Hello Garci… Goodbye Gloria? – 10 REASONS WHY GOV’T IS NOT ALLOWING GMA TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

1. Malacañang is willing to fly in a doctor for GMA, all-expense paid. GMA should wait for the arrival of world-renowned doctor…. Dr. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao! He is coming to the Philippines real soon. Most likely, the doctor will also have a courtesy call in Malacañang.
   
2. GMA is being blamed for Pacquiao’s controversial win, not because she called up the judges while the counting of votes was being conducted, but because Chief Justice Corona, one of the original judges, had to come back to RP to hear the Arroyo petitions. Had he not missed the fight, Pacquiao would have won more clearly and convincingly.
3. Noynoy’s No Wang-Wang Policy. Apparently, St. Luke’s ambulance and the convoy of vehicles were using their sirens and wangwangs when bringing GMA from the hospital to the airport. Although some people thought that was just the normal way of introducing the passenger... "boWangWang..."
   
4. GMA's titanium implants set off the airport’s metal detectors and body scan alarms when she passed through them.
   
5. Children below 5 feet should be accompanied and supervised by mature adults. Unfortunately, none of GMA’s companions are mature.
6. Aside from the two bags in front of her, GMA was bringing with her overweight excess baggage… in the person of former FG Mike Arroyo.
7. Professor X did not need PAL, Cebu Pacific, or Singapore Airlines. He used the Blackbird. GMA should use another aircraft… more specifically, a second hand helicopter passed-off as brand new.
8. Noynoy wants her former mentor to teach again at their alma mater. The subject is not Economics, but this time Good Governance and Ethics. He also wants GMA to meet Hillary Clinton, the wife of her former classmate, who is visiting the country. That way, Hillary can talk about Ms. Lewinsky while GMA can talk about Vicky Toh. Noynoy can't relate to the experiences of their husbands. He couldn't even get one.
   
9. Noynoy claims that the NAIA is owned by his father. He wants GMA to use her father's airport in Clark, Pampanga instead.
   
10. Government is just too embarrassed to allow GMA to get into the NAIA. Authorities want to improve the airport first. Once NAIA gets off the list of worst airports in the world, then GMA can go inside the airport and leave the country. Right now, maybe NAIA does not even have restrooms for the disabled.
    

DISCLAIMER: This list is not intended to offend anyone. The statements here are not true and are products of the author's crazy imagination. I am sooorrrryy...

Random and Pointless thoughts on Lebron James heading to Miami

DISCLAIMER: I am not a Lebron-hater. I still support him and I hope he does well in Miami. As soon as I heard the news, I spontaneously wrote down my thoughts without doing any research or editing, so this note is filled with grammatical and factual errors.

I'm both excited and saddened upon hearing the news. I can't wait to watch Wade, Lebron and Bosh play together for the Heat, but I also feel for the Cavs. Here are some of my thoughts on Lebron leaving Cleveland and joining DWade in Miami.

1. Is the NBA Lebron’s Kingdom? Everyone is rolling down the red carpet when the self-proclaimed King visits. What’s next? Should they all kneel when he walks by? King James is clearly enjoying the spotlight and he wants all the praises from all his loyal subjects. The weeks leading to free agency were just ridiculous: websites such as getlebrontochicago.com, billboards in NY, music videos begging the King to stay. And then the one-hour TV special “The Decision”? Crazy. As an NBA coach commented, how long does it take for one to announce his team? I recall back in 1995, when Jordan returned to the NBA after his first retirement, he announced his decision through a press release with just two words: “I’m back.” The show that matters is what transpires on a basketball court, not on a TV interview set.

2. It’s supposed to be Superstar vs. Superstar. Lebron James vs. Dwyane Wade, not Lebron AND Dwyane. Just imagine if Bird and MJ (and Barkley as “Bosh”) played for the same team in the mid-80s. Magic’s Lakers wouldn’t probably stand a chance. But because MJ, Magic, and Bird were on different teams, they went on to be in the NBA’s list of 10 greatest players EVER. Their legacies were built because they LED their teams to multiple titles. Sure, MJ had Pippen, Larry had McHale and the Chief, and Magic had Kareem, but MJ, Larry, and Magic were the undisputed leaders of their respective teams (none of those “other guys” – Kareem included, are in MY Top10 all-time). Besides, it took years for the Bulls, Celtics, and Lakers to build their dynasties – and not just via the more convenient “get-the-best-players-available” method ala the Lakers in ’04 and the Celtics in ’07. Heroes suffer adversity before they become victorious. The Bulls were tormented by the Pistons before they won their first ring in 1991. Jordan became a superstar because of his playoff exploits (63 points as “God disguised as Michael Jordan” vs. the Celtics, “the Shot” against CLEVELAND–another ouch!), but he became a Hero when he finally overcame the “Bad Boys” from Detroit (who walked out of the arena even before the end of the 4th game after they were swept – much like Lebron refusing to shake the Magic players’ hands when the Cavs lost in ’09). The Lakers had the Celtics, and vice-versa. And with one team’s victory was the other team’s anguish. Magic won, Bird lost. Bird won, Magic lost. It’s one or the other. You become great because of the other. That’s how it’s supposed to be. One Superstar wins, the other Superstars lose. Superstars become Heroes when they conquer other superstars. Heroes become Legends when they are able to maintain that status for so many years.

LBJ and Wade, separately, by the end of their careers, could have easily made it to the top10 all-time. But with them together in the same team, I just don’t see that happening. Talent-wise, they’re clearly in the same level as the legends. Lebron could even be the most PHYSICALLY-talented (with emphasis on ‘physically’) in NBA history. And he might end up winning 4,5,6 rings with Miami, but do you think he would deserve full credit for the championships? As an NBA commentator correctly pointed out, 1 championship in Cleveland equals 3-4 championships in Miami. It’s how you earn it that matters. Even though Kobe (just one of the few things that separate Kobe from Lebron) already won 3 championships from 2000-02, that was with Shaq, and he knew it would be different if he alone LED the team. So he persevered with a mediocre team for a few seasons, ‘loved’ a girl in Denver, scored 81 points against… BOSH(!), changed jersey numbers, until eventually the Lakers were able to rebuild the team and surrounded Kobe with a decent supporting cast.

That was what was happening in Cleveland. The King was given a MORE than able supporting cast. (If MJ had Mo, Shaq, Antawn, Z, Varejao, Moon, West, Parker, Gibson etc in 1995-96, the Bulls would have gone 82-0.) The Cavs blitzed through the regular season and dazzled fans with their…ummm… hand shakes and pre-game gimmicks? But when things got rough, who was first to quit? As the Cavs owner pointed out, Lebron quit during the Celtics series, and even during the Magic series a year ago. (He even pulled out of the Slam Dunk contest even after announcing that he was joining!) Heroes should never surrender.

Had former-hero Lebron won one ring in Cleveland, it would have been legendary. Besides, when it’s all over, Lebron will always have one lesser ring than Wade. And that alone, would make Wade rank higher than LBJ. There goes your legacy, Lebron.

Bottom line is I’d rather watch LBJ and Wade compete against each other 4 times during the regular season and in the playoffs.

3. Is this the Miami Heat or the USA Senior Men’s National Basketball Team? It’s just that ridiculous: Wade, Lebron, Bosh – all in their prime. The Heat will be instant contenders, but, historically speaking, there are actually two possibilities: the Celtics in ’07 or the Lakers in ’04.

When KG and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce in Boston back in 2007, the Truth was Truly the undisputed leader, and the newcomers readily acknowledged that. They quickly meshed well and went on to dominate that season. When Lebron (and Bosh) joins Wade, do you think that LBJ wants to play second-fiddle? He may have publicly stated that the Heat is Wade’s team (which is what is supposed to be, no question), but knowing the egocentric self-proclaimed King, do you think he was really sincere? In Miami, Lebron can continue calling himself the “King”, but Wade should be the Ace.

On the other hand, when Rick Fox stood out for the Lakers in 2004 – being the only non-hall-of-famer in their starting line-up, there was much anticipayton, as the Glove and the Mailman joined Kobe and Shaq. Though they reached the NBA Finals, they were demolished by the team-first, no-superstar Detroit Pistons in 5 games. Kobe and Shaq already had their issues, and adding Payton and Malone made it worse. Not even the Zen Master could handle them. I guess you can’t form a triangle with 4 points.

So, about the Heat, would they become the Celtics '07 or Lakers '04? How would they end up? Honestly, it’s hard to say, but a big part of me says it won’t be easy. They may end up winning 2 or 3 in the future, but I don’t think they’d even come out of the East next year. I know the big 3 played great together for team USA and for the East All-Stars, but those games are more free-flowing and street-basketball-esque. The playoffs are different.

4. Was this all planned way back in the 2008 Olympic games when James, Wade and Bosh really bonded together? I know this is crazytalk but I’m sensing a conspiracy. They all declared the “free agent summit” this past off-season. And they were willing to settle for slightly lower salaries just for the Heat to have enough cap space to sign the three. And when Lebron announced last year that he would be wearing jersey #6 this year, was he already expecting that #23 was not available because Pat Riley and the Heat retired that number in honor of MJ?

5. I honestly thought Lebron was joining the Bulls. I thought it was perfect. Chicago has a good young core of D.Rose, Noah, and Deng, and none of them are superstars. They had enough cap space to sign both Boozer (a former teammate) and James. Lebron would have easily fit in the lineup and they would be contenders. But Lebron would be the leader, and his legacy is safe, even if he might only end up being the second greatest Bulls player ever.

Picking New York wouldn’t have been that bad either. Lebron would have surely been the Man in NYC. And playing homecourt in basketball’s Mecca would have been great. It may take 2-3 years before they seriously contend, but at least it was a fresh start.

To me, though, staying home would have been the right choice. I always admire players who remain with one team their entire career –Bird, Magic, Havlicek, even Reggie Miller and Paul Pierce. Besides, it was really his home – were he grew up and played high school ball. And the Cavs have a very competitive team – even without LBJ. It was just a matter of time before they win.

As I said, I don’t think the Heat will win it all this year. Of course, we’ll have to see what developments happen – how Miami fills up its roster (as of now, only 1 player – Mario Chalmers – is under contract), but I do believe that other East contenders have also gotten stronger. The Celtics added former Heat big man Jermaine O’neal while the Magic signed dependable guard Chris Duhon. So it’s basically a three-way battle in the East. And if the Heat does reach the NBA Finals, Kobe and the Lakers will be waiting for them. And it will be Phil Jackson’s 3rd 3-peat!

6. Will Erik Spoelstra continue to coach the Heat? Or will Pat Riley take over just like what he did during that championship season after SVG was doing a great job? As a Filipino, I hope coach Erik will continue. At least a Pinoy will be the King’s boss. (On a totally different matter, I am P-Noy’s boss!)

7. Lastly, Lebron, Wade and Bosh, as well as Carmelo Anthony are members of NBA batch 2003, but guess who in their rookie class was first to win an NBA title.

Obviously, it’s not Lebron. It’s also not Wade, who won it in 2006.

It’s none other than Daaarkoooo Milicic!!! Lupig sila tanan. hehe

Tiger's Troubles

Tiger Woods has always been one of my sporting idols. I started watching (and playing) golf in 1997, just after he had won his 1st Master's title in record-breaking fashion.

He is the Michael Jordan of golf. Some people even say MJ is the Tiger Woods of golf. At any rate, what's clear is Tiger is dominating the game of golf and he will eventually go down as the greatest of all time.

His recent scandal involving his personal life is semi-surprising. I always thought Tiger was one of the most well-managed and most private super celebrities. That's why he HAD that squeaky-clean image for so many years, thus translating to numerous sponsorships and millions of dollars along the way. On the other hand, Tiger had started playing golf seriously at about age 2. WTF!



He didn't have a normal childhood. That's why I'm starting to think he is somewhat similar to MJ - the King of Pop. Both were so serious in their fields at a very young age that they didn't really enjoyed their childhood. Before they knew it, they had grown into adults, and yet they didn't really get to do what normal kids (even teenagers) do. It's just a good thing that, unlike MJ, Tiger's into women -- not children! ;)

Don't get me wrong. Tiger's still my hero. I'm just pretty disappointed that he has taken an "indefinite break." In his own words:

I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try.

I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What's most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing.

After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.

Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.

What would golf be like during Tiger's break??? Fewer people in the gallery, fewer sponsors. In other words, less interest. And speaking of "break", check out this game by break.com - a bit inappropriate but nonetheless fun.

Rivalry Revival

The wait is over. The revival of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry has finally started with game one in Beantown. (I predicted this matchup ever since Gasol came to Lakers in midseason) Unfortunately, the Lakers (who I support) went on to lose the game. What’s even more unfortunate is that league MVP Kobe Bryant, who I thought would make the difference, struggled. While part of it was due to the Celtics’ defense, Kobe seemed exhausted, especially in the final quarter – the part of the game that he usually dominates. His shot wasn’t there, and he never got his offense going. In fact, he didn’t have a layup (he had one dunk but it was an open court fast break play). Moreover, he was kinda forcing up some shots, especially in the 4^th quarter. Before the series started, I though that the Lakers would ultimately win because they had the NBA’s best closer and clutch performer in Kobe Bryant. Somehow though, he didn’t live up to this in game one.

Kevin Garnett, on the other had, performed like an MVP. He was all over the floor. He was not very efficient on offense, but he contributed in a lot of other ways. The biggest play of the game, aside from the back-to-back threes by Paul Pierce in the second half, was KG, against the odds, saving the ball at the half court line, which led to a Sam Cassell field goal. That play, to me, summed up the game. The Celtics were the hungrier and more determined team. Interestingly, the Lakers crumbled in the fourth quarter, which was rare for a Phil Jackson coached team.

The biggest x-factor was 38-year old PJ Brown, who worked tirelessly in the paint. He, along with fellow 38-year old Cassell, stabilized the inexperienced Celtics.

Going back to the series itself, NBA fans have been waiting for years to see these two teams play again. I was too young to have seen and remembered their last finals meeting in 1987, but I was able to watch their classic games on DVD.

I dunno if it was just me, but seeing both teams on the parquet floor in Boston gave me goose bumps as I remembered the Bird-Magic rivalry of the 80s. There are similarities: Boston has another “big three” – Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen instead of Bird, McHale and Parish; Lakers has their own Magic in Kobe, who has his own “flair” to the game; the Celtics are more defense minded and physical, while LA was more offensive minded. There are a lot of storylines too, aside from renewing the rivalry among the two winnigest teams in NBA history: if the Lakers win, Jackson would surpass Celtics legend Red Auerbach as the coach with the most NBA championship rings (both have 9 as of now); Pierce (who once admitted hating the Celtics as a kid) growing up as a Laker fan (in fact many of the players participating in this series have grown up watching the Lakers and Celtics); Luke Walton’s dad once played for the Celtics. I’m pretty sure David Stern’s quite happy seeing these two teams meet again – the teams who also met in the Finals (with the Lakers winning) when Stern entered the league back in the 84-85 season. Interestingly, the Finals MVP was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was 38 years old at the time. I guess it is not surprising then that Brown and Cassell are still able to contribute.

These things alone would make the Finals worth watching. Personally, I feel this is the best Finals match-up in years. And this year’s version, to me, is even better than those of the past. Don’t get me wrong, the 1980s rivalry was a classic. But today’s game is even more fun to watch: No short shorts. The athleticism of Kobe and KG, which was rare in the 1980s. And of course, today’s technology: high definition, different camera angles, super slow motion, the internet (which builds up the hype even more, moreover, liveblogging makes the games more fun).

The series has just started, and it will be a long and interesting one. Kobe will definitely play better – he has to. But right now, all I could say is this: the winners are the fans, me included!

Pacquiao joins the Nike Superstars

I just saw Manny Pacquiao's newest Nike international commercial this evening and it was really cool (got goosebumps while watching it). PacMan, the first Filipino Nike endorser, is shown with some of the world’s super athletes: Kobe Bryant, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, and Xiang Liu. It just goes to show the talent within the Nike camp.




It seems clear that Nike has the greatest athletes right now (and makes the best commercials too). Prior to this, Nike had the Air Force 1 (25th anniversary) commercial with NBA superstars Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Rasheed Wallace, Paul Pierce, Tony Parker, Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, LeBron James and Chris Paul.

There was also the commercial featuring the likes of Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Ronaldinho, and Wayne Rooney on the same training ground.

Going back to the latest one, it would have been better if Tiger Woods was also in it. Nevertheless, according to sources, another Pacquiao Nike ad will soon air this time including the world's number one golfer.

Manny Pacquiao's first ad with Nike was entitled "Ang Mamatay nang Dahil sa ‘Yo", a thematic take-off from the last line of the Philippines' national anthem. The second ad is entitled "Fast Forward" and shows Manny’s routine training. Videos clips from this ad was what was used in the most recent commercial, which to me, was a compilation of the individual TV ads of the Nike superstars.

Ang Mamatay nang Dahil sa ‘Yo


Fast-Forward

Panasonic Lumix FZ8

Today, I finally got hold of the Panasonic Lumix FZ8 I ordered online when my cousin arrived from the US. Prior to this, my 6-year old Kodak digicam and a brandless one I bought in Singapore 3 years ago (I got duped) had already been destroyed. Hence, the closest thing to a digital camera I had was my Sony Ericsson K800i. Though this phone packed a 3.2 megapixel Cybershot camera, it was insufficient for a frustrated photographer like me.

I bought the FZ8 online from Amazon.com for around $229 (exclusive of shipping fees), which was a bargain compared to the prices in the Philippines. (I was in Manila last week and the cheapest price of the same model was around P23,000 [$548]).

Prior to the purchase, I did some research on the Internet. I wanted a digicam that was kinda between a point-and-shoot and a DSLR. I still plan to own a DSLR, but right now that's just too expensive for me. In the end, I was choosing between a Sony H7, a Canon S5 IS, and the Panasonic Lumix FZ8. The former two are considerably more expensive than the latter. The H7 costs $292 while the S5 IS costs $314. Interestingly, while Sony and Canon are considered "branded", the FZ8 had better online reviews and actually rated higher than the 2 others. To cite an example, dpreview.com gives it an rating of "highly recommended" and an overall value of 9/10, while the S5 IS was merely "recommended" with a value of 8/10 and the H7 was "above average" with a value of 8.5/10.

Add the fact that the FZ8 was quite cheaper, it was a no-brainer decision on my part. Though the S5 IS had more features (including the hot shoe adapter which I really liked) and the H7 had a better zoom (15x), the FZ8 features were not bad either. Among the features of this cam are the following:

- 12x optical zoom (with an 18x extended optical zoom) plus 4x digital zoom (total of 72x)
- 7.2 megapixels
- intelligent image stabilizer
- 2.5" LCD with full 207,000-pixel resolution
- electronic viewfinder

I also liked the fact that this camera uses an SD or SDHC (unlike the Sony H7) as external storage and had the option of using RAW format.

I'm simply amazed at this camera (though I really don't have a basis for comparison). The images were crisp and the zoom was incredible. After the first few hours of testing the camera, I already had taken more than a hundred photos. (At first I had to settle with its 27mb internal memory, though later I used the 256mb SD card from my old cam). I have yet to fully read the manual and I'm still in the process of experimenting. Here's one of my first-ever photos with this camera (which I took from Bethel's Filomena Restaurant):

Sick Doctors

The recent video scandal involving doctors and nurses of a government-run hospital in Cebu was a display of disrespect and immorality - two things that seem to be plaguing our country right now. The video showed doctors extracting a perfume canister from a man's rectum. People, presumably nurses and medical staff, in the background were heard cheering and giggling. To make it worse, the video was then posted on YouTube (later removed).

I just could imagine what probably happened. During the surgery, the doctor was so amused that he had to call his doctor-friends to witness the odd operation. People began to gather around the poor guy (patient), who was probably in pain physically and emotionally. The already embarrassed patient was suffering while those around him were laughing at the guy. And then this one nurse (or student nurse) just had to take out his cellphone and start recording what was transpiring. This guy probably couldn't get enough of what he had seen, so he shared it with some friends, perhaps sending the video file through bluetooth to some of them. And then the video exponentially spread to a number of people, with one of them uploading it on the popular video-sharing website.

I only hope the hospital where all of this took place would be administratively sanctioned for failing to exercise proper supervision over their personnel. It would also be right to take away the licenses of these erring doctors and nurses and charge them with medical malpractice, for violating their code of ethics. A civil suit for damages can also be filed by the victim.

There are some who insist that in the first place, this would not have happened if the man (victim) was not having those kind of homosexual activities. While that would also be considered immoral, i believe it is beside the point in this case. The point here is that patient confidentiality and the basic human right of privacy were gravely violated.

Doctors (and the medical/nursing professionals) are highly respected in Filipino culture. They have the responsibility to observe the highest ethical standards in their medical profession. This unfortunate incident has tainted the reputation of the medical profession, even more so compared to the nursing board exam leakage scandal.

Invasion Repelled

Once again, the Filipino boxers proved their dominance in the sport, emerging victorious in an event dubbed “Invasion: Philippines vs. the World” held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, witth all four Filipinos winning their matches.

A.J. “Bazooka” Banal of the Philippines started it off by defeating Caril Herrera of Uruguay in a referee-stopped fight in the fourth round match, an eliminator for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) move up to the No. 1 spot. The Filipino dominated the Uruguayan, scoring with several punches on the latter’s face. Herrera had to take a standing eight-count after being brought down to his knees at the end of the third round by a series of face punches by Banal. The fight, ruled a technical knockout in favor of the Filipino, was stopped at 1:18 into the fourth round.

In the second match, Filipino Ciso Morales defeated Yoo-Shin Kim of South Korea in the fourth round as the referee stopped the fight in 2:24 of the fourth round, seeing that Yoo-Shin, face bloodied with a cut on the left eye, had taken enough punishment from the Filipino, who successfully retained his World Boxing Organization (WBO) oriental super bantamweight title.

In the next match, Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista of the Philippines knocked out Genaro Camargo of Mexico in the second of a 12-round match. Bautista knocked down the Mexican twice in the first round and sent him down for the good 57 seconds into the second round. Bautista thus retained his World Boxing Organization (WBO) inter-continental super bantamweight title.

In the main event, veteran Filipino boxer Gerry Peñalosa beat challenger Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title, via referee stoppage with 29 seconds remaining in the eighth round. Peñalosa knocked down the Thai thrice, in the fifth, seventh, and earlier in the eighth before the referee stopped the fight.

It was in the fifth round that Peñalosa started punishing the Thai with a series of combinations that nearly knocked him down, at one point sending him down on his knees. Vorapin, however, managed to put his arms around Peñalosa’s waist to break his fall.

pinoy boxers

New Lawyer

Congratulations to my sister, Atty. Niña Rica Ruperto-Teves, for passing the 2007 Bar Exams!
Happy Christening to Baby Jodi - Jordine Paulina Martinez Raymond, 2nd daughter of Jack & Pristine.

10 greatest Michael Jordan moments

For those who do not know, I'm one of the biggest fans of MJ. As a tribute to him on his 45th birthday, here are my 10 favorite Michael Jordan moments:

10. Jordan leading the Bulls to a record 72 wins - Ok, this 'moment' is actually an entire season. After a disappointing exit the previous year, Jordan was back at his best and the Bulls (with new acquisition Dennis Rodman) dominated the NBA, becoming the 1st team to reach 70 wins. And yeah, wherever they went, they were considered "rockstars".

9. The Jordan Rules - The "Bad Boy" Pistons did everything to stop him, even if it bordered to criminal. They fouled him hard everytime he drove to the basket. But Jordan fought back. Though the Bulls lost to the Pistons 2 straight years in the playoffs, but on their third try, they swept the Badboys.

6. Scoring 55 in Madison Square Garden - Jordan came out of retirement in 1995 wearing number 45. It was only his 5th game back and was still a bit rusty. But on the world's basketball mecca, Jordan was at his best, scoring 55 points, yet even dishing out the game winning assist.

7. Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals - I consider this one of Jordan's top 3 greatest games. He drove at will against the Suns in scoring 55 points - whether it was Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, or Charles Barkley who was guarding him. In one of the last plays, MJ was guarded by his close friend Sir Charles. Jordan drove, stopped and hit a short running shot over Barkley, who was called for a foul. In the end, Suns coach Paul Westphal admitted that they could not guard Michael Jordan. He ended up averaging 41 points in that 6-game finals series, an NBA record.

6. Dunk from the free throw line - As a finale in the 1988 slam dunk contest, Jordan dribbled the full court, took off at the free throw line, double clutched the ball with his right hand and threw it down the hoop. It was enough to defeat Dominique Wilkins in an epic slam dunk contest.

5. Raining threes in game one of the 1992 NBA Finals - Who could ever forget Jordan hitting another 3 and gesturing to Cliff Robinson and the rest of the Blazers in a "i dunno what's going on" manner.

4. "God disguised as Michael Jordan" - This is how Larry Bird described MJ in 1986 after the latter scored a playoff record 63 points against the Celtics, who tried different defenders on him.

3. The shot - Game 5 versus the Cavs, who led by a point with 3 seconds remaining. MJ got out of a double team and caught the inbounds pass, drove towards the paint, stopped on the freethrow line, double clutched, and hit the game winning, series ending shot. The celebration right after was also spectacular, with Jordan leaping and Craig Ehlo (the guy who gave the Cavs a 1 point lead) going down.

2. "A spectacular move by Michael Jordan" - I believe it was Marv Albert who spoke this immortal words in the 1991 NBA Finals. MJ drove to the basket and prepared to dunk the ball. Seeing long-armed Sam Perkins in front of him, MJ put down the ball, transferred it to his other hand, and banked in a lay-up. No MJ tribute video is complete without this clip.

1. Clinching the Bulls' 6th NBA title with a winning shot - The Jazz led by 3 points. Jordan went coast to coast for a lay-up to cut the Jazz lead to 1. On the next Utah possession, MJ sneaked from behind Karl Malone, stripped and stole the ball. He dribbled upcourt, killing some time, and with less than 10 seconds left in the game, started dribbling to the right, crossed over to the left, totally faking (and pushing) Bryon Russell, and then buried the shot. What was more spectacular was the follow-through which went on for a few seconds - kinda like waving goodbye to the sport. It was the perfect ending to the career of the greatest basketball player in history. (not counting the Washington experience).

* NOTE: This list was done spontaneously, based only on what I recall from my memory - so I might leave something out or may have some inaccurate details.

The Newest Pinoy Superstar!

Wow! This three-letter word is an understatement in describing the most amazing talent I've seen in quite some time. What's even better is that this talent is actually a full-fledged Filipino (or Filipina in this case).

Her name is Charice Pempengco. She's only 14 years old, but her voice could easily be mistaken for that of Beyonce's or Whitney Houston's. In fact, she attracted attention through a YouTube video which showed her Little Big Star (a local singing competition to which she placed 2nd) performance of Houston's hit, "I Will Always Love You." Because of her unbelievable vocals, many viewers first thought her singing was fake and that she was only lip synching. Another popular video was a face-off between Charice and America's Got Talent winner, Bianca Ryan, showing them singing the same song. And it was not even close. Charice was clearly the better singer.



Another video showed Charice singing the Dreamgirls song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." This earned her an invitation from a South Korean talent show called Star King. The Koreans were wowed by her performance. It was amusing to see their reactions.




This performance led her into American television. TV network E!'s The Daily Ten featured her with the headline, "A Star Is Born" and a few days later, on its Hollywood Royalty segment with the headline "A Queen Is Born".



Her performance on Star King was then featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on its, in which Ellen showed videos of different people she would like to have as guests on the show. After showing the video, Ellen personally invited Charice to perform on the show, which she eventually did a few days ago. Her performance was given a standing ovation and both Ellen and the audience were highly impressed. Just like what Ellen, I had goosebumps. It's hard to put it into words. You just have to see the videos yourself.



Charice Pempengco will make it big time in the near future. From what I've read, renowned talent manager David Foster has already shown interest in signing the young star. However, I think she still has a current contract with ABS-CBN. I just hope ABS-CBN wouldn't destroy her career. I sure hope they'd give way.

Charice is another reason I'm proud to be Pinoy!

Pool Heaven

I was starstruck at the recent Negros Oriental International 9-ball tournament held at the convention center. Among the participants were Filipino cue artists Efren "Bata" Reyes, Django Bustamante, Ronnie Alcano, Alex Pagulayan and foreign pool players like Ralf Souquet, Johnny Archer, Corey Deuel, Mika Immonen, Thorsten Hohmann, and a lot more. They basically are the who's who of pool. As a matter of fact, the participants included nine former 9-ball world champions (Ralf Souquet - 1996, Johnny Archer - 1997, Kunihiko Takahashi - 1998, Efren Reyes - 1999, Mika Immonen - 2001, Thorsten Hohmann - 2003, Alex Pagulayan - 2004, Wu Chia-Ching - 2005, and Ronato Alcano - 2006.) Most of them participated in the World Pool Championship 2007 in Manila last week, and apparently, they headed straight to Dumaguete!

How big an event was it? Think of it this way. If this were basketball, the names would be legends like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain and current superstars Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Wow!

While pool is not even close to how popular basketball is globally, Efren is considered by many as the Michael Jordan of pool. Just like Jordan transcended the game of basketball, Efren Reyes, too, transcended pool.

I've seen Efren Reyes already (back in 2005). So, the whole event was seeing all the other pool superstars, especially the foreign ones. Who would have thought the likes of Johnny Archer and Ralf Souquet would come to Dumaguete? Even more, who would have thought I'd be rubbing shoulders with them.

For many non-pool fans, they probably never knew the event existed. But for pool followers like me, it was like being part of an NBA All-Star Weekend. Among the sideshows were seeing the pool superstars walk down the boulevard and downtown, watching Django, Pagulayan, and Dennis Orcullo play poker at Honeycomb, and last year's World Champion Alcano beating local players in money games at local pool houses and then treating everyone who were watching with 'balot' (the lucky balot vendor sold out all his goods).

On my part, what I did was to print photos of the most popular pool players (in a trading-card design) with their name, monicker, country with their flag, and biggest achievement, and having each of them sign on it.


Eventually, I was able to get all the big names who were there to sign on their own personalized photo: Johnny Archer, Francisco Bustamante, Dennis Orcullo, Ronato Alcano, Alex Pagulayan, Warren Kiamco, Roberto Gomez, Yang Ching-Shun, Kunihiko Takahashi, Corey Deuel, Mika Immonen, Thorsten Hohmann, Efren Reyes, Ralf Souquet, Wu Chia Ching, Rodolfo Luat, and Lee Van Corteza.



The only noticeable stars who did not take part in the event were Earl Strickland and Fong Pang-Chao.

By the way, Alex Pagulayan eventually won the event, with a prize of $20,000. Here's Alex behind the scenes rapping:

Let the games begin!

This week is the start of two major sports events (at least for me) - the NBA 2007-08 Season and the World Pool Championship.

NBA

The most obvious change in the NBA for this season is the Boston Celtics, after acquiring all-stars Kevin Garnett (from the T'wolves) and Ray Allen (from the Sonics) in the off-season. This would give the Celtics the NBA's best trio - Garnett, Allen, and Paul Pierce. Even better than the defending champs San Antonio Spurs' trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. It is therefore clear that the Celtics will be one of the contending teams this season. The only question is how the big three would jell and what their supporting cast would look like (I still expect more acquisitions before the season is over). The good thing about them is that they're all professionals and first-class individuals in the mold of Duncan. It is for this reason that I believe they would be a force in the Eastern Conference, even surpassing Detroit Pistons (which will be as consistent as last year) as the East's best team. Considering the quality and competition among the Western conference teams, it would be no surprise if the Celtics ended up with the league's best regular season record.

Aside from the Celtics and the Pistons, the other teams to look out for are the defending East champs Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. Cavs superstar Lebron James will continue to improve. He will be an MVP candidate and will continue to carry his team. However, a repeat of last year's finals appearance is highly unlikely. Even reaching the East finals is difficult, as they have to hurdle both the Celtics and Pistons.

For the Magic, a new coach in Stan Van Gundy will help them to become one of the East's elite teams. I believe they are the East's dark horse. I expect Hedo Turkoglu to improve tremendously (probably this year's most improved player). Adding versatile forward Rashard Lewis to the mix would only do wonders to Dwight Howard (another MVP candidate), who would be the undisputed East's best big man.

The West is a different story. Practically every team, with the exception of Seattle and Memphis, could make it to the playoffs. Moreover, there are around 9 teams (yup, even one more than the number of teams that would qualify for the playoffs) which could be number 1 -- the Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Denver Nuggets.

The biggest surprise to me would be the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Hornets. I believe Houston will be great this year, after hiring former Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman and acquiring Argentine Luis Scola. I think Adelman is the perfect coach for the Rockets. I hope he would implement the system which made the Kings one of the best teams in the west for several years. Yao Ming has big-man passing skills similar to the Kings' Vlade Divac. Scola, I presume, would be, like most foreign stars, would be fundamentally sound and an effective scorer and passer from the post. Shane Battier, the ultimate role player, will continue to hit threes and play terrific defense. And of course, there's Tracy McGrady, who could take over any game. The fate of this team would eventually depend on the health of both Yao and McGrady. If this dynamic duo could go healthy the whole season, then I'm pretty sure they'd sit atop the West.

The New Orleans Hornets will be the most improved team in the West. They almost made it to the playoffs last year. This year will even be better for them. Sensational point guard Chris Paul will have MVP-type numbers. He would be what Steve Nash is to the Phoenix Suns. David West will also improve, probably enough to make the West All-star team (considering the fact that the game will be played in New Orleans). Tyson Chandler will be a Marcus Camby type of presence in the paint. Peja Stojakovic, if healthy, is still one of the league's best shooters. The addition of Morris Petersen would give some veteran leadership to the team. Finally, I believe coach Byron Scott is perfect for a team with a great point guard like Chris Paul, just like what happened in New Jersey with Jason Kidd a few years ago.

Overall, it's still a toss-up who will come on top in the West. Nevertheless, I believe it will be between the Spurs and the Suns.

World Pool Championship

Once again, the most prestigious international 9-ball event will be held here in the Philippines. While many Filipino pool players, especially the lesser-established ones, will benefit due to the location, the opportunity of more qualifying tournaments, and of course the comforts of being home, playing before your kabababayans also has its own disadvantage. Clearly, the most obvious one is the pressure. Every Filipino expects their Pinoy pool idols to win. While the latter have all the skills and talent to be crowned champion, dealing with pressure not only within oneself but also from the local fans is a different story. Even legends like Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante admit that they feel the pressure playing in the Philippines. If these two world-beaters are human after all when it comes to dealing with pressure, how much more would it affect the lesser-known players such as the likes of Ramil Gallego, Roberto Gomez, and Joven Bustamante.

Last year, our very own Ronnie Alcano was fortunate to win the event. Though Alcano was already an accomplished pool player in the US pool circles, there were many Filipinos who did not know much about him - until he won, of course. He showed great composure in sticking to his gameplan - executing the "soft break" to perfection. Not only was he extremely talented, but he was also cool under pressure.

This year, I'm hoping another Filipino will win the event. I wish Django would win it (he was soooo close in 2002) coz I believe that's what is missing in his resume. However, I also believe many other Filipinos like Dennis Orcullo and Marlon Manalo would do well. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if an unknown Filipino would win it all. Again, the only problem I could foresee is how they would handle the pressure.

Pure Inspiration

Gary Valenciano's "Pure Inspiration" concert at the Macias Sports Complex was by far the most entertaining one I've experienced in Dumaguete. While I also enjoyed the previous successful performances of MYMP at Barefoot and Kitchie Nadal also at Macias, they somehow paled in comparison to Gary V.'s performance. No wonder why he's known as Mr. Pure Energy.

The good thing about the concert was that it was enjoyable for everyone - regardless of age and background. The selection was a mix of soothing gospel songs, fast-paced pop-rock songs, and the very familiar tagalog songs (most of which became even popular due to recent movies and teleseryes).

He was multi-talented - singing, dancing, and in a way, preaching. Thus, it would seem that I was not only attending a concert, but also a Christian sermon. Everyone in the audience were fully entertained and were standing most of the time, singing and dancing with him.

Among the songs he performed which I enjoyed were: Take me out of the dark, How did you know, Warrior is a child, Lead me Lord, Sana maulit muli, Natutulog ba ang Diyos?, and his own version of Anak.

The bottom line is I would not think twice in watching his concert again. It was really a 'pure inspiration.'

New 7 Wonders of the World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were selected by the Greek philosopher Philon more than 2,000 years ago.

1. Great Pyramid of Giza – Built as the tomb of 4th dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, it is the only surviving structures of the original seven wonders.
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon – The outer walls were 90 kilometers in length, 24 meters thick and 98 meters high.
3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus – Dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis, it took 120 years to build.
4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia – It occupied the whole width of the aisle of the temple that was built to house it, and was 40 feet tall.
5. Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus – This stood approximately 45 meters tall with each of the four sides adorned with sculptural reliefs.
6. Colossus of Rhodes – It was a giant statute of the Greek god Helios, roughly three-fourths as large as today's Statue of Liberty in New York.
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria - Between 115 and 135 meters tall, it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries.

Last July 7, 2007 (07/07/07), a new version of the Seven Wonders of the World was revealed, based on over 100 million votes cast from people in 200 countries. The Pyramids of Giza will retain their status as one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. Almost 200 nominations came in and the list was narrowed to 21 at the beginning of 2006. For inclusion in the list, the new wonders had to be man-made, completed by the year 2000 and in an "acceptable" state of preservation.

1. Colosseum, Italy – This 50,000-seat amphitheater in Rome, which has influenced the design of modern sports stadiums, was an arena where thousands of gladiators dueled to the death and Christians were fed to the lions.
2. Great Wall of China – This 4,160-mile barricade running from east to west in northern China is the longest man-made structure in the world, and was built to protect the dynasties from invasion by other nomadic tribes.
3. Taj Mahal, India – This white marble-domed mausoleum of Mughal architecture combining Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles in Agra was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
4. Petra, Jordan – This ancient city of Petra in southwestern Jordan, built on a terrace around the Valley of Moses is famous for its numerous stone structures carved in rock, like an uncompleted tomb facade that served as a church
5. Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil – This 125-foot-tall statue of Christ the Redeemer, with outstretched arms overlooks Rio de Janeiro from atop Mt. Corcovado, and weighs more than 1,000 tons.
6. Machu Picchu, Peru – These giant walls, palaces, temples and dwellings of the Machu Picchu sanctuary are perched in the clouds at 8,000 feet above sea level in the Andes mountains.
7. Pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico – This step-pyramid surmounted by a temple survives from a sacred site that was part of one of the greatest Mayan centers of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.

Real drama

What a finish! I watched the Primera Liga's final match between Real Madrid and Real Mallorca live on RealMadrid TV which started at about 2 a.m. And it was unlike any other football game I've watched so far. It was similar to how I felt when the Bulls trailed the Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals and against the Jazz in 1998.

To give you an idea, Real Madrid had to win that match to win the league title and end their 4-year trophy drought. In the Spanish Primera Liga, the champions will be the club with the most points at the end of the season. Heading into the final day, Real Madrid and arch-rivals Barcelona were tied with 73 points. By virtue of a better head-to-head record (Madrid defeated Barcelona at the Bernabeu 2-0, and drawn 3-3 at the Nou Camp), Real Madrid would be champions if they remained tied (in terms of points). For those who are not familiar with the scoring, a win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 point, and no point for a loss.

The race itself was extremely tight the final weeks, and Real Madrid had a series of amazing comebacks and good fortune in their past games.

On May 12 against Espanyol, they came back from a 3-1 halftime deficit to win 4-3.

On May 20 against Recreativo Huelva, Roberto Carlos scored in the dying minutes of injury time and gave Real Madrid a 3-2 win. The Brazilian left-back raced down the full pitch, settled Fernando Gago's cross and scored under the sliding goalkeeper. The win gave Madrid 69 points, the same as Barcelona, with 3 more matches left.

On May 26, they won against Deportivo, keeping them tied with Barca with 72 points.

On the penultimate match day on June 29, both Real Madrid and Barca were playing at the same time. With a couple of minutes left on both matches, Barca were leading Espanyol 2-1 while Madrid were losing to Zaragoza 1-2. It was then when Madrid's top striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored a goal a minute from the final whistle to tie the match at 2-2. In amazing stroke of good fortune, seconds later, Espanyol's Raul Tamudo scored a late equalizer with 25 seconds left. So the day ended with Madrid and Barca both with 73 points.

Thus, the league championship depended on the last game.

For over an hour the title looked to have slipped from Real's grasp as they trailed to a 17th-minute strike from Mallorca's Fernando Varela, while Barca overpowered Gimnastic.

Real suffered another setback when league leading goal scorer van Nistelrooy was forced off in the 32nd minute after appearing to pull a hamstring as he ran towards goal. At halftime, Mallorca led 1-0. Barcelona, meanwhile, went 3-0 up by the break with goals from Messi and Ronaldinho.

Real manager Fabio Capello introduced the inconsistent Guti at the start of the second half but his side continued to live dangerously with a succession of last-ditch tackles stopping Mallorca adding to their lead.

It became worse midway through the second half, as David Beckham, the man who is largely responsible for Real's resurgence the past couple of months, limped off the pitch and was substituted by Jose Antonio Reyes.

Little did everyone know that the substitute would become Real's hero, equalizing a minute after coming on in the second half. Reyes fired in from close range after some dazzling footwork by Robinho and Gonzalo Higuain on the right side of the area.

The Bernabeu burst into life after Reyes's goal and Real were back on top of the table 12 minutes later when Diarra, called back from international duty with Mali, sent a header bouncing off Mallorca's Angelos Basinas and across the line. The Bernabeu crowd (who interestingly included a Beckham party consisting of wife Posh spice and Hollywood couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes) was ecstatic. Again, it was unlike anything I have ever witnessed. The Madrid fans were partying.

Reyes made sure of victory four minutes later with a great strike from the edge of the area to spark wild celebrations.

As the final whistle sounded, the Bernabeu went wild. Fireworks were lit, and an amazing celebration and ceremony was held. After this, the team paraded throughout the city of Madrid on their team bus with tens of thousands of frenzied fans surrounding them.

I watched all of these on TV from 2am to around 8am. Really incredible nail-biting drama.

This record 30th league championship saved Real Madrid's otherwise disappointing season. After a major overhaul in the off-season (hiring a new coach and signing the likes of Cannavaro, van Nistelrooy, and Diarra), the team was full of potential. However, for some reason, the team struggled early and got eliminated early in the European Champions League and the Spanish King's Cup. It also signified the end of the Madrid careers of Brazilian superstar Roberto Carlos and English football icon David Beckham. The important thing was that Real Madrid was hopefully back on their winning ways, ending a four-year drought. Hopefully, things will even be better next year.

Working on Independence Day

Perhaps for the first time since June 12 was official made "Araw ng Kalayaan" or Independence Day, Filipinos worldwide will be spending the day at work. Tsk tsk tsk. This is result of GMA's so-called holiday economics. The Arroyo administration introduced holiday economics a few years ago to boost domestic tourism. Under this arrangement, holidays are adjusted to extend up to the weekend. Thus, if let's say April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan) falls on a Tuesday, the holiday is moved to Monday, so as to give us a longer weekend.

Is it just me or isn't this defeating the essence of the holiday? Though, this is laudable idea (which is being done in other countries), but there are just some days that are too important to be moved. An example is one where we commemorate an important event in history. This holiday should be observed on that day itself and not just any other day.

Let's say we don't have Christmas breaks and let's just imagine that January 1 falls on a Thursday. Should New Year then be moved to Friday (January 2) pursuant to holiday economics?

One more example, just imagine your birthday being moved to another day...

NBA Playoffs 2007

The NBA Playoffs has arrived with the following matchups:

Eastern Conference:

Detroit Pistons (1) vs. Orlando Magic (8)
Miami Heat (4) vs. Chicago Bulls (5)

Toronto Raptors (3) vs. New Jersey Nets (6)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Washington Wizards (7)

Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks (1) vs. Golden State Warriors (8)
Houston Rockets (4) vs. Utah Jazz (5)

San Antonio Spurs (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (6)
Phoenix Suns (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)

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The above matchups are intriguing; and it would ensure an exciting and unpredictable road to the NBA Finals.

I'm gonna break it down series by series:

EAST


Detroit Pistons (1) vs. Orlando Magic (8):

This should be an easy one for the 2004 champions, the Pistons. It is a contrast of experience --Detroit having been to the finals a couple of times with most of its core group while Orlando with its core group having little playoff experience. As a matter of fact, it is the first playoffs for the young Magic duo of Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard. The only Magic with some finals experience is probably Darko Milicic (who played some garbage time for the Pistons themselves in 2004). It is also somewhat interesting to watch Grant Hill in the playoffs after a long absence. It could be his last with Orlando. Overall, the Pistons are the better team with lots of experience.

I believe the Pistons should be able to sweep the series, 4-0.


Miami Heat (4) vs. Chicago Bulls (5):

This, to me, is the most intriguing and exciting series in the East 1st round. The Heat, of course, are the defending champs. A big reason for this is because of Shaquille O'neal. Don't get me wrong, Dwyane Wade is clearly the best player on their team, but without Shaq, they wouldn' t be able advance far in the playoffs. The key would be the play of Shaq, who quite impressively, has been playing well (and healthy) the past month. But then, if we come to think of it, who in the NBA has been able to handle Shaq? The answer, if you watched the 2004 NBA Finals, is Ben Wallace. He's, of course, now with the Bulls, to strengthen their interior defense. Another factor that's favorable to the Bulls is that D-Wade is still not 100%. Add that to the fact the he has to guard the likes of Luol Deng and Ben Gordon. If you recall, also, when the Heat had their ring ceremony at the start of the regular season, the Bulls demolished the Heat 108-66. Lastly, since the Bulls have a better regular season record, they have homecourt advantage. However, we still can't underestimate the defending champs. They won't give up without a fight.

Nevertheless, I look for an upset: Chicago in a full 7 games.


Toronto Raptors (3) vs. New Jersey Nets (6):

The most surprising team this year is the Toronto Raptors. The last time they were in the postseason was when they were led by Vince Carter, who's now with the opposing team. The Raptors have a good mix of foreign and young players. The Nets, on the other hand, is the more experienced team. The Nets will rely on their big-three: Jason Kidd, Carter, and Richard Jefferson. They will perform, but whether they win or not might depend on the role players like Bostjan Nachbar and Mikki Moore. After all, who's gonna contain Chris Bosh? The series could go either way.

But I think, youth will prevail in this series. Raptors 4, Nets 2.


Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Washington Wizards (7):

This is a rematch of last year's thrilling 1st round series where the Cavs won 4-2 (with 3 games decided by 1 point). It would have been as thrilling had Wizard all-stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler not been injured. Thus, it should be an easy series for King James and company. As long as they stay focused, the Cavs can sweep the series. Otherwise, the Wizards may squeeze out a win at home.

The Cavs should easily win the series 4-1.

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WEST


Dallas Mavericks (1) vs. Golden State Warriors (8):

Since I'm a big Mavs fan, I already was hoping for the past month that they won't face the Warriors in the 1st round. I'd rather have them face the Lakers or the Clippers. The Mavs have the league's best record (67-15), but the Warriors have all the confidence heading into the series. They barely made it to the playoffs and have nothing to lose. The Mavs, on the other hand, have been out of sync the past games, mainly due to the resting of their key players. Rust might be a factor since they haven't played together as a complete team for a while. What I'm worried about is the the Warriors play well against the Mavs. A proof of this is that the Warriors swept the regular season series 3-0, and they had a couple of lopsided victories. A reason for this is because of Don Nelson, the current coach of GS who was the Mavs coach for several years and was responsible of turning the Mavs from being a lottery team to a playoff contender. The Warriors today are similar to the Mavs 3 years ago - very talented, fast, and high-scoring -- but do not play good defense. Still, they could win games, and win big, too. They're a very opportunistic team - once they get on the groove, it's hard to stop them. This has the makings of a major upset. Nevertheless, since I'm a huge Mavs fan, I'd still have to go with them in 7.

Mavericks-4, Warriors-3.


Houston Rockets (4) vs. Utah Jazz (5):

This should be another exciting and thrilling playoffs matchup. And to think, these two teams did not even make it to the playoffs last year. Victory could go either way. To me, the Rockets would win with a healthy T-Mac and Yao. They are the new Kobe and Shaq duo of the 3-peat Lakers a few years back. But then again, the Rockets pair has a history of injuries, and it might just be a factor come the playoffs. The Jazz, on the other hand, is the more complete team with what I feel is the most talented frontcourt in Mehmet Okur, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko, and the point guard of the future in Deron Williams. If they play as a team, it is also hard for the Rockets to stop them. Thus, it could boil down to coaching - Jerry Sloan vs. Jeff Van Gundy and a few bounces going one way or another.

Jass-4, Rockets-2


San Antonio Spurs (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (6):

This is another exciting matchup: the veteran defensive-minded Spurs versus the fast and high-scoring Nuggets. The Spurs have one of the league's best trios: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. They're playoff-tested and should be dependable once more. The Nuggets have the highest-scoring duo in Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. They're very good, but have their own share of struggles. The matchups are exciting: Can Marcus Camby and Nene contain TD? Who's quicker - Parker or Iverson? Can defense specialist Bruce Bowen stop 'Melo? It should be one great show.

Experience would prevail. Spurs 4, Nuggets 2.


Phoenix Suns (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7):

Another rematch of last year's first round series, where the Suns edged out the Lakers 4-3. It was disappointing for the Lakers who led the series 3-1. It is a chance for redemption for the Lakers, especially Kobe Bryant, who only had 1 point in the second half in their game 7 defeat. The Lakers had an advantage last year as the Suns' Amare Stoudemire was injured. This time around, the Suns have him back a hundred-percent. It is interesting to note that both Stoudemire and Bryant have changed their jersey numbers: Amare from 32 to 1, Kobe from 8 to 24. Will these be enough to change their fortunes?

Suns 4, Lakers 2.


How's that for just the first round!?

The MVP Debate

One thing's for sure - this year's NBA MVP will be a foreigner with a surname that starts with the letter N.

The MVP has come down to a race between two close friends and former long-haired teammates: Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki.

Interestingly, they were Mavs teammates a couple of years ago and were a spectacular duo. Seeing them run the floor with their floppy blond hairdos, hitting some threes was a delight. They came to the Mavs the same year and transformed them into a consistent playoff team. Though the Mavs were Western contenders (even reaching the West conference finals) for several years, they were not able to 'get over the hump'. It seemed that the Mavs organization gave up on the partnership.

You know the story, Mavs owner Mark Cuban did not want to give Nash the big contract, forcing the latter to sign with the Phoenix Suns, which in turn became the a small-ball, running and gunning team (similar to the old Mavs, but even faster). Nash went on to lead the NBA in assists and won back-to-back league MVPs.

This year, Nash's statistics are even better than his two MVP-seasons. This alone would be enough to award him a third straight MVP.

However, I believe it is Nowitzki, who led the Mavs to the finals last year, who deserves the award this time. His numbers have been impressive. More importantly, he is the best player in the best team (in terms of regular season standing) in the league right now. He has improved his passing and has become more of a team player (a big reason for the improvement of Josh Howard). Also, I believe it is quite difficult for a player to win the award 3 years in a row. I know it's unfair but it's actually true. One has two remember that MVP voting is done by 125 members of the media. A lot of factors come into play. One of those is the fact the likes of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson never won the award three straight years. Do you think Nash is as good as those two? Again, it's really unfair coz if there was no other deserving player this year, Nash wins it hands down. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for Nash, his best bud is having an equally tremendous year.

Smaller but bigger

I just purchased a new flashdisk (aka flash drive/USB disk) recently. And I'm quite amazed at how tiny it has gotten I just had to write something about it. What's even more amazing is that it may have shrunk in physical size but its capacity has greatly increased. Moreover, the price has gotten lower and lower.

I got my first flashdisk in 2003 as an Information Technology senior in college. It had a capacity of 32 mb, which compared to diskettes (around 1.44 mb) which were still commonly used at that time, was really sufficient. It cost about P1000.00 and was about 3 inches in length. Considering all the stuff an IT student does, that flashdisk proved to be quite useful - and durable too. I dropped it countless of times and even stepped on it. It was passed from classmate to classmate, got wet, and was used for long hours. Still, it was very reliable. It came to a point when the exterior broke and what was left was the inside stuff. Still, with a little bending and replugging, it worked fine.

My second flashdisk was more than a year later. This time it was 256mb made by Astone and was a bit smaller than my first one. It was pricey - around P2,500.00. But I figured that it was 8 times more (in terms of capacity) than my old one, hence, the price should be P8000 (duh!). It was a bad experience though. After a week it malfunctioned. I had it fixed but a few weeks later, it didn't work again. I ended up using my old and abused flashdisk. I dunno if it was a factory defect or something, but somehow, this was the reason why I didn't bother buying a new flashdisk for sometime.

As my old flashdisk finally "died", I had to buy a new flashdisk since I needed it for law school. This time it was 1gb and cost around P700. And it was tiny - around an inch in length.

New technology continues to amaze me. Gadgets become faster, smaller, more powerful and cheaper at the same time.

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UPDATE

5/21/07 - Impressed with the 1-gig flashdisk, I bought another one for around P600. It was bigger but I liked it coz it did not have a cover, which was helpful coz I lost the cover of my previous flashdisk. This one worked by simply pulling a lever-like thingie on the side to hide the USB plug.

9/22/07 - I lost my third flashdisk, so I bought another one. It was 2-gig and cost only P500. Amazing.