Some shoutouts before leaving behind 2008....

I'll keep this post short. I just wanna say thanks to all those who have viewed and commented on my blogsite. Thanks also to the SLAM Staff and the SLAM Online peeps (y'all know who you are) for somehow making me a part of the online community. You guys gave me an opportunity to communicate and share some thoughts with other basketball fans not just in the US but also from other parts of the world.

On that note, I wanna wish you all a Happy New Year!!! Cheers to 2009!!! XD

Ms. Clavel Magazine Launch @ Embassy Cuisine. December 8, 2008

Chicks and kicks do mix, yes? This picture says it all.
(Photo by Roy Afable. 12/08/08)

I know I should've posted this about a couple of weeks ago but it's better late than never I guess. Anyways, I was at the launch of the Philippines' first ever magazine on street fashion and sneaker culture, Ms. Clavel. Quite a catchy name for a magazine, don't you think? I have to thank kingcrux31 of NikeTalk Philippines (he's also one of Ms. Clavel's crew) for adding me and my friend on the guestlist on such short notice.

I apologize for not learning about the said event much sooner but I'm glad I was able to make it there. Well, it was indeed a great event to begin with. As soon as me and my friend got there, cameras were flashing everywhere. It was kinda cool though. Being a part of Ms. Clavel's launch felt like I was an A-Lister even though I wasn't. Hahahaha. Speaking of the A-List, I spotted Borgy Manotoc in the party. Sure, there were some more all over the place but they don't matter to me. I didn't go there to spot some celebs at the launch but rather I was there for the magazine and sneakers, what else?

It was the best party I've been to this year. Besides having free booze (it was an open bar 'til 11 PM), lots of sneakerheads flocked the venue rocking their favorite kicks. I wished I had worn one of my best pair of kicks at the event. I was in such a hurry to go there I ended up wearing my old Nike Huarache 2K5's. I didn't have time to think of a good pair to wear due to time constraints and the weather (it was raining a little bit late in the afternoon from where I live). I shoulda rocked my black toe Air Jordan 1's at the party but it's alright. Oh, screw it! It's all my fault. My bad.

The writer's copy of Ms. Clavel Magazine.
(Photo by Roy Afable. 12/08/08)

I then focused my attention on the hot ladies in attendance. Hell yeah! They are absolutely hot. But the real stars are not the chicks, it was all about the shoes mind you. From one of the pictures posted here, the ladies modeled off the hot kicks at the party. Sneakerheads (including yours truly) alike were drooling with envy at the sight of the shoes. Who can blame them or us for that matter? I did manage to get some stills on the shoes though but I decided not to post the rest of the stuff here. My shots aren't all that good. If only I own a Canon SLR camera it would've been way better.

Bottomline is, I had an awesome night there. I was even one of the lucky few to get a free copy of the magazine. My thanks to Borgy (Manotoc) for giving me, presumably, that last free copy of Ms. Clavel. Great music, great venue, free booze and free magazine(s), what more can you ask for? Now, that's how you throw a party! Congratulations to the folks of Ms. Clavel Magazine for making the event possible and a huge success. The party was dope! So glad I was there to show some love and support. Looking forward to more events from Ms. Clavel. For more photos of the Ms. Clavel Magazine launch, check out this link.

Sneakerheads rule!!!

Rondo is Nike'd out.

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo is rocking the Nike Blue Chip lows
in a game against the LA Lakers on Christmas day.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

Since winning the NBA Finals in 2008, the defending champs Boston Celtics are strong as ever this 08-09 season. Sure, they got KG and Sugar Ray (Allen) for the C's, Paul Pierce is still the captain but their success is not without their lightning-quick point guard Rajon Rondo. In his rookie season with the Celtics, coach Doc Rivers has bestowed him the starting spot running the point. Not a lot of coaches would trust a rookie point guard to begin with but Rivers was confident and stood by his decision nonetheless. Of course, Rondo did not disappoint and the rest was all history.

In his 2nd year with the C's, he has earned a lot of praise not just from fans alike. Sports critics have shown some love for him as well. His great performance in the NBA Finals is what made him shine and has really caught a lot of attention. Now, the Celtics are looking to repeat as champions. Rajon Rondo has become one of the rising stars in the NBA and it's no surprise if he becomes an All-Star on February in Phoenix.

Just what makes a cat like Rondo oh-so quick with his nifty plays and ankle breakers against his opponents on the court? His athleticism is just one of them but the other could be something he's wearing on his feet. It's gotta be the shoes, don't you think? Well, he's been wearing Reeboks in his rookie year, the shoe brand that earned him a championship ring. But this season, he's no longer balling on 'boks.

A close look at Rondo's Christmas inspired Nike Blue Chip lows.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

Nike finally decided to give the Celtics guard some love. One of the best point guards in the L deserve to wear dope gear and surely, he deserves to wear Nikes. Signing with the swoosh brand is what he needs in his career. Thankfully, Nike gave him some really nice kicks to ball on and LA was the best place to show them off.

He was rocking the Nike Blue Chip low tops when the Celtics played the Lakers in an NBA Finals rematch. Although the Lakers were victorious over the Celtics on Christmas day, Rondo's kicks were just ill. Sneakerheads like me, simply can't help but take notice. He really looks better with Nikes on than Reeboks, if you ask me.

The Christmas motif on his PE'd Nike Blue Chip lows was tailor made for the occasion. The white and green colorway with black accents give a simple yet clean look for his kicks. That's the cool thing about them. The Santa Claus image on the tongue and the red shoe laces are a really nice touch. Great shoe to rock hanging out with friends. This has got to be one of the best Christmas inspired PE's I've ever seen. For sure, a lot of sneakerheads would clamor to have this special pair of kicks for their collection. Definitely a must have.

If ever Rondo's kicks drop here in the Philippines, I'd cop them in a heartbeat. I wouldn't mind rocking them even if Christmas is already over. I really dig the colorways. Even if I wasn't a Celtic fan I'd still buy that shoe. So glad he's with Nike now. Looking forward to seeing his opponents get Rondo'd by him in his Nikes.

Japanese car makers face "reality" in Motorsports.

Toyota-Panasonic F1 Team not leaving Formula One.

The economic turmoil has created a huge impact all over the world. Not only the global stock market took the plunge but car manufacturers lost their grip, so to speak. Motorsports have already taken the brunt of the crisis happening. The F1 is just one of them. Japanese car maker Honda has already withdrawn from the sport due to the economic crisis.

And if everybody thought the F1 (Formula One) is the only motorsport losing racing teams, y'all got another think coming. The WRC or World Rally Championship has also fallen prey of the crisis at hand. Seems that Japanese car makers are the most affected of it all. Suzuki was the first to pullout of the WRC then Subaru also followed suit. The announcement came in 24 hours after Suzuki made theirs. Talk about "The Domino Effect."

Head honchos from Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru's parent company talked about their withdrawal from the WRC:

"We will not contest the 2009 FIA World Rally championship due to the pressures of the global economic crisis that spread from the U.S. financial crisis that began this Autumn," FHI president Kyoji Takenaka told a news conference. "The automotive industry worldwide, whether they are in developed on non-developed countries, have been hit hugely.

"Our company included, our business environment has been dramatically changed due to the quick deterioration of the global economy."

A Fuji Heavy Industries statement said: "In order to optimize the management resources and to strengthen further the Subaru brand, FHI decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest timing."

Going back to Honda's departure from the F1 competition, a British dude named David Richards wants to save Honda and have them rejoin the F1. Word has it that he flew to the Middle East to get some sort of backup.

From The Reuters via Eurosport:

"There are a group of people in the Middle East who want to support a Formula One entry for me and have been very specific about it for a year now," he said. "But we have to agree when the timing is right.

"When you sit down in the cold light of day and realize the liability you would be taking on, and the huge restructuring of staff and resources that will be needed, investors will have to think long and hard before taking a punt.

"You will have to bridge a big gap in finance, probably for three years, before balancing the accounts."

Despite their withdrawal from the F1 last December 5, Honda is still developing their 2009 car in case they come back in time for F1's upcoming season. They are hopeful of their possible return to competition, keeping their fingers crossed of getting a buyer for their team. Chief executive Nick Fry is still positive on the idea.

"Since that time, (team principal) Ross (Brawn) and I have been engaged in ongoing discussions with several serious potential new owners who have expressed an interest in purchasing the team."

"Work on the development and build of our 2009 car continues during the next few weeks to ensure that our objective of being on the grid at Melbourne at the end of March will be achieved."

Now, there are a lot of speculations that Toyota has reportedly left F1. It's actually no surprise if they did join the trend. The pressure must be on for the Japanese car maker but that doesn't seem to be the case. Toyota is hanging tough and is not bailing out of the F1. Bad Idea? Maybe. Toyota doesn't think otherwise and seems to be taking a huge gamble on it. The folks at Toyota believe they have everything under control.

"We have absolutely no plans to withdraw from Formula One," a spokeswoman told the British newspaper The Guardian.

She intimated, however, that Toyota is set to implement its own measures to reduce its annual spend on the sport, over and above the regulated FIA cost-cutting.

"To keep it up at the current level is extremely difficult," Toyota Motor Corporation president Katsuaki Watanabe said in Japan.

Translation: they are not going anywhere. Toyota will still be competing in F1's 2009 season. Toyota F1 team fans can now breathe a sigh of relief. They'll still hang around in Motorsports after all. The haters can now drop the rumors.

The other Japanese car makers Honda, Subaru and Suzuki have a lot of work to do. The economic crisis has taken a huge toll on them. Since the global economy is still on the rocks, the teams who have withdrawn from F1 and WRC respectively, will have to remain in the dog house for now.

Steve Francis moves to Memphis.

Guard Steve Francis will now play for the Memphis Grizzlies.

From "The Franchise" to journeyman. For a cat who's a former All-Star, that's what Steve Francis is right now. Word from the NBA news wire that Mr. Francis is no longer a Houston Rocket and was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Worse, he was sent packing on Christmas eve.

Ouch. Whatever happened to the Christmas cheer? Poor Stevie. He hasn't appeared in a single game this season since reuniting with the Rockets last year. So much for spending the holidays in H-Town. The idea is already thrown out of the window. The Rockets' front office want to free up some luxury tax and plans to sign a player in the coming days. Looks like the Rockets have no use for a dude who's already way past his prime.

The Grizzlies can still use another guard like him in the roster. Probably get some playing time off the bench and contribute. Well, Steve Francis will have to drop the thought of hanging up his sneakers in Houston. Playing for the Grizzlies can't be that bad. Ending his career in Memphis can be a good idea perhaps.

Pacman's got nice kicks...

The Nike Air Max Bizness Manny Pacquiao Exclusive. It comes with a nice box, too.

Manny Pacquiao's got everything. And I mean everything. Being part of the swoosh is just one of them. He's the only Filipino athlete to be Nike'd out. From his boxing gear (except for his gloves) to having his own Nike merchandise. All of his stuff are always sold out like hotcakes. I have yet to cop Manny's new shirt (perhaps before Christmas), the one that came out before his fight with Oscar De La Hoya.

Well, enough chat on the shirt. It's time get some love on Manny Pacquiao's latest exclusive, limited edtion gear. Most of us know that he is a boxer by profession (obviously) but only a few knows that Pacman can ball. With that certain knowledge, the folks at Nike paid tribute to our beloved boxing hero by making a basketball shoe somewhat his own. From the images seen here, they are the PE'd Nike Air Max Bizness for Manny Pacquiao.

A detailed view of the lasered Philippine Eagle inspired design on the shoe.

I haven't seen him rock these kicks but they're just simply dope. I love the color placements. The blue leather patent and the lasered eagle like crest (the same print that's on Manny's boxing shorts in his fight against De La Hoya) are a nice touch. It's such a thing of beauty. If these are gonna drop in selected Nike stores, for sure it's gonna be a hyperstrike release. These Pacman shoes will be sold out real fast, I tell you. They pretty much look good with jeans. I dig the box, too.

It also has Manny Pacquiao's "MP" logo on the shoe's medial side

The question for me is whether I should cop them or not. Admittedly, I'd love to own a pair but the only thing I want more in this world is to finally own that Air Jordan 11-12 CDP. Nike Park BHS (Bonifacio High Street) better re-stock on that pack or I have no choice but to get it on the internet (Footlocker, Finishline, Eastbay). I just hope I don't end up getting that CDP on Ebay.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Please, let lady luck be on my side...

What might have been...

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings guard Johnny "The Flying A" Abarrientos
could've made history in the NBA in 1997.

The popularity of the NBA has spread across the globe. The Philippines is just one of the countries the NBA has reached. Being the only "basketball country" in Asia or perhaps the world, we Filipinos are simply basketball crazy. We just love the NBA so much. Many NBA personalities have already visited the country like Grant Hill, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O' Neil, Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce just to name a few. Even the not so popular players from the NBA were treated like royalty here and recent visitor Malik Rose of the New York Knicks is just one of them.

Although the only basketball league being watched all over the world is synonimous to my beloved country, many NBA players have also played here in our pro-league the PBA or Philippine Basketball Association. One of those players in the NBA whom have played here are Chip Engelland, Scott Burrell and Stephen Howard as imports. The PBA may not be as popular as the NBA but it has inspired a lot of Filipino players to play the best basketball the Philippines has to offer. Though there are a lot of International players coming from Europe, South America, Africa, China, Japan and Australia; A Filipino has yet to put the Philippines in the map in the world of basketball.

Back in 1997, there were reports at the time of a Filipino possibly making his mark as the first ever Philippine-born player to play in the NBA. The PBA is loaded with talent and the player who got noticed was Johnny Abarrientos (then playing for the Alaska Milkmen). He's just one of the few in the pool of PBA players to possibly, make history and carry the Philippine flag in the NBA. Then Charlotte Hornets (Now in New Orleans) scout Joe Bettancourt reportedly offered Abarrientos a contract to play for the Hornets and another to play for the Toronto Raptors. He (Abarrientos) declined to sign the offer sheet to concentrate more in his career in the PBA. But there were reports however at the time, that the negotiations for the contract has faltered despite the fact the 5' 10" guard is very much interested in playing for the NBA.

Had Johnny Abarrientos signed the offer-sheet (to play for the Toronto Raptors) years ago, He could've been the first Filipino to ever play in the NBA. He could've been a back-up for guard Muggsy Bogues at the time. He (Bogues) played for the Raptors in the 97-98 NBA Season. Years have passed, there haven't been any offers for a Filipino player to play in the NBA since 1997. The thought of having a Filipino to make a name and don an NBA uniform for the first time in basketball history will just remain a pipe dream.

Grant Hill wants his 'Magic' back in O-Town.

Grant Hill could be headed back to the East in a Magic uniform.
(NBA Images/Yahoo! Sports)

Apparently, the Phoenix Suns are having a rough time since Mike D' Antoni went to the big apple. Steve Nash and company are still adjusting under new coach Terry Porter's system. Even with Shaq on their team and the acquisition of Jason Richardson off the trade with the Charlotte Bobcats, the Suns are still struggling. Nasty is still trying to move on with the departure of Raja Bell and Boris Diaw in the roster and Amare Stoudemire is not happy with the team, sort of.

Every team is shopping around for some trades. Suns General Manager Steve Kerr is perhaps cooking up another trade that could shake up his team yet again. Now, Grant Hill could be the next to go. With all the changes going around the team, seems "Mr. Nice Guy" has been trying to fit in Porter's new style of play. He has somewhat gotten used to the old D' Antoni's run and gun system although he's still producing good numbers for the Suns.

Now that G-Hill's name has popped up in the trade rumors, The Magic are interested in bringing him back in O-Town. This reunion could be a reality soon. Since Hill will be a free agent next season, he might as well go back to Orlando. He has a very good chance of at least playing in the post-season in the Eastern Conference (and a championship run) should the trade materialize.

Guess who's the lucky guy to be possibly traded for Mr. Nice Guy? Drum roll please. It's shooting guard JJ Redick. Ironically, Redick is a Duke University Alumnus much like Grant Hill whom also played for the Blue Devils in college. The Suns could use his shooting touch (or maybe not) and he can be a back-up guard for J-Rich at shooting guard. His defense is another story. Perhaps coach Terry Porter can use a player like Redick in his system.

For now, these are just mere speculations. If this trade ever happens, the Magic are gonna benefit it in this trade. Grant Hill can produce a lot of points and some rebounds for Orlando's 2nd unit but he can also contribute if coach Stan Van Gundy makes him a starter. O-Town has nothing but love for G-Hill when he played for the Magic a couple of years ago. He could very well retire as a Magic.

Now, how about bringing back another former Magic player in Orlando. Penny Hardaway anyone?

Matrix could be next in the Trade Game. Kevin McHale speaks up.

Heat forward Shawn Marion could be playing for another NBA team soon.
(NBA Images/Yahoo! Sports)

Another possible trade could happen anytime soon involving one Shawn Marion in the NBA news wire. Even before the 08-09 season ever started, The Matrix's name in the trade rumors was never out of the picture. Seems the Heat front office has been trying to pull a lot of strings in trying to shop Marion to other teams. Many teams are interested in Marion's services and the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of them. He could be wearing the Cavaliers unis soon.

Adding Shawn Marion in the mix for the Cavs could provide more strength on the defensive end. Danny Ferry must be a fan of the Matrix. The Cavs GM is doing everything he can to keep the King wearing the wine and gold unis after 2010. Marion could be the missing piece in LeBron James' quest of earning his first NBA Championship. Keep working on your phone lines Mr. Ferry. You might get an A+ in LeBron's grade sheet should this trade ever happen.

***********

Recently, Kevin McHale decided to coach again for the L-Wolves, which is nothing special for some (including yours truly). Minny hasn't been the same since KG was traded to the Celtics last year. New unis, new arena, new faces like rookie Kevin Love trying to help the Wolves back in their winning ways. Fans in Minny are starting to embrace the change, or so they thought.

After coach Randy Wittman was realieved of his coaching duties about a couple of weeks ago, Kevin McHale stepped in to coach the Wolves. Since he started coaching the Wolves again, they just kept racking up L's rather than W's. That's not the type of change the fans in Minny had in mind. Since the string of coaches that were fired in the L, the Wolves new coach wasn't surprised of the recent firings.

Kevin McHale had something to say about it:

"I think you're going to see more and more shorter term stuff in our league," he said. "Just because the access now, there's so much media availability and everything else. There's just so many bloggers; everybody's got an opinion. There's all kinds of stuff going on. Sometimes that starts forming the opinion of people in front offices, too, and owner. It's been kind of a crazy year so far."

Wow! The blogosphere wasn't spared in his comments. That only proves a lot of people have so much to say about what's happening in the NBA. Maybe Kevin McHale should have his own blog on NBA.com. That would be interesting. Fans from all over the world will always respect McHale's achievements who has won championships with the Celtics and an NBA Hall of Famer. But as a coach, that's a different story. He hasn't been successful as coach even when KG was still in Minny before.

If the Wolves start racking up wins then perhaps the fans of Minny can start giving you some love. In the meantime, better work on your X's and O's. The success rate of your team could have some positive results.

Sneaker Love...

The Air Jordan 11 & 12 Countdown Package drops on December 20, 2008.

Christmas is just a couple of weeks away and I'm hellbent on getting the ultimate Christmas gift for myself. Being a sneakerhead, I always drool whenever I see a nice pair of kicks in shoe stores. One shoe brand in particular is the Jordan Brand. Though I have always been a Nike guy since I got my first pair of Nikes when I was 7 years old. I can't remember the model but all I can remember that it was a high-top shoe with a white/blue colorways. Kinda looks like an Air Force 1 shoe.

I remember rocking Nike cross-training High-top (or was it a mid) Air Huaraches and Air Max 90's back when I was 12. Those are the first shoes I've ever had in the Nike Air line. I even wrote to Santa to perhaps get a pair of black Air Jordan VI's for Christmas (I was 10 years old back then, I believe) but of course, that never happened (boo, Santa!!! hahaha). That I believe was the time when I started getting into Air Jordans. I got my first pair of J's in 1998 when I got my black/white/red Air Jordan XIII's right in the middle of the 98 NBA Playoffs. I was so happy getting that pair. I got it straight from Chicago, USA and I consider it one of my Holy Grails in my sneaker collection.

Yes, I was happy getting my first Air Jordans but one pair of J's I've always wanted was the Jordan XI Concordes. I was gonna buy one back in '96 but it was already sold out everywhere especially for my size (I'm a size 8 US). I was gonna get the black/white/red version of the shoe but was sold out as well. My neighbor had a pair of the Concordes and he was nice enough to let rock his J's from time to time (he's not really into shoes but he was a lucky bastard for having a pair of those J's. hahahaha). A couple of years later, I finally asked my friend if could buy his J's. I thought my dreams of finally owning that pair of XI Concordes (which I don't mind if it's used) would soon be a reality. My friend told me his friend never returned the shoes ever since he borrowed them. My heart dropped and since then the thought of owning a pair AJ XI's would remain a pipe dream. Despite the fact that Concordes were retroed back in 2001 I think, I wasn't able to buy the retor shoe either and I blame my dad not buying me those J's (Why?!!! T_T).

Fast-forward to 2008, my dream of finally getting the J's I've always wanted is just a week away. December 20 to be exact. I was bummed when I learned it was gonna be released on the 20th instead of December 26 as reported on NikeTalk. It doesn't matter though, I'm getting that Air Jordan Collezione/CDP (Countdown Package) 11 & 12 on the 20th one way or another. My dream of getting a pair AJ XIs (getting AJ XII taxi's is just a bonus for me) is the only thing I want for Christmas. I don't care If it's not the Concordes what matters is it's in OG colorways (I like black/white/red colorways actually).

Furthermore, come 20th of December, getting that Air Jordan CDP is the only thing I've always wanted in my life. I'd be a happy man if I get that pack, I'll be like 16 again and I won't be buying anymore J's. With that said, I'd be retired like Money (Michael Jordan) in the sneaker game.

Check out this link for the lowdown on the Air Jordan CDP.

Nets new arena will soon rise in Brooklyn.

In a couple of years perhaps, the Nets franchise is headed to the Bronx. It could be a new beginning for the ball club. The city of Brooklyn will have it's own pro league team since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. Residents of the city should thank rapper Jay-Z for bringing the franchise to Brooklyn. The New York Knicks can soon renew a rivalry with the Nets now that the team will just be a bridge away from the NYC.

The possible debut of the "Brooklyn Nets" will be in the year 2011. The construction of the arena has just been approved. The folks handling the project have a very tight schedule in their hands. But the developers are not sure if they could finish the development of the arena without any delays.

From Northjersey.com:

"We remain committed to the project in spite of the hurdles we still need to overcome," said Forest City chief executive Charles Ratner, cousin of Nets principal owner Bruce Ratner. The company owns about 25 percent of the Nets’ franchise and also is a partner in the condominium and rental components of the plan.

Charles Ratner said the developers can afford to delay construction of the project in 2009 if the economy continues to struggle.

"We continue to work with public parties, city and state, who are fully committed," said Ratner. "We can successfully [delay] until we are prepared to start, but I don’t know if I could answer specifically how long we could delay."

That doesn't sound like good news for basketball fans in Brooklyn. If the developers can't finish the arena in time for the Net's 2011-2012 NBA season, the games will be played at the IZOD center in New Jersey a while longer before finally moving to Brooklyn. Seems the Nets' front office isn't worried about the delays and all but Jay-Z and company are more worried about losing LeBron James in the 2010 free agency. Go figure.

World Basketball Championship set for 2010

FIBA has announced that the first-ever annual club championship will be launched on October 2010. Details of the said tournament are still on the preliminary stages but according to FIBA, it will consist of 5 top FIBA continental championship teams from Africa, North & South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania including a team invited by the host city. However, an NBA team cannot compete in the tournament.

But some folks in FIBA think it can be worked out in the future:

“There have been some talks with the NBA,” FIBA spokesman Marcos Beltra said. “We will organize the first World Club Championship and then study the situation and in the second one invite the NBA champion.”

Looks we won't be seeing any LeBron James or Kevin Garnett highlights in the inaugural tournament. But realistically, if an NBA team does join the event the team would have to sacrifice their pre-season games and FIBA rules apply in the tournament. Contrary to the NBA rules, it would be difficult for an NBA team to adjust in the International style of play. Teams from Europe, South America and Asia just to name a few, have applied FIBA rules in their respective pro-leagues. There's going to a lot of debate on whether or not an NBA team can contend in FIBA sanctioned tournaments.

A good example of a tournament wherein NBA players have competed and had a hard time adjusting to international rules would have to be The FIBA World Championships. I'm not saying an NBA team can't win the inaugural tournament but the contrasting styles of the NBA and International leagues is something to be considered. Of course, having a team from the NBA compete there would be very interesting and entertaining. Ball clubs from different continents won't have a problem preparing for 2010.

Having a tournament like this is something to look forward to. So for now, the NBA won't be participating for the debut of the World Basketball tournament come October 2010. If the tournament is a success, I guess it's just fitting that an NBA team should be in the mix for the next tournament. So NBA coaches, grab your FIBA rule book and start reading it.

Seems the only people who can join the tournament are the NBA scouts. Good luck with that one.

The Birth of Ms. Clavel

Yup. It's the Launch party of the Philippine's Official Magazine on sneakers, street fashion and the like on December 8, 2008 at the Embassy Cuisine, The Fort in Taguig City. Pinoy Sneakerheads unite and be their at the party and have a great time.



I'ma be there tonight and perhaps cover the event. I'll be posting some pics if ever I get the opportunity. This event is not to be missed for anyone who's into the sneaker culture. For more details just click this link.

Party starts @ 9 PM.

Pacquiao humbles De La Hoya in Vegas.

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and Team Pacquiao celebrates after his win over
Oscar "The Golden Boy" De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The Dream Match of Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar De La Hoya ended in a tremendous finish. Pacquiao was victorious over De la Hoya after 8 rounds via TKO. Referee Tony Weeks halted the match before the beginning of the 9th round, as requested by De La hoya's trainer Nacho Beristain. The odds are stacked on Pacquiao which most Boxing Pundits have favored De La Hoya to win the bout. But the disadvantage became the strenght for the Filipino fighter in the first 4 rounds. It was evident that Manny took control of everything while he (De La Hoya) wasn't able to make use of his height and reach advantage.

The Golden Boy clearly lost his focus. His strategy of going toe-to-toe with Pacman was the only way to perhaps take him down but was too quick for him. His advantages were all downplayed as Manny moved around in circles and toyed with Oscar the entire match. His strenghts indeed became his weakness and that determined who was gonna win the fight. The 35-year old De La Hoya took the most brutal beating from a fighter that is 4 inches shorter yet quicker than him. It wasn't his age that let him down but rather, it was the speed of Pacquiao that made the difference. His (Pacquiao) quickness was too much for the Golden Boy to handle.

Give credit to Oscar De La Hoya for putting up a helluva fight with Manny Pacquiao. Everybody expected the match to be a long one but surprisingly, it ended after 8 rounds. Both fighters did put up a good show and for those who went to Las Vegas to watch fight, spent money for the pay-per-view was well worth it. The Dream Match is already in the books, everybody went home happy. The Filipino fans celebrated with Pacman's win. Manny earned the respect of Mexican fans alike. Manny Pacquiao has already proven to the world that he's truly the best fighter in boxing today. His victory over De La Hoya was a statement. A statement that proves he can go up against even the biggest and strongest fighters from any part of the globe.

Now that Pacquiao's legacy is already etched in stone, boxing fans now await who Pacman's next opponent will be for next year. Speculations now brewing of possible opponents are Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez, Britain's Ricky Hatton, and former Welterweight Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (reportedly coming out of retirement). Whoever his next opponent for next year will surely be a good yet an entertaining fight at that.

Pacman's win over The Golden Boy made me feel proud to be Filipino even more. Congratulations Manny Pacquiao. You've put the Philippines in the map once again.

Mabuhay ka Manny Pacquiao! Mabuhay ang PILIPINAS!!!

King James is cool with Sir Charles.... Not!

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James poses in front of the home crowd.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

Interesting turn of events in the NBA. Seems the New York Knicks aren't the only ones who like to talk about the 2010 free agency. Charles Barkley, known for his honest-to-goodness comments as TNT's sports analyst had a few words about the King's future. Well, LeBron James didn't take Mr. Barkley's small talk on the latter lightly. And Obviously, he ain't happy at all. Something not to be thankful for perhaps.

The King speaks up: "He's stupid. That's all I've got to say about that," James said Friday night before the Cavaliers' game against Golden State.

Those are cold words. Reaction like that is quite common whenever Sir Charles talks about stuff in the NBA especially on a player like LeBron James. You simply can't blame Barkley for being honest about it. The free agency is 2 years away and there's so much hype on the King's possible departure from his hometown Cleveland to the Big Apple. It's gonna take a while for these two to kiss and make-up, until the All-Star Game in Phoenix that is. Whether that could happen or not remains to be seen.

For now, cheer up Bron! You still have a couple of years having fun times with the Cavs, yes? It can't be that bad. Oh happy days.

David West is another Pacquiao fan.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV"

Move over Kevin Garnett. There's another NBA player who's a fan of WBC Lightweight Champion Manny Pacquiao. New Orleans Hornets forward David West (fresh from the Hornets' win against the Clippers ) paid Manny Pacquiao a visit at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles, California. The Hornets forward admired how an impressive fighter Manny is. His speed and power is what made West a huge fan of the Filipino Fighter.

Pacquiao pretty much appreciated the nice gesture and even showed some of his own basketball moves to D-West. He was obviously impressed. Pacquiao himself is a huge NBA fan. Trainer Freddie Roach is not surprised of the visit and it's quite an everyday thing whenever Manny trains in LA for a big fight. Doesn't seem to be a distraction for him and Pacman.

Hollywood is not to be outdone of course by NBA players who wanted see the Southpaw from the Philippines train. Actor Mark Wahlberg even dropped by the gym to say hi. How cool is that? Getting some love not only in the NBA but also in Hollywood and the wrestling world. WWE Superstar Undertaker has long been a fan of Pacquiao. His popularity is just tremendous all over.

That is just a taste of what to expect come December 6 (December 7 in Manila) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As there will be more celebrities (and Pinoy Politicians) that are going to be in attendance to watch two of the best fighters slug it out.

The Pacquiao vs. Dela Hoya fight is something not to be missed.

The New York Knicks drama continues.

Knicks guard Stephon Marbury has yet to play in the 08-09 season of the NBA.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

There's still a lot of buzz in the NBA news wire on Starbury ever since Mike D'Antoni started coaching for the Knicks. Despite all the trades made to keep the team perhaps, in contention for the rest of the season and for the much talked about LeBron James sweepstakes for 2010. Donnie Walsh has been quite busy in the Knickerbockers office as of late. Nevertheless, the brouhaha on Stephon Marbury is still far from over.

You can't blame the Knicks fans for being a bit perplexed on the situation. Even Quentin Richardson had something to say about it. He's obviously not happy about it. For a cat like Marbury, who wanted to play for the Knicks clearly wants no part of the team already. The thought of being in such turmoil is killing him more than coach Mike D'Antoni or Donnie Walsh.

Now he gets suspended for refusing to play. Marbury however, reiterarted his stand on not playing a game against Detroit.

"If you say I got to play, I'm going to play," Marbury, speaking before the suspension, said in Friday's New York Post. "If he said I have to play, guess what, I'm going to get on the court and play, period. If I refuse to play, I'm getting suspended. I never told him I'm not going to play. Those words never came out of my mouth. That's insubordination."

It's unfortunate that the Knicks' coach and front office won't give in to let Starbury walk and play for another team that might need his services. It seems both parties are the ones making all the controversy even worse. Granted, the team has cleared cap space for the upcoming 2010 free agency and getting some good players in return off the trades (letting go of Jamal Crawford was a key loss) but the organization itself is suffering in more ways than one.

From the looks of it, the only thing clear is that Stephon Marbury is still being kept in the dog house of sorts in NYC. He has yet to play a game this season unless Knicks president Donnie Walsh finally realizes that "Coney Island's Finest" is better off playing for a another team. Knicks fans haven't been happy since the controversy broke out. At least, the LeBron James courtship is keeping the fans optimistic come summer of 2010.

The plot thickens.

Pacquiao's biggest fight looms closer.

Manny Pacquiao and Oscar Dela Hoya will fight next month
on who's the best fighter in the world of boxing.

As the most anticipated fight of the year draws near, A lot of boxing pundits have favored Golden Boy Oscar Dela Hoya to win due to his size advantage and power. Some however are on Manny Pacquiao's side because of his speed and his quick combinations. Since I'm Filipino, I'd put my money on Pacman. It's natural of course, but I can also see Dela Hoya very capable of beating Pacquiao in the process. There's a lot of debate on who's gonna win but I gotta admit, comparing these two top boxers is like comparing apples to oranges.

Well both camps have been quite confident of who's gonna knock out who. The newswire on the fight is creating a lot excitement and no doubt, boxing fans alike are itching to see the upcoming dream match. Pacquiao has been sparring with guys bigger than him and he has added some extra muscle in his 5'7" frame. Pacman is confident that his speed is still intact despite the added weight. “I’m very comfortable at this weight. There are a lot of people saying that Manny Pacquiao is moving up a weight division and, `Is he going to be fast or is he going to be slow?”’ Pacquiao said. “In training, we focus on speed, because the speed will be the key in this fight.”

He'll be fighting in a weight limit of 147 lbs. Technically, he has moved up to the Welterweight Division for this exhibition fight. It's the division the Golden Boy is perhaps most comfortable with.

For coach Freddie Roach, he knows Manny Pacquiao is ready to go toe-to-toe with Oscar Dela Hoya come Saturday, December 6 (Sunday, December 7 in Manila). The edge Pacman has over Dela Hoya is what Roach is confident about. What the trainer had to say about The Golden Boy of his chances on Pacman but did praise him on how he (Dela Hoya) has changed since his younger days and how he has transformed himself as one of the most dominant fighters.

Manny Pacquiao however, admits this is the biggest fight of his life. The biggest since perhaps, winning the WBC Lightweight Championship months ago. “This is the biggest fight in my boxing career,” he said. “This is my (chance) that the name Manny Pacquiao will be known not only in the Philippines, but in all boxing.”

For now, we can all make mock-predictions on the Pacquiao-Dela Hoya fight next month. One thing's for sure though, the whole world will be watching. Whoever wins, it will make a lot of fight fans happy and shelling out a lot of cash to watch the pay-per-view would be all worth it.

MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!!!!

Japanese schoolgirl makes sports history... in Japan.

16-year old Eri Yoshida is the first female in Japan to play pro
in a male-dominated sport.

Baseball is like the mecca of sports in Japan. Way bigger than soccer or basketball. Many Japanese players like Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui and Hideo Nomo are now playing in the US for the MLB. Now, who would've thought a 16 year old schoolgirl would be drafted by a pro baseball league in Japan? Well, surprising as it may be, but that same Japanese schoolgirl's life will be changed forever. Eri Yoshida has just become an instant celebrity in the world of sports.



Yoshida, a 5-foot baseball virtouso has an incerdible knack for pitching. She has become the first female to play with pro male players in Japan's sports history. That's the kind of thing that golfer Michelle Wie has been trying to achieve in the PGA but of course, that didn't happen.

Playing for an independent league is a stepping stone for Yoshida. "I have only just been picked by the team and have not achieved anything," she said. "I want to play as a pro eventually in a higher league."



She could very well be as big as the Pop idols Utada Hikaru and Ayumi Hamasaki, in the making. The popularity of Eri Yoshida will soon bring out a fan base from the high school boys and perhaps college boys, too. It won't be a surprise if her fellow players in the league would ask for her autograph.

Baseball will now be a bigger hit all thanks to Eri Yoshida and her nasty knuckleball.

Just don't make her mad though. You have been warned.

Money got OWN3D!!! Seriously?!!!

This happened in 2003. Some CEO dude named John Rogers beat MJ in a friendly one-on-one game in his own basketball camp. I couldn't believe it after watching the video. Even Damon Wayans couldn't believe it and he let Money know about it.

Here's what he said: "I mean I understand you get crossed up, dunked on, you know it happens... but at your own camp? Come on dawg! Take your picture down and put up Rogers right there."

A little jab on Money there by Wayans but I think he was being serious. hahahaha!!! Funny as always coming from a guy like him but I would have to agree with him. I mean, he's Michael friggin' Jordan!!! Some old fart beat him that easily?!! Surprising, I know.

So Money, whatever happened to "You reach, I teach?" From the looks of it, I think Mr. Rogers could play in the NBA for a 10 day contract, don't you think? Just a thought.

Does Lewis Hamiltion deserve to be World Champion?

Maclaren's Lewis Hamilton crowned 2008 Formula One World Champion

It's been about a week since the Brazilian Grand Prix concluded. Yup, the day Lewis Hamilton literally shattered Felipe Massa's dreams of becoming Formula One Champion for the first time. Adding more insult to injury, it happened right smack in his beloved country Brazil.

Massa thought the championship was already at hand as soon as he finished first for the chequered flag but Hamilton spoiled the pre-celebration at the Ferrari camp when Toyota's Timo Glock decided to let him finish 5th place at the pole. He only needed to finish 5th (for 4 points) to secure the championship crown.

It was the worst 30 seconds of Felipe Massa's driving career. He was somewhat robbed of the championship despite getting the win in front of the home crowd but Hamilton was the one who
stole the show. Hamilton then became the youngest world champion in F1 history. Tough luck for Ferrari for celebrating a little too early.

I've been a Maclaren fan since the Mika Hakkinen era. The Torch was passed to Kimi Raikkonen (now with Ferrari), he didn't live up to the hype much like Hakkinen did. When Fernando Alonso signed with Maclaren, I knew he could bring back the championship to Team Maclaren. Raikkonen then signed with Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton came into the picture.

Sure, there was a lot of controversy surrounding Alonso with Team Maclaren last year but Lewis (a rookie driver then) wanted to get in the middle of the Alonso-Raikkonen rivalry. Besides competing with Raikkonen for the champhionship, he had to contend with his fellow Maclaren driver Hamilton for it.

In last year's championship, It was almost a 3-way tie for the driver's championship. Kimi Raikkonen took pole position, getting enough points to seal the championship. Fernando Alonso went back to Renault and Hamilton became the number 1 driver of Maclaren and got Heiki Kovalainen as his teammate.

Since Alonso left Team Maclaren I sort of lost my faith in the team. I'm happy Maclaren is back on top but I felt Felipe Massa deserved to be champion even though I was never a fan of Ferrari. Indeed Lewis Hamilton is a great driver and all but I don't think it's his time to win it all, in my opinion. Then again, he won it anyway.

He's getting all the love back in England celebrating his win. Give him credit for bringing back the championship to Team Maclaren. Kudos to Felipe Massa for his tremendous effort and heart in winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. Much respect to Massa.

Hamilton may have won the F1 world championship but in Brazil, they all know who the real world champion is.

Money wants full ownership of the Bobcats

No surprise that MJ has always wanted to own a team. He was part-owner of the Washington Wizards years ago and now, he's minority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. That dream could come soon for Money as long as he's still around and majority owner Bob Johnson decides to sell it otherwise.

From NBA.com: "When Bob wants to step aside, I have no problem stepping in and saying, 'Hey, look, I'd love to take control of this franchise but Bob, he's not at that point now." Jordan says.

Well it would be nice to see him call a team his own but I think Money he should perhaps try and get a crack at buying a team where he established his legacy. Having brought 6 championships, his jersey number 23 hanging in the rafters and all. I know it's a long shot for Money to buy the Bulls franchise but you never know.

Pistons didn't have The Answer for game against the Raptors

Allen Iverson has yet to debut in a Pistons jersey.
(Allen Einstein/NBAE/Getty Images)

As reported on NBA.com, Iverson didn't see action for the Pistons in yesterday's game against the Raptors. It's a good thing for me, that I wasn't able to watch that particular game yet. I have no clue whether or not it was aired here in the Philippines.

Tayshaun Prince did most of the work scoring 27 points as Detroit cruised past Toronto 100-93. The Pistons now have a 4-0 win streak and is looking to extend the streak as soon as Iverson is set to debut for the Pistons, perhaps in their next game against New Jersey.

I'm not really an Allen Iverson fan but I sure wanna see him play with the Pistons. I think he (Iverson) is more comfortable in the East. I'm sure he'll fit in well in Detroit. In the west, I'm also looking forward to watching Mr. Big Shot play for the Nuggets for the first time. Chauncey Billups will definitely make a difference in Denver and perhaps Melo can learn a thing or two about leading a team and playing D for the Nuggets.

The Answer comes to Motown. C-Bills back in Denver

Allen Iverson comes to Detroit for a possible championship run.
NBAE/Getty Images

The rumored trade has been confirmed. Just yesterday, Joe Dumars has finally pulled the trigger and has completed the four-player trade between the Pistons and Nuggets. Both teams will now have added scoring depth in the likes of Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups. Mr. Dumars is definitely a happy man in acquiring The Answer to the Pistons lineup.

"We are pleased to welcome Allen Iverson to the Pistons organization," said Joe Dumars, Pistons President of Basketball Operations. "Allen has proven he is one of the elite players in the league and we like what he adds to our roster at the guard position. We appreciate everything that Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb brought to the organization during their time here in Detroit and we certainly wish them all the best."

With Iverson in the Pistons roster, Rip Hamilton will possibly make the role of the 6th man paving the way for point guard Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince as permanent starters. The Pistons will now have more scoring depth in Hamilton coming off the bench. The starting five will now consist of: Rodney Stuckey and Allen Iverson in the backcourt, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Jason Maxiell in the frontcourt.

Allen Iverson now has the opportunity to make another run for the NBA Championship.

Chauncey Billups on the other hand will back home to Denver along with Antonio Mcdyess to provide some championship experience and leadership for the Nuggets. The trade has beefed up the Nuggets' point guard and power forward spots respectively. It's something the team lacked in terms of rebounding since the departure of Marcus Camby, now with the LA Clippers and Eduardo Najera to the New Jersey Nets.

Recently, forward Juwan Howard was waived by the Nuggets which clearly makes way for Antonio McDyess in a starting role at the power forward spot. Essentially, the Nuggets have added scoring at the four-spot not just in rebounding. Nene can now play in his natural position at center in having McDyess at power forward.

Chauncey Billups comes home to Denver. NBAE/Getty Images

The Nuggets now have the lineup of: Billups (PG), Smith (SG), Martin (SF), McDyess (PF) and Nene (C). It will be interesting to see if C-Bills can gel with JR Smith in the Backcourt. At least Smith won't have to handle the ball all that much with Billups running the point.

Both the Nuggets and Pistons got value in this Blockbuster trade. As reported earlier in the offseason, Iverson was already in the trade rumors long before, so it's no surprise to see AI in a new team. What's quite daunting is that Billups' name was hardly mentioned (or at least some

would think otherwise) in the NBA rumor mill. A new beginning for AI and Mr. Big Shot playing for new teams. Expect more big trades like this to come during the season. For now, the Nuggets and Pistons are now the teams to watch because of the trade.

Jersey sales will be higher than usual once the Pistons Iverson jersey comes out in the market. All is well in the Motor City and the Mile High state.

Who'da thunk it?!!

I got this from slam's website and I never thought I'd see an ad like this for a video game on YouTube. No it's not for NBA Live 09 but for Guitar Hero 4. Seeing Alex Rodriguez, Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant (huh?!) is not what I imagined. Black Mamba lip-syncing a rock song is very uncharacteristic of him. Well, it seemed like he enjoyed the part. Just watch the video and see for yourself.

And I thought Kobe injured his knee in the NBA preseason. It sure looked like he's fine and dandy, to me...

Ateneo Soars High Capturing UAAP Crown. Chris Tiu Finally Gets His.

The Blue Eagles dominated the whole 71st season of the UAAP as the number one team in the league and have finally won the much coveted UAAP crown with a 62-51 victory over the De La La Salle Green Archers. It was destiny's calling for Ateneo as they stayed on top of the food chain and went on to win it all with a sweep against their long-time rivals in Green. A bittersweet ending for the defending champs.

Ateneo mentor Norman Black is in cloud 9 right now as it was his first championship win against Coach Franz Pumaren and the rest of The De La Salle Green Archers since leading the Blue Eagles in his 4 year coaching tenure.

“I’d like to dedicate this victory to the community,” said Black.

“It’s different because in the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) a lot of my success were also as a player. And I’ve never coached a college team before so it was a learning experience."

Rabeh Al-Hussaini's season MVP win was made even sweeter after his Ateneo squad swept the Green Archers in Game 2. The Blue Eagles big man has been a force to reckon with the whole season and his 31 points, 9 rebound performance, just one rebound shy of a double-double in Game 1 of the UAAP Finals last Sunday was proof enough to bag the MVP award.

Ateneo's Nonoy Baclao was named the UAAP Finals MVP. He was also the league's DOY (Defensive Player of the Year) who provided defensive spark for the Blue Eagles that caused a lot of trouble for the Green Archers' offense.

De La Salle's Rico Maierhofer wasn't a very happy camper and wasn't very supportive of Ateneo's win over his team. He was obviously, very vocal about it after getting T'd up with 1:31 left in the 3rd quarter and got booted out of the game. La Salle Coach Franz Pumaren co-signs with his big man Maierhofer for the poor officiating of the game. Jvee Casio, in his final year (and game) with the Green Archers was also in foul trouble the whole game then he was fouled out late in the 4th Quarter. A "W" over Ateneo would've forced a Game 3 but it was all Ateneo all game long.

When it was all said and done, the smoke was cleared, Ateneo emerged victorious either way. A win is a win. The Championship win for Ateneo meant so much for guard Chris Tiu. A good gift per se, for a player who played his final game in a Blue Eagles jersey. It's his first 'Chip and what could be better to win it all against La Salle. Tiu was very emotional about the win and who can blame him. The win erased their championship loss with the UST Growling Tigers in 2006.

“I couldn’t describe the feeling. I can’t control my emotion because this is my first championship in the UAAP,” said Tiu who came back hard at La Salle after being held to two points last Sunday.

“But this is sweet because it’s my last year,” he added.

Now that season 71 has already closed, it's a new chapter for the Ateneo Blue Eagles as Champions. Come season 72 of the UAAP, it's gonna be their turn to defend their title and rest assured, The De La Salle Green Archers will not forget their loss against the Blue Eagles and will come back for another Championship run. It's very likely that their paths will cross again when the Championship is on the line.

For the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the party's just begun....

Serbian Coach to helm RP National Team

Finally, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has named a new coach to lead Team Pilipinas into the highly competitive International Basketball contention. National Caging now has something to look forward to and the Philippines can now be taken seriously.

Serbian coach Rajko Toroman was the architect of the Iranian Team that captured last year's FIBA-Asia Championships in Tokushima, Japan. A formal meeting is set between the 53 year old Serbian mentor and SBP President Manny V. Pangilinan today.

“There’s no formal contract yet but the reaction of the SBP leadership in hiring Toroman as coach is good,” said SBP executive director Noli Eala. “He’s interested to coach the Philippines but at the end of the day it would still depend on the contract he’ll be offered.”

Having an international coach of his caliber will somehow boost the confidence of players whoever dons the National Team's jersey. Toroman seems to be enjoying his stay here in the Philippines. Watching a lot of college ball should give him a fresh idea of what Pinoy basketball is really about.

OFFCOURT Magazine is finally out!!!

I haven't been blogging for quite a while due to some personal issues I had to deal with. This is my first blog entry for this month of September. Now, time to get back to business....

Yup! The Philippine Basketball Association's (PBA) Official Lifestyle Magazine is already out! It's the first and only lifestyle magazine, by the way, that showcases the PBA personalities outside the hardcourt. It was officially launched last September 18, 2008 at the Ever Gotesco Mall in Commonwealth, Q.C. I believe it's the first leg of the mall tour. I'm hoping one of their stops would be somewhere down south (I live in Las Pinas) so I can check it out.

The players who graced the event were:

Mark Andaya
Kenneth Duremdes
Eddie Laure
Gerome Ejercito
Paul Artadi
Sunday Salvacion
Mark Macapagal
Cesar Catli

I'm one the writers there, by the way. I'm so glad all the hard work has finally paid off for yours truly and I simply can't wait to see that magazine myself. It's actually my very first published work as a professional writer (well, it's professional work so I guess I can consider myself as such. XD). I'm definitely proud of my accomplishment and I can't wait to do more stuff for OFFCOURT Magazine.

On that note, I'm still waiting word from my EIC (Editor-in-Chief) on when I can get my complimentary copies of the magazine. I sure hope I could get a lot so I can give some copies to my friends, family and relatives. I'm really stoked on getting my hands on that mag and I'm pretty sure that freshly released first issue is gonna be dope! It will be available nationwide, so grab your copies all you PBA fanatics and basketball junkies alike. Price is @ 125 php. Please support OFFCOURT Magazine....

Much love to y'all....

Learning experiences as a sports writer....

I just beat my deadline last night. I barely managed to do so. I've only done a couple of articles yet I feel the pressure is really getting into me. I didn't have problems finishing the very first article for the magazine I'm writing for. Ok maybe I did. Just run into some problems with names though but I was able to submit the goods before the deadline. That's good news for me. Then came my second assignment. It was the most important of all. And all of a sudden, things don't go your way.

Being a rookie writer, is really tough. You never know what's gonna happen whether in an interview or while trying to finish your article. Now I fully understand what this industry is all about. I'm just lucky that my editor is a little bit lenient and I'm not getting yelled at on the phone like most editors do. But I sure don't want to take my chances on his slight leniency. True enough that writing for a sports magazine can be pretty much demanding.

At some point in time, when things go wrong you tend to panic and point the blame on your editor. That's the last thing you wanna do if you're just starting your career. The only person you can blame is yourself. I know there are some circumstances that happen while trying do an article. Let's just say, some "accidents" do occur in such situations. Like what happened to me about a couple of days ago, I was about to send my article on Quinito Henson when I accidentally deleted my article while doing my spelling check on Microsoft Word. I don't know how it happened, believe it or not. I'm still trying to figure out how spell checks on Word can delete your document completely (my article just went blank after the spell check though it never prompted that it was already done or it has some sort of error in it). Worse, the document recovery feature didn't have my article saved. I was like "what the fuck just happened?!!!" Deep in my head I was screaming "noooooooooooooooo!!!!!"

I had to start from scratch. The good news was the recorded interview was already encoded. The good stuff I wrote was completely gone and it was a long one at that. talk about bad luck. No matter what, I did submit the article but it wasn't as dope as the one that was originally written. I just didn't want to disappoint my editor and cooperate with him. So, that's exactly what I did. Yet I wasn't satisfied I had to redeem myself somehow. I updated the previous article I sent to my editor and I was glad I remembered some of the stuff I had written on the original document that was deleted. I was determined to make the article as good as possible as I also didn't want to disappoint my Idol in sports writing, Quinito Henson. And the only way for my to make for all the bad vibes, so to speak, that had transpired is to update the article and make it better somehow.

When I did my interview with Mr. Henson, things were already going well when my mp3 player, which is also my voice recorder didn't have enough memory to record the other half of the interview. I was disappointed of course but alas, the good stuff and most important info was recorded. I'm just glad Mr. Henson was still nice and accommodating despite having recorded the session only 50% of it. Of course, I was as nervous as hell while I did the interview.

Anyways, I've learned a lot in this experience. I know I have a long way to go and I have absolutely so many things to learn along the way. One of those I've learned is that, you have to be able to compromise. Use whatever information you have for your article or research more. It helps. Another thing is, your recorder must have more than enough memory before going on an interview. Don't settle for anything less. I'm saying that because, that happened to me and I don't want to make the same mistake again. This is important, always and I mean always, submit your articles on time. I know what happened to me was an accident but the best thing for me to do is: always save the progress of your document before making any final checks on the overall article. Accidents can be avoided, as some people would say. That's another thing I need to keep in mind. Maybe I've just forgotten about it. Damn it, I'm really getting old.

I have some 3 rules to remember when doing interviews and writing articles:

1. Never fuck up.
2. Never, ever fuck up.
3. Never, ever, ever fuck up (I'm serious).

You don't have to be perfect. I know I'm only human but the last thing you wanna do is, well, fuck up! I mean who wants to screw up? Nobody does. But of course, that also happens even to the best in the biz. Heck, we all screw up. I guess the only thing to do is to simply avoid it in any way you can. It's either you put up or shut up. You just have to step up to the plate.

Michael Jordan: Me Vs. Kobe, Not Even Close

I may be biased on this long debated topic but if you ask me, I would have to agree with Money in that predicament. Sure, Kobe may be the best player in the L today but if Kobe does go one-on-one with Money in their prime, Jordan would win it. No doubt. He's just the G.O.A.T. period.

From the video, Money is kinda fed up with the Kobe-Jordan comparisons. For sure he meant what he said about Kobe. Hands down, Mamba will win for sure if he went one-one-one with Money at age 45. "Kobe would win because I'm older. In my prime, not even a contest." MJ said.

That statement is certainly the exclamation point on the comparisons. Who can blame him? Watching the video, at age 45, I think he can still play. There are some shades of the old Jordan before retiring for the second time in 1998. And yeah, he can still dunk.

For more about this clip, you can view the link here.

Nasty and Boomdizzle spoofs the movie: Step Brothers... Hilarious!!!

I got this from Slam Online. Steve Nash and Baron Davis did a great job on making this short spoof on the movie "Step Brothers." Looks to be a possible career venture for both Nasty and Boomdizzle perhaps, when they hang up their sneakers. Just watch the video and see for yourself.

I was laughing so hard watching this clip. They should make more of these short films in the future or better yet every off-season. They filmed it in Sta. Monica, CA. I can't wait for these two to make another spoof. Here's another link to the clip. Oh and by the way, Nasty can dance.

Some thoughts on the recently concluded 2008 NBA Madness, Agent Zero Tour and my upcoming interview with "The Dean" Mr. Quinito Henson

The writer with the Sacramento Kings Dance Team
(Photo By Roy Afable 07/12/08)

Yeah, I know I should've posted my stuff on this topic like a couple of weeks ago but I didn't. I sort crammed a little bit (ok, maybe I did cram too much). Been playing some video games, surfing the net, sleeping at home, heck I was merely bumming around and I've forgotten about blogging already. Anyways, I went to the final leg of the 2008 NBA Madness last July 12 at Glorietta but I first went to the meet and greet session of Malik Rose and the Sacramento Kings Dance Team at the Alabang Town Center on the same day, before heading to Glorietta later in the afternoon. I had a blast of course.

Considering that the NBA Hype didn't fade even after recent Manila visitor Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas aka Agent Zero had his Asia Tour courtesy of Adidas (they are also the official outfitter of the NBA). So it's no surprise pinoy fans are still thrilled to see another NBA player (even though he's not the superstar caliber), New York Knicks forward Malik Rose pay Manila a visit. It was also my first time to see upclose a real NBA Mascot. I'm talking about Charlotte Bobcats mascot Rufus the Lynx. It would've been nice if he made some sort of performance in the event. He just made an appearance and posed some pictures for the fans. I got my picture taken with Rufus the Lynx as well.

The Sacramento Kings Dance Team were very nice bunch as well. When I was at the their meet and greet session, they were nice enough to pose for pics with the fans. I was obviously one of the priviledged few to have that rare opportunity. I even got autographed photos of the members (I only got 5 out of the 6 members' signed pics). It was also great to get upclose with Malik Rose. I got an NBA postcard signed by Malik Rose. Another NBA autographed memorabilia added to my collection. It was still dope getting his autograph even though he's not as big as Gilbert Arenas. Of course it was way more dope getting my NBA jersey signed by Agent Zero but it's still all good y'know.

Speaking of Agent Zero, it was nice of him to mention how much he loved Manila/Philippines. It would be hella cool if he comes back next year, bring some fresh NBA talent and have an exhibition here in the country. I wouldn't miss that for sure. You can check out his post about his recent visit here in the country through this link I know I could've given him that artwork of him I did when I had the chance but that's ok. If he does come back here next year, I'll make an even better artwork of him than the one I previously did. And next time, I won't forget to bring the artwork again. Mad props to him again for giving positive feedback to my beloved country. I just couldn't take my eyes off my autographed jersey by Gil. I need to have it framed. I just don't have enough cash at the moment to preserve it.

Right now, I'm really stoked on interviewing one of the most respected sports analysts in the country, "The Dean" Mr. Quinito Henson tomorrow. You know what, I never expected this. I've met and spoke to him in some rare occasions but interviewing him was beyond my imagination. When I called up my Editor-in-Chief (he actually asked me to call him) last Friday, I was expecting an assignment on another PBA player (I interviewed Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings guard Ronald Tubid for my first write-up) to interview and write about for the upcoming PBA lifestyle magazine called "Offcourt" (I hope the name is already finalized as I type this). Or so I thought. He asked me if I was free on Wednesday. Of course, I told him I was free for that day (heck, I'm always free these days) and then he told me that "The Dean" was going to be my next assignment. Somewhere in my head I was screaming "Holy Shit! Are you kidding me?!!" while talking to my editor on phone. I was surprised when he brought up Quinito Henson's name for my next assignment but at the same time, I was happy. I mean, I never thought I'd actually be interviewing someone whom I've Idolized for a long time (well, I've also idolized the likes of Michael Jordan and Jim Lee, to name a few). Who'da thunk it?!! Man, this is just dope.

After the call, the only word that came out my mouth was "wow." Interviewing Mr. Henson could be somewhat the highlight of my young sports writing career. Now I'm getting the jitters already. I couldn't get over the goosebumps all over my being. I'm excited and at the same time nervous. I mentioned in my post here in my blog a month ago about wanting to meet Mr. Quinito Henson again someday, but I never thought it would be that soon already. I still have no idea what kind of questions I should ask him for the interview until now. I'll just ask my editor on that one before the interview. Oh well, I just hope I do well tomorrow. On that note, I'ma get some shut eyes already. I wanna be fresh for tomorrow and I don't wanna be late for my appointment with "The Dean" Mr. Quinito Henson. I'll catch you guys later. I'm out like Josh Childress going to Greece to play for the Olympiakos.

Agent Zero rocks Manila

Gilbert Arenas aka Agent Zero makes an appearance at the Adidas Shop in
Rockwell Makati City.
(Photo by Roy Afable 07/06/08)

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas made an impact as soon as he arrived here in Manila, Philippines. He didn't disappoint his Filipino fans when he visited selected Adidas stores yesterday as part of his Agent Zero Asia Tour. It was truly a treat for us NBA fans. From the looks of it, Agent Zero pretty much enjoyed his stay here.

I was lucky enough to be invited for a rare opportunity to meet and greet Arenas in his second leg of his Adidas store visit at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati. Special thanks to Sir Rommel (I didn't get his last name) for the invitation. When I got there yesterday, it was already packed. I got there about 10 minutes before the said time his arrival there.

Armed with my handy dandy digital camera, Adidas replica jersey of Gilbert Arenas and of course, a pen. The crowd was really excited. I really wished I was able to witness all of his mall visits but I'm just happy to just witness one of them.

Fans roared when he finally arrived. He did a little trivia contest and gave away some Adidas goodies (I think) to the winners. Then he went inside the store and only peeps in the guest list are the fortunate ones to get close to him. I was able to get a piece of his hand when he was giving hi fives along the way. He was wearing wearing his white NBA Live 08 shirt underneath his white sweat jacket (that matched his pants of course) and I presume he's wearing his NBA Live 08 Gil II Zeros to go with it.

There were some who were able to get his autograph and at the same time, get a photo op with him but getting Gilbert Arenas' autograph on my jersey was something what I really wanted. There was this supposed "line" to get his autograph. When I was almost getting close, Arenas stood up and bade farewell to his adoring fans (it was after he put his hand print/mark on a cement). I thought I had already lost hope of getting my jersey signed by Agent Zero himself. With that in mind I had to fulfill my mission or the opportunity given to me will be for nothing.

The opportunity came for me when he was mobbed by his fans on his way out of the store. Lucky for me I was in the middle and I saw him signing autographs while walking. I reached out my jersey almost in front of his face after he signed a fans shirt. He signed it quickly (he kind stopped a little bit while signing my jersey) and the rest was history. Mission accomplished! There were some fans pushing me. I had to go with the flow before I get myself injured in the process.

Everybody was all smiles after he left the store. Who wouldn't be? All the fans had a great time including myself of course. Had to get my picture taken with my freshly signed jersey by Gilbert Arenas. Speaking of pictures, I had a hard time taking pics of him inside the store. I'm just not blessed with a height of a basketball player.

The writer with his Adidas replica jersey freshly signed by
Agent Zero Gilbert Arenas
(Photo by Roy Afable 07/06/08)

I was supposed to bring an artwork I did of him that I really wanted to personally give it to him but I wasn't able to bring it with me. I was thinking twice whether I should head to Trinoma Mall for his final leg of Adidas store visit to personally give the artwork to him or not. The problem is, there's no guarantee that I'd be able to personally give the artwork to Agent Zero, plus I don't have enough time to back to my house in Las Pinas, pick up my artwork and head to Trinoma Mall in Q.C. I'm sure he'll love it. In the end, I just went straight home. I was just too tired to go there (Trinoma). Yeah, I still feel bad that I failed to personally give the artwork I did to him (some of my artworks can be viewed in my deviantart page). It's still all good though.

On that note, I have to go back to work. I have to finish an article on a PBA player which is due this Friday. I'm out like Baron Davis signing with the LA Clippers.