Fair Play: El Presidente speaks
UV: 9, rest of Cesafi: 0.
That’s the score so far in the basketball competition of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc., after the University of the Visayas won their triple grand slam.
Or we can call it a UV-slam, a perfect 9 of 9 conversion. The streak started when the current batch of Green Lancers were barely kids, and with the ways things are going, it seems their kids would extend it to 30.
UV, it seems, is unbeatable when once it gets to the finals.
They could have done it without Greg Slaughter, their 6’11 center. That’s how deep their bench is.
The same can’t be said of UC. Without Jun Mar Fajardo, they’d be lucky to make it to the semis.
This season is proving to be a memorable one for the Cesafi for all the wrong reasons.
Three volleyball coaches walked out of their semifinals and got banned for life.
And pending any more post-season suspensions, a total of 10 basketball players got axed, with one getting a lifetime ban.
Poor Eliud Poligrates is now seeking comfort in the Liga Pilipinas, while the three volleyball coaches have shunned calls from our reporter because of a couple of columns I wrote and have sought comfort in one who they think is on their side.
Now that only puts a delicate twist on things.
But what really struck me this season were the words of El Presidente, Ramon Fernandez, Cebu basketball’s most famous product.
The legend who has four PBA MVP trophies to his name, was pissed with the no-show of four slam dunk contestants during the All-Star contest last month.
“Bata pa, taas na ang sungay,” Fernandez said after the four players didn’t even have the decency to inform Cesafi they were backing out.
The benefits collegiate players enjoy these days probably make what Fernandez enjoyed in his career a pittance.
And seeing how those four treat the game that put them where they are must have rankled El Presidente, big time.
I’ve always loved talking with old-timers, be it in any sport or profession.
Sometimes, the things they went through put our so-called “hardships” in perspective.
That’s why, when I had the chance, I grilled veteran writer Al Mendoza no end on what it was like when he was just a cub reporter. Or, I’d ask “old-timers” Nimrod Quinones and Rick Gabuya—who were my former bosses at the Freeman—how “easy” it was to be on an out-of-town coverage in the days without the Internet, cell phones and fax machines.
The four no-shows of the dunk contest can only hope to get within a mile close to what Fernandez has achieved and their future pro careers—if they have any—will
forever be associated with the words of the old-timer.
“Bata pa, taas na ang sungay.”
And when it comes to a sport where promising stars are a dime a dozen, what a legend thinks, sometimes, outweighs any scouting report.
E-MAILS. Here’s a couple of reactions from readers I want to share.
One is from an American living in Cebu who wrote about following US pro sports here.
“There is one other option for NFL fans in Cebu. It is a bit expensive, but it is worth it for me and probably for other American expats here. NFL.com makes the games available through live streaming video on their website…It just requires a fast and reliable high speed internet connection. The picture is quite sharp actually.”
The other is from a fellow Mindanaoan (souleater_ark@yahoo.com), who reacted to “Parents in Milo football.”
“I’m from Mindanao and they shouldn’t use it as a threat to other people. Kay nganu? Ila ba diay nang Mindanao?”
I couldn’t have said it any better.
That’s the score so far in the basketball competition of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc., after the University of the Visayas won their triple grand slam.
Or we can call it a UV-slam, a perfect 9 of 9 conversion. The streak started when the current batch of Green Lancers were barely kids, and with the ways things are going, it seems their kids would extend it to 30.
UV, it seems, is unbeatable when once it gets to the finals.
They could have done it without Greg Slaughter, their 6’11 center. That’s how deep their bench is.
The same can’t be said of UC. Without Jun Mar Fajardo, they’d be lucky to make it to the semis.
This season is proving to be a memorable one for the Cesafi for all the wrong reasons.
Three volleyball coaches walked out of their semifinals and got banned for life.
And pending any more post-season suspensions, a total of 10 basketball players got axed, with one getting a lifetime ban.
Poor Eliud Poligrates is now seeking comfort in the Liga Pilipinas, while the three volleyball coaches have shunned calls from our reporter because of a couple of columns I wrote and have sought comfort in one who they think is on their side.
Now that only puts a delicate twist on things.
But what really struck me this season were the words of El Presidente, Ramon Fernandez, Cebu basketball’s most famous product.
The legend who has four PBA MVP trophies to his name, was pissed with the no-show of four slam dunk contestants during the All-Star contest last month.
“Bata pa, taas na ang sungay,” Fernandez said after the four players didn’t even have the decency to inform Cesafi they were backing out.
The benefits collegiate players enjoy these days probably make what Fernandez enjoyed in his career a pittance.
And seeing how those four treat the game that put them where they are must have rankled El Presidente, big time.
I’ve always loved talking with old-timers, be it in any sport or profession.
Sometimes, the things they went through put our so-called “hardships” in perspective.
That’s why, when I had the chance, I grilled veteran writer Al Mendoza no end on what it was like when he was just a cub reporter. Or, I’d ask “old-timers” Nimrod Quinones and Rick Gabuya—who were my former bosses at the Freeman—how “easy” it was to be on an out-of-town coverage in the days without the Internet, cell phones and fax machines.
The four no-shows of the dunk contest can only hope to get within a mile close to what Fernandez has achieved and their future pro careers—if they have any—will
forever be associated with the words of the old-timer.
“Bata pa, taas na ang sungay.”
And when it comes to a sport where promising stars are a dime a dozen, what a legend thinks, sometimes, outweighs any scouting report.
E-MAILS. Here’s a couple of reactions from readers I want to share.
One is from an American living in Cebu who wrote about following US pro sports here.
“There is one other option for NFL fans in Cebu. It is a bit expensive, but it is worth it for me and probably for other American expats here. NFL.com makes the games available through live streaming video on their website…It just requires a fast and reliable high speed internet connection. The picture is quite sharp actually.”
The other is from a fellow Mindanaoan (souleater_ark@yahoo.com), who reacted to “Parents in Milo football.”
“I’m from Mindanao and they shouldn’t use it as a threat to other people. Kay nganu? Ila ba diay nang Mindanao?”
I couldn’t have said it any better.
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