For all the basketball fanatics that will take their bar this sunday: learn from this guy

“By the time you open this, you’ll be moments away from walking down the aisle. I will say a prayer for you that you may find meaning in what you’re about to do.”

The first time I saw this, it freaked the hell out of me. Man stating his love to a woman about to make the biggest decision of her life. This is like Alonzo Mourning planning to destroy his rep as a superstar so he can go back to claim a championship. Alvin Patrimonio coming off the bench and surrendering his career-long grasp as Purefoods’ top dog, Danny Francisco sacrificing his blossoming basketball career in order to live, and Allan Caidic torn to either play for Red Bull or retire to continue his coaching stint with Ginebra.

Surely we knew the repercussions these actions. Patrimonio surrendered his status to James Yap that eventually paid off. Francisco retired and found another way to get himself to the game he truly loved. Allan Caidic retired from the game and despite his failure to win a championship as a coach, he did became a great management honcho for the San Miguel Corp.

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The Incredible Shrinking PBA Imports

(To give your eyes a break, here’s the podcast.)

Everywhere you look in the Philippines, there’s a jerry-built basketball game. In farming towns without paved courts, kids dribble on dirt and bank shots off of two-by-fours lashed to coconut trees. On Manila street corners, players who can’t afford sneakers run the court in flip-flops or bare feet. The country’s professional players, however, play on state-of-the-art courts and wear top-notch apparel. Still, the Philippine Basketball Association is missing something just as fundamental to the game: height.

Basketball is a tall man’s game. But in the Philippines, where men are short and hoops is an obsession, something’s got to give. Several native “big men” are barely taller than 6 feet 3 inches, the standard height for NBA guards. Dunks are so rare in the PBA that the league has toyed with the idea of making slams worth three points. The league adds a dash of high-wire athleticism by allowing each team to hire one foreign-born star. But permitting American 7-footers to play would wreak havoc among the Lilliputian locals. As a result, the PBA bans imports taller than 6 feet 6 inches.

The rule works. The PBA’s foreigners are a versatile bunch: pure shooters, workhorses who do a little of everything, burly inside operators. But while the imports typically dominate games, they still leave room for the best Filipino players—guards who whirl through defenses and score on twisting layups—to do what they do best. Full Story>>>

Blame Game 101 - Japan FIBA Asia Setback Goes To…

After 101 votes, 26 voters pointed their fingers to the stomping and kneeling coach, Chot Reyes. BTW, Olsen Racela was not spared.

Blame Game: What and who’s to blame for the JAPAN FIBA Asia setback?

* Chot Reyes - Little coaching and tons of sidecourt antics (26%)
* RP Players Ball-hoggin ways (21%)
* That Damn Greek Referee for the T (17%)
* Philippine Basketball (NO)Bodies and ORGYnizations. (12%)
* The Freaking Bad Draw (11%)
* Olsen Racela for missing 2 Free Throws, oh wait… (9%)
* Give it up, Hoops is not for Pinoys (5%)

Total Votes: 101

Failed to cast your vote? It’s not too late, say your grudges using comments section.

Kobe Bryant Supernatural Tour Hits Manila

August 28, 2007, Manila – Kobe Bryant’s Sept. 5 Manila visit begins with the basketball superstar meeting kids from Eliseo Belen Charity at Nike Park, The Fort at 2 PM. Aside from being a worldwide basketball phenomenon, Kobe Bryant is also known for his generosity in bringing smiles to kids worldwide and his one-day visit in Manila begins with Kobe spreading smiles to Filipino youth, Nike Philippines disclosed recently.

In the afternoon, Kobe will headline the Kobe Supernatural Manila Event at the Phil Sports Arena (Ultra) where he will share his training regimen with young Filipino ballers. Gates will open at 3PM. Read more

July 2007 - Best month ever for Hoops Blog

Prepared early July. Remained un-posted ’til now. This entry is to auto-post today, Sunday. Assuming that there is no new entry…

Idle in this site? It’s time for chest thumping, body slamming, roof-raising, ego-boosting - post.

What happened last July… Read more

Pinoy Sports Blogging – 12 Questions

Mc Bias posted interesting sports blogging predicaments (ethics is too strong a word) here. Check it out. Me here, will tweak the questions to suit our own sports blogging ways. My answers are bold.

1. To post or not to post private pictures of players, good and bad. - NOT POST.

2. An athlete posted his image at Friendster’s public photos section. To post or not to post. - POST and befriend the athlete. Add to friends list and ask, “can you be my textmate?”

3. For hot female athletes, should bloggers post them on their blog as sex symbols. To post or not post? - Why not? I mean, POST.

4. Hostile and non-constructive flame wars happen in sports blogs. To flame or not to flame? - I say moderately flame, if there is such.

5. One hot female (sports) blogger digs your blog and your entries. Do you use your ‘power’ to befriend her? - Yes. Definitely Yes. Schedule an Eye Ball fast. Read more

2007 FIBA Americas Scoreboard - Standings

Tracking down the USA Men’s Basketball Team…

This entry will be updated as games results come in. Philippine telecast of the FIBA Americas games is by Basketball TV and RPN 9. If you have high speed internet connection, check this site. Official 2007 FIBA Americas site.

Group A

Argentina 4 - 0
Uruguay 3 - 1
Mexico 1 - 3
Puerto Rico 1 - 3
Panama 1 - 3

Group B

USA 4 - 0
Brazil 3 - 1
Canada 2 - 2
Venezuela 1 - 3
Virgin Islands 0 - 4 Read more

Basketball TV - RPN 9 Coverage - FIBA Americas 2007

FIBA Americas Telecast Schedule (Philippine time and dates)

August 23: USA - Venezuela
BTV (11:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm), RPN 9 (7:00pm)

August 24: USA - Virgin Islands
BTV (11:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm)

August 26: USA - Canada
BTV (3:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm), RPN 9 (12:00nn)

August 27: USA - Brazil
BTV (9:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm)

August 28: 2nd Round USA Game
BTV (11:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm)

August 29: 2nd Round USA Game
BTV (11:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm)

August 30: 2nd Round USA Game
BTV (11:00am, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm), RPN 9 (7:00pm)

August 31: 2nd Round USA Game
BTV (12:00nn, replays 2:30pm and 8:00pm)

September 2 - Semifinals 1
BTV (4:00am, replay 8:00pm), RPN 9 (10:00am)

September 2 - Semifinals 2
BTV (6:30am, replay 10:00pm), RPN 9 (5:00pm)

September 3 - Battle for third
BTV (8:00am, replay 8:00pm)

September 3 - FIBA Americas Finals
BTV (10:00am, replay 10:00pm), RPN 9 (September 6, 7:00pm)

Ex T’wolves baller killed in a car accident

Former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Eddie Griffin died last week when his sport utility vehicle collided with a freight train in a fiery crash, the Harris County medical examiner’s office said Tuesday.

Investigators used dental records to identify Griffin, 25, who began his tumultuous pro career with the Houston Rockets in 2001. He was waived by the Timberwolves in March.

“The cause of death and manner of death, which also includes toxicology results, is pending,” said Beverly Begay, chief investigator for the Harris County Medical Examiner’s office.

Griffin, a five-year veteran who was the No. 7 pick in the 2001 NBA draft, had battled alcohol problems since coming out of Seton Hall. He was suspended by the league for five games in January for violating its anti-drug program.

Read more about it here.

Eddie Griffin’s career stats here.

Eddie Griffin’s wiki page here.

Paul Alvarez Battles Gretchen Malalad

Video from Tagpuan.com

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