sabi nga ni Atoy Co, the ball is AROUND...

I congratulate Iran for winning the FIBA-Asia Championship.  Not only they defeated China in basketball, it looked like they demolished the Chinese Team.  China looked like a junior team playing a senior team in collegiate basketball.  

A worthy lesson for this year’s edition of FIBA-Asia championships: NBA experience does not guarantee a formidable team in world basketball, unless your national teammate is Lebron James and Kobe Bryant.  Even Kobe and Lebron did have a hard time in Beijing Olympics, and so have Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian last Sunday.  The Iranians took the Chinese team back to school.  Iran’s offense was fluid, their shooting was remarkable, and I even saw 7 footer Ehdadi penetrating for a layup.


Another lesson that team Pilipinas should learn from their 8th place finish in Tianjin is the familiarization to international rules.  The PBA backed team will never ever win in international competitions unless FIBA rules are used in the PBA.  My suggestion is either the PBA use FIBA rules or do not send PBA players to FIBA competitions at all.  Talent wise they are good, but they will always lose.  I am not disparaging them, they all deserve praises for their gallant effort, but their strategy is questionable.  Three months of experience will never win against three years of practice.  We saw that in Iran.  Their moves we very much basic and yet China was not able to stop them.


Yeng Guiao is a good coach but he is not the right man for the job.  FOR SOMEONE WHO INDIRECTLY CONSPIRED WITH A WIFE OF A GAMBLING LORD TO CHEAT A PRIEST IN A LOCAL ELECTION, HE DOES NOT HAVE THE CREDIBILITY TO REPRESENT THIS COUNTRY AS A NATIONAL COACH.  Again, delicadeza should come to mind when we represent the country in international competitions.  Imagine if the opponent lost the game by 2 points and learned that the other coach has a history of cheating, directly or indirectly.  Credibility is always at stake when the pride of the country is at stake.  I would rather lose by 50 points rather than winning dubiously by 2 points.


When in Rome, do what the Romans do.  The world is improving in international basketball.  Why?  They follow the mandate of FIBA.  They use FIBA rules.  They recruit naturalized players.  They TRAIN, years - not months.  Their National Team was composed 3 years ago, not 3 months ago.  They practice all year round, inside and outside the country.  They have mastered the basic skills.  They are NOT relying on 3 point shots alone.  They are doing what our basketball team has been ignoring for decades.  Stick to basics, and not for showmanship.  Everybody has talent, some are more talented than others, but basketball is still a five man game.  What you do in the court should depend on what your teammates can do, unless if you are Michael Jordan resurrected.  We can win again in Asia if we put the right attitude, and right attitude means following directions – in this case – FIBA rules.  And who knows, we might just get a naturalized player or two for mandatory reasons and not by necessity.


You lose some, you win some.  Losing is ugly, it diminishes confidence.  When you are not confident enough, your body will be hounded by the tension of losing, even if you have all the talent to succeed.  


In basketball, the ball is round.  But you will never lose your confidence to win if you know how the ball will roll…

Sermon sa sarili

Punyeta naman eh.


Andaming paraan para magpahangin naisip mo pang mag-basketbol.  Alam ko may bumabagabag sa isip mo ngayon pero maraming paraan para ma-refresh ang utak bukod sa sugal, alak, at agogo dancer sa tanghali.  At dahil wala kang magawa, at hindi ka rin naman pwedeng lumayo sa harap ng PC mo eh sinubukan mong ma-exercise ang butu-buto mo sa pamamagitan ng paglalaro ng basketbol.


Ayan tuloy naaksidente ka!  Sukat ba naman mag-feeling Dennis Rodman ka.  Alam ko naman na may talento kang konti sa basketbol bukod sa pang-aasar sa kalaban tuwing may intrams, pero wag naman yung todo bigay ka, tulad ng nangyari kanina.  Anong resulta?  Tumalon ka at bumagsak ka na una ang pwet at siko.  Walang problema sa pwet mo, cute pa rin kahit maitim.  Kaso yung siko mo namamaga.  Hindi mo masyadong maigalaw noh?  Ayan kasi, sinabi ko naman sayo na nag-iisa lang ang Jordan sa mundo, wag mong gayahin ang lundag niya.


Hatinggabi na hindi ka pa rin makatulog sa kirot?  Kasalanan mo yan.  Sa tingin ko hindi ka na makakapaglaro, malamang habambuhay.  Damaged goods ka na.  Nung elementary ka namaga yung mata mo dahil tinamaan ng bola ng baseball.  Tanga ka kasi hindi mo nasalo ng maayos, praktis pa lang yun.  Nung hayskul ka at nadapa ka sa soccer game niyo sa eskwelahan at tumama ang tuhod mo na hindi na naayos at laging kumikirot tuwing taglamig, dun pa lang wala ka nang karir sa sports.  Nung nag darts ka nung college napilayan ka rin sa kamay.  Hindi ka pwede sa swimming lagi kang pinupulikat.  Hindi ka rin uubra sa track and field may hika ka dati eh.  Ewan ko ba kung bakit takaw aksidente ka sa laro.


Bukas magpahilot ka.  Ipaayos mo yan bago ka maging komang.  Nang hindi ka rin ngingiwi-ngiwi sa kirot habang nasa lamay ka.


Tumigil ka na rin... Hindi para sayo ang basketbol...