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!!!