Playing Santa 2010

     It's Christmas time once again and it's time to see who has been naughty or nice.  I still wish I could give them the gifts I assigned to them.


Naughty

Mark Joseph - The interim president of the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) has been naughty, continuing to refuse holding an election for PASA leadership, while making his lack of leadership clear.  He has shown ignorance for his wards' difficulties, like the divers' problem with frog infestation in their pool or their accident in the Asian Games itself.


Gift: Proper elections to expose his poor approval ratings in the PASA

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Fifty Peso Previews: 2010-11 Northwest Division

If you guys missed the 1 hour special of Lifestyle Network's Clash of the Toque-en Ones, there are replays on Dec 24 at 430 pm, dec 25 at 8 am and 1030 pm and dec 26 at 9 pm! Don't miss it!


Yes, I am very late, but I'm finally finishing my NBA Fifty Peso Previews with this post on the Northwest Division.


Denver Nuggets

Major Additions: Al Harrington
Major Subtractions: None


     Usually, great teams don't like to tinker with their line ups too much, but the Nuggets are far from great. Adding Harrington is not enough, and obviously Carmelo Anthony agrees.  Anthony has essentially asked for a trade and expect the Nuggets to make something happen within the year.  With Anthony gone, this will pretty much be a dead year for the Nuggets as the rest of their players like Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin and Chris Anderson have been slowed by both age and injuries. The Nuggets will have to rebuild.


Fearless Forecast: Eliminated in the regular season

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Fifty Peso Previews: 2010-11 Pacific Division

Just like to remind everyone that a 1 hour special on Lifestyle Network's Clash of the Toque-en Ones will be aired on December 20 at 10 pm Skycable Ch. 52. Catch everything from the auditions to the finals!

Golden State Warriors

Major Additions: David Lee, Dorell Wright
Major Subtractions: None


Warriors fans heaved a sigh of relief as the team changed owners and coaches.  They seem to have taken the first step towards a winning attitude, grabbing All Star David Lee and a defensive-minded (former SMB import) Keith Smart as their coach.  The problem is, how long until will the winning actually comes?  This team has developed such a culture of losing that it may take a while.  Look for big years from Steph Curry, Monta Ellis and Lee, but racking up wins and playoff berths are at least 2 years away.


Fearless Forecast: Eliminated in the regular season

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Fifty Peso Shots: November 2010

     I'm very late with my November edition of Fifty Peso Shots, but I was kind of busy last November 30.  wink wink.  Many thanks to everyone who supported me and I look forward to giving Pinoy food and Pinoys, here and abroad, something to be proud of on my upcoming cooking show on Lifestyle Network! Meanwhile, check out the 1 hour special of the entire Clash of the Toque-en Ones on December 20 at 10 pm, Skycable channel 52.


Now, some shots from the cheap seats:

• POC and PSC leaders claim they are "happy" and/or "satisfied" with Team Philippines' performance in the last Asian Games.  We finished way behind South East Asian neighbors, but they are happy? Great! We should probably look forward to another sixth place finish in next year's SEA Games. Woohoo! (Please detect major sarcasm here) 

• Lebron James acted like a big sissy, intentionally bumping Coach Erik Spoelstra when he called a timeout during a testy loss to the Dallas Mavericks.  Then, he allegedly had friend  lapdog Maverick Carter release a story of how Spoelstra was such a tyrant, slamming Lebron on being not serious enough.  Instead of gaining sympathy for the Heat's woes, James is just giving more credibility to rumors he's a cancer to teams.  It also raises Spoelstra's stock as coach as the Heat rattled off four consecutive wins after he scolded Lebron.

• Hornets fans have it tough. After a summer of uncertainty when franchise player Chris Paul threatened to leave, they now face an ownership void.  George Shinn is ready to sell the team and the NBA will be their owner for the time being. That has to be the weirdest feeling.  Imagine competing in a contest where your mom is also the tournament director. Yikes!

• Many disappointed with the performance of Smart Gilas should be more patient before calling for the return of PBA pros.  In the past, foreign coaches would always praise the Philippines as "talented but needing more time to adjust to each other and the international game."  If one reads into the recent interviews with coaches, they no longer spew that same condescending lines.  They talk about the Philippines unmatched toughness and relentless defense.  That is improvement, if one cares to actually think about it.

• If people want to know which National Sports Association (NSA) Heads to replace, look no further than Swimming/Diving Head Mark Joseph.  The man with two first names was so on top of the situation that he didn't even know his OWN DIVERS GOT INTO A BUS ACCIDENT on the way to competing. Then, after he was informed his diver was injured (confirmed by doctors), he scoffed and broached the possibility that it could have been, "an old injury acting up."  That's the picture of a leadership award winner right there.

photos courtesy of sports.yahoo.com, getty images and gmapinoytv.com