Associated Press launches Soccer Poll

The Associated Press launched a new poll on Tuesday geared towards the sport of football,

Called the AP Global Soccer 10, this particular poll ranks the world’s top 10 players and clubs based from the votes of a panel of twenty 20 international soccer journalists, as seen below.

Cedric Rouquette, Europsport, France
James Porteous, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong
Gregor Derichs, dapd, Germany
Francois Colin, De Standaard, Belgium
Willem Vissers, Volkskraant, Netherlands
Christian Schatze, Der FussballBlogger.de, Germany
Jose Antonio Cortes, Record, Mexico
Will Tidey, Bleacher Report, United States
Federico Giammaria, LaVoz, Argentina
Jerome Touboul, L'Equipe, France
Mike McGrath, Wardles News Agency/The Sun, England
Filip Bondy, New York Daily News, United States
Julian Bennetts, Hayters News Agency, England
Aurelio Capaldi, Rai, Italy
Orfeo Suarez, El Mundo, Spain
Paulo Vinicius Coelho, Estado de S.Paulo. Brazil
Tom Timmermann, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
John Duerden, kickoffasia.com, South Korea

The weekly poll is scheduled to take place from August to May, which coincides with the European club football season. Each person on the panel picks his top ten players and teams, with the top team getting ten points, 2nd gets nine, and so forth...

The first poll released had reigning Ballon D'Or winner Lionel Messi being named as the top player in the world while his team FC Barcelona was the team of the week.

The Argentine received 140 out of 180 points. Cristiano Ronaldo was second at 111 points, while Radamel Falcao of Atletico Madrid is a far third with 79. Completing the top five are Manchester United's Robin van Persie and Paris Saint-Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic. All five players are included in the shortlist for the 2012 Ballon D'Or.

La Liga-leading Barcelona received 130 points from the panel in being named the inagural team of the week, followed by the UEFA Europa League champions Atletico Madrid at 109, with Manchester United just four points back. Completing the top five there are Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund and La Liga champions Real Madrid. All ten teams are participating either in the Europa League and the Champions League.

AP Global Soccer 10 (for week ending Oct. 29.)

Players

1. Lionel Messi, 140 points.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo, 111.
3. Radamel Falcao, 79.
4. Robin van Persie, 73.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 61.
6. Gonzalo Higuain, 50.
7. Juan Mata, 41.
8. Javi Hernandez, 28.
9. Cesc Fabregas, 27.
10. Mario Gotze, 26.

Teams

1. Barcelona, 130 points.
2. Atletico Madrid, 109.
3. Manchester United, 105.
4. Borussia Dortmund, 81.
5. Real Madrid, 64.
6. Schalke, 59.
7. Juventus, 53.
8. Bayer Leverkusen, 49.
9. Shakhtar Donetsk, 37.
10. Ajax, 35.

The Southeast Division NBA Preview

Atlanta Hawks - 40-26 last season. 5th seed in the playoffs. Lost to the Boston Celtics in the 1st Round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Jeff Teague, Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow, Josh Smith, Al Horford / Lou Williams, DeShawn Stevenson, Kyle Korver, Anthony Tolliver, Zaza Pachulia

Storyline/s: The IsoJoe is no more, as the Nets sent assets down the dirrrty south to acquire the All-Star. They also rid themselves of the disappointment of Marvin Williams. Now, Larry Drew can reshape the team to what he'd like to envision. With the East being reshaped, they have a chance.

X-Factor/s: Lou Williams came home after leading the Sixers in scoring as its top offensive option of the bench.

Prognosis: Exiting the 1st round of the playoffs.

Charlotte Bobcats - 7-59 last season. Missed the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bismack Biyombo, Byron Mullens / Ramon Sessions, Ben Gordon, Reggie Williams, Tyrus Thomas, Brendan Haywood

Storyline/s: They were clearly the worst team in the NBA last year. How bad they were last season can be described as at an all-time worst. The new coach in Mike Dunlap will look to Kidd-Gilchrist to set the tone for everyone to follow.

X-Factor/s: Will Tyrus Thomas ever gain the maturity needed to be a positive influence for the team. Is Kemba ready to handle the playmaking chores full time?

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Miami Heat - 46-20 record last season. Division Champions. Conference Champions. NBA Champions

Ideal Rotation: Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, Shane Battier, Lebron James, Chris Bosh / Norris Cole, Ray Allen, Mike Miller, Rashard Lewis, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony

Storyline/s: They won the title. Can they do it again? How will Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis fit the Spoelstra scheme? Can Lebron handle his new-found role as a post presence. Is Chris Bosh fit to play slotman minutes? Wade's dynamic with James was made possible given his health status. With both healthy, it will be interesting what the structure turns out to become.

X-Factor/s: How Ray Allen adapts to his new role would probably determine how far the Heat go.

Prognosis: Division Champions. Eastern Conference Champions. NBA Champions.

Orlando Magic - 37-29 last season. 6th seed in the playoffs. Lost to the Indiana Pacers in the 1st Round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Jameer Nelson, Arron Afflalo, Hedo Turkoglu, Glen Davis, Gustavo Ayon / E'Twaun Moore, JJ Redick, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic

Storyline/s: Life after Dwight Howard begins for the Magic. Just as it was in life after Shaq. Former Orlando playmaker Jacque Vaughn returns to the Magic, this time as its head coach. Schooled under the Popovich line, the Magic are hoping they find a coaching gem the way Doc Rivers became for them years ago.

X-Factor/s: Will Big Baby step up to the plate and be the go-to-guy?

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Washington Wizards - 20-46 last season. Missed the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: John Wall, Martell Webster, Trevor Ariza, Nene, Emeka Okafor / AJ Price, Bradley Beal, Chris Singleton, Jan Vesely, Kevin Seraphin, Jordan Crawford

Storyline/s: Randy Wittman replaced Flip Saunders, with the Wiz setting up a good finishing kick to the season. That removed Randy's interim tag. They traded away malcontents and acquired character guys to surround Wall with, in spite of the Kentucky alum's injury that is to linger awhile.

X-Factor/s: Since John Wall will be unavailable to start the season, can either Jannero Pargo or AJ Price mitigate the expected drop-off? Can Emeka Okafor provide the maturity, stability and leadership that this team clearly lacked last season?

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

The Southwest Division NBA Preview

Dallas Mavericks - 36-30 record last season. 7th seed in the playoffs. Lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 1st Round of the Western Conference Playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Darren Collison, Vince Carter,  Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Kaman / Rodrigue Beaubois, OJ Mayo, Dahntay Jones, Jae Crowder, Elton Brand

Storyline/s: Mark Cuban had a plan for the offseason, but Dwight Howard and Deron Williams were not in on that plan, so plan B netted them Mayo, Brand and Kaman, then traded for Darren Collison. Dirk is going to be unavailable for the start of the season. Has the window of opportunity closed for them, considering that Dirk, Beaubois and Dominique Jones are the only players from the 2010-11 season still with the team (and the latter two did not even figure at all in the postseason title run)?

X-Factor/s: Can OJ Mayo prove himself to be a top-caliber-esque player? Can either Brand or Kaman come close to their 2006 Clippers form with the Mavericks?

Prognosis: Exiting first round of the playoffs.

Houston Rockets - 34-32 record last season. Missed the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Jeremy Lin, James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Patrick Patterson, Omer Asik / Toney Douglas, Scott Machado, Carlos Delfino, Terrence Jones, Donatas Montejunas

Storyline/s: Just before the buzzer sounded, the Rockets traded for what they believe will be a true go-to-guy option in Harden. This after Orlando spurned their interest in Dwight Howard.

X-Factor/s: Lots of newcomers, but can the two key holdovers (Chandler and Patrick) steady the ship with all the new faces?

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Memphis Grizzlies - 41-25 record last season. 5th seed in the playoffs. Lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1st Round of the Western Conference Playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol / Jerryd Bayless, Wayne Ellington, Quincy Pondexter, Darrell Arthur

Storyline/s: The indelible stigma from last season was their collapse against the Clippers in Game 1 of the playoffs. They did however stretch their matchup to the full seven games. Can these guys make the next step?

X-Factor/s: They missed Darrell Arthur's contributions last season. He returns, now recovered from the injury that he incurred. They were really bad from shooting outside, so they acquired Ellington to hopefully fix that hole. Wayne and Quincy are expected to plug the hole left by OJ Mayo.

Prognosis: Exiting the first round of the playoffs.

New Orleans Hornets - 21-45 record last season. Missed the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Greivis Vasquez, Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Anthony Davis, Robin Lopez / Austin Rivers, Xavier Henry, Hakim Warrick, Ryan Anderson, Jason Smith

Storyline/s: The Hornets naturally struggled last season after having to deal with the Chris Paul trade drama in the short offseason. It did not help matters that one of the assets they managed to secure missed a chunk of the season due to injury. They lucked out on securing new ownership, then the rights to the top overall selection in the draft.

X-Factor/s: Greivis gets the starting job while Austin gets mentored on how to run the offense. AFA got some playing time from his Olympic run with Nigeria. Will it translate to an improved game this season?

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

San Antonio Spurs - 50-16 record last season. Division Champions. Lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

Ideal Rotation: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, Boris Diaw / Gary Neal, Danny Green, Stephen Jackson, Matt Bonner, Tiago Splitter, Dejuan Blair

Storyline/s: Do they still have one more run in them? They'll have to start it without Manu. They stood pat while the other contenders re-armed. Can they stay healthy?

X-Factor/s: Can Danny Green, Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal collectively step up in Manu's absence at the start of the season?

Prognosis: Division Champs. Exiting in the Conference Semifinals

The Atlantic Division NBA Preview

Boston Celtics  - 39-27 last season. Division Champions. 4th seed in playoffs. Lost to the Miami Heat in Eastern Conference Finals.

Ideal Rotation: Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass / Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Leandrinho Barbosa, Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger, Darko Milicic

Storyline/s: They were that close to winning the East. In fact, they were one game away. But can Doc Rivers and the C's do it again? They'll do it without Jesus Shuttlesworth, who departed to the dark side, so to speak. Danny Ainge decided to plug in a set of swingmen + Jet swag to replace the minutes. The Big Ticket was revitalized by the move as the main slotman, but given the age, hopefully, he does not have to bear the brunt of the minutes *looks at Brandon, Darko and Jared* excessively

X-Factor/s: Jeff Green missed last season due to his heart issues. He's the tweener forward tasked to provide relief for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett

Prognosis: Division Champs. Exiting the Conference Finals.

Brooklyn Nets - 22-44 last season. Missed playoffs altogether.

Ideal Rotation: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez / C.J. Watson, MarShon Brooks, Mirza Teletovic, Reggie Evans, Andray Blatche, Josh Childress

Storylines: They got Prokhorov. They got Jay-Z. They got some new digs and a new image to boot. They tried to get Dwight, pulling off the deal to get Joe Johnson as a bargaining chip, while keeping Deron and Crash. But fate would have it that the proposed megadeal won't push through.

X-Factor/s: The Nets decided to reward Brook Lopez after deciding to nix dealing for Dwight. Time for him to earn that keep.

Prognosis: Exiting 1st round of playoffs.

New York Knicks - 36-30 last season. 7th seed in playoffs. Lost to the Miami Heat in the 1st Round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs

Ideal Rotation: Jason Kidd, J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler / Raymond Felton, Pablo Prignoni, Ronnie Brewer, Steve Novak, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby

Storyline/s: Linsanity lasted 35 games (25 of those he started) and Knicks management felt it was not worth it to match the offer sheet he received. They turned over the keys to old point guards (Kidd, Prignoni) and a returnee (Felton). But this is still Carmelo's team (especially since STAT is having his knee checked again) and Mike Woodson authored the Iso-Joe offense in Atlanta.

X-Factor/s: Deron Williams says Raymond Felton is a better point guard than Lin. The North Carolina alum played his worst season last year in Portland, admitting he was out of shape.

Prognosis: Exiting 1st round of playoffs.

Philadelphia 76ers - 35-31 last season. 8th seed in Playoffs. Lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Ideal Rotation: Jrue Holliday, Jason Richardson, Dorell Wright, Lavoy Allen, Andrew Bynum / Evan Turner, Nick Young, Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes

Storyline/s: Did the Sixers luck out on making it to the next round thanks to Derrick Rose's injury? Can they convince Andrew Bynum to stay in Philly after trading Iguodala and other assets to be involved in this megadeal?

X-Factor/s: Lavoy Allen proved to a serviceable asset enough for Philly to amnesty Elton Brand. Can Evan Turner mimic the contributions Andre Iguodala made for Doug Collins?

Prognosis: Exiting the Conference Semifinals.

Toronto Raptors - 23-43 last season. Missed playoffs altogether.

Ideal Rotation: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Linas Kleiza, Andrea Bargnani, Jonas Valanciunas / Jose Calderon, Landry Fields, Terrence Ross, Ed Davis, Aaron Gray, Amir Johnson

Storyline/s: Their attempted dalliance with Steve Nash (and to some extent, Jeremy Lin) netted them Kyle Lowry, in exchange for a 1st round pick that has some novel protection quirks on it. Can they figure in the chase for the last few playoff seats?

X-Factor/s: DeMar DeRozan worked on improving his game in the offseason. How that can be translated into the upcoming season will determine if he will still be a viable member of the franchise next season.

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Suzuki's Ultimate ASEAN Fan Contest

Suzuki recognizes that football fans in Southeast Asia are among the best in the world with regards to their intensity. passion and vibrancy for the game.

These same fans have the chance and opportunity to show that kind of passion through a contest the Japanese company is sponsoring.

Fans can post a photo on the official AFF Suzuki Cup Facebook page. (Facebook.com/affsuzukicup) The photo should show why they should be the ASEAN Ultimate Fan. Then these fans need to share that photo to as many people as possible. The lucky winner will be receiving a prize package that includes a Suzuki Nex motorcycle, Samsung Galaxy S3 Mobile Phone, Toshiba tablets, Nike products and Nikon cameras.

“Following a record breaking event in 2010, we wanted to reward fans for the unwavering support of their national teams. What better way to do that than through a search for ASEAN’s Ultimate Fan,” said Ian Mathie, Senior Vice-President, Football – South Asia, ASEAN, and Australia. “We have seen outstanding growth across our digital platforms and this promotion will continue to develop this area and further position the AFF Suzuki Cup at the forefront of the development of ASEAN football”.

The 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup will be held from November 24th to December 22nd with group stage matches in Malaysia and Thailand. The semi-finals and final matches will be played on a home-and-away basis.

Panda-monium in Game 1

And the legend of the Panda grows. Nice job by MLB to splice his contemporaries in the 3-HR club.



4/4 (3 HRs and a Single). 3 runs. 4 RBIs. The Panda got some Kung POW!

Preliminary Lineup for the AFF Suzuki Cup released

The Philippines named their preliminary lineup for the AFF Suzuki Cup on Thursday afternoon on the Senior Men's National Team's website.

Eleven members from the side that two years ago made the miraculous run to the semifinals in Indonesia under Simon McMenemy return under the auspices of Hans Michael Weiss to attempt to replicate the feat. They will join forces with the core of the team that won the Philippine Football Peace Cup, the first tournament title the Azkals secured in almost a century.

Out of the 35, twenty-two will be selected to participate in the competition proper.  The eight nations have until November 23 to finalize their respective lineups. Out of that 22, each team can register twenty players who can be eligible to play in a particular match in the Suzuki Cup. That list of twenty will be known sixty minutes before each fixture.

In cases of injury or club conflict, (the competition is not included in the FIFA Calendar) the coaching staff can select an alternate, but said alternate needs to be included in the original pool.

The Philippines begins its AFF Suzuki Cup group stage campaign on November 24 against co-hosts Thailand.

The initial 35-man pool of the Philippines are as follows:

Midfielders

Marvin Angeles - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Marwin Angeles - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Jason De Jong - Stallion Penson FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Anto Gonzales - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Chris Greatwich - Morris County Colonials (National Premier Soccer League - United States)
Jerry Lucena - Esbjerg FC (Superliga - Denmark)
Nestorio Margarse, Jr. - Philippine Army (United Football League - Philippines)
Lexton Moy - Kaya FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Paul Mulders - ADO Den Haag (Eredivisie - The Netherlands)
Manny Ott - Ingolstadt II (Regionalliga-Bayern - Germany)
Matthew Uy - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)

Forwards

Ian Araneta - Philippine Air Force (United Football League - Philippines)
Joshua Beloya - Ceres FC (??? - Philippines)
Angel Guirado - Salgaocar FC (I-League - India)
Mark Hartmann - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Denis Wolf - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Phil Younghusband - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (United Football League - Philippines)

Wingers

Misagh Bahadoran - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Emelio Caligdong - Philippine Air Force (United Football League - Philippines)
Jeff Christiaens - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
OJ Porteria - Kaya FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Demit Omphroy - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Patrick Reichelt - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Stephan Schrock - Hoffenheim (Bundesliga - Germany)
James Younghusband - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (United Football League - Philippines)

Defenders

Dennis Cagara - Karlsruher SC (3. Bundesliga - Germany)
Rob Gier - Ascot United FC (Hellenic League - England)
Juan Luis Guirado - Racing Lermeno (Tercera Division - Spain) *also listed on Global FC's roster
Ray Jonsson - Grindavik (Úrvalsdeild - Iceland) *contract with the team expires at end of October
Carlie de Murga - Global FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Jason Sabio - Kaya FC (United Football League - Philippines)

Goalkeepers

Ref Cuaresma - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC (United Football League - Philippines)
Neil Etheridge - Bristol Rovers (League Two - England) *On loan from English Premiership side Fulham
Roland Muller - MSV Duisburg (2. Bundesliga - Germany)
Ed Sacapano - Philippine Army (United Football League - Philippines)

The 2012 PBA D-League Rosters

The D-League resumed action yesterday with games at the Arena in San Juan.

This is of course, based from the list from @thepbaologist, but still working on updating some minor stuff.

Big Chill

Coach: Robert Sison
Assistants: Nel Parado, Reynaldo Lauchengco, Florian Pineda, Jerson Allen Cabilites, Juben Ledesma

Players:
0 - Jonathan Semira
4 - Mar Villahermosa
7 - Terrence Romeo
9 - Mark Canlas
11 - Mac Montilla
12 - Chris Canta
13 - Ryan Buenafe
15 - Allan Santos
16 - Arvie Bringas
20 - Jelo Montecastro
21 - Jam Cortez
23 - Jesse Collado
42 - Janus Lozada
91 - Rodney Brondial

Blackwater Sports

Coach: Leo Isaac
Consultant: Pido Jarencio
Assistants: Patrick Aquino, Junjie Ablan, Rodil Sablan, Tylon Darjuan

Players:
4 - Allan Mangahas
5 - Kim Lo
7 - Jeric Fortuna
8 - Robby Celiz
9 - Ian Mazo
10 - Gio Ciriacruz
13 - Ice Ciriacruz
14 - Kevin Ferrer
15 - Pari Llagas
16 - Paolo Pe
17 - Louie Vigil
18 - Justin Chua
20 - Karim Abdul
32 - Hyram Bagatsing

Boracay Rum

Coach: Lawrence Chongson
Assistants: Joel Palapal, Michael Tan, Dominador Unson, Arnel Syyap

Players:
1 - Joseph Tolentino
4 - Maclean Sabelina
6 - Roider Cabrera
8 - Jaymo Eguilos
9 - Paolo Taha
11 - Jeff Viernes
12 - Glenn Khobuntin
13 - Toto Bandaying

15 - Ezer Rosopa
16 - Raymund Ilagan
18 - Ken Acibar
19 - Jericho de Guzman
20 - Stephen Siruma
21 - John Foronda

Cafe France

Coach: Edgar Macaraya
Assistants: Yong Garcia, Noy Catalan, Jay Cambarihan

Players:
1 - Mark Lopez
3 - Lyle Antipuesto
6 - Alfred Batino
7 - John Paul Magbitang
10 - Ryan Gallardo
11 - Mark Guillen
12 - Marion Magat
14 - Jens Knuttel
16 - Axl Garcia
24 - Alvin Padilla35 - John Jamon
77 - Roger Pogoy
88 - Michael Parala
99 - Gryann Mendoza

Cagayan Valley Rising Suns

Coach: Alvin Pua
Consultant: Arturo Valenzona
Assistants: Francis Rodriguez, Toto Dojillo, Oscar Torres, Michael Gonzales

Players:

1 - James Forrester
6 - Eliud Poligrates
8 - Franz Chiong
9 - Joshua Webb
10 - Roberto Bartolo, Jr.
11 - Allen Calabung
15 - Jason Melano
17 - Ping Exciminiano
18 - Philip dela Cruz
20 - Raymund Almazan
21 - Ronald Machua
23 - Mark Bringas
24 - Adrian Celada
25 - Edrian Lao

Cebuana-Lhullier

Coach: Beaujing Acot
Assistants: Arsenio Dysangco, Hubert delos Santos, Albert Olaya, Reil Espino

Players:

0 - Rexander Leynes
4 - June Dizon
5 - Paul Zamar
6 - Mark Sarangay
8 - John Emel Rowe
11 - Julian Bagares III
14 - Jay Najorda
15 - Mark Anthony Trinidad
19 - James Mangahas
21 - JR Buensuceso
23 - Raymond Aguilar
25 - Eric Suguitan
26 - Jopher Custodio
27 - Ramon Mabayo

Erase Xfoliant

Coach: Aric del Rosario
Assistants: Lester del Rosario, Joselo Angeles, Jonas Kris Kintanar, Jed Alvin Salang

Players:
1 - Macky Acosta
2 - Andretti Stevens
3 - Marlon Gomez
4 - Erwin Cornejo
5 - John Eric Vijandre
6 - Jett Vidal
7 - Earl Thompson
8 - Harold Arboleda
9 - Anthony Paulino
10 - George Allen
11 - Justine Alano
12 - Nate Matute
23 - Mark Mendoza
27 - Femi Babayemi

Fruitas

Coach: Nash Racela
Assistants: Eric Gonzales, Josh Reyes, Richie Ticzon

Players:
0 - Martin Antonio
1 - Jai Reyes
2 - Joseph Erioubu
4 - Jumbo Escueta
5 - Jolas Paguia
6 - Carlo Lastimosa
9 - Levi Hernandez
14 - Jan Colina
20 - Gene Belleza
21 - Mike Silungan
23 - Joseph Terso

Informatics College Icons

Coach: Jonathan Reyes
Assistants: Jeffrey Briones, David Anthony Brodett, Benjie Teodoro, John Mark Robles

Players:
1 - Carl Cruz
3 - Moncrief Rogado
5 - Mark Angeo Montuano
6 - Mark Doligon
7 - Joseph Marquez
8 - Eric Acuna
15 - Mark Benitez17 - Gerald Bautista
19 - Rodolfo Carlos, Jr.
20 - Benjie Ungco
21 - Justin Tan
24 - Roser Mangahas
29 - Marvin Hayes
33 - Jasprit Sanghera

Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers (Air21)

Coach: Vergel Meneses
Assistants: Allan Trinidad, Agustin Tiongco, Victor Escudero, Ricky Alcantara

Players:
4 - Khasim Mirza
6 - Cris Jordan Dela Paz
7 - Rocky Acidre
8 - Brandon Christian Porter
9 - Dexter Maiquez
12 - Prince Caperal
13 - Michael Mabulac 14 - John Lopez
15 - John Villarias
17 - Alex Almario18 - Jeckster Apinan
21 - Kenneth Ighalo
22 - Nard John Pinto
35 - Michael Miranda

NLex Road Warriors

Coach: Boyet Fernandez
Assistants: Adonis Tierra, Gino Manuel, Raymund Celis, Jay Serrano, Claiford Arao

Players:
0 - Russel Escoto
6 - Kevin Alas
7 - Baser Amer
8 - RR Garcia
9 - Jake Pascual
11 - Kirk Long
12 - Eric Camson
13 - Garvo Lanete
16 - Borgie Hermida
18 - Ian Sangalang
19 - Ronald Pascual
22 - Matt Ganuelas
24 - Nico Salva
31 - Oping Sumalinog

Philippines falls short in AFC U-19 Women's Campaign

The Philippines' Under-19 women's team missed out on the quest to advance in the AFC Women's U-19 competition, finishing third in the qualifiers held on October 17-21 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

On Lance

The shoe has dropped, so to speak.

The individual writing this piece has the same number of Tour de France titles as Lance Armstrong. This after UCI has confirmed USADA's report. With that confirmation, TdF organizers finally conducted what they feel is the right thing to do, which is to strip the seven TdF titles.

This news puts a pall on the race, which will be turning 100 next year. In addition, within the next couple of days, the TdF organizers are supposed to announce the planned race route next year's centennial. All the buzz there will now be re-centered on Lance.

Trying to understand and figure out the whole drama on Lance is filled with shades and shades of gray.

Yes, trying to cheat is clearly wrong, but the culture of the sport makes it difficult to turn away. It's still worth noting that Lance was never caught in their tests and USADA needed to have people testify to ensure they can pin him down. It's a conflicting context for the sport, which Lance was its face for so long. Now they want to be as far away as they possibly could. It's a sad crossroad that cycling is in. This is a challenge to the new generation of riders, led by reigning TdF winner Bradley Wiggins to blaze a new trail and carve a new path.

As for Lance, what is the truth? Many things needed to be clarified and enlightened. Is there something worth salvageable? That's how things are right now. Queries right ahead. The fear is always how this affects the fight against cancer, as Lance is THE face of Livestrong and the worry of collateral damage is ever present.

Blog Outsourcing - October 22, 2012 edition

Morning to all.

Nothing is safe. Not even the sanctity of a "state-of-the-art" facility, as a break-in of a locker room took place while the team was playing on the court. What was worse was that the coaching staff not only lost belongings, but also the game.

The venue and its management has had a rough week, not only having to deal with that, but also with this move by Sting.

Meanwhile, you'll never ever see Transformers the same again after watching this clip.



Here forth are the links after the jump. 

PFF-SMART National Club Championships announced

The Philippine Football Federation, in conjunction with its official partner SMART Communications Inc., formally launched on late Wednesday morning the 2012-2013 edition of the PFF-SMART National Club Championships.

More than 30 different local football assocations (FAs) scattered all across the Philippine archipelago are participating in this competition, which has been subdivided into eight clusters. Three clusters are already underway this week, in Baguio City (Baguio-Benguet, Laguna, Oriental Mindoro, Rizal, Tarlac and Cavite), Malaybalay in Bukidnon (Bukidnon, Butuan-Agusan del Norte, Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental, Iligan-Lanao del Norte, Surigao del Norte) and the ongoing UFL Cup, which serves as the lone cluster for the NCRFA.

A couple more clusters begin their competition one week later, in Naga City (Camarines Norte, Legaspi City-Albay, Masbate, Naga City-Camarines Sur, Quezon, Batangas) and in South Cotabato (Maguindanao-Cotabato City, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat), while the remaining clusters (Davao for Mati, Davao and Davao del Norte; Dipolog City for Misamis Occidental-Ozamiz City, Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Norte-Dipolog and Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian; and Dumaguete for Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental) have their matches in November.

The Visayan cluster will have its top two teams automatically get berths in the Round of 16. The Luzon and Mindanao clusters will have regional competitions scheduled later in November in Laguna and Davao respectively. The top two finishers of the regionals will join the aforementioned two Visayan finishers to comprise the six provincial-based slots in the Round of 16. The remaining ten slots will be taken from the eight teams who made the knockout phase of the UFL Cup and the two best third place finishers in the UFL Cup's Group Stage.

The Round of 16 matches will be played on January 12. The matchups will be determined via a draw. The six provincial teams are automatically slotted in as home teams, so the Manila-based teams will be going to the provinces, ostensibly to help with the growth of the sport in the provinces, especially since most, if not all of those who have worn the nation's colors are based in Manila. From this point onwards, it is a knock-out system all the way to the championship on February 2.

PFF Competitions Committee head Cyril Dofitas did not definitively say about television coverage for the competition, but it is something that can be considered in the knockout stages. He is thrilled that the PFF-SMART Nationals is building on the growth of football especially in the provinces, as it shows that there is national interest in the sport.

SMART Sports manager Epok Quimpo expressed the re-commitment of the telecommunications group with the sport of football, noting the contributions of SMART head Manny V. Pangilinan in building the sport. In addition, the tournament is seen as a means of institutionalizing local leagues, something the PFF is looking to assist clubs by providing seminar thanks to the Asian Football Confederation.

Global FC, then playing as Teknika, won the competition last year. They beat SMART-San Beda in two legs at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. SMART-San Beda then was bolstered by the likes of Phil and James Younghusband, Roxy Dorlas and Ref Cuaresma, who then moved to Loyola Meralco Sparks FC after the conclusion of the tourney.

Chill Pills and Public Relations Correspondences

As what Matt Clapp wrote on his post, team websites are usually means for the team to illustrate the positive things they do.

Unfortunately on Monday night, they were the victims of a second half Broncos stampede.

The following is a post (copied in full in case the piece would be removed) from San Diego Chargers' Public Relations Director Bill Johnston. He has been the head PR Guy of the Chargers for the past 24 seasons. It's on his twitter handle (@ChargersPRguy).

What’s with you people?

Yes, Monday night’s loss was bad. Horrible. Embarrassing.

Ok…enough already. No mas. I get it.

Now get over it. It was a loss. One loss.

Listening to some of you out there, you’d think Monday night was “win or go home” and the Chargers are now packing their bags.

“The Chargers are finished. Done,” said one scribe.

Another wrote, “Bye, bye Chargers. Put a fork in them.”

Sometimes I think Twitter was invented to give people a chance to puff out their chests and talk big, saying things they never would say to someone’s face.

And talk radio … don’t get me started. The old adage your mom used to preach – “If you don’t have anything good say, don’t say anything” – seems to have evolved to “if you don’t have anything good to say, call sports talk radio.”

Some of those folks are probably the same ones who called for former Head Coach Bobby Ross’ job when his first Chargers team started the 1992 season 0-4. I still remember the self-proclaimed experts saying Bobby was “in over his head”. The Chargers went on to win 11 of the next 12 games that year, along with a 17-0 victory in the first round of the playoffs.

A few of the more recent Chargers teams have been declared dead by quacks, only to awaken in good health. The 3-3 Chargers of 2004 won nine of their final 10 games. The ’06 Chargers won their final 10. The ’07 Chargers started 1-3 before winning 10 of their last 12. The ’08 Chargers won their final four in a row and the ’09 team won its last 11 games.

Time to take a chill pill. No one knows what will happen this season, yet alone the next game. That’s the beauty of the National Football League. I don’t know, you don’t know, no one knows what’s going to happen.

If you want these players and coaches to succeed, then support them. Don’t tear them down. What you want and what we all want, including your team, is to know people believe in them.

Look at it this way. We want our loved ones to succeed, and we’ll do whatever it takes to help them. But when they make mistakes, like we all do, we would never criticize or belittle them publicly.

Your team is 3-3, tied at the top of the division, and has 10 games to play.  If the Chargers are your team, get behind them and stay behind them.  We’re all at our best when we know others believe in us.

The tone of the piece sounded strong and over the top, something that resonated on the comments in the post in question.

It reminded me of how quick and responsive Dan Gilbert was immediately after The Decision. The difference is that one guy was an owner and the other a guy specialized in addressing fans and the media.

He did address the manner of expression in a series of tweets a few days later...

I think I struck a nerve with that one. Just one fan's opinion. A lot of passionate Charger fans out there. Thanks for caring.

Thx for chiming in. Like u, I'm a fan (since 79). My main message getting lost. It may hurt now, but lot of games to play. Thx for caring.

Thank you all for caring so much. Definitely understand frustration & meant no disrespect. Been fan since '70s & care & wrote from heart.

I see how hard players work every day. I see what good guys they are, & how much they want to win. Like you, it hurts when we don't.

The article was up on the same night as the Monday Night loss. The adage remains true, that there are moments where one should just sleep things over, to let the emotions settle and simmer down a bit.

However, it does remind the Chargers that this is once again typical Norv Turner M.O. for the past few seasons. Slow and frustrating starts each and every time. At some point, there will come a time where their trademark strong finishing kick just won't come. They have been a tease, and sometimes, patience wears thin on fans.

To their credit, at least they are in the news cycle during their bye week.

Update: Johnston added a post on the Chargers website earlier today to give further clarity on this situation.

Who's Headlining the Super Bowl?

Yes, Beyonce is the halftime entertainment for Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

Jay-Z's going to be involved in this one, right? Possibly Lady Gaga.

The Cinquel: Or How the "Drive for Five" was completed

This piece serves as my initial post for Hoo.Ph. (The actual post can be seen here).

History has been made, as the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles proceeded to do what was perceived to be the unthinkable. By sweeping the postseason, they became the first team to win five straight UAAP Men's Basketball championships. (Before you raise a howl, yes, the University of the East won seven straight from 1965-71, but in 1967, they shared a championship with the University of Santo Tomas, mainly because both teams' coaches decided to not reveal their 2nd half starting fives to the officials).

How did Ateneo assert themselves in the Finals? How did they secure the championship in sweeping UST?

Before the Finals, I wrote my thoughts on my own sports blog my own snippets of how the Finals would turn out. It would be a good idea to revisit these and see how things went based from that prism.

1. Baseline action. Look for Pido to do some PnRs with some baseline plays akin to what Gee did with Yutien Andrada on Greg Slaughter during the Final Four, taking advantage of the slow-footed behemoth.

I thought Ateneo did enough defensively to make the necessary adjustments on the baseline. How do I know? Well, I don't remember really how UST took advantage of it.

2. Juami Tiongson / Nico Elorde on Jeric Fortuna. There is a huge drop on playmaking productivity from Jeric (5.5 assts in 33.8 minutes) to his deputy, streak-shooting Clark Bautista (1.9 assts in 24.2 minutes). It's up to the point guard tandem to put pressure on him, maybe even force him into foul trouble.

This was very apparent in Game 1, as the Blue Eagle Point Guard Corps shut him down. Jeric shot 1/11 from the field, producing just four points and two assists in a whopping 38 minutes of action. Game 2 was a different story altogether, as he poured in twenty points in what turned out to be his final game as a Growling Tiger. You can probably say he went down fighting, that he went out in a blaze of glory with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists (and zero turnovers) in 35 minutes.

3. 2006 = 2012?. In 2006, Pido had a group of versatile forwards supporting Jervy Cruz. From Allan Evangelista to Dylan Ababou to Mark Canlas to Francis Allera. Can Aljon Mariano, Melo Afuang and Kevin Ferrer be able to live up to being the versatile forwards supporting Karim Abdul?

Melo Afuang was sorely missed in Game 1, as he missed the game due to dengue. He was able to return in time for Game 2, but it was clear he was not at optimum playing capacity. He played 11 minutes in what turned out to be his final game as a Growling Tiger, with three rebounds (all on the offensive end) and an assist and missing his only attempt from the field. Aljon Mariano was crucial in Game 1, trying to match Nico Salva, point-for-point, finishing with 22. But he was effectively shut down in Game 2, shooting 2/10 for just four points. Kevin Ferrer had his hands full trying to be Kiefer Ravena's main defender, with the Phenom limited to 13 points in Game 1, but he took over in Game 2 with a game-high 22 points. Kevin did manage to get himself to score 13 in Game 1 and 7 in Game 2.

4. Rebounding. Even with Slaughter around, Ateneo has not really shown itself as a team that would dominate the boards (last in offensive boards, partly due to being the best shooting team in the UAAP). With Abdul around and his capability for 20-20 nights visible for the first time since Jervy, being able to keep him in check would be a plus. In addition, UST is the best when it comes to offensive rebounding. Need to box out.

Ateneo overwhelmed UST in Game 1, a +10 edge in rebounds (+4 in offensive end), while in Game 2, they virtually even (47-46), although the Growling Tigers owned the offensive boards, doubling the Blue Eagles 20-10.

5. Poise. Pido prides on his 3 P's. But does he and the Growling Tigers have the necessary gumption when the situation calls for it? We have seen time and again how the Blue Eagles during this string of success when the chips are down. They have prided on their clutch-ness this season.

Need a basket? Someone from Ateneo will get it for you, whether from Kiefer Ravena slashing through the lane, or a medium-range jumper from Nico Salva, or huge shotgun-cocking three from Juami Tiongson. Need a key rebound, Ryan Buenafe gets the key tip. Or Greg Slaughter using his size to get the ball first. You'd see Ryan Buenafe issue a nifty assist or a issue the pass that eventually becomes a key bucket. That's how years of championship experience get you ready for these situations, not to mention the collective high basketball IQs of the team, led by Coach Norman Black. This is true, especially on the defensive end. The Growling Tigers committed eleven turnovers, but two were especially costly, a 5-second inbounds violation that doubly hurt because it came off a timeout, and the final play of the game with Tiongson intercepting the Clark Bautista pass to Jeric Fortuna, effectively handing the championship over.

Robert Griffin III is an athletic freak.

It's ridiculous what Robert Griffin III does to opposing defenses. Also, check the clock and time it.

Blog Outsourcing - October 15, 2012 edition

Hello.

We all know about Felix Baumgartner. We saw what he did. It surely was crazy. It was unprecedented. It takes balls to do that. It also means that nothing is impossible, to borrow a tagline from another brand. It means that the human spirit remains indomitable. May it inspire us the way previously unheard of achievements inspired the previous generations.



Here forth are the brief links after the jump.

UFL Cup Schedule for October 2012 (as of October 15)

16 OCTOBER 2012 (TUESDAY) / Marikina Sports Complex
17:15 Grp D - Penson Stallion Gilligan's FC vs Sta. Lucia FC
19:30 Grp C - Nomads FC vs Pachanga FC

18 OCTOBER 2012 (THURSDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI
19:00 Grp B - Forza FC vs Dolphins United FC
21:00 Grp B - Green Archers United FC vs Diliman FC

20 OCTOBER 2012 (SATURDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI
16:00 Grp A - Pasargad FC vs Team Socceroo FC
18:00 Grp A - Philippine Navy FC vs Global FC
20:00 Grp C - Pachanga FC vs Loyola Meralco Sparks FC

21 OCTOBER 2012 (SUNDAY) / University of Makati & Nomads
18:00 Grp C - Laos FC vs Mendiola FC 1991 (University of Makati)
18:30 Grp D - Sta. Lucia FC vs Agila FC (Nomads)
20:30 Grp B - Dolphins United FC vs Kaya FC (Nomads)

23 OCTOBER 2012 (TUESDAY) / RIZAL MEMORIAL SPORTS COMPLEX [TELEVISED]
17:15 Grp D - Philippine Air Force FC vs Philippine Army FC
19:30 Grp C - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC vs Nomads FC

24 OCTOBER 2012 (WEDNESDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI
19:00 Grp B - Forza FC vs Green Archers United FC

25 OCTOBER 2012 (THURSDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI
19:00 Grp C - Mendiola FC 1991 vs Loyola Meralco Sparks FC
21:00 Grp C - Pachanga FC vs Laos FC

26 OCTOBER 2012 (FRIDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI
19:00 Grp A - Team Socceroo FC vs Philippine Navy FC
21:00 Grp D - Sta. Lucia FC vs Philippine Air Force FC

28 OCTOBER 2012 (SUNDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI
16:00 Grp C - Nomads FC vs Mendiola FC 1991
18:00 Grp D - Philippine Army FC vs Sta. Lucia FC
20:00 Grp D - Agila FC vs Penson Stallion Gilligan's FC

30 OCTOBER 2012 (TUESDAY) / University of Makati
19:00 Grp A - Gen. Trias International FC vs Pasargad FC
21:00 Grp D - Penson Stallion Gilligan's FC vs Philippine Air Force FC

Retrospective: The Ateneo - La Salle Final Four

Sometimes, statistics tell the story and interpret it the way you want it to be. See if you can discern this game.

MVP Sports Foundation Coaches' Convention

Over 300 high school coaches from the SeaOil National Basketball Training Center Elite League will come together for a three-day Coaches Convention at the Philsports Arena from October 12-14, 2012.

The Coaches Convention, on its second year, is now a joint venture between the NBTC and the Manuel V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation (MVPSF) that aims to develop not just young basketball players but also young men steeped in values and leadership.

This year’s program is hosted by former Ateneo Blue Eagle LA Mumar and features San Mig Coffee Mixers head coach Tim Cone who will talk about defending the pick and roll; national team assistant coach Josh Reyes who will give instruction on the dribble drive offense; Arellano University head coach Koy Banal who will demonstrate the virtues of a full court pressure defense; Hercules Callanta who will talk about strength and conditioning, and Sandy Arespacochaga, assistant of the UAAP five-peat champions Ateneo de Manila who will provide a blueprint on building a basketball program.

Other coaches slated to take part in the seminar include former Powerade head coach and current UP consultant Bo Perasol, Ardy Abello, and NBTC Program Director and National University head coach Eric Altamirano.

Alex Compton, NBTC Training Director and now an assistant with the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association believes that the Coaches Convention will make a difference in the way the sport will be played in the future. “Some of the players will make the PBA but 98% will not. Our job is to teach these coaches and help them improve in their craft because this in turn will have a tremendous influence and impact on these young men for the rest of their lives.”

Current national team head coach, Chot Reyes, a speaker in last year’s coaches convention and now working with the MVPSF said: "The MVPSF is proud to partner with the NBTC in its efforts to develop the game Filipinos are so passionate about on a truly meaningful level. We believe that for any grassroots development to gain traction, the focus must be not only in training the youth nationwide, but more importantly, in equipping the coaches who will train these players to play this game the right way. ‘The right way’ on the technical side, is learning a style of play that will allow the Philippines to be competitive internationally. It also means developing the right values that will enable participants to reap the positives of sports - and the coaches play a major role in imparting these to the youth. Having been personally involved with the NBTC Coaches Convention as a resource speaker over the past few years, I have seen first-hand how their objectives align closely with the MVPSF's grassroots development thrust.

Schedule of the Coaches Convention is as follows:

October 12, 2012 Friday 4pm-845pm
Speaker: Tim Cone

October 13, 2012 Saturday 7am-6pm
Speakers: Bo Perasol, Josh Reyes, Eric Altamirano, Hercules and Luchie Callanta, and Ardy Abello.

October 14, 2012 Sunday 730am-1230pm
Speakers; Sandy Arespacochaga, Koy Banal, and Ardy Abello.

The Younghusbands' Statement re: Bahrain

Apologies if this is only posted now when it was released yesterday. Happens when you are preoccupied with things.

James and Phil Younghusband will be rejoining the Philippine Men's Football National Team in Kuwait this October 12. The brothers received their call up just last week while in Singapore for the semifinals leg of the 2012 Singapore Cup. They flew back to Manila last Monday evening, October 8 and were ready to rejoin their teammates in Bahrain on Tuesday as they committed to an engagement before they were called up. The PFF however informed the brothers that they can rejoin the team in Kuwait so they have more time for their recovery.

The brothers remain committed to the national team and hope they can help with gain more ground in the upcoming Suzuki Cup.

Update: Rick Olivares has a better explanation here.

My two cents. This got blown much out of proportion. However, if this happened a month from now, God forbid the backlash Phil and James and the PFF will get.

The Trequartista Sweeper - No YHs? Again? Now What?

This photo is clearly Bob Guerrero's. From his Yahoo! PH blog The Passionate Fan

You have probably seen the articles from Interaksyon and Inquirer, et al...

Coach Hans Michael Weiss, via the PFF, has ruled the two LMSFC players out of the FIFA international friendly against Bahrain on October 12 (That date falls under the FIFA international calendar).

Now what?

1. I don't think James will be that missed as much as Phil would. There is depth with regards to the wingers and midfielders. The forwards are the issue as of the moment, which will not be that much of a concern if Denis Wolf continues with his PFPC form (hopeful) and / or Ian Araneta rediscovers his brilliance (of which we all are currently hoping for a miracle). If Angel is there, we can plug him in at that spot. He has played that particular position before with Weiss.

2. I doubt this is a LMSFC matter when you have their starting keeper and one of their midfielders already at Bahrain participating in the camp.

3. Weiss must be cut from the Klinsmann cloth. If you don't get this, read the previous blog post.

What I'd like to see from the Middle East? See after the jump.

Trequartista Sweeper - On Jozy, and on being left off the national team

Photo from Soccer By Ives

Surprising non call-ups not just occur on Philippine soil.

On Monday, Jurgen Klinsmann named the players that he would be selecting for the upcoming 2014 World Cup Qualifers at Antigua and Barbuda and against Guatemala that will be played in Kansas City. The Americans need four points from these two matches to ensure they advance to the next round. Clint Dempsey's on it. So is Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra and so on...

However, there is an interesting omission from Klinsmann's pool. 22 year-old AZ Alkmaar striker Jozy Altidore was left off. His eight goals with the club is tied for tops in the Ere Divisie. Yet, Jurgen went with other options at forward, namely Mexico-based Herculez Gomez and MLS players Alan Gordon of San Jose and Eddie Johnson of Seattle. Jozy has been an integral part of the American effort, having been involved in the previous 17 WCQs, currently the longest in the United States.

But if you read Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl, you might see some interesting things.

"I communicated with Jozy that I was not happy about his latest performances with us, maybe over the last 14 months," Klinsmann said Monday. "Jozy can do much, much better. The reason why he's not coming in is mainly about his performances at Jamaica and at home [last month], also in training. Also certain things that went on through the May-June camp. So we decided to bring in Eddie Johnson and Alan Gordon and give them a chance to show they've improved. They're both doing really well in MLS now."

 Here's another.

When I asked Klinsmann about his club form comment and how it relates to Altidore and Gómez, he said: "I think [club form] is absolutely important. Now it looks a little bit different in Jozy's case because he's doing well with Alkmaar, and he's scoring goals. But he hasn't done well with us in the last couple of camps. That's why I have more trust for these upcoming two games in Eddie Johnson and Alan Gordon."

Does it sound familiar, Filipino football fans?

 

Now whether Klinsmann can replicate what Hans Michael Weiss did remains to be seen, but clearly, Jozy does not seem to be bitter about the non call-up:

When I came right out and asked Altidore -- are you and Klinsmann on the same page? -- he answered straight up. "I'm the student here," Altidore said. "I'm the player and I'm learning always. It doesn't matter if I don't understand. I have to get on the same page as the boss and all the senior players, not the other way around. I'm not a guy who can walk into the team and say, 'Guys, adjust to me.' That's not my mindset. I'm trying to get on the same page as them, and until I do that I'm sure I won't be playing. I want to try and do that as quickly as possible. I want to score great goals for the national team and be dominant for them. But unfortunately it's not so easy sometimes when the styles of play are much different."

I hope there are more people like Jozy in our national team.

October UFL Cup Schedule

Need the 2012 United Football League Cup schedule? Here it is.

09 OCTOBER 2012 (TUESDAY) / RIZAL MEMORIAL SPORTS COMPLEX [TELEVISED]

17:15: Grp B - Diliman FC vs Kaya FC

19:30: Grp B - Green Archers United FC vs Dolphins United FC

11 OCTOBER 2012 (THURSDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

19:00: Grp C - Pachanga FC vs Loyola Meralco Sparks FC

21:00: Grp A - Gen. Trias International FC vs Team Socceroo FC

13 OCTOBER 2012 (SATURDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

16:00: Grp B - Dolphins United FC vs Diliman FC

18:00: Grp D - Agila FC vs Phil. Army FC

20:00: Grp D - Sta. Lucia FC vs Phil. Air Force FC

14 OCTOBER 2012 (SUNDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

16:00: Grp A - Team Socceroo FC vs Phil. Navy FC

18:00: Grp A - Gen. Trias International FC vs Pasargad FC

20:00: Grp C - Mendiola FC 1991 vs Loyola Meralco Sparks FC

16 OCTOBER 2012 (TUESDAY) / No Venue Yet [TELEVISED]

17:15: Grp C - Nomads FC vs Pachanga FC

19:30: Grp B - Green Archers United FC vs Diliman FC

18 OCTOBER 2012 (THURSDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

19:00: Grp B - Forza FC vs Dolphins United FC

21:00: Grp C - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC vs Laos FC

20 OCTOBER 2012 (SATURDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

16:00: Grp A - Pasargad FC vs Team Socceroo FC

18:00: Grp A - Phil. Navy FC vs Global FC

20:00: Grp D - Stallion FC vs Sta. Lucia FC

21 OCTOBER 2012 (SUNDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

16:00: Grp C - Pachanga FC vs Laos FC

18:00: Grp B - Forza FC vs Green Archers United FC

20:00: Grp B - Dolphins United FC vs Kaya FC

23 OCTOBER 2012 (TUESDAY) / RIZAL MEMORIAL SPORTS COMPLEX [TELEVISED]

17:15: Grp D - Phil. Air Force FC vs Phil. Army FC

19:30: Grp C - Loyola Meralco Sparks FC vs Nomads FC

24 OCTOBER 2012 (WEDNESDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

19:00: Grp A - Pasargad FC vs Phil. Navy FC

21:00: Grp D - Sta. Lucia FC vs Agila FC

25 OCTOBER 2012 (THURSDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

19:00: Grp C - Laos FC vs Mendiola FC 1991

26 OCTOBER 2012 (FRIDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

19:00: Grp A - Team Socceroo FC vs Global FC

21:00: Grp D - Stallion FC vs Phil. Air Force FC

28 OCTOBER 2012 (SUNDAY) / UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

16:00: Grp C - Nomads FC vs Mendiola FC 1991

18:00: Grp D - Phil. Army FC vs Sta. Lucia FC

20:00: Grp D -Agila FC vs Stallion FC

The Other Teams in the UFL Cup

Here are the rosters of the Non-Division I teams participating in the Group Stages of the UFL Cup.

AGILA FC

New:
ALILAM, Paolo Gabriel
ANDRES, Jose Roberto
CALVO, Valentino
DE JESUS, Daniel Luis
MOLO, Nikko Paolo
MONTEMAYOR, Jin Daniel
PEREZ, Alvin
ROXAS, Juilan Vincent
RUSTIA, Jose Celerino
SORIANO, Jose Ignatius Mikael

Reactivated:
BELINA, Jerwin
LANSANG, Salvador (Loyola FC)
MABASA, Frank Lee Vic
MARINAY, Ryan

Retained:
JAUCIAN, Matthew Allan
MABANAG, Michael Jerremy
MADRONA, Mark Andrew
MADRONA, Paul Isiah
MARAÑON, Zaldy Jr.
MORTILLERO, Peter Ian
MURAYAMA, Yu
SALISAD, Randy
VALEROSO, Louie John
VALEROSO, Mark Alvin

Transferred:
VERSARIO, Dexter Dean (Loyola FC)

DILIMAN FC

Reactivated:
AMISTOSO, Fernando Anton Jr. (Agila FC)
BENEDICTO, Jan Michael
CASEM, Jon Mari Casey
FLORESTA, Severino V (ABC Stars FC)
GUTIERREZ, Miguel Alberto
LEDESMA, Jose Rafael
VAPOR, Johniel (Team Socceroo)
VERSALES, Kim Kristiane (Pachanga FC)

Transferred:
AMORES, Peter (Union Internactional - Manila)
CAMARA, Alex Fayah (Loyola Meralco Sparks FC)
DE-LUIS, Yves Luthi (Nomads Auction Manila FC)
MARTIR, Patrick Anthony (Agila FC)
MISA, Enrico Paolo (Pachanga FC)
MORDENO, Keith Israel (Dolphins United FC)
SCHAEFER, Michael (Nomads Auction Manila FC)

New:
ARANETA, Alfie
BARQUIN, Marvin Lloyd
CRUZ, Miguel Antonio
FRANCISCO, Albert
GENATO, Carlo
MARONILLA, Robert Francis
SOONG, Jason

Retained:
CLARINO, Randolfo Paolo
DATU, Christopher Andrew
LIZA, Francis John

DOLPHINS UNITED FC

New:
ARAÑEZ, Carl
BALLE, Harold
LACATAN, Aljon
MARALLAG, Ronald
PANAGUITON, Edwin Jr.

Retained:
BALEOS, Bryan
CLEMENTE, Jeremiah James
CLEMENTE, Timothy Titus
CONCEPCION, Michael Lemmuel
CUYOS, Jerome
DELA CRUZ, Marion Angelo
DELANTE, Anthony
DUMAGO, Allan
DUMO, Samuel
ECHIN, Romnick
EUPEÑA, Rex
LELIS, Bernard
PICATO, Raymond Anthony
SALENGA, Paolo
SALURIA, Joshua
SAMNOY, Alexander
TEODORO, Jester

Reactivated:
CABALLES, Mark Anthony

Transferred:
EVIOTA, Gerrick (Union Internacional - Manila)
GUNDA, Rachy (Union Internacional - Manila)

FORZA FC

Retained:
AGYEI, Isaac
BIOUMLA, Ruben
CAMPO, Henderson Jay
CASAL, Johann Joaquin
CIPRIANO, Ernesto Gabriel Jr.
NAVARRO, Jon Michael
PAJIBO, William
ROBERTS, Zico
TEENESEE, Harry Shoum
YUHICO, John Christopher

Transferred:
AUMAN, Allan Jr, (Green Archers United FC)
CANLAS, Jade (Green Archers United FC)
FRAIRE, Ivan (Green Archers United FC)
GARCIA, Miguel Angel (Green Archers United FC)
HUNGERFORD, Sean Marshall (Green Archers United FC)
LALUCES, Nico Patrick (Green Archers United FC)
MONTELIBANO, Luis Juan Miguel (Green Archers United FC)
PACQUIAO, Gerald (Green Archers United FC)
PASCAL, Dibi (Pasargad FC)

New:
EMESON, Austin Dakup
SMIT, Arie-Kim
VILLEGAS, Leo

Reactivated:
LO, Rogelio Jr. (Green Archers United FC)
MANAHAN, Ray Anthony
VALERIO, Solomon (Sunken Garden United FC)

LAOS FC

New:
ALMENTO, Jhomar
DANIELS, Kenshiro Michael
GUILLERMO, Adrian
HEGAZI, Gamil Gamal
OCHOTERENA, Nino
VILLAESPIN, Rezziel
VILLEGAS, Joel

Retained:
ALTICHE, Aaron
DIANO, Michael
DIAZ, William
GAMBANA, Vincent
HILVANO, Nilo
JUKES, Reginald Roel Jr.
LEAR, Rolly
LYTOLL, Ryan James
MORENO, Oliver
PATLUNAG, Al Ervin
REGENCIA, Raymond Albert
SERY, Remi Serge-Alain
TABALE, Perfecto Jr.
VILLANUEVA, Lester Lloyd

Transferred:
CORTES, Mark Angelo (Global FC)
GHASEMI, Mohammad (Global FC)
HWEDI, Ahmed Abdalla (Global FC)

PHILIPPINE NAVY FC

Reactivated:
BAUTISTA, Lynnard
CALUMPANG, Bern Anthony
DIMZON, Jimmy
MANEJERO, Michael
RIVAS, Aldrin
SOLATORIO, Adolfo Jr.
TUDENCE, Dave
VILIRAN, Gary
VILIRAN, Rockclint
ZAMORA, Lyndon

Retained:
BURDA, Stephen Juriel
CABURAL, Roberto
CAMINOS, Jose Alfe
CARIÑO, Arnold
DALAOTA, John Philip
KALALANG, Loreto
LEYBLE, Richard
PIÑERO, Marlon
ROSALIA, Benito Jr.

New:
DACERA, Clifford
DUMDUM, Hans Christian
INQUIG, Alain
MACAPAL, Mico
MULLIKEN, John Jaime
TORREMOCHA, June Roy

TEAM SOCCEROO

Retained:
ALEGRE, Frederico Miguel
AVELLANA, Jose
DINGLASAN, John Philip
GAUTIER, Janruther Francisco Rene
MURAOKA, Denstin Hideo
OKOH, Emmanuel
REYES, Joannes Paulus Mari
REYES, Jose Gaudencio
REYES, Michael Mari
TONDA, Jorge Luis

New:
ANGUS, Christopher
CASEIRO, Guilherme Manoel
CLAVANO, Jose Dominic
DE LEON, Maurice
DURUACHAZIE, Jude
FURONI, Diego
HASEGAWA, Guilherme
HIDALGO, Alexander
ISHIZUKA, Yuuri
KHIYAR, Alamin Nasser
LARSEN, Martin
NSYEN, Edikan Iboro

Reactivated:
BERHAN, Haisem Abdelwase
BRENES, Juan Pablo

Transferred:
INTIA, Paulo (Sunken Garden United FC)

GENERAL TRIAS INTERNATIONAL FC

AN, Hyo Geon
DO, Hoan Cheol
IM, Chae Hyeon
JEON, Shin Seok
KIM, Gu Young
KIM, Jin Wook
KIM, Jong Hyeok
LEE, Jae Ho
LEE, Jeong Mu
LEE, Kyu Hwan
MIN, Young Gi
MOON, Byung Hyun
NAM, Geun Young
NAM, Gi Won
PARK, Beom Jun
SEO, Seung Seok
SHIN, Gwang Yong
SONG, Ji Hun
SONG, Myung Soo

MENDIOLA FC 1991

New:
ABRIOL, Ralph Estephen
ALBAO, Anthony
ALHASSAN, Prince Yunusa
APACIBLE, Paolo Antonio
AYUBAN, Jemson
BALDO, Alejandro Jr.
CABUG, Raffy
CARLOS, Jon Aaron
FORNEA, David Franz
ORCULLO, Jerome
PEDIMONTE, Christopher Edim
SOBERANO, Jay Shaun

Transferred:
AGUIRRE, Edgardo Jr. (Agila FC)
ARBOLEDA, Fitch Johnson Davis (Agila FC)
CANDOLESA, Jesan (Philippine Navy FC)
JIAO, Jeremias (Philippine Navy FC)
LIMAN, Jeffrey (Philippine Navy FC)
MELLENDREZ, Vaughn (Philippine Navy FC)
MOLO, Nik Darrow (Agila FC)
PEREZ, Rolly (Philippine Navy FC)
SUMUDIVILA, Francis Dee (Philippine Navy FC)

Reactivated:
LIAO, Thomas Rene (Manhur FC)
ORCULLO, Gerald (Manhur FC)
VILLON, Dave Peterson (Agila FC)
VILLON, Mark Peterson (Philippine Navy FC)

STA. LUCIA FC

New:
ABDOULAYE, Doumbia
CLARINO, Jean
FUCOY, Jose Alberto
KIM, Dong Hyun
KIM, Jung Mook
KIM. Da Bin
LEE, Dong Bin
LEE, Dong Jhun
RIVERA, Mark
SANTOS, Bruno
SELOTERIO, Gission
SINORO, Ember

Transferred:
ALLADO, Marjo (Pachanga FC)
ALQUIROS, Nathaniel Andrew (Stallion FC)
BAEK, Seong Kab (Stallion FC)
CABALLERO, John Reginald (Union Internacional - Manila FC)
ESCOLTERO, Tommy (Stallion FC)
ESPINOSA, Ronie (Stallion FC)
IDE, Fabio Luis (Team Socceroo)
NIERRAS, Matthew (Stallion FC)
PINGA, Andres (Stallion FC)
RAMSAY, Derek Arthur (Pachanga FC)
VERGARA, Jhenver (Pachanga FC)

Reactivated:
VERGARA, Jimmy Jr. (Stallion FC)
WOLFF, Andrew James (Internacionale FC)

Coming Soon: The Younghusbands on ESPN Star?

Photo from Rick Olivares

I presume the guy interviewing them is Ian Griffiths of ESPNStar. I wonder what are the discussion points.

UAAP Finals - The Preview

Here are some small snippets on what I'd expect in the Finals.

1. Baseline action. Look for Pido to do some PnRs with some baseline plays akin to what Gee did with Yutien Andrada on Greg Slaughter during the Final Four, taking advantage of the slow-footed behemoth.

2. Juami Tiongson / Nico Elorde on Jeric Fortuna. There is a huge drop on playmaking productivity from Jeric (5.5 assts in 33.8 minutes) to his deputy, streak-shooting Clark Bautista (1.9 assts in 24.2 minutes). It's up to the point guard tandem to put pressure on him, maybe even force him into foul trouble.

3. 2006 = 2012?. In 2006, Pido had a group of versatile forwards supporting Jervy Cruz. From Allan Evangelista to Dylan Ababou to Mark Canlas to Francis Allera. Can Aljon Mariano, Melo Afuang and Kevin Ferrer be able to live up to being the versatile forwards supporting Karim Abdul?

4. Rebounding. Even with Slaughter around, Ateneo has not really shown itself as a team that would dominate the boards (last in offensive boards, partly due to being the best shooting team in the UAAP). With Abdul around and his capability for 20-20 nights visible for the first time since Jervy, being able to keep him in check would be a plus. In addition, UST is the best when it comes to offensive rebounding. Need to box out.

5. Poise. Pido prides on his 3 P's. But does he and the Growling Tigers have the necessary gumption when the situation calls for it? We have seen time and again how the Blue Eagles during this string of success when the chips are down. They have prided on their clutch-ness this season.

Tampines edges Loyola in S'pore Cup 1st Leg

c/o Brosi Gonzales

Current S-League leaders Tampines Rovers secured a 2-0 victory over the United Football League's Loyola Meralco Sparks in the semifinals of the RHB Singapore Cup on Thursday night at Clementi Stadium.

Before the match, Loyola's head coach Kim Chul Su had expressed that the matchup would be a good measure to see where Philippine club football is as of the moment, with the 2011 UFL Cup runner-up going up against a team that has won the competition thrice. The team is also the only guest team still in the running for the competition, something LMS FC President Randy Roxas stated, expressing their wish to move further in the competiton and make the finals in their first try. According to Phil Younghusband, preparations for this semifinal went well and the confidence from the preseason performances would bode well for the team here as well as in the United Football League. Said confidence, according to Chad Gould, would translate to a 110% performance in the pitch.

Goals from the ageless Aleksandar Duric in the first half and Ahmad Latiff Bin Khamarudin in the second half proved to be enough for the Rovers against the Sparks, who are playing their first competitive match of the season with the roster of players for the upcoming UFL Cup. Duric's chip in the 28th minute over keeper Ref Cuaresma put the home side up 1-0. Ref would later on acknowledge the error as he had been off the line when Duric attempted the chip. 

Latiff had been dominating in midfield with his forays and passes to Duric and Saed Hadzibulic, but in the 50th minute, Imran Sahib fed Latiff the ball, which the midfielder then fired towards the goal to double the advantage.

The Sparks were able to secure a goal in the 73rd minute when a Kim Woo Chul free kick made its way to a Chad Gould header into the net, but referee Sukhbir Singh disallowed it, as he deemed that Kim kicked the ball before it was ready to do so. Singh then issued a yellow card to Kim, which turned out to be his second of the match, and thus the center back was banished from the game and suspended for the return leg on Sunday night. Coach Vince Santos deemed it as a poor call, as according to him, "everyone was lined up for the shot and everyone seemed to be waiting for it. And the referee only blew his whistle after the goal. If it was a violation then he should have blown it before or during the shot."

Tampines could have had a third goal with Hadzibulic's header, but Ref saved it then defender Jang Jo Won cleared it away.


Afterwards, Anto Gonzales and Ref remarked on the game plan being geared too much on Duric, while not focusing on the wingers who fed him chances. However, the team is not discouraged with the defeat, and as Chad said, "It is something [that] we can build on." Ref also added that the team will make the adjustments from their mistakes in the first leg, while Phil noted the importance of an early goal in gauging their chances in the second game.

The 2nd leg of the RHB Singapore Cup semi final is scheduled on Sunday night at Jalan Besar Stadium, with kickoff pegged at 7:45 pm. The winner will face the winner of SAFFC against Gombak United, with the Armed Forces leading 1-0 and their 2nd leg to take place Saturday night at Jurong West Stadium.

*Thanks to Rick Olivares of Bleachersbrew for the information in crafting this report.