When (Dirty) Harry Met Silly

     When Harry Angping was appointed the new Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman a few months ago, everyone could see trouble brewing for Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. miles away.  Unlike other PSC administrators, it was clear Angping, a former Manila congressman, would be completely his own man.  With his deep political and business contacts, he obviously did not lack allies and connections, but what made him even more "dangerous" to Peping was "Dirty Harry" had a concrete set of plans he intended to push.

     SInce A

ngping's entry into the PSC, Philippine Sports has become the backdrop of a most riveting soap opera.  In the months that followed, all of the PSC's moves were met with complaints of bias from the POC, while the PSC returned the favor by closing offices and refusing to release funds.  Recently, a new issue has pushed things to become even more heated.

     The issue stems from the new track suits (jacket, jogging pants, shorts, etc) that the PSC has designed and produced for the Philippine contingent for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in December.  As expected, the POC, through Cojuanco apologizer Steve Hontiveros, dismissed the suits as "not passing standards," going as far as saying they were a big, "waste of money."  

      The "standards" that were not met?  Well, Hontiveros cited that firstly, the jacket design was not submitted for their approval, so aside from the design flaws, certain POC sponsors were not given their due space.  As far as I know, the PSC spends for all of the track suits, so why would the PSC need POC approval?   Why would the POC, a PRIVATE company, have the po

wer to dictate

 how the PSC, a government agency, should spend the government's money?

      Then, the track suits also didn't pass the "standard" of color, since the new suits were yellow, which Hontiveros claimed is not, "our color."  Ummm... seen your own flag lately Steve?  Yellow is our color.  Red, blue and YELLOW are the colors of our flag.  Furthermore, let's keep this in perspective.  In 2002, the Adidas-sponsored track suits were black and red and I don't see black on our flag.  Our Beijing Olympians went to the Opening in Aqua Green Barongs, definitely not "our" color, so why all this flak for the PSC preparing the track suits (a lot earlier than usual I might add)?  

      It would have been a lot more believable if the "standards" the POC were crowing about actually had something to do with the track suits' performance, but seeing the 2006 and 2007 POC appro

ved track suits (the 2006 New Balance suits were too thin for the cold Qatar weather while the 2007 Everlast jackets had faulty zippers), it is clear that their "standards" are all about something else. The only "standard" this set of yellow track suits failed to pass is the "30% commission" standard the previous approved suits "passed."    

      As long as Cojuangco steadfastly hangs on to his ever-decreasing dictator-like hold on Philippine sports and Angping continues his plans of challenging and antagonizing him, the feuds will keep coming on all fronts, just like our favorite telenovelas on television.  From gold medal winning predictions to budget concerns, Harry Angping's PSC and Peping Cojuanco's POC are battling a bitter feud that even the stellar creative teams of ABS CBN and GMA 7 couldn't even dream of, and now, even something as simple as jacket design has become a battleground.  While this whole thing earns a lot of forehead slapping and heaad shaking, it seems I can't help but keep staying tuned to it.  It is clear that the last thing our country needs is a feud that will stunt the growth of our youth and national athletes, but I for one can't turn my head away from this telenovela, When (Dirty) Harry Met Silly.

Typing with Iole: An Exclusive Interview

     With the deluge of bloggers everywhere, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish the real experts from the angry fan and it's no exception in the fighting world of boxing and mixed martial arts (mma).  While I claim to be no expert in these two fields, I do know an expert when I see one.  In boxing and mma, there is no bigger name than Yahoo! Sports' resident expert Kevin Iole.

     Covering boxing since the early 1980's, Iole has an impressive army of insightful and entertaining articles, not only about boxing, but also mma, which he started covering in 2000.  His articles combined the right amount of facts, drama and comedy all within a mostly objective tone.  T

hat's why I it was my great honor and pleasure to pick his brain about the burning questions I have about boxing and mma.  

     In this exclusive web interview, Iole discusses, among other things, his theory on why he's labelled "anti-Pacquiao," and who he believes to have the best chance of becoming the next Filipino boxing star.

Sharwin Tee:  Of all the fights you have covered, what would you consider as the greatest boxing match ever?  What MMA match you covered would you consider 

as the greatest?

Kevin Iole: 

The best fight I ever saw in boxing was Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I. In MMA, the best was Forrest Griffin-Stephan Bonnar I.

ST: With Marquez and Mayweather fighting soon, do you think it is possible that one of the two could fight Pacquiao by the end of the year?

KI: Unlikely either will face Pacquiao in 2009. I expect Manny to fight Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14

ST: Gerry Penalosa has announced he would fight at least one more time, planning on challenging for the 118 lbs belt (against the winner of the Fernando Montiel vs Eric Morel, if I recall).  Do you think it's a good idea for him and if he does fight for the title, what would his chances be?

KI: I think Gerry would beat Morel, but I think Montiel would beat him. He's younger and still in his prime.

ST: Shane Mosley has been saying all the right things (his willingness to drop weight and take less money) to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, meaning he really thinks he ca

n handily beat Pacquiao.  Do you agree with him or will the drop in weight mean Sugar will have a difficult time?

KI: I think Shane's going to have a tough time getting to 144. When is the last time he made that weight? I believe it was in 1999.

ST: Other than Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, are you familiar with other Filipino boxing stars like Z Gorres, AJ Banal, Bernabe Concepcion and  World Champions Donnie Nietes (minimum weight), Brian Viloria?  Who among them would you say has the brightest future in the sport?

KI: I'm familiar with all of them but Nietes. Of that list, I think Viloria has the best sh

ot at becoming a star.

ST: While you have been fair in your articles, there is still a sentiment among others that you are anti-Pacquiao.  Why do you think this sentiment exists? 

KI: I'm not anti-Pacquiao, but I think Manny's fans don't want someone to say what they feel. I felt Oscar would beat him, feeling he was too big, and they took it that I didn't like Manny. Just because I don't believe a fighter is going to win a specific fight doesn't mean I'm against him.

ST: Let's switch to MMA.  With the impressive victory by Lyoto Machida over Rashad Evans, do you think it proves that a wrestling background isn't necessarily always the best base to train for MMA? Or do you think that Machida is merely an exception?

KI: Wrestling isn't a requirement, though it helps. But there are plenty of fighters in MMA who are successful w/o wrestling backgrounds.

ST: Personally, do you feel that Rampage Jackson ducked Machida by choosing to coach TUF 10 instead of challenging for the title because he feels he needs more time to train or does he really hate Evans so much he needs to coach against him?

KI: No. I don't think he ducked him. I think he is trying to make the most money and he'll make himself more known appearing on TV in the US on a weekly basis for three months.

ST: With the countdown to UFC 100 on Yahoo Sports, which would you consider to be the best and most spectacular knockout in the first 99 UFCs?  Best submission?  

KI: Best KO in my mind is Gonzaga over Cro Cop at UFC 70. Best sub was when Frank Mir snapped Tim Sylvia's arm, at UFC 48 (I think)

ST: The UFC is gaining prominence in the Philippines, especially with fighters with Filipino heritage like Brandon Vera, Philippe Nover and Mark Munoz making the UFC shows.  Unfortunately, they have all seemed to run into big time losses.  Which of the three do you see has the brightest chance to achieve popularity and success in the future?  Will any of the three win UFC titles?

KI: Vera is the best by far of that group, but I don't think any of them will win a title.

ST: Again, with regard to the popularity of UFC in the Philippines, is there a chance the UFC would put up a show here?  Maybe feature the Filipino fighters in three matches and then bring in a main event?

KI: UFC will eventually hold a show in Philippines, but will wait until the economy improves.

ST: Thank you for your time.

KI: Thank you for asking me.

Rise of the "Villains"

     Over the weekend, the public was treated to big and entertaining fights, with the victors suddenly turning from hero to villains, from "babyface" to "heel."  I'm not even talking about the WWE Smackdown and ECW Live in Manila show (where I ahem, ahem, held hands with Melina).  I'm talking about the UFC 100 show.  What turned the UFC into a bigger and more outrageous than the WWE?  It's really just two people.  UFC 100 victors, Dan "Hendo" Henderson and UFC Heavyweight Champ (and former WWE champ) Brock Lesnar turned the already landmark and memorable show into a spectacle to be discussed for weeks to come.  Unfortunately for them, they are now being condemned for their actions.  Well, I've decided that before they hang, we ought to give them a trial first.

Case # 1  People vs Dan Henderson

Plaintiffs (Critics) say: Attacking an already knocked out Michael Bisping with a vicious flying forearm/elbow and later saying, "that (elbow/forearm) was just to shut him up a little."  It was poor sportsmanship on Hendo's part and it was very dangerous.  It was fortunate that Bisping was able to leave on his own power.  

Defense (Supporters) says: In a fighting sport, especially MMA, there are plenty of flash knockdowns, where the victim goes down as if they were out but then are capable of standing up and fighting again.  This is why most fighters instinctively keep attacking until the referees stop them.  While Henderson attacked an unconscious Bisping, it was more of an automatic habit rather than a malicious attack.

Judgement (Mine): On the charge of maliciously attacking Bisping, I think Henderson is not guilty.  It's too much of a risk not to keep attacking your opponent in mma as any second of let up could mean your opponent gathering his/her wits, recovering and fighting back.  To his credit, he immediately stepped away when the ref touched him.  Henderson has been known as a classy guy and endangering an opponent by wantonly attacking them while incapacitated doesn't seem to be his style.  I've seen more malicious attacks than this.  "Babalu" Sobral was kicked out of the UFC because he wouldn't let go of his choke hold on an unconscious opponent even after the referee stopped the fight.  "Rampage" Jackson's fight with Wanderlei Silva ended worse that Bisping-Henderson when he landed two or three extra punches on an incapacitated Silva while the referee was pushing Jackson away. 

     What Henderson is guilty of is probably bad taste.  Bisping's brash words all throughout the Ultimate Fighter Season 9 probably wore on Henderson, as he promised to shut him up in behalf of Team USA.  That's probably why he thought it would be funny to joke about having the last elbow/forearm "shut him up."  Henderson has never been an outspoken guy, and maybe he should stay that way.

Case No. 2     People vs Brock Lesnar

Plaintiffs (Critics) Say:  After defeating Frank Mir to become undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar confronted Mir saying, "Talk all the (expletive) you want now."  Then, responding to the boos of the pro-Mir crowd, Lesnar decided to flip the finger(s) at the mammoth Nevada crowd. As if this display wasn't enough, Lesnar then ragged on Bud Light (UFC sponsor) by claiming he would drink Coors Light since, "Budweiser's not paying me nothing."  The icing on the cake was when Lesnar announced that he would celebrate with friends and then, "get on top of my wife (former WWE diva Sable)."

Defense (Supporters) Says: Frank Mir had the trash talk coming since he kept attacking Lesnar with his own set of trash talk leading up to the fight.  He took great pride in, "poking the bear," comparing Lesnar's ground and pound attack to girl's pulling hair.  Lesnar's giving the finger to the crowd was his response to the unfair public who keeps questioning his skills despite defeating Hall of Famer Randy Couture and then Champion Frank Mir.  Meanwhile, his Bud Light comment and comments about his wife were nothing more than a funny jokes that not all people appreciate.

Judgement (Mine):  After seeing and hearing Frank Mir's trash talking about Brock and even his very entertaining Echo Unlimited ad, I do agree that Mir had it coming.  Mir was hyping up the fight, but attacking your opponents skills and agility is not the classy way to go.  Besides, Lesnar's comments still seem tame compared to other UFC post fight altercations.  Tito Ortiz proceeded to play act digging a grave after defeating a Lion's Den fighter just to piss Ken Shamrock off.  As for his comments about Bud Light, I'm willing to bet that not only do the Bud Light people not care about that comment, they're probably secretly happy about the comments, as they still bring added publicity to their product.  In their minds, those comments actually made their money's worth.

     As for the middle finger response, I think Brock is guilty here.  Fans can get irritating oftentimes, and while they are human, pro athletes have a responsibility to refrain from attacking fans.  Such an obscene gesture is like attacking the fans and Lesnar has to remember that fans are what keeps professional sports alive.  As for his comment about his wife, Brock is guilty a second time.  No matter how hot your wife looked in leather cat suits during her WWE days, it's not classy to make comment like that with any person other than the couple in the room, let alone the thousands in attendance and the millions watching on pay-per-view.  That comment was just boorish and uncalled for. 

     People on the internet are quick to condemn these two victorious fighters, calling for their heads.  I think that's a bit of an overreaction.  What these guys are guilty of is a lack of proper training to deal with high profile public situations with class.  What Hendo and Brock need are PR people helping them speak and act properly in public.  As for the people threatening to ditch the UFC because of the two's boorish behavior?  Please.  When Henderson has his rematch with Anderson SIlva and Brock faces Fedor Emelianenko, these naysayers will be first in line to buy tickets. 

NBA Yearender: Awards

     Every year, the NBA awards its best players with awards recognizing their skills and efforts, but it isn't every year that I agree with their choices.  This year, though, I completely agree with their choices. Now, writing about how I agree with all those choices, so I decided to give my own set of awards to end this past NBA season.

Appendix Award (Best Player who didn't help or worsen the team)

Winner: Zach Randolph (Los Angeles Clippers)

     Every year, Randolph is the top player in this category.  To his credit, Randolph seemed to avoid getting into trouble with the law this past season so he didn't actually worsen the team.The news, on the other hand, is that this past season, he once again provided the team with tremendous points and rebounds numbers (20.8 points and 10.1 rebounds), but as with his past teams, he has not helped lift his team's standings in any way.  The Clippers, despite being stocked with talent, were a mediocre, 19-win team.  He was no great vocal leader and he was no inspiration.  It seemed like he ambled along, getting his own numbers.  It's good to know the Clippers decided to start the Blake Griffin era without Randolph.

Best Value For Money Deal

Winner: David Lee (New York Knicks)

     One of the bright spots for the Knicks, Lee is a base year compensation player and recently the Knicks made the 1 year qualifying offer to keep him a restricted free agent. The offer was in line with his salary and it totaled $2.6 million.  The Knicks certainly got their money's worth on the dynamic forward from Florida, as he averaged 16 points and 11.7 rebounds, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line.  The best part about all that was his sturdiness, managing to play 81 regular season games at that high level of his.  It's no wonder the Knicks are going to have problems keeping him.

Most Disappointing All Star

Winner: Mo Williams (Cleveland Cavaliers)

       For all his talk about how he served to be an all star when he wasn't initially picked, eventual all star guard Mo Williams was a dud when the Cavs needed him the most.  After putting up great numbers (17.8 points on 47 percent shooting), and proving to be clutch with late baskets resulting in wins in the regular season, Williams disappeared in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Magic.  In the critical first 5 games against the Magic, Williams eventually got his numbers, but at the cost of his team's offensive efficiency.  Shooting only 33 percent while taking over 15 shots, Williams was almost a big liability on offense as he usually is on defense.  His disappointing showing was mostly magnified in Game 4 (a game he guaranteed they would win), as he sot 5 of 15 from the field and scoring a mere four points in the tightly-contested 2nd half.  Maybe he should show up more in the playoffs before telling people they're wrong about picking Ray Allen before him in the All Star roster.

"Poor Deal" Player

Winner: Elton Brand (Philadelphia 76ers)

     After scoring what seemed like a free agent signing coup, the 76ers were excited about adding Elton Brand to their young and athletic line up.  Unfortunately, a season ending injury obliterated Brand's season, basically leaving the 76ers paying the first year of the newly-signed $85 million deal on a bench warming former All Star.  What's worse is that in the little time that he got to play, Brand seemed out of place and disruptive to the team's play.  Philly fans hope that new coach Eddie Jordan and his Princeton offense will help integrate Brand back into usefulness country.

"One Step in the Grave" Player

Winner: Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs)

      While I was harsh on Rasheed Wallace's game this year, I still sense a good season or two from him.  Apparently so do the Boston Celtics, who are doing their best college try to recruit 'Sheed.  That's why I think this award should be handed out to Bruce Bowen.  After being a much-valued defensive stopper for those San Antonio Spurs championship teams, Bowen seems to have finally hit the end of his productive career.  This year, almost all his numbers (points 2.7, blocks 0.2, steals 0.5, rebounds 1.8 and minutes 18.48) were down from previous years, causing Coach Greg Popovich to cut his minutes and use someone else.  It's no wonder the Spurs jumped at the chance to trade him in the Richard Jefferson deal.  It will also be no big surprise if the Bucks buy out his contract.

     So there you have it.  These are my own version of the NBA's annual awards, a little unorthodox, but honest, if I may say so myself.  This also concludes my set of year ender stories for the 2008-09 season.  Now, I can fully enjoy the wheelings and dealings before November and for sure I'll write about the more memorable ones.

NBA Yearender: Downer Stories

     While last season was a great season for a good number of people in the NBA, it was also a disappointing season for some.  To continue my NBA yearender stories, I present my top downer stories.

1.  'Sheed and AI, The Collapse - While many blame GM Joe Dumars and Coach Michael Curry for the Detroit Pistons' collapse this season (a disappointing 8th seed and first round sweep exit in the playoffs), equally or more so to blame are the Pistons two veterans.  Rasheed Wallace was considered one of the cornerstones of the franchise, one of its all stars, but he was a shadow of his former self, averaging a mere 12 points and 7 rebounds.  Generally, he looked liked an angry old man, shooting ill-advised threes, barely defending and gathering technical fouls left and right.  Allen Iverson was no better.  Acquired from Denver in a trade for Chauncey Billups, Piston fans' and observers' (including myself) interest were piqued at the possibilities of AI finally playing with a talented playoff team.  He, however, reverted to his old spoiled self, complaining about playing time, bogging down an already slow offense and just destroying team morale in general.  In the end, no amount of coaching could save a Pistons team being dragged down by two grumpy old men.

2.  Lebron's Whiner/Wiener Moment

     I've already dedicated an article on this, but it remains one of the NBA season's most disappointing stories.  Losing a hard fought victory to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, Lebron showed poor class in going straight to the locker room, thereby failing to shake hands with the Magic players and avoiding the press.  Instead of apologizing the next day, he claimed that he couldn't be blamed for not shaking hands since he was a winner, and winners don't shake hands with those who beat them.  The NBA fined him for missing media session, and while it was meant to chastise Lebron's poor class, it only gave him an out as he has since then felt no need to publicly and personally apologize to the Magic, especially his Team USA teammate Dwight Howard.  Make no mistake, Lebron is still a great player basketball wise, and maybe he will prove to be a winner in upcoming seasons, but this moment was a wiener moment.

3.  Big Injuries to Big Men

     Injuries are a part of every team in every NBA season, but some injuries are truly worse than others.  This was none more true than for the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets.  Both teams were built for the long haul.  They both seemed on their way to challenge for the title, having great regular seasons and beating thier first round playoff opponents, but injuries to Boston's Kevin Garnett and Houston's Tracy Mcgrady and later on Yao Ming eventually derailed both teams.  What made their stories truly heartbreaking was that both teams played over those injuries and even took their opponents, eventual NBA Finals protagonists LA Lakers and Orlando Magic to the full seven games.  Imagine the chaos if they went on to beat their opponents.

4.  Steve Kerr's Losing Gamble

   

      With the Phoenix Suns failing to win or even enter the NBA Finals under Mike D'Antoni's whirlwind offensive teams, GM Steve Kerr was tasked to remold the team, refitting them for another attempt.  With Kerr spending championship years with great defending teams like the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, he gambled on building a team based on defense and not offense, basically a complete opposite of the previous Suns teams.  While it was a good plan on paper, Kerr inherited a team that couldn't defend.  Furthermore, he hired good friend Terry Porter, who as the head coach, coudn't get his team's ear.  What resulted was a mess.  Phoenix began playing a slow down, boring defensive game, without playing any defense.  As the losses mounted, team chemistry dropped and not even a change in head coach and the addition of Jason Richardson could save the lost season.  With Shaq traded this offseason and Amare Stoudemire on his way out, it's obvious that Kerr has recognized his gamble had clearly failed, and the Sun's run and gun team that was a thrill a minute for several years is now officially dead.

5.  The Donaghy Headache

     If you've had one of those pesky headaches that won't go away, you'd know how David Stern feels every time disgraced ex-NBA referee TIm Donaghy opens his mouth.  Already in jail for fraud, Donaghy continued his assault on the NBA and its integrity, claiming a "mob hit" was executed on him as two inmates allegedly busted up his knee cap.  To rub salt on the proverbial wounds, Donaghy has also warned of his plans to write a tell-all book, that will tell of, "the culture of fraud and manipulation that permeates the NBA."  While police have subsequently ruled out the voracity of his claimed "mob" attack, Donaghy's continued rumor mongering no doubt causes more headaches for the NBA which is looking to move on from this PR nightmare spawned by Donaghy's poor decisions and associations of the past.  His wild accusations, which are most probably false, only adds fuel to the fire that burns for those conspiracy theorists, who are convinced the NBA is a rigged league.  Donaghy's actions merely feed his need for fame and money, and take away form the efforts of all of the NBA's athletes, coaches and trainers.  

     Despite all these downer stories, the NBA continues to be a great source of entertainment, and undoubtedly millions of people around the world eagerly await the upcoming season, just like me.

(coming soon: My NBA Awards)

Grading the First Wave of NBA Trades

     Before I could even finish my series of NBA year ender stories, the first wave of off season moves began, and what wave it has been.  I thought it would be nice to grade these trades, to see how the teams involved will fare in the future.

Major Trade Number 1: The Shaq Trade

Cleveland gets: Shaquille O'Neal

Phoenix gets: Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic

     This trade had been in the works last season and after the Magic's domination of the Cavs, I'm sure the Cavs wished this trade happened last year.  In any case, the Cavs finally get a big and tough center to match up with Dwight Howard and a shot blocking defensive presence.  On first look, this looks great for the Cavs, but I have my doubts about this.  Shaq demands a lot of attention and ball possessions, most of which were given to reigning MVP Lebron James.  Unless Shaq finally learns to match his demand for attention with his diminishing skills, there might be a little iffyness in the team chemistry department.  Another issue would be Shaq's health.  Will he be healthy enough to actually make a difference for the Cavs?  In any case, what the Cavs have going for them is that Shaq will most likely be motivated and they can rest assured Shaq will give his best effort, if only so that Shaq can beat Kobe's team and Shaq can have more titles than Kobe again.  By giving up very little (Wallace and Pavlovic were useless in the playoffs anyway), the Cavs deserve an A for this.

     For the Suns, this isn't GM Steve Kerr's way of helping his friend, Cleveland GM Danny Ferry.  It was mostly a cost-cutting move to help the Suns avoid paying huge luxury taxes.  The move saved them a total of about 10 million dollars now, and if Wallace retires and agrees to a buyout, they save even more.  I think Kerr has recognized the need for the Suns to finally rebuild (about two years to late I think), and if they also successfully trade away Amare Stoudamire to Golden State for Setphen Curry and Andris Biedrins, the Suns would be able to rebuild, save money and still entertain fans.  They get a C from me, a B+ if they complete the Amare deal.

Major Trade 2: The VC Homecoming

New Jersey Nets get: Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie

Orlando Magic get Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson

     I find this trade as actually the most significant trade of the Eastern Conference.  Once again, the Magic are looking to outdo the Cavaliers, this time in the trade arena.  While many question VC's heart and health, he has been pretty solid for the Nets for the past two seasons, missing fewer games and playing better team ball all around.  He will give the Magic a scoring threat that can create his own shot while still giving Magic the three point threat they always have on court.  While much has been said of Carter's inability to win, he has never been on a contending team as well built as the Magic.  This, along with the fact that Carter is an Orlando native, could spur him to actually bring a lot more effort to his game.  Meanwhile, Ryan Anderson will get his chance to develop behind the Magic's athletic forwards, and he may turn out to be more than a trade throw-in.  Lastly, having VC around gives the Magic a little leverage to negotiate with free agent Hedo Turkoglo.  Now that the Magic have a new forward, they won't be tempted to over pay the Turkish native, but still have a chance to resign him, since GM Otis SMith said they are willing to pay luxury taxes.  Overall, this trade is good one for the Magic, a strong commitment to winning for the next two to three years.  A solid B+ (A if Turkoglo re signs with the Magic).

     The Nets have been letting go of expensive parts for years, first with Kenyon Martin, then Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and now Vince Carter.  Instead of a straight salary dump a la Phoenix, the Nets actually get some quality players.  Courtney Lee gives them a starting quality shooting guard at a much cheaper price while officially turning the team over to All Star guard Devin Harris.  Meanwhile, the veterans Rafer Alston and Tony Battie both give them not only vetera minutes of the bench, but also expiring contracts, which is still in line with their plans to bring in owner Jay-Z's best buddy Lebron James in 2010.  Overall, a great move by GM Rod Thorn, and also a solid B+.

Major Trade 3: The San Antonio Resurrection

San Antonio Spurs get: Richard Jefferson

Milwaukee Bucks get: Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto (later traded for Amir Johnson)

     The Spurs' Tim Duncan era is about to come to a close, so Gregg Popovich and co. figure to give it one more go.  Adding Richard Jefferson to one of the NBA's oldest superstar trios is a much needed shot in the arm.  Jefferson gives them a cushion against injuries that will likely hit one or all of their big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker-Longoria, while sacrificing very little.  Bowen has long been past useful, while Thomas and Oberto might actually be bought out and come back to them.  Overall, this was quite a steal for the Spurs and there is (literally) a spring in the step of the Spurs.  They deserve an A.

     The Bucks have long been known as a small market team and so paying the luxury tax is not really ideal for them.  The move saves them a ton of money, but they received practically nothing in return.  While saving money will enable them to re sign their "important" free agents, you have to wonder if signing Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva was actually so important they gave away a former All Star for well, two grandfathers and one who plays like one.  Last year, they couldn't make the playoffs and Jefferson was their only stud, so Coach Scott Skiles has his work cut out for him next season.  This move was a total head scratcher, a D.

Major Trade 4:  Atlanta Loads Up

Atlanta Hawks get: Jamal Crawford

Golden State Warriors get: Speedy Claxton and Acie Law IV

     The Hawks had a second straight successful season but they need to add more to their roster.  While re signing Mike Bibby is one of their priorities this summer, they went ahead and got more help at guard.  Crawford will provide solid play for both guard positions.  This ensures that if Bibby leaves, it won't be a total disaster for them.  Meanwhile, Crawford gives them a player who has an unmitigated desire to shoot, which will help them avoid those weird offensive plays that went nowhere because no one would shoot.  It also gives them more leverage to try to sign Bibby to a more reasonable price.  What's best is that they gave away practically nothing.  A solid B+ for the Hawks.

     Golden State has had a lot of turmoil in the front office as well as with the players and coaches, so weird trades is not a surprise.  Barely a few months after aggressively acquiring Jamal Crawford in a trade, Coach Don Nelson couldn't wait to throw him away.  Throw is the right word as they basically got an aging, barely-used point guard (Claxton) and an official draft bust (Law).  What makes the move an even bigger head scratcher is that they just committed to signing Monta Ellis to a long term contract and they also picked up Stephen Curry (another point guard) in the draft.  Add to this the signing of mercurial guard Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggete to long term deals last year, and you can see the Warriors' front office has been slugging back too much alcohol.  They should have let former GM do his job, instead of bypassing him last year.  Obviously, either the Warriors know something we don't or they don't know anything.  In any case, they deserve a "D."

     Watch out for more NBA trades and their grades in the coming weeks.

NBA Yearender: Uplifting Stories

     The latest NBA season has come to a close, and congratulations are in order for the Los Angeles Lakers, particularly Kobe Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson.  Now, with the off season in full swing, it's a great time to look back at what was a wonderful year.  First, I'll tackle the season's top stories that warmed and uplifted my heart.

1.  Orlando's Magic Run  - While many considered the Magic a strong team with Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, few dared to predict how deep the Magic would go in the playoffs.  Just as I foresaw, Orlando put on an incredible run, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers (despite losing homecourt advantage and Dwight Howard for one game), overcame the defending champions Boston Celtics and dominating the Eastern Conference favorites Cleveland Cavaliers and its Golden Child, MVP Lebron James.  Despite losing to the eventual champs, the Magic gave the Lakers quite a scare as well.  Overall, it was a great season for the Magic, who proved tons of critics wrong.

2.   Derrick Rose and the Bulls' run to the playoffs - Facing great pressure to bring the Chicago Bulls back to the playoffs, things did not go well for the number one draft pick, hometown favorite Derrick Rose and the Windy City team.  After losing a majority of their games early into the season, the Bulls were already being written off and Rose being considered a rookie of the year by default.  Things turned around after the Bulls fixed their crowded guard rotation and trading for veterans Brad Miller and John Salmons.  Before people knew it, Chicago went on an incredible winning run, not only qualifying for the playoffs, but almost taking away fifth spot from the Miami Heat.  Then, the Bulls took the defending champions Boston Celtics into an epic seven game series, with Derrick Rose leading the charge.  He proved himself the true rookie of the year by taking charge when it counted the most.

3.  The Nuggets' Redemption - Almost all of the major players in the Nuggets rotation were written off, almost seemingly at the same time.  Chauncey Billups was supposed to be getting too old, JR Smith a basket case, Carmelo Anthony a "me-first" player who found individual stats more important than a championship, Chris Andersen a junkie, Nene a shadow of his former self after a bout with testicular cancer and Linas Kleiza a soft European player who couldn't contribute in the NBA and Kenyon Martin a player with both knees shot.  Collectively, though, they found a bond and trust in each other and it propelled them to the franchise's best finish since 1985.  Together, they helped each other overcome their bad reputations, seemingly showing a maturity and desire to win that showed not only their capability to win this year, but also for the next two years.

4.  Gina Marie Incandela - While this little cutie is not a household name anywhere outside of Orlando Magic fans' homes, her story is certainly a tremendous one.  Suffering from a kind of autism, PDD NOS, Gina Marie was not given much hope to be able to speak.  When her parents brought her to the University of Central Florida to help with her speech, Gina found herself expressing herself through singing; and sing she can.  Taking a liking to LeAnn Rimes' Star Spangled Banner performance, Gina began singing the national anthem, first in practice then later in major singing events.  When she sang for the Orlando Magic one time, the Magic won.  Then, she was asked to sing again.  The Magic won again.  Then, all of a sudden, she became the Magic's "secret weapon," with the Magic going 7-0 with her singing (6-0) in the playoffs until the Lakers spoiled the Magic's fun.  In any case, hers is an amazing story and the Magic, if they know what's good for them, will invite her again next season.

5.  Some Love for Kevin Love - When Kevin Mchale made another controversial decision to trade away top draft pick O.J. Mayo, fans collectively slapped their heads, thinking it was another lopsided trade a la Randy Foye for Brandon Roy.  The Wolves badly needed a guard, and Mayo seemed to be answer.  Instead, the Wolves traded him away, essentially for another rookie, Kevin Love.  Before the draft, Love was touted as a front court player who could, "make a decent baseball pass," not exactly the description of the savior the Wolves fans desperately sought.  As the season went on, however, O.J. Mayo, while scoring heavily, showed a lack of ability or willingness to pass to go along with his poor percentage shooting.  Meanwhile, Love finally received some love in Minnesota, earning it by posting averages of 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds, including the most rookie double doubles.  Now, Wolves fans will look forward to a new era under a new GM, new coach and the promising front court duo of Love and Al Jefferson.

     While I'm sure the NBA season brought a lot more than five uplifting stories, these five were my personal favorites.  Do you have an uplifting NBA story from this past season? I invite you to post! 

(Coming soon: NBA's Downer Stories)

Lebron Simply Blew It

     Many people thought I was daft when I predicted an Orlando Magic victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games, but I held firm to my beliefs because in the end, I knew the Magic was simply a bad match up to the Cavs.  I knew how the Magic's lithe and quick frontline would pose problems for the Cavs' big but lumbering big men and I expected Lebron James' teammates would not provide enough support to lift the Cavaliers.  What I didn't expect though, was how bad Lebron James would blow it.  

     Forget about Lebron losing a chance to play in the NBA Finals on his Most Valuable Player season.  Forget about him losing to the less favored Orlando Magic despite finishing with the league-best 66 to 16 win loss record.  What Lebron blew was the opportunity to look like a classy guy.  

     After losing game 6 and the series to the Magic, James quickly retreated to the locker room, avoided the media and went straight to the team bus.  Most disappointingly, he never offered any congratulatory hugs or handshakes to the Magic players, even to his team USA teammate Dwight Howard.  Asked about his abrupt exit from the arena, the "King" explained, "It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them,” he said. “I’m a winner. It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them. That doesn’t make sense to me. I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”

     Come on Lebron.  Being a "winner" doesn't mean you don't congratulate the winner.  Recognizing and congratulating someone who has beaten you fair and square doesn't make you a loser; in fact, it makes you a bigger person worthy of adulation.  Even bitter rivals MAtt Hughes and Matt Serra congratulated each other after trying to kill each other in UFC 98.  Oscar de la Hoya found time and character to congratulate Manny Pacquiao after the Pacman beat him to a pulp.  

     There he was, Lebron James, a star athlete with transcendent popularity, a role model for kids all over the world with a chance to show them what true sportsmanship is all about.  He had a chance to show kids that sportsmanship is not just about playing fairly and cleanly and competing relentlessly.  It is, more importantly, accepting defeat and enjoying victory graciously Being the superstar James is, he simply can't do two out of three and expect the world to indulge him because of his youth and frustration.  Youth coaches in different sports from all around the world can try to teach kids about sportsmanship and graciousness, but in the end, kids' heroes like Kobe Bryant and James will impact the kids more with their behavior.  If he truly cared about helping kids and molding them into better people, he would have recognized his basketball camps with the youth in Akron, Ohio is not enough.  He should have seen this as a perfect opportunity to show kids how great and classy athletes take losing to worthy rivals.  He blew his chance to help educate kids about true and unadulterated sportsmanship.

     Lebron James is a tremendous athlete, one of those once-in-a-generation type athletes who will no doubt win many more accolades and championships, and I hate to think that this episode blemish a lasting legacy that he is destined to leave the world with.  I really hope he owns up to this boo boo of his.  He is once again presented with an opportunity to show kids proper behavior, to own up to one's mistakes and apologize properly.  Let's go Lebron.  Don't blow it this time.

Monkey Wrench into the NBA's Best Laid Plans

     It all started last summer, at the Beijing Olympics.  The U.S., hungry for redemption after their recent failure, brought along a team intent on winning.  It was the best team formed since the 1996 Olympics, and at the forefront were two huge, global stars, Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Branded as leaders, the two elevated their games and brought home the gold medal.  Right then and there, the NBA sensed something great and licked their chops.  Kobe vs Lebron for the NBA Title.  Now that sounded like a blockbuster and the NBA started a novena, praying for  divine intervention to deliver them their dream finals match up.

     Lo and behold, as the season wore on, the NBA was beginning to smile.  Lebron and the Cavs razed through the Eastern Conference just as Kobe and the Lakers romped through out West.  With both teams entering their respective conference finals, the NBA's best laid plans for a blockbuster finals (with massive TV ratings) was so close David Stern could taste it.  Now, though, someone has thrown a monkey wrench or two into the well-oiled plan.  Enter the Orlando Magic and the Denver Nuggets.  

     As things stand now, the Magic and the Nuggets have taken away the two favorites' homecourt advantage, with the Magic leading the Cavs 1-0 and the Nuggets ties with the Lakers at 1 all.   Will these two teams, who are looking for redemption themselves, prove to be the proverbial monkey wrench or will they merely be cumbersome obstacles that will be hurdled?

     The Orlando Magic has not exactly been on everyone's radar when talking about who will win the Larry O'Brien trophy this year, and the boys from Orlando have taken the snub personally.  They now pose quite a threat to the Cavs and it's not just because they aren't the Pistons.  As shown in Game 1, Orlando had the Cavs beat on two ends.  

     First of all, Orlando's frontcourt is huge, but lithe and lightning-quick.  A front line featuring 7 foot Dwight Howard, 6-10 shooters Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu and 6-8 Michael Pietrus are simply too quick for the equally huge but lumbering front line of the Cavs.  While James can match up with any one of the Magic's forwards, he can't guard all of them at the same time.  In game one, while it was Howard's 30 points that lit up the scoreboard, the Cavs lost because of the other three forwards, with Hedo and Lewis combining for Orlando's final 17 points.  If the Cavs are to make it to the finals, like they told the world they would do, then their tall lumbering front line (Anderson "Sideshow Bob" Varejao guarding Rashard Lewis, are you serious?) must find a way to become light on their feet.

     Secondly, the Cavs played to Orlando's strength, which I believe is not their three point shooting but more so their defense.  Everyone reverted back to their "watch Lebron" playbooks, standing around hoping to get a pass for a spot-up three.  Although James had a monster game, going 20 of 30 from the field, it took too much out of James.  In fact, I think he passed up a shot on a late drive that could have won the game, simply because of fatigue.  All Star Mo Williams and Delonte West must regain their regular season shooting and aggressiveness and Zydrunas Ilgauskas must make Dwight Howard work on defense if they are to beat the Magic in this series.

     The Denver Nuggets almost became the poster child of how not to build an NBA roster as the past few years showed the Mile High team as a group of shoot first, players with immense talent but no will to win a championship.  What a difference an old and wise point guard makes.  Chauncey Billups has come into Denver and changed the team's outlook (and therefore) its chances this season.  The "new-look" Nuggets actually feature the same core of players, save for the enigmatic Chris "Birdman" Andersen, but they have shown a desire and will for teamwork and defense that was last seen on a Nuggets team when Dikembe Mutombo was wagging fingers at opponents.  They could pose problems for the Lake show because, as seen in Games 1 and 2, the Nuggets bring in a toughness and and offensive arsenal that have the Lakers on their heels.

     First of all, the Nuggets this year are tough, in a good basketball way.  They are showing a willingness and the health needed to bang bodies inside, once again threatening to expose Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as softies playing in a tough guy's game.  Kenyon Martin, Nene and Birdman have relentlessly attacked the lanes for both offense and defense, taking the Houston Rockets model of bullying the Lakers inside.  If the Lakers want to make David Stern happy, they must dig deep, fight back especially inside the paint to grab rebounds and loose balls, shoot high percentage dunks and layups and block and change shots.

     Secondly, the Nuggets while successfully approximating the Rockets' toughness on defense, are infinitely more talented on offense.  Carmelo Anthony has shown, at least in these playoffs, that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as King James and he has a lot of help.  Linas Kleiza and J. R. Smith are bringing it from the bench, K-Mart and Nene have been active and useful on the offensive end (Heck, Nene even had 6 assists in game 2. 6!!! OMG! The Black Hole of basketball learned to pass!) and most importantly, Billups has a stability to keep the Nuggets calm through thick and thin.  The Nuggets are clicking on all cylinders offensively, and if Kobe wants to get a chance to win his first title without Shaq, he must lead his team not just in offense, but more so on the defensive end.  They must clog the lane and force the Nuggets into shooting from the outside.  

     So now David Stern is beginning to sweat.  His dream blockbuster finals scenario is being pushed onto the brink of oblivion.  Will the Cavs and the Lakers bounce back and give Stern a reason to smile or will Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony be the Team USA teammates playing in the finals?

     As for me, you all know I love ruining best laid plans, so I will be in my usual place, eagerly awaiting Cleveland's and L.A.'s impending disappointments.  

How Now, Pacquiao?

     With his stunning second round demolition of Ricky Hatton last May 2, 2009, Manny Pacquiao is on top of the boxing world, with some claiming he is history's best.  Meanwhile, the very world the,  "Pacman" had enthralled is still under his spell, as everyone is awaiting word on what he is to do next.  Currently, Manny has been rightfully taking it easy and celebrating his latest conquest.  Pretty soon, though, he will have to decide what to do next.  Whether it be about his legendary boxing career or his polarizing political one, everyone seems to have an opinion on what Manny should do.  Of course, being the meddler that I am, I have some suggestions too.

Boxing Career

     Obviously, if Pacquiao stopped now, he would leave with a tremendous career and legacy that will be remembered by the world for generations to come.  I think, however, leaving this early will leave his legacy in question.  There are some unanswered questions I think he should answer before he retires and I have a plan of action that is not only feasible, but also fit perfectly into his desire to retire early and to run for congress.

     First, Manny should take on the winner of the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr., the man he replaced as boxing's pound for pound king or one of his greatest rivals, Juan Manuel Marquez.  Pretty Boy Floyd has talked some trash since announcing his return and some have already drank from the irradiated Kool Aid he has been serving.  Taking on Mayweather will finally answer the question of who is the best boxer in this open era, and Manny should not let an opportunity pass him by.  As for fighting Juan Manuel Marquez in what should be a farewell fight for both pugilists, Manny has the opportunity to finally rid himself of the pesky Mexican.  As Manny has been enjoying number one status in the "P4P" rankings, many consider Juan Manuel Marquez as "1A."  A third and final fight would be a fan's dream fight as we finally close the chapter on a wild and exciting rivalry.  This fight could indeed happen sometime in December, giving Pacquiao ample time to rest and prepare his political party for the May 2010 elections.

     Second, Manny should take a good look at Miguel Cotto.  While Cotto possesses power that could mean trouble for Pacquiao, I feel it is worth the risk because beating Cotto would give Manny a sixth world title.  This would enable him to match his idol, Oscar de la Hoya's belt career belt haul.  Now that would be a great way to end a career.  This fight could be penciled in at around September or October of 2010, giving Manny lots of time to rest and train after the elections.

Political Career

     I don't like the idea of Manny running for congress as much as anyone, but with having "Kabayan" Noli "extortion" de Castro as Vice President (and maybe even President) and Lito"the sound of silence" Lapid as Senator, how can we tell Pacquiao he isn't ready to lead us?  He should run if he truly wanted to and believe it or not, I would seriously consider voting for him if he ran in our district.  I, however, have an even better political plan for Pacquiao.

    If it were up to me, I'd have Pacquiao become president... of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP).  For years, athletes have begged to have former athletes lead their respective Nation Sports Associations (NSA), so that the leadership could empathize better, and Manny leading the ABAP would be great.  He knows boxing, its training, scouting, weight cutting, etc, and he would be in a prime position to advise ABAP on how to train and care for our boxers.  I understand amateur and professional boxing are different animals, but surely his talent would not be dominant on the pro ring alone.  Meanwhile, his current fame will go a long way in uniting a usually fractured ABAP leadership.  Furthermore, his international stardom will bring a level of credibility to our NSA, which would help garner more respect from the international boxing committee.  This, in turn, would help lessen the questionable judging we are always a victim of.  

     If Pacquiao is really determined to go along way politically, he can serve the ABAP for a while, then run for the presidency... of the Philippine Olympic Committee.  If Manny serves the ABAP well as president and unites it, then he deserves to be POC president.  In this position, Manny can take care of all the athletes and his well-respected character and discipline transcends all sports, so uniting the athletes is certainly doable.  I mean, if he can unite an entire nation enough to stop crime and war, he should be able to do it in sports.  I know he has mentioned that all he wants to do by running for congress is to help the people.  What better way to help than to unite a nation through sports?

     In the end, it's really up to Manny.  He's the one with five titles in five divisions.  He's the P4P King.  I think, though, my plan would certainly appeal to him.  After all, my suggestions for his boxing career would close his career and legacy elegantly, while my suggestions for him politically would help him achieve his goals.  

     The best part?  After he executes my plan successfully, he would still be young enough to run for congress.

Liking the National Team

     With the Philippine National Basketball Team coached by Yeng Guiao having played a total of five tune up games already, I thought it was high time to assess this team.  I watched all five of their games, including their series against Australia Hoopdreams, which I caught at Araneta Coliseum's courtside.  

The Good Stuff

Speed - Man, this team is fast and quick.  It looks like Coach Guiao is looking to run opponents to the ground to make up our size disadvantage, and he certainly picked up the right tools.  Players 1 through 12 can all run, and if they keep practicing together, they can form a formidable fastbreak attack.

Athleticism - Speed is not all we need to make up our lack of size and athleticism is that missing link.  With players like Gabe Norwood, Arwind Santos and Kelly Williams, our team has long-limbed, high-leaping bodies that when motivated properly, will be apt to tap loose balls, gather steals, grab rebounds and run.  

Camaraderie - This early, the team seems to have good camaraderie, especially in terms of the players liking each other.  Based on what I've seen during games and even during time outs and lulls, the players do genuinely like playing with each other.

Jared Dillinger - Among all the players, I am most surprised and pleased with Jared DIllinger.  The 6'4" guard has shown tremendous heart and passion, and I am surprised at his quickness, especially on his drives to the basket.  While I thought he might be the first player cut, he looks to be a more complete player than most as he can make long jumpers, drive the ball to the basket, bring the ball down court as a point and defend players from the 1, 2 and 3 positions.  I really wouldn't mind seeing him start for our team.

The Bad Stuff

Tentativeness - This has been, in my opinion, the disease that infects all our pro player-enforced national teams.  When all these unselfish superstars play together, they play like an All Star team, preferring to keep passing and passing, consciously avoiding being a "selfish" player that takes all the shots.  This disease actually makes our teams, including this one, ineffective in the half court game, with everyone passing and passing until the shot clock begins to run out and we are forced into a bad shot.  We would be best served to have a couple of players be the designated "go-to-guys" for half court plays.  Jay Jay Helterbrand, James Yap or a focused Willie Miller would be good candidates for this job.

In Between Game or lack thereof - While our players can all make threes (except maybe Asi Taulava) and finish strong at the rim, it seems none of our players are comfortable taking in between shots.  I know that most teams play zone defense, but having our players take (and make) pull up jumpers could help free up the lane for future incursions or post up plays.

James Yap - My goodness.  Has celebrity gone to his head or is he just going through a shooting slump?  After his first game against the Australians, Yap has been relatively bad, considering the reason why he is on the team is because he is supposedly our premiere three point shooter.  He has been missing consistently, even on open looks and if he can't make those, maybe he should consider playing defense.  And yes James, playing "matador" defense, where you look like a Spanish bullfighter is not playing defense.  If he keeps missing and not break out of his slump, would it be too late to ask Don Don Hontiveros to join the team?

     Overall, the National Basketball Team is on the right track and I think they will look even better with more practices under their belt.  Building a running team will take time as the players need to learn the little habits of their teammates so that they will run the fastbreak like they were a team that has been playing forever.  When the players get the hang of each other, though, Asia better watch out.