Puso

It was a fairy tale ending that saw the Philippines back on top of an Asian championship tournament since 1998. 

Last August 27, 2012, the Smart Gilas 2.0 Philippine National Team became the 4th Philippine National Basketball Team to win the gold medal in the 34th William Jones Cup in Taipei. The Gold Medal match against the USA was one nail-biting game and in a game where height matters, ironically, the smallest man on the court made the biggest impact. LA Tenorio probably played the best game of his life as he lifted the Philippines to victory. He took the biggest shots and even got the most important rebound after a miss from the US team that would have given them the lead in the dying seconds. As LA said, "This game is different because we are playing for the country this time. Hindi ko na pangalan ang dala dala ko dito, hindi Alaska, kundi Pilipinas."

But it was not an easy feat. The Gilas 2.0, as said by Coach Chot Reyes, was the weakest Philippine Team that was sent in the Jones Cup. In fact, the team was built around 2 weeks before the tournament. Before leaving for Taipei, Coach Chot said that they do not expect to win the tournament. Their main goal is to learn each other's game and build team chemistry. 

But the team proved to be one of the best pool of players from the basketball loving nation. True, not one of the players have been an MVP for the Philippine Basketball Association. But this does not mean that they are not good. What made the team succeed was that the playing style of each player complimented each other. No one was bothered to play minor roles for the team. But everyone was prepared to be the go to guy when the need arises. In all the 7 wins of the team in the tournament, one player always stood out for the team. One day it was Douthit, the next it would be Lanete. Then there were games where Norwood carried the team or David, Chan or Tenorio. The opposing teams would guard one man, but another Filipino player will rise up to help the team. It proved that you don't need superstars to make a super team. All you need is a team with a lot of heart and the will to win with a never say die attitude. Filipinos loved the never-say-die mantra when it comes to basketball. And the Gilas 2.0 just showed that they are a team that gets knocked down but will get up again. In their last games against Japan, Iran, Chinese Taipei A and the USA, the team clawed their way back up from a deficit to eventually win the game. No one knows the meaning of giving up, thus, they were rewarded with a win each time. Fate was probably on our side as well, because after losing to Lebanon (which they said should have been an easy win), the powerhouse teams also lost their succeeding games giving the Philippines the chance to win the Gold in its last game. 

The Philippines became known again in the international basketball scene after years of "could haves", "almosts", and "sayang". And to cap it all off, isn't just fitting enough that Gilas 2.0 arrived back from Taipei while the Philippines celebrated the National Heroes' Day? 

Light bulb moment

The 2012 Formula One season has been very exciting from the beginning. Seven different race winners for the first 7 races of the year, 2 of which belongs to first time grand prix victors, namely Nico Rosberg and Pastor Maldonado. The Championship table for both Driver's and Constructor's championships are both very close. And a big part of this is due to the 2012 Pirelli Spec Tires. Drivers also have the KERS and DRS in their cars to aid in overtaking which has been very difficult for modern formula one cars.

After the 2012 British Grand Prix, I suddenly had a light bulb moment. It is true that the championship is as close as ever. Overtaking manouvres, which have been an "endangered species" in the past few years, have increased significantly starting last year, which is honestly speaking, have been fun to watch. But I am also feeling something is missing. I am missing the old F1 era where drivers are able to push to the limit during the race. The races this year has become a lottery because the best driver who is able to conserve and look after his tires has the best chance of doing well in the race. A lot of drivers have said their opinions about this because what happens in the race is you try to preserve your tires and as a result, you are not able to attack right from the start. I feel that current F1 races has become more of an endurance race and strategic race rather than a race of pure speed.

Gone were the days when the drivers battle each other without thinking about tire degradation and fuel consumption. One of my favorite season is the 2000 season where Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen were just completely on a world of their own during races, swapping fastest laps with each other, not allowing one driver to gain too much advantage and leaving the rest of the field behind them like they were in a different class of racing.

Yes, they had strategic calls during these times as well, but in the track, you don't see them settle down and preserve their tires till the end of the race. They are both able to lap full speed all the time. And this is what I miss in the races this year. I miss the way drivers used to be able to attack another driver without reservations, without worrying that he might run out of fuel or that his tires might degrade faster than the other drivers' tires. It was pure modern racing.

I'm not saying the races this year have been boring. They actually have been exciting and fun to watch. It's just a different kind of "fun and excitement" because you know that the other driver is on a different tire strategy that's why there is a difference in the car speed. Formula One racing has evolved in the last 10 years, and speaking from my heart, I love the F1 racing before more than the one I am seeing now. But I am not saying I don't like the current style of racing. I'm still happy to watch races every 2 weekends. I just miss the old F1 and actually feels lucky that I was able to watch it during those times.

THIRD! ON THE PODIUM!!

We never doubted, we never lost faith...we knew that sooner or later, Michael will be able to step back on the podium. But recent circumstances made it seem that it would be more later rather than sooner. In 5 out of 7 races of the 2012 season, Michael has failed to finish a race due to mechanical failures. It seemed that the curse will not break and the bad luck just continue to pile up. The doubters increased in number, the team came under scrutiny by the fans as it seemed there was some conspiracy going on behind closed doors.

But Sunday's European Grand Prix in Valencia became part of Michael's success story. It was an action packed race, thanks a lot to the unpredictable 2012 Pirelli spec tires. The street race in Valencia was traditionally a snore-fest, but last Sunday, it was just the opposite of that. After the disappointing qualifying in Saturday where Michael failed to make it to Q3 (which was, according to him, due to his own error), I, like other Schumi fans didn't expect much during the race. Some say it will just be damage limitation from here—assuming his car holds up and doesn't breakdown. Even Michael said himself that he didn't expect anything from the race during the start of the race or even during the race itself!

But Lady Luck finally decided to smile down on Michael this time. Thanks to 4 drivers dropping away in the last stages of the race, a different strategy from the rest of the drivers' infront and great driving despite under pressure from Webber's RedBull for the whole last stint (yeah, yeah, it's just Webber, but still there must be some pressure there..), Michael gobbled up 8 places in the last 14 laps to end up in third place at the very last lap of the race! Some say he was lucky because of the DNFs of Vettel and Grosjean and Hamilton's coming together with Maldonado, but that is part of racing. When presented with opportunities such as those given to Michael last Sunday, he did not waste them, but instead took advantage of them. The Meister was so busy overtaking drivers whose tires were just gone, that he didn't even know where he finished when he crossed the finish line. And it was a pleasant surprise to hear from his team that he was “Third! On the podium!”.

It was an extremely happy feeling, it was as if Michael has won the race or another championship! Everyone was congratulating him, even the Ferrari mechanics who were waiting for Alonso to arrive at the parc ferme were cheering him on.

And even before Michael got out of the car, he was already grinning from ear to ear!

 

Just like the old days, he congratulated, hugged and kissed his every mechanic that was waiting for him in parc ferme. It was just 3^rd place but after all the hardships and criticisms they have faced, you couldn't blame Michael and his team for being extra happy for just making it on the podium. It took him 45 races since his comeback and 99 races since 2006 to step back on the podium.

 

And joining him on the podium was no other than the 2 drivers that succeeded him in Ferrari. Kimi and Alonso. I generally do not like Alonso, but I didn't mind him winning this one as he did deserve the win (and he respects Michael now than during his Renault days, so I don't hate him as much as before—yet).

Michael was truly and genuinely happy during the podium ceremonies and during the press conference. He thanked his team and everyone who continued to believe in him even though it seemed that things will never get better. He was probably so excited to express his gratitude that when asked to say something in his native language, he automatically expressed his feelings in fluent English! When he realized he was speaking English rather than German, everyone laughed with him!

This podium finish was just amazing after waiting for it for so long. For once, we, Schumi fans didn't have to mend our broken hearts after the Sunday race. For once, the team didn't have to say, “we'll do better next race and give Michael a reliable car”. For once the critics and doubters were silenced. It is such a happy feeling to see Michael so happy and elated. This podium finish would truly help his mechanics believe that they indeed can do it and work with Michael to produce great results. I'm sure this just made them all hungry for that 92^nd win. I'm sure they all would want to taste that champagne again.

And for us, no doubt we will continue to wait patiently for that elusive first win of the Meister in a Silver Arrow. We got a taste of the good times once again. It is drug that gives us a natural high! No doubt we want to experience it again. But whatever happens, our support for Michael will never waiver. In fact, it has just been notched up again. It may sound cliché to say we are behind Schumi in good times and in bad..but that's simply the way it is!

The Good Ol' Days

Schumi fans have been frustrated this season due to the absurd amount of bad luck Michael has so far for the 2012 season. He has got more DNFs in the first 5 races than race finishes. And what makes it more frustrating is that we can see that the potential to finish strong is always there, but sadly, the gremlins were always there as well.

But last Saturday in Monaco, I got reminded once again why I am and still a Schumi fan. With everything that has happened this season for Schumi, it was no doubt that all odds are against him to do well during the weekend. In fact, he has been handed a 5 place grid penalty before the weekend has even started. The bad luck can't wait for the weekend to start, it actually went ahead of Michael and got there before him. And so as Michael said, he has nothing left to do but to attack and get pole during the qualifying. I knew deep inside that Michael will really fight till the end and do his best to get the best grid position he can. Monaco always leveled the playing field in modern F1 cars today due to the nature of the track and because of this, I always believe that the driver's skills are a bigger factor in this track among any other race tracks in the F1calendar. 

Michael was one of the last ones to go out in Q3 and that meant that it was a pole or nothing lap for him. The moment that he crossed the finish line and the red number 1 appeared beside his time and name gave absolute joy to me and I believe, to millions of Schumi fans out there. I can't describe the feeling. It was mixed joy and relief and then more jubilation again. I was just so glad to see Michael get a very good result and to see him so happy was a great feeling as well. His critics were silenced and his co-drivers acknowledged his great drive to get the pole. It was an awesome feeling to see him sit in the middle of the press conference table. After all the criticisms and the let downs since his comeback, his Monaco pole just erased all that and made all the hard work worth it. It was a great result to boost his confidence. I know he is motivated than ever, but if the great results just never come despite all the hard work, no doubt frustration will set in eventually. The pole made me so happy I actually got teary-eyed seeing Schumi wave to the crowd after the lap. It was as if we were back to the good ol' days. It was a happy feeling and it is the reason I watch F1 more intently whenever Schumi is racing. It is the reason I stay a Schumi fan because I relish every Schumi moment like this.

The race turned out to be what Michael's season has been for 2012. Another DNF. But it wasn't as bad as before as I believe the highlight of the weekend for Michael was the pole. Sure, it would have been so much better to finish the race in the podium, but it seems that it is not yet his time. Slowly but surely, Michael's luck in the race will turn and his podium and win will come. But right now, his pole in Monaco is the best part of the season for him so far.

Michael's comeback has not been what we have envisioned it to be. We thought he would have a win or at least a podium around this time when he is in his last year of his contract. With the bad races, the DNFs, the racing incidents that have happened since his return, it is so much easy to put the guy down and root for another driver or team. But that is just not the case for the true Schumi fans. These bad times separates the true fan from the bandwagoner.

Canada is just 7 days away and this time last year, Michael almost had his best finish in his comeback career. No doubt we, Schumi loyalists, will once again put the last bad race away and look forward to the start of the Grand Prix weekend with anticipation that Michael will finally get a break from his spell of bad luck. You may ask why we never tire of supporting when he never gets a good result. I say, it is in these times that we should stand by him whatever happens because if we are not there for him, who else will be?

Mico Halili: The Others. by Chuck Araneta

I exactly feels the same way. Kudos to Chuck Araneta for writing this. I honestly still feels betrayed by Cone. But he has moved on and so shall I. But still, in my basketball heart, wala pa ding tatalo sa Alaska. :)

Mico Halili: The Others. by Chuck Araneta: A loyal fan braces for the painful end of Chicago's season and the hopeful start of another Alaska campaign. By Chuck Araneta (@chuck_...

2011

In a few days, we would be welcoming the new year, 2012. As cliche as it may sound, time really does fly. We are already 11 years post-Y2K. Yup, Y2K...when people were very nervous that everything will go back to the stone age because the dates will reset back to 00. I admit, though I said to myself that that probably wouldn't happen, there was still something inside me that wasn't 100% sure.

But enough of this Y2K and end of the world thing. 2011 is about to end and just like the previous years, it is worthwhile to look back (reflect maybe?) and learn from it, and give thanks to the blessings and trials that came our way. Whether we like it or not, we all grew up this year..in age and hopefully as a person.

It is a year where we met new people and unfortunately, but lost loved ones as well. It is a year where there were moments of doubts and uncertainties, but hopefully, in the end, we found the right path and are moving forward again. It is a year of triumphs and trials. Of laughter and tears. Of tragedy and acts of kindness. Of doors closing, but finding opened windows. Of venturing into the unknown, and finding gold at the end of the rainbow. Of big achievements and sadly, disappointments. Of learning and teaching. Of first times and last times.

  

Yes. That is my year. Cliche as it may seem, but they do sum up everything. Just have to read between the lines.

I hope you guys had a great year and may you have a wonderful new year ahead.:)

Schumi, oldest driver to lead a race

After last Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, two new records were made. Sebastian Vettel became the youngest double world champion, while Michael Schumacher became the oldest driver to lead a race. At 42 years and 279 days old he is the oldest driver to lead a race since Jack Brabham in the 1970 British Grand Prix. Michael also became the 8th driver this year to lead a race.

Well, what more can I say? This is another one for the record books for Schumi :) In the last four races, Schumi has showed great form starting from his 20th anniversary race in Spa. Except from Singapore, he finished in the top 6 in Spa, Monza and Suzuka in a car that is surely inferior to the Ferrari, Mclaren and Red Bull. Surely, Michael's fans already know even before that he has not lost it yet, but his strong finish in the past 4 races just proved to his critics that he can still race with the young guns especially if given a car that can match their superior cars. 


With Korea just a few days away, I hope Schumi can continue this upward trend. It really makes us anticipate next year and wish that Santa Claus will give him a fast and reliable Mercedes W03 this Christmas to compete with the Red Bulls, Ferraris and Mclaren next year :)