Happy Holidays to everyone all over the world!!!

Some F1 updates...

F1's new duo: Italy's Jarno Trulli and Finland's Heikki Kovalainen
joins Lotus F1 Team, looking to make an impact in Formula One next season.
(Eurosport UK/Associated Press)

The return of Lotus F1 team in Formula One competition for the 2010 season is in full blast. The signing of Italian Jarno Trulli and Finland's Heikki Kovalainen looks to be promising for the Malaysian-based team:

Experienced Trulli had been strongly linked to the team after Toyota pulled out of the sport, while Kovalainen was freed up after being replaced at McLaren by world champion Jenson Button.

Malaysian Fairuz Fauzi was named as the team's third driver.

"(Trulli) will bring us a lot of experience to develop the team, and Heikki is a young driver but has phenomenal experience so I think we have two fantastic drivers with Fairuz as well," team principal Tony Fernandes said at a ceremony in Malaysia's parliament.

"It's a wonderful mix of experience, youth and passion and shows our seriousness to be a world championship contender."

Looks to me, that the Motorsport is gonna be even more competitive. Every F1 team should be somewhat concerned. Why? If any of them have forgotten how Mercedes GP (formerly Brawn GP) literally shocked the F1 world and dominated last season-- they oughta start refreshing their memory. Lotus F1 could pull off something like that in 2010. Y'all never know.

Speaking of competitiveness, news in the grapevine that Michael Schumacher is coming out of retirement (again?!). Although this is not the first time I've heard of his supposed return to F1 contention but this time it's for real. And what's suprising is that he won't be driving for Ferrari. Instead, he'll drive for Mercedes GP! Who'da thunk it:

Michael Schumacher is close to making a sensational return to Formula One after agreeing a one-year contract with Mercedes, according to reports in Germany.

Bild and Focus magazine reported on Saturday that the seven-times world champion will compete for the new Mercedes team - formerly Brawn - next season if he passes a mandatory medical.

Schumacher had planned to return to F1 with Ferrari in the summer after Felipe Massa was sidelined following a crash, but due to neck injuries suffered in a motorcycle crash, his return was put on hold.

Whoa! I never thought I'd say this but for the first time ever: I'll be a Schumi fan! Although I was never a Ferrari nor a Michael Schumacher fan since I started watching F1 in the late 90's. With him joining the Black and Silver team, perhaps it's time for me to jump ship. Jenson Button will always be my favorite F1 driver yet I'm a bit disappointed that he bolted to McLaren -- fresh from winning his Drivers' Championship about a couple of months ago. All I can say is, teaming up with Lewis Hamilton could make or break his career. Well, he did give some love to his former team though.

Oh, Kimi Raikkonen goes WRC by the way. Now, that's what I call shocking news. A surprise indeed.

It's Official: Air Jordan XI Space Jam on December 23.

The most coveted J's will drop in the US as a GR or General Release. Filipinos aren't stoked on the fact that the Space Jams will be dropping here in the Philippines as a Limited Release. Damn it! Only 60 pairs (or less, that's what I heard)?!! There goes my chances of finally copping my first ever Air Jordan XI's since it first came out 13 or 14 years ago. SMH!!!

My only consolation is that the Retro Air Jordan XII white/red colorway is a guaranteed cop. But then again, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for some changes prior to December 23rd. If it does go on a limited release, then I can just camp out the day before the RD (release date) or hope for a re-stock of the J's on January 2010. I really want those J's so bad....

Mark Cuban just can't get enough of Wrestling...

This video says it all. Stay classy Cubes.

Pacquiao-Mayweather slug fest: It's on!!

That's right fight fans! The Pacquiao-Mayweather duel will be on March 13, 2010 -- which a lot of boxing pundits are somewhat referring to it as "the fight of the Millennium". I've been waiting for this dream match to happen and finally, it's gonna be a reality -- all thanks to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. This one is going to be yet another money-maker and will surely not disappoint.

Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr has already started training for the mega-bout. Speaking of Mayweather, everybody knows how he likes to talk a lot. I mean, dude likes to put a lot of hype. I respect his skills as a fighter but "Pretty boy" can be a bit overconfident. He thinks he got Pacman's number come March:

Floyd Mayweather Jr believes he will knock out Manny Pacquiao when boxing's two biggest stars meet in 2010.

The American and the Philippines star, regarded as the world's two best pound-for-pound boxers, are finalising plans for a welterweight meeting on 13 March.

And unbeaten Mayweather, 32, said: "He's been knocked out before and he's taken losses. I'll be victorious."

Apparently, the writer of the published article is obviously a Mayweather fan. It's too early to predict who's going to win but I'd still put my money on Manny Pacquiao, no doubt about it. It doesn't matter if he lost 3 times (if I'm not mistaken) in his boxing career but he's still The pound-for-pound King!

On the lighter side of things, Manny Pacquiao got some SLAM love. That's right, there's an interview of Pacman on SLAM Magazine issue 134 (which already hit magazine stands everywhere and here in the Philippines). Shout outs to Slam writer Tzvi Twersky for featuring the Philippines' on the pages of SLAM.

So boxing fans, mark your calendars -- March 13, 2010 is the date (March 14 here). That will surely be a fight of epic proportions, literally.

Nike to drop limited edition Manny Pacquiao kicks this September.

Want a piece of history? Head to Nike Bonifacio High Street, The Fort
on September 25, 2009 and get the limited edition Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mids.
Limited to 259 pairs.

To all sneakerheads and Pacquiao fans, y'all want some limited edition Pacman stuff? Nike will be dropping the Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid shoes and Tees on Friday, September 25 at their flagship store in Bonifacio High Street, The Fort. These will be gone fast, that's for sure.

From Nike.com.ph:

In commemoration of Manny Pacquiao’s historic win over Ricky Hatton, Nike will give Pacquiao fans a chance to own a piece of history with the limited edition 259 Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid shoe and Pacman Knows Tee. Both products celebrate Manny’s quick ending and astonishing knock-out time against Ricky Hatton last May 2, 2009. With only an interval time of two minutes and fifty nine seconds (2:59) the Hitman was knocked out on the canvas, adding another badge of victory to our very own Pacman.

On September 25, Pacquiao fans get the chance to claim their own triumph with the release of exclusive products. Only 259 pairs of the 259 Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid shoe along with 1,000 pieces of the Pacman Knows Tees will be sold at Nike Park The Fort at exactly 9:25pm.

"Nike is proud of what Manny Pacquiao has accomplished and continues to celebrate his triumphs," explains Mae Dichupa, Country Marketing Manager for Nike Philippines. With the launch of our latest limited edition products specially designed to commemorate the victorious battle of Pacman, we continue to show our support for our national athlete."

Taking inspiration from the historic KO, the Nike 259 Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid shoe and Pacman Knows Tee glow when the lights go out, much like Manny Pacquiao after knocking out Ricky Hatton. The shoe sports a translucent rubber sole with the date of the fight and the time pops through in fluorescent paint. The tongue is labeled with “Pac Man Knows” and his MP graphic. All of the contrast stitching, embroidery around the swoosh, laces, midsole star pattern and laser etching on heel glow in the dark as well. The limited edition tee has a speckled finish on the MP Crest and the date, time, word “Knows,” swoosh and neck tape glow in the dark. The Tee will retail at P1,095 while the 259 Pacman Knows Trainer 1 Mid is P5,995.

A first-come, first-served scheme will be applied when doors open at 9:25pm on September 25, and a one-shoe and maximum of three tees per customer policy shall be implemented. No reservations will be accepted at the store.

Product Shots:

Man, those kicks look dope. Glow-in-the-dark shoes make this pair more ill than ever! I would love to cop them shoes but can't. The Pacman Knows Glow-in-the-dark Tee will be copped instead. A hefty price for a shirt -- I'm still getting that one nonetheless.

Anyways, mark your calendars and synchronize your watches folks, y'all don't wanna miss on copping the limited edition Pacquiao swag.

Jenson Button finally breaks slump in Italy.

One-two finish: Brawn GP teammates Jenson Button and Brazilian Rubens Barichello
celebrate their victory at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Italy last September 13, 2009.
Barichello finished 1st place while Button placed 2nd respectively.
(Eurosport UK/AFP)

After watching the highlights and results of the Italian Grand Prix last Sunday, it's safe to say that JB is back! I've been waiting for him to pick up where he finally left off. Although having finished 2nd in the podium, he still tops the Drivers' Championship by 80 points. His Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barichello got the chequered flag and he's the number 2 guy in the standings. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen placed 3rd in the race.

At least now, all the smoke is cleared on what happened at the Belgian Grand Prix recently. I expect him to repeat his performance in Singapore. It would be better of course, if he finishes first there -- he should still be fine if he takes 2nd or 3rd -- as long as Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel or his Brazilian teammate Barichello finish in any of the top 3 spots. Though I'm happy he had a good race last week, he still needs to redeem himself. His 2nd podium finish should be a wake up call for him.

On that note, I hope his win streak continues at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore come September 27. Time for you to step up Mr. Button. Your top spot in the Drivers' Championship is hanging in the balance.

Novak Djokovic hearts John McEnroe.

After winning his match, Novak Djokovic calls out John McEnroe for quick pickup game. Per Novak's request, the tennis legend accepted the challenge. Djokovic did a little classic McEnroe impersonation (duplicating the one he did during practice) while waiting for Johnny Mac to come down to the court all the way from the Fox Sports announce booth. That must be his way of showing some love to his legendary (and controversial) sports hero.



In the end, the young blood got PWN3D by good ol' Johnny Mac. Epic.

And yes, he can still smash them balls.

Slacking and not being able to keep up....

I know I've been falling behind on a lot of stuff these past few days or weeks perhaps. I just realized how hard it is to keep my blog running at the same time, keeping up to date with everything that's happening in the sports world. It would be easy to just write about one sport but being a well-rounded writer like myself, I just like to talk about other stuff I'm interested with.

Anyways, I will try my best to post some stuff as many as I can. One of the reasons I'm falling behind is that everything that I post here should be timely and relevant. I simply want to produce a quality sports blog that is worth reading (for some I guess). So far, I have yet to post my stuff on Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's visit in the country recently. That article will be up this month that's for sure.

As for the events happening this September, the only big event happening here is the NBA Asia Challenge which is just a few days away (Friday, September 11 to be exact). Since I missed the presscon of the NBA Legends that arrived here yesterday, I'm hoping I could get a chance to watch and cover the event. Once I get the opportunity, I'll be blogging about it asap including game notes.

That would be a great birthday gift for me if ever. Please God make it happen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Air Jordans featured on ESPN.

The Worldwide Leader in Sports showing some love to the GOAT and his kicks. What great timing for his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame.



Epic.

It's gotta be the shoes, Money!

Musings of a DLSU Green Archers fan...

I've been a proud supporter of the Green Archers way back when they ruled the UAAP in the late 90's. It was the decade that opened my eyes to local college hoops and rest was history. Although I never studied at De La Salle University in college (I wish I did), they are simply the best when it comes to basketball.

Obviously, it's the only sport I follow in the UAAP. Anyways, I just wanna talk about what's currently happening to my team. Since the departure of key players Jvee Casio and Rico Maierhofer, the Archers are now at a crossroads. It's now up to forward James Mangahas -- the only role (and clutch) player left in the roster -- to lead the Gang Green back into title contention. From the looks of it, he (Mangahas) doesn't seem to be comfortable being the leader of the pack. Perhaps coach Franz Pumaren already saw it coming. Ok, so he expected it.

To put things simply, things are not going as planned for the Green Archers. It's sad to see my team get whooped by teams like the UP fighting Maroons(!), their arch rivals Ateneo Blue Eagles, Adamson Soaring Falcons and just recently -- to the UE Red Warriors. They are now 5th in the standings with a 5-6 (or 7) win-loss card -- a couple of games behind 4th seed UST Growling Tigers(?!) unfortunately. Yeah, who'da thunk it?

UST leads the league in scoring (82.5 ppg), turnovers and has poor defense. Yes, they don't defend a lot. The reason? Simple. They allow their opponents to drop almost 84 points (83.8 to be exact) on them -- the only drawback for a run-and-gun team. The surprising part is, they are still winning(?) albeit their lack of defensive prowess. Another thing is, UST mentor Pido Jarencio is not a firm believer of DEFENSE. I'll talk about more on my thoughts on the UST cage team some other time. No wonder he didn't go to Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's basketball clinic for coaches last July (I have yet to post my stuff on that event).

Going back to the Archers, their loss to the Red Warriors last August 29 halted their hopes in making it to the Final Four. Even if they win their next few games -- including their showdown with UST (a do-or-die match to vie for a Final Four spot) -- it's not enough to make the cut, to say the least -- unless the The Growling Tigers to lose their upcoming games (they had an easy win over the NU Bulldogs last August 30 which is no surprise).

I know the chances of making it to the semis is rather slim but I guess the inevitable is already sinking in for the Green Archers -- most especially coach Pumaren. He knows his team's on the brink of elimination. La Salle fans (myself included) will find it hard to fathom the fact winning a title -- let alone make it to the Final Four -- won't happen this year. But there's no harm in hoping for a miracle though. Had Rico Maierhofer stayed for his final year in DLSU, maybe they still have a fighting chance. That's just wishful thinking I guess. Dude will now be playing where the big boys are at -- the PBA.

It's gonna take a while for the rooks to get a hang of Franz Pumaren's system. Besides, he (coach Pumaren) never said it was going to be easy. Joshua Webb is gonna be a star for the Archers in the coming years, that I'm pretty sure of. All I can say is, give them 2 or 3 years and the Gang Green will be back in the title hunt. Count on it.

Viloria still IBF Light Flyweight champ.

Brian "The Hawaiian Punch" throws a thunderous right-hook on Mexico's
Jesus "El Azul" Iribe in round 9 of the IBF Light Flyweight
championship match in Honolulu, Hawaii.
(Hugh Gentry/AP)

I missed another exciting boxing match event and settled for the replay. Regardless, I predicted Brian Viloria would win and retain the strap last Sunday -- I was right. It was a good fight indeed but I figured it won't be a walk in the park to fight a Mexican like Jesus "El Azul" Iribe. It was deja vu all over again I suppose. Mexicans not making the weight limit -- I think that's suspect. Just like what happened in Nonito Donaire's bout barely a couple of weeks ago, Iribe managed to last 12 rounds -- with some extra pounds to his credit.

Well, it didn't matter to "The Hawaiian Punch" as he kept his composure and defeated the Mexican slugger via unanimous decision. Of course, I (and everybody else) wanted to see "El Azul" floored but that obviously didn't happen. It was another win for the Philippines nonetheless. It seems as though Filipinos fighting Mexicans is becoming a trend already. Like Donaire, Brian Viloria wants to face yet another Mexican in his next fight. I'm sure it's going to be a title match when that happens.

Mad props to Brian "The Hawaiian Punch" Viloria for his successful IBF Light Flyweight title defense last August 30 (August 29 in Hawaii). Congratulations! A well-deserved victory indeed. Hope he keeps racking up W's (via KO perhaps). Truly, he'll be one of the top Filipino fighters in history alongside Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr. and Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

NBA Asia Challenge 2009 coming to Manila on September

That's right! The biggest hoops event is set to drop here in the Philippines next month: The NBA Asia Challenge 2009. This major basketball event will hit Manila on September 11 (that day happens to be my birthday), 7 pm @ the Araneta Coliseum.

The Manila tour will feature NBA Legends and NBA D-League players going up against the PBA All-Star team in a friendly exhibition game. NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will helm the NBA-NBDL team along with former NBA players Tim Hardaway, Slam Dunk Champ Dominique Wilkins, Robert Horry and Vlade Divac.

Filipino NBA fans will also be entertained by New Jersey Nets Dance Team and their mascot Sly. Check out the NBA's official website for details. For ticket inquiries, call 911-5555/374-9999 or visit Ticketnet's website.

I'm so gonna go to that event. Ain't missing it for the world.

Pinoy Power 2 thoughts

Gosh, I haven't posted anything since last month. Well, there is one just to fill up my blog before putting up a good one (see the MJ video below). Anyways, on to the subject.

Another huge boxing event catered Filipino fight fans alike last August 16. Three of our top Filipino fighters slugged it out in a boxing PPV dubbed as "Pinoy Power 2". The first one was held here in the Philippines, if I'm not mistaken. While it's not a Manny Pacquiao fight, it was still a fight worth watching. I was able to watch the replay of the fight but not in it's entirety. I only caught the mid card and main event matches. Wish I had watched the other fights especially the other Filipino fighter Mark Jason Melligen who won the non-title undercard match. Congratulations!

I know should've posted my stuff about this the day after the fight but it's better late than never nonetheless.

Midcard Mishap

I believe this was the fight everybody's been talking about. The Bernabe-Luevano match ended in controversial fashion. The Philippine's own, Bernabe Concepcion got DQ'd for hitting Luevano when the bell sounded at the end of the 7th round. While Concepcion was clearly disappointed about the referee's call in the Super Featherweight bout, Coach Freddie Roach blew his top upon hearing Referee Jay Nady's decision.

Truth be told whether you like the decision Jay Nady made in disqualifying Bernabe Concepcion for hitting Steven Luevano after the bell sounded the end of the seventh round or not, it was a decision that had to be made. What was bothersome however was Nady accusing Concepcion of blatantly and deliberately hitting Luevano after the bell and said to officials and Concepcion’s corner,

“He heard me and he heard the bell because I was right there.”

Concepcion’s corner man Freddie Roach justifiably shot back and questioned Nady

“How do you know he heard you?!”

Nady then insisted,

“It was wrong! It was simply wrong!”

and when Roach tried to dispute Nady’s accusation that Concepcion maliciously hit Luevano after the bell, Nady yelled at Roach and said,

“Don’t argue with me! Don’t argue with me!!!”

Mad props to Freddie Roach for putting up with Referee Jay Nady.

You be the judge on this one. But I would have to agree with Filipino fight fans and Sports Analysts that it was a clear acting job on the part of Luevano. It's as if he set up Bernabe for him to keep his title. I mean seriously, when the round is over, fighters immediately go back to their corners. Luevano didn't turn around and headed back to his corner. Instead, he lowered his guard looked at Concepcion somewhat in a teasing manner to hit him.

Unfortunately, the Filipino fighter fell victim to his bait and decked Luevano with a two-punch combo -- which obviously was unintentional. He didn't have time to pull his punches (I don't anybody can pull those 2 punches that quick). The ref may have made the right call but the message is loud and clear: Bernabe Concepcion was robbed! He deserves a rematch for the Super Featherweight championship. Word has it, that the possible rematch will happen on December -- Please make it happen Bob Arum!

I have to give props to defending Super Featherweight champ Steven Luevano for his Oscar winning performance in Las Vegas. He should start an acting career as soon as he's done with boxing. When the rematch does happen in a few months, expect him (Leuvanoto) to pull off yet another one of his "special performances". He (Bernabe Concepcion) ain't gonna fooled again. We Filipinos hope he knock the Mexican's teeth out and take away his precious Super Featherweight title. We be celebrating for sure.

Donaire's biggest fight

This was the match I've been anticipating. I know the Donaire-Concepcion bout wouldn't disappoint boxing fans. Filipino boxing pundits believe it's going to be "The Filipino Flash" Nonito Donaire Jr.'s toughest match to date. Despite his height and reach advantage, Panama's Rafael "El Torito" Concepcion is one tough cookie. The odd thing about it was -- he's too bulky to be a Super Flyweight. Seemed like he wasn't planning on making things easy for his Filipino opponent -- and so he did.

Donaire had to drop his Flyweight titles (IBF and IBO Flyweight championships) to move up a weight division to challenge Rafael Concepcion for the WBA Interim Super Flyweight title. The jump would prove to be a fruitful one after all.

Wear yellow for Cory

He mentioned this a couple of weeks before his fight that he would wear yellow in a tribute to the late former President Corazon Aquino, who succumbed to colon cancer last August 1. His title match was also dedicated to her as well. That was another thing I was waiting to see. True to his word, he did wear not just yellow trunks but also a yellow robe for his fight. At the back of his robe read: I.M.O. (In Memory of) Former President Corazon Aquino and his trunks had Cory's last name printed on it.

The Filipino Flash looked dope in his yellow trunks, by the way. A great tribute indeed for the President Cory.

Donaire on a roll

After fighting a hard fought 12 round match, The Filipino Flash won his 3rd title and his first Super Flyweight title via unanimous decision. The bulkier Rafael "El Torito" Concepcion clearly showed his resiliency as he held his ground for the entire bout. El Torito suffered a cut under his left eyebrow in round number 3, if I'm not mistaken. Surprisingly, the injury wasn't much of a hindrance to him. Dude's real tough I tell you.

Donaire had a good strategy going as he he's always moving around the ring. The reason is that, he was avoiding the slugger from Panama's dirty tactics. Concepcion was giving Donaire a headbutt every time they get tangled up. I'd say that's smart boxing by The Filipino Flash.
When Concepcion was interviewed after the match he was asked about his thoughts of his encounter with the Filipino. Through an interpreter, this is what he said:

“I was expecting a fight from a real Filipino fighter, not a runner. He didn’t want to fight. He wanted to run. … I knew he was a great fighter, a great technician. If he would have had a warriors’ heart, we would have exchanged more.”

Word to El Torito: Props to you for lasting 12 rounds and giving Donaire a helluva fight. HOWEVA, telling the whole world that he was running away from you was just plain stupid. If you weren't headbutting our boy perhaps he wouldn't be avoiding your dirty tricks (and further head injury). He got more boxing IQ than you. Oh and by the way, The Filipino Flash is a great fighter and he can beat you toe-to-toe -- even though you're heavier than he is.

The only thing I noticed in Donaire fight is that he loses his footwork sometimes (he tripped twice especially in round 12). I'm no boxing expert but clearly he's over swinging his punches which leads to, well, losing his footwork. Another thing, his defense has greatly improved but often times his guard is down whenever he lowers either his left arm or both. That's just my observation. I may be wrong on that. As I've said before, I'm no expert when it comes to boxing.

I have to say it was one of the best yet controversial boxing events I've seen. Pinoy Power 3 is reportedly in the works. I can't wait for that. Kudos to the Philippine Announce team of Mr. Chino Trinidad and Mr. Quinito Henson for a great coverage of the fight. I'm not sure if Brian Viloria was also part of the announce team but congrats to you guys nonetheless.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Michael Jordan can still ball....

At 46, Money still has it. Slamball player Chris "The Ghetto Bird" tried to lock up on him. His jumper -- sweet as always.

Mosley still wants Pacquiao.

While everybody knows the Pacquiao-Cotto fight is almost a done deal, Sugar Shane Mosley still wants to get a crack at Pacman. I'm pretty sure that would be another interesting fight. Somehow I'm a bit perplexed on why he still wants to put his name on the hat. I guess this perhaps answered my question:

"I'll fight him at 140 lbs and I am willing to give him the lion's share," said Mosley from Los Angeles.

Even with victories over Oscar De La Hoya and a bevy of marquee names, the mythical title of pound-for-pound king has eluded Mosley through the years and the cat-quick banger believes a win over Pacquiao would finally make him happy.

Now that he has practically given up everything, Mosley doesn't see any reason why Pacquiao will not take up the challenge.

"If he doesn't fight me, I guess you could say he's afraid of me or his people are afraid of me," said Mosley, the reigning World Boxing Association welterweight king.

His proposal of fighting Manny at 140 lbs. could be quite enticing. The Pacquiao camp might take that into consideration. HOWEVA, he has another reason why he wants to make the fight happen:

According to the 37-year-old Mosley, he made the tempting offer because he had never won the 140-lb crown and he wants to claim Pacquiao’s pound-for-pound tag.

Though he’d initially given up chasing Pacquiao, Mosley said the thought of his legacy prompted him to step up the plate again.

Mosley, who’d been beaten by Cotto, said his proposal should make both Bob Arum and Freddie Roach, the promoter and trainer of Pacquiao, respectively, happy.

Looks to be a valid reason. Good luck with that. If the Pacquiao-Mosley materialized, I doubt Shane Mosley could last a couple of rounds because of his age. From the looks of it, I'd rather see a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight which unfortunately, won't ever happen. I guess Pacman fighting Cotto on November would suffice, in my opinion.

Dwyane Wade wants to be Jordan'd out. Literally.

Jumpman: Dwyane Wade trades his Cons for J's.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

The shoe game is ever changing these days. As I was browsing the net for some sports news, I stumbled upon something interesting -- and perhaps newsworthy for sneakerheads out there -- including myself. D-Wade finally jumps ship -- to a shoe brand, that is. I must admit though, it's a good move for him to make the switch.

The Miami Heat guard shares his thoughts on the move:

"When I came into the NBA, I didn't have a lot of exposure and Converse gave me an opportunity to head a brand and be the face of a brand," Wade told The Associated Press. "I'm really thankful for six long, good years. I've gotten five shoes out of the deal and my dream came true at the Converse brand, because they put my name on a pair of sneakers."

Still, the lure of the Jordan brand -- a 12-year-old division of Nike, which also owns Converse -- was too much for Wade to ignore.

Wade told The AP he inquired about switching allegiances from Converse to Jordan's brand before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, doing so in part about concern over Converse's long-term viability in the basketball marketplace.

The 2008 request was declined, but earlier this month, Wade said he was "almost positive" a switch would happen sometime before the season. Less than two weeks later, the deal was done.

"It did come sort of fast. It wasn't anything we planned," Wade said. "But it's a good thing. Now we can plan for the season."

Well, there you have it ladies and germs -- it's official now. Wade will be rocking J's next season. Spread the word. I'm sure Money (Michael Jordan) is absolutely thrilled to have D-Wade in his stable of Jumpmen like Melo, CP3, Rip and Sugar Ray, just to name a few.

In retrospect, he only had 1 Converse sig worth noting. I'm talking about his Wade 1's which are totally sleek and clean. The simplicity of the design was dope. The rest of the kicks that followed were just wack. The last shoe that came out, the Wade 4, was downright ugly. No wonder he dropped the 4's so he could rock his 1's again in the middle of the 08-09 NBA season.

With Wade's addition, JB better give him a signature shoe (please make it happen). While waiting for his own sig to come out, it would be dope to see him rock J's in Heat colorways. The only drawback is, his shoes won't be sold at a cheap price tag.

Kobe in Manila 2009

LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will be in town on July 21
for his 6 city Asia Tour sponsored by Nike.
(NBAE/Getty Images)

What's up everyone? Haven't posted anything here for a while. Got some good news to all Kobe-heads here in the Philippines. Kobe Bryant returns to Manila on July 21 to kick off his 2009 Asian tour. The Nike sponsored event will launch his new kicks called the Nike Dream Season. His upcoming visit in the country will be his 3rd -- fresh from winning his 4th NBA Championship last June.

Prior to promoting his latest sneakers, he will be holding a basketball camp on the same day at PSC arena (formerly Ultra) in Pasig city for select members of the Nike Elite Camp Program. Kobe fans can get a chance to see the Black Mamba live as Nike's flagship store in Bonifacio High Street will be giving away tickets for free. The free tickets are limited to 3,000. Congrats to those who got their tickets today. If you didn't get yours, tune in to Magic 89.9 for a chance at winning the Kobe Live tix.

Here's the schedule of Kobe's one-day Manila visit courtesy of Nike Philippines' website:

2:00 pm - 3:40 pm
Nike Park Bonifacio High Street, Taguig

4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
PSC Sports Center (formerly Ultra). Gates open @ 3 pm

WWE Returns to Manila this coming July!

I've been waiting for this event for 3 years. I'm glad Jack TV is finally bringing back WWE action here in the Philippines. Since The Animal Batista can't come here (he suffered a biceps injury on his left arm), it's still going to be a hell of a show nonetheless. Can't wait to see my fave WWE Superstars like Jeff Hardy, Christian, John Morrison, Chris Jericho, Edge and Gail Kim (she's so hot!) next month. Yes, Smackdown/ECW Live tour is indeed coming to Manila!

Witness your favorite WWE Superstars smash and slash, jam and slam… just right before your eyes!

WWE ECW/SMACKDOWN Live Show in Manila
July 10, 2009 / Friday / 7pm at the Araneta Coliseum

Featuring Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, Edge, Kane, Umaga, CM Punk,
Chris Jericho, Michelle Mccool and more.

WWE on JACK TV. It’s Definitely JACK!

It's only for one-night. Mark your calendars Filipino WWE fans -- It's on July 10, Friday at the Araneta Coliseum. Show starts @ 7 pm.

Tickets are still on sale and they're running out fast! For ticket inquiries call 911-5555/374-9999 or visit Ticketnet's website, Jack TV and WWE.com. Tickets are available at all SM Ticketnet outlets.

See y'all there! Pinoy WWE fans unite!!!!!

The Jenson Button era in full effect.

Brawn GP's Jenson Button celebrates with a bottle of champagne after
his first place podium victory at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.
(Eurosport UK/AP)

Last Sunday, Brawn GP's Jenson Button made sure he was still ahead of the Formula One drivers championship. Proving yet again to all his critics, that he is no fluke and he didn't need a safety car to win a race. As expected, the chequered flag has Button's name on it as he finished the Turkish Grand Prix in first place. His win in Istanbul increased his championship points to 63. He has already won 6 out of 7 races in the 2009 F1 season. Indeed the best start in F1 history, so far.

From a one-hit wonder to a championship contender. He's no longer a name worth forgetting in the F1. Now he is headlining everywhere may it be on print or the internet. The British driver has been the most hardworking since the day he started his Formula One career. Dominant is the perfect word to describe his performance this season.

Clearly, he's closing in on the most coveted prize in F1. By far, Button is the most untouchable driver in the competition. McLaren and Ferrari are still trying to find answers on how to stay in the pact but from the looks of it, they are already out of contention. In other words, they've already hit rock bottom, so to speak. Time for them to throw in the towel perhaps.

After taking the last sip of champagne fresh from his win in Turkey, seems he's all set and ready for the next race in his home country, England.

The rise and fall of King James and his Royal Army.

LeBron James' heroics wasn't enough in a losing effort against the Orlando Magic 103-90
in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
(Elsa/NBAE/Getty Images)

LeBron James is clearly, one of the most popular players since he was drafted at number 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers six years ago. The NBA arena was truly a dream come true for the Akron, Ohio native. In his young career, he has made milestones, All-Star appearances and has been on every highlight reel on NBA TV and ESPN Sportscenter. The first time he tasted playoffs basketball, the Cavaliers became contenders in every post season appearance.

'06-'07 was the season King James and Co. made the Finals but would lose to the San Antonio Spurs for the championship. The next year, the Cavaliers made yet another playoff run but was eliminated in the 2nd round of the post season. This year though, they've added Mo Williams in the mix from a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and got veteran big man Joe Smith in the lineup.

Well, Bron and friends have become one of the best teams in the L. Having the best record in the season, getting the number 1 seed in the East, getting the MVP and COY awards for Bron and Coach Mike Brown respectively, sweeping their 1st and 2nd round opponents -- seems there's no stopping the Cavs now, or so they thought.

When all the sweeping was done, it was time for them to face the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. Looks to be a good match-up for basketball pundits and fans alike. Sure, the media hype on a possible LeBron vs. Kobe finals was inevitable but Superman and his friends have other plans in mind. The Magic literally wanted to burst everybody's bubble on that particular dream match. And quite frankly, that's exactly what they (the Orlando Magic) did.

The Cavaliers lost in game 1 of the East Finals albeit the homecourt advantage. Stealing the first game in the series drew blood on the Cavaliers, so to speak. The MVP wasn't fazed at their loss as he carried his team to even up the series in game 2. Mo Williams silly trash talk and guarantee making ala Rasheed Wallace of the Detroit Pistons, was perhaps trying to make a statement of sorts or maybe trying to fire up his team. It was then tested in game 3 in O-Town.

A sea of fans in blue filled the Amway arena in Orlando as they cheered for the Magic. Obviously, the visiting Cavaliers got all the jeers, most especially on LeBron James. Wasn't much of a game as the Magic made their own statement by clobbering the Cavs for a 2-1 lead. More trash talking antics by Mo Williams sans their defeat in game 3. All that talk didn't help his team as they lost an important game 4 to even up the series. The King was already losing his ground and faith with his teammates. The confidence was slowly depleting, all thanks to Rashard Lewis' heartbreaking clutch 3-pointers. Blaming his teammates for not getting all the help didn't come as a surprise. All the psywar by Mo-Will wasn't helping at all.

Back to Cleveland, LeBron James played like a man possessed as he carried his team to win Game 5. Finally getting some help from Mo-Will, Big Ben, Delonte West and Z. They are still in contention but was still on the brink of elimination. Mo-Will was still talking as always despite playing in the playoffs for the first time in his career. It looked like the pressure was now on the Magic as they head back to Orlando for game 6. The Cavs have somehow overcome the mismatch problems most especially on the defensive end. The next game would perhaps be a huge test for King James to duplicate his game 5 performance to tie up the series and go back to Cleveland for a deciding game 7.

It's a lot easier said than done but only 8 teams have come back on 3-1 deficit and win the series. The Cavaliers were looking to be the 9th team in NBA history to do just that. All eyes were now on number 23 to see if he can try to pulloff an equalizer and make history. The Magic were also looking to make history themselves. 1995 was the last time Orlando made the Finals. Penny Hardaway and Shaq played in the '95 roster that lost to the Houston Rockets.

Both teams were ready for battle. As the game progressed, it seemed that only LeBron was the only player doing everything for the Cavs. Mo-Will and the rest of the team seemed like they didn't want to go back to the Q and play another game. In other words, the team has already thrown the towel but the King wanted to keep on fighting. The inevitable has already started to sink in. King James and Co. soon faltered to the might of the Orlando Magic. Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu made sure the King didn't get up, so to speak. The Magic were the victors earning them a ticket to the NBA Finals to face the LA Lakers. The Cavs on the other hand, lost in a very unusual fashion of sorts despite being the best team in the East.

LeBron James is going home with his face looking down. A lot of questions linger on his mind at the moment. Training camp is just a couple of months away. Preparing for next season is on top of his list for sure. He could be pondering on whether to stay with his current team or simply walk away and play for another team in 2010. So many things to ponder on, most especially the Cavaliers' future.

There's still another year for James to go for a title run but until then his MVP award will have to do for now. It was indeed a heartbreaking loss for the Cavs but if one is gonna look at it in another perspective, the Cavaliers didn't just lose to a better, dominant team but rather they lost to a team that is hungrier to be in the NBA Finals and more worthy of it.

To put it simply, it's not their time yet.

We are all witnesses.

Breaking: He's coming to Manila...

Soon....

Harlem Globetrotters coming to Manila this May.

The Harlem Globetrotters will be bringing great
family entertainment to the Philippines this month of May.

That's right. The Harlem Globetrotters are coming to Manila! The most popular basketball show will be entertaining Filipino hoops fans on May 24 & 25 at the Araneta Coliseum:

The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters
are coming to the Philippines!

Now in their 83rd consecutive season of touring the world, the Globetrotters showcase a captivating assortment of trick shots, high-flying dunks and ball-handling wizardry...with a side-splitting array of comedy guaranteed to entertain both the young and the young at heart.

I already bought a ticket for their show on the 24th and got one of the best seats in the house. I'm hoping they sell some Globetrotters merchandise at the venue. I can't wait. Check out their official website here for details. This event is also in partnership with the NBA.

For tickets, visit the Ticketnet website or call Ticketnet @ 911-5555. Tickets are also available at all SM Ticketnet outlets.

Pacquiao floors Hatton in 2. Wins IBO Junior Welterweight Title.

The new champ is here: Filipino fighter Manny Pacquiao defeated
Britain's Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton for the IBO Junior Welterweight championship
at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

What more can I say? Manny Pacquiao is THE best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today. A lot of fight fans predicted Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton would win (via KO) against the Filipino Southpaw. Even boxing pundits favored Hatton over Pacquiao. But lo and behold, Pacquiao still came out on top albeit doubts and criticisms. Who would've thought it'd be that damn quick? Nobody saw that coming. Well, except for Freddie Roach maybe.

Before the match, WWE Superstar Batista was in Manny Pacquiao's entourage. That itself is a huge honor for The Animal. Jack Nicholson was in attendance, so is Mark Wahlberg (no surprise), Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Diddy (dropping the 'P'), Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins and even Denzel Washington.

I have to say Martin Nievera's "Lupang Hinirang", the Philippines' national anthem, didn't disappoint (I'm not sure about the others). He was rocking the shirt of the late Francis Magalona's clothing line. Sir Tom Jones looked really old. He sang Britain's national anthem and Fil-Am Jasmine Villegas sang "Star Spangled Banner".

Unlucky number 2

I mentioned earlier that the main event didn't last quite as long. Trainer Freddie Roach predicted a knockdown on the British slugger in 3, or so he thought. Pacquiao put Hatton out of his misery in 2. "The Hitman" went down twice in the first round after getting a series of rights and lefts from Pacman. His brawl tactics didn't help him at all. It just made Hatton more vulnerable to Manny's offensive attack. He would soon falter in the 2nd round.

Lights out: Ricky Hatton succumbed to Manny Pacquiao's thunderous left hook
in the dying seconds of the 2nd round.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Time wasn't on Hatton's side. The last 10 seconds of round 2 was perhaps the worst for the British slugger, getting decked with Pacquiao's patented left hook to his jaw. Hitting the canvass lying flat on his back, counting birds/stars/sheep and all. The referee didn't bother counting at all. He was already in LALA Land. What a way to end your title reign. Having his first loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr was bad enough. His match with Pacquiao is a nightmare he's so willing to forget. And everybody thought he would be resilient along the way. Retirement could perhaps be in the horizon for "The Hitman" after being PWN3D by Pacman.

6 is a charm

Manny Pacquiao's TKO victory on Ricky Hatton, he's now one of the few fighters who has held multiple titles in different weight classes. He has another fight coming up in a few months which could perhaps be his last fight before hanging up his gloves to run for Congress(!) in the 2010 elections. After winning his IBO Junior Welterweight championship, I believe he's gonna move up to the Welterweight division and challenge (reportedly) Floyd Mayweather Jr. He already has a spot in the boxing Hall of Fame but clearly, he wants more gold bling before retiring for good. Going for title number 7 maybe? Who knows? It could happen.

Steve Nash hearts Pacquiao and the Filipinos

I was actually surprised upon learning this. I logged on to my Twitter account a while ago and I read his tweet about how great Manny Pacquiao is. So glad I'm following him on Twitter. He even mentioned he wants to be an honorary Filipino and admired the Filipino fans support for Pacman:

Big love to all my Filipinos for the AMAZING PACMAN! Love how u support him. I wanna be an honorary Filipino! How do I earn my stripes?

Wow! Talk about huge love for Manny Pacquiao coming from top NBA players like Steve Nash. I would assume he wants to visit the Philippines. Nike Philippines better make this happen. He's got a huge fan base here (I'm actually one of them). I'm gonna have to buy a Suns Steve Nash jersey one of these days and have him sign it if ever he pays Manila a visit. Manny's popularity sure is getting bigger and bigger.

Many thanks to Twitter for creating this website. I get to follow popular people especially in sports. If Manny Pacquiao had a Twitter account, a lot of his fans would follow him.

******

The Pacquiao-Hatton fight is by far, one of the best matches I've ever seen. It may be the shortest in his career but a lot would agree with me that it was one hell of a slugfest. Pacman is on a roll right now. I can't wait for his next and last fight in the coming months. He has indeed made the country proud yet again and he's truly a world class athlete. He's definitely on top of his game. No doubt about it.

Word to Floyd Mayweather Jr: You're next.

Triumphant homecoming for Donaire and Viloria.

The Philippines' finest: IBF Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire Jr. scored
a victory against Mexican-American Raul Martinez.
(Yahoo! Sports/AP)

I wasn't sure about watching the boxing match last Sunday but since I've already started catching up with the sport, why not. Glad I made the right decision. True enough, it didn't disappoint. The good thing about it, I didn't have to spend a single centavo to watch the fight. Thank goodness it was aired on free TV. It was sort of "live" but it's all good. I'm not very knowledgeable nor an expert in boxing, I just enjoy watching it that's all.

Floored @ 8.

Didn't catch the other under-card matches but this particular bout was just amazing. Sonny Boy Jaro, one of the new breed of fighters in the Philippines, floored his opponent (not sure if he's Mexican) in 8 measly seconds of the first round. That has got to be one of the quickest fights I've ever seen in my life. I'm not certain if it was a title match but nevertheless that match is clearly one for the books.

Man on a mission.

Fil-am Brian "The Hawaiian Punch" Viloria got his eyes set on one thing: regaining the IBF Light Flyweight Championship from Mexican Ulises Solis. And that's exactly what he did but clearly, he knows it won't be an easy one at that. Known as "the Filipino Executioner", Ulises Solis seemed like he had an advantage over Viloria, or so he thought. The moniker given to him would soon be blemished, nay, erased by "The Hawaiian Punch" on Philippine soil.

Mexican resilience.

The first 3 rounds looked like it favored Solis but it was back and forth the rest of the way. Then the 5th or 6th round was the turning point of the match (I think) Solis was the receipient of a Viloria left hook (or was it a straight) thus cutting his right eye brow. Half of his (Solis') face was already scarlet red. Surprisingly, Viloria got minor damages despite taking most of the Mexican's killer jabs.

Dude wouldn't go down that easily. The blow on Solis made him even tougher. The fight would soon become tougher. Solis' resiliency would soon take it's toll in the 11th round.

Hawaiian Punch.

The fight was certainly heating up. It was already round 11, seemed like both fighters already gave it all until Brian Viloria saw an opening that would end the Mexican's misery. Viloria avoided Solis' desperation left hook then "The Filipino Executioner" was decked with a beautifully executed right straight punch. Lights out, it's all over. Brian Viloria wins the IBF Light Flyweight title.

Hitting the canvass: Fil-am Brian Viloria KO'd Mexican Ulises Solis
to reclaim the IBF Light Flyweight crown.
(Yahoo! Sports/AP)

A redemption indeed for Viloria in his struggling boxing career. He's now back on top of the mountain. It was his best fight to date. What a way to winning a title match on your home turf. The midcard fight looked it was the main event. A show-stealer, literally. Fans at the Araneta Coliseum who payed for the tickets in the fight got their money's worth.

The Donaire-Martinez fight was next.

Homecourt advantage.

The edge was on the defending IBF Flyweight champ Nonito Donaire Jr. obviously. Other than the fight being in the Philippines, the height difference and reach favored "The Filipino Flash" over Mexican-American Raul Martinez. The only advantage Martinez has is that he's undefeated with a 24-0 record while Donaire is 21-1.

Streak on the line.

With Martinez's unblemished record in jeopardy, there's a lot of pressure on him in winning a title match. Everything he does has to be consistent. Scoring a huge upset in Manila could be a confidence booster but a tarnished win-loss card is a different story.

Jitters.

I believe this is Donaire's first ever fight here in the Philippines (I may be wrong on this). Fighting front of your homecrowd can be tough. Expectations are quite high and I don't blame him from getting butterflies in his stomach, so to speak.

A short fight.

I expected the fight to be as long as Viloria's which is also a 12-rounder. Donaire was dominant on Martinez right from the start. I noticed that the Mexican-American fighter was losing his footwork everytime he tries to dodge Donaire's punches. I figured something was wrong and dude could go down anytime. Martinez actually went down twice in the first round. He went down the third time, I believe in the 2nd round.



Martinez's legs looked wobbly in the 3rd round. It could be nap time for him soon. Donaire was ready to go for the kill. He would seal his fate in the 4th round as he floored him with a left uppercut right in the kisser. Referee stops the match. Crowd roars. Donaire successfully defends his IBF title. A great main event.

Fighters on the rise.

Nonito Donaire Jr. and Brian Viloria could be the next Filipino greats in boxing. Both these fighters might even have the same success as Manny Pacquiao. Pacman will soon be hanging up his gloves. They are the Philippines' finest and inspiration to every Filipino. Let's all support their upcoming fights may it be title or non-title matches like we all did for Pacquiao.

Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to the Pacquiao-Hatton fight on May 3 (May 2 in the US). That would be a good slugfest I'm sure.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Powerade-Team Pilipinas humbles Australian Team.

Powerade-Team Pilipinas Skipper Asi Taulava (no. 8) tries to avoid
an altercation with Australia's Patrick Pilae.

The RP Team managed to pull-off an overwhelming victory over the visiting Aussie Team last Friday. The Filipinos had somehow managed to contend with the Australians despite the height advantage. But last night's game at the Araneta Coliseum was a different story altogether.

The Motolite-Goodwill games may be a friendly one but it was all business for both teams. Imports Tiras Wade and Shawn Daniels beefed up the Aussies' roster for some added firepower. It was a challenging task for Team Pilipinas as they held off the Australian team in an overtime win 91-86. For RP Team coach Yeng Guiao, it was a test on how the Philipines can contend with international teams:

“This series will be a point of discovery for us,” said national coach Yeng Guiao. “We will make our adjustments based on what we see in these tune-up games.

“We’re a little rough around the edges, considering our limited time together, but the competitive fire is there,” he added. “What we’ll learn here will help us win in the future.”

The PBA-backed Philippine team is being readied for at least three international tournaments starting in June—the Southeast Asian Basketball Association championship, the Jones Cup tournament, and the FIBA-Asia qualifying for the World Championships.

In the dying seconds of the 4th quarter, Kerby Raymundo's clutch jumpers forced the game in overtime. Giving the Australians a run for their money. Raymundo chalked up 24 points for the National Team while Arwind Santos took over and finished the extra period with 12 points.

Imports Tiras Wade led with 30 points and Graeme Dann chipped in with 19 for the Australians. 7-footer Patrick Pilae created problems for the Filipinos in the paint:

“I think he just wanted to fight everybody,” said RP skipper Asi Taulava, who had repeated scrapes with the well-built Samoan.

The PBA backed RP Team have proven they can go toe-to-toe with a big and physical Australian Team, suffice to say, the Nationals are ready to go into battle in the upcoming international games. It was indeed a learning experience for Team Pilipinas in the process. The real test perhaps for the Nationals' is the team chemistry and how consistent they are along the way. Adapting to the international style of play is another factor the RP team should consider. That I believe is where the consistency will come in. The transition from the professional game is no easy task.

It's a good confidence booster for Team Pilipinas but then again, more exhibition games are needed to help the team be more prepared before the SEABA (Southeast Asian Basketball Association) Championship in June. No guts, no glory as they say. Going up against a towering Australian Team is no joke, mind you. Bottomline is, two exhibition games is definitely not enough to toughen up the National Squad. Nevertheless, it was one hell of a basketball game.

Box Scores:

Powerade-Team Pilipinas - 93

Raymundo 24, Santos 12, Helterbrand 10, Reyes 9, Thoss 6, Norwood 6, Baguio 5, Dillinger 4, Yap 4, Pennisi 3, De Ocampo 2, Miller 2, Taulava 2

Hoopdreamz (Australia) - 89

Wade 30, Daniels 19, Lalic 11, Hyams 11, Veg 9, Susnjara 5, Dann 4, Pilae 0, Amir 0

Quarters: 23-14, 43-38, 60-67, 80-all, (OT) 93-89

A rainy finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Still on top: a wet 1st place podium victory for Brawn GP's Jenson Button
at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang.
(Eurosport/AFP)

Rain, rain go away! Fans and F1 teams prayed the dark gray clouds wouldn't come. Things were just fine, or so everybody thought. Right in the middle of the race, the inevitable happened. The weather didn't cooperate thus rain started pouring in. I thought at the time it was just a slight drizzle but then again, it already turned into a storm.

I could tell the drivers didn't have clear vision of the track because of the rain, obviously. Flashing red rear fog lights were the only thing they could see. It's as if there's liquid fog all over the place. Then minutes later, the safety car was deployed with 24 laps remaining in the race. On the 32nd lap all the cars remaining stopped and positioned themselves in the grid. Then the FIA officially announced the suspension of the race.

The heavy downpour gave Brawn GP's Jenson Button another first place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix. I was happy with the results but the fact that popular teams like Mclaren and Ferrari has yet to taste a podium finish this season. Brawn GP maybe a rookie team but it seems like they've been in the league for years. I'm now one of their fans. Oh yeah! I consider them one of the dark horse teams in F1.

I guess it didn't matter to the British driver whether he had a safety car to take credit for his wins or not. He did acknowledge the race officials of making the right decision to stop the race:

"It wasn't like it was rivers, it was a lake," said Button, who also won in Australia last weekend with the safety car deployed on the final lap.

"It was really bad conditions and you could not actually see the circuit. I mean it was that bad. We were behind the safety car and my team, who did a fantastic job, said all you have got to do is drive around and that was difficult enough.

"A few moments I was almost off the circuit...the safety car was pulling away from us.

"The race was way too wet and I think that the call was correct," he added.

"It rained so hard so quickly that I think they did the right thing. It was very difficult for them to judge how wet the circuit is and in Fuji, for me, two years ago it was too wet. But this year I think they made the right call to stop it at the right time."

BMW-Sauber's Nick Heidfeld and Toyota's Timo Glock finished at 2nd and 3rd respectively. Brazil's Rubens Barichello placed 5th behind William's Nico Rosberg at the 4th. It was a great race indeed despite watching the Malaysian GP live for the 1st time in years ending in a suspension. It's still all good though.

I guess all the brouhaha on Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton at the Australian GP last week somehow had an effect on him. I'm not sure If I'm gonna feel sorry for the dude. The thing is, I still don't like him. I still feel he didn't deserve last year's driver's championship. But then again, all the hype has gotten past him. Albeit the controversy surrounding him, he still managed to check in at 7th place in Sepang.

Nevertheless, it was Jenson Button's reckoning, so to speak. He has yet to win a Grand Prix without the aid of a safety car. I'm sure that little footnote is not gonna stop him from making a strong impact in the F1. It won't be easy but right now, Brawn GP literally, pushed the right 'button'.

Wrestlemania 25 coming up....

Yeah! I'm not missing that one, ever! Glad it's going to be aired on Jack TV but it's gonna be a little delayed. OK, so it is a delayed telecast. There, I said it. But I'm still hoping I could get that exclusive invite to watch the whole thing LIVE at the Glorietta 4 in Makati on Monday morning, April 6. That's already next week. I joined their promo in hopes of watching the PPV live.

Whether or not I get the invite, I'm still gonna watch the biggest spectacle in the WWE. I'll be blogging about the live screening event, if ever I'm one of the chosen few to watch it.

So WWE fans, unite!!!

Bobcats upset Lakers twice. No April Fool's joke.

The Charlotte Bobcats kept their playoff hopes alive by beating the L.A. Lakers 94-84.
(Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE/Getty Images)

I'll keep this post rather short. Anyways, when I found out that the L.A. Lakers lost to the Charlotte Bobcats, that really made my day. Hell yeah! I know one Bobcats fan who's absolutely happy about it (I'm looking at you BET). I'm sure a lot of Laker fans aren't all too pleased of the Lake Show's loss at Charlotte.

It's really good to know that the Bobcats are still in the hunt for the 8th playoff spot. They're just one of the teams that I wanna make the playoffs. At least, the Portland Trailblazers have a much better chance of making a return to the post season. The playoffs is just around the corner and I'm excited and looking forward to that one.

On that note, I'll see y'all on my next post. Peace.

The Animal in Manila experience.

WWE Superstar Batista: One proud Filipino.
(Photo by: Roy Afable)

I know I should've done this post weeks ago but it doesn't matter. I'm doin' it anyway. Honestly, it's not my first time to get upclose and personal with WWE Superstar Batista. I've met him way back in 2006. It was also his first of his 3 visits here in the Philippines. I was actually lucky enough to get his autograph on his 1st visit here. I had my issue of FLEX magazine signed by him. He was the cover boy in that mag which I got at a very cheap price. It was a good swag indeed. I even got a quick photo op with during his autograph signing at the time. The only reason I got an opportunity to meet him 3 years ago is that the event was sponsored by a pizza company and I had to buy a box of pizza worth 800 php. It was well worth it though. I ate the pizza when I got home.

March 2, 2009 was the day he returned to his Filipino roots. I marked that on my calendar as soon as I got confirmation from Jack TV via email. That was also the same day I'd get to meet Dave Batista for the 2nd time. Many thanks to the Jack TV peeps for the opportunity of meeting the one and only Batista. I joined their contest and I was one of the lucky few to meet him on that day.

It was technically a meet and greet event at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Pasig but only 10 out of the 50 chosen promo winners were the fortunate ones to really MEET Batista. The rest of the winners (including yours truly) got a group photo-op with the WWE Superstar. We weren't allowed to get his autograph. The 10 others were the ones who were able to have a solo pic with him and have whatever stuff they have signed by him. The group shot was still good though.

I know it sucks but it's all good. I already got his autograph and picture with him 3 years ago and that is already something. Besides, getting a Jack TV goodie back (comes with a WWE Batista shirt and 2 posters) is just one of the perks of being a promo winner and a bonafide WWE fan. It would've been better of course if he pre-signed one of the 2 posters in our goodie bag but what heck, it doesn't matter. The dope Batista shirt was an awesome swag anyway. I even met one the most respected sports broadcasters in the Philippines, Mr. Chino Trinidad. It was the second time I've met him. The last time I spoke/met him was about 10 years ago or something. Yeah it was that long. Chatted with him a bit then had my picture taken with him before he left the hotel's lobby.

Group photo of the promo winners with WWE Superstar Batista.

Jack TV even interviewed me after the event. I know I'm not that comfortable being filmed and interviewed on camera by anyone but since the cable network approached me nicely, I was cool with it. Despite being camera shy and all. I had to wear my sunglasses before the interview. I didn't to look wasted on camera. Thank goodness. During the interview, I said some things that, lets' just say, it didn't turn out the I way wanted. No, I didn't say any profane words, it's just some of them were pretty much out of place all due to lack of sleep and didn't lunch before going there. Had to email Jack TV to edit my interview as soon as I got home for good measure.

The interview was for the "Animal in Manila 2" 30 minute special. It was aired last night, March 29 at 7 pm. I only told a few people about it as I didn't want to be embarrassed. It was actually funny seeing myself on TV. I really didn't want to see myself on TV but it really got me curious that's why I checked it out. My interview was edited real good all thanks to Jack TV. It turned out really good and I didn't expect it to be more than that, in a good way that is. I was just smiling the whole time. It was a weird experience seeing myself on TV but all in all, it's simply cool. Haha!! I hope I get to have a copy of that Batista special.

The next day, I went to his mall appearance late in the afternoon. It was also the last day of his visit here in the country. He was interviewed by Jack TV host Dylan, answered a few questions, gave away some free posters to the crowd then he left the building; show's over. The fans were happy.

Thanks again to Jack TV for the rare opportunity to meet WWE Superstar Batista and that goodie bag which was really dope. I'm already hanging one of the posters in my room. Thanks for bringing him back here in the Philippines. He's one classy guy and is not afraid to tell the world that he's proud to be Filipino. Hope the big fella comes back here. He's hoping to join the Smackdown Superstars coming here on July 10. Don't worry Batista, every Filipino here is praying you come back and perform for us here again. Trust me, we're all keeping our fingers crossed.

It was a great experience indeed. Can't wait for July 10. Wrestlemania 25 is coming up next week. I'ma be watching that one for sure. I forgot to tell y'all that I'm a hardcore WWE fan. Well, now you know. I'm just saying.

New F1 team + Rare major upset + Controversies = Best F1 race ever!

Brawn-Mercedes F1 teammates Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello
celebrate their win at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
(Eurosport/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The Australian F1 Grand Prix '09 was perhaps the best one I've ever watched. That race really made my day as I don't get to watch some good sports action on a hot yet lazy Sunday afternoon. I've waited months for the new season of Formula One and after all the hype, it surely didn't disappoint. I was very happy of the results and I'm thankful I watched the whole race.

Now, who would've thought a new F1 team (with not so new drivers) could win their first race on their season debut? The Brawn-Mercedes F1 team did just that. Having qualified for the 1st and 2nd positions at the starting grid, both Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello finished the race with same way they started it. Nobody saw this coming but as I watched everything happen, I knew something special was gonna happen in Melbourne.

New Cars.

Let me go back to the new look of the cars, for a second. It was my first time to see the 2009 cars for all teams. A lot of changes were made like the specs and tires but the most notable were the aerodynamics. The new cars looked somewhat sexier now. It could be a cost cutting measure of sorts by the FIA but I'm sure it's gonna take a lot of getting used to watching those new cars. The rear spoilers are narrower than before, the nose looked a bit thinker and the front spoilers are wider and lowered a bit more. Bottomline is, they all look faster now. I'm still not feeling the narrow rear spoilers.

Too Aggressive.

Red Bull F1 team's Sebastien Vettel would've won the race at 2nd place had he not been too 'competitive' with Williams F1 team's Robert Kubica in the last 3 laps of the race (56th lap). His aggressiveness made him pay, literally. Although, he apologized to the Swedish driver, that thing he did took a toll on his chances of earning his first championship points of the season.

Got 'Button'?

It was like a cinderella story for one Jenson Button. Since Japanese car maker Honda pulled out of the F1, it was a new beginning for Button. Change proved to be a fruitful one as the British driver and Brazilian teammate Rubens Barichello pulled a huge upset in the F1 stage. The Brawn-Mercedes team made history as the only rookie team to complete a 1-2 finish in their season debut. Button was the leader all throughout the race and the chequered flag got his name on it. Clearly, a well deserved win for him. As they say, "it's one for the books." Toyota's Jarno Trulli placed 3rd and Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton finished at 4th.

Demoted.

Despite the 3rd place finish, Trulli was disqualified and moved Hamilton from 4th to 3rd place. A very controversial decision on the part of the FIA. It all when the safety car was deployed after Vettel-Kubica collision at the 56th lap:

Race stewards later ruled that Trulli, driving a Toyota, had overtaken Lewis while the safety car was on the course and handed him a 25-second penalty, which saw him relegated from third and out of the points.

"Lewis had to go past him because he went onto the grass, he was not on the circuit," McLaren Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said.

"Trulli then took back the place under the safety car, which ordinarily you wouldn't do."

Despite celebrating with Button and Barichello at the winners podium (and press conference), everything was for naught. His trophy and championship points were all taken away from him (except for that champagne he had consumed after the celebration). That sucks for Trulli, I'm sure.

Something to look forward to.

At one point, I thought I was gonna see yet another win from either Lewis Hamilton or Kimi Raikkonen but this particular race made the F1 more exciting to watch. Unpredictability is one thing that keeps me glued on a certain sport. The 2009 F1 season renewed my interest with motorsports. I'm looking forward to seeing more of these great finishes in the upcoming GP's. I'm gonna try to watch each race live and be up to date with the news. Hopefully, I get to write some stuff for each race including the qualifiers. It's gonna be a challenge for me.

See y'all in my next post for the Malaysian GP.