Great review, a greater game a nasty lawsuit. Welcome to 2007

The first month of the year has been quite a roller coaster ride for Philippine football. Both in and out the field.

First, there was that unfortunate injury to Ali Borromeo in the opening minutes of the Malaysia game, resulting to an 0-4 loss, and another 0-4 rout to Thailand in the second game.

However, with their backs against the wall, the tired, outclassed and outpaced Pinoys managed to hold on to a 0-0 draw against Myanmar, earning a load of superlatives from the Star Sports commentator and forcing the writer at aseanfootball.org to dig deep into his well of words.

"Football, at any level is a wonderful game," said the commentator, giving credit to a gutsy team which was given no chance at all to spoil Myanmar's semifinal chances.

"PLUCKY GOALIE CASAS FRUSTRATES MYANMAR," screamed aseanfootball.org's match report on the PFF-Myanmar game.

"At 1.71cm, Casas is the shortest keeper in the tournament but his safekeeping, fine judgment and agility made him then outstanding player of the night. Single-handedly, Casas kept the marauding Myanmar forwards at bay in the last 10 minutes of play plus three minutes of injury time," aseanfootball.org reported.

Attacked, maligned and criticized at the pinoysoccer.com forum, last night's game was vindication for Casas and also for another player---Anton del Rosario.

(The Philippines never scored in the tournament, but del Rosario did)

Right in the waning minutes of the match, del Rosario showed perfect field presence (if not perfect choice on a hair stylist) when as he was marking a Myanmar forward, the ball was returned to the top of the RP box, to a waiting striker.

Perhaps sensing Casas was out of position, del Rosario left his man and went to protect the near post, which the striker has chosen as his target.

A booming shot and an equally powerful header (which perhaps changed his 'do) preserved the draw and left Myanmar dumbfounded.

The Philippines managed two good attacks later in the match, but a poor finish by Alvin Valeroso and a poor judgement by Ariel Zerrudo spoiled what could have been a win.

Valeroso snucked the ball high (This is football, not American football. A goal counts if it is scored below the bar). And then there is Zerrudo, the guy who missed twice, at least, from point blank in the Bacolod qualifiers, opting to take a shot from such an acute angle, instead of passing it to the open man--Philip Greatwitch I think.

Nonetheless, the team (or the Filipino lads as the commentator was saying) deserves a huge pat in the back.

Aside from that match, go check fifa.com, and find their article on the Philippines. Such great reviews from two sites in a span of a week has not occurred. And if it will happen again next month, then I will be the next American Idol.

However, just as all these positive things were happening, Philippine football might find itself in the doldrums.

The Philippine Football Federation and the National Capital Region FA are locked in a court battle. The NCRFA obtained a TRO and prevented the PFF from holding their Extraordinary Congress in Iloilo on Jan. 7. On Jan. 11, or a day before the Philippines was to play Thailand, PFF responded and called the suit "a nuisance suit" and asked the Mandaluyong court to dismiss it, citing among others, the local court has no jurisdiction as FIFA prohibits going to the local courts and instead recognizes Switzerland's Court for Arbitration for Sports as the correct avenue.

What is NCRFA's beef in the issue?

A lot it seems, and sifting through the 126-page document and the reply of the PFF is too tasking for a beer-fueled mind at this hour. (Rest assured, I'd be posting some tidbits from the two papers here)

However, clearly it boils down on two issues, which those who are familiar with the situation may assume really boils down on ONE ISSUE--Romualdez vs. Borromeo.

The NCRFA says the PFF president and the present board should be replaced by the 2003 officers, because during the elections of 2003, the PFF has ceased to exist (pages, upon pages of documents are included to support this)

The NCRFA also say the purpose of the Extraordinary Congress was---if you take away the legalese (and I will do just that)---intended to snuff the life out of the NCRFA, forcing the organization to resort to the move to protect itself.

It also accuses the PFF of asking NCRFA's members--UAAP, NCAA, AFP---to disengage from NCRFA.

In response, Romualdez, after a lot of Paragraph __ is admitted, denied, or specifically denied (or my favorite, All allegations in paragraph 31 are specifically denied being mere products of the wild imaginations of the plaintiff.)
And also, here's what I love most. The NCRFA paid some P300,000 bond for the TRO, and Romualdez is asking P500,000 for moral damages for him and another P500,000 for the PFF for, guess what? Besmirched reputation. There another load for attorneys' fees and all.

Besmirched reputation. Eh? Ain't that a beauty? Now, I know, a reputation will only be besmirched in a court of law. Perhaps, that explains why no matter how besmirched the PFF's and JR's reputation gets at the forums at philfootball.info and pinoysoccer.com we rarely get a reply.

Still, on a much serious note. This development is eerie and sad. While it makes good headlines, it doesn't do much for the sport.

Anyone who is familiar with the sports pages, is sure to be familiar with the basketball mess in the country. And I do seem to recall that the mess started when the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) managed to get a T.R.O against the Basketball Association of the Philippines Inc. (BAPI). Or was it BAPI getting a T.R.O. against BAP.

It doesn't matter, what matters is from that, things spiraled down to us getting suspended from international games. No SEA Games basketball. No Asian Games. And from the look of things, No Philippines in the Olympic qualifiers.

The similarity is there. The Philippines, having placed fifth in a World Championships before the Second World War, is trying to regain its glory. Philippine football, having played the first match in Asia...you get the drift.
BAPI gave way to Pilipinas Basketbol, Pilipinas Baskebol gave way to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. BAP is fighting the SBP.

And we remain suspended.

By the way, all two documents has a "prayer" in it. For the life of me, I never expected such word to be in a law suit. Under NCR's relief "WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully PRAYED that...(and here I cut again the legalese) stop the Congress, nullify the elctions, nullify the by 2003 by laws, bring on Rene Adad and the old BOG.
Under the PFF's reply's prayer, they are: Dismiss the complaint, give P500,000 to JR, P500,000 to PFF, P100,000 to their attorneys, P5,000 to their attorney per day if they remember to show up on court, P20,000 for litigational expenses.

Now, here's my prayer. I pray for ego to give way to better judgement, I pray for love of the game to prevail over love of the position. I pray for Philippine football not to walk the path of Philippine basketball.

I pray that FIFA, when they next feature the Philippines in their website, will say "Philippines wins SEAG gold" and not "Philippines suspended!"