As of this writing, the PBA has yet to finish its 2019 season.

But for some insane reason, the league is already thinking of the next season.

I still think this sucks.

And so should you.

But what can we do, right? Because of the FIBA sked, the PBA season suffers. In order for the country to send its best players, the league has made its schedule kind of helter-skelter. 

Breaks between elimination rounds... breaks between post-elimination rounds, a blur between the current season and the previous season…

Arrgh!

If this is the case, again I propose two conferences with a long stretch so players or teams can participate in pocket tourneys, prepare for qualifiers, and give their top stars a time to relax and unwind. Jayson Castro is still the best point guard option for the country and yet he has turned down consecutive offers in lieu of personal goals. Tim Cone did a masterful job coaching the ego-less Gilas SEA Games squad and yet, he doesn’t see himself manning the turf long-term because of the pressure. From Rajko Toroman to Cone, Gilas Pilipinas mentors have been widely criticized for their coaching flaws. Sure, we all hate Yeng Guiao now but after the Australia brawl, we were praising him for leading a makeshift squad to a respectable Asian Games finish.

I get that the Columbian Dyip must be in cloud nine now with the acquisition of “special round” top pick Isaac Go and “regular round” top pick Roosevelt Adams.

Yey.

But why are they signing rookies when the current season is still going on? I know both teams have been eliminated but will it even matter if Columbian and Magnolia delayed the Aldrech Ramos and Jackson Corpuz trade to I don't know... after this conference? 

And yeah... 

Isn’t it insane that the SEA Games break and the PBA Draft event had outshined the fact that the NLEX Road Warriors became the first team to mess up a top seed distinction, June Mar Fajardo could be a six-time PBA MVP, the rookie battle between CJ Perez and Robert Bolick, San Miguel’s second consecutive botched grand slam, and the possible semifinal matchups that could lead to another Justin Brownlee versus Allen Durham showdown?

Yes Microsoft Word, I just did a long-ass sentence.

END.

    

photo credit | PBA WEBSITE

So here’s the thing.

Like in my predictions post, I believe that the special draft isn’t that special and in actuality, is just a way to make the outcome of the 2019 PBA Draft confusing. I would rather have the PBA give five special spots to the worst five teams than having a "special" round. 

For crying out loud, there are teams in need of talent but there are also players in need of a career. 

Do you think Rain or Shine will give a load of playing time for their special round pick and their THREE first-round picks? Phoenix could use players! Northport and Meralco as well! 

Hell, give all of the special round players to Blackwater so they can improve their "winning" ways! 

With that said, here’s how the draft went.

FIRST ROUND

1 | COLUMBIAN | ISAAC GO – ATENEO

2 | BLACKWATER | REY SUERTE – UE

3 | NLEX | MATT NIETO – ATENEO

4 | ALASKA | ALLYN BULANADI – SAN SEBASTIAN

5 | RAIN OR SHINE | MIKE NIETO – ATENEO

6 | COLUMBIAN | ROOSEVELT ADAMS – IDAHO

7 | BLACKWATER | MAURICE SHAW – HUTCHINSON

8 | NLEX | MIKE AYONAYON – PCU

9 | ALASKA | BARKLEY EBONA – FEU  

10 | RAIN OR SHINE | ADRIAN WONG – ATENEO

11 | RAIN OR SHINE | CLINT DOLIGUEZ – SAN BEDA

12 | RAIN OR SHINE | PRINCE RIVERO – DLSU

13 | NORTHPORT | SEAN MANGANTI – ADAMSON

14 | MAGNOLIA | ARIS DIONISIO – ST. CLARE

15 | GINEBRA | ARVIN TOLENTINO – FEU

16 | TNT | KIB MONTALBO – DLSU

17 | COLUMBIAN | CHRISTIAN BALAGASAY – LETRAN

SECOND ROUND

18 | GINEBRA | JERRICK BALANZA – LETRAN

19 | BLACKWATER | RICHARD ESCOTO – FEU

20 | NLEX | WILL MCALONEY – EMILIO AGUINALDO

21 | ALASKA | REY PUBLICO – LETRAN

22 | ALASKA | JAYCEE MARCELINO – LYCEUM

23 | MERALCO | AARON BLACK – ATENEO

24 | RAIN OR SHINE | VINCE TOLENTINO – ATENEO

25 | NLEX | AC SOBERANO – SAN BEDA

26 | MAGNOLIA | YANKIE HARUNA – ST. BENILDE

27 | GINEBRA | KENT SALADO – ARELLANO

28 | RAIN OR SHINE | WENDELL COMBOY – FEU

29 | NORTHPORT | RENZO SUBIDO – UST

THIRD ROUND

30 | COLUMBIAN | BONBON BATILLER – LETRAN

31 | BLACKWATER | CHRIS BITOON – MLQU

32 | NLEX | GELO VITO – UP

33 | PHOENIX | TOCI TANSINGCO – LYCEUM

34 | MERALCO | MICHAEL CANETE – ARELLANO

35 | RAIN OR SHINE | LUKE PARCERO – AMA

36 | NORTHPORT | CRIS DUMAPIG – CEU

37 | MAGNOLIA | ALVIN CAPOBRES – SAN SEBASTIAN

38 | GINEBRA | FRAN ASUNCION – AMA

39 | TNT | SIMON CAMACHO – ADAMSON

40 | SAN MIGUEL | TRAVIS THOMPSON – ALASKA

FOURTH ROUND

41 | COLUMBIAN | MARCO BALAGTAS – JOSE RIZAL

42 | BLACKWATER | HUBERT CANI – FEU

43 | NLEX | JAYVEE MARCELINO – LYCEUM

44 | PHOENIX | SPENCER PRETTA – LYCEUM

45 | NORTHPORT | DEXTER ZAMORA – LYCEUM

46 | TNT | VAL CHAUCA – ADAMSON

47 | SAN MIGUEL | DANIEL DE GUZMAN – LYCEUM

FIFTH ROUND

48 | NLEX | JERAMER CABANAG – SAN BEDA

49 | PHOENIX | JEFF SANTOS – LYCEUM

50 | SAN MIGUEL | VON TAMBELING – PCU

UNDRAFTED PLAYERS

1 | JUSTINE ALANO – UPHR

2 | EARVIN ALVAREZ – SAN SEBASTIAN

3 | BOYD EUGENE ANDERSON

4 | MARIO BONLEON – UST

5 | EDGAR CHARCOS – UPHR

6 | REYNALDO DE MESA – TIP

7 | JESS DIPUTADO – NU

8 | JOHN JOSE DOMINGO – ST. BENILDE

9 | ANDREW ESTRELLA – MAPUA

10 | HESED GABO – MAPUA

11 | JUNJIE HALLARE – ST. CLARE

12 | MARVIN LEE – UST

13 | YVAN LUDOVICE – SAN BEDA

14 | REINHARDT MENDOZA

15 | ARGEL MENDOZA – EMILIO AGUINALDO

16 | JOSE MARI PRESBITERO – SAN BEDA

17 | JAMES REGALADO – USJ-R

18 | JASON RILEY

19 | DARYL SINGONTIKO – UPHR

20 | AMIEL SOBERANO – SAN BEDA

21 | MARK TAYLOR

Which teams won the 2019 PBA Draft?

Check out the blog for more updates.

END

I have not been blogging about the 2019 PBA Draft.

I detached a bit on the whole PBA blogging this 2019.

I made a mock PBA Draft last September and that blog aged poorly with Thirdy Ravena, Joshua Munzon, Jason Brickman, Franky Johnson, Santi Santillan, Larry Muyang, Alvin Pasaol, Owen Graham, Jeremiah Grey, Kobe Paras, and others taking their talents elsewhere. In addition, I really, really hate that the first major project of the next season is right smack in the middle of the 2018-19 PBA season.

Can I even say "2018-19 PBA season" when the season started in January?

Okay… the special draft.

I do not know what to think of this. As far as I can remember, the Gilas prospects of 2016 rarely played for the national squad. Worse, some of the players rarely played for their PBA teams. Except for one tourney and a couple of PBA all-star matches, I do not think I remember either Russel Escoto, Arnold Van Opstal or Fonzo Gotladera donning the national colors. Moreover, as far as prospects are unless the names are RR Pogoy, Matthew Wright, Jio Jalalon and Mac Belo, I do not think the other Gilas cadets of that class deserve a return stint to the nationals with how their careers turned out.

Anyway, here is my prediction blog!

SPECIAL DRAFT

1 | COLUMBIAN DYIP | ISAAC GO

Regular draft or special draft, it is superbly insane to snub this former Blue Eagle as the top pick. Sure, he is pretty much Ian Sangalang Lite at this stage of his career. With that said, he is the only worthy big man to be taken this high… and Columbian is in desperate need of adding some height on their roster.

2 | BLACKWATER ELITE | REY SUERTE

Of all the teams that should have vetoed this last-minute draft addition, it should have been this team! They just missed out on Roosevelt Adams! With that said, I am going to go with the former CESAFI MVP over Matt Nieto because Suerte has more experience as a top option unlike Nieto who racked team gold after team gold but never really became Ateneo’s go-to-guy.

3 | NLEX ROAD WARRIORS | MATT NIETO

This is an easy narrative. He is an efficient scorer that played for many Ateneo title squads. Now I do not know how he will adjust in the PBA as a combo guard but he needs to – especially since NLEX has Kiefer Ravena, Jericho Cruz, and Kevin Alas.

4 | ALASKA ACES | ALLYN BULANADI

I have to admit – I had the last two picks of the special draft in the second round of the draft. I guess I thought teams could easily fill the SG and SF spots than the PF and C positions. The Aces are in dire need of a scorer though – especially with a new coach and a team in search to re-live their past glory.

5 | RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS | MIKE NIETO

As mentioned, I had the last two picks in the second round… so having Mike Nieto this high is a good thing. It will go downhill right after though – as this pick’s inclusion just gave Rain or Shine virtually four first-round picks. The thing about Mike Nieto is that he was featured less as compared to the other Ateneans on this list… hence his rank. I hope that Rain or Shine trades their other picks because he might end up feuding with J-Jay Alejandro for bench seats.

REGULAR DRAFT

FIRST ROUND

6 | COLUMBIAN DYIP | ROOSEVELT ADAMS

With this revised format, the PBA gave Columbian the best players of the draft – which is pretty much Go and Roosevelt Adams. All of a sudden, Columbian has an impressive starting core with Go and Adams teaming up with CJ Perez and Rashawn McCarthy. I guess Adams could be a more explosive version of Jerramy King.

7 | BLACKWATER ELITE | MAURICE SHAW

Columbian could get this person… but at 34, his age might be a liability in the future. Sure, he is a former Harlem Globetrotter with a built that screams import… but Columbian is a team that should pack youth and Shaw is far from it. Not Blackwater though. Shaw will most definitely help the underachieving squad to a semblance of a playoff run. In addition, he is a nice free agent just in case Blackwater dissolves because, with the way they are decimating their lineup, the idea of disbandment is not a farfetched thought.  

8 | NLEX ROAD WARRIORS | ARVIN TOLENTINO

As mentioned, the draft is stacked with shooting guards and small forwards, which is why I had Yeng Guiao getting a combo forward. Tolentino had a tumultuous UAAP career in which he went to FEU then to Ateneo and then to FEU again but has made waves in the semi-pro leagues. In addition, this DLSU mentor is not going to make his team overly populated with Ateneans. 

9 | ALASKA ACES | AARON BLACK

Son of legendary playing import coach Norman Black, it was nice for Aaron to step away from the UAAP to get his bearing in other venues like his stint with the MPBL’s Quezon City Capitals. I hope Jeff Cariaso could see his potential because Black could have the potential of becoming the next Jet.

10 | RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS | SEAN MANGANTI

I have heard many things about this former Adamson Soaring Falcon and vloggers have listed him high on their mock drafts. With that said, teams with no first-round picks must trade for this pick from Rain or Shine because the Elasto Painters already have three picks… and I have yet to find a non-expansion squad thriving with four rookies leading the way.

11 | RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS | BONBON BATILLER

Edison Batiller did awesome ball back in UE but circumstances forced him to play college ball elsewhere. From UAAP cellar-dwellers, Batiller claimed a title with Letran. So with Letran alum Caloy Garcia as the coach, former Letran ace Rey Nambatac as running buddy, and former king UE Warrior James Yap as his mentor, Bonbon is probably going to do well in Rain or Shine.

12 | RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS | RICHARD ESCOTO

Rain or Shine is probably going to get a big man and pair him up with a small player. Or players… since they have a platoon of draft picks. Enter former FEU combo forward Richard Escoto. Dude did well in FEU as well as in the MPBL and was once perceived as a potential Gilas cadet. So there.

13 | NORTHPORT BATANG PIER | JERRICK BALANZA

The former Letran Knight raised his draft stock when he helped his team against the otherwise-dominant San Beda Red Lions. He also came back from a career-threatening ailment to surprise all odds. He is a walking success story and Pido Jarencio and Bonnie Tan will go insane when they select their former player.

14 | MAGNOLIA HOTSHOTS | PRINCE RIVERO

He does not have the size of Rafi Reavis and over the years, we have had our share of Marc Pingris wannabes and successors to the throne. Prince Rivero could be a player in that range… and that is a good thing for the Hotshots. Rivero, a former DLSU Green Archer and Alab Pilipinas standout, is going to a helpful cog in their future championship aspirations.

15 | BARANGAY GINEBRA KINGS | MIKE AYON-AYON

Many people say that the MPBL is the “barangay” version of the PBA. Well, the statement might be a good thing for this former PCU standout. I know Ginebra is littered with small forwards and shooting guards now but I mean how can you pass up on a never say die dude with attitude in the mold of Earl Scottie Thompson?  

16 | TNT KATROPA | VINCE TOLENTINO

Former Ateneo combo forward Vince Tolentino is my bet to hit first round glory. I thought he should have made his PBA debut this season but then he fine-tuned his craft with the MPBL’s Bataan Risers. TNT could use some hustle and flow off their bench and I think Tolentino could be a good alternative for Anthony Semerad.

17 | COLUMBIAN DYIP | KENT SALADO

With Columbian getting two awesome choices, I think they need a brilliant mind who could possibly help Columbian get out of cellar hell. There was a time when Kent Salado is perceived as point guard elite and he can be a good find this late in the draft.

So there you have it, I hope my predictions come true… although I really want Rain or Shine to trade at least two of their picks.

END

Five weeks in the current NBA season, here are the top players.

While I could do this as a weekly thing… my penchant for procrastination says otherwise.

Game starts now!

1 | LUKA DONCIC | DALLAS MAVERICKS

2 | GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO | MILWAUKEE BUCKS

3 | JAMES HARDEN | HOUSTON ROCKETS

4 | LEBRON JAMES | LOS ANGELES LAKERS

5 | ANDRE DRUMMOND | DETROIT PISTONS

6 | KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS | MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

7 | ANTHONY DAVIS | LOS ANGELES LAKERS

8 | DAMIAN LILLARD | PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

9 | BRANDON INGRAM | NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

10 | TRAE YOUNG | ATLANTA HAWKS

11 | KYRIE IRVING | BROOKLYN NETS

12 | BRADLEY BEAL | WASHINGTON WIZARDS

13 | RUSSELL WESTBROOK | HOUSTON ROCKETS

14 | NIKOLA JOKIC | DENVER NUGGETS

15 | JIMMY BUTLER | MIAMI HEAT

16 | MONTREZL HARRELL | LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

17 | CLINT CAPELA | HOUSTON ROCKETS

18 | DONOVAN MITCHELL | UTAH JAZZ

19 | DEVIN BOOKER | PHOENIX SUNS

20 | DEMAR DEROZAN | SAN ANTONIO SPURS

21 | PAUL GEORGE | LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

22 | JABARI PARKER | ATLANTA HAWKS

23 | PASCAL SIAKAM | TORONTO RAPTORS

24 | MALCOLM BROGDON | INDIANA PACERS

25 | BAM ADEBAYO | MIAMI HEAT

26 | RUDY GOBERT | UTAH JAZZ

27 | LOU WILLIAMS | LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

28 | LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE | SAN ANTONIO SPURS

29 | JRUE HOLIDAY | NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

30 | DOMANTAS SABONIS | INDIANA PACERS

END

I think I kind of know how these Korean variety shows work.

I mean… they try to spin video diaries to make it viable for the Korean audience… and don’t get me wrong, I get it.

I just don’t get how they made the Boss in the Mirror episode in which the LG Sakers visited and battled the Barangay Ginebra Kings. This episode has already aired in Korea for over a month now… and unfortunately, I saw a lot of discrepancies in the episode. The program followed around LK Sakers coach Hyun Joo Yup on his trip to Manila where aside from challenging the Kings to a practice match, tried out different restaurants… laying waste on their food in the process.

I mean… just watch these Koreans eat that Lechon.

Anyway, like popular Korean variety personality Seo Jang-Hoon, Coach Hyun is part of Korea’s 1994 Asian Games team, 1998 Asian Games team, and ugh… that infamous Korea team that destroyed the hearts of many Filipinos in the 2002 Busan Asiad.

You know, the one that had Olsen Racela miss a couple of free throws and then Jong Uichico forgot to make a timeout and all of a sudden, you have Lee Sang-Min shooting a triple just in time for the buzzer to sound.

That play still stings my cranium!

Anyway…

Yes, Ginebra is the most popular team in the PBA right now but they picked a weird time to document the practice game. I know they came all the way from Korea with little to no understanding that some of the players cannot participate in the game (adding to Ginebra’s injury woes are Jeff Chan and Jared Dillinger), but filming this in spite of the absentees is just unfair. For starters, the team played without Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter. These two are arguably needed to make the match competitive. When I saw the game, I bet the Sakers didn’t think they were going to play the likes of Prince Caperal starting. Now I am not knocking on the former Arellano Chief but without the twin towers, the team had to rely on just Justin Brownlee, LA Tenorio, Scottie Thompson, and Stanley Pringle.

Yes, let’s have the Kings battle a bunch of large shooters and slashers as well as two Commissioner’s Cup-sized imports who are much bigger than Ginebra’s lone import.

Also, I don’t know the Cody import… but I do know that their other import – Vernon Macklin – once played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings a couple of years ago. In fact, Macklin saw action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. They could have pointed this out in the documentary or at least have Jun Hyunmoo and Kim Sook spiel it as they viewed the piece.

Yes, I know their host’s name without googling it.

Like I said, I like Korean variety.

Lastly, and I guess this is the most important thing they forgot, is the fact that they checked out Tim Cone as if he’s just a typical cranky and foul-mouthed head coach. He’s not. I don’t know if Koreans know what a basketball grand slam is (he has two and one almost in 1998) but I do think they know what “winningest coach of all-time” means and Cone, in fact, is the PBA’s most-titled mentor. I know Boss in the Mirror follow a certain individual with little regard towards the situation they are in but I do think it would have further padded the achievement of Hyun Joo Yup if they placed Cone in a better light.

As far as the officiating is – Pinoys play physical and it’s not like Cone didn’t responded to some of the bad calls. Yes, there’s hometown cooking everywhere in the world but it’s not as if they weren’t given good calls as well.

But yeah, a loss is still a loss and well, LG played better. I like Korean variety to the core but I just hate it when Koreans are involved with basketball… and my country. Let’s face it – Korea is Philippines’ main kryptonite not counting China, Iran and now Australia and New Zealand. For years, Korea has mastered the art of pissing off Pinoy hoop diehards. Maybe some Koreans think that the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship win has a semblance of overacting but well… we are that happy to score a win over Korea. Up until now, they are still claiming important wins at our expense.

Maybe someone could make a docu on how much I hate it whenever Koreans trounce Filipinos in basketball?

But hey, I did get a kick on how Coach Hyun and his two other buddies destroyed the Lechon. I don’t like to eat Lechon because it makes my head spin with all the cholesterol in my neck so the mere fact that three Koreans can do that on that poor pig is just insane.

END

  

My Stress Busters

I haven’t been posting lately.

I have a ton of content but for some reason, I am not feeding it on my blog.

I think I need a new blogging space. I usually do my blogging at the office but nowadays, I just can’t rack up the thoughts I used to have. My current space is kind of “in the open” and aside from unpopular post hits, the thing that pisses me off is constantly checking my back for peeping toms.

I can’t fine-tune my work if there’s a dude constantly looking at my work. I am like a dog that can’t eat if its owner is just staring at him for no apparent reason.

Or a guy that can’t pee if there’s a man looking at his face.

It’s downright creepy… and kind of annoying.

I can’t do it on my house either. I come home in the wee hours and ever since I installed Call of Duty Mobile on my phone, I would rather frag people than think for basketball-related things.  

I usually have time constraints whenever I do these things inside coffee shops.

And then there are the intangibles.

My love for Funko Pops for starters has branched out from my initial TV line. I am now checking out rock stars, wrestlers, basketball players, and even television figures. My current favorite at the moment is Albert Einstein and Steve Irwin. While I am still looking for Community’s Britta, I am more looking to Bill Nye the Science Guy’s Funko.

Also, I am kind of feeling the need to grow up. Sure, I am still collecting Funko but without it… I feel I am going to go insane. Now that I am the only kid of my parents residing in the Philippines, I need to juggle my time spent with them, and then work, and then my wife and kid, and then thinking of my condo unit, and then having time for friends, and then having time for myself.

I spent extra time at work so I can spend less of it stuck in traffic.

Anyway, I need to shut up now.

I think I need to re-start my blogging so I can take away my constant worrying of things.

END

I am not really a fan of Carmelo Anthony because… I thought he’s going to be a championship guy in the NBA.

I rarely watch US NCAA but when I do, I remember these peeps. For example, Antonio Lang is a former Red Bull Barako import that once played alongside Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Cherokee Parks, and Grant Hill at Duke. Former San Miguel import Shea Seals played for Tulsa. Tyus Edney, Ed O’Bannon, George Zidek, and JR Sakuragi were part of the UCLA Bruins and I thought for sure that the rivalry between Ohio State’s Greg Oden and Florida’s Joakim Noah would translate into the NBA.

And yeah, I saw Melo whoop-ass when it mattered for the Syracuse Orangemen during the 2003 NCAA Championship.

WHEN… IT… MATTERED.  

Long story short, Melo deserves a worthy ending. Portland could be that team. If they can’t have capable defensive forwards, the best alternative they can have is to have a big-time third scoring option. When Jusuf Nurkic returns, I could see him in that role.

With that said, a free albeit successful reign could be the key to Melo’s extended NBA stay.     

END

I had to come out from blogging semi-retirement to pose something about Doug Kramer.

I never saw him as a superstar but he can start in the PBA. I guess he could have been more if he didn’t bounce from team to team. Selected fifth overall in the 2007 PBA Draft behind Joe Devance, Sam Eman, Ryan Reyes and JC Intal and ahead of players like JR Quinahan, Jonas Villanueva, Ronjay Buenafe, Ryan Arana and Jojo Duncil, Kramer changed jerseys a total of nine times. Just imagine of Kramer played for one team in one decade? As a Powerade Tiger, Kramer averaged in double digits for both points and rebounds in the Philippine Cup. Clearly, Doug Kramer is a better scorer than Dorian Pena and the latter had a couple of Mythical Team citations to show because he played for San Miguel for nearly a decade.  

Anyway, Kramer feasted on rebounds and putbacks for twelve seasons… and he’ll probably display the same intensity as either a businessman or an on-air personality. We have seen the Kramers front the world of television and online media and as far as fallbacks go, this is an awesome post-basketball start-up.

I guess the only thing that sucks about his retirement is that he failed to get his point across to the college teams. Kramer famously said in an interview that he does not support foreign exchange students. This is not a case of racial discrimination but more of big man development in the PBA. Through the years, we have heard critics of all shapes and sizes. They all blurt out the same goddamn song on how undersized the Filipinos are in international play. Kramer is right when he said that players need all the exposure and confidence to make it big. It affected Philippine basketball then and it still affects Philippine basketball now. June Mar Fajardo is the reigning and defending PBA MVP but he played college outside of Manila. Greg Slaughter is another titan who started his career in CESAFI before moving to the UAAP. Christian Standhardinger played ball outside the country and if you think about it, players like JP Erram and Troy Rosario had to do further conditioning to get their way in the PBA.

Kramer’s Phoenix Pulse’s teammate Jason Perkins spent his last year in La Salle as a seldom-used second stringer to give way of Ben Mbala… and he is the reigning PBA Rookie of the Year.

The top three teams of the current UAAP season had the likes of UP’s Bright Akhuetie, Ateneo’s Angelo Kouame and UST’s foreign exchange student and reigning UAAP MVP Soulemane Chabi Yo. In the NCAA, San Beda has Donald Tankoua and Lyceum has Mike Nzeusseu.

I guess this makes it more awesome for Letran to play for the title since they are doing it with Larry Muyang on board.

Again, I am not trying to be discriminatory but the foreign exchange students like Sam Ekwe, Sudan Daniel, Emmanuel Mbe, Karim Abdul, Ola Adeogun and Ben Mbala are banned to play in the PBA as locals. So aside from Muyang… which local big man are we going to push to the moon and help for the development of Pinoy basketball? Sure, one can argue that

Anyway, it’s hard to place Kramer as a top PBA player given his awards and accomplishments but it’s not like he’s going to go down as a bust. But as I mentioned earlier, he could have had a better career if he had a couple more titles, a couple of all-star citations and an extended stint with one team.

END    

From Inquirer.net

I usually do sports things.

Like basketball, boxing, billiards and DOTA 2.

Yes, dammit… e-gaming is a sport.

I have never written about gymnastics before.

Carlos Yulo is a ninja.

I wonder what kind of training you need to do that requires you to spin around in the air like some sort of toy propeller and then lightly touch the mat and do another spin in the air like a toy propeller.

The dude is awesome.

And I like to think that I would restrain my emotions at the sight of girly floor exercises but… this guy made gymnastics cool. Look, any type of sport that requires a person to have a visible bulge in the groin and the said sport isn’t a combat sport is well… unlikely for men. But this guy says otherwise. I can’t even split… much less tumble in all directions.

Caloy Yulo, the first Pinoy World Gymnastics Champion in 41 editions, did things I never saw in the brief time I followed the sport. The international tiffs usually feature gymnastics as some sort of filler. We don’t know the sport… but especially back in the 90s, parents allow little girls to do ballet or splits. Yulo’s first two moves were typical but when he displayed those moves that lightly touch the mat and unleash another round of spins, it was gold.

And not only that. I loved how he thanked his Japanese coach after he got the score and constantly tugged on the Philippine flag in his shirt. The government sucks – I mean I guess as far as the 2000s go – when it comes to supporting the athletes. Alex Pagulayan and Wesley So distanced their selves from the country during international tiffs because they were never given support. Critics and online trolls rant at the fact that we’re never good in basketball but at the same time, can’t even endorse a noteworthy alternative to get funding.

And despite Hidilyn Diaz’s efforts to make it big in the global stage, we just can’t give her something to get inspired on.

But then we have Diaz… and now Yulo to go wicked sick in our quest to win our first gold medal in the Summer Games.

Hopefully instead of showering recognition on Yulo for his meteoric rise, support will come to give him better resources to achieve his dream. I guess it’s best for him to train outside the confines of the country but at least give him motivation like allowance or something. If e-gamers have nutritionists as well as physical therapists in their facilities, maybe Yulo can have the same things as well. During the time of Bea Lucero, Milo supported her even until when she switched to taekwondo. Yulo is only 19 and if Milo wants to have another face to put on their drinks, then they have this guy.  

If you’re looking for standard bearers for our quest for the 2020 Olympics, look no further than Yulo. The future looks bright for this young man and if we have someone like this, it would be insane to not use him to his full potential.

Sure, I bet it’s hard to watch gymnastics while holding a beer and screaming curses at the set but the moment when he showed respect to his coach is everything you want to see in a Karate Kid-like movie.

Let’s just ride on his high and let everything fall into place.

He knows what needs to be done so let’s do whatever we can to support him.

END  

Hi Cassidy Railey.

Wazap.

Your dad likes to blog and aside from documenting your adorable movements, I chronicle a lot of your important moments.

Remember the time when you allowed yourself to vomit from a kid.

Tadah.

It happened around October 13, 2019 at SM Hypermart Pasig. You’re learning how to become a goofy, little critter and you had a playpen friend that coughs a lot and in your words… sounded Japanese.

Anyway, he hit you and you for some insane reason, fell to stairs part of the playpen.

And then that kid hurled on you.

I think he just hit you on the pants but I saw a lot of vomit falling to your direction. You were telling the kids that the baby just spat a lot of things on you and the kid’s guardian was a bit embarrassed.

And then I rode your ass for about half an hour because you could have averted that if you just stayed away from the kid. I mean… the kid was coughing at you… without covering his mouth.

And he’s not even a girl.

Your Daddy will make you remember all the things you didn't know you need to know!!! 

END   

I am at UP Town Center. This is the third time I’ve been here and the second time I’m with my wife and kid.

Also, the first time I am going to buy a Funko Pop with my wife and kid here.

The first Pop I bought here is Metallica’s James Hetfield and I think I am going to look for a TV figure… or probably Toby from The Office. I have been stalling on the character because I already have a Michael Scott Pop and I don’t really like doubling on characters.

Although, I am so in love with the Selina Meyer special edition presidential Pop.

But maybe I am going to look for a new line. If I see a Yuyu Hakusho special edition character… I am going to buy that sumbitch. If I see Britta Perry’s Funko Pop, I will not “Britta” the opportunity.

Maybe the Guns and Roses trio?

Or hell… maybe the Miami Vice line is now available.

It’s not.

But perhaps.

An hour later, I bought two pops.

One is for my niece and the other is a Jim Henson Pop holding a Kermit the Frog puppet.

I was looking at pops… and they fell.

It sucked.

The owner was kind enough to let me be but the attention I caused was damning. I wasn’t going to buy the Fortnite pop but I had to. I tried to converse about pop while sweating a river and it felt like hell.

I HATE CONSEQUENCES!!!

But then again, I bought two pops as mentioned.

I will part with the Fortnite pop but I’m pretty sure that I’ll have something for Jim Henson. I am going to pair him up with my Bob Ross pop and once I get my Bill Nye pop, then I will have a trio of childhood favourites.

But yeah... I promise not act all clumsy as f*ck again.

END

My October 6 ESPN fantasy basketball draft was conducted poorly.

Not going to lie but some participants arrived late, the draft became offline, and the thing I hate the most is that I had to help my opponents and at the same time plan for my strategy and at the same time, do admin work.

So I like picking late in H2H points leagues because I would rather have a strong second round pick than an unpredictable but strong early first rounder but the key to the strategy’s success is to not get catfished by your friend/opponent. At 17^th, I selected Nikola Vucevic because he is a double-double magnet. I got my first dual-positioned player in LaMarcus Aldridge at number 24 and I completed my draft with Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield, Reggie Jackson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Dj Augustin, Joe Harris, and PJ Tucker.

When I finished third in the same tourney, I had Aldridge, Augustin, and Joe Harris in my lineup. I always had my eye on Vucevic because he is a big man that can help fantasy teams in almost all categories.

But I think I had my received a boost when ESPN gave Tobias Harris a SF tag.

At the start of the draft… or at least when I made my cheat sheet, Harris is only a PF. ESPN, unlike Yahoo, is notorious for being tight-fisted in terms of positions. This is why getting Tobias that extra position is important especially in a 20-team, 9-rostered league. I also have concerns in my SF position. Bojan played awesome in Indiana but I don’t know if he can replicate this in Utah.

I also don’t know how Tobias will mesh with Joel Embiid and Al Horford but fact of the matter is, he’s a starter.

And that’s awesome.

I will also change my weekly gameplay. Daily leagues require teams to have an expendable slot to obtain additional points but I think it’s better to hunt on possible options and keep them in the long run. I’m probably looking at some of the rookies and a couple of injured vets that could be available in February like Jusuf Nurkic and Klay Thompson.   

END

I think I am going to twin draft this Sunday.

It sucks… it absolutely does.

I will participate in an ESPN fantasy basketball draft on October 13 at around 9pm and then I will participate in a Yahoo fantasy basketball draft on October 13 at around 9pm.

So yeah, I am really screwed.

I have two days to sway people to move one draft to an earlier schedule or to move one draft to a later schedule.

Now ain’t that pretty. 

END 

Sydrifiedblog sucks at the moment.

And it’s probably my fault.

I haven’t been blogging lately and for some reason I am fine about this because… I have a lot of things in my mind right now.

First up, there are a lot of things “sydrified” on the internet right now and when I bought a domain, I didn’t think of this factoid. Through nearly two decades of blogging, I tried Multiply, Live Journal, Weebly, Blogger, Wordpress, Wix and Squarespace… I think. Back then I was able to score publisher deals with Powerade, weekly columns on NBA Philippines and Philippine Star and man would I kill for at least 800 views per day.

I know this is not a lot… but it’s tons better than the views I am getting at the moment.

So yeah, I am seriously contemplating on another name.

END 

Cain Velasquez is a beast inside the octagon and apparently, he could be bringing his talents to the WWE or even in AEW.

In his debut match in AAA back in August, the two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion did a bunch of innovative slams and flips in his first match – including a hurricanrana with the aid of the ropes against Taurus. The match, which also had the likes of AEW’s Cody and TNA’s Killer Kross, ended with Velasquez locking in the Kimura Lock on Texano Jr.  

The dude is a luchador!

WITH THAT BUILT!

Although, his UFC contact gives him a bunch of restrictions – the most important of which is his inability to perform any physical moves inside of the United States. The violence cap is understandable as for sure, Cain is going to be ratings draw in any promotion he will sign with… and UFC wants none of the other wrestling promotions.

And that’s the thing. The two promotions want him with perhaps WWE getting the slight edge since Fox, the new home of Smackdown, is the same network as that of the UFC matches. But then again, Cain is going to be a major draw in AEW. And with a kind-of relaxed schedule and an open-field to become a main event player, it’s just right to consider AEW as a possible destination as well.

Is Cain going to get the same deal as that with Brock Lesnar? Moreover, is this some sort of mark’s dream-like how people are lining up to see the possible return of CM Punk to WWE television?  

END

There is an alleged move to shorten PBA activities to two conferences. For a while, it made no sense, especially with how the Philippine Cup and the Fiesta Conference looked. The Fiesta Conference paraded imports of unlimited height and of course, their entries disrupted how basketball worked in the land.

The worst problem to happen in this scenario is how the centers were developed. Doug Kramer once spoke about this and I guess Jojo Lastimosa saw this coming during the Fil-Am invasion of the late 90s and the early 2000s as part of the PBA Players Union. Famed power forwards like Alvin Patrimonio, Nelson Asaytono and Noli Locsin had to develop their outside shooting with the entries of Eric Menk, Asi Taulava and Davonn Harp. Back in the collegiate leagues and in the PBL, teams had to contend with the likes of Sam Ekwe, Sudan Daniel, Ola Adeogun, Karim Abdul, Emmanuel Mbe and Ben Mbala. Big men that were once focal points during their high school careers were forced to become defensive stoppers with an undercooked offensive game.

But now, Philippine basketball needs to have time for preparation. Also, our local players can compete with the Fil-Ams as well as the big imports. Even if Justin Brownlee is an awesome force and there is still time for June Mar Fajardo as well as Kai Sotto to develop, our naturalized player needs to dominate in the paint.

So yeah, the two-conference setup with the second being a conference of imports with unlimited height is a good move for the league.

But then… now what?

From this point until the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, SBP needs to align with the other Asian countries to create something awesome. I think a decade and a half ago, there was this thing that was called the Philippine Collegiate Champions League. It was initially made up of the best college teams from the different collegiate meets in the Philippines. This is where we caught a glimpse of discoveries like UV’s Greg Slaughter and JR Quinahan, UC’s June Mar Fajardo and UM’s Samigue Eman. Non-UAAP and non-NCAA players like the De Ocampo brothers were also highlighted.

Basically, while the ASEAN Basketball League is serving its purpose, we need to create pocket tournaments for our squads.

For example, after the second conference, let’s have the teams play pocket tournaments either here or abroad. For example, let’s have three PBA teams play in an extended version of the Jones Cup, then have three PBA teams play in the Terrific 12, the FIBA Champions Cup and heck, let’s just arrange our schedule to fit the ABL season. I think it’s also going to be a good thing for the league to have pocket tourneys with either the under-23 players or their main roster.

We can even have a mini-joust against the top MPBL teams and even the top college squads to see once and for all, if the trolls would still think that we're better off represented by the Maharlika boys than the PBA stars.  

I guess the major point here is exposure. If we can’t have the best teams play in our land, then we need to go to theirs instead. The European teams are successful because the teams are co-dependent with each other. We play the Asian leaders with little to no rehearsals – and this is why we still can’t figure out how some of their teams work. This must not be the case.

And it’s not just for our sake – as we need to make the Iranians, Chinese, Japanese, Jordanians, Lebanese, Koreans, and others realize that they need us also. Asia, since the current incarnation of the FIBA World Cup, struggle in the major meets.

Just take DOTA 2 as a comparison. I know there is a whole lot of difference with regards to these two sports but ever since they introduced The Majors as well as The International, they have since enjoyed a high level of competition. I believe the right mix of local and international competition should make Philippine basketball awesome.

But then here’s the bad part of this dream scenario.

MONEY.

I think it’s time for the PBA to have multiple owners for single franchises. In how I perceive this vision, I am not talking about pocket tourneys for Gilas Pilipinas players as well as the champion teams. The proper way to globalize the PBA is by exposing everyone to the style of a lot of squads. We have a lot of players that are good at international tourneys but are lost in the PBA shuffle. First up, let’s have some of the former Gilas Pilipinas players like Jason Ballesteros, Raymar Jose, Garvo Lanete, Von Pessumal, and Carl Bryan Cruz. At one point in their careers, they did well in international outings.

The thought of finding a diamond in the rough in these pocket tourneys could also be a good thing for Philippine basketball. What if Jeron Teng becomes a revelation in one pocket tourney or we discover that for some reason, defensive ace Ping Exciminiano is a good pawn to unleash against the continent’s perimeter guys?

Contrary to a lot of trolls, weak-minded critics (those who only complain without a semblance of a noteworthy solution) and pessimists, I still believe our best sport is basketball. We will never have a World Cup in football, volleyball and even baseball in the coming decade but we have the resources as well as (believe it or not, trolls) the talent. People forget that the current basketball program is just ten years old. Before Iran started their ascent as Asia’s top dogs, they also had trouble with their lineup. Sure, these past few years have been trying but it’s not that dire.

END