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.

Cebu Pacific backs Loyola’s Singapore Cup bid

Loyola Meralco Sparks FC players Simon Greatwich, Mark Hartmann, Phil and James Younghusband & Chad Gould with Cebu Pacific President & CEO Lance Gokongwei. c/o Brosi Gonzales via Rick Olivares

Once again, the Loyola Meralco Sparks have tied-up with the number one airline in the Philippines, Cebu Pacific, in their 2012 RHB Singapore Cup campaign.

Cebu Pacific has been part of the UFL Cup runner-up's Singapore Cup sojourn previously during the earlier stages of the tournament, a 2-1 victory over S-League side Geyland United followed by a 5-3 aggregate win over Myanmar guest squad Kanbawza.

According to LMS FC President Randy Roxas, “Cebu Pacific is a great partner to have because of the infrastructure that they provide,” Randy also adds, “Aside from flying us to Singapore, they allow us to concentrate in other areas that need immediate attention while here in this competition. And we hope they support us for our future endeavors.”

The Sparks are facing the current S-League leaders Tampines Rovers in the semifinals, with the Rovers holding a 2-0 advantage after one leg, with the second leg scheduled on October 7 at Jalan Besar Stadium with a 7:45 pm kickoff time. The winner will face the winner of the SAFFC-Gombak United matchup on October 28.

In addition to Cebu Pacific, Also sponsoring Loyola are the following organizations: Meralco, Mizuno, Gatorade and Maybank ATR Kim Eng Financial Corporation.

Reliving America's moment at Azteca

A couple of months ago, the United States scheduled a FIFA international friendly against their bitter rivals Mexico at the cavernous Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. For the El Tri, it was a very special occasion, as it was the opportunity to fans to raucously celebrate their Olympic gold medal-winning football team. Nothing would be more satisfying for Mexicans by celebrating a homecoming with a victory over their northern neighbors.

The Americans have notoriously been woeful when playing in Mexico, unable to secure a win in their previous 24 tries. Nine of those 24 games were held at the Azteca, where they have been outscored 20-4 overall.

But Jurgen Klinsmann has seen this kind of a script before. Earlier this year, Clint Dempsey's lone goal in the 55th minute proved to enough for the Americans to beat Italy in Genoa, their first-ever win in ten tries against the Azzuri; doing it on their turf, no less

And thanks to Orozco Fiscal in the 80th minute (with a little help from Tim Howard), they achieved what was thought to be the impossible. And this is how they did it.

Kaya Gangnam Style

Well, they may have only finished with a 1-1 draw to kick off the UFL Cup against Green Archers United, but they sure know how to have fun and enjoy themselves.



Una Kaya Style.

Team Undrafted

On From the Stands, Carlo Pamintuan, Chuck Araneta and Polo Bustamante decided to hold a draft. A draft with quirks. Quirks like all teams should be represented and only one player per team. 

This is how the three built their super teams:

Team Carlo

Starters: Gabe Norwood (RoSE) / Kelly Williams (TNT) / June Mar Fajardo (PBB) / James Yap (SMCM) / LA Tenorio (BGSM)
Bench: Nonoy Baclao (A21) / Sean Anthony (BAR) / Sonny Thoss (ALA) / Mac Cardona (MER) / Willie Miller (GLO)
Head Coach: Tim Cone (SMC)

Team Chuck

Starters: Mark Caguioa (BGSM) / Arwind Santos (PBB) / Marc Pingris (SMCM) / Ryan Reyes (TNT) / Paul Lee (RoSE)
Bench: Sol Mercado (MER) / Danny Seigle (BAR) / Rabeh Al-Hussaini (GLO) / RenRen Ritualo (A21) / Jvee Casio (ALA)
Head Coach: Norman Black (TNT)

Team Polo

Starters: Calvin Abueva (ALA) / Cliff Hodge (MER) / Doug Kramer (BAR) / Gary David (GLO) / Jayson Castro (TNT)
Bench: Chris Ellis (BGSM) / Yousef Taha (A21) / Yancy De Ocampo (SMCM) / Jeff Chan (RoSE) / Alex Cabagnot (PBB)
Head Coach: Yeng Guiao (RoSE)

In that context, I decided to build my own version of the this team. This time, I based it on the list of undrafted players. By undrafted, meaning those that Carlo, Chuck and Polo declined on picking.

Here is #TeamUndrafted after the jump:

Trequartista Sweeper - Thoughts on the UFL Cup

The UFL Cup is scheduled to kick off later today, with UFL Division I Champion Global FC and runner-up Kaya FC going up against fellow Div I sides Pasargad and Green Archers United, respectively at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

This is how I broke the UFL Cup down and my own view as to how things would play out this year.

Order of Finish:

Group A: Global, Pasargad, Socceroo, Navy, General Trias
Group B: Kaya, Green Archers, Forza, Diliman, Dolphins
Group C: Loyola, Pachanga, Nomads, Laos, Mendiola
Group D: Air Force, Stallion, Army, Agila, Sta. Lucia

The UFL Cup 2012 Bracket.

Why did I arrive at this decision?

1. The reigning UFL Cup winners don't exactly have name guys on the lineup compared to the cavalcade of talent of the other teams, but they said so themselves, they thrived in the knockout format of the Cup compared to the League. I trust the Airmen can and will handle this better than most teams would.

2. Group D is the toughest group. The Ilonggo derby and a military derby means physicality will be present. Sort of sibling clubs Stallion and Sta. Lucia were drawn together and Agila was a top half team in Div II. Compare that to Group A, which already has the feel of a cakewalk. Of course, stranger things have happened in the sport of football.

3. Injuries are a wildcard, as always. i.e. Jason Sabio's groin, Aly Borromeo's knee.

4. Depth and balance. Global FC has almost half of the national team pool. That may be a disadvantage,

5. Why Kaya? I was impressed with how they played during the reunion match. And that was without a couple of players who were sidelined (Aly and Masai). Their new additions address needs.

Hey, I could be wrong, you know. The games truly decide which team will be hoisting the UFL Cup, not some prognosticator typing on a keyboard. So sit back, relax and observe the pageantry of club football.