pa ako tumigil.

Ako: “Kung hindi ko pa hihingin ‘yung sukli ko, ‘di ka pa manunukli. Sabihin na nating totoong disi-otso na nga ang singil niyo, edi dapat may sukli pa rin akong dalawang piso. Problema sa inyo, ang hilig niyo manggulang. Bumaba na nga ‘yung gasolina.”

Drayber: “Ayan na nga e, nakalimutan ko lang.”

Ako: “Nakalimutan? Palusot ka pa. Hinihintay mo talaga akong bumaba na kasi ayaw mo manukli.”

Drayber: “E ano gusto mong gawin (pababa na sa tricyle niya)?”

Nakiusyoso na ‘yung ibang tricycle driver at pinigilan na kami.

Hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari kung hindi kami pinigilan. Halatang napikon na ‘yung drayber at tila gusto na niyang makipagsuntukan. Medyo mali rin ako kasi ang dami ko pang sinabi. Kaso tulad nga ng nabanggit ko, wala akong pasensya sa magugulang na tao. Dobleng panggugulang pa ang gustong gawin sa akin ng hinayupak na drayber. Ayaw niya akong suklian nung una, tapos nung nagsukli na, kulang naman.

‘Di man ganun kalaki ang halaga ng lima o tatlong piso, prinsipyo ang pinagtalunan sa nangyari. ‘Di ko nilalagyan ng presyo ang prinsipyo ko. Barya man ‘yan o milyon, sigurado ako sa sarili ko na hindi ko ipagpapalit ang mga paniniwala ko. ‘Di ko na talaga kayang i-tolerate ang mga gagong drayber, mapa-tricycle man ‘yan, jeep, o taxi (lalung-lalo na). Ewan ko ba kung bakit madaming drayber ang laging gustong makalamang. Marunong naman siguro sila ng basic addition at subtraction, pero bakit madalas silang magbigay ng kulang na sukli? Pare-pareho lang namang nangangailangan ng pera ang mga drayber at mga pasahero. Hindi dahilan ang discrepancy ng sahod o kita. Wala talagang saysay kung tutuusin ang pandarambong ng mga drayber. Kasing sensible ito ng pagmumog ng isang basong tubig-imburnal pagkatapos mo mag-toothbrush.

Pero medyo madaming katanungan ang nagpa-party sa utak ko ngayon dahil sa iskandalo kanina: 1. Ano bang plate number ng tricycle ng gagong drayber? 2. Paano kung makita niya ko sa daan one taym tapos bigla na lang niya akong sagasaan? 3. Nagsumbong kaya siya sa mga kasamahan niya at drinowing (whatta spelling) ang hitsura ko? 4. Marunong kaya siya mangkulam?

Iniisip ko pa rin hanggang ngayon kung ano kayang nangyari sa akin kung nakipagsuntukan ako sa drayber (mas malapad pa naman siya sa akin). ‘Di ko talaga alam. Isa lang ang sigurado: na-late ako sa trabaho.

---

Nandito sa opis si Carlene Aguilar para mag-voice over para sa isang special show na ipapalabas sa ETC. Kadadaan lang niya sa lamesa ko.

Carlene: Uy nag-cha-chat ka lang sa office ah.

Ako: (Nakanganga lang)

Sayang! Wala akong dalang camera.

HOME ALONE CHRISTMAS EVE RUNNING DIARY

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:48:15 GMT

In order to amuse myself and prevent me from getting all emotional at this time of the year, I decided to keep a running diary of my first ever home alone Christmas Eve. In case you don’t know (and most probably you don’t), I’m spending Christmas by my self (cue the Eric Carmen song) since my parents and my two siblings are in the States. Yes, I’m all alone in our suddenly humongous house, which has also suddenly become easy prey to burglary. Well, if our always-hungry dog counts, then I’m technically not alone. I started this running diary at exactly 5:00 p.m. since the first few hours of my day have been as exciting and as delightful as the Holocaust.

5:00 p.m. – Took Paracetamol because my head has been aching non-stop since I went down with the fever last Saturday.

5:08 p.m. – Took out the trash and got ambushed by a donation envelope from the garbage people. If there’s one donation envelope that you should never think twice about accepting, it’s the garbage people donation envelope. You don’t want your week-old trash to get right back at your doorstep with all the garbage juice splattered on your garage.

5:12 p.m. – Turned on the computer and began writing this amazingly pointless entry.

Don’t mind the psychotic-looking guy on the picture

5:34 p.m. – After hearing it from several people, I finally took the liberty of reading about the Filipino Twilight rip-off Takipsilim. I’m actually surprised it took this long for Filipino TV producers to pick this up since they usually copy American concepts faster than you can say “pathetic.” Chalk up another one for what we call Filipino ingenuity. Seriously, this endless ripping off should now be banned by the law.

5:45 p.m. – Checked my NBA Fantasy status as of today. The scores haven’t been updated yet.

5:47 p.m. - I still can’t get over about Takipsilim. That alone could ruin my entire Holidays. I think they should make Rayver Cruz and Shaina Magdayao as hot manananggals instead of hot vampires to inject Filipino folklore and make it more believable for the local audience. Then they can inject lines like “kalahati lang ang buhay ko kapag wala ka” or “you complete me” for the obligatory romantic scenes.

5:48 p.m. – I wonder how mananaggals view life: is their glass always half-empty or always half-full?

5:56 p.m. – Received a text message from Vira asking if I have dengue-like symptoms because I’ve been under the weather for a week now. That thought never crossed my mind. Five stars for Vira. Maybe that’s what girlfriends are for as well: to remind you to check for dengue-like symptoms.

6:03 p.m. – Listened to “Charmer” by Kings of Leon for the nth time these past few days. The band has been around since 2002 and I don’t know why I only started listening to them late this year (thanks again to lastfm.com). The band is made up of three Followill brothers and their first cousin, who is also a Followill. I want to see them beat up the Jonas Brothers and The Moffats to a pulp and put the who-are-the-best-musical-siblings debate to a permanent end. I can only think of one group of brothers who can be at par with the Kings of Leon in terms of musicality and level of awesomeness: The April Boys.

\
You don't want to mess with Vingo and Jimmy

6:12 p.m. – Washed the dishes because I haven’t washed them for two days. It’s either because of my sheer laziness when I’m at home or because I’m still being bothered by my terrible headache. I’m putting my money on the former.

6:28 p.m. – Began my “prep time” for my solo Noche Buena. I prepared all the little ingredients I need: garlic, onion, ginger, parsley, red bell pepper, cabbage, tomatoes, mushrooms, pimiento, rosemary, and lemon.

7:24 p.m. – Finished my “prep time” and moved to making my pasta sauce, which is simply olive oil, bacon, pimiento, mushrooms, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. I just slow cook it for about an hour so all the flavors will infuse the oil.

Look at all those simmering Christmas goodness

7:27 p.m. – Checked my NBA Fantasy status as of today. I lead Martin by 3 points (9-6) in The League league, I lead Gelo by 7 points (11-4) in Solar Antipolo league, I’m down to seventh place in scared league, and I’m still dead last in Solar Bragging Rights 4 league. A so-so Fantasy day for me.

7:30 p.m. – Checked my Multiply site and Charlie just made a comment on my minutes-ago-uploaded album. Obviously, he’s no help at all in their Noche Buena preparations and he just chooses to waste his time online.

7:32 p.m. – The thought of having a Filipino version of Twilight is still lingering in my mind. Can’t we just have one incredibly inane vampire story per year? We still have to endure three more Twilight books if I’m not mistaken. Plus, Rayver Cruz just doesn’t fit as that Edward guy. He’s not luminous enough. You know who should play the part? Redford White. A Redford White-Shaina Magdayao love team. Now who wouldn’t want to watch that?

Shaina and Redford White are a match made in heaven (I have too much time on my hands)

7:49 p.m. – Received macaroons from our neighbor. It’s still addressed to “Mariano Family.” They must’ve forgotten that I’m the only one left here. Now I have all the macaroons to myself. Unfortunately, I don’t like macaroons that much.

8:03 p.m. – Received ensaymadas from another neighbor. Now I’m starting to feel a bit guilty about not giving our neighbors anything.

8:14 p.m. – Downloaded albums of various artists: The Fratellis, Au Revoir Simone, The Pharcyde, and Headlights. Thanks again to lastfm.com for recommending good music.

8:34 p.m. – Began cooking the ground beef for my home-made tacos. Get a deep pan, put the ground beef, little water, heads of garlic, and onion chunks. Season with soy sauce, salt, and lots of pepper. Let it cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Let us all gain several pounds

9:00 p.m. – The ground beef is done and I can now take a brief break from the kitchen.

9:07 p.m. – Scanned the TV: Replay of Boston versus Philadelphia on BTV. Click. Replay of Alaska versus Ginebra on C/S 9. Click. Snakes on a Plane on HBO. Click. WWE on Jack TV. Click. Cribs on MTV. Click. I finally settled for Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations on Travel and Living. Speaking of, a movie title can’t get any more straightforward than Snakes on a Plane. The movie is literally just about that: snakes on a plane. No profound metaphors. It’s just like re-titling The Fast and the Furious to Guys Who Drive Really Fast Cars.

No beating around the bush (I still have too much time on my hands)

9:35 p.m. – Received a text message from Vira saying she just finished watching Vicky Cristina Barcelona online. It’s a Woody Allen movie that stars Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz. I’m sure there’s a DVD of it by now.

9:48 p.m. – Just listened to Headlights (Some Racing Some Stopping). Their songs are cuddly music (if there’s such a thing) and they just make you want to hug and sway with someone the moment you hear them. “Market Girl” is an early favorite. If you like Stars, you’ll like Headlights.

9:59 p.m. – I’m getting really hungry but I want to honor the traditional Noche Buena so I’ll wait for midnight before I narcissistically enjoy my cooking.

10:02 p.m. – I just realized I have no gifts to open anymore when the clock ticks at 12:01 since I already opened Vira’s gift (a novel entitled The Time Traveler’s Wife) last Saturday, officemate Val’s gift (CD of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) last Monday, and officemate Doc’s gift (imported toothpaste) yesterday.

10:15 p.m. – The Fratellis (Here We Stand), Au Revoir Simone (Verses of Comfort, Assurance, and Salvation), and The Pharcyde (Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde) have also finished downloading. I’ll listen to them some other time since I’m still enjoying Headlights.

10:33 p.m. – Received a text message from my college friend Icy. I don’t know if she’s really wishing people to have a joyful Christmas or she’s just plugging their show. It said: “Sabay-sabay tayo mag-Noche Buena blah blah…catch the Christmas episode of TEN with the Radioactive Sago Project at 11 p.m. on TV 5. Shake mo TV mo!” Very well put Icy. No, seriously, do watch TEN. It airs every weekday at 10:30 p.m. It’s the most refreshing news program on TV today and it wonderfully caters to young adults.

10:58 p.m. – Finished editing and re-sizing the pictures from of our pre-Christmas drinking at Brian’s house last Sunday. I thought twice of going since I was still feeling sick but the urge to drink and laugh at the testosterone-induced jokes of my male college friends was very persuasive. I’m glad I came.

11:00 p.m. – Turbo broiled the whole chicken I marinated overnight in lemon juice and rosemary. I patted it dry, stuffed it with more lemon, one whole onion, and one bulb of garlic, and then sprinkled the outside with salt, pepper, and rosemary leaves.

Who’s chicken now?

11:38 p.m. – I'm watching the final episode of TRL Live on MTV (it’s on commercial break). They’re listing down the top 10 songs in TRL history although I didn’t catch numbers 10 to 5. Number 4 is “Bye Bye Bye” by ‘N Sync. I think ‘N Sync is the best boy band of all time since they have pretty decent ballads and hip-hop flavored songs in their latter years. They also won millions of awards despite having that dreadlocked guy who looked more like their gay hairstylist than an actual band member.

No help at all (plus he looks like Kempee de Leon)

11:43 p.m. – Good Charlotte is now on TRL. Nobody cares.

11:44 p.m. – I’m now watching Nigella Lawson’s Christmas Dinner on Travel and Living. Nigella Lawson is the quintessential hot momma for me. She’s beautiful, voluptuous, mature, and she can cook! Plus, she has a very sexy British accent. I don’t mind slaving in the kitchen in my lifetime as long as Nigella is around.

Let me be your little muffin boy

11:56 p.m. – The chicken is done and I’m all set to eat after I finish washing the dishes yet again.

12:09 a.m. – It’s eating time finally. I can now indulge and eat my heart out after cooking for almost six hours. I cooked large servings so I can serve something to Vira or my friends if ever they decide to visit me. I wanted to order pizza as well but I just ate two boxes of pizza two days ago.

Let's food!

12:31 a.m. – Two of my high school friends (Jamay at Jett) are here! I’m genuinely surprised! I thought they were just kidding awhile ago when they told me they'll drop by. I never invited anyone since I assumed all of them will spend time with their family.

12:42 a.m. – Three more of my high school friends (Charlie, Andrew, and Krisel) and one new friend (Krisel’s best friend Rhea) are here as well! This is not a bad Christmas Eve after all. Apparently, they really planned to come here and accompany me. Thank you Lord for giving me amazing friends. Too bad Vira couldn’t come since she’s with her family, which I completely understand.

No one’s going solo this Christmas Eve

12:44 a.m. – I’m ending this running diary. It’s time to drink and be merry! Merry Christmas to all of us!

AFTER LIFE FROM "AFTER DARK"

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:09:53 GMT

The exchange you’re about to read (assuming you’ll still continue reading this) is from After Dark, Haruki Murakami’s 2004 novel about solitariness and self-expression. The story is set in Tokyo during the usually tranquil hours between midnight and dawn (hence the title).

Korogi: “Tell me something, Mari—do you believe in reincarnation?”

Mari: “No, I don’t think so.”

Korogi: “So you don’t think there’s a life to come?”

Mari: “I haven’t thought much about it. But it seems to me there’s no reason to believe in a life after this one.”

Korogi: “So once you’re dead there’s just nothing?”

Mari: “Basically.”

Korogi: “Well, I think there has to be something like reincarnation. Or maybe I should say I’m scared to think there isn’t. I can’t understand nothingness. I can’t understand it and I can’t imagine it.”

Mari: “Nothingness means there’s absolutely nothing, so maybe there’s no need to understand it or imagine it.”

Korogi: “Yeah, but what if nothingness is not like that? What if it’s the kind of thing that demands that you understand it or imagine it? I mean, you don’t know what’s it like to die, Mari. Maybe a person really has to die to understand what it’s like.”

Mari: “Well, yeah.”

Korogi: “I get so scared when I start thinking about this stuff. I can hardly breathe, and my whole body wants to shrink in a corner. It’s so much easier to just believe in reincarnation. You might be reborn as something awful, but at least you can imagine what you’d look like—a horse, say, or a snail. And even if it was something bad, you might be luckier next time.”

Murakami, through Korogi, basically put into paper exactly what I feel about the after life. The choice of words and delivery are harrowingly similar with what I cook up in my head every time I think about death. Every thing was right on the money except for the part about breathing hard and shrinking in a corner. I’ll never have the same stream of consciousness like that of Murakami’s but it’s still a bit comforting to know that even for a single thought, we were on the same plane.

ANOTHER NBA POST? YES IT IS!

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:25:57 GMT

Yes, I know, I know. I did not follow my self-imposed edict to make a daily two-team preview heading into the opening of the new NBA season. Additional workload unexpectedly got in the way and took most of my idle time. My innate laziness during weekends did not help either in completing my supposed 30-team preview.

So here instead is my smaller and simpler crystal ball view of the 63^rd NBA season. Just like last year, I picked my winners for the individual awards and the teams that will battle for the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy.

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

One whole season of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and head coach Phil Jackson together can only mean great things for the purple and gold.

Runner-up: Boston Celtics

The Gang Green will still run roughshod over every other team in the East but they will be hard-pressed to repeat with the Lakers hell-bent on exacting sweet revenge.

East Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Boston will beat Cleveland in six games with the Celtics’ relentless leech-like defense frustrating the young, inexperienced, and sometimes erratic Sixers squad.

West Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix will finally squeeze into the Conference Finals after four straight fruitless attempts but they will bow to the Lakers in six games due to their size disadvantage.

MVP: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Just like Kobe last season, it’s about time LBJ wins the MVP award. He has single-handedly carried a mediocre Cavs roster to the post-season for three straight years now.

Rookie of the Year: Michael Beasley (Miami Heat)

Greg Oden will make a bigger impact but Michael Beasley’s numbers will be more impressive and it’s almost impossible to disregard statistics in the Rookie of the Year race.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

KG’s unparalleled passion and unrivaled energy make him a monster on the defensive end and there are no comprehensible signs of him slowing down at all in the upcoming season.

Most Improved Player of the Year: Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers)

Bynum was all set to challenge Hedo Turkoglu for the award last season before he injured his knee before the break—and it’s time for him to take home the hardware this year.

Sixth Man of the Year: Grant Hill (Phoenix Suns)

Louis Williams’ name was already engraved in the trophy before Terry Porter announced that Grant Hill will be the Suns’ sixth man in lieu of Matt Barnes’ getting the starting job.

Coach of the Year: Maurice Cheeks (Philadelphia 76ers)

Mo Cheeks transformed the Sixers from doormats to contenders in a Cinderella stint last season and he has no excuse not to lead the Brand-ed 76ers to the Conference finals.

All-NBA First Team

Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)

All-NBA Second Team

Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)

Elton Brand (Philadelphia 76ers)

Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)

Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)

Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns)

All-NBA Third Team

Yao Ming (Houston Rockets)

Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)

Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz)

Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets)

Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)

All-Rookie First Team

Greg Oden (Portland Trailblazers)

Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Michael Beasley (Miami Heat)

O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies)

Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)

All-Rookie Second Team

Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets)

Jason Thompson (Sacramento Kings)

Rudy Fernandez (Portland Trailblazers)

Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma Thunder)

Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers)

All-NBA Defensive First Team

Marcus Camby (Los Angeles Clippers)

Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)

All-NBA Defensive Second Team

Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks)

Ron Artest (Houston Rockets)

Raja Bell (Phoenix Suns)

Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls)

Teams to watch out for

Chicago Bulls

Indiana Pacers

Miami Heat

Minnesota Timberwolves

New York Knicks

Violent reactions anyone? To quote the great Ron Burgundy: "agree to disagree." NBA madness has hit fever pitch yet again. Get your straitjackets and let us all indulge in the insanity!

30 TEAMS, 30 STORIES: CLEVELAND AND DALLAS

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:13:24 GMT

CLEVELAND – CAN THE KING FINALLY REIGN OVER THE NBA?

Most people are already discussing where LeBron James will land in 2010 but they keep on forgetting that LBJ still has unfinished business in Cleveland. The King came close to claiming his first ever NBA ring in 2006 but inexperience did him and the rest of the Cavaliers in as they received the broom from the San Antonio Spurs. Undeniably, LeBron’s talent is head and shoulders above the rest of the players in the league—and it’s only a matter of time when he will finally win it all.

Can LeBron make everyone bow to him?

Could this be the year? The answer may not be a clear yes but there are signs pointing to that direction. LBJ is due for an MVP award and the addition of Mo Williams will only make things easier for him. Mo-Will will serve as the team’s second scoring option and he can take some pressure off LeBron. Boston looms as the biggest hindrance to LeBron’s title quest and he will face his litmus test early on as the Cavs and Celtics face off on opening day. What a way to prove that he’s all set to take the crown.

DALLAS – DOES JASON KIDD HAVE ENOUGH GAS LEFT IN HIS TANK TO HELP DIRK?

At age 36, Jason Kidd is still regarded as one of the best point guards in the league. His court awareness, unselfishness, and all-around game make him a threat every time he steps on the hardwood. He, however, lacks one thing that is inevitable in today’s fast-paced game: speed. Father time has caught up on J-Kidd and his mobility has slowed down through the years. He will be hard-pressed to keep up with the younger guards this season and that is not good for the Mavericks.

Jason can't keep up with the kids anymore

Kidd’s return to Dallas was one of the biggest news last season as he teamed up with former MVP Dirk Nowitkzi. But as it turned out, the prodigal son failed to make the headline. His assists were still there but his scoring dipped to a career-low 10.6 PPG. The Mavs were booted in the first round of the playoffs and people wondered if Dallas made the right trade. Kidd and Nowitzki have a chance to redeem themselves this season—and they have to do it quick before the 36-year-old finally conks out.

30 TEAMS, 30 STORYLINES: CHARLOTTE AND CHICAGO

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:03:56 GMT

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS – CAN LARRY BROWN WORK HIS MAGIC YET AGAIN?

You can question Larry Brown’s iron fist mentality and nomadic tendencies but you can never question his coaching prowess. Inducted to the Hall of Fame as head coach in 2002, Brown is not alien to molding a championship-caliber team. He did it with UCLA and Kansas in the NCAA and San Antonio, Indiana, Philadelphia, and Detroit in the NBA. Despite failing with the disastrous New York Knicks in 2006, Brown’s sideline tactics is still one of the best in the business.

Larry Brown will be doing a lot of yelling this season

Now that he’s with the Charlotte Bobcats, expect the 68-year-old Brown to make drastic changes in the team’s overall outlook. The Bobcats haven’t entered the playoffs since joining the NBA in 2004 and have a combined 109-219 record. Brown has a decent group of players at his disposal in Jason Richardson, Emeka Okafor, Gerald Wallace, and Raymond Felton. It is up to him how to develop his young players to have a more mature game. He’s done it before and he’s capable of doing it again.

CHICAGO BULLS – WILL THE RIGHT WIND FINALLY BLOW IN CHICAGO?

The 2007-08 NBA was a season of supposed-to-bes for the Chicago Bulls. It was supposed to be the Bulls’ return in the upper echelon of the East. It was supposed to be Kirk Hinrich’s All-Star year. It was supposed to be the coming out party of Tyrus Thomas. What happened instead was it became a season of disappointment. The Bulls finished with a 33-49 record and missed the playoffs, Hinrich had his worst season in the NBA, and Thomas averaged a whopping 6.9 points on 18 minutes per game.

Derrick Rose needs to live up to his jersey number

Last season’s abysmal record proved to be a blessing in the disguise as the Bulls were able to snatch the top pick in the draft lottery. They used it on hometown hero Derrick Rose and added another talented guard to their already loaded backcourt. Rose is not the only new face in Windy City with former San Antonio guard Vinny del Negro serving as new head coach. Things are shaping up early for the Bulls and the fans can only hope that they will carry over when the actual action starts.

30 TEAMS, 30 STORIES: ATLANTA AND BOSTON

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:57:28 GMT

Making an introduction for an NBA preview gets tougher by the year. It’s just nearly impossible to encapsulate into one paragraph all the things one should look forward to when the new NBA season is pounding on the door. Or is it? Actually I’m just justifying my lethargy to think of a remarkable lead for my mandatory yet unsolicited annual NBA preview.

BTV runs a daily plug on the sports page of The Philippine Star about the upcoming NBA season with a theme of “30 Teams, 30 Stories.” What does that have to do with this post? I was the one who wrote all the storylines for the plug. So? I don’t mean to toot my own horn, I just need to clarify things before someone accuses me of lack of creativity or worse, plagiarism. Why? Because I will use the exact same storylines for this NBA preview and I’ll just expound on what I made for the newspaper plug.

Now that’s out of the way: Only 15 days are left before the 2008-09 NBA season opens its curtains, and since there are 30 teams, I will make a two-team preview everyday (in alphabetical order) so all the teams will be covered before the 29^th. 30 teams divided by 2 =15 days. Yes, you may call me a math wizard.

ATLANTA HAWKS – LOOKING TO PROVE LAST YEAR’S PLAYOFFS STINT WAS NO FLUKE

The Hawks managed to squeeze into last year’s postseason as the 8^th seed in the East despite having a 37-45 record (“good” for 12^th in the West). Head coach Mike Woodson has transformed the once perennial cellar-dwellers to a tougher and more cohesive unit as they pushed eventual champion Boston Celtics to seven full games in the first round. Last year’s playoff stint was the first for the Hawks in 10 years and they want nothing more than to make it two straight this season.

J-Smoove will surely fill the highlight reel again

The Hawks will still lean on its right mix of youngsters and veterans with Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, and Mike Bibby all returning for another tour of duty. The surprise departure of Josh Childress to Greece will hurt the team’s tight rotation, but the addition of workhorse Maurice Evans has already softened the blow to say the least. The PG spot is still the team’s biggest question mark with only still unproven Acie Law and often injured Speedy Claxton backing up Bibby.

BOSTON CELTICS – BACK-TO-BACK FOR BEANTOWN?

All eyes will be on the Celtics this season as they try to make it back-to-back for the first time since 1968-69. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen still make up the deadliest triumvirate in the NBA and having played together for one whole season will only add up to their fluidity and chemistry. Winning the East again is not a huge improbability with only three teams—Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and Cleveland Cavaliers—looking like legit contenders.

KG has one whole year of chest-pounding rights

Defense will still be the main weapon of the boys from Beantown and reigning Defensive Player of the Year KG will make sure that all his teammates will be on the same page. The Celtics lost a valuable defensive piece in James Posey to free agency that’s why other players like Tony Allen, Leon Powe, and Rajon Rondo must be willing to step up. No team has won back-to-back since the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001-02 and the Celtics need more than Irish luck to break the six-year spell.

AN ENJOYABLE FLIGHT TO COMEDY

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:55:27 GMT

Gone are the days when geeks get bullied around the schoolyard or get laughed at by highly made-up girls. The societal perception on these highly intelligent people has undergone a 180-degree turn. Before: geeks are bleah! Today: geeks are yeah!

The recent popularity of several TV series with geek protagonists is a 20-20 vision proof that people with offbeat hairstyles, inept social skills, and boundless intellectual pursuits are now bankable stars. There’s Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory, Michael Cera in Arrested Development, Rainn Wilson in The Office, and of course, Adam Brody, whose self-effacing and comic book-loving character Seth Cohen in The O.C., can be considered the godfather of this sudden offspring of cool geeks.

But just when you thought that TV won’t need another geek-starred show, enter the latest product from the HBO masterpiece factory: Flight of the Conchords.

The comedy series follows the day-to-day misadventures of the real-life folk-rap duo from New Zealand, Flight of the Conchords, as they aspire to create a fan base in the United States, particularly in New York. The show stars Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, who portray a fictionalized version of themselves.

Clement and McKenzie are naïve and in-denial geeks as they project to be part of the cool crowd with their music, which they deem as off-the-hook, but in reality, is just off, period. Their monotonous speaking, expressionless features, and drab fashion sense do not help them as well in their hopes to have a more normal or popular personality.

The show airs every Wednesday on HBO at 10:30 p.m.

The stories may not be too original since they basically revolve around the value of friendship, but the overall concept and intelligent writing will surely make you forget about the show’s predictability. The clever lines and tongue-in-cheek humor make the show funny and smart—two characteristics that geeks usually possess. Clement and McKenzie are not exactly Oscar material, but they can sure work up the idiot box with their delivery, timing, and chemistry.

The script is quintessential English humor and that works 23687 out of 10 times so that part is crossed out on the what-to-hate list. If there’s one thing you should hate about the show, it’s the duration. Thirty minutes is simply not enough. Just when you’re anticipating another hilarious bit, the closing credits is suddenly plastered on the screen. It’s like getting ambushed by the smell of a garbage truck while you’re leisurely driving with windows down on a bright sunny day.

The best part of each episode is when Clement and McKenzie ebulliently break into songs which are connected to the plot. The duo instantly deviate from their monotone character in their recurring 40-second musicals as they sing and dance like they’re in a pop music video. The songs showcase their seemingly freestyle parody rapping style and are accompanied by upbeat folk guitar riffs and bass lines.

Like most rap songs, the lyrical composition of the two-man band is what stands out the most in their music, and well, their so-called rap names as well: Clement likes to be called Hiphopatamus, while McKenzie prefers Rhymenocerus. Their lyrics are simply comedic masterpieces. For example: “I'm the Hiphopatamus/My lyrics are bottomless...(long pause)...They call me the Hiphopatamus/Flows that glow like phosphorous/poppin' off the top of this esophagus/rockin' this metropolis/I'm not a large water-dwelling mammal/Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis?/Did Steve tell you that, perchance?” If that doesn’t sound like a geek-rap, then I don’t know what it is.

It’s hard to imagine geeks ruling television forever. Geek-themed shows will soon get trampled by the TV bullies again and they will just be another footnote in the rich history of the boob-tube. But in the meantime, enjoy the Flight of the Conchords as it provides mind-blowing and brilliant comedy. As Clement and McKenzie would say: it’s the motherflippin’

MIGHTY MIGHTY TIGERS?

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:13:11 GMT

The UAAP season is now over for UST. The Growling Tigers kissed their Final Four hopes goodbye last Sunday after bowing to the UE Red Warriors in another nail-biting finish. UST has now lost three of its last four games. Make those three heartbreaking losses. Three important games. Three endgame decisions. Three harrowing defeats.

It seems like the Tigers are just incapable of doing anything good when the game is on the line. Their brains fall splat on the parquet floor whenever the game is in its cardiac moments. The Tigers blew a comfortable 16-point lead against FEU last week, failed to rotate on Maui Villanueva, who made the winning put-back for La Salle last Thursday, and then wasted two possessions in the dying seconds versus UE last Sunday. Those three setbacks are truly bitter pills to swallow. Disheartening. Disappointing. Painful. Agonizing.

There’s no question that UST can play exceptional basketball for the first 35 minutes. But when crunch-time arrives, the Growling Tigers turn into purring pussycats. They bite themselves in the foot in the crucial moments by forcing their shots and committing too many costly turnovers. If there are two things that spelled the Tigers’ doom this season, it’s their constant errors along with their atrocious shot selection.

One clear example: Dylan Ababou. Sorry to the hordes of fans who love, adore, and venerate him, but I consider him the biggest goat for UST this season. Yes, he is clearly a good player, one of the best in fact, but he cost UST several important games due to his terrible endgame decisions. Take it from me: Ababou only plays well against the bottom-feeders. Yes, he puts up decent numbers against the contenders, but most people don’t notice that he usually disappears in the fourth quarter. It’s either he makes an ill-advised shot or turns the ball over.

Ironically, Ababou’s turnovers and awful shot selection are caused by his terrific individual game. Unfortunately, the word “individual” has no place in basketball. Ababou can easily create plays for himself, but he usually forces his shots in traffic, especially during endgame. He has exceptional dribbling skills for a guy his size, but he doesn’t take care of the ball well. He is third in the UAAP in turnovers with 3.2 per game. Not exactly a positive statistic. Most of you will probably argue that good players usually commit more turnovers because they have the ball most of the time. But look at the other players accompanying Ababou in the top 5 in terms of turnovers: Jerick Cañada, Edwin Asoro, Woody Co, and Raymond Aguilar. What’s their common denominator? All of them play for teams already out of the Final Four. You don't see a JV Casio, a Chris Tiu, or even a Marcy Arellano there.

Undeniably, Ababou can score at will. He is fourth in the league in scoring with 15.1 points per game. His versatility and athleticism make him a good offensive player. But does he make his teammates better? The answer is a big NO. In the aforementioned three decisive losses of UST, Ababou personified ball-sharing by compiling zero assists. Z-e-r-o. Zilch. Nil. Nada. For a player who gets the ball as much as him, tallying zero assists in three games is utterly unacceptable. Again, that can be traced to his knack for forcing shots. Instead of dropping the ball to Jervy or kicking it out every time he attracts defenders, he opts to force a shot. Consider this: Ababou has yet to dish out more than three assists this season.

Speaking of Jervy, you cannot ask anything more from him this year EXCEPT to play better defense. He, I think, is the most dominant big man in the UAAP since Don Allado, but UST could’ve won more games this season if he stepped up on the defensive end. Jervy doesn’t really change a lot of shots like Elmer Espiritu, Nonoy Baclao, or Aldrech Ramos. He doesn’t even average one block per game. A guy named Jewel (Ponferrada) intimidates better than him for crying out loud! I think Jervy concentrates too much on scoring that he tends to forget to defend. Pari Llagas, who only puts up 9.0 points a game, scored 20 against him last Sunday.

The crucial losses of UST can also be attributed to Pido Jarencio’s lack of coaching knowledge. Motivational powers can only take a team so far. In the FEU loss, Jarencio replaced Cuan, a fifth-year veteran, with rookie Jeric Fortuna, who in turn, committed two passing blunders that decided the game. Jarencio then unforgivably called a timeout with 5.5 seconds left in the loss to La Salle, which gave the Green Archers, who didn’t have any timeouts left, a chance to set up a final play that led to the Villanueva game-winner.

This picture pretty much sums up UST's campaign this season
(photo from www.inboundpass.com)

UST, in my mind, is actually a better team, man-for-man, than La Salle and FEU, sad to say, these two teams have players and coaches with better basketball IQ. If you look back at the losses of the Tigers so far (they still have a game versus UP), all of them could’ve gone either way. UST only lost at an average of 4.5 points. The only convincing losses of the Tigers were against the Blue Eagles (two nine-point defeats). Again, UST just can’t do anything good during crucial moments.

I really feel sorry for UST’s graduating players: Japs Cuan, Chester Taylor, Francis Allera, Mark Canlas, Mel Gile, and of course, Jervy. They’ve exerted so much effort to bring back the UAAP diadem to España. This season was the best chance for them to take home a second ring, unfortunately, they came up short. I think this year’s roster is even better than last year even without Anthony Espiritu and Jun Cortez. The next several seasons for UST will be a struggle unless they magically find an astounding rookie out of nowhere like Jervy. The core for Season 72 will be made up of Ababou, Fortuna, Khazim Mirza, Chris Camus, and Clark Bautista. Do you think that’s Final Four material? I don’t think so.

UST simply underachieved this year. Most people, including myself, predicted the Tigers to be in the Final Four, other UAAP coaches even tagged them as the heavy favorite, but now, they’ve been reduced to mere spectators. Their inability to execute in endgame resulted to another empty season. Now, it looks like another long title drought is looming in the horizon.

SHAMLESS PLUG FOR EBRIWAN

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 08:12:22 GMT

There’s no such thing as too much basketball. The idea of a basketball overload just doesn’t exist in the entire Milky Way. It’s like a purple unicorn, a dancing leprechaun, or an honest Filipino policeman.

With that said, don’t forget to watch One U. It’s the newest basketball show on T.V. and it focuses on the country’s collegiate basketball scene. Be it the UAAP, NCAA, NAASCU, NCRAA, URCANCAPAYE or any college league with letters in it (I just made up the last one in case you’re wondering), rest assured that One U will be on top of things.

It will air every Tuesday, 5 p.m. on C/S RPN and 9 p.m. The pilot episode will be shown today so make sure you adjust your viewing schedules. Join Mico Halili and Krissy Tiu as they discuss, dissect, and diss all the happenings from the vast college hoops landscape.

Four letters: O-N-E-U. You don't need a masteral degree to remember that.

JINGJING-LE BELLS

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:14:32 GMT

Meet my newest obsession.

Her name is Jingjing Guo. She’s Chinese. She’s 26 years old. She’s quite popular in China.

Oh, she’s also a four-time Olympic gold medalist in diving.

I’m not really easily attracted to Chinese, Japanese, or Korean women, but Jingjing Guo is one stunning exception. My non-stop Olympic monitoring has finally paid off. I discovered another beautiful athlete.

Vira likes Nikolaos Zisis from the Greece basketball team. Well, I guess I found myself a Beijing eye candy as well. She’s actually more than just a pretty face because she boasts of four gold medals. Zisis has how many again? Zero. Boo! You have to do better than that Vira. Let’s go Guo!

Look at that perfect form

I can lie beside her all day long

Poolside showers never looked so good

I raise my hands and my feet to her

You could get killed just by staring at those thigs

She sleeps in that position every night

She quickly called the police after she caught me stalking her

I will catch you anywhere you fall

I think I also need a cold shower

It's just impossible not to think of anything dirty with this picture

I will dive with you any day of the week

Cannonball!

You're more precious than all the Olympics gold medals combined