Was That A Game, Or What?

This is going to be a short post, but let me congratulate Talk and Text for capturing the Philippine Cup championship against Alaska Aces, 93-89. The championship series has been, well, dramatic (quite an understatement), and the tightly fought game 7 was a fitting ending for the conference.

I haven't been following PBA as religiously as before. It kinda got boring for me, plus I don't have anyone to discuss it with (like that actually prevents me from discussing my other obssessions, but still). The last time I watched a live PBA game was too looong ago.

Congrats to Chot, boo to Miller for missing those crucial free throws (good for me since it sealed the doom for Alaska, but I expect better pressure play from a former MVP).

Opa! Them Greek Guys Are Hot!

I am TOTALLY not watching the very delayed telecast of USA vs. Greece basketball game just for the eye candy. Surely any self-respecting basketball fan will tune in to this game knowing that Team USA is raring to get back at the last team who defeated them in an international competition?

No, I would never sacrifice sleep time over such shallow reason as pretty boys.

B-b-but... but... one can't help but notice, right? So the Greeks are not flashy players like their USA counterparts and I'm never ever going to get one name right, but still.

(Damn, I took a peek at MSN. USA won 92-69.)

Three 8s = Gold!

Too bad I can't watch the opening of the Beijing Olympics today. Hay, work always get in the way!

I'll be cheering for our country of course, but I'll be supporting Germany in Men's Basketball. Go Nowitzki!

Pacquiao Wins!

Congratulations to Manny Pacquiao for an overwhelming win over the totally battered David Diaz! Good thing he won, or GMA's visit to the US would have been for naught. What, you said the timing of her US visit didn't have anything to do with the match? Yeah, right.

And how cool was it that the Boston Celtics congratulated Pacman in his dugout?

And yeah, big thank fuck you to PLDT DSL for such sloppy connections whenever there's a Pacquiao fight.

Go USTE Uli!

Dear UST Growling Tigers Men’s Basketball Team,

You SUCK at free throw shooting. Notwithstanding the fact that you have one of the most prolific shooter in basketball history for your head coach and you still suck. Please, for the love of everything royal and pontifical, practice shooting from the foul line.

Anyway, I’m glad that our losing streak against De La Salle has finally been halted. Bring back the glory days when we can reduce the De La Salle players into tears!

We still have a long way to go towards successfully defending our crown. But you’re on the right track and I’m proud to see you play your hearts out each time. Just don’t forget the bit I mentioned about free throws!

Love,
This proud Thomasian and basketball fan

P.S.

I normally don’t like tall and lanky guys, but I like basketball players who can shoot the lights out, especially from long-range. I just want to say, I think you’re hot, Mirza.

What Now, Pacquiao?

This time I finally succeeded in finding a live streaming site on the web so I was able to watch a commercial-free Manny Pacquiao-Jorge Solis fight. That folks is a lot of relief considering the alternative - seeing the commercial of Recom Echiverri dancing Boom Tarat Tarat (what an assault to the senses!).

To be honest, I really don't know what to feel about Pacquiao right now. A few days ago, I told friends that I wanted him to lose the fight and the elections. But today, right before the fight started, I wanted, badly, for him to win his fight spectacularly. This despite Hermie Rivera's overhype (seriously? Ang kanyang puso at katapangan ay kasinlaki ng utang panlabas ng ating bansa. What sort of garbage is that?!).

The fight was a bit boring in the early goings, but picked up when Pacquiao got an accidental cut on his left eyebrow (like, he literally saw red and went on a rampage). I'm amused by their constant reference to Pacquiao as a "congressional candidate".

I am still excited about his win, but not as much as I used to. I guess Pacquiao lost a bit of his magic in my eyes when he decided to pursue a political career. Because, really, Congressman Manny Pacquiao?! Sounds and feels all kinds of wrong. But that's just me.

Rumble At the Garden!

Don't you just love it when basketball games get this intense and dirty?



Nah, I'm just kidding. True, I love it when basketball players get emotional and physical - it gives a different drama to an already intense, high-contact sports. But there's nothing to love about this brawl at the Madison Square Garden between the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets. It was an unfortunate incident, very unsportsmanlike and should not be tolerated.

(Oh, okay, I admit I did enjoy watching the sequence of events, especially Carmelo Anthony making that cheap shot and making a break for it at the center of the court. I guess I like how guys settle their differences through physical and violent means. I like how very confrontational men are hahaha...)

I just find it weird that Isiah Thomas, the Knicks' coach, seemed to justify the flagrant foul committed by Mardy Collins against J.R. Smith (which triggered the free-for-all) by saying that the Nuggets starters shouldn't be at court anymore with more than a minute to go since the Nuggets are already leading by 19 points. I can understand how frustrated and humiliated the embattled Knicks must have been to be whipped at their own homecourt by a team that's also struggling in their games. But fans expect these athletes to conduct themselves more professionally, or what else separates them from the guy playing in the streets other than their hefty salaries?

Maybe being a professional, highly paid basketball player carries with it a lot of stress to win the game that to be on the losing end can get so frustrating. But still, basketball should be about having fun on the court. And most of all - basketball should be about respect - respect for the fans, respect for the players, and respect for the game.

I [still] love this game.

Para Sa 'Yo Ang Laban Na 'To (Eek...)

Congrats to Manny Pacquiao for conquering Eric Morales in the third round of the last chapter of their epic trilogy. I must admit that I lost some of the awe I have for Pacquiao due to recent events in his life (i.e. his ‘budding’ singing career and political aspirations) but his boxing prowess cannot be denied and for this, I salute him.

The fight was too short but freakin’ action-packed! It hurts to see Morales lose that way. And he’s such a hot Latino! Also - Rey Misterio? Awesome in his coat and mask!

Because I got impatient over the loooong commercial breaks, I turned to the Internet and search for websites that featured blow by blow account of the fight. I got excited when I stumbled upon this site that is actually streaming a video of the fight! But my joy was short-lived as our PC hanged up on me! After restarting, I tried reconnecting to the site but it seem other people had discovered the site and I can no longer access the live streaming. But dammit I want to know what’s happening as it happens and I don’t want to wait for the goddamn super delayed telecast! The solution was to be content with the blow-by-blow account at a certain boxing on-line forum and the posters there did not disappoint. They were very religious in giving updates. But the usual skeptic in me couldn’t resist double checking what they had posted, especially when they posted that Morales went down on Round 2 (Round 2 pa lang?). I had to ask whether he was really knocked down or it was just a slip. Well, we all know how the fight turned out, don't we?

Still, reading and seeing the action for yourself are never the same thing, so I still tuned in to the telecast even if I already know the results. But it's not easy blocking out some of the garbage comments the commentators are making, like: "As Morales seats there contemplating what do with his life..." (paraphrase). Excuse me, but when did commentators become prolific and dramatic mind readers?

But for me, the best quote of the day is from a poster in the forum:

“Manny Pacquiao is the Tasmanian devil. And his English is getting better, too.”

Right on, dude.

Heto Na Ang Totoong Mixed Tapes Challenge

I’ll be in Cebu until Sunday and while I’m gone, I want to request help from you. I had decided on my theme for my mixed tapes and I’m posting it today with a plea for your suggestions and contributions. Suggestions included in my final compilation will be given due props (and perhaps a copy of the CD?), so please, pretty please, give me nice suggestions.


Unrequited Love
– no explanations necessary. But I wanted an eclectic mix – meaning, different songs that cover a lot of genres (pop, rock, jazz, country, RnB, etc.) and eras (current hits to oldies).


You Had Me At Hello
– songs with killer opening lines. Please include the opening lines of the song! Examples:

The Reason (Hoobastank) I'm not a perfect person, there's many things I wish I didn't do...

Last Kiss (Pearl Jam) Oh where, oh where can my baby be? The Lord took her away from me...

Come Around (Rhett Miller) I'm dressed all in blue and I'm remembering you, and the dress that you wore when you broke my heart...

So there. Not that hard, you see. I know I only have about 4 readers hahaha… pero I’m counting on you and your suggestions! You’ll get dried mangoes when I get back!

Is This The End Of The World As We Know It?

Yesterday’s game between Ginebra and Red Bull and I found myself cheering for Red Bull. Not just for Cyrus Baguio but for the whole Red Bull team. Did the world just turned upside down?

Is this the end of my love affair with the Ginebra franchise?

I had been a loyal Ginebra fan and I never imagined that my falling out with my PBA team (if and when it comes to that) would be as… unexciting as this. I’ve always imagined that I will only stop supporting Ginebra when they do something really, really bad to get me angry with them. Not like this, when I find myself just cheering for the opposing team.

Well, truth to tell, I sort of predicted that my days of my being a Ginebra fan are numbered. It started with Jong Uichico’s appointment as Head Coach, because no other coach in the PBA pisses me off more than Jong Uichico (I hate Tim Cone, but at least I respect his talents as a coach. He just had the unfortunate job of coaching Alaska). I don’t like his coaching style, and I see no reason for them to replace Siot Tanquincen. For me, Uichico represent everything that is un-Ginebra; to wit, his utter lack of charisma.

In my paranoid world, Uichico uses deceipt, manipulation and black mail to encroach the Ginebra coaching job. Because there’s just no way he qualifies for the job better than Siot.

Disclaimer: the above statement is purely for exaggeration purposes only. In case the Legal team of San Miguel Corporation stumble upon this blog, let it be known that my opinions here have no value whatsoever and does not, in any way, diminish the Corporation’s and Mr. Uichico’s reputations. Just so we are all clear and to prevent any legal issues arising out of my paranoid ramblings.

Anyway…

Acquiring Rudy Hatfield, Rafy Reavis and Johnny Abbarientos were also moves that I never approved of (like the franchise gives a damn). Ok, so maybe I’m a little hard to please. But I think the inclusions of these players were done to make Ginebra the team to beat this season. Nothing wrong with that, especially if you’re the shareholders, but I want my team to be the underdog dammit! I don’t want my team to be strong in paper and then falter on their campaign as the season progresses, I want them to overachieve, to overcome tremendous odds. I want the never-say-die spirit – and you can only show that if you have your backs against the wall and not when most people think that it’s your competition to lose.

So maybe my arguments don’t make any sense. You know what? Forget everything I said above. All I really wanted to say is that I don’t think I’ll be supporting the Gins that much this season. I’ll still be watching, of course, but not just because of Ginebra. That’s it.

This basketball fanatic is just happy to be watching PBA again. (and I'm also thankful for channel 34 on the cable, the basketball channel.)

TIGER POWER!

Just got back from UST's Victory Party/Concert and I am soaking wet! It literally rained on our parade but what the heck! At least Parokya ni Edgar and Kamikazee were able to finish their set before the rain descended upon us.

Anyway, I'm posting the pics here. These are not of the best quality because we were situated at the left far side of the stage and, well, this wannabe amateur photographer is not really good at taking outdoor pictures.

Eh ano naman?! Basta panalo ang UST - and I was there to celebrate with them! Woo hoo! Yung mga niyaya ko na hindi sumama - hah! Mainggit kayo! Hahahahaha...

Let's start with the fireworks display [because I'm such a sucker for this kind of spectacle!]

more fireworks...

fireworks again...

i love fireworks displays!!!

My current heroes - the UST Men's Basketball Team. Let's all pretend that we can clearly see the players' faces from these pics!

And to complete the kasayahan, bands showed up to celebrate our victory with us!

Callalily

Parokya ni Edgar

Parokya ni Edgar with Kamikazee - panalo 'to!!!!!

Other musicians who played were Sophia and Soapdish, but I didn't catch them because we had to eat our dinner.

I'll upload the links to some videos later. And a deeper analysis of UST's basketball journey this season will also follow [yuck, feeling sports analyst!].

GO USTE!

In other news, I'm attracted now to semi-kal guys. What is wrong with me?!

VIVA SANTO TOMAS!

I really, really wanted to make a better entry for this, but my stupid job is keeping me busy and I have a massive headache right now. Anyway, I just want to let this out:

CONGRATS UST! GO TIGERS!!!

I promise to make a nice entry about this. You know, I was really happy about the championship, but yeah, work has its way of crashing you from your happy, happy land to a sobering reality.

Anyway, read these to get a dose of the Tiger fever. Woo! Tiger Power!

Amazing Tigers Keep Date With Destiny

It was a championship that was as glorious as it was unbelievable...

A love affair rekindled - and from the looks of it, one that will last a lifetime...

TIGERS VS EAGLES

The two thunder-like sound you might have heard yesterday afternoon probably was just me, screaming my lungs off while watching the first game of the UAAP Championship best-of-three Series. The first one was a roar of excitement after Allan Evangelista made that shot that put the UST Growling Tigers at the lead with 1 second to go. The second one, unfortunately, was a cry of disappointment after Doug Kramer’s undegoal stab that cinch the win for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Man, wasn’t that some game?!

Honestly, I’m not that sad about the loss. The game could have gone either way. The last play by Escalona and Kramer prove that Ateneo is the more experienced team. UST, despite their talent, still lacks the maturity on crucial end game scenarios. Hopefully, whatever the outcome of the series is, UST will learn a lot from their experience.

Another thing is, I can’t feel any bitter rivalry between Ateneo and my team. And that’s not exactly a bad thing. I think it’s a game played with mutual respect [I didn’t see it on TV, but I read that the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion played UST’s “Go USTE!” drumbeat and the Yellow Jackets reciprocated with the “Go Ateneo” cheer. Wow! Is that awesome, or what?!] . I prayed for UST to make it to the Final Four and then to the championships, but I had no expectations at all. I don’t think I’m the only one who was proven wrong by the Tigers, I think others are not counting at all at UST to go this far, but they’ve clawed their way through, and they have earned respect. I had expected the first game to be a blow out, but it was excruciatingly close. UST came prepared, and I couldn’t ask for a more confident team to strut their stuffs on the hard court. That’s the right attitude guys!

I hope UST will win the second game, if only because its loyal followers and the viewers of the UAAP deserve to see another possible classic game [and I deserve to have another chance to watch the game live at the Araneta]. This early, I am extending my congratulations to both teams.

To the Ateneo Blue Eagles – you are a worthy adversary. I salute you.

And to the UST Growling Tigers – there’s no shame in your loss. Go USTe!

***

inx's:

• All these years that I had watched basketball, I still ponder how is it that basketball players can make those hail mary shots while being double- or triple-teamed, and yet suck big time at the free throw line? [add to that my question on why a player never jumps when he’s taking a free throw shot. Honestly hindi ko alam kung kasama ba talaga sa rules ‘to.]

• yummm… Cyrus Baguio… I don’t need you to distract me from watching the Finals.

• Seeing Dennis Espino and Chris Cantonjos again was something. I can still recall their ’93 sweep! Please Tigers, ibalik niyo yung 4Peat era natin!!!

• Some of my friends were surprised to find out when I texted them that UST made it to the finals. Mga hindi kasi nanonood ng game! Hehehe... But I'm glad their support was there at this crucial stage. Although I would have preferred that I watch the game without the distraction of a text message asking what time the game would start!

• I am still bitter that I wasn’t able to watch the game at the Araneta. Pag umabot ng third game, I might transact with scalpers. I’d kill for a lower or upper box A ticket. Let’s get it onnn!!!

BLACK GOLD, BLACK WHITE!

Oooooooooohhhhhh Yeah!!!

UST has sneaked in to the Men's Basketball Finals of the UAAP. Freakin' finally!

Mga Tomasino, show your support!

Go fight and win for U-S-T!!!

GO USTE!!! RAWR!!!

UST did it! They won five in a row! Woo hoo!


The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe successfully defended their crown in the annual UAAP Cheerdancing competition, winning for the fifth straight year. Woo hoo! [sorry for being Taylor Hick-ish today, but damn! Sobrang woo hoo talaga!]. FEU was the surprise second and UP placed third, which was some accomplishment considering they only had 1 month's worth of preparation.


Man, wasn’t that an awesome performance by Salinggawi?! Clean, seamless execution of their pyramids, lifts and tosses, not to mention catchy floor routines. And the dancers have a way of making their moves look easy, and they have this swagger that seem to say, “hey, look at us, we’re running away with murder!”. Or, more appropriately, we’re running away with our fifth straight crown! Yeah!!!


Due to the change in rules this year, the performances of the schools are more focused on the technical side than on the dance routines. Which made me more confident about UST’s chances because Salinggawi has always been the trailblazers when it comes to difficult stunts. I also applaud the organizer’s decision to scrape the sponsor cheer this year because, really. That one had always been an unpopular feature.


My prediction was a bit off. I had UST at first, then Adamson and UP. FEU were also good, there’s just this matter of them looking like bugs in their uniforms. And this one: “Tamaraws are afraid of nothing. Nothing!” Well, aren’t tamaraws staple food for Tigers?! Hahaha. Sorry, couldn’t resist.


I just hope the bitterness of the previous year's competition will not be repeated this year.


The Salinggawi Dance Troupe rocks! I hope the next thing me and my alma mater will be celebrating is the Men’s basketball team’s trip to the Finals!

Token World Cup Post

Congrats Italy!

uh, hopefully I'll muster enough interest to watch the next World Cup religiously! =p

Playing Hooky!

For the second time this season, I went out and watched the first game of the PBA All-Filipino Cup Finals at the Araneta Coliseum between the Red Bull Barakos and Purefoods Chunkee Giants. (The first time was also the first game of the Finals – Reinforced Conference, also between Red Bull and Purefoods) What made both experiences exciting and memorable aside from the actual games is that I watched the games behind my bosses’ backs! Okay, it’s probably an irresponsible thing to do, making up excuses to take a (totally deserved) leave just to watch a basketball game, so just forget about these issues first and let me talk about my experience!

You’re probably wondering: why did I watch the Finals games when Ginebra didn’t even figure in both Finals? I am actually supporting Red Bull, which is a curious thing, considering that the person I watched the game with was supporting Purefoods! Ah, and now you’re wondering why I am supporting Red Bull. No, I haven’t forgotten that it was Celino Cruz who made that game-winning shot against Ginebra that sent Red Bull to the Finals last conference. No, I haven’t forgotten that it was Red Bull, again, who dashed Ginebra’s hopes of making it to the semis this season. No, I haven’t forgotten how Lordy Tugade seemed more “mayabang” (and more “magaling”) every time Red Bull played Ginebra. No, I haven’t forgotten any of these, but I also haven’t forgotten that Cyrus Baguio plays for Red Bull and that for me is reason enough.

(It didn’t help that the only time I’ll ever support Purefoods is if they’re playing against Alaska. My mantra had always been anybody-but-Alaska – and anybody-but-Purefoods-except-when-they’re-playing-against-Alaska. Hahaha. My apologies to my friends who support any of these two teams. Feel free to flame me in the comments section!)

Now back to our scheduled blabbing.

We had floor seats – and by floor seats I mean that the only thing separating us from the players’ bench is the hardcourt itself! We were that close that you can grab the players inbounding (I know this isn’t a proper word!) the ball. (Not that I had grabbed anyone, though I had to exercise severe self-control not to! *cough*Baguio*cough*). I had contemplated going incognito by wearing a cap but I think it would just draw more attention to me. Luckily, the cameras are behind us so the most you could see of us in TV were our heads.

First game was the battle for third between Alaska Aces and San Miguel Beermen. Ha! Piece of cake. I am rooting for San Miguel, no questions asked. Unfortunately, the Aces won, backed by superb performances from Mike Cortez and Jeffrey Cariaso. Ah, Cariaso and his number. So much memories. Hahaha. Kidding!

It was the first time I noticed that every time a team calls for time-out, four security personnel would stand guard on the four corners of the court. Funny thing, though, is that one of the security personnel chose to stand not on the corners (like the other three) but right smack to where a team was huddled, as if he was trying to join the huddle! (Can’t blame him, though, for I would have done the same thing hahaha!)

So after the explosive opening ceremonies, players’ intro, ceremonial jumpball, the main event begins! Wait, you don’t expect me to give you a blow by blow account of the game itself, do you? Let me just recount bits and pieces of the action (and some of my thoughts) last night:

• The fun thing about supporting Red Bull is that you get to root for the underdog, popularity-wise. My gimmick-mate is a rabid Purefoods fan, and so are the couple seating next to me, the people behind us, and about two-thirds of those at the Big Dome. My previous experiences in watching live PBA games are that I’m with the crowd (since Ginebra is arguably the most popular PBA team). It was a different feeling when you’re cheering for a, well, unpopular team, and your cheers get booed, only for the crowd to be silenced by your team via a well-timed dunk or a dramatic three-point shot. More so when you’re the solitary Red Bull supporter pumping her fist at the courtside area! (the other Red Bull fans were seated near Red Bull’s bench while we were seated opposite Purefoods’ bench).

• I watched the game because I love the sport and not merely for the eye candy. I am a sports enthusiast first and foremost. Being a fangirl is a distant second. That’s why I was excited to be seating so near the hardcourt because I get to hear the point guards and coaches issuing instructions, players cheering for their teammates and thrash-talking the opposing players (ang sama ko di ba?!) and basically to see the game at almost the same vantage point as those who are playing it. Well, my love for the game didn’t prevent me from bringing a pentel pen (just in case I can sneak an autograph) and from taking pictures of the players while they’re practicing (the pictures though, were a bit disappointing. how am I supposed to snap a good pic when they’re moving so much?!). I was so, so tempted to scream out Baguio’s name (“Baguio! pa-picture naman!!!) so that I can take a decent shot of him looking in my direction (swoon!). I even called the Purefoods’ mascot to our side to ask if he could take a picture of Baguio for me (you read it right, I am asking the Purefoods mascot to take a picture of a Red Bull player. what does that make me?) but when the mascot approached us, I chickened out and decided to just take a picture of the mascot! What a waste of memory space! Anyway, the Purefoods mascot was cool because he interacted with the fans, unlike Red Bull’s who did nothing but just sit at a corner.
• 
• Tugade was looking all kinds of cute last night, primarily because he was so good. I can’t work out my feelings for him. He is such a smug a** but I can’t help but cheer for him when he shoots the lights out at the Big Dome. Love him or hate him? I'm starting to feel both. Help! (But honestly? The “Lord of the Rings”? What kind of a moniker is that?!)

• 

• Baguio looked so intense. He got my attention way back in college when he donned UST Growling Tigers’ colors and made a reputation for himself as a high-leaper. Too bad that Nino Gelig and him failed to lift the Tigers to a UAAP championship. Gelig continues to underachieve, but Baguio, so far, had been consistent (although his game last night was nowhere near satisfying to me). You would think I had enough of Baguio since I got to see him back in college on an almost daily basis (although I never got to act all fangirly over him because I had a BF then!). But “UST Varsity Player” is not in the same league as “PBA player” (and a starting five at that) and Baguio, in my eyes, is the most attractive guy at the Big Dome (I am shallow that way.) Whenever he gets anywhere near where I’m sitting, I would make this almighty sigh and say “hay, so close yet so far…”

• My cheers for Red Bull were always punctuated with my own nasty comments like: “Ang yabang mo, Lordy!”; “Syet ka, Celino Cruz!!!”, “Shut up, Topex!”, “Enrico bano!”, “Go Diego!” (referring to Junthy Valenzuela. Hey, it wasn’t my idea! It was another Purefoods fan who screamed that and I thought it was funny! And cruel. I’m bad.). And you wonder why I support this team when I thrash talk its players as much (or more than) the opposing team. I can really be weird sometimes. Well, it’s like what I said: Baguio.is.reason.enough.

• But the real reason why I’m supporting Red Bull is that the team is like Ginebra in some ways. I like my basketball games fast, action-packed and most likely to result to a bench-clearing brawl, and both Red Bull and Ginebra rise magnificently to the occasion. But by some stroke of bad luck, I have yet to witness a live PBA game when players play like boxers or wrestlers hahaha! (The only game I had watched that had some semblance of a ruckus was a UAAP game between UST and La Salle when the UST crowd threw things on the court. It was UST’s finest hour.) So, not only am I weird but I’m also nasty. Bwahahahah. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I appreciate intense games and intense players and both Red Bull and Ginebra had given me that (most especially when it’s Red Bull vs. Ginebra!).

• Another thing I noticed last night was that the players take care of each other at the court, not just their own teammates but also those from the opposing team. They try to cushion a player’s fall, they contort their bodies so that they can do the least damage when they collide to another player, those sort of thing you normally don’t notice on TV - and when you’re actually wishing for deliberate fouls!

• Even if I grew up in a male-dominated environment, there are still some things I’ll never really understand about men and basketball is one of them. When cynicism sets in, I wonder why grown up men in shorts and sleeveless shirts fighting over some ball could capture a man’s full attention and devotion. I wonder why the said grown up men get so intense over making a Hail Mary shot, a power dunk, and why they can’t seem to figure out that knee high socks look so ridiculous. Sometimes I wanted to enter a basketball player’s mind and heart to see what they are thinking and feeling at such highly intense situations (and how they decide that they want to use headbands as accessories rather than armbands). I sort of find it supremely cheesy when coaches talk about how they motivate their team or how their game plans were inspired by watching films like Braveheart and reading The Art of War. (It didn’t help that I had watched an episode of Slamball and they’ve once shown a dug-out huddle and the coach drew a heart on the whiteboard and started banging his heart while repeatedly saying “Heart! Heart!” as a way to motivate his players) Men – such lovely and enigmatic creatures.

Purefoods drew first blood and won Game 1, but Red Bull gave them a good run for their money. This is going to be an exciting series! Yeng Guiao had hinted that he might retire, but that he wanted to add an All-Filipino championship to his belt. Let’s see if his “bataan” would respond to his wishes. Go Red Bull!

(You might also be wondering why I haven’t talked much about (or even mention the name of) the person I was with. Let’s just say I am not the only one playing hooky hahaha! What made the whole experience infinitely more memorable is that even if we’re supporting different ballclubs, it was still a fun experience for both of us. So will my partner in crime please stand up? =D)

Red Hot Heat!

Damn. My Mavs lost the NBA Finals to the Heat. And the bad thing is that I can't even muster enough ill feelings about it because the Miami Heat deserve the championship. If only they were beaten by a team I truly hate, then I could rant and rant the whole week about it! But the only comment I could come up with is - Wade is the man! But I'm still a Nowitzki fan and I have high hopes for his team. Go Mavs!

So congrats to the Mighty Miami Heat! And good luck to the Dallas Mavericks! Until next season...

Go Mavs! But What About Elliott?!

I’m supposed to wake up early to catch the NBA Finals between Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. Damn! I’ve been waiting for the Mavs to make it to the Finals ever since I become a Dirk Nowitzki fan (okay, so I’m not as loyal to my NBA teams as I am to my PBA team, the Ginebra Gin Kings. Mostly, it depends who my favorite player is at the moment. Oh, and also to my “anybody but LA Lakers or Utah Jazz” mentality. hehehe…). It felt awful to miss the first game that’s why I was looking forward to the long holidays and catch up on my TV viewing (heck, I even thought it would air last Sunday!).

But since I was such a lazy, lazy gal, I couldn’t bring myself to wake up an hour early to see the game in its entirety. I got to catch the last few minutes of the third quarter and man, the Mavs totally pwned the Heat! The Mavs won convincingly, Shaq looked like a lost puppy with only 5 points to show, Dirk was interviewed (just want to add the fact that he never have to score more than 30 points to win both games; everybody on the team contributed! yey!), and everything was all right again in this world.

Then I just found out I missed Elliott Yamin singing the national anthem.

*cue ear-splitting scream*

Can you just imagine the unfairness of it all?!

This one time I broke away from my obsession with reading everything Elliott on the Net (to concentrate on my other obsessions) was the one time that it was mentioned he’ll be singing the national anthem? At the Mavs game? Wearing a Mavs jersey? Of Nowitzki? And I did not see it?

This one time when I felt guilt-free from oversleeping was the one time when Elliott’s finally show up on my TV again? At the Mavs game? Wearing a Mavs jersey? Of Nowitzki? And I did not see it?

How could this happen to me?!

I got no one to blame but myself. Curse me for devoting my time rearranging songs on my iPod instead of surfing the net hunting for Elliott news. Curse me for choosing this weekend to clean my room instead of checking out what my pretend BF is up to. Curse me for oversleeping when I should have been watching the NBA Finals from start to finish!

For what it’s worth, I had this nagging suspicion that Elliott might sing the national anthem at an NBA game – but not at this NBA Finals game! Just think – he’s neither from Dallas nor from Miami, he’s a big supporter of LA Lakers (so how did I know that?) which – haha! (sorry, Elliott, I couldn’t resist!) – did not make it to the Finals, and he didn’t even win the American Idol! Just what are the chances that he’ll be singing at the NBA Finals?! Well, we know how that one turned out, don’t we? I should have listened to my instincts.

Excuse me while I hunt the Net for any pic, video or MP3 of Elliott at the NBA Finals. (wait! ta da! here it is!)