tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3573808012814864682024-03-05T12:23:06.404+08:00Sporty DadA dad talks about his love of sport and how it has rubbed off on his children.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-30530496678690998742013-06-19T18:54:00.000+08:002013-06-19T21:19:28.596+08:00Game 6 Cliffhanger: The Great Miami Heat Escape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://vful.com/" target="_blank">Photo credit</a> </div>
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Ray Allen's Game Saving Big Trey </div>
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With 28 seconds to go, defeat was staring at Lebron and the Heat. Pat Riley, the Heat's President and Hall of Fame coach, stood motionless. Around him was a sea of white shirted crowd seated in stunned silence.The Spurs leads by an insurmountable (almost) 5 points. Could this be the ghost of the 2011 Finals?<br />
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Flashback: 2011 Game 6 Finals. Dallas in Miami. The Mavs leads 3-2 in the series. Game 6 returned to the American Airlines Arena, Heat's home court. Exactly the same position Heat was in now. Back then, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks finished off the Heat. That was a painful and hurting defeat for James and company right in their home court. Will history then repeat itself?<br />
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Then James drilled in a trey to cut the lead to 2. After Lenard's ( had the Spurs won, Lenard could be the hero for his outstanding game all throughout) split, Miami was all set for their last play. It was a break or bust, there's no tomorrow situation. James fired a trey, missed, scramble for the ball, Bosh got it, passed it to Ray Allen. The veteran shot maker pulled a step back at the 3-point area and pulled a Hail Mary. Bang. T'was in. Pandemonium broke loose. The game was tied. It was heading to an overtime; giving a new lease in life to Miami. Gabo, on a quick lunch break, called up from school just as Allen threw his game changing shot. When the OT news came in to them, the whole canteen went in jubilation. Just like thousands, perhaps millions of Filipinos, the students in their school was also monitoring the game. That's how big NBA is.<br />
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In the extension period, Duncan could barely buy a basket but still a force to reckon with. Parker and Ginobili come and go in an offense-defense substitution strategy but clearly to me a case of tiredness and exhaustion for the aging veterans. In the closing seconds, Allen scored Heat's final points when he converted his nerve wrecking foul throws, putting the Heat in a comfortable 3 point margin. The Spurs last play went muffed as Bosh blocked the desperation 3 pointer of Greene . We have a knock out Game 7 and obviously, the momentum should now shift in favor of the Heat. History is on their side. In more than 30 years, no home team lost in Game 7.<br />
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What's happening to James? I could almost label him a choker. For the first 3 quarters, he was not that aggressive. He was not the leader I thought he should be. Ironically, it was when he lost his head band in the 4th quarter that he began to take charge. The Lebron James we saw in the 4th was the Lebron James we knew who would lead the defending champs in retaining their title. He should do a repeat performance in Game 7. But for now, take a bow Ray Allen, one of the greatest shooters of all time.<br />
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Our crystal ball went murky since the playoffs. The only right thing we predicted was all about Heat. But even that, we missed. We said, Heat in 5 or 6. It did not happen. Still, we would not mind if it is Heat in 7.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-1810619396131325482013-06-12T16:26:00.000+08:002013-06-12T21:27:03.172+08:00Can Anyone Beat Nadal?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Indeed, can anyone beat Nadal in clay?<br />
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His record 8 French Open titles may provide the answer. He did it these past 9 years; the first 4-peat came from 2005-2008 and the 2nd 4-peat from 2010 to the just concluded 2013 edition. The exception was in 2009 when he was beaten by Swedish Robin Soderling in the semis. In that year, Federer defeated Soderling in the finals to clinch his first and only French Open championship, thus completing his rare Grand Slam (Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open being the other 3 grand slam events). Ironically, in that first 4-peat, Nadal's beaten finals opponent had been mostly Federer.<br />
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So what makes Nadal so impregnable in clay, the surface that was actually the curse of many past great champions? Pete Sampras, for all his greatness in his era with 14 Grand Slam titles has never won a French title, putting into doubt his being (then) the greatest ever. This tag was eventually erased when Federer surpassed his 14 slams and himself completed the grand slam. John McEnroe, another tennis great in the late 70's up to mid 80's likewise did not win any French, having won 4 US open and 3 Wimbledon titles. Last year, when Rafa was poised to equal the 7 French Open titles held by another past champion, that man, tennis legend, Bjorn Borg was invited to watch the historic changing of the guard. This year, Borg was not around to witness his French titles winning streak broken. Instead, the fastest man on earth, Jamaican Usain Bolt was accorded the honor of presenting the award to the champion. By what significance why Bolt was chosen over the traditional great champions normally doing the honors, I didn't know. I haven't read any explanation in the papers either.<br />
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I honestly did not think Nadal would soon recover in that grand fashion from a 7 month knee injury leave after an embarrassing early exit ( was it on the Ist round or 2nd round?) in last year's Wimbledon. But soon after he returned for active duty, winning mostly his matches in many minor tournaments as tune up for the greater stage of Roland Garros, all eyes again focused on his return. I watched him in the Madrid Open, a clay court and a major tune up tournament. He was indeed back in form. When the French Open came, he had to survive 1st set losses in his first and second rounds. After that, he advanced easily, until the semis match against No.1 Novak Djokovich. It was the greatest ever French Open match according to McEnroe, now a tennis commentator. It was the semifinal match everybody concluded as the championship match, with due respect to finalist David Ferrer.<br />
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So we go back to our million dollar question. Can anybody beat Nadal in Roland Garros?<br />
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I believe that if there is one man who could do it, it should be Djokovich. He has the power, the speed, the stamina, the mental toughness, the shots, and a champion's heart that can match Rafa Nadal. They have met many times before and they know each other's game well. I guess in many occasions, it was breaks of the game that decided the winner. Their 6-hour Australian Open finals last year won by Djoko was not just exciting but exhilarating and exhausting even for us who just watched in TV. Their semis match here this time was also a repeat of their finals last year.<br />
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Back to that semis match. When Novak survived the 4th set to extend the match into the final 5th set, clearly the momentum was on his side. He was on the offense, practically dictating the game. But all the bombs he threw, Nadal diligently threw them all back, often converting his defense into offense and winners. This is why Nadal is hard to beat in clay. The slow surface of Roland Garros perfectly matches his style. He covers the court so well, be at the net on drop shots, or to the baselines, corners to corners, retrieving the balls even if it looks unretrievable. To him, it ain't over till its over. That unbelievable behind the back winner he fired desperately showed it. Unfortunately for Djokovich, those easy overhead smashes which he sorely missed were costly errors that could have perhaps spelled the difference.<br />
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Hail to the King of Clay, Rafa Nadal. His 12 Grand Slam titles is 3rd on the all time list- just 2 short of Sampras' 14 and 6 short of Federer's all time record of 18. With Wimbledon just 2 weeks away, we will be in again for more exciting and enjoyable tennis.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-29149389659142593872013-06-08T18:34:00.000+08:002013-06-08T20:36:27.993+08:00French Open 2013: Sharapova vs. Williams: My Dream Finals Match<div class="yui_3_7_2_27_1370685172837_55" id="yiv4071422093yui_3_7_2_27_1370674129886_39" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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This will finally come later today at Roland Garros 2013. Whatever the outcome will be, surely, it is a blockbuster finals match; the kind which tennis fans, organizers, media, and sponsors have been looking forward to for a long time.</div>
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I have lost track how many times they've met in the past. What I know is that Serena holds a very big advantage in their head to head match-up ( the papers say it's 13 out of 15). But what I cannot forget was the memorable and historic win of Sharapova over Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon finals. Maria was just 17 years old then, a stunning teener, and it was her first major trophy and the start of her tennis fame. That was also her coronation as the Queen of Tennis.</div>
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Serena will be the overwhelming favorite. She's on the roll, with a single season winning streak of 30 matches so far. On the way to the finals, she just demolished anybody who came in her path, making them short and easy more especially on her semis match against 5th seed Italian Errani, a 6-0, 6-1 drubbing in 46 minutes. Only tennis legend Stefi Graf (now known as Mrs. Andrei Agassi) beat her to this record when she beat Natasha Zvereva 6-0,6-0 in 32 minutes in the 1988 French Open final. In all these years, I have always believed that a healthy Serena will always be the person to beat in any major tournament. Add this today a big motivation. Of the 15 majors she has so far collected, she has only 1 French Open in that collection when she won it in 2002. That was a long time ago.<br />
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And Maria my idol? She struglled in her earlier matches. She even lost 0-6 in the first set in her quarterfinal match against former champ Jelena Jankovich of Serbia. Against another former champ in Victoria Azarenka in the semis, she has to dig deeper in her arsenal and checked her emotions before winning in 3 sets to set a date in the finals. In a way, they were good tune-up games. She will come into this match as a definite underdog. But I guess she has also many ways to beat the odds. To my mind, she should minimize her double faults. She should dish out those brilliant aces she showered in her match against Azarenka and put in those well placed power forehands and backhands she showed in her previous matches. Deep in the baseline, side to side, control unforced errors. Make Serena run; don't let her control the tempo of the game.Above all, stay focused and maintain that steely resolve. I've got the feeling that the fans will go for her.<br />
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The power and strength of Serena. The flair and grace of Maria. Top seed vs. 2nd seed. The defending champion vs the perennial top contender and champion. The top draws of ladies tennis. Everything a script writer could ask for.<br />
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My heart goes to Maria. After all she's my idol. But my mind says it's gonna be Serena. Whichever, this is the dream finals match I have been waiting for.</div>
Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-52692385435514322832013-06-06T23:34:00.003+08:002013-06-06T23:44:33.601+08:00The NBA 2013 Finals: It's Not All About Lebron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Photo credit: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/" target="_blank">USA Today</a></div>
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Since the 2013 season opened 7 months ago, no doubt the main story has always been Lebron James. Will he again carry the Heat to the finals and the championship? That was the question. He obviously did on the road to the finals. But to the championship? Not yet.</div>
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Lebron dished out a stellar performance all season to cement his billing as the best player in the NBA today. No ifs, no doubts. But worth mentioning also is the performance of another great team in the West that should pose a great obstacle to Lebron's and the Heat's quest for a repeat this year. So this finals is not all Lebron and the Heat. It's also about the star of the West, the San Antonio Spurs.</div>
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There are a number of interesting similarities on both sides. Miami has its vaunted Big 3. San Antonio has also its formidable Big 3 . James, Wade, and Bosh against Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. Youth vs. Experience. Lebron has 4 MVP's. Duncan has 4 championships. The Spurs has a veteran champion coach in Greg Popovich. The Heat has a youthful mentor in Eric Spoelstra aiming for another championship trophy. The young Spo vs the veteran Pop. The Heat is out to build a dynasty. The Spurs is aiming for its last hurrah before its Big 3 fades into retirement. The NBA indeed never runs out of exciting finals match up.</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">Photo credit: <a href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/" target="_blank">National Post</a></span></div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_122993080" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tomorrow</span></span>, the world will be focused on the American Airlines Arena, the Heat' home court. That's courtesy of being the No.1 seed in the eliminations. That home advantage speaks a lot. Especially if it reaches all the way to Game 7; like the Indiana Pacers semis showdown. Veterans as they are, the Spurs surely will not like to be put in that precarious situation.</div>
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The last time James and Duncan met in the finals in 2007, the Spurs demolished young Lebron's Cavaliers. Tim consoled Lebron then, saying, "Your time will come". True enough, that time has come. But Tim could not have thought that when that day indeed would come, he still would be there to stand in the way of Lebron's coronation.</div>
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It's now time to take our pick. Before the season opened, I predicted the Heat to retain their crown. I stand by this prediction. Gabo sees it for Heat in 5 or 6. I agree.</div>
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Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-40961407046360713372013-06-01T23:37:00.003+08:002013-06-01T23:41:55.852+08:00From Smart Araneta to SM MOA Arena<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VZbbbiI8KyhbdX9gU-clYRJXB7c1LaUmpkiD794kJCiWLBL0UiXpjkOCCK6beCaJUZhFOMBcUAEcioWwL0y3y9LQb9w6W8Vq8D17shfCmi72yygZtVV3QYkWkgxklyO21C6vg5ZKX27H/s1600/V1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VZbbbiI8KyhbdX9gU-clYRJXB7c1LaUmpkiD794kJCiWLBL0UiXpjkOCCK6beCaJUZhFOMBcUAEcioWwL0y3y9LQb9w6W8Vq8D17shfCmi72yygZtVV3QYkWkgxklyO21C6vg5ZKX27H/s1600/V1.JPG" height="472" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, from basketball at Smart Araneta to volleyball at SM MOA Arena. That’s what preoccupied our recent Sundays. And what a good time we have had.<br />
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Basketball has always consumed our sports stories. Now volleyball is starting to be noticed. And I’m glad it is beginning to take its place again in our national consciousness. I say again because once upon a time, in my childhood years, volleyball (and I may add, baseball too) was our favorite national game. Be it in town plazas to the sugar cane fields to the shores or beaches, volleyball was then a passion. During our summer fiesta, the volleyball league was the most awaited event. Whole barrios will come to the town poblacion to watch and cheer for their teams. Controversies were not uncommon then, as teams covet that most important victory. Obviously. I learned how to play volleyball before I went to school and long before I know how to shoot. Truth of the matter, as even my youngest Rago attests, volleyball is more exciting than basketball.<br />
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Then basketball came and volleyball faded. And now it's back and it is indeed a welcome development. Football owed its popularity no doubt to the Fil-Euros/Fil-Ams of the Azkals. But I don’t know exactly what catalysed volleyballs popularity. Credit however should be given to the V-league organizers and its major sponsor, Shakey’s, who all these years continue to host this V-League tournament despite the fact that it was only relegated to small venues and motley crowds. But I think it was last year when its popularity rose to unprecendented levels during the tough UAAP tournament, climaxed by a “dream” final between traditional rivals Ateneo and La Salle. From the small and lesser known San Juan Arena, they moved to the sports mecca of Araneta and Arena to overflowing record breaking crowds. Suddenly, volley stars became instant hits to fans and their names becoming household names just like basketball stars. Credit this also to the fact they these stars look like pin up models who could one day end up either as showbiz stars or ramp up models or product endorsers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu71i3eeCJ-ma2I1r0dN-iQym9iHXEt4nzwCzcJSH4vCRlXW0MaJwWAlhpw8FywSWFCh9zl-gl__W8b1oVw-IV7a7phKFV4Mwl47Kb7p9BHe_tdxfKdqzFssv-nZf4me-O5vp1uv59EIi/s1600/V2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu71i3eeCJ-ma2I1r0dN-iQym9iHXEt4nzwCzcJSH4vCRlXW0MaJwWAlhpw8FywSWFCh9zl-gl__W8b1oVw-IV7a7phKFV4Mwl47Kb7p9BHe_tdxfKdqzFssv-nZf4me-O5vp1uv59EIi/s1600/V2.JPG" height="474" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were there during the historic first finals game at Araneta. As usual, Araneta was divided between green and blue. Allysa Valdez, Gretchen Ho, Jem Ferrer, Faile Cainglet et al of the Lady Eagles vs. Michelle Gumabao, Mika Reyes, Ara Galang, of th Lady Archers. And last Sunday, Game 2 of the Shakey’s V league Finals between Ateneo Lady Eagles against first time finalist National University Lady Bulldogs of MVP Dindin Santiago, Myla Pablo, etc. Game 1 went to Ateneo in 3 straight sets and they looked formidable to close the tournament. But the gritty Lady Bulldogs came prepared and right on took the early lead, a signal that it’s going to be a tough match. It was indeed a Sunday thriller. Unfortunately, my wife and kids root for the Lady Eagles and they felt dejected seeing their team losing control and finally bowing to the Bulldogs.<br />
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Volleyball is back but it has changed. Like basketball, it definitely is a game where height matters. We now have many six footer lady spikers. It is now also a game of power and strength. More apparent however, it is also now a game of charm and beauty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZAFhVnHKGxIDVZe8NYpmWHDCwlnNZlU2l3k560_wjp7JMl5cRawcT8DeCevWq3PWRHi6nY_geFn3qtF1wolf7JVer2Wo4rDJxibBMy70wy-UJ3h4VhJH0RzykfzA3URUJ1uLayDPZL4A/s1600/V3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZAFhVnHKGxIDVZe8NYpmWHDCwlnNZlU2l3k560_wjp7JMl5cRawcT8DeCevWq3PWRHi6nY_geFn3qtF1wolf7JVer2Wo4rDJxibBMy70wy-UJ3h4VhJH0RzykfzA3URUJ1uLayDPZL4A/s1600/V3.JPG" height="454" width="600" /></a></div>
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Watch the 3rd and final game tomorrow, live or on TV. You'll know what I mean.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-91722441505057665552013-05-25T19:55:00.000+08:002013-05-25T19:55:11.985+08:00Of Beauty Queens and Basketball<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_HW-G03eQBRujMXQ40oNjaDLtK_Mcg7Zi5xJVPQmjEIvA_oXGXlp-cFdXAdXde9N6Suik3RS9c1dOiuBzE7ekO4jVB9A4WhySxXuFgLACz4lhBi7hY5zuDuuYRdX42CPNxODMq_QK2f8/s1600/JANINE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_HW-G03eQBRujMXQ40oNjaDLtK_Mcg7Zi5xJVPQmjEIvA_oXGXlp-cFdXAdXde9N6Suik3RS9c1dOiuBzE7ekO4jVB9A4WhySxXuFgLACz4lhBi7hY5zuDuuYRdX42CPNxODMq_QK2f8/s400/JANINE.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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The” Santacruzan at Araneta” last Saturday, May 18, was a welcome delight and sidelight of our trip to Araneta to buy tickets for the Alaska-Ginebra PBA finals the next day. It’s not often these days that we get to see Santacruzan with real beauties as “Reynas’. It was in fact Gabo’s first experience to watched it. <br /><br />The parade started near the ticket station so we got an excellent view of it. It’s rare that we get to see an assembly of beauties, parading slowly one by one as they made their way to the streets of the Araneta Center. And there they were: Bb. Pilipinas Ms. Universe beauties, pompous and regal in their queenly gowns, waving, smiling, and gamely acknowledging the excitement of the crowd. And guess who was the queen of them all, the Reyna Elena? She was no other than Ms. Janine Tugonon, the reigning Bb. Pilipinas Ms. Universe and Miss Universe Ist Runner Up. She was charming and radiant, indeed a true Filipina Beauty. We were just almost two arms length from them so it was indeed an exciting experience to see them up close and personal. Gabo had a field day shooting shots at almost all angles. The last of the pack was the Reyna Emperatriz, equally charming and glamorous and patiently waiting for her turn to walk as the parade came to a slow pace because of Janine. She must have been a beauty queen in her time. I would have wanted to know her but her escort forgot her name.<br /><br />On our way to the MRT station for our trip back to Makati, Gabo wondered why the Santacruzan (whom he knew only from their Hekasi classes in school) featuring Bb. Pilipinas beauties was held at Araneta. “Gab, you know, the chairman and the person behind the Bb. Pilipinas Universe organizing committee is Ms. Stella Marquez Araneta, a former Ms. Universe herself and the wife of a scion of the Araneta clan, the owner of Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Araneta Center complex.” There.</div>
Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-25081435907307310982013-05-22T22:47:00.000+08:002013-05-22T22:49:11.678+08:00 Why Ginebra Lost: Gabo’s Post Game Analysis<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9YwtrQMo9F9SpXkSHBi8hQ517qkFHGY5bIyQOQIdGiZJKqqYAKlnwO5dzmI0Xd2bRsszj5y-c_3dRJkPDNWxUElc1luSmFbOQNj5Dr2LzSgqLXa4UAKqNAXtgbgcJWXHldeqQxGC4jnd/s1600/b1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9YwtrQMo9F9SpXkSHBi8hQ517qkFHGY5bIyQOQIdGiZJKqqYAKlnwO5dzmI0Xd2bRsszj5y-c_3dRJkPDNWxUElc1luSmFbOQNj5Dr2LzSgqLXa4UAKqNAXtgbgcJWXHldeqQxGC4jnd/s1600/b1.JPG" height="640" width="472" /></a></div>
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It’s all over but the shouting. But Gabo’s story, our story actually, begs to be told.<br />
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We, (meaning I, Gabo and Rago) were there. We were witness and had been part of history. Midway into the game, the electronic scoring panel told it all. “Congratulations for the new all time record crowd of 23,436. Maraming, maraming salamat po”. So that was what the long, long lines we saw out there indicated, mused Gabo. The shouting, the roars and the jeers, the cheering and shrieking and the placard and balloon waving were also an expendable experience. In the end, the releasing of the balloons, kept at the ceiling and just waiting for its rightful moment, put the exclamation point at end game. It may not be the end result my kids had wanted. And we in fact endured just to watch this game. It was quite an ordeal lining up the previous day and the morning after to buy tickets(Ticketnet blocked the online ticketing) and lining up again for more than hour in the heat of the afternoon sun before the gates were opened, and finally rushing back to catch the last MRT trip to Makati where we parked, all for my kids love of basketball. It was however well worth it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7kLdEwXoLQshJD95o2VsbQuDKaYpJyzzYpzwii0X6Cc1EWUrn2qrR6Sx2k8bjntx2RketXO9zUIlE1GE7QlxN_fPvphVPgw6kWDJHp9rIVdyFkdPxAglnVdZZ_IWxjQjnVcC_eEmMnHC/s1600/b2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7kLdEwXoLQshJD95o2VsbQuDKaYpJyzzYpzwii0X6Cc1EWUrn2qrR6Sx2k8bjntx2RketXO9zUIlE1GE7QlxN_fPvphVPgw6kWDJHp9rIVdyFkdPxAglnVdZZ_IWxjQjnVcC_eEmMnHC/s1600/b2.JPG" height="640" width="472" /></a></div>
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I came to the game positively looking for a Ginebra win, coming from 2 games down. I thought this time, they will come to their senses and steal this one though I said the Aces will close it in Game 4. Gabo and Rago (who turned out also to be pro Ginebra), were all excited, shouting to their hearts out but that would only last for the first 3 quarters. Leading most of the way and trading shots after shots every time Alaska threatens to come close, the Kings ably held on a precarious one point lead, 72-71 by the end of the 3rd quarter. But suddenly, early on in the 4th, Alaska broke loose and Ginebra was left out cold, forgetting how to shoot and score. It was a monumental lapse. With 5 minutes to go and Alaska now starting to pad their lead to double digit, the Alaska red shirted fans started to jubilate, smelling the sweet scent of a title victory in the making. The screen for the first time focused on the already joyous owner, Fred Uytengsu, both arms up in the air for an early celebration. Now, the Alaska fans have started to shout,” Ginebra, gising na”. The loyal Ginebra fans, who consisted almost 75% of the Big Dome, were eerily silent.<br />
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All this time, Gabo was disappoinetd and ejected. “It was the fault of the coach. The coach lost it”. That was how he saw it. I saw it too. And I felt very disappointed by what we saw. How could the Ginebra coaching staff miss it? Early in that fateful 4th quarter, when both teams were neck to neck, coach Al Francis Chua pulled out at the same time both LA Tenorio and their import Macklin. Instead, they inserted the benchwarmers, the diminutive Lagabala and the seldom used Tala. Only Caguioa was left as certified scorer or shooter but obviously, coming in from injury, he was not his old self. Earlier, LA Tenorio was hitting treys in all angles and slashing through the defense, showing why he was the Best Player of the Conference. When he came back, he turned cold. On the other hand, Casio was shooting hot in and out and Thoss, the Finals MVP, was wrecking havoc inside. If LA and Macklin were called back to the bench to rest, the pacing was poor. It took the sting out of the Kings. No amount of time outs from the Ginebra bench could overturn the tide. With still over 2 minutes to go, they seem to gave up the fight. I thought, this is not the original Ginebra spirit; the Jawo spirit that never gives up till the final buzzer. This is the spirit that endeared them to the fans and the reason why it is the most popular team in the PBA. Their battlecry: “ It ain’t over til’ it’s over”. In the end though, as a tribute to the Ginebra loyal fans, amidst the raucous Alaska celebration, they roared out their patented deafening last hurrah, “Ginebra, Ginebra”. After that, they started to line out of the Big Dome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlfILLCkW7PdodVs565cAvNNXioHdVEXmpYvhCuYd0CTdg8-3YboiQCxZ-CiAjUAjE3cIrDaMRbQ4yHT6ceiYVJZ9Z-QzKUydb06wJ_YFVY7Lj5dUnSPs0Qr1g_fuHzIBnSO-NcqWj4WR/s1600/b3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlfILLCkW7PdodVs565cAvNNXioHdVEXmpYvhCuYd0CTdg8-3YboiQCxZ-CiAjUAjE3cIrDaMRbQ4yHT6ceiYVJZ9Z-QzKUydb06wJ_YFVY7Lj5dUnSPs0Qr1g_fuHzIBnSO-NcqWj4WR/s1600/b3.jpg" height="640" width="600" /></a></div>
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We could have left before the final buzzer but Rago wanted to see the final moment- the releasing of the balloons. So we lingered as the court was swamped by a sea of red shirted Alaska fans.<br />
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When we arrived home near midnight, Gabo’s report to his mother was , Mama, the coach lost it.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-23710955926360329522013-05-18T22:13:00.000+08:002013-05-18T22:13:16.807+08:00Take your Pick: Ginebra or Alaska<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHaJ9um_WGmS3L7bkVedl763ZKwm5Upn4d4g8hSn01yREsAQgQ_bLHE_X6TcsXGEwnWPkQWcGTGjEVyrx90OLJwfru-Af2yn671A4X0lEXw6j0rk7JojyLsWRU6lhOe1hPhwjrmECqNYi/s1600/ginebra+v+alaska.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHaJ9um_WGmS3L7bkVedl763ZKwm5Upn4d4g8hSn01yREsAQgQ_bLHE_X6TcsXGEwnWPkQWcGTGjEVyrx90OLJwfru-Af2yn671A4X0lEXw6j0rk7JojyLsWRU6lhOe1hPhwjrmECqNYi/s1600/ginebra+v+alaska.jpg" height="320" width="600" /></a></div>
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Photo grabbed from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PBALatestRumors" target="_blank">PBA Latest Rumors</a><br />
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This year’s edition of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup is a blockbuster with the finals between two title hungry teams providing the fitting climax to an exciting finish. Record crowds, those who are lucky to get tickets, are flocking to Smart Araneta and/or MOA Arena. Crowd darling Barangay Ginebra vs. the resurrected Alaska Aces. It’s a battle between two drinks, Gins vs. Milk.<br /><br />The moment Ginebra reached the semis, my eldest kid cum sports home analyst, Gabo, gave me his marching orders. If Ginebra goes all the way to the finals, we should likewise flock to Araneta or MOA. He is pro Ginebra. I was also once upon a time a certified Ginebra fan, an original. But that was during the Jaworski-Arnaiz era. When they faded in the scene, I drifted to any team I saw that excited me. My fascination with NBA also affected my interest in PBA. The level of play, the athleticism, how the game itself is played- it’s another world out there. But these past few years, I admit, I’m for San Mig Coffee and primarily because of James Yap.<br /><br />Honestly, during that semis, I told Gabo, the dream finals would be the sister teams Ginebra vs. San Mig, both certified crowd drawers. I think the PBA gods would always pray that Ginebra at least could make up to the semis. And to reach the finals up to the deciding game would be God’s graces. But my mind says, it’s going to be San Mig vs. Talk and Text. I was wrong in both counts. And now, in this series, while Gabo is with Ginebra, my younger kid, Rago, and I root for Alaska. And I will make again another prediction. In this best of 5 finals, it’s Alaska in 4.<br /><br />We’ve been monitoring Ticketnet on line for this Sunday Game 3 showdown but it has been closed for this series. This morning, we were informed that they are not opening on line tickets and that if we want to purchase tickets, we should go to Araneta and line up. And we did just that this afternoon but had to settle for a general admission ticket, the only seats left available. <br /><br />So, we'll be at the bleachers tomorrow night. </div>
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Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-35865789245902052232013-05-05T15:55:00.003+08:002013-05-05T16:06:42.636+08:00Gabo's NBA Playoffs PredictionGabo is Sportydad's 13-year old kid. Like father like son, we're both hooked to sports, basketball especially. He knows his NBA. So I asked him to make his choices before the 2nd round of the playoffs. I am amazed by the depth of his analysis. Here's what he wrote (in his own words).<br />
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Original Image Source: http://www.nextsportstar.com/</div>
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Image edited by Gabo</div>
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Let's start in the <b>Western Conference Match-ups</b> 2nd round.</div>
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1. OKC-MEM<br />
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OKC is the defending champions in the West while Memphis reached only 1st round after Clipper beat them in 7 games last year. Now I expected that the Clippers would advance but I was wrong. OKC will win in 6; Russell Westbrook is out for the OKC while Memphis lost their Rudy Gay during the regular season but the Thuders still have this young athletic forward namely, Kevin Durant. I think this will be a thriller match-up.<br />
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2.GSW-SAS<br />
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GSW has a dominant young guard by the name of Stephen Curry, while the Spurs has their old big 3, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. I guess GSW will still dominate because not only Steph Curry is making points but his teammates also even if David Lee will miss this match-up because of an injury. Warriors in 7 even if it is in the home-court of the Spurs.<br />
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Then let's move-on to the Eastern Conference Match-ups 2nd round.<br />
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1.MIA-CHI<br />
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In this match-up, the Heat will win in 6 or 7 thriller games. Wthout D-Rose, the Bulls can still fight with their guard Nate Robinson and forward Luol Deng plus a great coach Tom Thibodeau. The Bulls will fight but they will be dropped as Lebron will be named the MVP of 2013 regular season and D-Wade as his side-kick.<br />
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2.IND-NYK<br />
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NYK will take this slow but sure, because I think the Pacers are still young for the Conference Finals but I know that they will reign but in their time. Knicks in 5 games, because of their dynamic duo Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith , the 6th man of the year. IND will still have this match-ups close because of their young scoring guard, Paul George and a unstoppable big-man in the paint, Roy Hibbert.<br />
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<b>Eastern Conference Finals</b><br />
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My prediction is MIA-NYK. This will be a tough match-up, because both of the teams have their guard-forward duo, Lebron vs Melo and Smith vs D-Wade. Now I think the other players should shine like Chris Bosh in the Heat and Raymond Felton for New York. Miami will beat the New York Knicks in 7 close games. Both teams are offensive minded so expect high-scoring games.<br />
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<b>Western Conference Finals</b><br />
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I predict that this will be a young team match-up. OKC-GSW, both teams are just new qualifiers in this Western Conference. With Westbrook missing this play-offs, Durant will still dominate because Durant has a scoring talent never seen before while GSW has a secret weapon, who is it? Its Stephen Curry. This young scoring machine is a player with quick release shot that is hard to guard. I predict though that OKC will beat them in 6 games.<br />
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<b>NBA FINALS!</b><br />
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My prediction is OKC-MIA again. OKC will fight until the last game. Wesbrook is a big loss for the OKC and they are hoping for the return of their dominant guard. The MIA will win again in 5 games. Miami Heat will have this under control with Lebron and D-Wade plus a Chris Bosh in the paint . The Heat will still be the champions as the Lakers whom I chose to be in the finals at the start choked to the Spurs.</div>
<br />Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-88605974148013850742013-05-04T08:52:00.000+08:002013-05-04T08:52:02.756+08:00Full Monty- The Musical Stage Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Catch its final run tomorrow, May 5th. Go to <a class="irc_hol irc_itl" data-ved="0CAQQjB0" href="https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&docid=CYukQqXpmJCRsM&tbnid=8RLUq_U2rJV9GM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketworld.com.ph%2FOnline%2Fdefault.asp%3FdoWork%3A%3AWScontent%3A%3AloadArticle%3DLoad%26BOparam%3A%3AWScontent%3A%3AloadArticle%3A%3Aarticle_id%3D99BF91F8-C20B-4A50-A9D9-426959DDDBBF%26sessionlanguage&ei=MlqEUbaxNMe1iAf1h4C4Ag&bvm=bv.45960087,d.aGc&psig=AFQjCNEG4CVYcr_qwHgS40hvaUHLGAsrKQ&ust=1367714728769539" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #222222; color: #1122cc; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: nowrap; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="irc_ho" style="color: white; margin-right: -2px; padding-right: 2px; text-decoration: underline;">www.ticketworld.com.ph</span></a> for tickets.</div>
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The moment I read the news that full Monty will be played on stage at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Plaza in Ayala, there was no doubt in my mind that I would watch it. In fact, I was already excited about it. I have reasons to feel that way and look forward to it. I have watched the movie version more than 10 years ago at Greenbelt cinema and it was one of the most entertaining movies I’ve ever seen. How I ended up watching the movie was itself a story.<br /><br />I was then lobbying around the old Greenbelt I, just killing my time. To watch a movie would have been a perfect alternative but there was then no “good movie” on showing. But when I read the plot of the movie posted in the trailer, I was struck. I should see this movie and so I did. Notably, the movie was later recognized and known after it was already shown.<br /><br />Full Monty was a story of displaced “steel workers” in England desperately struggling to find jobs and make life again. They had good lives before while working in the steel mill but the steel industry in England crushed; and so did their lives, their living and their families. It was a true to life reflection of where I came, of <a href="http://steelconnect.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">my life as “steelman.”</a> It was a similar story of what happened to our dear National Steel Corporation in Iligan. It was then the biggest steel company in the Philippines and we were privileged to have a good and prospering career, and life was beautiful. But it also crashed. The scenes of the movie, the deserted steel men community the smoke stack, the silent steel mill plant, etc. were the same scenarios we have in Iligan. And so, while the movie was entertaining, I was also waxing nostalgic. And by the way, that was the only time I learned what Full Monty meant in British.<br /><br />That is why, my excitement on the stage play centered on these fundamental things. First, how the stage play could capture faithfully the vivid scenes and plot of the movie, and the final scene everybody is waiting for: how the Full Monty will be executed to a live audience. Because we watched the play on its first night, we were the first to know.<br /><br />My expectations were more than satisfied. You could empathize with their plight, their struggle to keep their families intact and happy, their bond and friendship and perhaps most important of all, their spirit to keep their self worth amidst those difficulties. The acting, everybody was excellent. To me, Jamie Wilson, being a veteran stage/theatre artist, was indeed a stand out. Even Sitti, whom I know of as the sultry Casanova now going jazz singer did her fair share. Marco Sison, popularly known as a balladeer in his time also gave notice to his other acting talent. But perhaps the greatest revelation was Mark Bautista who played the lead role. We know him as a product of a singing talent search and later on going showbiz. But I was surprised how this Cagayan de Oro native dished out his lines in impeccable English, making his stars truly shine.<br /><br />And how did they execute the final Full Monty scene? Oh, they really did well in building up the excitement of this climax, making the audience even participate. It was indeed a play of lighting effects but surely not the way I imagined or expected them to do it. In the end, we, the audience were still talking about it as we were waiting for our rides to go home.<br /><br />Congratulations to the producers, directors, cast and support staff.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-4671813304738759842013-04-27T20:34:00.004+08:002013-04-27T20:34:39.209+08:00Ocean's Harvest at M Cafe, Marriott Hotel ManilaIt takes a gourmet treat at Marriott Cafe to rejuvenate this blog. How could I resist a dinner with lots of seafood, which I can have cooked my way? <br />
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<i>Chefs standing by and happy to cook seafood dish your way.</i></div>
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I grew up from the country's seafood capital, Iloilo. Fresh seafood was an everyday fare and they didn't come expensive, too. I know how seafood dishes should taste like, even if they're prepared simply. <br /><br />That is the come on for <b>Marriott Cafe's Ocean's Harvest</b>. For only P2,300, I can have seafood to my heart's content. Since I could request the chef how my shrimp or scallops, fish or even the lobster should be cooked, I opted to go simple. I ordered a <i>pampano</i> with only the soy sauce and herbs. It didn't disappoint. The fish was tender and fresh, and it brought me back to my mother's kitchen in Anilao, Iloilo. <br />
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My <i>pampano</i> in soy sauce</div>
<br />There is more than the <i>pampano</i> for your choices. The Ocean Surf Market Style Buffet Menu includes fresh salmon, tuna loin, local <i>tanigue,</i> <i>talakitok</i>, <i>lapu-lapu</i>, <i>maya-maya</i>, shellfish, jumbo prawns, half shell local scallop, local clams, jumbo squid, <i>suahe</i> shrimps, blue marlin, and local <i>gindara</i>. You can also have your fill of slippers lobsters, local blue sea crab, <i>curacha</i> crab, prawns, mussels, and white shells.<br />
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<i> Just look at all of this at your disposal! </i></div>
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<i>Here is my other plate of assorted grilled seafood. </i></div>
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<i>Varieties of fresh fish</i></div>
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<i>Chef prepares grilled lapu lapu and adds a dollop of Bernaise sauce.</i></div>
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<i>And the ultimate sweet and sour crabs!</i></div>
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You shouldn't miss this Ocean's Harvest offering at Marriott. This Ocean Surf Market Style Buffet is open every Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00PM to 10:30PM. </div>
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If you are watching what you eat, you can have this fresh seafood with fresh vegetables at the salad station. Waiting for you is a feast of greens and dressings specially made with options such as lobster and pomelo, brocolli and blue crab, seafood with mushroom and mango salad in honey mustard, lapu lapu ceviche, and local scallop asparagus and orange salad. </div>
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Be captivated by this five-star seafood buffet experience only at Marriott Hotel Manila’s<br />Marriott Café. For inquiries or reservations, call (02) 988-9999.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>ABOUT <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mnlap-manila-marriott-hotel/" target="_blank">MARRIOTT HOTEL MANILA</a>:</b><br />An inviting beacon set in the world-class casino entertainment complex of Resorts World Manila, Marriott Hotel Manila is the place to work and play. Ideally located in Newport City across Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, it is a convenient 15 minute drive from Makati Business District and Bonifacio Global City. Affording a splendid view of the adjoining 18-hole Villamor Golf<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>Course, it boasts 342 exquisite guest accommodations that offers luxurious bedding, in-room safe, mini-bar, high-speed Internet, air conditioning, 40" full high definition LCDs with IPTV, videos on demand and jack pack plug-and-play system. The hotel features excellent dining options such as Marriott Cafe, Cru Steakhouse, Java+ and Lobby Lounge. Leisure facilities include Quan Spa, Health Club, Salon and Newport Mall. With a Grand Ballroom and several meeting rooms, Marriott Hotel Manila is also the ultimate destination for meetings and events, from wedding to gala dinner celebrations. </span></div>
Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-84773323080946988792012-11-02T21:37:00.002+08:002012-11-02T21:45:44.075+08:00Tapella Halloween Treat<br />
It was supposed to be another Sportydad’s sporting event that night; to watch the replay of the 2012-2013 NBA opening games. With a blockbuster schedule featuring the defending champs Miami Heat vs. archival Boston Celtics in the East and the Dwight Howard-Steve Nash reinforced LA Lakers against Nowitzki-less Dallas Mavericks in the West, I was in for an exciting night. So I thought. Apparently, basketball proved no match to our Spanish gastronomic date at Tapella that same evening.<br />
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A trip to Tapella brings you down Spain’s rich gastronomic experience and culture. In style, “ ala executive class”. Each menu relates you to a region, south or north, central or coastal, by way of the ingredients and style of cooking. Last time we were here months ago, we were taken to a trip down sunny Spain, with original Spanish cuisine from Andalucia, Catalan, Basque, and Castilian regions only an expert Spanish Senorita can do, Chef Alexandra Cacho. This time, 14 new sets of menu were unveiled where each serving seemed a mystery but eventually would draw our “ ahhs and ohhs”.<br />
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<b>With my DIY Sangria</b></div>
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It started with our welcome drinks, where Chef Xandra dutifully taught us how to make our own Sangria, Tapella’s bestseller. Brandy first, then liquor, topped by red wine. Put ice cubes to moderate the taste and finally fill your glass with Sprite or Seven-up along with bits of fruits, preferably apples and/or lemon/oranges and voila, you now have your Sangria. Nice lesson for a social drinker like me. In due time and more practice, I think I could perfect my own Sangria concoction.<br />
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Then, we sampled their new dishes.<br />
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<b>Plato de Pintxos Calientes, P395</b></div>
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A plate of hot tapas of calamares, chorizo, croquetas béchamel, sobresada de quezo manchego, purusalda, tigres, champi, and pollo moruno</div>
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<b>Plato de Pintxos Frios, P350</b></div>
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A plateful of cold tapas composed of cucumber, sardines, pulpo, cojonudos, gazpacho, veruta, agustin, and baine</div>
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<b>Rabo de Toro, P695</b></div>
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A dish of slow cooked imported ox tail served with fries and carrots. I love its medium rare quality of the succulent meat. </div>
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<b>Tarte de Tomate, P275</b></div>
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This dish has sweet and succulent tomatoes sitting on Malagos cheese and caramelized walnuts, crowned with lettuce, lollorossa, and shrimps, then drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and added with a little bit of balsamic vinegar</div>
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Personally, I seem to have a natural liking to Spanish food. After all, our Ilonggo cuisine have strong Spanish influence, from delicacy bread and pastries to such popular dish as “Paella” whose variation we call ‘Arroz de Valenciana” Credit that to the many Spanish Senoritos and Senoritas, hacienderos, entrepreneurs and businessmen who came and lived in Iloilo and Negros.<br />
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<b>Fideua Negra, P600</b></div>
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This dish is a black squid pasta using fine wheat noodle pasta cooked with lemon and added with bite-sized squids and shrimps. It is topped with aioli sprinkled with chives, along with cream dory coated with batter. The experience reminds you of the gastronomic delights of Catalonia.</div>
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Bring your family and friends to Tapella at Greenbelt 5, Ground Level, Ayala Center, Makati City for a delightful and classy experience on authentic Spanish food, relaxing ambience, a hospitable guest relations. Get to meet a very engaging host, Chef Xandra Cacho who is happy to explain the origin of the cuisine and reveal her culinary secrets, some of it anyway, towards authentic Spanish cuisine.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-23979039276004850872012-09-06T21:58:00.002+08:002012-09-06T21:58:42.106+08:00Beyond the 13th Move: The Story of Eugene Torre<br />
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Eugene Torre is one of the few great Filipino sports heroes whose excellence and prominence in chess span more than four decades, and counting. I can think of two others who fit the description for such longevity; Paeng Nepumoceno in bowling and the big J, Jaworski in basketball. Paeng’s career likewise span more than four decades and until now is still a force to reckon with. Jawo’s eminence in basketball span the period of my childhood, teenage years and adulthood. They all started in my growing up years and until now, they’re still there. They are all my all time local sports heroes.<br />
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Beyond the 13th move is a biography of Torre. I bought this book in the 70’s and was one of my treasured collection until Ondoy struck a few years ago. I wish it could be re-published.<br />
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Eugene Torre was born in Iloilo city, my “happy place”. For decades, he was the toast of Philippine chess. Beyond the 13th move was a memorable piece of history. Flashback: 1972 Chess Olympiad, Nice, France. Torre, then 22 but already the Philippines top player, played for the top Board (board 1) of the Philippine team. Ever since its inception and until now, each country normally fields its strongest player in Board . So Torre, was up against the world’s best of the best. On this fateful game ( my memory now fails me who he was up against except that he was also a top grandmaster), Torre needed only to draw the game and be crowned a full grandmaster. On that game, after some quick openings, Torre played safe and offered a draw. It was a long agonizing moment as he waited for his opponent to accept his offer. Then that moment came. His opponent formally welcomed Eugene to the elite grandmaster club by accepting the draw. History unfolded. Torre became the first Asian and the first Filipino to become a chess grandmaster. In that tournament, Torre finished strong, 9 wins and 10 draws, to win the bronze medal for Board 1. Anatoly Karpov, who would later become world champion won the gold. But to stay unbeaten in a very strong field was already an outstanding record. The Philippine team also placed a respectable 11th place finish, until now its 2nd highest finish.<br />
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Torre would later on play for a record 19 consecutive Olympiads. Then on his 20th stint, he tied Hungary’s top grandmaster Lajos Portisch for the distinction of the only players to have played for 20 Olympiads. Now in the ongoing 40th Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, Torre broke this tie, and again made history by becoming the only player to have played in 21 Olympiads. In all of this, he played in Board 1 a record 17 times. In his entire career, his sterling record was in 1983 when he was ranked 17th in the world and played in the Candidates Matches for the 1984 world Championship, losing to Zoltan ribli,6-4 in a one on one encounter. No other Filipino has reached this pinnacle of success. Years before that, he made waves when he defeated then current world champion Anatoly Karpov in a tournament held in Manila in 1976. He was then credited for being the only player to have beaten Karpov while the Russian still reigned supreme as world champion. Torre was also known as among the very few best friends, confidante, and second of that American chess genius, that recluse former world champion Bobby Fischer.<br />
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One of the finer moments described in the book was that in his era, whenever Torre wants to rest and relax, he would go home and find comfort and serenity in his land of his birth. Home is Iloilo ( La Paz) where he would enjoy its beaches. In some of these homecomings, he would drop by a landmark place, a restaurant cum bookstore in Jalandoni Street in front of the University of San Agustin. This place was also where local chess players meet and play. Torre would then play simultaneous games against anybody who would want to. It was in one of these fun simul games that my elder brod played him to a draw<br />
Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-91119412280557735402012-09-01T23:35:00.001+08:002012-09-01T23:35:28.052+08:00Maria Sharapova's Tie-breaker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was a match everybody was expecting to end in the altar November this year. Instead, it was extended to a tie-break. Nobody knows now who gets the "Advantage", but definitely there will be no match point. I am referring to the Le Affaire Sharapova-Vujacic.<br />
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After winning her 3rd round match in the ongoing US Open, Maria Sharapova, women's tennis royalty, let the cat out of the bag. Her love affair with boyfriend Sasha Vujacic is over, finis. And they parted ways end of spring this year with no one, not even the nosy press knowing it. She herself was surprised that nobody asked her about it.<br />
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In happier days, they looked a perfect match. Both are good looking, both have the height, both have the physique and figure many would envy. Most of all, both are popular and famous. Sharapova need not further introduction. She's women's tennis top attraction; that I could say without fear of contradiction. She's my idol too. What she wears in her games in every tournament is being awaited. That's her fashion statement. How she plays either excites or makes your heart break.Vujacic on the other hand played was an NBA star, a member of the popular champion Lakers team of Kobe Bryant and co. for many years until he was traded to the New Jersey Nets last season. This year he disappeared in the NBA when he decided to play professional basketball in Turkey. Where then did they go wrong?<br />
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Sharapova herself admitted that their busy schedules was it. In short, their long distance love affair just would not click. Vujacic's Turkey assignment further added their estrangement. Since he arrived there this season, Maria revealed he has not gone home in 10 months. Absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder. Maybe they could find some rationalization knowing that this problem actually is common among sporting celebrities; especially if you're on the tour circuit where you go globetrotting the whole year round. Unless of course you are Mirka Federer, who retired in the sport and contented herself being the No.1 cheerer in every tournament of her beau of long years and husband later, Roger Federer.<br />
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The news spotlight of course will be on Sharapova. Already, the headlines are screaming: SHARAPOVA IS SINGLE ONCE AGAIN. <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/maria-sharapova-announces-she-single-once-again-005749836--ten.html" target="_blank">Yahoo News</a> put it nicely. " FINE TUNE YOUR BACKHAND, GENTLEMEN. MARIA SHARAPOVA IS BACK IN THE MARKET'.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-74927458159488070162012-09-01T22:13:00.003+08:002012-09-01T22:13:50.835+08:00Ouĭ Kim; Good Riddance Andy: US Open 2012<br />
Tennis Majors always bring excitement; always with a package of surprises, controversies, disappointments, theatrics, stories and performances that will become historical highlights. The ongoing US Open 2012 is no exception. First came the disappointment that world’s No.2 Rafa Nadal is out with injury. To me, the absence of one major character takes out some luster of the tournament. On the other hand, a great promise loomed as the “greatest who has returned", Roger Federer, further takes another great step in cementing this crown. Or will it be Andy Murray’s time to finally bag his elusive major crown following his Olympic victory? On the distaff side, Serena looks supreme and has resumed her winning ways and habit of collecting records. Only Sharapova I think could stand in her way but only if, my Maria would be consistent in her top fighting form.<br />
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But the greatest drama that unfolded was provided by two past champions announcing their retirement. Like previous tennis greats, the US Open, being the last in the calendar of the majors, is always reserved for retirement ceremonies.<br />
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Yesterday, after losing her 2nd round match against upcoming British teen Laura Robson in a close 2- set heartbreaker decided by tie breakers, Kim Clijsters finally called it quits. Age, motherhood, and all, the 29 year old Belgian finally bid adieu the 2nd time around to the sport she loved most. The first time she called bye bye in 2007 to give birth to her child, she came back in 2009 and won that year’s US Open. That was a spectacular win, surprising everyone considering that she had only few tune up games prior to the tourney. She even defended it the next year. This time though, it will be a final goodbye.<br />
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Kim was on top of women’s tennis in the last decade along with fellow Belgian Justine Henin, the Williams sisters, and Maria Sharapova. Her matches against these great rivals were always worth my time. She was a 4- time grand slam champion. Early on in her tennis fame, her popularity somehow rose with her publicized love affair with the then equally popular and top men’s tennis player, Australian Leyton Hewitt. The press called her Aussie Kim, a tag she perhaps also loved, especially when sitting and cheering in Hewitt's box. But she married someone else and later proved to all that motherhood is not a hindrance to becoming a champion. She was the first mother to become a grand slam champion since 1980. We will surely miss her. I will miss her competitiveness, her grit, and fighting heart. Her most enduring image to me were her “splits” when retrieving deep baselines shots as no one else in the tennis circuit can do.<br />
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Merci Kim. And good luck to your next journey.<br />
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Andy Roddick came next in announcing he is done for good in tennis. He too was once my idol. Fast, furious, he with that power and booming serves. He was on the rise in the early 2000, winning his first and only grand slam tournament, the US Open in 2003. That year, he was also rated world No. 1. It was bright note to American tennis. It came at a time when Pete Sampras and in a way, Andrei Agassi were already closing on in their careers. Roddick therefore became their heir to carry the hopes of American tennis. Sadly, he came short of that billing. He stayed among the top 5 and for years lingered on that spot. Unfortunately for him, another greater Swiss maestro named Roger Federer was on the rise and set to dominate the field. They fought in the 2006 US Open finals just as Federer was starting to collect US Open titles. Thrice, they played in the Wimbledon finals. All these times, Federer simply outclassed him. Their last meeting in 2009 Wimby was a classic 5- set marathon thriller. Roger won, 16-14. In this time too, 2 other outstanding players came, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Andy drifted and stayed in the top 10 and soon after, outside of that exclusive club. He could hardly advance even to the quarters. He realized it was time to go. There was no other way as he said he did not want to be a mere passenger in this journey. So now, he is saying goodbye to tennis with no apparent heir to carry the torch of American men's tennis.<br />
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God job Andy. Now you can finally take off that trademark hat to your loyal and favorite Flushing Meadow crowd. Take a bow!<br />
Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-63119419912053583602012-08-26T22:57:00.003+08:002012-08-27T17:44:03.921+08:00Lance Armstrong's War<img height="463" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02318/lance-armstrong-wi_2318726k.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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This is the title of the book which Wizheart gifted me last January with a simple dedication- “…to add to your collection of biographies of great sportsmen…”. As the author put it, this book is the extraordinary story of “ one man’s battle against fate, fame, love, death, doping scandal, and a few other rivals on the road to the Tour de France.” He was stricken with cancer but fought and overcome it to win an unprecedented record of <b>7 Tour de France</b> titles. He seemed to win all these battles, except for one…. the doping accusation.<br />
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Lance Armstrong indeed is one of my sporting heroes in a sport considered among the most gruelling test of human endurance and skill, cycling. When we were young, we used to get excited during summers when the then annual Tour of the Philippines unfold and passed by our town. I grew up idolizing local heroes like Abaquita, Moring, Reynante, etc. During fiestas, cycling also was one of the most awaited activities of the celebration. As I grew older therefore, this fascination with cycling continued. That’s how I came to know such cycling greats like <b>Eddy Merckx</b>, <b>Greg Lemond</b> and these past 10 years, <b>Lance Armstrong</b> and his closest rivals, <b>Jan Ullrich</b>, <b>Tyler Hamilton</b>, <b>Ivan Basso</b>, and <b>Miguel Orendain</b>.<br />
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We came to know the exploits of these great cyclists through the news we read. But the book revealed to me the hardships, trials, challenges, the preparation prior to the tours, the do’s and don’ts, the technology in making bicycles, the inner workings etc. which made me conclude that this is one hell of a sport. That’s why, with all those achievements, I looked up to Lance Armstrong.<br />
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But today’s papers reported a disturbing news. Lance was found guilty of the doping charges by the <b>US Anti Doping Agency</b> (USADA) and he will be banned from the sport for life ( which may have no effect at all as he has finally retired). Worst however, he will be stripped of his record 7 Tour de France titles and other titles and awards. USADA said, Lance Armstrong was a dope cheat; that he used performance enhancing drugs from 1999-2005.<br />
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This accusation has actually been lingering for years now. Ever since, Lance denied all these accusations describing them as nonsense. He naturally has been blocking all the moves by the doping agency. Until now. Tired perhaps of fighting for his innocence saying it has taken great toll on his family, he surrendered. “Finished with this nonsense” he said. Now, the only thing left perhaps is the action of the International Cycling Union, the sports governing body.<br />
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<b>Lance Armstrong</b>- is he a sports hero or a dope cheat? Honestly, until this saga comes to a final, unassailable conclusion, he still is my hero.<br />
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Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-18977630275807830112012-07-29T20:47:00.001+08:002012-07-29T20:48:06.025+08:00Spirit of London 2012<br />
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The 30<sup>th</sup> Olympiad in modern times has opened and
what a show, as always. Watched by 4 billion people worldwide and attended by
royalties, government leaders, celebrities, among others, it leaves no doubt to
its billing as the greatest show on earth. The headlines say it all. Fantastic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Coming home after the kids watched the blockbuster movie, Batman,
The Dark Knight Rises, we caught the replay of the opening ceremonies last
night as the athletes started the grand ceremonial
parade by nations. We were excited to see the entrance of our Philippine
delegation as the kids were having their countdown guessing the next in line by
alphabetical sequence. It was also a lesson in geography for them and us
actually, hearing for the first time many unknown countries and wondering where
they are located in the globe. When the “ Saints” came marching by, they asked,
why there were so many countries named after unknown saints. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The athletes “fashion wear”, i.e. uniform was another
exciting part to watched. We laughed at the seemingly over and undressed, admired the simplicity and design of others.
Today, we learned that it was indeed a “catwalk show”, with the uniforms
designed by such fashion biggest names, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Ferragamo,
Stella McCartney, Hermes. Our national uniform was designed by a local big
name, Rajo Laurel. I could only laughed that while I liked the navy blazers and
navy berets uniform of the US delegation designed by Ralph Lauren, it is
getting bad press because it was made in China. Ha ha. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But our greatest excitement was on the sight of popular
sports stars, most especially, those who carried their national flags. It
started with, Marcus Baghdatis, the
tennis star from Cyprus, then NBA
Memphis Grizzlies center Haddadi of Iran and world’s fastest sprinter Usain
Bolt of Jamaica. It reached crescendo when our idol, tennis darling Maria Sharapova
led the Russian delegation in a pant and suit design made by a Russian
sportswear Bosco. The thrill hasn’t yet
subsided when we sighted a jubilant tennis superstar Novak Djokovic carryring the colors of his native land, Serbia. Then came the towering clean
shaven NBA and Laker star Pau Gasol leading the very familiar glaring red and
gold Spain delegation. At this moment, we almost expected and hoped the Swiss
team will be led by tennis greatest, Roger Federer. Alas, roger was not there.
This morning we knew why. He already has his 1<sup>st</sup> round going against
a low rated opponent from Colombia. Now, we wondered. Who’s gonna carry the
blue and red stripe American flag? Could it be Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, or
Michael Phelps? It was none of the above; a lady fencer did the honors for the
US team.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was already midnight. The climax is yet to come; the lighting of the Olympic torch and the
best kept secret of the whole event: who will be given the honor of doing it?
And finally, the “best of Britain”, Sir Paul McCartney ( who doesn’t know him
and the Beatles”) closed the affair with his famous ballad, Hey Jude. Na na na
na….na na na. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, the Games has begun. The events I'd like to watch: the showdown between Phelps and teammate Lochte in swimming, Bolt vs. Tyson Gay in sprints, USA vs. Spain in basketball, Federer vs. Djokovic, Saharapova vs. Serena Willliams in tennis, and the Chinese domination overall. But actually, if there is one event I am made to choose, it's athletics, track most especially.</div>Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-29946008622460052832012-07-24T21:46:00.002+08:002012-07-24T21:46:55.714+08:00The Dream Team and Other Almost Dream Teams<br />
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<a href="http://shebapost.com/">Image Source</a></div>
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This is of course about the U.S. basketball teams to the Olympics comprised of NBA professional stars and superstars. This practice of using NBA stars started in 1992 during the Barcelona Olympics. The world by then has caught up with them in basketball. Back then, a gathering of amateur collegiate stars was enough to win the basketball gold. But not anymore, they concluded. So since 20 years ago, they dominated once again Olympics basketball, thanks to their NBA superstars.<br />
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Now comes the debate on who is the greatest dream team ever. Kobe Bryant, the Laker superstar perhaps stirred the debate when he was reported saying this year's batch could beat the original dream team of 1992. He was in my opinion, of course just kidding and perhaps just psyching them up following the non inclusion of other stars due to injuries. Missing center Dwight Howard, guard Dwayne Wade, slam dunk king Blake Griffin, Chris Bosh, would indeed make one dreaming.<br />
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In my mind, there indeed was only one dream team and this is the original dream team of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. All and future Hall of Famers, except maybe for one. So powerful the team was that they beat their opponents by an average of 40 or so points. So complete that the substitutes was made by 5, not 1, not 2, nor 3. So devastating that in the whole tournament, Coach Chuck Daly never called a time out. Yet, despite the lopsided scores, fans overflowed the basketball stadium, not to see or expect a competition, but to see showtime. Slam dunks everywhere, pinpoint no- look passing, booming "treys", powerful and graceful drives, total paint domination. Even the opponents, starstrucked as they were, went for posses and autographs.<br />
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How about this as starting 5. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan at guard, Larry Bird and Karl Malone at forward, and Patrick Ewing at center. The 2nd five would consist of John Stockton and Clyde Drexler at guard, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen at forward, and David Robinson at center. All superstars in their own positions. Sweet shooting Chris Mullin and the only amateur inserted in the team, All American No.1 amateur player Christian Laettner completed the line-up. Who can beat that?<br />
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True, most were nearing the peak of their careers. But their stars were still brightly shining in the basketball court. There is one more quality to this team which made it truly a dream team. They won the hearts and imagination of the basketball world. It cemented the frenzy that globalized basketball, a phenomenon I believed started by my idol, Michael Jordan.<br />Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-72760207756489618582012-07-13T08:54:00.000+08:002012-07-13T08:54:20.404+08:00Infographic: What Manny Pacquiao Knows That You Probably Didn’t KnowGot this from AdoboBites. :)<br />
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<center><b><a href="http://www.adobobites.com/people/what-manny-pacquiao-knows/">Manny Pacquiao Infographic</a> Brought To You By <a href="http://www.adobobites.com/">Adobo Bites</a></b><img alt="Manny Pacquiao Knows Infographic" src="http://www.adobobites.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Manny-Pacquiao-Knows-Infographic1.jpg" /></center>Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-21487151294242226052012-06-30T22:15:00.004+08:002012-07-05T14:36:31.052+08:00Remembering Kiev : Euro 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kiev circa 1984</div>
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<b>Euro 2012</b> comes to conclusion with the finals match between defending champion and current World Cup champion Spain against a resurgent Italian squad scheduled on Monday in the beautiful city of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. It is a fitting climax to the drama that characterizes the passion of the Europeans on the sports of soccer. It is also a testament to the all out preparation of the co-host city, putting up and spending a fortune building new stadiums and infrastructure, despite the negative impact of politics. For me, far far way from it all, it is nostalgia and memories of a memorable past. Many years ago, pre glasnost and perestroika, I stayed in Ukraine for 4 months from March to July 1984 as one of the 17 engineers from 10 developing countries who attended the UNIDO/UNDP In Plant Training for Iron and Steel Engineers in Zaporozhtal Iron and Steel Works in Zaporozhye, a large industrial city south of Kiev.<br />
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St. Sofia Cathedral</div>
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We arrived in Kiev in early April 1984, spring coming as a relief to the cold winter of March when we arrived in Soviet Union. It was one of the oldest cities and the 3rd largest city in the former Soviet Union, after Moscow and Leningrad. It was a city of parks, so many of them as with the other major cities then of USSR. It was a city built on both sides of the famous Dneiper River, the largest and longest river in Ukraine which stretches out to the Black Sea in the southwest. The churches were marvelous, notably St. Sofia and St .Andrews, gold plated multi domes, reflections of the rich Christian tradition of the place before the Communists abolished religion. Other famous landmarks were the monuments to the Great Patriotic War ( as they call World War II with the tall Statue of the Motherland towering all other monuments.<br />
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Subway station downtown Kiev, 1984</div>
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Visiting Kiev then was a relief to many of us delegates used to the Western type of living. Open cafes, busier streets, marvelous Metro ( subway stations), more approachable crowd. Otherwise it was still "borsch" ( Russia's "national soup" ), queueing, and Parooski. But we love the city, we love to stroll, we love the peacefulness of the place, and we love their ladies whom we think are more beautiful than Western women.<br />
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Statue of Motherland, Kiev</div>
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Football is big in USSR. it sure is big in Kiev, and other Ukraine cities. Football fields are everywhere all over the country. Their local football team, Kiev Dynamo, was very popular. Everyday, from morning till night, all we see in our TV sets was football; the only show in TV we can understand. Months later, in June 1984, every night, we would cram in the room of our fellow Chinese trainee to watch Euro 1984, the first time I was introduced to it. If my memory serves me right , I think it was Portugal who won that time. But the most famous player in that tournament was the French player by the name of Michel Platini. Incidentally, today, Platini, as president of UEFA, is in charge of overseeing Euro 2012.<br />
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Spaseeba Kiev. ( Thank you Kiev). Thanks for the memories.<span style="background-color: white;"> </span>Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-78291425102372314912012-06-29T23:15:00.001+08:002012-06-29T23:15:44.998+08:00Wimbledon 2012 Shocker: Nadal Eliminated in 2nd Round<br />
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<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/9363629/Wimbledon-2012-Rafael-Nadal-sent-crashing-out-as-Czech-outsider-Lukas-Rosol-pulls-off-one-of-the-greatest-upsets.html">Image Source</a></div>
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I woke up this morning and immediately switched on the TV to check the result of the Germany-Italy semi- final match up in Euro 2012 played a few hours earlier ( Philippine time) in Warsaw, Poland. Instead, a shocking news reverberating from London greeted me. Rafael Nadal, the world's No.2 and the tourneys 2nd seed, and just a few weeks ago, a big winner( a record 7th title) at the French Open was ousted in the 2nd round in 5 sets. Not so soon I said. It's still the early stage of the tournament when top seeds use this as warm-up sessions. And I don't even intend to write about Wimby till next week when the critical Round of 16 starts. I don't think my friend and tennis partner and a Nadal fan Matt in California would believe the news. </div>
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And since this is still the 2nd round, I was sure the giant slayer is an unrated, unknown and maybe just even a mere qualifier. And he is really sort of that. From now on, his name will be etched in the history of Wimbledon and tennis. He is Lukas Rosol, from the Czech Republic, and seeded 100th. Consider his credentials: this is his first Wimbledon and has never won an ATP match in grass since 2005. And how he ended the match: he fired an ace at love. </div>
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I have always viewed such upsets as highly possible and probable. Players ranked as low as 150th have the capacity to win against top players at any given day. They have already that skill,the power, speed, stamina and the hunger for recognition to ambush any top player on his off day. What these unheralded players often lack is mental composure, concentration and consistency that can be taught only by experience. </div>
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I have watched Rafa's opening game. Also against an unrated Brazilian player, he fell behind, 0-4 in the first set before rallying for an eventual easy win. It could not be a sign of course since sometimes they lose the first set only to be fired up and win. But this is no doubt a huge upset, far bigger even than the early exit of another great, Pete Sampras, in 2002 to another unknown player. But that was because, as observers pointed out, Sampras was already then going down the hill while Rafa now is still at his peak. Oh well, is this good news for Federer and Djoko fans?</div>
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Going back to my original objective. This morning, my surprise and disappointment was completed. My bet, Germany lost, clearly and convincingly, to Italy, 1-2. And with Spain eliminating another personal bet, Portugal on a shoot-out ( it's painful to lose this way ), my misfortune on guessing winning games continue. Spain vs. Italy? Can't figure it out now. Ha ha ha! Let's see how the road to Kiev looks like. </div>
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</div>Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-86076857876081425282012-06-26T22:13:00.000+08:002012-06-26T22:13:01.768+08:00Euro 2012: The Clash of the Titans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://cristianoronaldofan.net/head-to-head-germany-vs-portugal-euro-2012-9-june-2012/">Image Source</a></div>
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Europe's heavyweights separated themselves from the so so when the semi final cast was completed. Earlier, Portugal nipped the Czech Republic, 1-0, Germany outclassed Greece, 4-2, defending Euro and World Cup champion and No. 1 in the world Spain eliminated France, 2-0 and finally, today, Italy sent the English team heartbroken with a 4-2 penalty shootout win. England's penalty loss was their greatest fear for it seemed like a curse to past English teams. Since 1990, they lost 6 out of 7 penalty shootouts, and this time, it happened again, following a goal less regular and extension time. In all four quarterfinal matches, the winning teams clearly dominated their opponents, notwithstanding the scores. Of the four teams, only Portugal did not win a World Cup title. I was glad I have watched all the replay of these games and look forward to its conclusion.<br />
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It will be Spain vs. neighbor Portugal, and Germany vs. Italy. I go for Portugal, the underdog and the powerful Germany in the finals. Spain is heavily favored against Portugal but who knows, Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's superstar might show his true wares and give his country a glorious victory. Spain is powerful, with its players culled mainly from Real Madrid and Barcelona, all veterans of the Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010. But I get bored with their style of play, long set up plays, disciplined and patient though. Portugal plays a running game and I like football that way. Germany on the other hand is strong both in offense and defense and have a deep bench. Against an ultra defensive but boring Italian team, I'm sure they'll be able to make breakthroughs and score.<br />
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That's the reason why I like South American football, the way Brazil, Argentina et. al. play. Free flowing, smooth attacking style. That's how you can appreciate the beauty of football. <br />
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After all is said, I think Germany will be the Euro 2012 champions. I like to see their leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel jump for joy again, like she did in the game against Greece. It would be a good break and relief for her while leading the European Union out of bankruptcy and disintegration.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-85158884957760681502012-06-23T14:30:00.002+08:002012-06-23T14:30:35.332+08:00Pacquiao Lost, Pacquiao Redeemed!<br />
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On fight night, <b>Manny Pacquiao</b> lost by a close split decision to two judges. On recount, commissioned by the ruling <b>World Boxing Organization</b> and reportedly done by five international judges, Pacquiao won unanimously and convincingly. So what's the real score now?<br />
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Well, the WBO recounting satisfied the clamor by many for a review. It made a decision many also thought was the right decision. It somehow lessened the impact of the loss. But it can not overturned the judges decision. <b>Timothy Bradley</b> still remained the champ. The belt could not just be given to Pacman. And in a show of sportsmanship and maturity, Pacquiao said he does not want to take the belt either. He didn't even lash out at the judges and maintained he respect the decision though he believed he won and wanted a rematch. It makes one wonder: so why was it recounted. Only a criminal intent which has yet to be proven could overturn the ruling. Unfortunately, lapse in judgement, incompetence, judges error, could not make Pacquiao win and retake his belt. Well, this is boxing; this was held in Las Vegas and they have their own rules.<br />
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To me, the best decision could have been this: WBO to declare the title vacant, and order a mandatory rematch this year between the two to settle once and for all the issue. I'm not just sure whether that would make another blockbuster fight.<br />Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-40921325976918978132012-06-22T14:55:00.003+08:002012-06-22T14:55:54.821+08:00Heat's Glory: It Was All Lebron James Story<br />
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When my kids, Gabo and Rago, were still very young, they would often ask me this common question kids normally ask: Papa, which is stronger, Fire or Rain, Light or Wind? This year, a similar true to life question was added: Which would prevail? Heat or Thunder? This time however, they already have their answer; a foregone conclusion even way back last year. Heat of course.<br />
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My sons had been Heat fans. They idolize <b>Dwayne Wade</b>. And how they whoop it up when Lebron James and <b>Chris Bosh</b> came along last year, in a celebrated but controversial move. Now, they prove themselves right. This is also a rare time when we all root for one team. I was never a Heat fan , though I admire James and Wade for their individual virtuosity on court. But when this year season opened in December last year, delayed due to Union-Management disagreements, I boldly predicted. It's the year of the Heat. It's King James coronation. And even when they were up and down in the regular season, even when the Celtics were up 3-2, with Game 6 back to the Garden ( Celtics home court), I still maintained, Heat all the way.<br />
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I wanted Heat to win for the primary reason that for me, it's time <b>Lebron James</b> gets a championship ring. For all his achievements already, 3-time MVP, 2 Finals appearance, All Stars appearances, Olympic championship, and all. He transferred to Miami in his utmost desire to win a championship which he could not get with the Cavaliers. And for that, he was despised in Cleveland, he was criticized by many including the press. But who would want to retire without a ring? Ask Karl Malone, ask Charles Barkley, both NBA's greats and hall of famers, members of the original, the true one and only Dream Team. They retired without this greatest prize.<br />
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Hail King James. Hail to <b>Miami Heat!</b> Hail to our very own, Miami's Fil-Am coach, <b>Eric Spoelstra</b>, hail to <b>Pat Riley</b>. When Gabo and Rago go home from school this afternoon, they will be happy, and we'll have one interesting discussion yet again. <br />Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357380801281486468.post-52414396930144315252012-06-20T22:13:00.001+08:002012-06-20T22:15:02.988+08:00Euro 2012 Football Championship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been over a week now that Europe is all agog over this tournament, second only to the World Cup in terms of importance and prestige. Never mind the crisis, serious enough to make their nations, Greece especially, bankrupt. They forget all their worries and problems once their countries play.That's how passionate Europeans are about football. National pride, passion, at times plain arrogance and hooliganism. Football to them is everything.<br />
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Such major sporting event yet it pains me that local media doesn't even bother to prominently report it. No news in major broadsheets and if ever, just a very tiny space likened to reporting the result of a barangay basketball tournament. And I thought that we are suppose to promote football now. If we are to promote this sport nationwide, media should play a very major role in promoting it, through its reporting, broadcasting, etc. Look at how they play up NBA. Basketball is already very popular in the country, and everybody is reporting it, giving it headline news in the sports pages and giving news at the scores. One major TV network even scrap their morning programs to beam live the on-going NBA finals when it is already actually covered in other channels. Good thing, Solar Sports ( which I think started sport coverages before other networks followed) is showing replays of the Euro Cup in the evenings. For the stories, Business World ( and perhaps the other business newspaper too) cover it regularly, including the other European and South American Cup championships.<br />
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Because of the TV coverage, we saw how NBA players play; and we follow their moves, their set-ups, etc which enhance our skills and basketball sense or IQ. Imagine if the same coverage is shown to us when Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Drogba, Lampard, Gomez, Roben, Shevchenko, Van Persie, et al show their wares.<br />
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The Euro 2012 is now in the quarterfinal stage.. Azkals fans, catch them and see the real football.Efren Delidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03853436574984028463noreply@blogger.com0