Fifty Peso Previews NBA 2011-12: Atlantic Division

It's that time of the year again! All NBA teams are undefeated and looking forward to the season.  Not all of them will do well, however, and only one will emerge as champion.  Who will do well and who will fail?  I present this season's fifty peso previews.

Boston Celtics

Key Additions: Brandon Bass, Keyon Dooling

Key Losses: Jeff Green, Glen Davis, Shaquille O'Neal

     The aging Boston Celtics, while losing key pieces and even losing David West in the free agent race, still look formidable.  The big 4 of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo all look ready to make another run at the title.  Word is Jermaine O'Neal is back to health and Marquis Daniels has become more comfortable with the system.  If the big 4 get ample support, then they can keep healthy enough to be dangerous in the playoffs.

Fearless Forecast: At least Conference Semi-Finals

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My PBA All Star Ballot (Veterans)

     The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) opened the All Star Game voting early and they have also brought back the Veterans versus Rookies, Sophomores and Juniors (RSJ) format.  While I disagree with both decisions, I have cast my ballot for the annual event.  Since the PBA has become a guards' league some two or three years ago, I'm not voting strictly by position.  The 14 slots i will divide by 2 big men, 4 forwards, 4 guards and 4 of any position


2 Bigs - Sonny Thoss and Kelly Williams

     While Alaska had their worst conferences in years (maybe a decade), the good thing that has emerged has been Thoss' game.  Thoss has established his post game and made himself a reliable scorer and his rebounding and defense has come around as well. New Aces coach Joel Banal has given Thoss more touches and he has responded with an All Star performance.  Williams, meanwhile, has been the Texters' pillar of strength.  As injuries beset Talk and Text, Williams has scored, rebounded, defended and even brought the ball down the floor for the defending champs.  As much as people talk about Jimmy Alapag being the leader, Williams has shown up to be the team's heart and soul.

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My PBA All Star Ballot (RSJ)

     The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) opened the All Star Game voting early and they have also brought back the Veterans versus Rookies, Sophomores and Juniors (RSJ) format.  While I disagree with both decisions, I have cast my ballot for the annual event.  Since the PBA has become a guards' league some two or three years ago, I'm not voting strictly by position.  The 14 slots i will divide by 2 big men, 4 forwards, 4 guards and 4 of any position.


2 Bigs - Japeth Aguilar and Rabeh Al-Husaini

     The PBA is thin in the frontcourt, especially in the RSJ roster.  Aguilar, already the league leader in blocks, should be an automatic choice.  While inconsistent, he has played great, included a 7 block game and making the winning basket and steal in the recent game against Petron.  Plus, his freaky athleticism is showcased best in exhibitions like this one and it will ensure that the crowd will have a good time. Rabeh Al-Husaini is the other obvious choice. While he may be injured now, he should be available by the All Satr Game, and while I usually pick players who prove themselves during the season, the thin list predicates his inclusion. 

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The Unseen

     With the Sinag Pilipinas Basketball Team running roughshod over their opposition on their way to winning the basketball gold medal in the 26th South East Asian (SEA) Games, it's easy to overlook certain things, good or bad.  Here are just some that may have been unseen.


Cliff Jumping a.k.a. the other Chris

     The least known among the players were Filipino-Americans Cliff Hodge and Chris Ellis of the PBA D-League NLEX Road Warriors, but they won't be as anonymous now.  Both have shown tremendous athleticism which of course made them instantly popular, but it's clear their time with Sinag will do them tremendous credit.  Both need more work, especially in terms of decision-making so that they can harness their athleticism properly.  Hodge plays hard and seems willing to do dirty work, but developing a more steady outside shot and better defensive rotation instincts will make him a PBA star.  Ellis jumps out of the building and seems comfortable scoring from everywhere, but he needs to cut down on turnovers and develop more defensive skills for someone as athletic as himself.  It may serve them in good stead to hold off the PBA first and join Gilas for additional seasoning. 


Ditching Iverson

     Coming into the SEA Games, one of the worries was that both point guards of Sinag, Emman Monfort and RR Garcia, were shoot first guards, or what I call graduates of, "The Allen Iverson School for Non-Passing Point Guards."  Their play in the SEA Games disproved that and made me a believer.  Monfort and Garcia got their shots and points, but made it their first priority to get teammates involved.  Their passing both in fastbreak and drive and dish situations were impeccable and went a long way in helping the Philippines dominate.  This actually makes them better players and makes me wonder why they don't play like this in the UAAP.  Perhaps they should.


Undertaker and Vitor say, "Not Yet."

     Coming in with a wave of success, skills and hype, it's easy to be swept up in calling Kiefer Ravena, "The Phenom."  International ball, however, has a funny way of revealing what aspects players need to work on and Ravena's list is larger than people would like to admit.  At this point Ravena is already a tremendous talent. He can shoot the mid range, step back and pull up jumper accurately which is more than his dad could ever do, he is ultra quick and athletic (a fast break savant)  and he is whip smart (his basketball IQ is tremendous). Yet, his defensive play left Sinag in the cold several times. He can steal the ball but he goes for it too often and his one on one defense suffers because of it.  Many an opponent has blown past him, leaving Greg Slaughter or Cliff Hodge to cover for him. He also needs to shoot better from the 3-point line and he needs to learn the point guard spot faster if he wants to maintain his "status" in international ball and in the PBA.  With all that being said, he is a tremendous talent and asset to any team even at 18 years old.  Perhaps instead of "Phenom," he should be dubbed, "The Prodigy," because that what he really is.  


The Old Hand

      As everyone celebrated the basketball gold, the names of Slaughter, Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks were dropped as the heroes, as well they should.  One name, though, has not been mentioned and it is easy to see why.  Captain Chris Tiu's contributions are easy to overlook as he posted ordinary numbers but his effect on the game was no way near that.  Tiu, who faced infinitely better competition in his last 3 years with Smart Gilas, looked bored at times in the elimination round.  In Sinag's last 2 games, however, when they seemed to face just a tinge of competitiveness from Malaysia and Thailand, the "old guy" perked up. Whether it was assists, steals, lay ups or just plain old words of wisdom, Tiu's mark was indelible.  In both games, Tiu played an average of 8 to 10 minutes per half, and he entered when Sinag needed separation.  In both games, Tiu led Sinag's 2nd five increased the lead and put the game out of reach, leaving the 1st five to clean it all up with the fast break highlights.  In the Malaysia game, Tiu entered the 3rd quarter with Sinag leading by 3.  A few steals, assists and points later, he left the game for good with Sinag leading by 25.  In the finals against a more competitive Thailand, Tiu came in with Sinag protecting a 4 point lead.  10 minutes, a few lay ups, spin moves and passes later, he left with Sinag leading by 20.  Some wondered, but that is why Coach Norman Black never started the Gilas captain.  You send in the guy when the young ones need to reminded on how to play.

5 Things the NBA Lockout is Making Me Miss

     The Southeast Asian Games are coming up and Manny Pacquiao has a fight in less than a week's time, but a lot of sporting hearts in the Philippines are still unfulfilled.  The culprit is the NBA Lockout, which for reasons valid or not, has gone on for far too long.  It's deprived sports fans like me from finding out some of the most interesting things, and here are my top five.


5. Peace Brothers!!!

     For some, it's completely stupid, and as much as I love a good debate, I really can't argue on this point.  Ron Artest has successfully changed his legal name into Metta World Peace in his hope to promote well, um... world peace.  This means that his latest Laker jersey would read either "World Peace" or "Peace" on his back.  Imagine the possibilities for the TV commentators.  "What a hard foul by World Peace!" or "Peace calls a timeout." or "Kevin Durant has been shut down by World Peace!" 


4. New Blood


     This year's crop of rookies is considered a lean one, but there are interesting stories there. Did the Cavs pick the right number 1 pick in Kyrie Irving? What about the long-awaited Ricky Rubio? Will his game translate well in the NBA?


3.  Coaching Carousel

      As usual, the roster of NBA coaches has changed and these new coaches, whether 1st time coaches like Mark Jackson of the Golden State Warriors or those brought back for another run like the Houston Rockets' Kevin McHale, bring intriguing prospects. Whose coaching philosophies will bring positive changes to their teams?  Can Mike Brown handle the circus that is the Los Angeles Lakers? Who will be the 1st coaching casualty of the season and is there ANY possibility that Jerry Sloan will come back to coach?!?


2.  Emergence


     Last year saw the slight decline in Kobe Bryant's game and the shrinking of Lebron James'.  In the same year, though, emerged Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant.  The MVP and Scoring Champ, respectively, emerged as the league's newest bonafide superstars, leading their young teams into the conference finals.  Will the two remain as the league's greatest individual talents or will new names emerge yet again? Will the old, supposedly forgotten names come back with a flurry?


1.  Deadlines

     For some teams, the pressure is not as large to win immediately.  The Mavericks just won an NBA title, so no one will really burn them in effigy if they fail to repeat.  The Bulls and Thunder are young and another year deep in the playoffs with no title won't be too bad.  For some teams, though, the pressure is huge.  The Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs are aging and probably have only this year to win again or face the team blowing up.  The Orlando Magic have only this year to win as well or Dwight Howard will probably leave to free agency.  The Miami Heat have spent over a hundred million (and more in PR money) to bring in their "Big Three" of Dwayne Wade, Lebron James and Chris Bosh.  Another year without a title could break Heat President Pat Riley's patience.  Can these teams beat their deadline? At best, only one of them will.

Fantasy Hoops

     Talks are that the NBA owners and the players are making progress in their efforts to end the lockout.  While that is in the works, it's good fun to think about the possibilities of NBA players playing in the Philippines again. With the PBA Commissioner's Cup allowing unlimited height for imports, which NBA players would make great imports in the PBA?

Alaska Aces - The Aces are a mess right now but the good news is that they're very talented.  Obviously, they are struggling to find themselves after losing Coach Tim Cone and trying new sets different from his triangle offense, so what they need is someone to take over and score when the new plays go to hell.  They need a go to scorer who can create shots and someone who can shoot threes with accuracy.  Kevin Durant would be a tremendous help. 

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PBA 37th Season: First Ten

     Whether it's the rich draft class, player and coach movement, the NBA Lockout or the new TV partner, there seems to be more excitement around the PBA in this 37th season.  Here is From the Fifty Peso Seats' "First Ten" Roster.

1. In the battle of "Bringing Back an Old Trouble-making Big Man," the winner is definitely the Shopinas.com Clickers, who brought in Homer Se.  Unsurprisingly, Se was ejected two weeks into the new season. Way to go!


2.  Rain or Shine is off to a fast start and it could be good Feng Shui.  The Elasto Painters currently have the most Chinese-Filipino players in the PBA. They have Jeff Chan, Jonathan Uyloan, TY Tang and rookie Paul Lee.  Why not try to beat Shopinas at #1,  hire Wilmer Ong and have a starting five?

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The Hunger Games

(This article was originally published by A Sports Syndicate)

     The thing with wars is both sides think they're doing the right thing; that's why they're willing to sacrifice resources, and even lives to win.  In this information age, both sides even take to media to manifest their principles and try to convince people to join their side.      

     In the latest war called the NBA Lockout, it's much of the same.  Both sides proudly puff their chest and state their sides' steadfastness in their beliefs.  They are willing to wait it out, even it goes two years, they say.  Each side has made their public statements to the media as well, determined to swing public sympathy on their side.


     The other thing about wars though, is that no matter which side wins, everyone else on the sidelines suffer.  In any war, there is always collateral damage and in the NBA Lockout, the damage is tremendous.

     Forget us fans.  We suffer from the lack of games but we can survive.  Heck, in the Philippines we can get our fill from Vintage NBA and our own Philippine Basketball Association; we'll survive.  The true victims of this war are in the North America, in 28 U.S. states and 1 Canadian province.  

     With every NBA franchise comes an arena and the businesses surrounding it.  In the arenas, you have ticket takers, concessionaire stand staff, ushers, security staff and cleaning/maintenance staff.  Around arenas, you have restaurants and bars that staff hundreds of cooks and waiters and other stores that sell team merchandise among others.  With every passing day of posturing and preening from both the owners and the players, business and income go down and bills pile up for arena and restaurant staff. As the players "fight for what is right" and the owners "make business decisions that can curb losses" the restaurant and arena staff take on the real fight, the fight to earn for their kids, to pay for the mortgages and to earn enough not to go hungry.

     In truth, the NBA Lockout is a complicated problem.  The profit sharing, the salary cap structure; they are all very deeply complicated.  Players do have a point and so do the owners and yes they are well in their rights to fight for their principles.  As another week passes however, and another round of rhetoric is given on why the NBA team owners and the players cannot come to an agreement, both sides should probably remember something more important than their principles.  Yes, going down from 57 % profit to 50% profit for the NBA players or the owners giving up on their hard cap policy is an attack on their principles, but either way both sides still get paid. The key phrases in their argument are "profit sharing" and "salary," and that means that whatever happens in their war, both sides will have profits and salaries.   For the arena and restaurant staff, though, they will have less and less of both, as long the NBA Lockout war keeps going.   


      Principles determine and define people and so they need to be defended and protected, but nothing trumps beating hunger. That is more than a principle; it's a basic human right.

How to Build a UAAP Championship Team

     As Ateneo celebrates its fourth straight championship with dreams of more entirely possible, big words like "destiny" and "dynasty" are going to be thrown around.  Before everyone begins to believe that there's nothing stopping Ateneo in the future, other schools should take note that stopping the Blue Eagles takes only 2 steps.


Step # 1 Yo Teach!!!

     As the UAAP gained popularity, big-name coaches have arrived to ply their wares, and Ateneo snagged one in Norman Black.  The thing is, though, it's not Black's PBA and NBA experience that's made him an incredibly successful UAAP coach. It's the fact that he is a teaching coach that's separated him (and his team) from the rest of the pack.  When commentators talk about how Black doesn't play rookies often, it's not just a coach "thing." Black teaches players skills and waits for their skill to develop before placing them in deep water situations.  All players in the Ateneo program get better as they get older.  Everyone from Chris Tiu (ball handling) to Rabeh Al-Hussaini (defense)  to Kirk Long (outside shooting) to Nico Salva (decision making) have all shown improvements and became stars only in their 3rd or 4th years.  The way people view the UAAP sometimes skews the fact that the players are young and their skills have not fully matured.  Coaches that remember that and take time to develop skills instead of worrying about wins will be rewarded handsomely.

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Crack in the Dam

     Everyone knows it by now.  Smart Gilas Pilipinas placed fourth after losing two heartbreakers in the semi-final and battle for third games in the recently-concluded FIBA Asia Championships.  As expectations are not met and emotions run high, lost in all the hatred, armchair coaching, finger pointing and disappointment are the important things.


History Made

     People stuck on the fact that Smart Gilas lost the bronze are stuck on the wrong thing.  Entering the semi-finals of the FIBA Asia is not a easy thing to do for the Philippines.  Consider the fact that the last time the Philippines made the semi-final was in 1987.  Since that time, the country has voted (in some cases, apparently not) 4 presidents, endured at least 10 different coup attempts, as well as participated in 10 FIBA Asia tournaments (missing 1 due to suspension), but the country has never repeated the feat. Until this year.  When one considers that, plus the fact that Middle East teams like Iran, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan emerged as Asian powers over the past 6-8 years to make the list of top teams in Asia balloon to 8, and the fact that the Philippines once placed as poor as 15th (out of 16) less than a decade ago, one cannot help but appreciate the efforts of Smart Gilas.  Bearing in mind that the Gilas program was on its third year, you have to tip your hats off to them.  China's core group of players have been playing together for 5-6 years while runner up Jordan is on its fifth year.  In short, the program is on track, needing only more time.

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The Human Condition

     One of my favorite lines in the Eddie Murphy movie, "The Golden Child," is from the Tibetan monk, who wistfully told his daughter, "These marvelous Americans, they have the power but they don't know how to use it."  It was too much like stereo-typing, but then again, there are some that make the line the cold truth.  Certainly, these three contribute to solidify the monk's statement.     


Blood Boil

     Some say that if not properly punished, the offender will be doomed to repeat the crime.  Barely punished two years ago when she castigated and threatened a USTA official, Serena Williams again unleashed her fury, this time on a chair umpire who gave her opponent Sam Stosur a point due to a fault.  Not satisfied with just arguing, Williams then accused the umpire of being the same umpire from the past, saying, "It was you."  It turns out, not only is the umpire a different person, she's not even from the same country! That just reads too close to "Y'all look alike." for comfort for me.  Being one of the few successful African American players on the tennis circuit, Serena is in a position to influence a tremendously large amount of minors who strive to better themselves through the sport.  Instead of showing class on top of her physical gifts, she once again showed poor anger management, lack of courtesy and borderline racist behavior.

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Catch 22

     It finally happened. A week of speculation finally ended when the press conference confirmed that after 22 years, Tim Cone is stepping down as coach of the Alaska Aces of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).  Many have written a tribute to Coach Tim and while I may be tempted to write one, I feel like there is no topping the one written by Grantland's Rafe Bartholomew (which can be read here).  Instead, I have 22 sentences about Coach Cone.

1.  I have no official numbers to support this, Coach Tim's 22 years with Alaska is one of the top 5 longest in all of professional sports in all of the world. 


2.  Many credit Coach Tim as a pioneer, for bringing the triangle offense here, but he is also a visionary fashion-wise, as his long sleeve polo plus tie combo was later on copied by Chot Reyes, Perry Ronquillo, Joel Banal and Chito Narvasa.


3.  My first memory of Coach Cone is not a flattering one as I first saw his pic playing varsity basketball in short shorts in one of Romy Kintanar's half time shows.


4.  Coach Tim is only the 4th coach to achieve a grand slam in the PBA and he has the most titles with imports too.  


5.  Coach Cone may hold the PBA record for most assistant coaches since he had 6 in Joel Banal, Dicky Bachmann, Luigi Trillo, Bong Hawkins, Jojo Lastimosa and Topex Robinson.

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The Toroman Effect

      As Smart Gilas Pilipinas begins it's final push and with the 2012 Olympic berth at stake in less than three weeks, attention has unfortunately focused on Coach Rajko Toroman's expiring contract.  After October 15, Toroman's contract expires and the question is, will MVP renew his contract? 

     MVP is his own man and he makes his own decisions, but he has to fully understand the Toroman effect. As with great art, greatness is not in the flashy colors or the lovely shapes, but in the detail.

Skill Set

     If you watched the PBA draft last Sunday, you've seen the evidence first hand.  Seven of the first round's 10 draft picks were from Toroman's Smart Gilas, but that's not the evidence I was talking about.  Of course, since the Gilas players are composed of the country's best college players 3 years ago, they would naturally be picked early.  Here's the thing though.  Look at what the PBA is getting now.  JVee Casio has become a full time, clutch point guard, just three years after costing La Salle a UAAP championship when he couldn't buy a bucket to save his team in the 4th quarter.  Chris Lutz has developed a strong drive to the hoop two years after he was sought for just his three point shooting. Marcio Lassiter has evolved into a defensive hound.  Mac Baracael, who was known more for being shot at (with a gun) than anything else, has become a legitimate power forward who can shoot the three, box out 7 footers and drive to the basket.  Is anyone really questioning Marc Barroca's heart now?Jason Ballesteros's potential has gone from Samigue Eman to Erik Menk really fast and look ma, Dylan Ababou can play the small forward position and play D!  Yes, all 7 Gilas players would still have been picked, but without Toroman, the PBA teams wouldn't be this happy.  All 7 (instead of probably 3) have become legit PBA players with star potential. 

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Cherry Picking

     Sunday marks the PBA Rookie Draft for the 2011-12 season and with some calling this draft class one of the deepest in years, there is naturally some excitement building up.  From the Fifty Peso Seats presents its own mock draft for the first round.

Pick #1: Powerade Tigers
Greatest Need: All areas
Who They'll Probably Pick: JVee Casio
Who They Should Pick: JVee Casio


     Many believe, and I do too, that the best Gilas players (for the PBA game) are Marcio Lassiter and Mac Baracael, but the Tigers are on a crossroads now.  Their two high picks in this draft mean they can reshape the identity of the team.  With reshaping, you will need a character guy and without Chris Tiu, Casio is the best choice.  He has no ego, leads by example and is clutch.  He is the perfect choice for the Tigers.  Besides, anytime your point guard rotation includes Marvin Cruz and Jai Reyes, you need to pick a point guard. Stat.


Pick #2: Rain or Shine Elastopainters
Greatest Need: Scorers, Post Threat
Who They'll Probably Pick: Paul Lee
Who They Should Pick: Marcio Lassiter


     Rumors are abound that Lee is Coach Yeng Guiao's preferred choice.  I can't blame him, as Lee is definitely a scoring threat the Elastopainters desperately need.  I have my doubts about him though as he could wind up being more of a Bon Bon Custodio than Willie Miller.  Lassiter is a lot tougher and more talented which would give the Painters the backbone most of their players don't have.  Beau Belga can only hurt 1 player at a time.  


Pick #3: Barako Bull (formerly Air 21)
Greatest Need: Playmaker, Forward
Who They'll Probably Pick: Marcio Lassiter
Who They Should Pick: Marcio Lassiter (if taken, Mac Baracael)

     If Lee is taken as the 2nd pick as expected, the Bulls will be fine.  The entry of the 4 former Beermen gave the team a boost, albeit an old one.  They need an infusion of energy in the forward positions and Lassiter is just what the doctor ordered.


Pick #4: Powerade Tigers
Greatest Need: All Areas
Who They'll Probably Pick: Chris Lutz
Who they Should Pick: Mac Baracael (if taken, Jason Ballesteros)


     Rumors are Lutz is in the Tigers' sights.  I say, bad move.  Lutz is very talented, but the Tigers are very weak upfront.  Baracael will be an awesome "4" in the PBA since he had held his own against the bigs of Asia and he can shore up the Tigers' aging frontcourt.  Besides, they have Gary David and Mark Macapagal for the two and three position in the meantime.


Pick #5: B Meg Derby Ace Llamados
Greatest Need: Point Guard
Who They'll Probably Pick: Mark Barroca
Who They Should Pick: Mark Barroca


     B Meg is pretty loaded at most positions, but they could use a point guard to finally move Roger Yap to his natural shooting guard position.  Barroca is of course the most logical choice, but he will have to learn to pass more.  A grumpy James Yap would trouble for the Llamados.


Pick #6: Alaska Aces

Greatest Need: Power Forward, Point Guard
Who They'll Probably Pick: Mac Baracael
Who They Should Pick: Mac Baracael (if taken, Paul Lee or Jason Ballesteros)


     The Aces lost a lot when they traded away Joe de Vance as the triangle goes a lot better with big forwards that can shoot the ball.  Baracael fits the bill and Coach Tim Cone can discipline the seemingly distracted Baracael.  If the Tigers smarten up and pick Baracael, Lee may be a good choice for the Aces.  He can be an upgrade over Bon Bon Custodio or at least be somebody similar.


Pick #7: Talk and Text Tropang Texters
Greatest Need: Shooters
Who They'll Probably Pick: Dylan Ababou
Who They Should Pick: Chris Lutz (if taken Dylan Ababou)


     Rumors are the Texters will trade this pick, but if they keep it, they need to shore up on shooters.  Game 7 of the Governor's Cup Finals exposed the Texters as a team that shoots threes but at a poor rate. Ryan Reyes and Larry Fonacier can shoot but not consistently enough in pressure situations. Either Lutz or Ababou would be an upgrade, in the shooting department at least.  Man, this team will be loaded with Japeth Aguilar back.


Pick #8: Petron Blaze Boosters
Greatest Need: Big Man
Who They'll Probably Pick: Allein Maliksi or Dylan Ababou
Who They Should Pick: Jason Ballesteros (if taken Reil Cervantes)


     Talks are the Blaze Boosters are looking for scoring help but I can't see why.  They won without Jay Washington and Joseph Yeo so when those two guys come back, they don't really need more scorers.  A big would help as Mick Pennisi and Danny Ildefonso are getting on in years.  Ballesteros would be a perfect third center for them.


Pick #9: Baranggay Ginebra Kings
Greatest Need: Big Man
Who They'll Probably Pick: Reil Cervantes
Who They Should Pick: Jason Ballesteros (if taken Magi Sison)


     Obviously the Kings don't need guards yet and their big man rotation is aging and getting more injury prone by the minute.  Losing Rudy Hatfield meant a hole at the "4" so Cervantes' name has been floating around.  Ballesteros, though, would be a better fit as he can replace the Kings'  Billy Mamaril and Erik Menk, neither of whom has played an entire conference, let alone a season.  I like Cervantes but with Willy Wilson and JC Intal, they don't really need another small power forward.  


Pick #10: Barako Bull
Greatest Need: Center, Forward
Who They'll Probably Pick: Jason Ballesteros
Who They Should Pick: Jason Ballesteros (if taken Reil Cervantes or Allein Maliksi)


     Dorian Pena is getting old and after that, the center slot is pretty unimpressive.  Ballesteros would be great on this team as well and if he is taken, Cervantes can be brought in to bang bodies.  Maliksi might be good pick as well to bring in a little bit more scoring.

Telenovela

     The amount of intrigue between the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) team and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) rivals that of our most watched telenovelas, but unlike them, this sporting controversy is not so clear-cut.

Who

Dragon Warriors: Victims?

     In most telenovelas, the audience knows who the protagonists and antagonists are, but in this case, it is muddled.  Are the PDBF rowers (Dragon Warriors) the victims and the POC, led by Chairman Peping Cojuangco the evil overlords?  Many are quick to point out yes, but the POC's recent media blitz is turning the tide.

     Here's the thing. First things first. What the POC did last year to the Dragon Boat Federation was pure crap.  If you need a blow by blow, I wrote about it here.  That clearly establishes the Dragon Warriors were victimized at least once and that also proves the POC has clearly been in the wrong.

     The more recent fight, though, is a lot less clear.  Dragon Warriors are certainly victims in the sense that they had no financial support from the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), but the government, especially the PSC, is innocent here.  Under law, the PSC provides money only to the national teams, whose accreditation comes from the POC. (Why the spending of government money is dictated by a small private company is beyond me, but it's the law) This means that since the PBDF is not considered by the POC as a national team, they were not entitled to funding.  Now, PSC chairman Richie Garcia is as slimy as brown-nosers get, but this time he is not wrong.  The POC, meanwhile, is a different story.  The story gets sticky because of a memo from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

What

     According to the POC, the IOC required (synonyms include mandated, forced) all countries to place Dragon Boat Federations under the Canoe and Kayak Associations. POC claims they had no choice but to move the PDBF or the country might face sanction and suspension.  On the other hand, the PDBF claims the IOC memo actually stated that countries may choose (country's prerogative, not required) to place Dragon Boat under Canoe and Kayak.  PDBF refused to be moved to the Philippine Canoeing and Kayaking Federation (PCKF); hence they were not recognized by the POC.

Why

     It begs the question then why both sides are insisting on fighting over this memo when the simpler thing is to compromise? 

     For the PBDF, it boiled down to two things.  One, moving under the PCKF meant that the current PDBF coaches will be not retained, for whatever reasons not made public.  Second, all International Dragon Boat races require that the teams be recognized by an accredited Dragon Boat Federation.  In the Philippines, that would only be the PDBF and not the PCKF.  Now, my only question is, wouldn't moving the PDBF into the PCKF mean that the PCKF can also be accredited by the International Dragon Boat Federation?

     For the POC, the reasons are quite murky, until you add creative thinking and deductive reasoning.  I have not hidden my disdain for the POC led by Cojuangco so a grain of salt must be taken with this following explanation.  First, the PBDF moving to PCKF means one less National Sports Association and one less vote in the POC elections.  The PCKF has always voted for the side of Cojuangco while the PDBF has not.  Think what you will.  Second, in their darkest hour, the Dragon Warriors found their savior in Cobra and PAL and were welcomed home in the Century Park Sheraton, all companies owned by magnate Lucio Tan.  Word from the grapevine is that someone helped the Dragon Warriors out with some introductions.  That someone is former PSC Chairman Harry Angping, whose term in PSC was highlighted by his strong stands against what he believed were wrong POC moves.  Again, think what you will.  

How

Cojuangco: Holding Aces

     President Aquino has stated that he would look into the matter, but it might not be a good idea.  Cojuangco holds two aces.  One and he has done this before, Peping can claim that anything Aquino does is political, snitch to the IOC and the IOC will suspend us if governments intervene in IOC affairs.  Second, removing Peping from sports gives him more free time to meddle in political matters.  During last year's campaign, Cojuangco volunteered to campaign for Aquino, but Aquino cringed at the idea.  He knows his uncle and the trail of bad publicity that follows him so he asked Cojuangco to back off.  That didn't stop Cojuangco from campaigning, which resulted in the whole "Noy-Mar" "Noy-Binay" controversy in Peping's native Tarlac.  It's not beyond belief that the best move for the PNoy is to get Peping out of his thinning hair by keeping him occupied in sports.  It won't be too surprising if the POC continues to have its way.  As much as I love sports, the country is a lot less worse if Peping meddled in sports and not congress, housing, land reform, poverty, agriculture or energy.

When

     As much as they are different, though, this Dragon Boat controversy and good telenovelas have something in common.  Both will last for quite some time since a resolution is either nowhere to be found or the resolution itself could open an even bigger can of worms for our struggling country.  We need to find a way to protect our athletes' and nations' interests, grab a hold of the problem and punch it smack on the chin.

Dragon Heart

     Many scoff at the 1996 movie Dragonheart, as a kid's movie, filled with action/adventure fluff and an entirely predictable happy ending.  While I won't dispute the fluff part, the movie's ending, where the evil and oppressive King Einan, is finally killed and defeated, is a sad one.  The hero, Bowen had to kill his best friend, Draco, the last remaining dragon on Earth, so that Einan will lose invincibility and die. Everyone was happy with the new peaceful kingdom, and some even happy that Draco would now be in heaven, but I couldn't believe no one felt sad or even noticed that all dragons became extinct.

     Everyone interested has probably heard or read about the story by now.  In 2010, in the run up to the South East Asian (SEA) Games, the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) Team was vying for slots to the Philippine delegation.  Coming in as two-time world champions, the team expected to receive a free pass, but the Philippine Olympic Committee, headed by Jose Peping Cojuangco, told them they had to earn them.  Asked to match the bronze medal times of the previous Asian Championships in order to qualify, the team performed in POC-arranged and sactioned time trials in La Mesa Dam (a POC-approved and utilized venue for Dragon Boat competitions).  In the time trials, the women's team performed times good enough for 2 gold medals and 1 silver, while the men's team performed times that could net a gold, silver and bronze.  In a completely head-scratching decision,  the POC representative, Col. Jeff Tamayo (ret.) claimed that the paddlers were, "super men and super women" or on "super steroids."  Not minding that the POC themselves arranged the time trials, Tamayo also  claimed that the PDBF  intentionally submitted slow reference times so they could overcome them. Of course, Tamayo could have just logged on to the internet to check the times himself, but that would make too much sense.  Tamayo recommended leaving the Dragon Boaters off the list of athletes for the SEA Games and the POC accepted it wholeheartedly.     

     After a media blitz (only in papers and blogs -- i posted one here and here), the POC was not through with the PDBF.  Pouncing on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) memo suggesting that Dragon Boat could be placed under Canoe and Kayak to keep things simple, claimed it was a directive from the IOC and it must be followed. Here's where it got real sticky.  The move to the Philippine Canoeing and Kayaking Federation (PCKF) would mean that the team will lose their existing coaches (who spoke against the POC - what a coincidence!!!) and they would lose their chance to compete in the World Championships since the PCKF is not recognized as a proper Dragon Boat Federation.  The team was stripped of its national team status as they refused to come under the PCKF; hence the loss of their athletes' salary and incentives.  


     As the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation Team comes home this week, the public has been properly informed of their amazing 5 gold, 2 silver romp in the recently concluded 10th IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships in Florida.  If everything goes as planned, they will receive a heroes' welcome from a grateful nation, their victory despite lack of funding and support from the Philippine Olympic Committee, serves as the nation's version of killing Einan.  The thing is, as the people celebrated Einan's defeat (rightfully so), no one bothered to remember that they had lost all the dragons.  We cannot afford to be like that.  


     As our dragons come home, we must welcome them with the love, support and adulation that they deserve, but we must also take care to be vigilant, to make sure that this amazing 5 gold and 2 silver romp will not be the last. We need our dragons alive and paddling.  We need to fight to correct the system that relegated them to near extinction and topple the oppresive evil that created it.




photos courtesy of Den Victoria

State of the Nation

     With President Aquino delivering his 2nd State of the Nation Address, the Filipino basketball world unexpectedly got one too, as the improbable Smart (NBA) All Stars vs Smart Gilas Pilipinas became a reality.  Here's my Basketball SONA, shortened, of course.

• Sunday's game was the first time the final pool of Smart Gilas players were suited up together.  Only Ranidel de Ocampo, who was injured, didn't play.  Question is, with 15 players in the pool, who is losing a roster spot?  Dylan Ababou and Jason Ballesteros are probably resigned to their fate, but who will be the last cut? Is Marc Barroca in trouble with Jimmy Alapag there or are Japeth's defensive lapses costing him a spot?  Is it simply too late to add Ranidel de Ocampo?

• Coach Toroman's system is good, reason # 243:  Despite the presence of bonafide NBA superstars, the Gilas players showed nothing but determination throughout the game.  They ran the same plays crisply and none were tempted to break from the system to showboat.  In fact, the only players who seemed star struck were PBA vets Don Don Hontiveros and Jimmy Alapag.

• It's unfair to think that the game was "scripted" or the NBA Stars "took it easy (pinagbigyan)."  Their play was way different from Saturday's dunk-a-thon against the PBA selection.  Kobe played a ton of minutes and went after every ball.  Chris Paul seemed to be in pain yet played until the endgame.  Overall, the NBA stars attempted less dunks and lazy 24 footers, and scored on plenty of offensive putbacks and post ups.  Even Javale McGee couldn't find the time to plank.  By the 4th quarter, veterans Derek Fisher and Chris Paul were complaining to the refs and hitting guards Jvee Casio and Marcio Lassiter.  Gilas executed well and played with a lot of gumption and they earned every bit of that 9 point loss.

• It's also unfair to say the PBA has become a bunch of has beens or "puro papogi (showboats)."  The PBA selection never had time to play together so they had no plays.  Resorting to one on one plays played right into the NBA's hands, hence the 26 point shellacking.  It is fair, however, to point out that that game is the perfect example of why the Gilas program must continue.  PBA selections may be loaded with talent, but they will never have the time to prepare for years and no one can force them to since the PBA is a private enterprise.

• Gilas players and coaches have all said it, and it is worth repeating.  The best part about the game is not that they got to play NBA stars or that we got to see them.  For 3 basketball minutes, the entire Araneta Coliseum was united behind Smart Gilas Pilipinas, chanting "Defense!"  Compared to the last time they were playing in the same venue, where PBA die-hards were booing them, the 4th quarter of that game was a heartwarming moment.  Those 3 minutes mean more to the Gilas players than people can ever imagine.

• The best closing argument to defending the Gilas program ironically comes from the mouth of a foreigner.  "You just have to support this team," says 5-time NBA Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist Kobe Bryant.  He called the team "talented" and he marvelled at their execution.  Judging from the way Kobe scored and defended, it is easy to believe he meant every word.

     Everyone's thanking MVP for the "gift" of bringing the NBA players here, giving the country a rare chance to see NBA stars in their prime.  We are better served to thank him for another thing too.  The Ultimate All Star weekend also showed us a sight that has become all too rare.  The weekend showed us a tough, strong, talented, and united National Basketball Team that will make us proud by playing the same proud and disciplined way, regardless of who the opponents are.

many thanks to united philippine basketball and rodney torres for the pictures

Peeking at the UAAP 2

     I've been quite candid that I'm not as comfortable blogging about the UAAP since I don't watch a lot of its games, but if I am blessed with more freebies like the one I got last Sunday (ahem, attention Aly Yap and Harvey Keh), I could do more.  In any case, here are some observations From the 50 Peso Seats.

• With Glenn Capacio leaving as FEU coach (probably due to health reasons), FEU wasted no time in shoring up its staff.  They now have at least 5 (!) assistant coaches.  While that is too many for my taste, I'm glad to see former greats Johnny Abarrientos and Vic Pablo coaching on the bench.

• Like I mentioned on Twitter, Ateneo was very lucky to get past Adamson.  Yes, Blue Eagle defense was tight in the 4th quarter, leading to a scoreless Falcons team in the home stretch, but Falcons did have 3 consecutive "in and out" shots in that stretch and the final turnover that killed them was by a too strong pass from Lester Alvarez.  Offensively, there was too much dribbling, especially from Bacon Austria and to a lesser extent Kirk Long and Tonino Gonzaga, leading to too many broken plays.  They need players ready to shoot upon Slaughter's kick outs.  Perhaps they miss Ryan Buenafe, who Tibibord wrote an excellent post about here.  Blue Eagles and their fans need not thump their chests just yet. They need a lot more work.

• How good is Smart Gilas training? Observing Aldrech Ramos and Greg Slaughter at work, any basketball fan will know their dominance has as much to do with their height and talent as with their training and experience.  There was an aura of calmness in both players, in their scoring, defense and passing, as they led their respective teammates to victory.  They never took bad shots, found open teammates and most impressively, jumped straight up (with arms raised up) whenever trying to defend.  It seemed like they were playing at a different (aka superior) level and speed.

• R.R. Garcia and Terrence Romeo have continued to show why they are the valedictorians of the Allen Iverson School for Non-Passing Point Guards, which is sad considering they have arguably the best all-around big man in Aldrech Ramos.  Lester Alvarez, L.A. Revilla (DLSU) and Emman Monfort (ADMU) seem to be trying their best to catch up in the non-passing achievement.  I miss Jun Reyes, TY Tang and Olsen Racela.

• It was painful to watch DLSU play.  They were like an army equipped with cannons but then used pocket knives to fight.  They have tremendously talented big men yet they end up dribbling the shot clock away and shooting from the outside or worse, throwing the ball away.  They're young but they can do a lot better with someone better on the bench. They need better direction and better plays.  It's time the Archers let go of the Pumarens.

• UAAP fills me with hope.  Hope is brought by players like Norberto Torres, Arnold Van Opstal, Oping Sumalinog, Lester Alvarez, Alex Nuyles and R. R. Garcia, young ballers dripping with talent and a coach away from greatness.  It will be interesting to watch their development.

• UAAP also fills me with chagrin.  Chagrin is brought by players like Bacon Austria, Frank Golla and Joshua Webb.  I mean why do these guys have uniforms anyway?  These dudes need to do more positive things than dribble, use up the clock then cause a broken play on offense.  Love their intensity, but they need to rein it in and contribute more. 

many thanks to aly yap, bekshoot.wordpress.com and inboundspass for the photos.

Drawing Interest

     The groupings of the upcoming 26th FIBA-Asia Championships have been drawn and much has been said about how the Philippines got a favorable draw.  Here are other interesting tidbits about the draw.

• China, as the host (yet again), had their choice of groups and they picked Group D where the Philippines is.  Coach Rajko Toroman says it's because our group is the easiest and it's good for the Philippines, since we won't meet China in an elimination game until possibly the finals.  I say it works the other way around too.  Since 1990, China has never really blown away the Philippines in a knockout game, with leads averaging 9 or 10 points.  Now with Marcus Douthit and Toroman, they may want to avoid us in the knockout stages too.

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The Hardest Skill

     The great thing about athletes is how quickly they learn things.  Natural athletes pick up skills, not even necessarily in their chosen sport, a lot faster than normal people.  There is one, though, that some athletes, even some of the world's best cannot seem to pick up.  That skill is called losing gracefully.

Admission of Weakness = Revelation of Strength

    Rafael Nadal has emerged as one of history's greatest tennis players and reaching yet another Grand Slam final at Wimbeldon recently, he carried with him a winning streak of 20 matches at the All-England Club.  This year, though, he ran into a buzzsaw named Novak Djokovic, who has only lost once the entire year.  As Djokovic exercised his recent domination of Nadal to defeat him yet again, Nadal nevertheless showed his strength.

     "I had to play better to win, and I didn't today.  He (Djokovic) played better than me. For that reason he is the champion here," admitted Nadal.

     That statement alone credits Nadal's character, but put into consideration that he was injured and he didn't let it even come up in the discussion, makes him one of the most admirable athletes in the world.

Bringing Up Excuses = Bringing Down the Legacy

     In complete contrast, David "Hayemaker" Haye made a complete fool of himself last Saturday.  I'm not even talking about the fight itself.  After insulting the Klitschko brothers, calling Wladimir a fraud and a robot, and promising the world he would destroy them, Haye basically ran and flopped inside the ring.  Losing to Klitschko via unanimous decision (judges' scores were 117-109, 118-108 and 116-110), Haye then proceeded to bring up an excuse for his pathetic performance.

     "I broke my toe three weeks ago. As it turned out, I was unable to explode off that back foot and throw that right hand," babbled Haye.

     Rightfully so, former boxers and writers crucified him after that.  Boxing promoter Frank Warren said it best, "He shouldn't be in the fight if he broke his toe.  Why be a crybaby after the event? It’s ridiculous.”  The worst part of all that is, Haye himself claimed he hates, "when boxers make excuses after the fight."  After all that trash talk, all that preening and all that bravado, the final image Haye left for sports fans over the weekend was of an excuse-making coward who's only interested in the money.

     Sometimes, athletes and fans alike forget about what sports really mean.  Every sport may become a competition, but they all start out as games people play to bring fun and friendship in their lives.  Sports may have opponents to conquer but it always starts as a means of conquering and improving oneself.  Sometimes, the best way to show one's strength and win is to lose properly. 

photos courtesy of Getty Images and quotes courtesy of Yahoo! Sports