Cebu Football

(This article by Cheska D. Geli appeared on Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 31) FOR Don Bosco College (DBC), which secured all the major titles in this year’s local tournaments, an impressive sweep of the Milo Little Olympics football titles capped a great year. DBC started its dominance after its elementary and secondary teams bagged the Milo Little Olympics Football title, dethroning defending champions Canduman Elementary School, 6-1, for the elementary division and Abellana National School (ANS), 3-1, for the high school crown. (Milo Little Olympics national finals foto by Alex Badayos)

(This is a draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu 's Dec. 31 issue) TWO of my most favorite athletes did well in 2011 and I couldn’t be more happy for them. Knowing how hard these folks work to get to where they are, I’m glad that their hard work resulted to big pay days for them. One of my most favorite boxers of all time is Donnie Nietes and  this year the guy who’s used to be known for bringing his pet snake with him on the ring finally accomplished a rare feat—winning his second world title in a second world division.

(This is the draft for my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 29) AT 4 p.m. on Jan. 7 next year, the Philippine Azkals will face Spain’s CF Madrid team in a charity match aimed to raise funds for victims of Typhoon Sendong. The match, dubbed “Dili kamo nag-iisa,” is meant to highlight the country coming together to help our brothers and sisters in Mindanao by raising funds and gathering donation for them.

FOR Cebu sports fans, it’s been quite a year—we’ve had two Davis Cup ties, the explosion of the Pinoy Pride boxing series, the return of Southwestern University in the boxing scene, the entry of Cebu Queen City United in the United Football League and the success of Team Visayas and Mary Grace delos Santos in the national finals of Milo sports events. Will 2012 be an even greater year? I hope so.

ABOUT this time a year ago, the country—Mindanao especially—was one in supporting a team that dared believe it can overcome whatever the odds fate and a then unconcerned fan base threw at them. Such great odds, that now, next to the devastation in Mindanao, seem just trivial. The Azkals overcame it, so too, I believe, will Mindanao. Mindanaoans always get back on their feet, no matter the odds.

(This is the draft of my Sun.Star Cebu column for Dec. 19) I HAD another good Relatively Long Run the other night, this time for 9.55 kilometers in 1:25:04 from Banawa to Escarrio, Gorordo, down to Lorega and back. I had to stop for a couple of times to eat because midway to my RLR, I suddenly got so hungry I swear I could have eaten a horse. I clearly still haven’t mastered the science of eating before a run and once, I also had to cut short a run because of a stomach ache (I was a bit full). I remember too about two weeks after I started running, I had to cut short another session because I got too hungry!

(This story by Cheska D. Geli came out on Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 17)  A BETTER and more prepared Queen City United FC will debut in the United Football League second division tournament after making the necessary adjustments. After playing against experienced teams in the UFL first division, they recruited new players to fill the vacant positions and also doubled their efforts in the training sessions.

(This is the draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu, Dec. 17 issue) EVER since I stupidly wrote that I will join the 21K in the Cebu City Marathon, one question has been bugging me—how the hell would I train for the 21K? On the one hand, I could ask a few friends for tips and know I’ll get them, but on the other hand, I wanted--and still do-- to do this on my own and see how I would do without following any program. I also wanted to write, “How not to train for a 21K” or even, “Why you shouldn’t do this.”

(This is the draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu, Dec. 15 issue) LAST Tuesday, hundreds of students and scores of teachers screamed when Chieffy Caligdong, Ian (pronounced as A-yan) Araneta and Paolo Pascual were in Canduman Elementary School to give away used football shoes—donated by the Albany Creek Excelsior FC of Australia—for the players. The place was packed, I tell you, as it seems every student, teacher and not a few parents took the chance to meet the three players they only see on TV.

(This story by Cheska Geli came out in Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 13)  CEBUANO goalkeeper Paolo Pascual’s 11-month experience of being in the national team is a blessing the Cebuano football star is most thankful for. As a way of giving back, the young keeper now plans to put up a Goal keeping Academy in Cebu with fellow goalie Eduard Sacapano.

(This is the draft of my column for Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 12) WHEN news of the dealing and signing of players in the United Football League hit the news, one glaring comment I heard from a football insider was that the days of Air Force as a dominant team was over. And I agreed with him. You see, Air Force isn’t like any other football clubs, who can offer loads of money to guys they want to hire to play for their team. And before the UFL Cup, there have been quite a few marquee signings, none of them of course, went to the Air Force.

(This is the draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 10) IT’S really quite hard to rate how 2011 was for Philippine football because frankly, there has never been a year like it. On the one hand, we set a lot of records that it seems every Azkal game is a historic one and every match, is a battle for Philippine football, and on the other hand, the team, and the officials did stumble, a lot. But still, for 2011, I give Philippine football seven points out of 10.

(This is my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 8) WANT something ironic? Not Alanis Morissete irony, but irony irony.  A Citom enforcer getting busted for running a red light? A former mayor crying about bullying? Or how about Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV saying, “We will stop politicking in this sport and focus on the programs we will set forth for the development of table tennis.”

(This is the draft of my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 5) ONE thing I liked about the Philippines vs. LA Galaxy friendly last Saturday was how the Azkals played in the first half, and if they manage to maintain that level for the whole 90 minutes, I’m pretty hopeful for their AFC Challenge Cup campaign. After Beckham scored with that curling right-footer of his, the Azkals had ample scoring opportunities with Chieffy Caligdong, Angel Guirado, Phil Younghusband and Manny Ott taking turns at the Galaxy goal.

FOOTBALL fans were treated to a spectacle of goals in the Philippine Azkals vs. LA Galaxy friendly last night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Unfortunately, most of them were against the home side as the Philippine team dropped a 6-1 loss to Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy.

(This is my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 3) IT’S quite unbelievable, isn’t it? Almost a year ago, not too many fans were aware that we had a football team playing in the Suzuki Cup in Vietnam. Now, 364 days after that historic 2-0 win against Vietnam, the Philippine national team will be hosting David Beckham and the LA Galaxy in a friendly match in Manila.