#SendongCharityGame Set

The match has been set. C.F. Madrid, a Tercera Division club in Spain, will be the opponent. What matters is that help is coming on the way for those who really need it.

Blog Outsourcing - December 26 edition

Greeting to everyone.

Just happy to know the NBA is back.


Here forth are the links to keep you busy after the jump.

Blog Outsourcing - December 19 edition

Hello and I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and other holidays that come at this time of the year.

Allow me to once again take things seriously as the Motherland, specifically its southern portion, was battered by Tropical Storm Washi (locally known as Sendong) over the weekend. I am fine, but after personally enduring the wrath two years ago, it surely is not alright down there.

Relief efforts are already underway. If you so choose to help, you can check here & here for details on how you can chip in. You may also check the website of the Philippine Red Cross.

The Filipino spirit remains undaunted. Unfazed. We will rise up again. And Again.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

May the force be with Neil Etheridge

Good luck Neil. You have just made history, not just for you, but for Philippine football and for the continent as well.

Blog Outsourcing - December 12 edition

Good Morning and welcome to the latest edition of The Morning After.

The weekend was abuzz with much ado about how Tim Tebow managed to pull magic out of the hat. Again. But hey, isn't that what Eli Manning is pulling out of his hat, too? He just tied another NFL record being held by his brother and his brother's iconic predecessor. Doesn't the Broncos have a mean defensive line like Elvis Dumervil? But the Giants have that guy gracing our cover photo for today? Willis McGahee has been adequate without Knowshown, but Brandon Jacobs just passed a Tiki Barber record and played one half without Ahmad.

They have some sort of luck, but not the Andrew kind, because that is what Indianapolis needs.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

You're Quite The Natural, Brandon

I am a huge fan of Brandon Roy. The shooting guard out of Washington was a Minny draft pick before being shipped out to Portland for the rights to Randy Foye.

You cannot question his heart, his will, his love for the game and his devotion to the sport and to its fans, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where he played for Lorenzo Romar in the University of Washington and for the Portland Trailblazers.

It is with great regret that I heard reports saying that Brandon is seeking medical retirement due to his degenerative knee condition. It is definitely saddening and disappointing his physical body could not withstand the pressure and wear-and-tear that is the NBA.

However, we choose to remember his greatness and in this past postseason, he surely gave us one to remember him by.

Thanks, Brandon. We'll miss you.

There is only one Stan Musial

I guess the idea that someone playing his entire career with one team is pretty much dead or over. People prided over that notion that you stick with the team through thick and thin, through the good times and benefits, and the bad times, when things get ugly and all that.

Those were the days. It looks so far away now.

I look at this as reports come out that Albert Pujols has agreed to become a member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after spending his first eleven years in the National League. A $250 to $260 million 10-year deal for a 32-year old three-time MVP. Said deal has a full no-trade clause and no opt-out.

Maybe this is for the benefit of the Cardinals, not being burdened by such a contract, but I feel this is a missed opportunity for him to burnish a legacy as a true St. Louis legend.

Kudos to the Artie Moreno and the Angels. They wanted to make a stand in a town where the being the main baseball talk can be had with the current state of the Dodgers. Adding him and then adding C.J. Wilson definitely helps.

*Stan Musial played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball. All of them with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Blog Outsourcing - 12/5 edition

Yup, David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy arrived in Manila as part of their Asia-Pacific Tour. You could also consider it as the farewell tour for the English midfielder, considering he already has offers from Paris Saint-Germain and others to return to Europe.

You can check out here for some details. Also here.

Football in the Philippines has come a long way after a year. From being nowhere in sight to now being in the spotlight. Hope this continues.

Here forth are the links to make your morning after the jump.

Wishlist for the Azkals versus the Galaxy

Yes, I am absolutely giddy for the match between our national team and that of the MLS Champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy. At the same time, I would like to put my thinking cap on and dream about what I would like to see this weekend.

1. World class action from the Galaxy. At least, we have an idea on what to expect from them because they faced an Indonesian side first. Hopefully, we can get to experience world-class football action from them for at least a half before Bruce Arena decides to turn the rest of the game into an audition to see who fits into his plans next season.

2. Debuts. Well, Weiss added two new elements previously unknown to the normal masses, Matthew Uy and Demetrius Omphroy. Both are defenders, so at least they can be added onto a pool of possible plug-ins for the future given the age of our back line. Demetrius would be familiar in facing the Galaxy, after all, he was playing for a MLS club in Toronto FC. I also would like to see the only position player that did not see action in the just-concluded SEAG, Jake Morallo of the Loyola Meralco Sparks. And yes, Chris Greatwich finally returns to the side that remembers him well for his goal scoring exploits.

3. Prove-its. No one probably took a huge flak in their individual performance earlier this year than what Edward Sacapano had to go through in the second leg of the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifier at Mongolia. This is his chance to prove the naysayers wrong. Of course, no one else has to be under fire more than Weiss, after what can be said as a disastrous SEAG campaign and with mounting questions about whether he really is fit to handle our national side.

4. Chemistry. This is the chance for the under-23 standouts to see if they can immediately fit right in our senior side. Good opportunity for the likes of Joshua Beloya or Ojay Clarino to play a role alongside their elder counterparts. Yes. This is a good time to experiment, but not at the extent Weiss pulled off in earlier matches. Remember, the Challenge Cup is to be held in March.

5. Crowd. I'd like to see a vibrant, energetic crowd that will inspire our national side to give its fullest effort. Hopefully, a full crowd that can convince the powers that be, that you know what, there is hope in getting people to watch events like this in the future.

Blog Outsourcing - 11/28/11

Welcome to this week's edition of The Morning After.

I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving Weekend. Thanksgiving is an opportunity for everyone to be appreciative and reflective. I hope you were able to do that with you and your families.

What I am thankful for is that basketball is coming soon to you and yours. It was a warm Saturday afternoon watching live futbol action outside when my twitter timeline just got flooded by stuff from the likes of Woj, Sheridan, Stein and Bucher.

I am pleased that the NBA is back. Hopefully, all the fine lines are smoothed over. The t's are crossed and the i's are dotted. You can get better enjoyment from your football and baseball. My groove is with basketball and now futbol.

Here forth are the links after the jump.

Texas State Champions

You got to love college sports. They always bring out the creative minds of the youth. Whether it is from the Philippines or overseas, if you have something creative, it might just be on a shirt.

The latest neat idea came from the twitter feed of CNBC's Darren Rovell, who tweets sports-related stuff from the business perspective. He is referring to 11th ranked Kansas State (15th if you ask USA Today and 16th if you ask the Associated Press), currently toting a 9-2 record (6-2 in Big 12). They are now selling a shirt that is factual and legit.

Now that is what you call sticking it to them. Because the truth hurts.

Blog Outsourcing - November 21, 2011 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

The University of Miami is one very very proud institution that has produced lots of NFL greats then and now. Although it has fallen through hard times as of late both on and off the field, it has always taken pride in the success of its athletes in the NFL, especially in its knack to score touchdowns. In fact, they have scored in 149 straight weeks, far and away the longest for a NCAA team. 33 different alumni from Da U! have scored 661 touchdowns.

That streak is now in question. With Monday Night Football in sight, there are only two Canes' alumni who will be playing tonight. Vince Wilfork and Allen Bailey. Can they continue the streak? Who knows.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

Are we back at the drawing board?

So we end our campaign in the Southeast Asian Games in the sport of men's football. What was thought to be a promising opportunity turned into something quite different. Very very different.

The anthem snafu in the opener versus Vietnam probably signaled the woes that our national team had to face. In that match, we managed to snatch a 1-0 lead, only to lose 3-1, with captain Matthew Hartmann having a hand thanks to a own goal. After a narrow 2-1 defeat against Timor Leste, the next thing we knew was that Matthew is back home, getting into an argument against Green Archer players whilst playing for club team Loyola Meralco.

Then, Joshua Beloya against Laos happened.

It buoyed optimism that we can still make it past the so-called "Group of Hope." Raised fervor and enthusiasm. And then reality smashed our dreams and visions. Myanmar and Brunei ended that for us.

So, two losses sandwich a come-from-behind win. Not really what we had in mind. Hey, they thought they could pull off ten points. So did we. And we are reminded that we are miles away from it. We are reminded that band-aid-esque measures ain't gonna work. This ain't basketball where our collegiate studs would get the job done in the region.

Now what? What lies ahead? The same rhetoric is still echoing. The same issues still remain and prevailing. Divisions and controversies and yet it is just there, waiting for a solution. A sincere fix. A permanent one. Maybe when the PFF elections come later this month. The leadership needs to step up to the plate.

The success opened the eyes of the larger populace. It is expected that we are to make upgrades our well.

Blog Outsourcing - 11/14 edition

Hello and Welcome to the latest edition of The Morning After (which has somewhat morphed into some kind of a weekly thing).

So, there was a fight this Saturday / Sunday. A long awaited fight. Featuring two pound-for-pound greats. One from Mexico, the other, the Philippines. Much has been said before, during and after the match. Lot of debate whether Dinamita won, or should it be a draw, but one thing for sure, come Cinco de Mayo 2012, the Fighting Congressman will be facing someone.



Here forth are the links after the jump to stuff you may not necessarily have missed during the weekend.

Welcome to (Not-So) Happy Valley

The Sandusky scandal has rocked Penn State in a way that has not been seen in a long while.

What happened? Well, Jerry Sandusky was the long-time defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions under Joe Paterno. Just a few days ago, he was arrested on charges of felony sex crimes on children. Crimes that are pretty much too disturbing to illustrate and describe.

This editorial (h/t to the Newseum for this one) pretty much encapsulates the whole thing.

It is unfortunate, but I'm sorry, JoePa. It's time for you to depart the Valley.

Blog Outsourcing - 11/7 edition

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

Currently penning this piece a little early because I will be focused on watching the Philippines' Men's Under-23 football team play their Timor Leste counterparts at 5pm local time (4am in the turf of most of the TVF writers). We had just lost our first match in the Group Stage in the Southeast Asian Games and I personally would like to start off the new week right.

And I'd like to congratulate the Giants for their entertaining win. Just like last time, someone wearing 85 caught a pass that beat a team maintaining perfection. This is a day after Kirk Ferentz somehow saved his job. Sounds like a cranky gambler coming soon.

Oh and by the way, hopefully you guys have already adjusted your clocks.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

The Blue-Haired Defense

c/o Life's My Trip

It is very very easy to make allegations if you hid behind the anonymity of a blank face, especially when you making very damaging ones that impede on the integrity of an individual and to a sport and institution.

Here is the said allegation:



It is prudent of a journalist to hear the other side of the story, which the site owner Rick Olivares provided by posting the response around three-and-a-half hours after the anonymous individual placed his. I am posting it here (in full) on a specific post of its own to give it the fullness that it deserves:

This is from Ebong Joson who I have known since our school days in Ateneo. I have also worked with him professionally and have become good friends with in the last few years:

Hello. Si Ebong ito. Gusto ko lang sana malaman kung saan mo nakuha ang info na kumukuha ako sa ticket sales kasi hindi ko kontrolado iyan at ni kailan man ay hindi ako humingi ng cut sa kahit kanino man. Sa totoo lang, ang laki ng nagastos ko just to be able to launch the Kaholeros,at hanggang ngayon ay wala naman akong sweldo dito. Walang perang pampersonal na hinahanap. As for the non-profit incorporation that we are working on, that is the way we can properly seek for sponsorship while giving back to the companies that may help us (and Philippine sports in general and Philippine FOOTBALL in particular) by offering tax breaks to the amount they give. Everything will be in the open. I will never hold any money or bank account, and the distribution and control of assets garnered will be subject to the approval of the Kaholeros board. We will also have a third party auditing firm to make sure everything is properly done. That is why we need the incorportion. Why do we need the sponsorship? Because it costs money to mobilize people. We need to help our members by helping them with transpo, meals, uniforms, and yes, even tickets. Napakarami kong mga members gusto sana mag practice. Gusto sana pumunta sa mga football events, gusto sana makapag cheer para sa PilipinasFutbol, pero hindi kaya kasi sagad ang budget. Yung sponsorships na gusto kong mahanap ay hindi para sa akin kundi para sa mga miyembro ng Kaholeros. Dahil tuwing nakikita ko sila na nahihilo na sa kaka-cheer, iniisip ko kung sila ba ay nakakain ng maigi bago pumunta sa game.

As a parting request, if you really have concrete evidence that I have been raking in the money, or even witnesses to bear to that fact, I would gladly sit down with all of you and Mr Rick Olivares. You can openly reach me on Kaholeros Official (FB Community), or privately through PM in my FB account. Mr Olivares can even put the whole meeting on video, so everyone can see and judge properly the hard work and sacrifice that I and my Kaholeros have made for our country.

Mabuhay, and God Bless.

Ebong Joson
The Blue-Haired Fanatic
Kaholero 

I have seen how much he puts himself into this little vocation and how much he has given to the sport. It is unfair that one individual rewards such sacrifice and nobility with crass. It is not right to impinge the integrity of someone like him if you do not back up what you say. I can personally vouch for the commitment that he puts forth each and every single time.

So please, unless you have something to prove, kindly keep your hands off the keyboard and keep those voices in your head just there, inside your head.

Blog Outsourcing - October 21, 2011 edition

 

Hello and welcome to the Halloween Edition of The Morning After.

As the norm, the 1st day of November is a holiday here in the Motherland with All Saints' Day, where families all across the islands go to the cemetery and visit their dearly departed loved ones. The government has been kind enough to declare today as a special holiday to accommodate the throngs of people who will going back to the provinces.

As for me, I am looking forward to that, although I will be reporting to work today and tomorrow. Hopefully all of those who had to deal with the nasty weather have been able to resolve things correctly. It has been sunny here, but with November coming, the northeast monsoon brings the cold Christmas atmosphere.

Here forth are the links after the jump.

Beckham(?) and the Galaxy in Manila

So, there have been rumors about some English superstar coming into our shores in the holiday season. Of course, you have seen the reports and you got all too-giddy.

I'd like to remind you of some things.

1. The announcement of whether this is legit or not lies with the LA Galaxy, first and foremost. The only announcement from their end is their friendly against the Melbourne Victory scheduled on December 6 at the Ettihad Stadium in Australia. As per someone, a LA Galaxy official is said to be checking out if Rizal Memorial is ideal for such a friendly to take place. Bugging them Galaxy players about this is not really a good idea given that the team is currently starting its playoff run.

This measure once again reminds us that we really do need an updated stadium. Not necessarily a cavernous one, but nevertheless, a new stadium fit for an impressive friendly / match. It preferably has to be near the NCR, though. Also, wish said stadium is either covered or uses field turf, to ensure all weather availability.

2. Even if the LA Galaxy do want to come here to Manila, we don't know who are they sending here. Their newest acquisition, Ireland captain Robbie Keane, was injured in their Euro Qualifier and will in all likelihood will be missing most, if not all of the playoffs. The MLS Cup (if they get far enough, will be on November 20). And the biggest question of it all, David Beckham is an upcoming free agent. His contract expires at the end of the season. There has been no reports of David renewing his contract with MLS via LA. Plus, he wants to play in Europe once the transfer window reopens at the start of the year. With rumors of offers in England (Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City) and France (Paris-Saint-Germain) out and about, we are not exactly sure if he's coming.

I do, remain hopeful that they come and play. I just want to properly frame myself up and keep expectations modest and at the same time, realistic.

I ain't some kind of a naysayer. I'm just the truth-teller, y'all.

Blog Outsourcing 10/24 edition

So, the legend of Tim Tebow continues to grow, eh. Tim pulls off another comeback against Miami. So what if it was Miami, the guy sure knows how to win games late. So what he was missing the receivers left and right, he made them when it counted late in the game. Another thing, he did not throw a pick in this match, given all those missed opportunities. We'll see if Tebow can pull off another win/s in the next few weeks, with Detroit, Oakland, Chiefs and the Jets on tap.

Here forth are the links after the jump.

Carson is back... (In Silver and) Black

The long drama has ended, and Carson Palmer finally gets his wish. He finally exits out of his personal hell in Cincinnati. Took him this long, and finally, after Mike Brown gets a first rounder in 2012 and a conditional first rounder in 2013 (if they procure a playoff win, otherwise it would be a second-rounder) out of the Oakland Raiders.

The guy had been working out with former teammate TJ Houshmanzadeh in the CA, so he won't be moving too far.

Why Oakland?  Well, he and Raiders Head Coach Hue Jackson are familiar with each other. Hue recruited him to USC and was in Cincy during Carson's best years as a Bengal. This also brings the Jason Campbell chapter in Oakland to a close. He's a free agent after the season. And nope, Terrelle Pryor clearly is not yet ready for the big lights.

The cost may be a little too exorbitant to their liking, but hey, the Raiders must be smelling something we do not know, that they can win the AFC West and make the postseason.

Sisters-In-Arms

Remember these names. These ladies are going to play for flag and country. Let's pray for their success and effort.

Ya Gotta Believe

Thank You Evan. (h/t to SI's Vault)

It's Amazing. 9 games out in early September. After Game 162, they are one game ahead.

Definitely One.Wild.Night.

Blog Outsourcing - 9/26 edition

Hi and hello! It's the final Monday of September in 2011.

Summer just ended this past weekend, and it is already the start of autumn, where football is afoot and in-depth.

Olympic qualifying for the automatic spots just finished yesterday. China is the last amongst the FIBA regions to lock up an automatic spot with their win over Jordan by a point. They join Great Britain, Tunisia, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France and the United States. The three remaining spots will be fought over in a wildcard tournament. 12 countries (Angola, Nigeria, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Jordan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Macedona, Lithuania and Greece) get a shot at those slots.

Why am I discussing basketball? Well, the Motherland had a chance to seal its first berth in ages if they beat the Koreans, which they were not able to fulfill (again). It's their best finish though after 27 years, so it's a positive sign.

The other thing? My alma mater is one game away from clinching its fourth straight men's basketball championship.



Here forth are the links after the jump.

The Mat Project

We know that the government does not really have much financial clout to do much, and if they do, they need to allocate it to the proper parties. So, it is appropriate to do fundraisers of their own to achieve the needed money to get what they need. And, it is up to us to provide the means to help those who deserve it.

I am writing here about a certain cause being undertaken by a couple of professors (Eloi Hernandez and Grace Gregorio) at the University of the Philippines. These two individuals are also the mentors and guardians of the multi-awarded University of the Philippines Pep Squad. Yup, if you recall last weekend, they did a Madonna routine


The UP Pep Squad is something that not just the Iskolar ng Bayan would be proud of, but for all of us Filipinos. In fact, they will be representing our country in a competition later this year (the 6th Cheerleading World Championships), not unlike SMART-Gilas in Wuhan or our beloved Azkals, whose manager Dan Palami has already tweeted his appreciation for the school.

Of course, so that the Pep Squad can prepare for the competition, they'll need new equipment, specifically mats, about 300 of them. Now these mats cost 900 a piece, so it's a little pricey. Like what I said above, the school does not exactly have the finances to shell out, so let's do our role and chip in, if you can. Now as of the latest information, they have already secured enough for 264, so they need just a little more. If you want to make a pledge to help, you can donate here:

Account name: UP Varsity Pep Squad
Checking account no: 1078012117
Bank : BDO

Just make sure to email the details of your pledge to graciegregorio@gmail.com. You may email there for any questions and inquiries as well.

Thanks and Good luck to you.

UAAP Finals Poster (or Not)

Thanks to @carlo_pamintuan for the tweet containing this.

Just had to post this because it's cute. #GoAteneo

Kindly oblige me. It is my alma mater after all. The quest for four beckons.

Enter Sandman, Exit (to) Greatness

Hey you, 602. (Thanks to the New York Daily News)

The statistic that a journalist created in the 70s has said to be the most overrated one amongst all the different statistics being recorded in the national pastime. It changed the game from what it was back then, to what it is now with the specialization of the pitcher. Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated wrote about it.

His legend continues to grow, and it looks like he is not finished yet writing his epitaph.

Congratulations, Mariano. It is as if he needs this record to validate his greatness. Nope. He already has it way before he came close to 602.

Blog Outsourcing - 9/19 edition

Welcome to today's edition of The Victory Formation.

Well, well, well. Floyd Mayweather reminded us all that we need to PROTECT YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES. He also reminded us all that he is such a punkass idiot. Seen here below.


I can't wait for the time Manny knocks him into submission, although that will be wishful thinking as of the moment.

Here forth are the links to make your morning, after the jump:

Revisiting The UAAP Season 74 Preview

Taken from the Philippine Daily Inquirer

With the regular season ending, it's appropriate to look back at how I fared in trying to figure out the season.

I posted this in the middle of July. The breakdown after the jump.

Blog Outsourcing - 9/12 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

Yesterday left an indelible mark on everyone. I hope you took the time to remember and reflect and appreciate what went on this day. I watched the different tributes and it was chillin' and stunning. I hope we all do not have to experience this ever again.

P.S. Wonder if someone can send this to SportsCenter.

Here forth are the links to welcome your morning after the jump.

Explaining the 2011 UAAP Postseason

The final two playdates of the UAAP Season 74 are this weekend. The postseason cast is set. The only thing that needs to be settled is the format. If you don't know how, it's relatively simple.

Ateneo - 13-0
Adamson - 9-4
UST - 8-5
FEU - 8-5

Final games of the UAAP regular season:

UP vs UE
Adamson vs Ateneo

NU vs UST
La Salle vs FEU

The Soaring Falcons can formally book their 2nd place finish if they beat Ateneo, something they can do for the first time since the Fidel V. Ramos administration. If they fail to do so, Ateneo seals their regular season sweep, the third in the history of the UAAP since the Final Four format (UST in 1993, UE in 2007). That then would open the possibility for FEU and UST to grab said 2nd slot and force a playoff against Adamson with that on the line..

Here are the scenarios involving the Tamaraws and the Growling Tigers:

If both win: Triple tie, with FEU taking fourth due to their quotient, AdU and UST fight for 2nd.
If either win: Tied with Adamson, force playoff, loser faces FEU in knockout.
If neither win: no playoff necessary. UST vs FEU knockout, winner faces a twice-to-beat Adamson. Winner then faces a thrice-to-beat Ateneo.

Get it? Got it? Good.

Enjoy postseason basketball in the UAAP. All heart. All out.

Chasing the One Spot

Season 87 of the NCAA will, in all likelihood, remain a two-horse race between San Sebastian and San Beda, with Letran trying to chase them down. As for the final spot, anybody can grab it from currently fourth place Mapua to last place Perpetual.

Like I tweeted, it's now all about the scheduling, so let's see where each team has.

6-7 Mapua - Baste, Beda, EAC, Arellano, JRU
5-7 Lyceum - Letran, Arellano, EAC, Beda, Baste, Benilde
5-7 Benilde - Baste, JRU, Beda, Letran, EAC, Lyceum
4-9 Arellano - JRU, Lyceum, Beda, Mapua, Perpetual
3-9 JRU - Arellano, Beda, Benilde, Perpetual, Mapua, EAC
3-9 EAC - Perpetual, Lyceum, Letran, Mapua, Benilde, JRU
3-10 Perpetual - EAC, Baste, JRU, Letran, Arellano

Both Lyceum and Benilde have to face the top three teams, whilst Mapua just finished one and will face the other two back-to-back. On the other hand, Arellano and JRU only has to face San Beda and EAC only has to face Letran.

So, let's factor in the SSC, SBC and Letran games as losses, because face it, do you really think they can beat those guys? I know anything can happen, but it feels very very unlikely...

Mapua - 6-9
Lyceum - 5-10
Benilde - 5-10
Arellano - 4-10
JRU - 3-10
EAC - 3-10
Perpetual - 3-12

That's 5 teams with 10 losses, which means the most wins you can get is 8.  That puts Perpetual virtually out of the running, unless they run the table AND Mapua ending their season on a 6 game losing skid.

The battle royale lies with those 5 teams potentially 10 losses on the docket. Those games are very very intriguing. 

Blog Outsourcing - September 5, 2011 edition

Greetings to everyone and welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

First off, Happy Labor Day. You know when this holiday comes, you can smell the sweetness of football. You already had your taste of Saturday football, based on the comments during the weekend. What more this week, when the big boys get to do their thing, kicking off on Thursday Night.

As for me, I am also giddy this weekend. My alma mater is one win away from sweeping the regular season after last Saturday. Click the link there and Lefty might find someone famillar.

Here forth are the links after the jump.

College Football Shufflin'

What we all have been waiting for. The Aggie SECession has begun. The irony of it all, today is also the deadline for the transfer window in futbol in Europe. After the pilfering of the Big Ten and the Pac-12, this is the next step in evolution, baby.

Because Everyday I'm Shufflin...  

Why the Gunner Refund made sense

Got this from the Arsenal Website

I actually got the chance to watch the Manchester United versus Arsenal massacre at a local bar with a few of my friends. Most of them were Red Devils fans, but there were a few who proudly wore their Gunners' shirt.(I personally like the blue hue version, see after the jump)

Blog Outsourcing - 8/29/11 edition

Hello! Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

I hope everyone in the Eastern Seaboard of the United States is just fine. If you were hiding in a cave, Hurricane Irene was passing by during the weekend, wrecking havoc in the sporting weekend. Meanwhile, in the Motherland, Typhoon Nanmadol (known locally as Typhoon Mina) made its way to the northern portion of the island of Luzon. You can see how the typhoon went here:

It rained hard here, though.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

The Shanghai Sevens

With all the sporting fervor going on in the country, from football to dragon boat racing to the staple of basketball and the anonymity of softball, it is about time that another sport take its place.

We know more about the Philippine Rugby team with their Guadalupe billboard that apparently offended the sensibilities of certain people. It's time and an opportunity to show our countrymen what they can do. Amidst the lack of attention, they have been relatively successful.

This weekend, they will be participating in the first leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, the Shanghai Sevens. Played at Yuanshen Stadium, it pits our Volcanoes against these teams: China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese-Taipei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE and Sri Lanka. On the distaff side, China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Thailand will be facing each other.

The concept of supporting our country should always be wholehearted. No ifs and buts. Not just because of something, but because it is all about playing for the flag.

$28.9 Million

Yes, we can hear the ka-chings from here.

Are you really worth that much, Samuel? That's the question. Can you prove it on the frozen tundra of Russia, specifically Dagestan? I certainly hope so.

Sometimes, you overspend just to get the attention of people, a sort of flexing of muscle / clout. Let's see what you got, Suleiman Kerimov of Anzhi Makhachkala.

Blog Outsourcing - 8/22 edition

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

The problem with futbol as of late has been that the clubs "buy" their way to secure success, but at the expense of their own fiscal stability. In other words, they eschew the bottom line for on-field success. There needs a balance between a club's financial viability vis-a-vis the quest for victory. The smart teams get that. But others, because of their wallets that are virtually endless, some owners use the power of the blank checkbook. But if you are a Russian oligarch or a relative of someone with petrodollars, hey, you're not THAT worried. That's why UEFA decided to put in a fairness scheme of their own.

Here forth are the links to make your week after the jump:

Philippine Sports, Inc.

With the Philippines being cash-strapped as it is, sports needs its patrons and supporters to chip in as most of the time, the government has other priorities that needs its funds more (which is why we need to right people to run our government, especially in those where money is involved).

Good thing there are people who do back the sport. As you can see, Pharma-Rex (the pharmaceutical company behind Cortal SQR) is the latest to provide financial support, as they held a press conference last Wednesday to formally announce their financial contribution to the sport. Most of media emphasized the addition of a couple of German-based players with Filipino descent, but the infusion of cash will definitely help in the development of the sport, especially since they helped with the Homeless World Cup team who will be in competition next week.

Probably the ones best known for assisting with sports has been Manny V. Pangilinan and his conglomerate. Most well known for being the chief force behind SMART-Gilas in basketball, MVP specifically set up his MVP Sports Foundation and SMART Sports for this.

Of course, with all the brouhaha involving our Dragon Boat team and their quest to defend their glory, Filipino-Chinese Tycoon Lucio Tan chipped in with his energy drink and his air carrier.

 

It sure feels like part and parcel of local sports needs corporate assistance. It's good that these kind-hearted souls see the value of doing their share in uplifting the name of the Filipino.

The Wandering Raul (?)

It took Bundesliga fiend Ryan Fenix (he of The Prawn Sandwich Brigade and contributor to Interaksyon fame) to tweet me earlier tonight about a rumor that is really hard to believe.

Try googling Bolton and Raul. Yup, the former Real Madrid goal scoring legend is being linked to a transfer to the Barclays Premier League. But when you look at it closely, it's actually another Premiership side, Blackburn Rovers, who are eyeing the all-time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions' League. Apparently, the new owners (Indian poultry giants Venky's) are keen on getting a "name" guy to backstop their franchise. Unfortunately, they seemed to have forgotten that this is 2011 and not the mid 2000s with their targets of David Beckham and Ronaldinho.

But seriously, that would be a personal treat for me if the man who wore #7 proudly for Los Galacticos gets a crack of scoring goals at the Reebok. Bolton manager Owen Coyle still needs to add an additional attacking piece to this motley crew, and that is already with the recent loan deal for Tuncay in place. And he knows it.

Considering the upcoming gauntlet that is about to take place (vs Manchester City, @ Liverpool, vs Manchester United, vs Norwich, @ Arsenal, vs Chelsea), we sure need some more ooomph. May the 4-0 thrashing they pulled on QPR be a good sign for the season ahead for my beloved Wanderers.

Blog Outsourcing 8/8 edition

Welcome to today's edition of The Victory Formation.

I just finished watching a documentary on the History Channel here that showed the Manila Hostage Crisis. It was almost a year ago today that the gruesome scenario took place. Ugh. I still am embarrassed with how the persons-in-charge handled it and the bad press the Motherland got and is still suffering from until now.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

Getting a Basketball Fix During the Lockout

I presume most of you got a good, make that great whiff of Kevin Durant's 66 points at the legendary Rucker Park. If you didn't, here, have some...

Feeding Football to the Masses

Given the captivation Filipinos have for football as of late, what exactly is the next step to get people to be more interested in football?

Moss'd Out

Is it really the end for him?

Here are his career stats, as per Football-Reference.

Played in 202 games over 13 seasons for four teams (Minnesota twice, Oakland, New England and Tennessee), starting 191 of them. He caught 954 balls (eighth-most) for 14858 yards (fifth-most) and 153 receiving touchdowns (second-most).

Was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1998. Named to seven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams.

Now that Jerry Rice has finally made it to the Hall of Fame, it's finally time for a wide receiver to get in on his first try. When Randy becomes eligible for the call-up, he certainly has earned the right for a bust in Canton. He's the guy whom you groomed Darrelle Revis and Nnamdi Asomugha to shadow.There would not have been the concept of the Randy Ratio without his skill set.

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It has been a while since I went out and produced this kind of content. The "day" job has been a little taxing, plus my other writing engagement has been a little demanding on the content. I do hope that I get to write more stuff here, besides the one here.

Blog Outsourcing - August 1 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation

The baseball trade deadline came and went. Football signings are afoot. Things are in sync. Except for the baller in me. There is still no basketball in the foreseeable future in the United States. It's disappointing, but I still need my normal updates on basketball. By this time, there should be discussion on the Association, like some summer league action.

I was also a little disappointed because our football team exited out of the 2014 World Cup. Sure, we played a tough opponent, but we had our chances and we muffed those. Nothing else to it. We'll be better at it and Moscow beckons for us.

On the other hand, my alma mater is 5-0. And that is a very awesome feeling.


Here forth are the links after the jump:

Blog Outsourcing - 7/25/11 edition

Greeting everyone! Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

The past weekend was a great sporting spectacle. I wrote about it here. It's heartwarming and enlightening on how they somehow pulled it off, but they did, and the result is amazing. Once I am done with the pictures from the press conference I attended, I will shed some more tales.

Here are the collation of stories from The Ultimate All-Star Weekend. Thanks to @firequinito for compiling them into one group.

Here forth are the links after the jump.