Kaboom!

PBA on Studio 23

2011-02-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

Back in 2008, I was involved in the bidding process to get the TV Rights for the PBA games. I have since moved to FOX and boy, the landscape of sports television has changed in a major way. The games are now going to be on Studio 23 instead of RPN 9 as Solar has entered into a blocktime agreement with ABS-CBN.

This development certainly shifts the power of influence as far as sports broadcasting is concerned, to ABS-CBN. There have also been earlier reports that the NBA games will now also be on Studio 23. So the three most popular leagues in the country will now be on Studio 23, the UAAP, the NBA, and the PBA. This puts ABS-CBN sports as a clear leader in sports broadcasting in the country. I reckon Solar probably did not like the way things were going and needed a change of scenery to right the ship, thus the partnership.

Solar is no stranger to reformatting. They've reformatted RPN 9 a number of times. At the beginning of this year, they announced that ETC and Solar TV are both going to get major facelifts. So this new direction now does not have room for sports.

Hey, just as long as we all still get to watch high quality sports programming, the networks can do whatever they want.

Paulina Elisabeth

2011-01-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

There are certain moments that change the course of your life significantly. Professionally, it was when I transferred to Solar and really had full control of growing the Sports Television genre in the Philippines. Launching Basketball TV, taking care of the Olympics, handling the NBA and marketing the Pacquiao fights were all life changing projects.

I think my move to FOX was another since working for a multi national has really opened a lot of opportunities for me as well. I'm pretty psyched at how FOX, NatGeo, Channel V, Star World, and Star Movies have grown the past 2 years. There is lots more to do but the foundation is strong and the momentum is good.

Personally, this week has been one of those life changing times. After two boys with my wife Tricia, we finally got our baby girl last January 5. I have pretty much stopped updating my blog since moving to FOX a year and a half ago but I just felt compelled to at least upload an entry to signify my daughter's arrival.

The experience of having a child is something that only parents know. It is one of those things in life where trying to describe the feeling would be fruitless. You really just have to live it out and find out how awesome it is. It was an amazing to see Paulina be born into this world. It is obvious that I haven't written anything outside of emails and business letters as I am struggling to figure out what to write in this entry. All I know is that I have this uncontrollable desire to give my whole heart to this girl that I've known for a few days. I am willing to do anything to make her happy.

A great start to 2011 indeed worthy of a blog entry. I'm pretty sure nobody visits anymore so my entries from now on are really just for personal documentation and reference. So I welcome Paulina Elisabeth Bautista Turcuato! I look forward to the rest of my life with you.

NBA Asia Challenge

2010-08-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this blog has ceased to get updated on a regular basis. But just had to post some pictures for documentation purposes as I did have a good time talking shop with some NBA and PBA Legends this past week.

One thing really became obvious to me this week was that Alan Caidic is the best Filipino shooter ever and perhaps one of the top ten in the history of basketball. He really is that good. I first saw him in UE and nobody really comes close to his shooting ability. He proved it again during the Asia Challenge.

New York State of Mind?

2010-05-14T01:36:00.000-07:00

I can't say I feel bad for Lebron James for falling short again of winning an NBA Championship despite having the best record during the regular season. It almost felt like he expected today's game to be his last this season. There was no yelling at teammates, emotional outbursts, and even an outpouring of emotion from the debacle. At least not that I saw while watching on TV.

I'm not the type of person who believes in karma but every once in awhile I think there might be some truth to it. I was in Macau 4 years ago when the Orlando Magic played the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Venetian. As part of a media contingent, we did have access to some players and some functions during while the teams were there.

One thing that stood out in my mind was how aloof Lebron was and how he was untouchable to anyone outside of his own entourage. Here's a guy who's never proven anything (and still hasn't) in his professional career acting like the God that he probably thought he was because he was being treated like it by everyone around him. We were all able to talk to all the players including Dwight Howard who was uncredibly accomodating along with NBA commissioner Stern. During official functions, Lebron would always just drop by for 10 minutes, surrounded by 4-5 bodyguards, and not talk to anyone outside his teammates or the commisioner's office. So it was difficult to even steal a photo as one of the bodygards covered every angle to get close to the King. After all, he was the main attraction, the guy all of us wanted to see, King James of the Cavs.

I thought to myself, this guy if he doesn't start to appreciate how good he has it, will not become one of the all time greats. Ok, maybe I'm being too hard on LBJ and he's still young enough to realize that having his current attitude of entitlement will not get him to the top of the mountain, nomatter what title is bestowed on him. Or maybe he can't help it since everyone around him treats him like he doesn't have to work for anything anyway. Whatever the reason, the deep down fire and desire is not there to win right now and he better find a way to get it if he wants to be more than a Dominique Wilkins who was known for athletic ability and that's about it. He definitely doesn't want to take over the title "best player never to win a championship".

Lebron is the most talented player in the league. Heck maybe of all time. If he ever finds the heart, the respect for the game and the fans, and the overall gratitude, maybe he can enter the same realm as Michael, Magic, Larry and Kobe, the true modern day basketball greats.

Is Mayweather a PR Genius?

2010-05-03T03:40:00.000-07:00

Mayweather put on an awesome technical display of boxing yesterday as he dismantled Sugar Shane Mosley to remain undefeated in his professional career. But outside of the boxing purists who enjoyed every single second of the technical display, everyone else probably was bored to death watching the fight.

I liken it to the San Antonio Spurs led by Tim Duncan who won championships without any flare or excitement compared to Magic's showtime and the Jordan/Pippen show. Same result, just a difference in how it was done.

But when all is said and done, yesterday's hyped fight probably exceeded the 1M PPV mark at $65 a pop along with over $11M in gate receipts. I doubt many of those who watched felt they got their money's worth. I'm glad I didn't pay to watch the fight. But even if we all knew that Floyd isn't really an exciting fighter, we all still wait in anticipation curious what will happen.

It's because of what Money Mayweather does and says in between fights. He knows how to push the right buttons, to excite, piss off, and get every interested in his uninterestng style. I think he is a genius at getting people to pay attention. Over the top statements and unexpected moves keep people guessing and really glued to what he does.

So whether the Pacman/Mayweather fight happens (and it probably will), Floyd Mayweather will figure out how to keep people interested in Floyd Mayweather.

Movement to Make a Difference

2010-04-18T02:15:00.000-07:00

We at the National Geographic Channel had been planning the run since the regional directive of doing something for Earth Day. We needed to start a movement. We needed to raise awareness on what each of us can do for climate change. We needed people to start caring more for our planet.

It is so heartwarming and very refreshing to have achieved all we set out to do this morning. The sea of humanity wearing the same shirt whether black (for 10K) or grey (3K and 5K) along with green bandanas was just an awesome sight to see. You get inspired thinking and planning on how to move people and get them to care. To see it happening in front of our eyes gave me goosebumps. This is why I signed up to work for the National Geographic Channel. We made a statement to the world that we do care and are willing to sacrifice (waking up at 4am plus donating P500-P700 is a good start for sacrifice). We had to print extra shirts to meet the demand.

We got thousands of pictures of the runners hodling a cardboard pledge to do what they can to help battle climate change in the NatGeo village after the run. It certainly is a great sign for a movement to get people to care more. We will post all these pictures to inspire thousands of others. All of us have different capacities to impact climate change. Some are in a position to impact thousands or even millions. Others, just themselves or their household. Whatever it is, the important thing is that all of us does our part.

I hope if you ran, the experience was good for you and you felt the unity and inspiration. We will follow through with the Design Against the Elements project and make sure we build that first third world disaster resilient community. For all who weren't able to make it, making a difference is a lifelong process and I hope you get to be part of the next one.

Let's not wait for the next disaster to start making a difference, it just takes too much resources and effort. Let's do what we can now. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

NatGeo Island Sweep

2010-03-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

Most people go to Boracay for rest, relaxation and of course to party the night away. So it was refreshing to see the number of volunteers who showed up when we organized a beach cleanup event to raise awareness on the need to sweep our most popular beach.

Many groups have organized beach cleanups before and this one is no different. I guess the main difference is that we were able to get many groups together to really have a show of force and make a statement. There had never been a cleanup in Boracay this scale before. Different groups were able to do it but no more than 100 people at a time.

So you can imagine the inspiration generated when over 400 people showed up to volunteer to clean the Island. From tourists, the locals, foreigners and Filipinos, everyone had so much enthusiasm and energy on a Sunday after all the parties were done.

So three straight days of events for the FOX International Channels. Thank you to all who attended and made it happen.

FOX Votes Earth

2010-03-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, March 27 at 8:30pm to 9:30pm, billions across the globe participated in a high profile statement about Climate Change. "Vote Earth" was the campaign and with an idea that started 3 years ago, Earth Hour was again implemented where everyone was encouraged to shut down the use of energy and electricity for one hour.

It just so happened that we were having an event in Summerplace in Boracay Island so we decided to be part of it and shut down the lights. We had a great event the night before and were getting ready for another on the 27th. I guess this post is really just as a "feel good" statement since it really will take a lot more that a 1 hour shutdown to save our planet but every little bit counts.

Before the party started, we turned off all the lights at 8:30 (actually most other establishments weren't able to), had a prayer for mother earth, then started lighting bio-degradable lanters that was released into the Boracay sky one by one. I think many noticed the lights out and really walked on over to participate as well. Tribu Manila started their cool set after the lights were back on at 9:30pm.

So we can at least say that Boracay was part of Earth Hour.

TV5 Para Sayo Kapatid

2010-03-25T15:43:00.001-07:00

Although we do have quite a number of Free to Air channels right now in the Philippines, there is practically a duopoly as far as viewership is concerned. ABS-CBN and GMA corner about 3/4 of eyeballs when it comes to watching television, and they pretty much get the same share of TV Advertising Sales.

Last night was a re-launch of TV5 after Mediaquest, the media subsidiary of PLDT bought the station late last year. A Malaysian group had actually re-launched the channel less than 2 years prior renaming it from it's original identity "ABC5". After mild success in ratings wasn't converted into revenue, the Malaysians pulled out and a new dynamic group from the telecoms giant has stepped in. There has been buzz about the aggressiveness of the new TV5 so I wanted to get a glimpse of what they had to offer. A new logo, a cool station ID, a commitment to upgrading facilities, and solid shows for the masses was what they unveiled.

The new direction looks promising. Although they do have their work cut out for them, it is very refreshing to have a third player who seems to have a legitimate shot at becomming a challenger in the network wars. There were times when I did feel like I was watching a noontime variety show but I guess they really had to make the point that formidable personalities are on board ready to challenge for the top. Dolphy, Maricel Soriano, Ruffa Gutierrez, JC De Vera, Vic Soto, and Joey De Leon were just some of the heavyweights who performed last night. Paolo Bediones and Ryan Agoncillo hosted the affair which seemed to last over 3 hours.

The most impressive part for me was the fact that it seems there is finally a commitment for a major upgrade in infrastructure. This I think has been overlooked by all who want to be a major player. All the other channels try to do it by content only and not take care of the reach and distribution of the signal. With the resources of Smart/PLDT, it is actually believable that it might happen in this case.

I was a little dissapointed that the initial plans don't include sports but I guess you can't do it all at once. So good luck Sayo Kapatid, I hope your entry into the big leagues benefits the Filipino TV viewer in general.

"The Event" Uneventful

2010-03-13T23:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what's more embarrassing, running/defending just so you won't get hit or fighting your ass off but getting knocked out swinging. Today's fight between Pacquiao and Clottey didn't really get me as excited as the Pacman's previous fights but I was still curious as to how it was gonna go down as Joshua had never been knocked out. As far as PPV is concerned, Clottey never really had a big following (like Delhoya with Americans, Hatton with Brits, and Cotto with Puerto Ricans) even with his home country.

Clottey, scared that Pacman's quickness will overwhelm him, chose to cover up all 12 rounds to minimize any damage. Of course, if your arms are defending your face, they cannot be out punching so he had no chance to score any significant points. The Pacman won easily.

To be honest, I was really frustrated after the 3rd round and the fight bored me to death. At first, I really thought the African was just feeling out how strong Manny's punches were in the beginning, then attack after he was able to determine that he can take it. But then, he did the exact same thing in the next 9 rounds! Even with his coach telling him "you're losing every round" "you gotta let your hands go".

In the post fight interview, he said he was never hurt and that he could take Manny's punches. If that's the case, then he just cheated all of us fans out of a good fight. "The Event" as it was hyped certainly did not live up to its billing. We say these guys are warriors and train and risk their lives in the ring. There was only one warrior in the ring today and it wasn't Joshua Clottey. Their "risk' is rewarded with millions of dollars. Can't you at least take a chance instead of playing it safe and taking home your million dollar paycheck?

There's an old saying that goes "No Guts, No Glory". Now we know why Joshua Clottey has never tasted true glory. The irony of it all is that he came into the fight nicknamed "The Hitter".

Inspiring People to Care About the Planet

2010-03-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

When I was studying my undergrad at Northwestern, I subscribed to two magazines. One was Sports Illustrated, the other, National Geographic (NatGeo). Working for Solar was such a perfect fit since I loved sports so much. Now working for FOX in the PH, the passion is just as strong because of the National Geographic Channel (NGC). All of us try to find fulfilment somehow in everything we do. To make a difference. To inspire people. To do good.

On Sunday, April 18 starting at 5am, NatGeo will be putting together a running event at the Mall of Asia to raise awareness for Earth Day, more specifically Climate Change. I think people's consciousness have been awakened somehow with typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) affecting the lives of millions, including those you had to give their time, money and resources to help others. The "Earth Day Run" will support the project "Design Against the Elements" DAtE, a project headed by Illac Diaz to bring innovative solutions to vulnerable communities in developing countries. It was launched last Friday in Malacanang as a long term plan to be more prepared against Climate Change. It was my third time in Malacanang, the first two being because of sports, but this one will hopefully have a lasting impact for our country's future.

Why DAtE? Because it takes so much money and effort to react to floods and typhoons while it will continue to happen beyond our control. Let's focus our money and efforts in preparing everyone so that we won't have to keep on spending all that money and effort every time an "Ondoy" happens. Let's enable communities to fight without having to be displaced and continuously get aid.

I do hope and pray many many thousands join the April 18 run at the Mall of Asia. The registration fee will go towards creating awareness for Climate Change and supporting the DAtE project. Registration starts March 8.

To know more about DAtE, log on to http://www.designagainsttheelements.org/.

For more details and to sign up for the run visit the Nike outlet in High Street, and the Timex outlets in MOA and SM North EDSA or visit http://www.natgeorun.com/. The registration fee/donation includes a very nice technical shirt from NatGeo in the race kit.

So let's go beyond being aware, let's make a difference and be accountable. Let's help build sustainable communities to fight against Climate Change. Let's run for Earth Day Awareness and continue on the road to a better future for everyone. Let's show the world how much we care. Join the thousands who will wake up early run (or walk) and be heard. A little sacrifice will Inspire People to Care About the Planet.

King James (Yap) Rules

2010-03-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

I gotta admit, when I first had a conversation with Coach Ryan Gregorio about Purefoods drafting James Yap many years ago, I was a bit skeptical. Yes, James won the UAAP MVP and was the best shooter out of college, but I had my doubts about his leadership and ability to win championships. Even when he was voted best player in the UAAP, he never won the title. So when Coach Ryan told me that James is the best player in the draft, I thought he was in one of his hyperbolic raves again. I worked with him in the UAAP panel and a little in the PBA and he did have a tendency to get over excited about basketball, which I think is great.

I also remember a good friend Luigi Trillo who was coaching the Adamson Falcons at the time telling me about this kid he was hoping to recruit for the Falcons to get him over the hump. James went on to have a fruitful UAAP career but not with Adamson. His best shot at winning was in 2002, teamed up with Paul Artadi and a bunch of other solid players but eventually lost to Ateneo off a last second shot by Gec Chia.

James has proven Coach Ryan right on a number of occassions already in the course of his Purefoods career. James is hands down the most popular player in the PBA now especially since marrying Kris Aquino, one of the most popular personalities in the country with all the controversies that come with it. With winning the Finals MVP, he is no doubt the King of the PBA right now.

Last night, after getting to watch the Game 4 sweep live (for the first time in a long time), I got reminded again why Coach Ryan was right and what makes James a great player: Mainly his demeanor. A smooth operator, he doesn't get too excited or too down. He is like a well oiled machine built to play on the court and get the job done. He is the best offensive player in the PBA right now and it seems his defense is catching up as well. You can tell that although he doesn't talk much, his teammates rely on him to lead them and James embraces the responsibility. James is a player who has the fans holding their breath in anticipation whenever he has the ball. Very few have that ability.

San Miguel and Alaska were hands down the favorites to win the title. Purefoods just got on an incredible roll and couldn't be stopped with James Yap at the driver's seat. My doubts are all gone. He has the leadership and he knows how to win championships. I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Nonito Sr. vs Nonito Jr.

2010-03-01T01:50:00.000-08:00

The YouTube video above is the very dramatic response of Nonito Donaire, Jr. to his father's accusations regarding their estranged relationship.

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire, Jr. is the next best thing in Philippine boxing after Manny Pacquiao. He has really been very unlucky after winning the title against Vic Darchinyan. He's had fights cancelled, postponed, fighters switched last minute, and even changed trainers in his title defenses. All throughout, the "Filipino Flash" has been very professional and just gone about his business and defended the Filipino's honor.

It has been an honor to know Nonito (Jun) and spend some time with him the past couple of years. I first met him with his dad, Nonito Sr. along with his then manager Gary Shaw during their first visit to Manila after winning the title. Jr. and Sr. seemed very tight at the time.

Last year, I was sad to find out that the relationship between Jun and his dad has deteriorated mainly because of Rachel Marcial Donaire, Jun's wife. I also know Rachel, and she is a tough, strong minded person. It is obvious that Nonito and her love each other very much. I can see how some can misunderstand her but I certainly think all she wants is the best for her husband. I've met Rachel's family as well and the champion couple has even been to my place during a Christmas Party a couple of years ago. We've been to a couple of parties together and we spent some time in Boracay last year as we all had a great time.

Last week, Nonito Sr. spoke out in public about his relationship with his son. He seems to have a deep seeded animosity toward Rachel and her family. Accusations about greed, control, and alienating the Donaire family from the current life of Jun. I really am not close enough to really know the real story or even details but I do know that it's tough not being in good terms with your dad. Here's the link to Nonito Sr.'s statements:

http://www.examiner.com/x-10947-Filipino-Sports-Examiner~y2010m2d27-Nonito-Donaire-Sr-speaks-out-on-his-son-Nonito-Donaire-Jr-and-their-estranged-relationship

I don't know if this will ever get resolved but I do know that this must be eating up both Nonito's alive. Imagine not being able to share your success with your father who was with you from the beginning. I can't imagine having to sit on the sidelines while you watch your son rise to the top and become a glorious champion.

Maybe someday, we can witness a happy ending to this saga and even make a nice feel good movie about it eventually. Nonito Jr. is too good a person not to deserve both a championship belt and a good relationship with his dad.

FOX Asia Now in PH

2010-02-28T06:58:00.000-08:00

Just a quick video on the new channel now on test broadcast on Sky Cable Ch 50. It will be availabe in other cable providers in a couple of months.

It still has some work to do as far as the content is concerned but it will slowly but surely get stronger in the coming months.

Foul or No Foul?

2010-02-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

Just a quick entry on last night's game 2 Finals win by Purefoods vs Alaska. I was not able to watch the game since I had to attend the Anvil Awards for a PR award of merit for the National Geographic Channel but was getting SMS messages left and right about the last play. There was a controversial call at the end where Kerby Raymundo was given a couple of free throws (to win the game) from a questionable shooting foul by Joe Devance.

Now if you were to follow the rules and guidelines, it seems since there was slight contact, there was a foul on JD. But again, given the context of the situation, the magnitude of what was at stake and how the calls have gone the whole game, you can argue that it should NOT have been called a foul.

Coach Tim Cone and his staff can probably go to the commissioner and show dozens of other instances during the same game where more contact was made and yet no whistle was blown. Then on the last and most crucial play, the whistle blows on a touch foul at best?

Alaska will move on and and teams have come back from 0-2 before but it will take a lot of heart to get over the disheartened feeling of not getting a fair shake. So here we go again... consistency. It's what drives coaches and players crazy. That foul would most likely been acceptable if the referees were calling it that thin the whole game.

I guess at the end of the day you can also argue that it was Alaska's fault for not putting the game away the many instances it had in the 4th quarter. But hey, nobody will remember any of those previous missed free throws and turnovers. Just that last crucial blimp of inconsistency that has been magnified made the PBA look bad again.

How do we Fix the Slam Dunk Contest?

2010-02-14T19:19:00.001-08:00

First off, the main problem with the Dunk Contest right now is that the big names don't participate anymore. Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, Larry Nance, Dominique Wilkins, and Dwight Howard were all A-listers in the NBA when they won. Nate Robinson? De Rozen? Shannen Brown? huh? Can we get some starters please? Even Jason Richardson, JR Rider and Spud Webb had significant playing time when they participated. The other competitions have the A-listers there. Nash, Williams, Pierce, and Billups. Best player in the dunk contest was Gerald Wallace. It's the main event of All Star Saturday. Surely the NBA can do better. Lebron? Durant? JSmith? Wade? There is a decent list of possible A-listers.

Next it seems most of what can be done without having to toss a ball, or with the help of a teamate or props has already been done. You can only do so much in the few seconds of hangtime you have before the slam. So players will really have to start thinking through their dunks with a little creativity and showmanship. Dwight's "Superman" routine was a blast. Nate using former champ Spud Webb from the crowd was awesome. Amare using Steve Nash's soccer abilities was cool. Jordan clearing the runway for his free throw dunk. There are lotsa ways to get creative. Nate actually could've done something with the Cowboys Cheerleaders since they were already there. So it seems to me, dunks really have to be practiced from now on. We can't have the "I just do it and let creativity take over once in the air" dunks. We've seen 'em all.

I don't know the solution to the third point but the judging has to be more exciting. Yeah the personalities are there but maybe we can have an American Idol type setup where the judges actually tell the contestants how crappy or great their dunks were. Maybe some pointers as well to save the fans for further boredome so the dunkers will know what to try next.

I'm sure there are other improvement ideas out there but it'll definitely be more interesting if any of the aforementioned 3 suggestions are implemented.

PBA Share

2010-02-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a good example of the challenges the PBA faces as far as popularity, attendance and viewership is concerned. While many have been quick to declare the demise of the league the past decade, I think it has held up pretty well under the circumstances. After the TNT walkout controversy, it seems the buzz went down a notch despite the most popular teams being in the final 4. Heck, there seems to be more interest right now on the email and verbal exchange (initiated by Jaermark Tordecilla through his blog firequinito.com) between Jamal Sampson and the SBP program than the blowouts of the first few games of the semis.

As far as sports tv viewing is concerned, there was the NBA All Star Weekend and the Vancouver Winer Olympics opening to compete with this V Day weekend. These two big events would not have been shown live a couple of decades ago on TV. Add to that the Pinoy Power Boxing card by Top Rank and ABS-CBN and the Asian Basketball League (ABL) playoffs on TV5 and ESPN and it's really difficult to place the PBA above the trees in a dense sports forrest. Then there's all the other non sports activities and television programs available to the public now, then it's really a much tougher market for Asia's first pay for play league. More sports channels, more entertainment channels, more movie channels, more channels in general. What about the Hot Air Baloon festival in Clark? The Pyrolympics in MOA? More concerts now seem to be staged. All the nice Malls and hangout places around that didn't exist back then? So much other stuff to spend money and time on.

That being said, I think the league has done well despite the much tougher competition. I do think they should focus on marketing a lot more as their competition continues to step it up as well. The league needs to find the followers beyond the die hards who will watch no matter what. Can't keep on depending on Ginebra winning, or teams walking out.

So as I channel surf, the PBA still gets a share of surfing destination but a lot of other stuff is driving down the share that it currently has. After all that's said and done, the PBA as a whole is still the most watched sporting league in the Philippines.

Thoughts on the TNT Walkout

2010-02-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the new job has kept me from writing much about sports in the last many months. But the latest walkout of the Talk 'N Text team kinda gave me some motivation to at least put some thoughts on paper (or the web).

First off, I was part of the Mancom of the PBA Commissioner's Office for over a year when Noli Eala was running the show. It still is currently the usual suspects except that Sonny Barrios is now at the helm.

One thing that I remember from my Commissioner's Office experience is the frustration of trying to appease the team members in league related matters. The majority of the complaints was about officiating but it extended into marketing, hotel accomodations for out of town games, tv exposure, commentator's bias, and others.

The walkout was certainly not the first time Talk 'N Text has cried foul claiming unfairness. Throughout the whole Asi Taulava ordeal about his citizenship, TNT Management always felt that Noli was unfair with dissallowing their big man to play because of him not having the proper documentation. They even had the PNP ready to arrest the commissioner at one point with cops at the Araneta if he didn't allow Asi to play. They've protested the location of their bands, extent of cheering on court of their cheerleaders and other non basketball related matters which had guidelines from the start. I do admire the passion of their management to fight for their rights albeit sometimes misguided.

I know Chot Reyes to be an excellent coach. He is probably one of the best communicators practicing the profession. He got my vote when choosing a National Coach during my stint in the Commissioner's Office. But I do disagree with his (and TNT management's) decision to walk out of game 4 of the recently concluded quarterfinals series (won by Ginebra). I am not the aggrieved party so I can't fully understand the emotion involved as the pressure to win was very high. But my greivance is on the side of the fans. The games and its fans are the heart and soul of the league. The walkout deprived the fans of the games. Period. The games should always be sacred. It is after all, just a game. We talk of the fans being the lifeblood of the league and in this case it's absolutely true.

Now, complaints about officiating and unfairness abound. But I also know how hard the referees work at their craft. I've sat through some of their training and workshops. I don't know of any league where the players and coaches are 100 percent satisfied with the officiating. Referees make mistakes just as players and coaches do.

I guess I just needed to write about it since it was really a sad day in Philippine basketball when the walkout happened. Yeah, statistics were cited and maybe a few bad calls here and there. But that shouldn't even be close to merit any kind of walkout from any team. Why? Because everyone from the commissioner's office, to the coaches, to the owners, to the ballboys, to the players all do it for the fans. Anything that would deprive the fans of the games should be taken out of the equation. I'm pretty sure there was no public sympaty or empathy for that matter with the walkout because it was not only the commissioner's office who had to deal with it but the fans themselves.

This issue was between the TNT team and the PBA technical crew, so please leave the fans out of it.

Audience (And Player) Participation

2009-10-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

The past week's sports news had Burger King's Wynne Arboleda's succesful attack on a fan Alain Katigbak at the Araneta during a semi exhibition game. (the game only counts for 1 of the teams).

What rights do tickets to any kind of game entail? Fans pay good money to watch games mainly to be part of history, the possibility to be part of a moment they will remember for a lifetime. Some do it because watching live certainly brings a lot more to the viewing experience than staring at a square screen nomatter how HD it is. For some it gives them a chance to be within an earshot of the larger than life athletes you normally only see on billboards, newspapers and television.

So who draws the line and where is it drawn as far as interaction between players and fans go? Hecklers are part of the game. It's part of the elements athletes have to contend with when they sign up to play for pay. For all of us who have watched thousands of games, we know that some passionate fans say the nastiest things specifically to distract and rattle some players to get them off their game. The good players learn to ignore and the great ones even use it to fuel themselves and take their game to the next level and get the W's.

Unfortunately, Mr. Arboleda isn't one of the great ones. He is at best an average PBA point guard (for the record, an average PBA point guard is still among the top in the country) who a couple of weeks earlier had his manhood questioned when he was on the wrong end of a blowout when two National Teams competed for a cause. In a semi rematch (same coaches and many players) he couldn't ignore the verbal assaults from Mr. Katigbak and in fact took it personally and instead of his game going to the next level, he took his emotions to the next level and went into a full assault. He would have made Dana White of the UFC proud.

We all know basketball can create very emotional situations. But it's still only a game. At the end of the day, whether you win or lose, it doesn't affect things that matter most in real life, your health, family, and friends, etc.

So my hats off to the commissioner for sending a strong message. Professional athletes are paid to play their best regardless of the elements around them. There are security personnel to take care of the rowdy fans. We rely on them for security and order just as we rely on the players to play good basketball. And oh yes, we rely on fans to keep the league alive.

The Best for Japeth

2009-09-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

I think most have already said what needs to be said about Japeth but just so I can get it out of my system, here goes another opinion on the matter.

Being a great potential talent attracts all kinds of characters and opportunities. Japeth, it seems always decides to go with whatever's he feels best for himself. He went to Ateneo because Norman Black was going to be a great teacher. He transferred to Western Kentucky because the competition was going to make him better. And he came back here because he felt he was the best young prospect who had Filipino blood.

When he first moved back, I'm sure he felt very wanted. The PBA, Team Pilipinas, agents, coaches, teams, etc. all wanted a piece of him. A young guy getting pulled in different directions can get a little confused as to what he wants. I'm sure he wanted everything that was offered him.

My general gut feel is that he did not enjoy playing for coach Yeng Guiao. Yeng is a love 'em or hate 'em kind of coach. He is known for yelling at his players, saying harsh things as a motivational tool to push them. Problem in this case is that Japeth had other options. So given the choices, he will always opt for what he feels is best for himself, not necessarity what's more popular. Some people just don't like getting yelled at I guess. I'm sure other players don't like it either. Difference is, the other players don't have a choice.

What's Wrong with DLSU?

2009-08-22T23:13:00.000-07:00

DLSU has 4 games left and it seems they will have to win at least 3 of those to have an outside chance of making it to the final four. With FEU, UE, and UST among those who they still have to play, I would give them less than 50% chance of making it this year. I'm not sure if La Salle has ever missed the final four since joining the UAAP.

I would venture to say that if results are the barometer, the Green Archer program has been the most successful since joining the UAAP in the 80's. It was always a big surprise if they did not make it to the finals each and every year. The other schools would take turns getting there, UST, FEU, ADMU got their share of titles but it was almost always DLSU that they had to beat. Heck, I wouldn't be writing about this very topic if this was happening to another team.

What would be the main reason for this sudden change in elite status? All of a sudden, the swagger is gone?

In my opinion, they've blown it in recruitment for about two years. As they watched other schools convince blue chip high school players from 2-3 years ago, they are paying the price as their veterans right now are not as talented. The board might have had a little to do with it. Remember the Fil-Foreigner residency rule of 2 years? The Archers used to rely heavily on Fil Foreigners recruited by their extensive network abroad. Don Allado, Mon Jose, Mike Cortez, Calijohn Orfrecio, Manny Ramos are some players who made an impact off the top of my head. La Salle did not adjust well right away.

Basketball is still a player's sport. I think 70% of your chances lie in the talent you have. The other 30% comes from coaching and chemistry. They used to get the PBA caliber recruits. Limpot, Webb, Telan, Allado, Cortez, Ritualo, Espinosa, Cardona, Aldeguer and a host of others made sure the green and white was a title contender. Now, the other schools have been able to snatch the best from the last few years.

La Salle has had good recruiting classes the last 2 years but it will take another year or two before those players can become among the elite in the UAAP. So for now, the void in not being able to recruit the best from 3-4 years ago has caught up with them. I think the coaching staff and the alumni care too much and are smart enough not to make this linger for longer than 1 or at most 2 years.

So far, it has been obvious that DLSU has gotten very much used to winning and many are uncertain how to react to all this losing.

The Mother of Our Nation R.I.P.

2009-08-02T01:21:00.000-07:00

The first and only time I’ve gotten to meet and talk to “Tita Cory” was predictably a sports related event. My family had moved to Chicago shortly after her husband’s assassination so I watched as a teenager from afar when the ESDA revolution happened.

I moved back to the Philippines in 1995 after college graduation and was working in sports media within a few months. For some reason, she was the guest of honor at the Grant Hill Philippine visit through FILA.

She was the unwilling leader who (and it was obvious) did not want to have anything to do with politics. She looked like a housewife. She acted like a housewife. She spoke like a housewife. It was this trait that I think endeared her to the Filipino people. She was the anti politician. She was the mother for all to follow. For all to get comfort. And for all to be free again.

As friends with some of the members of the Aquino family, I offer not only my condolences but my gratitude for being a beacon for us all as we continue to figure out our very imperfect democracy.

Lessons from Kobe

2009-07-26T01:13:00.000-07:00

I went with Vince & Patricia Hizon along with Dodot Jaworski & his kids. The traffic around Ultra was at a standstill since the event coincided with the dismissal of St. Paul across the street. I had already interviewed him a few times during my assignments at the NBA All Stars but anytime you get a chance to see him up close, you gotta take it.

The most eventful part of the afternoon was when Kobe took aside Nico Salva from the Ateneo Blue Eagles and gave him about 20 minutes worth of personal instruction. He went through part of his daily training routine on offense.

I thought two things Kobe said was worth taking note. First, the attention to details. You have to check film and practice to the extent of where you hold the ball while making your move. It ensures protection from being stripped by placing it at the right place for the duration of the possession. Details on the footsteps for the most efficient way to get the shot off.

Once you've figured out the details, the second is in the repetition. Muscle memory is learned even for the most difficult and spectacular plays. Kobe seems to practice and repeat as many kinds of iterations possible from the basic to the complicated of shots. The repetition also gets you tired enough to know the feeling so that you can adjust to the fatigue during the real game.

Kobe is as good as it gets right now as far as basketball is concerned. It was a pleasure to see him again in the flesh.

C.E.O. of the P.I.?

2009-07-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

I met him once before, many years ago, and in Chicago while he was visiting one of his old classmates (who was my “ninang”) during one of his U.S. trips to visit his children studying in the Midwest. He became a hero of sorts as he led the House of Representatives in the filing of impeachment raps against Joseph Estrada. And he continued his rise in Politics as he became a member of the Upper House and eventually became the President of the Senate.

I, along with a few other bloggers got a whole morning’s worth of face time with Manny Villar, one of presidential bets for next year’s elections. Just a quiet discussion on a whole range of topics predictably related to his bid next year. I was there to represent the sports bloggers (yes, it's true, that's the reason!), a genre he has started to support in the last few years.

Here are my impressions:

Villar is a very simple man with very big accomplishments. He breaks down the issues into its simplest form before he offers a solution. He seems to be a very practical person and a great manager. He’s still a little shaky talking about the environment as he hasn’t proactively pursued the issue as politician. He has done a lot but really publicized it like others in politics.

As most other politicians, he parades his record as one of leadership and accomplishment. It seems though, the Philippines still has a long way to go in its maturity to consider those criteria as most important for voters. The Senator realizes this, which is why most of his efforts are geared toward his popularity, as much as he’d prefer it not to be.

There were a couple of issues that got his juices flowing. You can tell if a man is passionate about something by the look in his eyes and the conviction of his voice. You start talking about the OFW’s, the unsung heroes of our generations, and he will gladly spend a few cups of coffee discussion how helping them will be a big part of his presidency. He is already helping many, out of his own pocket because of his passion for the issue.

The other issue that made his eyes light up was entrepreneurship. This is a topic that doesn’t excite most people, which is why he hardly brings it up. But the smile in his face and the authority in his voice made it obvious that this was the topic closest to his heart. “Entrepreneurship will be the lifeblood of our economy” he says. “Our people need to learn to compete, and how to grow their money”. These are words full of credibility coming from man who started with nothing to now being one of the wealthiest in the Philippines. He even gave some very practical financial advice to boot (which might be for another entry) but the topic of business and money seems to be his forte.

Lastly, as a sports blogger, we did have to tackle some sports stuff so I asked him about why he sponsors Billiards and his opinion of the Pacman running again for public office. The first was simple, his name sounds like the Filipino pronunciation of Billiards, thus the tie-in. As for the second question, he like most of the Philippine population wants to see more of the other Manny as the boxer who has inspired a nation. “He has done something all of us politicians haven’t done, unite the country at least for brief moments”.

Overall, he seems to be one of the candidates least prone to corruption. He doesn’t need the money, and does have respect of his peers (thus not having to buy loyalty). Only time will tell if he becomes our country’s CEO.

Weekend Couch Potato

2009-07-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I made a update. The new job has gotten me very preoccupied with running some cable channels. I was able to finally watch some games the last few days.

Last weekend was great for sports fans. We got UFC 100, the UAAP Opening games, some F1 racing, and a PBA Finals game on a Monday for an encore.

UFC 100 was like most of the first 99 and most other bigtime events and games. The build up was much cooler than the actual. Not that it lacked enough excitment becuase it had its moments. The problem sometimes with the UFC is that you really have to appreciate the intricacies of Jujitsu and the ground game to be entertained by it.

The UAAP had a mixture of blowouts and exciting games. Ateneo and FEU are shoe-ins for the Final Four while the other 6 will be fighting for the last two slots. With the top two having a twice to beat advantage, it would take some major improvements from the other teams for major injuries from FEU/ADMU for us to see a non Tamaraw/Blue Eagle finals.

For the PBA, only one game out of the first five was extra exciting. Let's hope game 6 and maybe 7 will have more suspense. They did flash a stat that only 1 out of the last 4 times did the team who won game 5 eventually became champs. That bodes well if the PBA wants at least a game 7.

The Empire Strikes Back

2009-06-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Most people actually probably don't care too much what's going on with the country's basketball program. Although I've given up my post in Solar for FOX, I do still care about sports in the Philippines. I've been busy with the new job but reading about how the progress of our basketball program might be derailed again, it got me irritated again.

Graham Lim, a foreigner who ruined the Philippines' international basketball stature, is like Jason from those Friday the 13th movies. He just keeps on coming back no matter how many times to seem to have gotten rid of him. I'm not really sure what exactly this guy has done, or why he still has some influence but he must have done the FIBA guys a huge favor at some point in his life because they seem to act like they owe him something.

He is supported by two politicians (now you know why things are getting screwed up) who also hasn't done anything for Philippine Basketball as long as I can remember. They have convinced FIBA that we were better off being 16th best in Asia instead of now having a legitimate chance of qualifying for the World Basketball Championships meaning we would be among the top 3. They have convinced FIBA that the SBP is doing even worse that when we were at our worse.

This is a slam dunk no brainer case of KSP from the BAP. Please move on and and get a life. Please.

Overkill

2009-06-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

The PBA National Team will qualify for the FIBA Asia Championships. The problem is so can a dozen other teams from the Philippines. All they have to do is get to the top two of the 4 team tournament. Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia are the other teams. Thailand, a normal contender in SEA is not even trying to qualify.

I can understand the PBA Board wanting to ensure that we have a slot for the World Basketball Championships qualifier. But I think their fears were very misguided as the talent level in Southeast Asia right now is equivalent to a good college team here.

Now news that Ryan Reyes has joined Helterbrand with a pulled hamstring. I'm sure Yeng Guiao is trying to figure out what kind of things they can take away from the tournament that will not test this team any bit.

Disneyland or Disneyworld?

2009-06-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

It's time to make predictions once again. This year, the Lakers are back in the Finals but a mild surprise in Orlando awaits them. I'm not sure about the Vegas odds but I reckon you would've made a lot of money if you bet on the Magic for the Finals appearance before the season started.

I think it would be a huge upset if the Lakers lose this series. All they really have to do is attack Dwight Howard to get him in foul trouble then make sure to disrupt the rhythm of the Magic shooters. If Orlando doesn't shoot well, they don't have a chance.

Looking at all factors, the Lakers have the advantage. LA has the better coach, the better superstar, the better supporting cast, and a lot more (better?) playoff experience. But the NBA is where Amazing Happens and this is why we still all watch so wait and see when Amazing will Happen again.

It's my first finals in the last four years sans thinking about selling and marketing the series. Not sure if this matchup beats last year's ratings but if Orlando shoots lights out, it'll come close.

Lakers in 6.

Is Fatigue a Valid Excuse?

2009-05-28T00:21:00.000-07:00

I covered the 2nd game last night and one of the reasons that Alaska used was that they were tired which is why the energy was nonexistent. When I was part of the commissioner's office, teams complained all the time if they were scheduled consecutive playdates (ex: sunday then wednesday).

I'm not sure if the conditioning programs are not as comprehensive here but PBA players play maybe 50 games a year (18 elimnations plus playoffs in each conference). Those 50 games are spread out through 9 months which averages out to 5.5 games every month. It seems to me that playing less than two (2) games a week should be easy if you are in tip top shape and play basketball for a living.

The NBA players play back to backs all the time and play at least 2-3 games a week. I don't remeber players using fatigue as an excuse for not playing with energy. I realize PBA players get paid very little compared to the rest of the world but to play 4 to 5 games a month and get paid hundreds of thousands of pesos to do it aint so bad.

Does Lebron Have a Good Enough Supporting Cast?

2009-05-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Lebron's shot that saved Ohio will be played over and over for the rest of the NBA playoffs and many seasons to come. But can he do it seven (7) more times to win his first NBA Championship? Well, if we consider the composition of other winners, the Cavs are going to have a very difficult time.

The teams that have won have always had a superstar. It's a given. Magic Johnson, Julius Irving, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Dwane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon. In some cases, they had teammates who were in the same level. Moses Malone, Shaq and Kareem would certainly be in the same category in their prime. In Cleveland's case, Lebron fits the bill perfectly.

Most champions also has an all star on the same team. A player who's not a superstar but will undoubtedly be in the Hall of Fame. Scottie Pippen, Manu Ginobili, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and James Worthy would be in that group.

There were some minor exceptions like Detroit but they still would have at least 2 Hall of Famers on their team but no true superstar.

I still don't see a second Hall of Famer in this year's Cleveland team. Lebron is awesome but he will have an off day here and there like everyone else. Another Cavalier will have to prove they can take over in a stage with this kind of pressure. So in the home of the Rock and Roll hall of fame, I think Cleveland needs to have a future Basketball Hall of Famer step up and join LBJ to get the Larry Obrien trophy.

This current Cleveland team is not that different from Pat Riley's Knicks and Shaq's Orlando team who got creamed in the Finals. Both had a superstar (Ewing/Shaq) but were surrounded by "almost hall of famers". The Cavs are fortunate that Orlando is kinda in the same situation where there is no clear cut Hall of Famer outside of Dwight Howard.

Where Amazing Happened

2009-05-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

This has got to be the most entertaining Conf. Finals (East & West) in a very long time!

Blue Eagles Pre Season

2009-05-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

This was emailed to me by Jose Flores, a fellow Northwestern alumnus who was able to watch some tune up games by the Ateneo Blue Eagles in North America. Those who cheer for Ateneo might be interested.

"They did well esp. against bad calls esp. with UBC Thunderbirds. Blue Eagles were down by twenty points in the first quarter then won last three quarters but still lost 90-77. Against SFU in front of a full house of Ateneo fans we lost 85-77. Admu was down by three with ninety seconds left. Our boys missed ten foul shots. Salamat's three points was negated at the end of the Third with a second left. The boys should compete well in the UAAP. They do need a swingman like Oping Sumanilog. Two peat looks good."

Leap of Faith

2009-05-19T21:20:00.001-07:00

Every once in awhile, you gotta step out of your comfort zone and see if you can spread you wings some more.

When an opportunity knocks, you look closely who's on the other end and check if it's worth opening the door. After a long decision process to determine pros and cons of leaving a job I love and taking on another with a lot of potential but laced with uncertainly and challenge, I ended up with more check marks under "pros".

I have done all I've wanted in sports broadcasting both in front and behind the camera. I have covered and marketed the NBA and the PBA, started my broadcast career with the UAAP, and have been part of the team to the Beijing Olympics. I marketed the 2006 World Cup, interviewed world class athletes, and have been involved in practically every big time sports relevant to the Philippines. I have worked with the best people in sports: All the media, coaches, players, officials, executives and everyone else who makes our sports culture tick.

I have been to Macau, Houston, New Orleans, Portland, Singapore, Las Vegas, Jakarta, Phoenix, Chicago, and all parts of the Philippines for my job. Solar (and its other channels) as a brand is much stronger now compared to 5 years ago. It has truly been awesome to be part of the growth and transformation.

Now it's time to expand my universe and give another genre a shot. I will be joining the Fox International Channels next month to start an office here in the Philippines. It is different (at least for me) but exciting. I am anxious but confident. And I'm hoping the ride will be just as fulfilling. Thank you to everyone for all your support. I will continue to be a huge sports fan.

Moving On

2009-05-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a very fulfilling four (4) years working for Solar Entertainment as head of sales and marketing. We tried a lot of things. Some worked, some didn't. Solar certainly is much bigger now since 2005 when I first started but I've decided to accept an offer from another company so it's time to remember why Solar was such a great experience for me.

10. Great clients. I was able to work with many in the media and advertising industry who know their stuff and how the television business works.

9. Acquisition of the PBA. The process of winning a tv coverage bid and the continuing efforts to improve the league was very satisfying.

8. Great partners. You can't get any better than working with the NBA, the PBA, the IOC, the PGA, Top Rank, GMA7, IMG, and many others who were very professional in the way they handled things. It was also great to work closely with the sports media.

7. Olympic Experience. I was part of the team who brought the most comprehensive coverage to the Philippines and was able to generate the highest amount of sponsorships ever. The experience in Beijing was also priceless.

6. Covering the NBA Allstars and the China Games. The learnings of running a big time sporting event and being part of the on cam talent pool for the international coverage is something I will never forget.

5. Donaire/Viloria. To know that you can mount a world class sporting event gives a lot of satisfaction from what I was a part of in Solar.

4. Meeting NBA Superstars. Being able to interview the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, and Dwayne Wade along with many other NBA players was a dream come true.

3. Great Team. It was an honor to have worked with such a talented and competent group in Solar. I have made some very good friends along the way and that is something I will always be thankful for. From my bosses to the managers, the company is in good hands with visionaries and passionate people.

2. BTV. To conceptualize, launch, and implement Basketball TV was something I will always be proud of.

1. Manny Pacquiao. It was surreal to be right in the middle of the rise of the Pacman the last 4 years.

There were others that deserve mention including working on the 2006 World Cup coverage in the Philippines, producing and hosting In The Zone (ITZ) and conceptualizing Sports Desk along with pioneering the Philippine Collegiate Championships (and maybe even more stuff that escapes my memory at the moment) but I decided to limit it to 10 things.

It was certainly a packed four years!

Bad Boy Coach

2009-05-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

I did spend my junior high, high school and college days in the Chicago area. I did love watching the Bulls with MJ, Scottie, and Horace in the 80's. I did hate the Detroit Pistons led by Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman and Chuck Daley. They did thrive on being called the "Bad Boys" from the Motor City. In general they weren't that athletic which prompted Daley to implement rough play as the only way to get the job done. They orchestrated the "Jordan Rules" to specifically and physically slow down Michael Jordan. It worked. At least until the 90's. The Pistons were the best team to end the 80's with two straight titles.

Chuck daily passed away this weekend and although I did not like him in Detroit, I did respect him as a coach. I don't think his style was limited to physicality as he coached the first (and maybe only) Dream Team in 1992 which had a totally different philosophy. You gotta give credit to coaches who identify their manpower and utilize a system custom fit for the talent he's been given.

So to one of the best coaches in basketball, Rest in Peace sir.

Overnights

2009-05-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

Just got word on some of the overnight ratings numbers for the most recent Pacquiao fight. These telecasts never cease to amaze me because no matter how many ads are placed and however many complaints are raised, an incredible number of people still watch on GMA7.

The fight is only on pay per view everywhere in the world except in the Philippines where it is also available on Free TV but with tons of commercials. Nobody wants to sit through ad after ad after ad, but with the amount the rights have gone up and only 5 hours or so to unload sponsorships, it is really a difficult situation.

Initial numbers indicate that the Pacman fight rated an average of 64% AMR (Average Minute Rating) garnering 87% SHR which I think is now the highest ever rated program in Philippine history. It peaked at 68% AMR and 92% SHR. The fights vs Larios and Delahoya also breached the 60% mark but were both a little lower than Hatton. The other network's programming only rated about 3% AMR at the same time. If you add the viewers on Solar (simulcast) and even the primetime airing on CS9, then almost everyone who had a TV on last May 3 practically watched the fight.

Can We Consider Pacquiao the Greatest Ever?

2009-05-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

I have only been cognicent of boxing since the 80's so I really couldn't tell if he can be classified in the Greatest Ever category yet. But from the fighters I've seen from my generation, the Pacman is right up there with Mike Tyson, Suger Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler and yes, the great Muhammad Ali.

Of course the criteria used will make a difference but think for a moment where Manny is at this point of his career. He has won his last four fights in different divisions against champions. He has demolished the last three with the greatest of ease. He has charisma that attracts millions who idolize him and consider him a hero. Manny "retires" champion boxers. The only fighter who he has not sent into obscurity is Juan Manuel Marquez. The only that can stop Manny for boxing immortality is politics.

Is he the greatest ever? I think he's the greatest now. The greatest maybe even the last 20 years all things considered. I think if he wins a few more against future Hall of Famers like Mayweather Jr., talk of greatest ever is fair game.

Pinoy Pride

2009-04-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

The Flash and the Furious was an ambitious boxing promotion taken on by Solar Sports at the Araneta Coliseum. Since the "Thrilla in Manila" was staged in 1975, very few boxing events have met any success in Manila. It was after all, the first time we were going to have two bonafide World Titles at stake in one card.

We already had to postpone the fight mainly because of sponsor requests. Many detractors took pot shots at Solar as a company having financial difficulty because of it.

But then, it all came together. I'm thankful some sponsors took the risk (and it definitely paid off!). Even our non sponsors wanted some tickets last minute to watch the fight. The tickets sales started to pick up. The media coverage gained momentum. Most of our on ground plans to mobilize tickets sales worked. I have a feeling the ratings will also be better than expected.

And of course, the Pinoy boxers cooperated by submitting back to back to back world class performances. Denver Cuello got the WBC International Minimumweight Crown. Brian Viloria gave the performance of his life and dethroned Ulysses Solis. And Nonito Donaire, Jr. was impressive in his domination of challenger Raul Martinez.

Everything worked out. The one month postponement turned out to be the right decision. A world class event that highlights the Filipino's boxing talent was showcased at the Araneta.

Thank you to all who made it happen.

Triple Assault

2009-04-07T23:49:00.000-07:00

If you're a Filipino boxer not named Manny Pacquiao, you would be hard pressed to get the attention you deserve in your own country let alone the rest of the world. The Pacman has dominated the consciousness of Filipinos and boxing fans that others who are in the vicinity gets lost in overwhelmed with the exposure Manny gets.

We arguably have the three (3) best weeks of Philippine boxing ever lined up from April 19 to May 3 this year. Four (4) World Title fights are happening (would have been 5 if Lluevano didn't injured against Concepcion) in the span of two weeks. Donaire, Viloria, Penalosa and of course Pacquiao are all fighting for World Championships with Donaire and Viloria doing it right at the Araneta Coliseum.

If you love boxing, then these 3 weekends are going to be heaven.

UAAP TV Rights

2009-04-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

It seems we (Solar) really can't avoid crossing paths with ABS-CBN when it comes to sports television broadcasts. They are a giant network with deep pockets and vast resources who want to be a big player in the business. It's just the way it is.

The UAAP rights are no exception. In my opinion, 90% of all basketball sponsorship money are placed in three leagues. The PBA, the NBA and the UAAP. Solar beat ABS with the PBA bid last year. ABS failed in an attempt to carve out a portion of the Solar's NBA contract the year prior after BTV was booted out of Sky Cable. That leaves the UAAP as the third league who eats up from that sponsorship pie.

It seems that ABS-CBN will be getting another chance to bid this month after their first attempt last Feb. Maybe they underestimated the competition (GMA and Solar submitted separate proposals) once again. Or maybe they forgot to mention some things when they first did it. But they are going to be given another chance to "re bid". I don't understand why they have to bid again given that they have the right of first refusal anyway. All they have to do is match the highest bidder. Was the UAAP not satisfied with their bid that they are doing it again? Are they privy to the other two bidders proposals so they can match or exceed?

No matter what happens with the TV contract, the UAAP will be the clear winner with the rights fee being much higher this time around.

MORE THOUGHTS ON PACMAN TV RIGHTS ISSUE

2009-03-29T03:30:00.000-07:00

Most of those involved have moved on from the most recent Pacquiao incident about TV rights. For my part, I am certainly glad it's over as it was a huge unnecessary distraction mostly for Manny and his training but for me as well since it took a week out of selling advertising packages for the fight. It was a stressful week to make sure the public knew the truth and was clear with Solar's position.

I am of the impression that most don't really care where the Pacman fights are televised. The attention though I think given to the issue was mostly because of its ethical and moral implications. Can someone really turn his back on contracts as easily as you deciding to switch cars when you want to replace the current? Can a third party really claim they are free of any fault just because they did not make the first move?

ABS-CBN, in my opinion was very sloppy in the way they handled the situation. If I were going into a situation as high profile as Pacquiao's television contract agreement, I would absolutely make sure that I had a strong legal foundation to stand on. At no time did a legal representative from Channel 2 go public because I am sure no lawyer in their right mind would want to justify and risk ridicule for defending what they did. They ran with it based on a video and a letter that had no factual basis. There also seemed to be a well orchestrated series of articles from one sportswriter that set the whole thing up. But you need more than one sided articles and cowardly "unimpeachable" sources to see it through.

I also want to put into question the way Dyan Castillejo handled the situation based on Manny Pacquiao's account. I have been a reporter for some international events including the NBA All Star Weekend and the Beijing Olympics. The access given to us is to exclusively report on the event for our media entity. We are specifically told that anything outside of what we're supposed to be doing would merit suspension of our privileges. So using your access to get autographs, and making deals with athletes are out of bounds. Ms. Castillejo used her access to broker a deal, not just report on Manny.

Manny Pacquiao has apologized. ABS-CBN has not. So I'm assuming the giant network does not see anything wrong with anything they did. I am now curious to see if they will continue to cover Manny as extensively as they've done given what has transpired. Because if the coverage suffers a significant decline, then maybe they were really just wooing our National Treasure to transfer.

Lessons Learned

2009-03-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Manny Pacquiao after being asked what he learned from the experience of being in the middle of a controversy for his TV rights said "I am more intelligent now than I was yesterday". Half joking but true in some ways, he really found out that he was not above the law and even our national treasure should adhere to basic ethical principals.

I was in the middle of the storm as my company, Solar Sports, who had the rights to Pacman's contract was surprised by his sudden announcement that he was rescinding the contract despite no valid reasons to do so.

After a few days worth of stress, lawyers, press conferences, and many phone calls, everything finally worked out and Manny honored his contract.

I, too am more intelligent after this experience. As far as my lessons learned, I guess there were some...

Manny Pacquiao is one of the most unpredictable people in the world. The Filipino people really are interested in his life and what he does.

There is no substitute for being right. The passion and motivation to get the job done stems a lot from your belief in what you're doing.

You don't have to be educated or smart to be blinded by money and power, just human.

You should always be prepared for all possibilities and cover all your bases.

Always be magnanimous and gracious in everything that you do.

And my favorite.... "you can please some people all of the time, and all people some of the time, but you cannot please all people all of the time".

Peace.

Valley of the Sun

2009-02-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

I started this blog about a year ago after the New Orleans All Stars. Many posts later, it's still going..... so it's been a year!

The Phoenix All Stars didn't have the normal extravagance compared to the others this decade. In fact it had a toned down atmosphere. Not as much merchandising within the city and hotels. Transportation, food, and facilities were not as readily available.

The Rookie/Sophomore had its moments and the Slam Dunk contest on Saturday was pretty entertaining. The All Star game actually had more than its share of serious moments where the players actually came to play rather than goof around. I worked the game with Vitto Lazatin and although I've watched more entertaining games before, it was still a of fun doing the coverage.

The annual media pickup game was joined by Spurs player Roger Mason who obliged by having a nice conversation about his road to being an NBA player after being a Euroleague star. Boris Diaw joined a few years back while Tim Hardaway played with us last year. Spud Webb and BJ Armstrong were the other two from the last few years I've been involved as international media during the Allstars.

As with previous Allstar games, our broadcast position was once again right at courtside and beside a lot of the personalities who attended. Seated right in front of us were Eva Longoria, Senator John McCain, and Spike Lee. There were others whose names escape me but I do recognize them from various shows. Beyonce was seated in the same row although on the other half of the sideline.

Overall, it was still very enjoyable for any basketball fan but if you've gone to the others from the last few years, you will notice that the league was more careful in this one as far as expenses were concerned.

One For the Ages

2009-02-12T15:03:00.000-08:00

In most cases, game 7's of any series does not end up delivering in the pre game hype. It's hard to imagine how a game with so much at stake can live up to the expectations of fans of being one of the best ever. It happened Wednesday night.

I was more than happy when my boss postponed my trip to Phoenix for some pressing matters at work which gave me the chance to cover the 7th game as the television anchor with Norman Black as the analyst, Dominic Uy, Patricia Hizon, and Ceska Litton as the courtside reporters. (Thanks to Ceska for the pic from the production room) It was a first for me to cover the last game of the PBA Finals and it was "awesome".

As a commentator and a fan, I really was in "awe" watching the two teams combine talent and heart on their way to a masterpiece. Well, sans the last possession(s) of Alaska, it was as good as it gets for the PBA. The coaching was excellent. The officiating was consistent. The players were at the top of their game. The fans were cheering in full force. No Ginebra nor Purefoods, the two most popular teams and yet still a blockbuster with ratings and attendance that made Commissioner Barrios smile from ear to ear.

Congratulations to the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters!

Defense Wins Championships

2009-01-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

The Finals of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup is upon us and the two best teams (if you go by the eliminations record) have made it for a best of seven (7) showdown. There are a few storylines in place for the series.

First, the coaches. Tim Cone and Chot Reyes are both former National Team Coaches. Chot was under Tim in Alaska before he achieved all his success in Purefoods, Sta. Lucia, Coke and now Talk 'N Text. Both are respected and are considered two of the best in the land today. Cone has more championships and finals' appearances but it's partly because he's also coached more years. Both are also the best of friends.

Second is the style these two teams play. Alaska is very deliberate and likes to play half court offense. TNT is very fast and likes to utilize the full court in orchestrating its offense. Alaska is one of the best defensive teams in the conference while TNT is one of the best offensively. They say defense wins championships so we'll see if that holds true in this case.

In a 7 game series, adjustment will be the key. I reckon sometimes Alaska's defense will dominate and other times TNT's offense will explode. This is why the coaching will play a larger role than normal in this matchup.

Tejada Triumph

2009-01-19T23:23:00.000-08:00

Some might remember the tragic Mother's day a couple of years ago when Eugene Tejada fell into a career ending injury at the Ynares Center in Antipolo while playing for Purefoods. Spine/Back injuries are the worst kind in sports and it was damn scary watching Eugene get carried off in a stretcher unable to move any of his body parts from the neck down.

Seeing the former PBA player walking last night during Dominic Uy's birthday party at Fiamma was one of the most encouraging sights for the new year so far. I can't imaging the amount of rehab, and hospital bills it took for him to get to the point he is at right now. I don't really know Eugene that well but I am definitely now a fan.

We are inspired mostly by great performances and incredible talent on the court. Eugene's comback is something to absolutely marvel at and admire.

The Pacman Share

2009-01-15T23:29:00.000-08:00

Reports have come out saying that Manny Pacquiao will not fight Ricky Hatton unless he gets at least 60% of the share in revenues for the May 2 fight. After all, he is the pound for pound king! The Hatton camp has threatened to file a case about the issue claiming that Bob Arum had already verbally agreed to a 50/50 on behalf of Pacman.

It seems to me that because of the potential Great Britain PPV market, a 50/50 share is very fair. Team Pacquiao needs to look at the take home, not the share. Getting 60% or even 70% of a fight that will gross less than half of the Hatton fight will give you much less than 50% of something huge. The larger share vs take home only massages the pride, not the pocket.

Another option is to have a 60/40 share for Hatton in Great Britain, then 60/40 Pacman everywhere else. But I reckon even with the 50% share, Manny will still take home his largest payday ever. "Para sa Bayan!", but the Money doesn't hurt I guess.

PBA TV Coverage Workshop

2009-01-15T05:40:00.000-08:00

"There will always be room for improvement" was the message imparted by Bobong Velez, the former head of Vintage Enterprises who spoke earlier this week during a 3 hour workshop hosted by Solar in their main office in Makati. It was a philosophy that propelled the PBA coverage in the late 80's and early 90's into the best sports entertainment available on television. He praised the current coverage and encouraged everyone not to be complacent to improve even more.

Norman Black addressed the group as well as an analyst stressing the importance of credibility and making sure that commentators have to know more than the viewers. Andy Jao touched on the duty to know the rules of the league to be able to convey them to the fans. Ed Picson talked about the roles for the anchors and analysts during the coverage while Quinito Henson imparted how crucial it was to be prepared for a coverage.

The producers, directors, the commissioner's office, Solar managers along with the oncam talents attended. Among the talents who attended were: Norman Black, Paolo Trillo, Mico Halili, Magoo Marjon, Patricia Hizon, Vince Hizon, Peaches Aberin, Ed Picson, Quinito Henson, Jason Webb, Dominic Uy, Richard Del Rosario, Reema Chanco, Anthony Suntay, Ceska Litton, Vitto Lazatin, Marga Vargas, and Mica Abesamis.

For the most part, we talked about what was good with the coverage and what else needs to improve especially going into the semi finals.

An Amazing Series

2009-01-14T00:54:00.000-08:00

Some matchups are just made in heaven. Even if you pit two good teams against each other, if the styles don't jive, it won't be entertaining to watch. The San Miguel vs Barangay Ginebra quarterfinal series was one of those series where both teams just matched up perfect against each other.

All three games went down the wire and all three games were so much fun to watch. The heart, the hustle, the talent and the drama were all included in the mix.

Here's hoping for more perfect matchups in the semis and finals so that we can continue enjoying the best in sports entertainment!

2008: A Frequent Flier Year

2009-01-01T01:54:00.000-08:00

I started this blog in 2008, a year which was one of the most fulfilling professionally. I thank everyone who was part of the journey and made it such a good year. I actually hate travelling (especially with the tighter security checks) but this past year was definitely the busiest ever as far a travel goes. I took 10 plane trips (5 International) mostly for work with a couple as vacation.

I was able to visit NEW ORLEANS for the first time during the NBA All Star weekend. It was incredible to see some of the remnants of Hurricane Katrina and was inspired by what the city has done to recover from the major tragedy. I had a minor side trip back to my hometown of CHICAGO where I was able to watch a rare Bulls victory versus the Denver Nuggets.

Then there was BEIJING for the Summer Olympics. It was without a doubt an experience I will never forget as a sports fan. To witness the redeem team play, the closing ceremonies live, and other events in track and field was amazing as a sports fan.

Another trip outside the country included SINGAPORE to join the Beermen and Tropang Texters in the first ever official PBA game there. Most of the Filipinos in the small island watched and made the trip so much fun.

There were a few other trips to MACAU, LAOAG, BATANGAS, BORACAY and CAGAYAN DE ORO which were all work related. There were also nice change of pace trips by visiting BAGUIO, BORACAY (again) and BOHOL along the way.

Despite my dislike for travel, I will just be thankful that I have the opportunity to visity all these great places mostly as part of my job. It really is a dream job for the sports fan.

Archers are National Champs!

2008-12-10T03:29:00.000-08:00

Chris Tiu and Ryan Buenafe were not available for the Blue Eagles who beat the Letran Knights to enter the finals of the Philippine Collegiate Championship Finals. The Archers were missing Simon Atkins who beat NCAA champs San Beda Red Lions.

Props to JV Casio in his last game as an Archer. He has been one of my favorite players ever since he joined La Salle from San Beda high school. There is something about players and athletes who don't trash talk and still get the job done that I really admire and JV is the best at it. He does have the talent to play in the PBA because of his defense and his perimeter shooting.

Pacman Power (and speed)

2008-12-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

I decided to attend the live viewing at Silver City since most of our sponsors and clients, media along with close friends were also going to be there.

I did win a bet with my father in law as I picked Pacquaio to win. I really thought Manny would win the fight by KO but did not expect him to do it in such overwhelming fashion.

The screens in the main hall were hard to see at first because of the sunlight. But some black backing solved the problem by the time the Pacman entered the ring. No problems in the Decagon as the screens were of the LED variety (see pic).

The beauty of watching with 5,000 other Filipinos is that you can hear and feel everyone's joy and excitement everytime Oscar's face snaps back from a punch from Manny. I think part of the uniqueness of the morning was to witness this many people be unified toward one desire... to see their hero win and represent them and their country with pride and honor.

Much has already been said about Manny's demolition of the Golden Boy and I just wanted to post a congratulatory shoutout to the Best Pound for Pound fighter in the world today!

PBA Singapore Game

2008-12-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

The trip was only for the long weekend and we were very much looking forward to the first ever official PBA game in Singapore. It had been 3 years since I last visited the small island country and the progress was very noticeable. You can only hope and pray that the Philippines somehow gets some divine revelation to those who have the power and actually do right for the sake of their countrymen.

Smart/PLDT was one of the major sponsors/organizers and since MVP was also there, their team really seemed to have better benefits during the trip. They stayed at a better hotel, ate better food, and generally had a more comfortable time than the Beermen. It really helps to have the chairman join the trip.

The game between Talk and Text and San Miguel was actually pretty sloppy in the beginning with the Tropang Texters getting the upper hand eventually thanks to the outside shooting of Ritualo and Alapag. That simplifies the game too much but the bottom line, Ren Ren and Jimmy were clutch and you can't help but also be amazed by the effort of Jared Dillinger.

Just some of the Pix from the trip:

I had dinner with the San Miguel team at a place overlooking the man made wakeboarding location in the outskirts of downtown.

The Singapore Indoor Stadium was also a first class facility that seated about 10,000 people.

Good lunch at Boon Tong Kee with Mads Deguzman and dinner at No Signboard Raymund Miranda.

The Sweet 16 is Set

2008-11-18T03:18:00.000-08:00

After many months of tournaments and qualifyers, we have the best 16 teams in the country ready for a winner take all National Championship tournament. Ateneo and San Beda of course are still the favorites but with the lose or go home format, it promises to be an exciting set of games.

The most interesting matchups for me in the first round are the two Cebu teams going up against the two UAAP powerhouses UE and DLSU. Another one is the FEU/JRU encounter. This is exactly what we wanted, to see how the UAAP/NCAA top teams fair against the rest of the country's best.

Good luck to all the teams!

The Filipino Flash

2008-11-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

I got to spend some time with the Champ, Nonito Jr. while he was here last year. Solar hosted a few weeks of his stay as he got to know more people from the mainland together with then girlfriend Rachel. The couple was able to attend different promotional events, our Christmas party and generally had a great time with family and friends in Manila and Cebu.

Congratulations to Jun on winning his 2nd Title Defense against the South African and although I've seen the Champ in better form, he was certainly good enough last fight to still be called a champion. Champions are athletes who win even when they don't bring their best on a given day. They find a way to still win because we will not always be at our best night in night out.

There were some articles that came out from Manny Pinol and Recah Trinidad insinuating a rift inside Team Donare. I am not privy to the private happenings inside Jun's inner circle but it seems Nonito Sr., had some not so good things to say about Jun's new wife Rachel. I do hope it all gets resolved as "The Filipino Flash" is the next best thing after Manny Pacquiao in the world of Philippine boxing right now. From what I gathered, Nonito Sr. and Rachel Marcial were both positive influences on Jun's life during our time together.

Belair Cup Champs!

2008-11-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

Our Residents Team (Gray) for the Belair Inter color overall tournament won last Monday. Congrats to the team. In this photo includes Erick Reyes, Wowie Evangelista, Brent Javier, John Hall, Larry Lebron, Andro Torres, Midas Marquez, and Mico. I had a hand injury so I couldn't play. Beetle Lichauco our honorary coach is also part of the picture along with Mr. Ramirez, whose commercial team we beat to win the championship.

Report on the Business of Basketball in the Philippines

2008-11-09T23:56:00.000-08:00

On Slow Motion Replays

2008-11-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

Last night, an exciting double overtime game between San Miguel and Air21 was overshadowed by a controversial call at the end of the first overtime. A shot by Ranidel De Ocampo was only counted as a two pointer despite the 4th replay angle of the C/S 9 coverage showed he was clearly behind the arch. The shot tied the game and sent it to a 2nd overtime period but would have given the Express the victory if it was deemed a 3 pointer.

The PBA rules state that in the last 2 minutes, a team has to challenge the call in order for the technical crew to even take a look at the possible mistake. The refs claim that the call was not challenged all the way until the 2nd overtime period started. The Air21 staff disagrees and says they attempted to challenge numerous times.

The Air21 players were so pissed off that they even went to the commissioner's row at the start of the 2nd game to confront the commissioner in full view of everyone at Araneta. I was doing the commentary for the 2nd game and I saw Ranidel talking to the Commissioner Barrios flanked by most of his teammates. Before the conversation heated up, Lito Alvarez, the team manager and governor for the Express intervened and told his players that there is a proper venue to "express" (no pun intended) their frustrations to the commissioner. I do applaud Mr. Alvarez for keeping the proper respect deserving of the office of the commissioner's office.

The replay angles of C/S 9 has brought about a lot of added value for the viewers of the PBA. The technical crew has indirectly asked Solar to limit the angles in the future for reasons many can just infer. But these new angles have put all of us on notice that much more can now be caught on tape. Whether it's an innpropriate gesture from a coach, a technical mistake by an official, or a flagrant foul on a player, most of the action during games and beyond are more readily available. The technology by Solar should improve the efforts of everyone in the league to increase efforts to follow rules, limit cheap shots, and officiate better.

BTV on Sky

2008-10-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

It didn't last a year. The absence of Basketball TV on Sky Cable really pissed off a lot of people especially the die hards who need their fill of the NBA. Nevermind that it is also on ESPN and Channel 9, when the playoffs came around, a lot of the games were only on BTV. But you can't beat daily games with all the extra stuff and shows that go with it.

Sky had exclusive rights to BTV until January 1 of this year when they gave it up in favor of their new sports channel called Balls. So of course, Destiny was more than willing to take on the exclusivity which really helped their business tremendously.

Now I think with the clamor and demand on going, the only way to get BTV back on Sky is through a premium service where subscribers will have to pay extra to get it due to the exclusivity deal. Channel 149 is the inital allocated channel for BTV.

In the provinces, since there is no exclusivity deal in place, BTV will be back as a regular basic channel.

This all starts October 28.

Some Random PBA Thoughts

2008-10-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

Few things in the last 30 years can claim to have weaved its way into Philippine culture like the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). When it comes to sports entertainment, no other league has as much top of mind in terms of awareness.

The 34^th version of the PBA had some new things to look forward to. Aside from the rookies coming in, the league recommitted itself to putting up the national team for the FIBA qualifiers and appointed a new television coveror for the next three (3) years.

I just want to touch on some random observations from the first two (2) weeks of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup. First is the choice of Yeng Guiao as the head coach of the national team. I think it’s an excellent choice for Commissioner Barrios. He is a proven winner and is known to have a great feel for the strengths and weaknesses of the lineup he is coaching. He is a politician and knows how to push certain buttons and balance the egos of those around him. Lastly, I think he is one of the coaches who is most willing to get input from as many sources as possible to get the job done. He doesn’t complicate things and is focused on the task at hand.

Then there is the television coverage, which is closer to my heart since I work for Solar Entertainment. The games are now being shown on C/S 9, (formerly RPN). There were some components of the television airing that needed some improvement as we started the season. Credit needs to be given to the production team of Solar who made sure that all major kinks were addressed within a few days. This will sound subjective but I’m confident that the final product is as good as it gets as far as local sports production is concerned. It should improve even more in the coming weeks.

The broadcast philosophy of “Mass follows Class” has also had positive initial indicators. Ratings are up while the overall perception has improved. It seems many are starting to enjoy watching the PBA again.

The inclusion and focus on kids was a nice touch by the commissioner’s office. In all the years of the PBA, the opening ceremonies have not been as impactful as the opening games so at least the league gave dozens of young boys and girls the thrill of a lifetime by giving them the opportunity to meet the PBA stars.

As far as the games go, the basketball is still by far the best in the country. Even with the 4^th quarter meltdown by San Miguel (formerly Magnolia), it seems that they have the lineup to beat for this conference. Despite the injuries to Danny Ildefonso and Danny Seigle still a far cry from his MVP form, the Beermen have been the most impressive for me. They have the tools to be there in the end. Jay Washington, Mick Pennisi and Bon Bon Custodio are the major additions to a team who has a good balance of youth and experience. It is also the deepest team in the league especially when the injured get healthy.

The most fun team to watch is Rain or Shine (formerly Welcoat). Their youthful energy is contagious and coach Caloy Garcia has adopted a new system to take advantage of the overall speed of the team. Gabe Norwood, Sol Mercado and Ty Tang might actually be the best trio of rookies coming in. Talk ‘n Text was the clear winner of the draft with Dillinger, Castro and Reyes but the Elasto Painters’ set of rookies are giving them a run for their money. Dillinger, Norwood, and Mercado will be fighting it out for Rookie of the Year.

Kelly Williams is still the most talented player in the league with Willie Miller a close second.

The overall athletic level of play right now is probably at the highest in the 34 years of the PBA. It is still a few levels below the NBA and even the European League, but it is certainly top tier in Asia.

Alaska is the second deepest team after San Miguel. They have yet to utilize their rookies and their rotation seems to already have depth in all positions.

A lot of people have said that Talk ‘N Text has one of the best teams on paper. They have all the tools to go far in the conference. But you don’t win games on paper, you win them on the court. I agree they have the talent but they still have chemistry issues and they have not yet played a full 48 minutes of good basketball.

The Red Bull lineup looks like a very good PBL team. Yeng has worked wonders with weak lineups before but he will need a more vocal leader since his best player (Baguio) is as quiet as a mime and doesn’t inspire unless he plays well. The team is fueled by emotion and needs someone on the court who is an extension of coach Yeng’s character.

Overall, it’s been a fun start to the new season and there are enough going on to keep the interest of a lot of fans going

Ratings of First 5 PBA Games

2008-10-13T04:38:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of people have their opinions on the new coverage of C/S 9 but I am very happy with the viewership results so far for the new philosophy. I think the new cameras has helped in delivering the clearer picture. I think the treatment of the commentators has enhanced the image of the league and its tv presentation. I think the Inscriber although still under utilized is very impressive compared to other machines used in local coverages. The LED has also improved perception of the league along with a few other new features.

There are certainly more things to add and improve and hopefully we will get them done in the next few weeks. Sales and marketing also has to continue to improve along with all the other aspects to get the PBA back as the best sports entertainment product in the country.

I am posting the latest ratings. These numbers are according the number of households. Each AMR% point is equivalent to about 36,000 households. The SHR% is usually double the AMR% depending on viewing levels at the time of the game. I compared the ratings of the first 5 games in the last 4 years along with last Oct 8 game vs the finals of last season. The game last night (not included in the charts) was actually the highest so far among the ones shown on C/S 9 so far. All in all, a very good start for the C/S 9 television coverage.

2008-10-08T00:20:00.000-07:00

I tried to plot the AMR (average minute ratings) for the first 3 games for each of the last 5 seasons of the PBA. In the previous 4 years, the Opening Game was on a Sunday and the next 2 games were on a Wednesday. Only this year did the season start on a Saturday with the next two games on the Sunday.

This is an encouraging start for this season as more people watched the first 3 games compared to the previous 4 opening games. This is especially promising considering that Barangay Ginebra and Purefoods, the two most popular teams haven't played yet.

We will have to see if the good start in viewership can be sustained.

Thoughts on Game 1

2008-09-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

I had a very nice seat right behind the Ateneo bench so I had a decent vantage point for the game.

Game 1 of this year's UAAP finals proved how DLSU needs a awesome game from their star JV Casio to win while ADMU can afford off nights from theirs, Chris Tiu.

The Archers' full court press has been well documented and it actually produced better results in game 1 compared to their 2 losses to the Eagles in the eliminations.

DLSU needs to have a really good shooting night if they want to win because the interior defense of ADMU will just frustrate their inside game. So Casio, needs help from Malabes, Mangahas, Barua, etc., from the perimeter.

Al Hussaini is no doubt the league's MVP. The UAAP has gotten this award wrong before but I hope they get it right this year. You can see the desire in Rabeh's eyes. He combines his physical gifts with the intensity and maturity on the court to be the most valuable player indeed for Ateneo. He is also no doubt the most improved player.

All of Casio's shots were difficult. Whether he made them or missed them, hats off to Jai Reyes and Yuri Escueta for making JV work hard for every point (and non points).

I thought Ateneo controlled the game from start to finish. Except for a few minutes in the first half, they led from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Unlike in previous ADMU/DLSU games, there was no time when I felt the Eagles were in trouble.

SBP vs BAP

2008-09-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

The sad part about Philippine Basketball is that the leaders who are involved in the mess we’re in all seem to think they are doing the right thing. History has proven that those who sacrificed self for the greater good leave a lasting legacy for future generations to be grateful for and benefit from. Unfortunately in some cases, the greater good is not enough to merit the sacrifice from those involved.

It is so frustrating to us outsiders to observe how simple sacrifice would have advanced the cause of our basketball program this past decade or so. The Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) has been unsuccessful in tapping the best talents to at least give our country a semblance of respectability.

Although I disagreed with the reasons and even the process of kicking out the BAP from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) which led to our eventual suspension from FIBA, it was obvious that something had to be done to improve our performance in international tournaments. Pilipinas Basketball (PB), a group created to supposedly replace the BAP in the POC was not recognized by FIBA which complicated things. Only after an initial breakthrough in Bankok where representatives from all groups (PB and BAP including FIBA) decided to put selfishness aside for the good of the country did FIBA lift the suspension.

The new group formed, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) had a lot of promise. It had the resources and clout to get the best players. It had the support of the most influential basketball organizations like the PBA, PBL, and the UAAP. And it seemed to have an adequate network of coaches and officials to implement grassroots programs nationwide. It was supposed to be a triumph in human cooperation where two opposing groups put their pride and differences aside and work toward a common goal.

The SBP actually got a lot of people excited about basketball again. Manny Pangilinan, a respected and successful business person and a known supporter of sports, was elected president as FIBA required someone who was neutral from bothPB and BAP to head the new organization. The PBA gave its full support by adjusting their calendar and lending its resources. The PBL followed suit lending players for qualifying tournaments within the region. The youth program got financial backing while the women’s team started overachieving in tournaments abroad. Progress was actually noticeable.

So why, despite the steps forward, is there still division and efforts to derail all that has been achieved. Just like the POC, politicians are leading the charge for the BAP, which should have ceased to exist if the Bankok agreement was to be followed. The group started to disregard the efforts of the SBP. They began organizing their own tournaments and electing their own officers in blatant defiance of the latter. The SBP on their part, armed with written letters of support from the POC and FIBA, discouraged participation in the BAP tourneys.

Now the BAP has found a judge named Antonio Eugenio to go along with their cause and declared the SBP elections null and void while affirming their own. I reckon the SBP will appeal the decision and more legal mumbo jumbo will happen. But why is a judge even involved in the first place? The court stated that it was not impressed by the presence of the POC and the recognition by FIBA during the SBP elections. Is there just too much pride to go around that a judge with no stake in the matter deems practically irrelevant the governing bodies who have the most authority on the subject?

All of us just want Philippine international basketball to flourish once again. I’m sure there have been some feelings hurt with exclusions from certain processes and even moves that might have made the other “marginal”. Great men work past wounded pride and continue to journey toward the greatest good.

In basketball, the winners are the ones who are willing to do whatever it takes for the good of the team. Those who are willing to give up individual glory and focus on team victory. Those who know his teammates’ strengths and weaknesses and compliment them with his own. Those who step up in crucial moments of the game and deliver when needed.

With this new development from branch 24 of the Manila Regional Trial Court, we are once again at a crossroads. Our country is at risk of suspension if FIBA decides that we really cannot function as one.

Are we going to be bitter or better? Are we going to be winners or whiners? Can Philippine Basketball deliver in the clutch? Let’s hope all the fumbles and turnovers can be overcome in the endgame.

Random Draft Thoughts

2008-09-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

The PBA Annual Draft has come a long way from being done in private among the member teams back in the 80’s. It is now a public spectacle watched by thousands live and broadcast nationwide.

This year’s version, done in Market! Market! In Taguig had its share of excitement but most of the picks were expected as 19 of the 45 players were picked to play in the upcoming season.

The clear winner in my book was Talk ‘N Text. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the Phone Pals pretty much got what they wanted. Certainly, coach Chot Reyes would have preferred the acquisition of Gabe Norwood, a player he coached on the National Team during the FIBA Asia Championships, and I reckon he made attempts to get that number one pick of Rain or Shine, but his team still got both quality and quality when all was said and done.

Norwood (#1) was by far the best player on the list and he is a superstar waiting to happen in the PBA. He has the combination of athletic ability, unselfishness and winning attitude that guarantees prolonged success in the league. He will make the youngest PBA team a lot better. Solomon Mercado (#5) (from Alaska for Joe Devance) and Ty Tang (#12) makes Rain or Shine a much faster team and we will see if the change in philosophy helps the Elasto Painters.

I haven’t seen enough of Jared Dilinger (#2) to have a good opinion but I have seen a lot of Jason Castro (#3) to be sure that he is going to be a great player. The Phone Pals gave up Jay Washington for the 3^rd overall pick which became Castro. The former PBL Most Valuable Player was signed by the Singapore Slingers of the Australian League but with the team leaving the NBL, it seems inevitable that Jason will be playing back in his homeland sooner than later. Castro is explosive as a guard. He has a good outside jumper, can attack the basket better than anyone in the draft, is strong enough to defend even bigger guards, and is a proven winner. His NCAA and PBL championships are more telling than his stats which has garnered him the MVP honors. Note that Jason won his PBL MVP’s with Norwood playing in the same conference. He and Gabe will be battling it out for Rookie of the Year this coming season. Rob Reyes (#4) and Pong Escobal (#11) will also make the lineup although not as much impact as the other two.

It’s hard to fault San Miguel for foregoing Castro at number three and in effect getting Washington instead. The Beermen needed some insurance in the power forward spot with the injuries to Ildefonso and Seigle. They also already had Mike Cortez to take over from Olsen Racela which made picking another point guard redundant. SMB in recent history has not had great drafts and this year is no exception.

As far as Alaska is concerned, they got the players they were hoping for to plug some holes in their lineup. Joe Devance (from Rain or Shine for Laure and Sol Mercado) plugs a big hole in the middle where only Sonny Thoss was a true center. Kelvin Dela Pena (#15) , an NCAA MVP also gives adequate support for Willie Miller

Red Bull got Larry Rodriguez (#9) late in the first round, then Jeff Chan and Mark Cuevas in the second. None of them seem to be good enough to be stars in the league but I said the same thing about Junthy Valenzuela, Lordy Tugade, and Cyrus Baguio until Yeng Guiao’s system proved otherwise.

After great picks the last couple of years with Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes, Sta. Lucia picked dead last in both rounds because of their championship trophy in the Philippine Cup. Kelvin Gregorio (#10) will contribute some but he is in no way someone who will take over from Marlou Aquino and Dennis Espino as interior powerhouses. Chito Jaime (#14) and Christian Cabatu (#20) won’t be contending for Rookie of the Year as well but at least one of them should still make the squad come opening day.

Mark Borboran (#6) and Cholo Villanueva (#13) in the second round were picked by the Air 21 Express seemingly following the philosophy of getting the best possible talent available. Mark will be a solid contributor while Cholo might plug a need at the point guard position.

While Air 21 took the best player available, Purefoods picked according to their biggest need, a banger inside. Beau Belga (#7) is a wide body who will take up some space for coach Ryan Gregorio. Jonathan Fernandez (#16) is the best shooter in the draft but will have to play behind Peter Simon and James Yap.

Coke and Ginebra didn’t have picks because of previous trades. Coke needs to find some playing time for Kenneth Duremdes and John Arigo while Ginebra just has to get healthy to compete at the championship level.

The Lineup

2008-09-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

Only Three (3) didn't show up. Norman Black and Jason Webb were in Pampanga for the MyMVP shoot for TV5, and there was a miscommunication with Dominic Uy. The commentator's orientation was requested by the commissioner and I'm glad we did it. I introduced the new philosophy of the coverage while Solar COO Peter Chanliong, PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios, and Chairman Joaqui Trillo gave short talks. Andy Jao was the guest speaker touching on his over 25 years of sports broadcasting experience in the Philippines.

Andy's talk was very refreshing and he had a lot of insights and stories that was very relevant to all of us.

After a lot of discussion and review with the production team and the PBA commissioner's office the main list of on cam commentators who have been invited to join are:

Anchors:

1. Mico Halili

2. Vitto Lazatin

3. Ed Picson

4. Paolo Trillo

5. Jude Turcuato

Analysts:

1. Norman Black

2. Danny Francisco

3. Quinito Henson

4. Vince Hizon

5. Jason Webb

Courtside:

1. Richard Del Rosario

2. Patricia Hizon

3. Eric Reyes

4. Anthony Suntay

5. Dominic Uy

Interviewers:

1. Peaches Aberin

2. Reema Chanco

3. Lia Cruz

4. Ceska Litton

5. Marga Vargas

There are others who will be part of the roster but this is the initial list approved by the PBA and Solar. I hope all will accept the invitation and be part of the coverage.

Lutong Macau

2008-08-29T02:22:00.000-07:00

A few hours after touchdown from Beijing, I was off again to Macau to join the PBA Board of Governors in their annual planning session hosted by Solar. I presented the plans for the upcoming season and it seemed they were happy with it.

In the picture is the PBA Board with new Chairman Joaqui Trillo (front 3rd from right) seated with Solar Chairman William Tieng (4th from right). The other board members and the Solar management (your truly in the extreme right back row) flank the two chairmans.

It was a great stay at the Venetian with the largest Casino in the world and very luxurious suites.

Olympic Dream

2008-08-29T01:51:00.000-07:00

A lot has been said about the recently concluded Beijing Olympics. Mostly good and positive, but some not so positive statements have also been thrown out there especially when referring to the Philippine’s non medal performance. The blame game started a few weeks ago and continues in the aftermath.

All I can say is that the Olympics experience in China was one to cherish and learn from in terms of pushing the limits and being the best. The organization of the games was practically flawless in all aspects and if China needed an event to declare their status as a world player, then the Olympics did the job.

During the four (4) hour plane ride back to Manila, it was actually an interesting exercise to dream of a scenario where the Philippines was host to the Olympic Games. What would it take for it to happen? After going through the factors involved, it got a little depressing.

First off, we would need an airport that can take in almost three (3) million visitors who will watch the games. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) only has one runway and will not hold up to that many visitors arriving in such a short time span. Beijing created a terminal just for the Olympic family arriving with dedicated immigration lines and baggage pickup. There were over 10,000 athletes and over 20,000 media personnel accredited with a lot more officials and coaches from all countries involved. It took almost a decade to open a terminal significantly smaller in size here so an airport in the Philippines to accommodate this in unlikely.

Then there are the accommodations for all involved. The athlete’s village in Beijing consisted of luxury condominiums complete with amenities like swimming pools, weight rooms, and restaurants about a kilometer away from the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium. A good comparison would be the Rockwell group of condos in Makati City. The media village was similar although farther away from the action about twenty (20) minutes away by bus. Unless all the residents of Rockwell agree to move out and give way to the athletes, then the Philippines being able to house the Olympic family is again unlikely. That doesn’t even take into consideration the shortage of hotel rooms for the millions who will come and watch.

The venues and facilities for the games were very impressive. The bird’s nest stadium was state of the art with awesome audio visual facilities. The water cube was an architectural marvel and a sight to be behold inside out. It really is unfair to even try to describe how incredible the structures were in Beijing. All facilities were overwhelming. The closest we have would be the Araneta Coliseum which can be adequate for the basketball games but it would still need an upgrade in the LED and audio system, media positions and upgraded locker rooms. We don’t have anything else that comes close and would have to build from scratch for all other venues.

The transport system was also something to applaud. The whole city had Olympic lanes to avoid traffic for all accredited vehicles from one venue to another. That would never fly in Manila. There were hundreds of busses deployed so that at any given time, accredited personnel can catch a ride from one venue to another. The Olympic ID allowed free use of all public utility vehicles in the city. I can’t even begin to try to figure out how to fix our transport system in the Philippines.

Then there’s the International Broadcast Center (IBC), where the international media can go and get information about all the games in all the venues. There were countless workstations, LCD screens, books, flyers, and everything else needed to be able cover the games. Hundreds of buses were in place right outside for immediate deployment to all relevant venues. The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) would be the closest we have if it was wired with thousands of monitors, millions of feet of wires, and dozens of satellite dishes.

The one component I think the Philippines might be able to match is the participation of 500,000 volunteers spread throughout the city to help out during the games. Their contribution was just as valuable as any of the first class venues and high tech equipment used in the 17 day span. I believe that the Philippine culture and spirit is up to the challenge and can even surpass the hospitality shown by the Chinese people.

It doesn’t cost anything to dream and we can only hope that our country figures out how to eventually succeed in sports on the world stage.

The Greatest Ever?

2008-08-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Clearly, the darling story of the Beijing Olympics has been Michael Phelps’ quest for the most number of gold medals in a single Olympic Games. Mark Spitz won seven over 30 years ago in Munich, the last time the Philippines played a basketball game in the greatest sporting event in the world. Surely there are other inspiring stories but none has captured the imagination of the world as Phelps’ eight gold-medal haul.

It would probably take at least a century or two for our beloved country to match the number of gold medals that this phenom from Baltimore has won, if we match it at all. As we struggle to find our first (this was written before our taekwondo jins compete), a single swimmer already has 14 within a four-year span. In fact, I think only less than 10 countries will have more gold medals than Michael Phelps alone by the time these Games close.

Is he the greatest Olympic athlete of all time? Well, if you measure by medals, more specifically the gold variety, then there is no doubt. Mark Spitz, the man whose record of seven gold medals in one Olympics was surpassed by Phelps, is the first to declare that Michael is indeed the best Olympian in history. He has won more than any human being on the face of the planet. But are the number of gold medals the only way to gauge greatness? Let’s look at other criteria.

What about the athletes who have been able to dominate over an extended period of time? How much does longevity count? Greg Louganis, dominated diving, Theofilo Stevenson for boxing and Carl Lewis in track and field for multiple Olympics. Beijing is already Phelps’ second Olympics and he’s young enough for at least one or even two more. He won six golds in Athens before his record haul in China. So this is not a flash in the pan. Phelps fits.

What about those who transcended their sport and etched their character and personality into the consciousness and the minds of the human race by their performance? Cassius Clay with his style and grace captured the hearts of all sports fans with his demeanor and flamboyance. The young Muhamad Ali touched all fans beyond boxing and beyond sports. The single most recognizable personality of the Beijing Games is the American swimmer who has inspired a new generation with his simplicity of success. He has transcended swimming and sports in general to become the hero of all. Phelps fits.

What about the ones who paved the way to perfection? Before 1976, no gymnast had ever been perfect in any of their performances. Nadia Comaneci changed all that and revolutionized expectations for her sport. Before 2008, no swimmer, let alone athlete, had won eight gold medals out of the 8 events he participated in, all in world record time. That’s as perfect as it gets. Phelps fits again.

What about the athletes who dominated but was part of a team as most sports require? Michael Jordan was part of two Olympic basketball teams for the USA who steam rolled through the competition on the way to the gold medal. Some can argue that if basketball had individual events like the slam dunk and three point shooting contest, then more medals would be won by basketball players. Same goes for other team sports. But three eight of the eight eight golds won by Phelps did require teammates as he was only one of four swimmers who competed for that particular gold. So to a certain extent, Phelps still fits.

So any way you look at it, Michael Phelps does fit as the greatest Olympic athlete of all time. He shattered world records in world record fashion. He’s won the most gold medals ever. And he’s not done yet.

The only question remaining open for debate is if Michael Phelps is not just the greatest Olympian, but the greatest athlete in the history of mankind. It’s a question I reckon will not be answered easily or convincingly one way or the other. Michael Jordan and Muhamad Ali had much better careers outside the Olympics. You would also have to include athletes who have to be considered like Pele, Tiger Woods, Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky and others.

For now, let us just cherish and witness the greatest Olympic performance in the history of the games and be grateful that it happened in our lifetime.

USA Redemption

2008-08-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

There is something about embarrassment that drives the motivation of men with character. The memory of humiliation burns in their souls and drives them to do whatever it takes to seek salvation from discomfit.

The USA Basketball Team was pretty dominant most of last century when even college players was enough to be the best in the world. But when Team USA lost in the 1988 Olympics, a whole nation got indignant and clamored for the country to send their best, which were the NBA superstars. So the “Dream Team” was created for the 1992 Olympics with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird leading the way. Almost everyone on the team was an eventual Hall of Famer. They blew out every team they played in Barcelona on their way to a gold medal. Mission accomplished. Redemption for Team USA.

For the next decade, the rest of the world slowly got more exposure and although Team USA was still sending NBA players, some Amercian stars started to give excuses for not committing to the cause.

We started to see the emergence of non Americans in the NBA as all stars. Names like Dirk Nowitski, Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker started to turn some heads after the turn of the century. Even non allstars like Andrei Kirilenko, Leandro Barbosa, and Andrew Bogut started making an impact in the league.

The red flags started in 2002. While the subsequent teams in the 1996 (Atlanta) and 2000 (Sydney) Olympics won gold, the gap was slowly being closed from 1992. While playing in front of their home crowd in Indianapolis at the 2002 World Basketball Championships, the USA team finished a dismal 6th. The country who invented basketball was demolished in their backyard. NBA talent alone was not enough anymore. The rest of the world made a statement that basketball was a team sport and you can overcome athletic ability with beautiful, harmonious team play.

So while the American players were blurting out more excuses for not joining the 2004 Athens Olympic team like security and the need for off season rest, the other countries used the biggest sporting event in the world to show the world that they were the best, and that playing for their country was still a top priority. Led by then teenager Lebron James, Team USA barely came home with the bronze medal. “Lebronze” became the chant as the team even lost to Lithuania in the first round and eventually got eliminated from contention by gold medal winner Argentina.

After the Athens debacle, Gerry Colangelo, the Phoenix Suns GM volunteered to rebuild Team USA using his knowledge of the international game. He knew that Americans still had the best talent but had to change a lot in the attitude, mindset and system being used to build the team. He needed commitment, not excuses. He spoke with each player he recruited individually and made sure that those that were chosen understood what it was going to take. He chose Mike Krzyzewski, the best college coach in the last 25 years to lead the team back to glory.

The first test was the World Basketball Championships in 2006 held in Japan. After cruising through the first phase, they were shocked by Greece in the semi finals. That last loss hurt like a dagger through the heart. It hurt enough to get the same kind of indignation when the Soviet Union shattered Team USA’s invincibility back in 1988. The anger and fury can be felt with how each player has committed himself to the cause. You know the dedication is there when the best offensive player in the world in Kobe Bryant commits to being the defensive stopper of the team.

If the commitment is not enough, there are other reasons to think that the gold will be back in America’s hands in Beijing. This team will have had about 30 games together which creates the familiarity necessary for team chemistry. Dwayne Wade says “it’s a total 180 since the team has been together 3 years compared to 3 weeks in 2004.” The same concept is true with their adversaries. Many of the opponents’ players now play in the NBA so individually, there are now very little surprises. Each player’s style and tendencies should be more familiar now that they play at least 82 games in the NBA.

There are still concerns about the size inside but overall, this is the most physically and mentally prepared team since 1992. The combination of talent, commitment, chemistry, and resolve are indeed enough for the “Redeem Team” to live up to its name.

ADMU Barely Hangs On

2008-08-07T00:39:00.000-07:00

A lot of the top teams lost this week but Ateneo was the only one to recover with an impressive win over UST. The win sustained their number 1 ranking for the 4th straight week. San Beda is back as the top team in the NCAA even after their forfeited game. UP also peeks in the list for the 2nd time.

On Rules and Uniforms

2008-07-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

We need rules to have a semblance of order in how we interact as human beings. Some are unwritten but understood by everyone involved as law and should be followed without question. Most are documented as to not have any uncertainty for all concerned. Some of the rules are more important than others as they have heavier consequences.

In basketball, similar circumstances can be applied. There are some unwritten, where if you play and follow the sport, you know it’s part of the game, and there are some official guidelines written in a rulebook to get everyone on the same page. Some are also more important than others.

For those who know basketball, there is an unwritten rule that you acknowledge your teammate who passed you the ball that led to a basket by pointing to them after the play. You also never undercut a player while he’s in midair. And you shouldn’t talk back to your coach during a game. All these “understood” rules have different levels of consequences if not followed. Whether it’s not getting the ball more often, being on the receiving end of an unwanted retaliation elbow, or sitting on the bench longer than normal, the result reciprocates the rule broken.

Through the many decades of their existence, the UAAP and the NCAA have written and revised many rules for their basketball tournament. Player eligibilities, uniforms, game play, citizenship, and even the time allotted for cheerleaders to perform have regulations. All are important to uphold the integrity, order, and credibility of the league. But again, some should be more significant than others.

A few weeks ago, Sam Ekwe of San Beda College (SBC) Red Lions, along with Kirk Long and Vince Burke of the Ateneo (ADMU) Blue Eagles wore uniforms with a slight difference from the rest of their teammates. All three were in violation of not wearing their official team uniforms since some sponsor logos and the like were different or missing compared to the rest of their teammates. Both the Red Lions and the Blue Eagles won their matches convincingly. The opponent of SBC, the College of St. Benilde (CSB) filed a protest. The University of the Philippines (UP) who played Ateneo during their game in question did not. The CSB protest resulted in the forfeiture of the SBC win.

For whatever reason given, whether valid or not, SBC and ADMU broke the rules. The NCAA was absolutely correct to follow their rules in taking away the win of San Beda if that was the written law. No interpretations needed. You wear the wrong uniform while playing on the court, the game is an automatic loss for your team. If UP filed a protest, the UAAP would have probably followed their rules which I reckon are similar to the NCAA’s and would also ruin their top team’s undefeated season at that point. That’s how it is in real life and that’s how it should be in basketball.

Inside and outside basketball, rules are made giving different levels of penalties commensurate to the offense. Within any given game, different violations merit different results. Free throws, technical fouls, turnovers, and the like are granted for various infractions.

Along the same lines, I do believe that both leagues have to consider different levels of penalties for different infractions for future seasons. Giving a victory to a team who was obviously outplayed on the court because an opposing player wore a slightly different uniform doesn’t seem right. Fielding a player who did not pass the eligibility requirements is a much graver offense than having an extra logo on your jersey. But both have the same consequence. There are other ways to reprimand lighter violations. A monetary fine, a suspension for that player during the next game, or even community service are options. The UAAP slapped two technical free throws in favor of Ateneo in their first game against La Salle when Franz Pumaren failed to wear a required ID.

Life is not much different. All actions don’t all have the same consequences. Whatever rules we have in court, corporations, schools, clubs, fraternities, organizations, associations, and all other groups, the penalties are derived from the gravity of the felony. Those who arrive late for meetings are not as accountable versus those who don’t arrive at all. Those who steal won’t be serving the same amount of jail time as those who kill. And of course those who wear the wrong uniforms to school would have a better chance to make it up compared to those who fail a final exam.

Players should wear the right uniforms just as they should pass their courses in school. But let’s keep in mind which one is more important and penalize accordingly.

That’s how it is in real life and that’s how it should be in basketball.

JRU Continues to Move Up

2008-07-30T01:41:00.000-07:00

Jose Rizal continues it's hot streak and has climbed all the way to #6 after a very slow start. Ateneo and Letran stays undefeated to keep their top spots accordingly. CSB with an added forfeit win also enters the list again.

Upset City!

2008-07-25T03:51:00.000-07:00

We got our biggest upset of the year so far with UE falling to Adamson for their second loss. SBC also got upset by JRU along with their forfeiture but those results will be reflected in next week's rankings.

The rankings are getting more interesting and exciting with upsets starting to happen and some teams turning thing around like the Heavy Bombers.

Is Basketball Worth It?

2008-07-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

THE building and maintaining of a long-term national-team program for basketball has long been a project many have attempted to be a part of. For those who have been around long enough to remember, it’s true that the Philippines was at one time considered the best in Asia and certainly world class in the sport. But many who follow basketball now weren’t even born yet (yours truly included) when that happened and most of us now continue to wonder if it’s still worth spending the time, money and energy to try to get back some of that old glory again.

It’s still a wonder to me as to why Filipinos, despite the lack of height and athletic ability, love basketball so much. We play it, and follow it with a passion like no other sport. The money spent on basketball exceeds all other sports combined. The country overflows with basketball tournaments and leagues for all levels of talent. The availability of hoops on television has got to be more than any other country in the world. Basketball TV has the NBA, the PBL, the Euroleague, WNBA, the NBDL, FIBA, and whatever else worldwide tournament there is. Then there’s Liga Pilipinas to add to the PBA and the UAAP/NCAA. If you count all the different leagues and tournaments, there are now over 1000 games shown on Philippine TV with only 365 days in a year.

With so much obvious interest and passion, we as a country cannot turn our backs on building the best national team possible. The now-defunct Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) embarrassed our country when they were in charge of the country’s relationship with FIBA, the worldwide body who runs the basketball affairs. Once, we even sent the team from the Philippine College of Criminology to represent the country, a college that would’ve been lucky to be considered in the top 20 in the Philippines.

The new group Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) seems to have more direction and less self-serving intentions. We appreciate the PBL and Mikee Romero and others who have helped the SBP and sacrificed for the country, but unless we have PBA players, we will not have a chance outside Southeast Asia. With pro players, a ninth-place finish in Asia is a big disapointment. Without the pro players, we languished between the 12th and 16th spots in Asia. Our hearts can only take us so far, we still need enough talent to go along with it.

The PBA last week declared once again to commit their players and resources to build a national program. When I headed the marketing of the PBA four years ago, the participation of the league toward a national team was in my mind crucial to the league’s popularity and a goodwill gesture toward the basketball community. The best players, coaches and technology belonged to the PBA. I bought into Noli Eala’s vision that in order to make the pro league popular again, a full commitment was needed to the Philippine team. The PBA calendar was adjusted to coincide with the FIBA schedules. Now, commissioner Sonny Barrios along with the Board of Governors are recommitting the league after a disappointing ninth-place finish in the FIBA Asia Championships. The risk is there. Ticket sales and ratings have been known to drop when the focus is taken out of the actual PBA tournament and shifted to the national team. And what if we finish ninth again in the next qualifiers? It also costs many, many millions to build and sustain a team. Many say that we are spending too much money and paying too much attention to something that we don’t have a chance in being the best in the world at.

So is it worth the risk?

Absolutely. We as a race may not be as gifted or as talented in basketball, but our passion as a nation and our love for the sport counts for a whole lot. Basketball is our love. When you love something, you don’t settle for second best. So bring on all the risk and the problems that come with putting together the best national team as possible. We’ll let our love for the game figure out how to solve whatever comes our way. Our countrymen need to know that we are doing everything possible because the sport fuels our hearts. Sending another team like the Philippine College of Criminology is much more expensive alternative if you consider value for money, not to mention pride and credibility in the international community.

The Eagles Fly High to #1

2008-07-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

After convincing wins versus the defending UAAP champs and the UE Warriors who swept through the eliminations last year, Ateneo has taken the top spot as the only undefeated UAAP team left. SBC had a couple of close calls but remain with a clean slate along with Letran.

San Sebastian re-enters the top 15 replacing UP who got a rude awakening back to reality from a blowout by UST.

U.P. Cracks the Top 15

2008-07-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Expectations have been low for State U this year after a winless season last year. After their opening game victory, the Fighting Maroons find themselves part of the Power Rankings list. Aboy Castro and his team gained a lot of confidence last Sunday and can get more upsets as the season progresses. I also had UP at #15 this week.

UE has been my #1 all three weeks with SBC at #2. ADMU for me holds on at #3 with their win against DLSU. CSB was the other team also making it for the first time while Letran continues to move up the list with each impressive performance. It seems that the San Beda inactivity made some voters relegate them to #3.

The Case of the Missing ID

2008-07-09T01:20:00.001-07:00

Everyone in Araneta seemed to be confused as to why Chris Tiu shot two free throws before the Ateneo-La Salle game even started. The newspapers the next day attributed it to the violation of the Archer coaching staff by not wearing their ID's for the game.

I actually thought it was because of an infraction that happened during the round robin warmups. I was on the Patron area close enough to really see a lot of the action. One of the DLSU players (I think it was Barua), in his eagerness and probably adrenalin leading up to the game dunked the ball and hung on the rim for a few seconds. A whistle from a referee followed who saw what happened. He then started talking to the player explaining that you can't hang on the rim even during warmups. So when Tiu shot free throws before the jump ball, it seemed logical that the foul shots were because of a technical called for hanging on the rim.

Giving free throws for something unrelated to the actual game (like not wearing ID's) seems a little inappropriate. Failure to follow rules unrelated to the game play should have consequences that are also unrelated to the game. Maybe a monetary fine, some sort of reprimand was in order but not a penalty that has potential to effect the actual game.

Now coach Pumaren is claiming selective implementation citing the UST coaching staff also guilty of the same violation but with no free throws given to the opponent.

PCC Power Rankings Week 2

2008-07-02T03:34:00.000-07:00

My list still had San Beda at number 2 with UE keeping the top spot. It looks like the Red Lions' performance against Mapua really made an impression with the voters as they have taken over the top spot. The Altas jump into the top 15 with their unexpected win and Letran inches up the rankings after their first game.

Next week's rankings will include the results of the first batch of UAAP games with Ateneo or LaSalle at least getting a loss and dropping a few notches in the rankings.

The Cebu rankings are also in from Cebu media for this week.

Is There No One Else?

2008-06-30T03:25:00.000-07:00

Visions of Achilles taunting would be challengers really do come to mind after the complete domination displayed by Manny Pacquiao yesterday. There was no time at all where it seemed that the verdict was in jeopardy. It was apparent that after the 3rd round or so, the only suspense that remained was which round will the champion Diaz finally succumb to the barrage of punches coming too quick for him to do anything about.

I grew up in Chicago and I must admire the gallant effort from Diaz. The city is known for its grit and strength of character. Pacman was just too good that he looked like he wasn't trying as hard. It seemed like a walk in the park for our hero.

At least once again for a brief moment, Filipinos felt on the top of the world despite all the difficulties in their lives.

Who's the Best? (this week)

2008-06-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

This is it. A personal project has come to fruition with the help of the Solar guys and of course the sports media. We rank the top college basketball teams every week. A group of sports media people have agreed to be part of a voting process to determine where each school stands every week leading up to the national championship. Contributors include the Philippines Star, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pinoyexchange, BTV, Studio 23, Business Mirror, Universitybelt, Basketbolista, Manila Standard, Inboundpass, and Gamface.There are others and I will post the full list when I get it. The winner of the Philippine Collegiate Championships will represent the Philippines in the World University Games in Serbia.

I get to vote and I will post my rankings here every week. The actual rankings based on everyone's contribution will be published in the Philippine Star sports section and various other publications/websites like Basketbolista, Pinoyexchange, Gameface, Inboundpass, and others. This is a very subjective list but it's gonna be fun to see how it goes for the next few months as teams start beating up on each other.

My rankings for this week were as follows: 1.UE 2.SBC 3.ADMU 4.DLSU 5.FEU 6.CSJL 7.UST 8.JRU 9.ADU 10.MIT 11.SSC 12.NU 13.PCU 14.STI 15.EAC. It is still pre season so a lot of uncertainties and many teams not having a lot of exposure.

Can They Bring Back the Gold?

2008-06-24T03:12:00.001-07:00

Today, USA Basketball announced the NBA players who will be representing the USA for this year's Olympics. They were Dwight Howard, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Michael Redd, Jason Kidd and Tayshaun Prince.

For the most part, it seems like a lineup that has the talent, the willpower and the dedication to win back the gold for the United States. I like the fact they kept Tayshaun Prince to challenge the outside shots and switch on the pick and rolls. This team has the best scorers, passers and shooters in the world.

There is one concern I have. Size. Dwight Howard is the only true center and it seems that only he and Carlos Boozer have the ability to bang on a daily basis which is what it's gonna take if they want to be Olympic champs again. What happens if one or both get in foul trouble? Gasol, Bogut, Yao, and Nowitski are all in the same level as our bigmen. Interior defense broke down with the countless back door plays from the top tier teams in the world. Also outside of those two big guys, there are no other true post up players to take the pressure off the guards and small forwards. Maybe a Kevin Garnett, or Elton Brand off the bench instead of 8 guards (not counting Prince who plays guard sometimes) would give Team USA a better chance.

Zero to Hero

2008-06-22T23:56:00.000-07:00

Gilbert Arenas comes to the Philippines for the adidas Agent Zero Tour
2008
Gilbert Arenas, one of the best point guards in the National Basketball Association and known as "Agent Zero" being the only player wearing the number 0 jersey, comes to Manila for the adidas Agent Zero Tour 2008.
Arenas has collaborated with adidas with its thrust for Brotherhood and the core values of basketball and have come up with the Gil II Zero collection including the Gil Zero shoes and clothing apparel.
Arenas plays for the Washington Wizards and has been known for his fierce competitiveness and "shoot-first pass-second" technique on the court. Lovers of the sport watch out for his slashing drives to the basket and long-range jump shots. Arenas showcases the many facets of his beliefs with eight Gil Zero shoes including Black President, Vote for Gilbert, Channel Zero, NBA Live 2008, Hibachi, Customize, I Love L.A. and Agent Zero. Learn about the story behind each of these shoes at http://www.blogger.com/www.giltv.com. These shoes correspond to the eight core values of basketball namely Confidence, Commitment, Passion, Respect, Inspire, Sacrifice, Trust and Innovative - all these promoting Brotherhood in the game.
The Agent Zero Tour 2008 will feature community events, exclusive parties, and mall tours. On July 6, Gilbert Arenas is scheduled to visit adidas concept stores including Mall of Asia store at 11:00 a.m., Rockwell store at 2:00 p.m., and TriNoma store at 5:00 p.m. This will be followed by the Agent Zero Tour 2008 statement show at the TriNoma Activity Center at 6:00 p.m. where fans and sports buffs alike can have a once-in-a-lifetime experience to meet and greet Gilbert Arenas. Guests will enjoy the activities surrounding the venue and get the chance to have their Gil Zero shoes autographed. For more details on how to join, please check out Agent Zero Tour 2008 information at adidas stores in Mall of Asia, Rockwell, and TriNoma.
While in Manila, Gilbert Arenas will also officially lead the turnover of a basketball court to a Gawad Kalinga community as part of adidas'
mission to help promote sports among the youth.

Go Green

2008-06-22T09:12:00.002-07:00

Before the playoffs started, I joined an NBA bracket pool organized by Mo Twister, who is a huge NBA fan. I picked the Boston Celtics to beat the LA Lakers in 6 games. It was part because I thought those two teams had the best chance but also because I was hoping for the best possible matchup for all the fans. The only series that I got wrong was the Suns losing to the Spurs but I must admit that the Celts got me very nervous in the first round.

We received the ratings for the first 4 games of the finals and the numbers are very encouraging. All games hit #1 in the 4th quarter with games 1,2, and 4 staying at the top spot for over an hour! There were certain points in games 2 and 4 where the game had a 40% share towards the end of the game. Game 4's average share of 26% is the highest in the history of Philippine NBA coverage.

So the NBA and all the partner networks around the world join the Celtics in celebrating a glorious finals where the two best and most popular teams met and created interest the league has needed.

Where "The Best Ratings Ever" Happens

2008-06-10T21:48:00.001-07:00

In the middle of the NBA season, when the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol, many started to dream of a finals series between Boston and Los Angeles. Why not? The Celtics had the best record in the league and with the addition of the Spanish center, the Lakers had arguably the best starting five (5) in the world. There were questions for both squads. Will Pau fit into the triangle and other schemes of Phil Jackson. The Celtics, despite their record and their talent, didn't have anyone who had a championship ring in their lineup until they signed Cassel and Brown.

Now that all the hopes and dreams have materialized, expectations on viewership and interest have been met. In the U.S. ratings were up almost 40% from previous year for ABC 7. Here in the Philippines, the buzz is at an all time high. In fact, game two (2) was the highest ever rated NBA game in the Philippines based on unofficial AC Nielsen numbers. According to the same survey, RPN9 even overtook ABS-CBN2 and GMA7 for a short time right before noon in the 4th quarter of the game.

Sometimes, you really just do your best to market the product and hope for the best circumstances to happen. This is why we all love the NBA, where "the best possible finals matchup for the popularity of the league" happens.

It's Always Good to Clarify

2008-06-05T02:50:00.000-07:00

This post is actually a clarification on a point published in a previous post and included in Quinito Henson's article. I can take it back since I should have classified it as a personal opinion rather than truth. Mindshare wanted some sort of retraction from the statement "overwhelmingly recommended" since according to them, they did not recommend a channel one way or another. Maybe ABS-CBN is on their case about it.

I based that statement from the following article last May 27 written by Ronnie Nathanielsz, at the Manila Standard stating projections by Mindshare... "It was also reported that if the PBA games were aired on RPN-9, they would rate around 7.5 percent while if aired on Studio 23 they would rate around 1.8 percent." In my opinion, if your projection is for a channel to rate over four (4) times more than another network, it is practically a recommendation.

So my apologies to Mindshare if the statement caused undue strife. I did not mean to put words in their mouth.

More Solar Advantages

2008-05-29T23:38:00.001-07:00

Equipment. Solar just purchased a brand new digital 6 (Sony) camera system used by the NBA to cover the games. The system can take in as much as 12 cameras and is capable of capturing slow motion in all cameras as opposed to only 1 slomo camera used in all of today's local coverages. It also will have the inscriber graphic system which is the same they use in the U.S. basketball coverages. The Sony digital cameras should also improve the clarity of signal when watched on television.

Studio 23 will most likely use the same equipment they use for the UAAP, which is the same used for the MBA. That system is about 10 years old and although it is adequate, a lot of innovations have happened the last decade since.

A new LED system will also be installed to upgrade the current system on court being used by ABC5. Animations and other new features will now be available for the a better and more exciting coverage.

So the graphics, clarity, and other capabilities will be the best in the country if the PBA chooses Solar. The PBA deserves only the best and they will get it.

Experience. Solar has a proven sales team that can generate the revenues. It is composed of many sales people from Vintage who generated the most tv sales for the league in its history. The sales and marketing team also has experience from companies like ABS-CBN, GMA7, Globe Telecom, San Miguel Corporation, Ayala Corporation, Nike Philippines and MTV. I, for one have also worked for the PBA knowing a lot of the needs of the league on how to improve things. I also have experience working for 3 of the top 10 corporations in the country (San Miguel, Ayala Corp, ABS-CBN) so learnings from that can add to making the partnership successful.

The Solar team also has worked closely with the NBA visiting their studios in New Jersey and has attended many NBA world class events like the NBA Allstar games and Finals where learnings can be transferred to the PBA. The experience with working with the biggest basketball league in the world is invaluable.

As far as production goes, many from the current team came from Vintage and ABS-CBN as well. So whether in front or behind the camera, the PBA will get the most experienced and talented crew for the games. Production talent is not exclusive to any one network. The best people want to work for the best properties and Solar will hire the best for the PBA. The Solar team from production to marketing to sales to programming has as much experience if not more when it comes to sports broadcasting compared to other groups out there.

More Reasons to Choose Solar

2008-05-29T01:10:00.000-07:00

I forwarded most of what I've written to Quinito Henson and he's agreed to publish most of this stuff on his column for the Philippines Star. I'm adding two more reasons for this post.

Timeslot. ABS wants to play the games on Sunday morning so they can show it on channel 2. Although this might be something different and even worth trying, nobody will want to watch a regular PBA game live at the venue on Sunday morning. If a big boxing event like the "Invasion" promoted through the ABS media machinery can only draw 5,000, which is about the average attendance of the PBA, it will be considerably less for a regular PBA game. A Pacquiao fight is a 2-3 times a year event. Having PBA games on Sunday mornings on a regular basis will not get people to skip church and family lunches on Sundays.

Solar has a solid blocktime agreement with RPN 9 which gives the outfit the flexibility to air the PBA games so all games will be given priority on the channel to ensure the exposure for the teams. All games will also be replayed on Basketball TV.

Positioning. Solar presented a very compelling re-positioning plan for the league and its coverage based on experience and the current situation in the market. It is a complete makeover and change from how the current coverage was being handled. It is the kind of out of the box thinking that can give the league a boost in popularity using principles from recent bestsellers like "The Tipping Point" and "The Long Tail". It goes beyond showbiz cross promotions and a morning time slot. It touches on "social epidemics" and how the PBA has to attract the select few who influence the lives and mold perceptions of the masses. Solar will bring class back to the league and attract all social classes again, not just the lower class. (one more post on this topic after this).

Cross Promotions

2008-05-28T02:08:00.000-07:00

This is the second in a series of posts on reasons why the board practically unanimously voted for Solar vs ABS-CBN.

Promotions. ABS-CBN's supposed strong suit is their ability to cross promote across their media platforms. I think many don't realize that Solar also operates 3 free to air (1VHF, 2 UHF) channels and 3 cable channels. The ability to cross promote on ETC, 2nd Ave., Solar Sports, Basketball TV, and Jack TV along with the live showings on RPN Channel 9 is still pretty powerful. Each channel cuts across different demographics and can really expand the base of PBA fans. Based on agency negotiation rates, Solar offered over Php 200M worth of cross promotions spread across its 6 channels.

BTV and Solar Sports are still by far the two highest rated sports channels in the country and both cater to the core fans of the league. BTV is also the perfect venue for replays of the games and additional footage outside of the games like press conferences, practices, and events. Solar has proven that they can promote sports with the NBA, World Class Boxing, Poker, Mixed Martial Arts, the World Cup, PGA Golf and now the Olympics reaching their pinnacle of awareness because of the network's efforts.

Outside of the UAAP basketball games, Studio 23 really has NOT succeeded in its sports promotions with properties like the PBL and the MBA games failing to get the desired results despite utilizing the full media machinery of ABS-CBN. Mixing showbizness and sports doesn't always work as the PBA found out in the coverage before ABC5 took over during the VIVA days. The UAAP popularity is as much a result of Ateneo becoming a contender as the promotions of ABS-CBN. The UAAP was already selling out ADMU-DLSU and Final Four games before ABS started their coverage. The fact ADMU-DLSU was also a final four or finals matchup helped incredibly. When DLSU was suspended two years ago, revenues and attendance and ratings went down for Studio 23 despite the supposed cross promotions. I don't have access to ratings from the 90's but I have a feeling the ratings back then when Silverstar was covering it, was not that far from the ratings now.

Solar has proven it can build sports properties and make it bigger and better than it was before the network came into the picture. The popularity of Solar properties are at an all time high with the NBA, PGA Golf, Boxing, Poker, MMA, Soccer (World Cup), and even the smaller leagues and sports. (more reasons to come)

The PBA Chooses Solar!

2008-05-27T03:27:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot of speculation circulating with regard to who should get the TV rights for the PBA. Now that Solar was given the priviledge, I am posting some elements of the presentation for many to appreciate why the board decided Solar.

In my opinion, the process was already questionable with ABS-CBN being given an exclusive window to deal with the PBA. This is why ABC5 pulled out noticing the inherent advantage of being able to negotiate exclusively.

Reach & Ratings. This in my opinion was the biggest concern of the board. There is an erroneous perception that Studio 23 rates higher than most channels outside 2 and 7. Solar used actual AGB Nielsen ratings from the last 3 years which showed that RPN has better reach and ratings than Studio 23. Overall, GMA is the clear leader with ABS in 2nd place. QTV is in 3rd while ABC and RPN have been contesting the 4th spot all year. Studio 23 at the time of the presentation was actually in 7th place behind the combination of all cable channels. The latest numbers from early May had RPN in 4th place with the NBA playoffs in full swing and Studio 23 still in 7th behind the combination of all cable channels.

The board commissioned AC Nielsen to do a study in reach. RPN was ahead of Studio 23 in Megamanila while the opposite was true in the provinces. But overall combined, RPN was higher. In fact, based on the surveys, Studio 23 reach in Megamanila was lower than ALL the VHF channels ABC, NBN, ABC, RPN, IBC, QTV and of course ch2 and ch7. It was a glaring advantage that made a difference in actual reach and ratings. The PBA also asked Mindshare, one of biggest and most respected media agencies in the world with brands like Ford, Gatorade, and Nike in their fold. They are also the media planning agency of of Smart Communications, one of the PBA teams. The agency overwhelmingly recommended RPN 9 over studio 23 based on their projections and data (also from AGB Nielsen).

The most convincing statistic on ratings was when Solar showed actual ratings of the one program that was shown on both RPN and Studio 23, which were the PBL games. Ratings for the the PBL Finals in 2007 (on Ch9) more than doubled that of the the PBL Finals in 2006 (on St23). Same program. Different Channels. Twice the ratings.

Another erroneous perception that had to be dispelled by actual data was that the UAAP games rated higher than PBA or even NBA. Actual UAAP average ratings on Studio 23 were only 1/3 that of PBA on ABC, and 1/2 of NBA on RPN. In fact, even the cheering competition rated higher than the actual UAAP finals. Even the boxing matches shown on Studio 23 rated lower than those that were shown on RPN. Among sports programs, the RPN boxing slots rated the highest (outside of the Pacman fights which were even higher), followed by the PBA games on ABC, then the NBA games on RPN. So the UAAP, even with all the cross promotions, has never even come close to rating better than the NBA and the PBA.

So until the time ABS-CBN decides to put all the games live on Channel 2, RPN was the better network vs Studio 23 for reach and ratings based on AGB Nielsen data. (more reasons in the next few days)

ABS-CBN Pulls Out

2008-05-24T22:28:00.000-07:00

ABS-CBN after having exclusive negotiations with the PBA for two months, withdrew its bid for the broadcast rights of the most popular league in the country. The reason given was that although they were able to agree on many issues, there were a few that were non negotiable so the big network decided it wasn't worth it.

Reports from news articles state that the board had already decided and in fact had an overwhelming 8-1 vote. Purefoods even requested to have their vote counted for this matter as they also strongly felt Solar was a better choice to make it 9-1. So with everything moot and academic, ABS-CBN decided to pull out before an official statement was made by the PBA. Third party groups also recommended Solar over the giant network for reasons only the board would know right now.

Whatever the reason for the pullout, Solar now has an excellent chance in getting the nod on Tuesday when the board convenes again about the matter. Being the one who put together the presentation, I certainly believe Solar's bid was compelling with or without the pullout. If the PBA does decide to award the rights to Solar, I will post some of the bid details here so everyone can appreciate the strength of the proposal. It seems practically all the board members saw the merits of what was presented by Solar compared to Studio 23.

UnbelievaBull!

2008-05-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

The chances were at 1.7 percent. It was about the same percentage as the chances of the Bulls to make the playoffs this year (at least that what it seemed like). The lottery was installed so that teams would stop tanking games at the end of the season just to get a better draft position. So the worst team doesn't always get the number 1 pick.

The Bulls were not the worst team this season. But over 2/3 of the league was better. The NBA Draft Lottery worked its magic for Chicago and harnessed 1.7% worth of luck to land what could be another turning point in franchise history. They didn't deserve the luck after all the bonehead decisions post Jordan era. Now choosing either Beasley or Rose has a 1.7% chance of not helping the Bulls back into the playoffs. That 1.7% also immediately increased season attendance and revenue by $1.7M within 1.7 minutes. The off season just got 1.7 times more fun for Chicago fans. Ok, I'll stop now.

Respect or Ratings?

2008-05-19T22:52:00.003-07:00

Almost 2 months ago, about 2 weeks before the NBA Playoffs started, my cousin Nix asked me if anyone can beat the Boston Celtics this season. I was adamant in saying that the Spurs are still the team to beat no matter what the regular season records say.

Alas, after Praising San Antonio to high heavens, the defending champs got blown out by Phoenix and struggled going into the post season. I'm not sure if it was their poor performance going into the playoffs, or if it was the nagging injuries that still existed with their superstars, or even the fact that Phoenix seemed to focus all their efforts only to beat the Spurs all season long, but I actually picked Duncan and company to lose in the first round to the Suns.

For those who have played with and against me, they would vouch for the fact that I am not flashy and I love playing using the most basic fundamentals. It's mostly because I don't have a lot of talent to begin with and it's the only way I can be most effective. Which is why deep down, I do appreciate San Antonio's game.

But on the surface, I am still a marketing guy and the continued success of the Spurs in not helping the interest level for the league! The pick and roll, the turn around bank shot off the post, and the drive and dish for the three are all plays purists love to watch. But how many purists are out there? These guys (yes all guys) would watch anyway whether the game is fundamental or not. Everyone else prefers the high flying 360 slam dunk, or the no look ally-oop pass, or "the hang in the air until your defender lands before you shoot" shots.

Last year's finals was one of the lowest rated ever in the history of the league. I can't help but think that it's because fundamental (Duncan) dominated excitement (James).

Fly to Beijing to Watch Olympics Live!

2008-05-08T03:13:00.002-07:00

Just watch Solar Sports and the other Solar channels: BTV, ETC, Jack, 2nd Ave., and C/S for the Watch, Win, and Fly promotional plug to get a chance to win a trip with tickets to watch the Beijing Olympics. You just have to download the logos for the different Olympic sports. The more logos downloaded, the better the chances of winning.

You can also just text OLY to 2600 for more information.

Identical Bids?

2008-05-08T03:04:00.000-07:00

Beth Celis came out with an article last week stating that Solar and ABS-CBN's bid for the PBA rights were identical according to her sources. Ronnie Nathanieslz also reiterated the point and even said that he spoke with Ricky Vargas, the TNT governor who said there was no other choice but Studio 23. Unless there is some sort of ESP power going on, it is highly unlikely that both bids are even close. Each had different resources and strengths to offer.

First off, there was never really any terms of reference distributed to potential bidders. ABS-CBN had a exclusive window of about 2 months after which all the others were given 2 days to come up with their proposal. At least on Solar's end, since there were no terms of reference and no luxury of multiple meetings to negotiate, it was a one shot deal hoping that the offer was satisfactory.

All I can say right now is that Solar's bid was put together based on my experience as an ABS-CBN talent/producer, PBA Marketing Head, ABC 5 talent, and now Solar Marketing Head. All the learnings on how to reposition the league, and make it more relevant to our times were included. May 19 is the day the board decides. I'm certainly hoping the PBA will choose C/S Sports.

Closing Windows

2008-05-06T21:13:00.001-07:00

Over a week of no internet access has kept me from updating the blog so if anyone does read these entries, my apologies.

The second round of the NBA season is in full swing and most of my first round predictions did happen. The only "miss" I had was Phoenix who I thought would finally get past the Spurs. The only other surprise for me was the strong resistance from Atlanta to push their series to a 7th game.

I guess the question now is what to do with the Suns and the Mavs who both were elite teams in the last few years but now seems to have missed their windows of opportunity. For the Suns, Shaq is just too old to keep up for 4 quarters coupled with the worse free throw shooting in the league and Nash's defense really becomes a detriment in the playoffs. As far as Dallas is concerned, Jason Kidd just seems out of place while having that enforcer in the middle is missing to stop penetration against opponents.

Being an elite team is a fragile thing. Sacramento (Webber), Utah (Malone), Phoenix (Barkely), New Jersey (Kidd), Portland (Drexler) and Seattle (Payton) all had teams good enough to win in the past 15 years or so. A key play or loss here and there made the difference in having a winning legacy for the players of those teams. You can now add Nash's Suns and Dirk's Mavs to that list.

Here's hoping Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Lebron James doesn't suffer the same fate.

Matchplay in Bora

2008-04-30T04:24:00.003-07:00

For those who love the summer, an annual pilgrimage to the mecca of sand and sun in the Philippines is part of one's yearly ritual. Boracay is the place to see and be seen during the months of heat as celebrities, socialites, personalities, and everyone else flock to the island with the whitest of sands in the world.

The Solar Sports crew joined the pilgrimage as it held its Matchplay event to celebrate this year's biggest sporting events, the Olympic Games, the Eurocup Championships and of course, Manny Pacquiao's fights. We flew in the sales and marketing group along with some sponsors last weekend to kick off the exciting rest of the year for the #1 sports network. There was volleyball and soccer with a little bit of ultimate frisbee and flag football along with a seemingly unlimited supply of food and drinks throughout the whole weekend.

Tim Tayag was the host entertainer by day and at night, Conrad Alampay did some street magic and even Manolet Dario mixed some tunes at the Beachcomber Bar in station 1 of the famous beach. Many thanks to the Solar crew who organized the event and despite a heavy downpour Saturday night, the attendance was still good and the party continued on. There was even fireworks at the stroke of midnight that got everyone their second wind for the rest of the evening/morning.

Erik the Great

2008-04-28T17:16:00.001-07:00

So a Filipino finally made it to the NBA! Not as a player but we'll take one as a coach for now. Erik Spoelstra, just got promoted as the head coach of the Miami Heat after being an assistant for 13 years or so. His mom is a Filipina named Fe Celino, so he's a bona fide Fil-Am.

To tell you the truth, I first heard about Erik Spoelstra through the marketing books of his dad Jon Spoelstra. Jon used to talk about his son's passion for coaching growing up while he was a top executive with the Portland Trailblazers and then the New Jersey Nets. In fact there was already a Philippine connection as Jon spoke highly of Billy Ray Bates (who many consider the best PBA import of all time) as a positive influence on the Blazers team. "Ice to the Eskimos" and "Marketing Outrageously" are two must reads if you're into marketing and Jon writes it in such a simple practical manner.

As mentioned in a previous entry, I got to spend time with Wayne Simien who played under Erick (with Pat Riley as head coach) as a rookie when the Heat won the championship. He did say that Erik was so talented as a coach that he should be the next in line after Riley. I don't think he expected it to happen a month later but it's a great opportunity for all of us to finally witness his talent at the forefront. Of course being an assistant is different from being the head but Erik's seems like he's had the training for what he's about to undertake. Good luck coach Spoelstra and I hope we can meet someday. I'm a big fan of your dad's.

I found a very encouraging quote from Erick while he was still an assistant earlier this year from an article by Nick Vicera of Filipinas magazine:

"But there is one thing that I am definitely interest in doing in the future, and that is helping develop basketball in the Philippines. I have been talking recently with the NBA about me putting together basketball clinics in my mother's home country, hopefully in one of these next couple of off-seasons. It will be a wonderful chance to see some of my family over there and reconnected with my roots," he grins.

We're all rooting for you Erik.

Customized Kicks

2008-04-24T17:15:00.001-07:00

In going along with the spirit of individuality and finding your own identity in this world, Adidas embarked on empowering their customers by coming up with the Mi (pronounced like "my") Adidas program last year. It's basically a way for users to personalize their shoe with their own colors, graphics and logos to add character to the relationship between person and footwear.

For those who know me, my "mi adidas" shoe turned out to be mildly predictable. First off, my favorite sport is basketball so choosing the Pro Model was a no brainer. I feel most comfortable playing in black so it was the most dominant color. Since I did live in Chicago for 12 years, placing a Bulls logo and using red as the complimentary color seemed like the most basic thing to do. And yes, the number 23 is there in honor of his airness, Michael Jordan. I did think about adding a little purple since I grew into liking it as the school colors of my alma mater but the color didn't seem to have a place anywhere in the shoe.

I debated whether to place my name or "kaboom", a term, it seems many people associate me with from sports broadcasting. The picture answers the choice that won the internal debate. After adding a few more touches here and there, I got myself a nice personalized Pro Model kicks! Only the Trinoma branch offers this kind of customization and certainly worth a shot for all who value their individuality and the power of choice.

Has the Sun set on Phoenix?

2008-04-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Spurs have their game stuck on automatic. Duncan is playing like... well ... Tim Duncan, Parker is shooting lights out and Ginobili is living up to his 6th man of the year award. But call me crazy but from what i saw in the first two games, I still think the Suns will advance to meet the Hornets. Of course in a few days, if the Suns lose game 3, this entry will be proof that I don't know what I'm talking about.

Phoenix had one "hiccup" quarter in the 2nd game. They played pretty well in the other 7 quarters of the first 2 games so far. Phoenix was retooled to specifically beat the Spurs. Missed easy shots by Amare and company and better than normal perimeter shooting from the San Antonio guards did the trick for the defending champions. I definitely think it'll be a different story in Phoenix the next 2 games. Call me crazy but it's not out of the question Phoenix goes on to win the next 4 straight. Ok, we'll see what happens before I get committed to an insane asylum by super Spurs fan and BTV marketing guy Rely San Agustin.