11 for '11 (Part 1)

   The start of the new year is always the best time to hope, since there is a ton of time to get things done.  The start of 2011, then, is where I will post the 11 things I hope will happen in the sports world in 2011.  Pleas enote that I used the word HOPE and not WISH, so I cannot put "Peping Cojuanco resigns from POC as one of the 11, since it's impossible"  I've also ranked the 11 based on my level of desire to see it happen and on each item's feasibility.

11.  New weight divisions prosper in the UFC

     Folding the WEC into the UFC was big news, but we have yet to see how well it really goes for the UFC.  This year, the UFC will feature Bantam and Featherweight Divisions, and finally top dogs like Jose Aldo, Urijah Faber and Anthony Pettis will get their chance to shine on the big stage.  I think it will be interesting to see the lighter weight divisions fight MMA and I hope early fights bring exciting stoppages to get the casual fans to buy into the lighter weight divisions.  

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Shorts: Speaking Out

(Each week, From the Fifty Peso Seats has a weekly edition of shorts, compilations of interesting but short posts of developments and trivia about the sporting world.)

2009 is now part of the history books, so I figured I would celebrate the new year by speaking out. 

Living the Dream

     By now, everyone has read, watched and debated the still-in-negotiations Manny Pacquiao - Floyd Mayweather fight, and everyone has formed opinions about it.  Most citizens of the world have surmised that this is now Pacquiao's fault, as his insistence to refuse random blood testing seems to be the only sticking point to making the fight happen.  The way I see it, that's just, as the English say, bollocks.  As much as Mayweather has the right to demand a blood test no professional fighter has ever been asked to do, Pacquiao has every right to refuse it too.  Yes, the blood to be taken is minimal, but at best it is still a minor distraction to Pacquiao's pre-fight routine.  I believe greatly in the importance of mental prepartions and doing or undergoing something unusual is no way to prepare for a fight.

     On a personal standpoint, I would love for Pacquiao to keep up in refusing blood testing.  Why will it again be the Filipino who will accommodate to a foreigner's request?  Manny is the pound for pound king.  This is one of the few times a Pinoy can call the shots and it would be disappointing if the world's most well-known Filipino accedes to foreigners demands as many have done over our history.

Do They Still Make 5th Place Trophies?

     Do I live in Planet Zog or something?  Reading all the write-ups about Team Philippines' performance in the SEA Games, I do not sense the outrage or disappointment in anyone's tone.  In fact, some writers listed this year's fifth place performance as an "improvement."  Now, it is an improvement from 2007's 6th place debacle, but my goodness.  Who should ever be happy about fifth place, except countries who have never reached fifth.  The Philippines used to battle for the top three spots in the overall medal tally in every SEA Games and now we have been reduced to celebrating fifth?  This can only mean two things.  This could mean that everyone has given up on our athletes and sports programs or it's a "white wash" style propaganda unleashed by the Philippine Olympic Committee.  If we are going to be happy placing 5th in the SEA Games, we might as well not participate.  I have met a lot of our national athletes.  I know we can do better than fifth and we should be disappointed with anything less than a top three finish.

Even a Broken Clock Tells the Right Time Twice

     It is no secret that I believe the Philippine Bowling Congress is in deep dudu because of certain characters and their boneheaded decisions, but as the sub title suggests, they got something right this time.  Word is, the PBC has hired Jun Trasporto, a Filipino with Canadian citizenship, as the new head coach of its national team.  Jun is one of the bowling world's top 100 coaches and is certified, both in coaching by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and ball drilling by the International Bowling Pro Shops and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) .  In fact, he is proficient enough in drilling that he is a ball drilling instructor and a co-author of the drilling manual the IBPSIA uses.  We had a chance to hire him three years ago, but he was soon snatched up by Korea, who proceeded to win big in the 2006 Men's World Championships and Asian Games and then later by Qatar who also won big two years ago.  He will undoubtedly bring a lot of innovations and technical proficiency our bowling national team has never seen or heard of before, and if they listen (that's a big if, though) it can only mean good things.  I mean, I've been coaching for 10 years and I'm also a silver-certified coach, but I learn something new every time I talk to him.  The PBC can "tell the right time" a second time by letting Jun take over our youth program as well.

Shorts: False Positives

(Each week, From the Fifty Peso Seats has a weekly edition of shorts, compilations of interesting but short posts of developments and trivia about the sporting world.)

Trouble in the Bedroom?

     The Smart GIlas Philippine National Basketball Team recently signed former NBA player Jamal Sampson to be its naturalization candidate, replacing the troubled C.J.Giles.  A few days after signing though, Sampson came up limping with a sore back in Gilas' game versus the Barako Bull Energy Boosters.  Rumors started to swirl that Sampson hid the injury so that he could sign first, but Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Noli Eala assured the public that there was no hidden pre-existing injury.  Eala claimed that Sampson not only underwent a thorough physical, but also participated in tough practices and drills with the GIlas Team, showing the injury came up only recently.  Eala also assured that Sampson is seeing chiropractors for the back injury deemed to be not serious.  It seems the back injury could have been brought about by problems with Sampson's bed. In spite of Eala's assurance, this is still not an auspicious beginning for Sampson's career with Gilas.

Scrooge in a Tie

      With the Phil Cycling deep into election trouble, 12 of 13 cyclists from the Philippines were barred from competition in the 27th South East Asian Games in Laos.  The only cyclist allowed to compete, veteran Maritess Bitbit, signified that she wanted to compete, but then submitted a letter declaring her intention to withdraw from the race.  Days later, Bitbit was depressed as she told family and friends that she desperately wanted to compete, but was prevailed upon by Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose "Peping" Cojuangco to withdraw.  Cojuangco coaxed her to withdraw to "show sympathy" to her other fellow cyclists who were barred from competition.  

     With Bitbit expected to bring home as much as three gold medals, the resignation has cost her around PhP 600,000 in cash incentives from the government.  With athletes receiving meager allowances every month, that amount would have been a boon to Bitbit and her family.  Furthermore, the three golds would be a big boost to the Philippine campaign as it is currently struggling in 6th positions in the overall medal tally.  This piece of unfortunate developments is made extra rich by the fact that the cause of the election trouble, Cojuangco (who held the original Cycling elections and then pulled the recognition after) was callous enough to impress upon Bitbit the need to, "sympathize."  It will be a cold Christmas for Bitbit as she also expects to retire soon, and she only has Scrooge to thank for that.

Goodbye Madam President

     As the world says good bye to former President Corazon Aquino, one of the world's icons of democracy, I would like to pay my respects as well.  As president, Aquino managed to make an impact on Philippine sports (including setting up the Philippine Sports Commission), despite being handed a gargantuan task of restoring Philippine democracy after over 20 years of Marcos rule.  Now, a good many people have a lot of wonderful and personal things to say about Aquino, I have no such luck.  Instead, I am listing down my favorite sports moments during her presidential years as my tribute.

1986 - The Crowning of Asia's Sprint Queen

     The 1986 Asian Games was the setting for one of Philippine sports' greatest moments.  Lydia de Vega, one of the young products of Michael Keon's Gintong Alay program, sprinted her way to gold medal in the 100m dash event, the centerpiece event for athletics, earning herself the distinction of be

coming Asia's fastest woman.  This achievement, coupled with de Vega setting an Asian record of 11.35 seconds, is especially significant, since the country has never again won for this event in the Asian Games.

1989 - The Upset at Roland Garros

     Few people knew of Michael Chang, a Chinese-American who helped the U.S. dominate the junior circuit together with batchmates Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Todd Martin.  After the 1989 French Open, though, everyone was buzzing about the 5 foot 9 Chinese kid with blinding speed.  It was this blinding speed on Roland Garros' relatively slower surface that enabled Chang to break through onto the senior circuit as he copped his first and only Grand Slam Championship.  The then teenager defeated the more highly-touted Steffan Edberg in a thrilling five set match, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4 and 6-2.

1989 - The Arrival of an "Earthquake"

     Luisito Espinosa, one of the Philippines' well-loved boxers stepped into the world stage in 1989.  The boxer, known as "Lindol" (earthquake in Filipino), challenged Thai Kaokhor Galaxy for the WBA Bantamweight Title.T

he Filipino announced his arrival by knocking out the champion in the very first round.  Espinosa would later on defend this title twice before losing it to Israel Contreras in 1991

1990 - Here come the Pros

     Basketball-crazy Philippines got a reason to celebrate as professional basketball players were finally allowed to compete in the international arena, just in time for the 1990 Asian Games. Immediately, an all-PBA selection was formed to help the country win the much-coveted basketball gold medal.  It was a veritable who's who in basketball as the team featured Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim, Alvin Patrimonio and Ramon Fernandez and the team went on to win the silver medal, losing only to perennial champion China.  That all star team, coached by the legendary Robert Jaworski, would become the highest placed Philippine basketball team since.

1990 - Warrior Wins at 'Mania

     The Toronto Skydome was filled to the rafters with over 68,000 fans as they cheered on the likes of the Hart foundation, the Rockers and the like in the sixth edition of Wrestlemania.  This particular 'Mania, though, was dominated not by the charismatic tag teams but by two iconic singles competitors.  The main event featured the controversial Ultimate Warrior and the immortal Hulk Hogan and in a testament to both of their charisma, the 68,000 fans were split down the middle.  In a thrilling match filled with non stop action and false finishes, the Warrior defeated Hogan, landing his trademark splash after Hogan missed on his patented leg drop. 

1991 - Just One Away 

     In a testament to the FIlipino spirit, the archipelago nation bid and then successfully held the 1991 edition of the South East Asian Games, just 5 years after regaining independence via "People Power."  The Filipino athletes didn't disappoint the local crowd, as the Philippines had their finest showing in history then, winning 91 gold medals, one gold away from overall champ Indonesia.  

1991/92 - The Dream Becomes Reality

     Just like in 1990 with the Philippines, the USA relished their chance to finally send their NBA professionals to play in the Barcelona Olympics.  In 1991, USA Basketball assembled what many consider the greatest basketball, the "Dream Team."  The USA looked to avenge their Olympic loss in 1988, assembled a team at least two deep at each position with future Hall of Famers, including the legendary trio of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.  The team absolutely destroyed the opposition in the Tournament of the Americas to qualify for the Olympics, and then cruised through the Olympics to claim the gold that was meant to be theirs the moment their team was formed.

     There they are, my favorite sports moments form 1986 to 1992.  I hope that somehow, former President Aquino will take some time off her busy schedule in heaven to read my post.  Although I would appreciate her not commenting, lest I lose my mind.