Fair Play: New hangout and MMA freebies
THERE’S a new place to hang out for sports buff in town.
However, since I’m not in the business of endorsing places, I’d leave it unnamed.
But it’s suffice to say that it’s such a nice place that I’m willing to exchange my old hangout for it.
It’s got all the things sports buffs need in a bar—large, flat TVs, free-flowing beer, and a designated smoking area.
The pool tables are top class too and have ample space. If you can sit on the next table while you’re taking a shot near the rail—which is the norm in most pool places—it means the tables are too close.
That’s not the case in that place.
I’ve played pool in a lot of places, some have tables with rails that sag, or cloth that are ripped or worse, surfaces that list.
I remember seeing one amazing shot in a table that lists. A friend of mine compensated for the table’s abnormal surface, hit the cue ball soft, and while the object ball traveled the length of the table, it swerved left and dropped to the corner pocket.
The bar too, has a lot of ample space.
I talked with the bar’s manager and asked him if they’re going to show the world cup, he said “Yes, of course!”
I told him not to do what some places used to do in the 2006 World Cup.
Then, they let the fans in for free for the group stage, and started charging entrance fees in the knockout stage.
Sure, the bar owners and managers have the right to do that.
But I remember the sudden change shocked a lot of fans, they resorted to “a text brigade.”
“_____ is charging fees, where can we watch the World Cup?” One fan said, “I’m never going back to _____.”
In the end, we ended up watching the games in a dainty little place in Lahug with a small TV.
It’s not that most fans want to get in for free—they can afford to pay their way in and a can gorge on a month’s ration of beer in a night.
So I told the bar manager, that for next year’s World Cup viewing, “to let it out in the open.”
They can charge fans, or let them in for free, just as long as they won’t pull any nasty surprise.
The World Cup is a chance for bars like the one I’m willing to exchange my ol’ hangout for, to attract new customers.
That is if, they don’t turn them off.
SEA GAMES. Speaking of football, Vietnam lost the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games to Malaysia to an own goal, while Singapore won the bronze against Laos, 3-1.
I covered Vietnam’s 8-2 win against Laos in the 2005 Sea Games, and that one had three own goals. A few weeks later, half of the members of that Vietnamese team, including the coaching staff, got investigated for match-fixing concerns.
Despite losing the bronze, Laos has improved a lot.
You know why?
They started preparing for this year’s Seag in 2006. The same team was sent to the 2007 edition and also spent the whole of 2008 training in Vietnam.
As for the Philippines, we don’t send any team if we’re not hosting the games, and if we do, we spend two months for training.
Two months!
FREEBIES. If you guys want to have free boxing or MMA lessons at the CJRS gym at the Loft, here’s your chance.
You can also win VIP tickets for next year’s URCC event.
Just answer this question:
Who did Sabah Fadai beat in URCC 15? Send your answers to 0915-5005145.
(That’s the sports forum phone, so you can also send your comments for the day’s headlines—Tiger Woods anyone?)
I’ll publish the winners next week.
Go grab that phone!
However, since I’m not in the business of endorsing places, I’d leave it unnamed.
But it’s suffice to say that it’s such a nice place that I’m willing to exchange my old hangout for it.
It’s got all the things sports buffs need in a bar—large, flat TVs, free-flowing beer, and a designated smoking area.
The pool tables are top class too and have ample space. If you can sit on the next table while you’re taking a shot near the rail—which is the norm in most pool places—it means the tables are too close.
That’s not the case in that place.
I’ve played pool in a lot of places, some have tables with rails that sag, or cloth that are ripped or worse, surfaces that list.
I remember seeing one amazing shot in a table that lists. A friend of mine compensated for the table’s abnormal surface, hit the cue ball soft, and while the object ball traveled the length of the table, it swerved left and dropped to the corner pocket.
The bar too, has a lot of ample space.
I talked with the bar’s manager and asked him if they’re going to show the world cup, he said “Yes, of course!”
I told him not to do what some places used to do in the 2006 World Cup.
Then, they let the fans in for free for the group stage, and started charging entrance fees in the knockout stage.
Sure, the bar owners and managers have the right to do that.
But I remember the sudden change shocked a lot of fans, they resorted to “a text brigade.”
“_____ is charging fees, where can we watch the World Cup?” One fan said, “I’m never going back to _____.”
In the end, we ended up watching the games in a dainty little place in Lahug with a small TV.
It’s not that most fans want to get in for free—they can afford to pay their way in and a can gorge on a month’s ration of beer in a night.
So I told the bar manager, that for next year’s World Cup viewing, “to let it out in the open.”
They can charge fans, or let them in for free, just as long as they won’t pull any nasty surprise.
The World Cup is a chance for bars like the one I’m willing to exchange my ol’ hangout for, to attract new customers.
That is if, they don’t turn them off.
SEA GAMES. Speaking of football, Vietnam lost the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games to Malaysia to an own goal, while Singapore won the bronze against Laos, 3-1.
I covered Vietnam’s 8-2 win against Laos in the 2005 Sea Games, and that one had three own goals. A few weeks later, half of the members of that Vietnamese team, including the coaching staff, got investigated for match-fixing concerns.
Despite losing the bronze, Laos has improved a lot.
You know why?
They started preparing for this year’s Seag in 2006. The same team was sent to the 2007 edition and also spent the whole of 2008 training in Vietnam.
As for the Philippines, we don’t send any team if we’re not hosting the games, and if we do, we spend two months for training.
Two months!
FREEBIES. If you guys want to have free boxing or MMA lessons at the CJRS gym at the Loft, here’s your chance.
You can also win VIP tickets for next year’s URCC event.
Just answer this question:
Who did Sabah Fadai beat in URCC 15? Send your answers to 0915-5005145.
(That’s the sports forum phone, so you can also send your comments for the day’s headlines—Tiger Woods anyone?)
I’ll publish the winners next week.
Go grab that phone!
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