Di Lumusot Sa UAAP (board)...

It’s the UAAP (69th) season once again and I can’t seem to feel it in the air. I have to admit, La Salle’s absence in the hard court this year gave the league its expected gloom. And it has certainly crippled the league in terms of ticket sales, promotions and sponsorships.

I have to admit that La Salle provides a gargantuan crowd in a given stadium. Other teams are always overpowered by the heat-thumping drums and overwhelming applause of the La Salle crowd. Scalpers are dying to hoard tickets for a La Salle game, especially if the game is against rival Ateneo. La Salle just gives a new meaning to school spirit. Too bad, the drums aren’t rolling this year.

It was reported that major sponsors have abandoned the league this year because of the absence of the largest crowd-drawer school. Some of the biggest sponsors who are missing in this year’s league are Telecoms giant Globe and Nestle, the number one sponsor of the cheerdance competition. Luckily, the league got sponsorships from the Gokongwei group, led by its Telecoms arm, Sun Cellular. That's why the traditional “MILO Three-point shot” is replaced by “Sun Cellular Three Point shot.”

La Salle is sorely missed this year. But that does not mean that their league suspension was a bad decision. Rules are meant to be observed and obeyed at all times. Plus, the value of academic education at par with sports excellence should always be adhered. Taking from what Samuel Jackson said in the movie “Coach Carter,” in college always comes first when you say college basketball, so education should never be taken for granted. Anyone breaking this discipline should be penalized with the strictest of penalties.

Let’s just hope this incident will never happen again. And as for La Salle, they have all the time to practice for Season 70.

As for the other teams, La Salle’s suspension is greater chance to gain a final four slot.

Chicken Soup-type of an entry...

One incident struck me last night, upon going home from my lady’s abode. I rode in front of a jeep going to Sta. Ana bridge, and accidentally eavesdropped at the conversation between the driver and his backrider (a backrider is a person who rides with the driver, and in charge of collecting fees and calling passengers). They were talking about preparing for their children’s future. I was amazed at how determined the driver was to provide for his children’s education. He told the backrider that he gave his kids a free hand to select the courses they want to take. “Kung gusto nilang mag-Nursing, kakayanin ko ‘yan.” He was ready and willing to finance for them, no matter how expensive their chosen course would take. He even jokingly uttered, “Malakas mangarap ano? Samantalang jeepney driver lang ako.” He seems to take everything lightly and confidently. Not to mention, with full optimism, disregarding the challenges of the difficult times. Let’s just hope he is not into something illegal.

Kidding aside, this exchange between two people with relatively ordinary lives (at least compared to squandering yuppies in Makati and Eastwood) has struck me. All along, people complain of low wages, harder way of life, more difficult times. But this man looked at the world in a totally different perspective. He was taking life in a stride, and was determined that he could bring his children to college, no matter what it takes. It just made me reflect that sometimes, we complain too much at things small things, making us so pessimistic about the current situation. However, just like the jeepney driver, we can always look at the bright side of life and work to face the challenges ahead. Instead of complaining that we have less food, we could always look forward that things will be better in the future. There is always a light in every tunnel. “My children will finish college no matter what.”

On the second thought, baka nga mayaman yung driver. Nagpapalipas oras lang sa pag-dyidyip… Oh well… My reflection stays… hehehe.

With this, I remember a quote with the same theme: “I was complaining I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet.”

Despite the hard times, we should never stop dreaming and believing.

Kris and the PBA

I have to thank Kris for giving a new spark to the Philippine Basketball Association. Before she came into James Yap’s life (and for this matter, the entire association’s life), the PBA was in the middle of its declining popularity. Special thanks to Kris, and not to mention Filipinos’ penchant for gossips and showbizness, the PBA was revived into another one of those must-see shows on Philippine boob-tube.

You can tell by the number of advertisements and the capacity crowd that the Purefoods’ popularity is constantly improving, almost to the point that it outnumbers the die-hard fans of Ginebra Gin Kings.

Before, the PBA board becomes financially weary if the Gin Kings are not going to the finals because Ginebra provides the most number of seats in the stadium. But now, Purefoods has emerged into one of the biggest providers of ticket sales in the PBA. And all these I give credit to the star-studded ladies everytime they play, and of which, the biggest one is Kris. Aside from James Yap’s lady, showbiz personality present in every game was Marc Pingris’ beau Danica Sotto.

Below are the winners of this year’s PBA Awards:

Most Valuable Player – James Yap

Mythical 1st Team:
James Yap
Kerby Raymundo
Enrico Villanueva
Lordy Tugade
Roger yap

Mythical Second Team:
Dorian Peña
Mike Cortez
Marc Pingris
Marc Caguioa
Danny Seigle

All-Defensive Team:
Marc Pingris
Topex Robinson
Wynne Arboleda
Nic Belasco
Dorian Peña

Rookie of the Year – Larry Fonacier

Most Improved Player – Marc Pingris

Energy Player – Topex Robinson

Sportsmanship Award – Tony de la Cruz