Hail Mary Attempt

Forget Pacquiao's Lackluster Performance; This Trilogy Will Last Forever

2011-11-13T02:32:00.001-08:00

Yes, Juan Manuel Marquez may had gotten robbed once again. Yes, Manny Pacquiao had won because the judges might had smurfs under the table ready to hack off their crotches if Marquez won. Yes, a total of 36 mind-bending rounds of pummeling still were not enough to widen the razor-thin ambiguity of who is the clear cut victor.

Barring another fight, this trilogy will remain a cause of lasting debates for generations to come. More than anything perhaps, the closeness of the results from first fight to the ultimate is what defines their intertwined legends.

I sincerely think that we may have Pacquiao-Marquez 4, 5, 6,7 up to 100 and the results will always be a semblance of the previous. All of which will be close. Majority decision is the closest winning decision there is in boxing. Had there been a decision type like say "Conjoined-Siamese Decision" the winning boxer will surely get it. This was how each of these two proud boxers' fight unfold in front of our very eyes.

Imagine the generations of Filipinos to come who will remember Pacquiao's exploits and run over the fact that despite our national pride's murderous conquest of other fighters, was given a serious run for his money by a boxer named Juan Manuel Marquez. They too will have debates. They too will talk over the facts that millions others before them (including our era) had brought up over every time. Despite the passing of time, the zeitgeist of our present era when Pacquiao was at his prime is continuing to rivet an entirely different generation.

Had Pacquiao just steam-rolled over Marquez like he did with his other opponents, this fight will only be "one of those Pacquiao victories". There will be a monotonous stream of description of how Pacquiao won fights: through sheer dominance and absolute rule above the ring.

But Marquez happened.

Marquez was Pacquiao's sole tormentor-never mind the judges' decisions. We don't need numbers this time. Put the 115-115, 115-113, 116-112 to the nearest trash bin. The true result of Pacquiao's ring dalliances with Marquez is the fact and the lesson that as great as you are, you still have someone who can match you. Lahat ng tao may katapat.

Pacquiao won. Pacquiao will remain as one of the greatest fighters to ever set foot on the ring. He deserves all the accolades and ticker tapes that will shower his future legacy but let us also be thankful instead of fretting about his controversial wins over Marquez because the two fighters gave us a good debate for the rest of our lives

The 2011 PBA Rookie Draft List

2011-08-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

FIRST ROUND

1. Jayvee Casio, Powerade:It comes without much of a surprise that Jayvee Casio emerged as the first overall pick from the 2011 PBA Draft. Whatever the next season turns out to be for Powerade, their previous horrible conference performances were very well paid off by acquiring this prized rookie.

2. Paul Lee, Rain or Shine: The frequently mentioned amateur who could possibly edge out Casio as the top pick gets his own Rain or Shine jersey. With this pick, Rain or Shine is starting to shed of their one-trick ponies stereotype. Under Yeng Guiao's fiery coaching style, Paul Lee is set to be the anchor that would make the team an every -conference contender. The future of Rain or Shine just got one bald-head clearer.

3. Chris Lutz, Petron Blaze: First the gears that gave this pick to Petron. Petron dealt both Mick Pennisi and Sunday Salvacion back to Barako Bull in exchange for a returning Dondon Hontiveros and this pick which they used to nab Chris Lutz. A solid addition to Petron given his two-way style of play.

4. Marcio Lassiter, Powerade: There is no mistake in this pick. Only what-ifs.

5. Mark Barroca, Shopinas: Mark Barroca and his girlfriend can run onto the fields and seasides to celebrate his first dayas a professional (of course he'll sign a contract).

6. Mac Baracael, Alaska: A solid pick for Alaska. A perimeter sureshot with a penchant for growing patches of facial hair. Mac Baracael can only sigh in relief that he'd no longer have to be a power forward banging bodies with players a head taller than he is. Welcome to the PBA. You're 6'3 frame is passable as a power forward. But will he play the position?

7. Jason Ballesteros, Meralco: I can hear Marlou Aquino falling off at the end of the bench.

8. Allein Maliksi, Barako Bull: The "what-is-this-guy-doing-in-the-first-round". Should be the "the-guy-who's-nail-biting-while-at-the-middle-of-the-second-round".

9. Reil Cervantes, Barangay Ginebra: Mobile inside banger. Could be Ginebra's next Banjo Calpito only with a more charming hair-do.

10. Dylan Ababou, Barako Bull: Probably the steal of the draft. Just because the former UAAP MVP isn't given much of a playing time by Smart-Gilas doesn't mean his stock has plummeted. Other teams can just say "we wuz robbed!"

SECOND ROUND

This is the start the purgatory rounds.

1. Magi Sison, Shopinas: 6'7 big slotman who can hoist the ball inside the basket with exceptional accuracy whenever his free.

2. Pamboy Raymundo, Talk ‘N Text: Might be the next rookie point guard with a proud collegiate career but was reduced to a towel-pounding bench cheerer for TnT after Pong Escobal. With Jimmy Alapag and Jason Castro at the helm, this is a safe bet.

3. Eric Salamat, Alaska: I was quite expecting that he could be drafted higher. Same feeling that I had when Sunday Salvacion and Cyrus Baguio were drafted back then at the 2nd round.

4. Julius Pasculado, Alaska

5. Ariel Mepana, Alaska

6. Brian Ilad, B-MEG

7. Gilbert Bulawan, Meralco

8. James Martinez, Barangay Ginebra: Another guard known for his torrid shooting and rat-tail. Let's see what Ginebra does to this former UE sharpshooter.

9. Ken Acibar, Barako Bull: The youngest of the batch. Acibar is an interesting case. Who knows if he could pull-off a Hans Thiele with Barako?

10. Paul John Sorongon, Barako: Bull If you break down his initials, you'd discover that he can be in the same sentence with Peter June Simon.

11. John Marc Agustin, Powerade: Ato Agustin's son. He carries the genes of the Atom Bomb. His father is older than him.

THIRD ROUND

Congratulations! You have free jacket/Jersey and cap!

1. Mark Cagoco, Shopinas

2.Filemon Fernandez, Petron Blaze

FOURTH ROUND

This was how Apollo Creed discovered Rocky.

1. Gerald Lapuz, Petron Blaze

A Basic Look at the San Fransisco Giants' August Offense

2011-08-27T03:08:00.000-07:00

There are only plus 30 games remaining on the San Francisco Giants schedule and they're still lagging 3 games behind the National League West Division leader Arizona Diamondbacks. In the only real pennant race happening in the Majors, the Giants could not afford to lose some more games. If they plan to recapture the division, they should worry more about their offense than their pitching.

Their losses comes from the glaring and salient reason that they can't get enough from their bats. Well, they got Carlos Beltran from the Mets just before the trade deadline but a quick glance of their current August offensive performance made me think if they've replaced their bats with screw drivers:

With only 67 Runs, the Giants are scraping the bottom of this statistic rankings. The only thing missing to define their offensive futility is to snag Adam Dunn from the White Sox.

The Giants are third from last place in the National League in Batting Average with a moribund average of .240. But lookie here. The Diamondbacks are in last place with an even lower number of .230.

Posting an OPS of .653 is enough of an effort to again bag another National League statistic bottom place. And again, the Diamondbacks are in a close contention with a .655 OPS. Welcome to the National League West.

Fim Review: Snatch

2011-08-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

What looks like London’s answer to Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction turned out to be a shallower version that comes with two separated plots which both appear to be begging for everything to end.

“Snatch” operates on two storylines: The search for a knuckle-sized diamond that was acquired through a robbery; and a boxer promoter (Jason Statham as ‘Turkish’) who has to manage his fighter (Brad Pitt) into deliberately throwing a fight as ordered by a notorious gangster (‘Brick Top’).

The film heavily relies on riff-music and editing to control a convoluted picture that is heavily populated by a myriad of characters and several self-serving micro plots. Guy Ritchie played with slow-to fast motion, jump-cuts, and one Goodfella-like pause scene while the narration continues. Sometime it feels like Ritchie just put the camera on a Lazy Susan and spun it while the scene goes.

The characters soon find themselves entangled with each other albeit of varying degrees. Popping up like relief benchwarmers, several characters are inserted into the story just to fulfil a task deemed necessary so as to conveniently bridge the film up to its end. Jump-cut is the weapon of choice to transition several scenes from one to another-highlighted during the comically fast journey from America to London by the New York jeweller “Cousin Avi”.

Ritchie subjected the picture on a London environment that seeps with urban decay coupled with police-free violence. This effect further improved the visual texture apt for Snatch.

And with the left-and-right exchange of civil disobedience, you’d wonder why only on the last part of the film that a policeman has appeared. A good decision perhaps as an intrusion of policeman in the middle of the plot would only congest the scenes more.

It is easy to get lost following the story alone but when you account the accents (given that we’re not used to it), then there’s no reason left why you’re not down on your knees asking for a subtitle. Brad Pitt’s accent is a speech defect. I don’t care if it’s born out of culture. His accent is spoken like he had just tripped over a rake and impaled portions of his tongue with it.

Snatch is a ride. It is a visual ride with a story that shouldn’t be taken seriously. There is nothing beneath it. It has nothing to prove except that it has great editing and a roster of actors with serious chops.

The Georgetown-Chinese Team Brawl Reminds Us of The 1998 Centennial Team's Infamous Fight

2011-08-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

By now, a lot of you had picked up already the news of the bench-clearing melee between the US NCAA's team Georgetown Hoyas and a Chinese basketball team. The game were reportedly tense from the start and a brewing fight is simmering, only waiting for one errant swing of an elbow before it finally explodes. And explode it did. In this video, you can see how the athletic confines of the basketball court suddenly became a host of a fighting mess.

This led me to remember the 1998 Philippine Centennial team's game in the States against an NCAA Division I team-the Minnesota Gophers. The game became infamous after the heated and physical game erupted into a tangled mess of men punching, kicking, and grabbing the shit out of each other. Thankfully, that scene was made convenient to us by a YouTube upload which you can see below.

The fast shift of camera shots require the viewers to be sharp-eyed so as not to miss the highlights (to which you'll reply with "what the heck, you can rewind it as many times as you want"). Anyway, speaking of highlights, here's a few bullets to watch out for:

Andy Seigle desperately aching to have a face touch his erratic elbow (kudos to the incompetent referee)
"The Captain", Alvin Patrimonio, perhaps in his angriest self, going apeshit by pounding at least 4 solid punches to a hapless Gopher
Jun Limpot, after getting whacked at the back of his head by No. 10, searching for a vacant chair he could use to send someone to afterlife.
The referee crawling out as if he's just been rescued from a rubble.
Kenneth Duremdes testing the sole of his shoe if it would produce a squeaking sound if planted on a human head..

A Tale of Two SMART-Gilas 'Withdrawals'.

2011-08-20T00:53:00.000-07:00

Here's pair of disappointing developments concerning the preparation of SMART-Gilas National Team. One, Dondon Hontiveros will no longer be part of the team. The recent Jones Cup tourney turned out to be the last time he'll be in a SMART-Gilas jersey.Reasons for his leaving are inconclusive but some are pointing it to a bad "tongue-lashing" from Coach Rajko Toroman at one time during the Jones Cup although I would rather believe the other reason: that he's been a victim of wear and tear; the 9-day straight schedule of the Jones Cup took a toll on his 34 year old body.

I don't think Hontiveros would quit and ditch another opportunity to represent the country just because a coach had nearly blown his head off with some words. Being a professional that he is, I'm sure he's had those kind of experiences before and fully knows it's part of the job. The "scolding" were perhaps a result of several ill-taken shots that Hontiveros put up during the Jones Cup games.

The other development is the pull-out of SMART-Gilas from the Qatar Invitationals Tourney. The lack of players due to injuries and the small lead time for the loaned Talk and Text players to rest before the tourney were cited as reasons to the non-participation.

These news are troubling given that it happened just a few weeks before the Wuhan Olympic qualifiers. Those PBA reinforcement should have jelled well already with the team by now. We can only hope that these news would not cause disorientation once players are all on the floor playing crucial games during the tournament.

Where Would Casio Land?

2011-08-19T01:04:00.000-07:00

The submission of application for the 2011 PBA Draft is now past the deadline and a roster of the top cagers from the amateur ranks had their names on the list already. Some of the most coveted amateur players in the pool are from the SMART-Gilas National team whom all , except Chris Tiu (he doesn't need the pro salary I guess) , had decided to leave the program after the Wuhan, China Olympic Qualifiers in September and start their career professionally.

The player that a lot of fans and insiders alike are nosing to be the first draft pick overall is former DLSU spitfire and current SMART-Gilas point guard, JV Casio. With the pitiful Powerade Tigers drafting first overall, it is not far from being logical that they will draft Casio. However, surprises from the previous annual drafts can suggest that a shoo-in bet can sometimes turn out to be not the way how many had predicted.

So who will draft JV Casio on the night of August 28, 2011? Barring any legislative bills that would prevent Casio from being drafted, let's look at each team in their respective draft orders and analyse Casio's impact and chances of being drafted by that team based on respective current rosters.

Because it is near impossible that JV Casio misses the first 5, never mind get in within the two picks, this blogger opted to include only the first 5 teams in the drafting order.

1. Powerade Tigers: Powerade had a woeful season. So horrendous that my brother almost thought a crack squad made up of cigarette-wielding bystanders could beat this team minus Gary David. Kidding aside, Powerade has the unenviable situation where both their front line and back court need a thorough rebuilding (the whole team in short). Celino Cruz isn't the Red Bull guard of old anymore. Jai Reyes, as prolific his shooting is, can only showcase his toughness on defense when challenged by ball-boys during practice. The Powerade Tigers badly need a point guard that is not only deadly offensively but a tough defending point guard also. Those international stints surely has toughened Casio. Even with his top of the line credentials, he can't still be a shoo-in for the Tigers because of the aforementioned need of the team for an inside presence. Dennis Espino isn't 26 years old strong anymore and drafting a big man at number one is a possibility. Which could make JV Casio available for the....

2. Air 21 Express: Known as the "Grocery Queens" of annual drafts, the Express has made it a habit year after year to have some of the best rookies get on stage to model their cap and jacket for photo-ops before settling down in their round table seats and feel satisfied that they have another set of players to give-up in a lopsided trade. A peek at the roster of Air 21 Express would dislodge any thought that they need a point guard. Willie Miller, Paul Artadi, Marcy Arellano, and former SMART-Gilas head hunter Wynne Arboleda compose the backcourt rotation for the Express so getting Casio in the mix would only clog up the lineup more. Or, Air 21 Express will still get Casio and use him as a trade bait to get a solid big man like, say, Gilbert Lao. Not an ideal place for Casio.

3. Meralco Bolts: The Meralco Bolts team needs more to draft a coach than a player. Solomon Mercado remains to be the lead point guard for Meralco but having JV Casio would give the Bolts one of the best point guard rotation in the PBA. Mercado is averaging almost 42 minutes per game (41.88) during their frustrating Governors Cup campaign. Clearly, Casio can take a lot of load from Mercado if they miraculously snag him in the draft. Add to that the return of Mac Cardona and the thought of Casio on the same floor with the latter is a nightmare for the opposite team's defense.

4. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters: From Rajko Toroman's disciplined system to Yeng Guiao's "if-you're-free-shoot-it" philosophy, JV Casio could not be in a more polarizing offensive scheme. Although that is also to say that JV Casio would surely create a lot of scoring opportunities for his teammates once, and even before, he's hot.

5. B-Meg Llamados: The point-guard position in the B-Meg Llamados lineup isn't as promising as the other teams. Soon, Roger Yap will have to bid goodbye to his guard-bullying ways. Jonas Villanueva is constantly plagued with injuries. Drafting JV Casio at the number 5 pick is a steal of "bibilical proportions" (thanks Mico Halili). All there is to say is that a JV Casio-James Yap backcourt tandem is brutal and sadistic.

Laid Back Tim Lincecum

2011-08-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

I can only wish that I can watch premieres of Showtime's season-long documentary of the San Francisco Giants ball club. For the meantime, short previews of "The Franchise" are pretty much welcome.

Tim Lincecum is laid back type of guy compared to other athletes with the same fame. He differs in how he deals with his stature as a public figure. As seen on this video, aside from his pitching prowess, one can scale his demeanor down to the likes of regular guys. His attitude can be read easily: "I just happen to be a two-time Cy Young awardee but like you, I don't also like grooming that much."

For most of the time since my baseball fandom, I haven't really had a steady team to root for. Having no geographical affiliation with any of the teams, it has always been being a fan not of a whole team but the team of a specific player that I like. Now, I came to the point that it is the San Francisco Giants that I would root for. A bunch of characters and a star pitcher that is part Filipino-Tim Lincecum.

Film Review: Inception

2011-08-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

For some reason, mostly in parts in the duration of the film, Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity video, Citizen Kane’s Rosebud, heist flicks and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey all but formed a juggling reflection of inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Even Mc Escher was in the mixture. Kants and the Heideggers might even find this amusing because of the Existentialist theme.

Here was a unique plot of just blowing through dreams of some poor individual and harbouring whatever important file tacked beneath the endless limitations of the mind although the goal reverses when the lead cast tries to implant ideas through the subject’s dream. This is like what Matrix could have been if it met heist films like Ocean’s Eleven or whatever there may be.

The brilliance lies in the complexity of how Inception took in all unreal possibilities and train wrecked it into the subliminal and how the subliminal became the true setting while the real physical world is relegated to the bullpen. Christopher Nolan exemplified much of this when you have to account Physics into your dreams: So you have no gravity when this happens in your first dream? It delves even deeper when the subliminal gets differentiated when you have to dream inside a dream. There’s too many layers you wish you can group them Photoshop style.

Inception is one of those films where you have to watch twice to fully appreciate it, not only for the narrative but for the non-superficial. Some dialogues will probably require further dissection because the first time you encountered it might be when you’re digesting what’s happening while trying to locate that loose popcorn on your inner button holes.

The scoring is a tour de force. You have no time for the crescendo; it goes directly in the middle of the chorus. Just like in dreams, you always start in the middle not knowing where you were previously. The scoring is an African elephant parachuting directly into your lawn while your family is having garden barbecue. Relentless and unsettling.

The ending is one for the year. But it’s not as if it’s going to be as blurry and unanimously indecisive like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey. There’s been lot of analysis about the conclusion or rather the inconclusive ending and it’s mostly an open-thread debate. These are the kind of analysis where one enjoys watching a group talking about this and then one individual takes all responsibility as he rises to the occasion to explain it once and for all as if the rotation of our planet depends on his opinion.

Film Review: The Usual Suspects

2011-08-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Neither do I have the motivation nor an excess loose-change to watch some new movies on theatres. What I do have is the audacity to torrent films while at w**k. One of those films is Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects.

Here is a film of official off-the charts mind-blowing status. Here was a pre -X-men, Superman and Transformers Bryan Singer playing masterfully with the Film Noir genre. Here is a short plot:

A ship got flamed out producing enough burnt bodies to make you lose appetite for tocino. It only leaves two survivors: A Hungarian criminal and Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey). The Hungarian is nursed in a hospital due to severe exponential degree burns. Verbal is in a good condition and is about to be released from the police station after getting immunity in exchange for his eye-witness account. He was then interrogated once more by an aggressive and doubtful police asking him to repeat his story.

I’d stop there.

The characters were a bunch of unnecessary personnel that had they not been grouped together would not make their collective personalities act as a hinge which helped propel the start of the story.

Kevin Spacey, Kevin Spacey, scoring, the twist and Bryan Singer. You’d most likely bring the ending to your sleep replacing your usual 6-number combination juggle before-sleep ritual. You can never disagree if I said Kevin Spacey delivers the chills. He’s just sitting there being interrogated with a fake cerebral palsy going on in him, but yet he made you a believer. Yes, you can fly.

Kevin Spacey definitely owns those characters who radiates off with a poker-face and calm swagger while simply butchering off people (watch Se7en).

Much of the beauty of the film is not while watching it. It is when you’ve finished it and your mind starts to re-create it as if to retrace everything back to the start. I guess the budget constraint of the film contributed to the feel let alone the pace-setting scoring.

Some may say that they can already foretell the conclusion halfway through the film-and for that, I give you props and everything you wanted to hear just to please your ego with your genius.

Film Review: True Grit

2011-08-18T07:59:00.001-07:00

We never get to see that much of Western movies anymore. True Grit is a nostalgic remembrance to those folks who lived in a not so distant past and a pleasant introduction to those of the younger people. A reminder to the latter group that there exists a genre where a vast wilderness on the screen doesn’t necessarily mean it’s produced by National Geographic.

True Grit follows the story of a teen-girl who took it upon herself to find the killer (Josh Brolin) of his father. She enlisted the help of Marshall Cagburn (Jeff Bridges) to help pursue for JOSH BROLIN and try to bring him back to her county and be punished.

In probably the first Coen Brothers film I saw where a bag of cash is neither the cause nor part of tension, True Grit easily lived up to my personal hype- most of which stemmed from my ever-growing admiration to the relaxed yet spectacular actor that is Jeff Bridges. The Coen Brothers know how to pick their actors and partner with them every single monumental project that may have. Jeff Bridge is a wonder to marvel at in the picture. He bears the unintentional recklessness of a typical whiskey-downer but he just carried the film especially in parts where there is a little reason in the narrative to hold my interest and attention. Barry Pepper also provided a sound support towards the climax and as the plot moves on after which.

Of course, neither would the usual mundane approach of the Coen Brothers to violence is to be missed in True Grit. Probably one of the reasons why I like their style; they treat some scenes that are supposed to be laid with shrieks and piercing scoring with the enthusiasm of a dead man and yet it works.

The Coen Brothers-they’re just geniuses.

Film Review: The Man Who Wasn't There

2011-08-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

Billy Bob Thornton displays an utter display of lack in interest to life and its daily spectacle. He’s character seems to have the same reaction to a murder as to with a falling leaf. That, my friends, is someone you don’t want to encounter in a poker game.

In the Man Who Wasn’t there, Billy Bob Thornton Plays Ed Crane-a barber working together with his motor-mouthed brother-in-law who incidentally owns the place. Throughout the entire film, rarely does Ed be without a cigarette tucked in his mouth and curvy smokes filling his presence. Other than that, he has a wife (Frances McDormand) and together with his work it's practically all he has.

Ed is a good example of a man who thinks life is nothing but a stop-over before death-or so before a business opportunity.

When a strongly willed man barged into the barbershop afterhours, he talks his plan of looking for an investor and partner for a dry-cleaning business which got Ed’s inner desire for this venture.

This signalled the dawn of a criss-crossing maze which delivers just and logical conclusions yet for all the wrong reasons. The Coen brothers craftily lead us in every numerous turn but handled it with great pacing.

Billy Bob Thornton perfected the terse delivery of his dialogues in the film. In exchanges, he answers and talks with just the exact words he thinks needed of him without even showing any interest of holding an extended friendly conversation.

James Gandolfini ruffled mind and restricted imposing will produces for good encounters with Ed Crane. But the steal of the show has to be handed to Tony Shaloub who plays Freddy Riedenschneider-the top class lawyer Ed Crane tapped for his wife’s court defense. It may not be runaway since the Coens included a fine cast of characters to smitten the story with varying personalities.

For all the humour of The Man Who wasn’t There, an individual’s alienation and actions thereof were tightly explored by the Coen Brothers. Yes, Ed Crane is bored to death-but not the moviegoers.

Film Review: Mulholland Drive

2011-08-18T07:53:00.001-07:00

Mulholland Drive puts you in a maze while you’re in it and leaves you in a drunken haze afterwards. Although I have knowledge beforehand that David Lynch’s works were weirdly unsettling, nothing had really prepared me what to expect on Mulholland Drive.

Expecting that the plot would be a tad too easy to follow would be a delusional and futile attempt. On the opening scene, one would have been encouraged to instantly draw up and guess the narrative up to the end just like someone who intelligently drafts his own March Madness bracket because it seems destined for that old got-into-accident-and-now-this-amnesia plot.

There are a lot of characters who appears to be out of synch in connection to the story causing you try to find where they fit exactly-which probably would continue long after the wee hours of every night you remember the film. You have this greased up monster of a man, this mafia boss who disturbingly spits out a sip of coffee into a pristine piece of table cloth, a cowboy who speaks rather in a threateningly prophetic manner and an old couple running out of a tin can.

Even the texture of the film is a dilemma. While watching it, I have this feeling that this was originally shot with the intention to be a TV movie (after a few research, it turned out that my gut feel was right.)

Mulholland Drive took all standard concepts of storytelling and just re-arranged it in the same manner an earthquake would do in a village full of mud-hats leaving the audience in total disarray yet determined to pick up the pieces to rebuild the thought only to be stonewalled by the disconcerting structure of the story.

David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive is a hauntingly weird film with no spectacular acting and a narrative that just completely destroys all hope of unlocking it but sure is a work of genius operating in a universe of his own.

Mulholland is just one plain complete package of bafflement but I am a hundred and ten percent sure that you don’t need to be a Sigmund Freud to appreciate the lesbo play.

Film Review: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

2011-08-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

PLOT:

A deranged US Air Force Colonel orders his B-52 bombers to launch nuclear attacks on several Russian targets. Upon learning of the situation, the US President together with numerous high-ranking military personnel desperately tries to stop the attacks to prevent the setting off of the Doomsday Weapon which automatically detonates once an attack is made on Russian territory.

REVIEW:

The real and palpable possibility of a global nuclear meltdown is not one topic to be treated as a joke- especially in the 1960s when the Cold War is just in its puberty and both Washington and Moscow are a misunderstanding away from destructing the planet.

What Stanley Kubrick did was to bestow hilarity on the Cold War saga and lit it up onscreen with tickling satire. The grip of the ensuing doom and the rising degree of desperation are never lost despite the unforgiving laughter the satire may cause every time it appears. It is at times safe to say that there are times in the film where laughter is a decision because one could not prioritize the emotions that the film asks of.

“Gentlemen, you can’t fight here! This is the War Room!” Peter Seller’s US President Merkin Muffley role uttered this quotable line when General Buck Turgidson, a gum-chewing loose cannon who often delivers his line as if he has agitated balls in need of some urgent scratching, tried to haul down the Russian ambassador while inside the war room of the Pentagon. The irony is blissfully blatant and incongruous situations like that of Peter Seller’s other character of General Lionel Mandrake asking Colonel Bat Guano to shoot the Coca-Cola vending machine and retrieve loose coins so he could call the President of the USA and inform him the secret code to recall the bombers is as childish as it gets but the viewers are well-aware that the call is of great importance to the survival of humanity.

The film is full of watered-down maturity. It does not degrade the importance of the plot, what Stanley Kubrick did was to tackle it with an honest view of the ridiculousness of such thing ever happening.

Really? Nuclear World War?

Goodfellas: A Review

2011-08-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

Life is easy with gangsters; almost everyone offers a shortcut to everything a gangster desires. With Goodfellas, film maker Martin Scorsese made an undeniably masterpiece of a film, let alone an arguable best of its genre, look as easy.

Goodfellas is a story of Henry Hill and his tale of about thirty-years of wheeling, dealing, and living a mob’s life told within two hours of cinema. The film starts with a young Henry deciding to grow up and realize his ambition of being a gangster. While the Godfather throws Michael into this kind of life out of hierarchal necessity, Henry in the Goodfellas laid out his plan from the beginning.

Unlike the Godfather, Goodfellas distilled its characters into a rather more human bunch of mobsters with the same murderous tendencies. When Tommy (Joe Pesci) killed made-man Billy Batts, after which he and his trio decided to dump him in some vacant lot they knew, probably having a stop-over in mom’s house to pick a shovel and have dinner while a dead man is on a parked car’s trunk are not the type of mobsters previous genre films would have treated their characters. The miracle is it worked without reducing the compelling attribute of the situation.

A steady stream of narration by Henry and a couple of other significant characters guided the structure and formation of the plot all throughout. The characters in the Goodfellas were built excellently. The trio of Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci were each defined well to the extent that no point over the course of the film would you confuse yourself as to why this character does things the way that we’ve been shown.

A gaggle of characters were introduced just as frequent as they disappear through various brutal erasures. Knives were stabbed at chests, bullets went flinging onto somebody’s toes and people were left rotting inside garbage trucks. It’s necessary in a mob flick but Scorsese did it in a grand style. Incorporating popular music instead of orchestra scoring and using stop-motion visuals while the narration is continuing often is a gimmick that unintentionally leads to crappy entirety but Scorsese is no mere director. He crafted it and succeeded. No contest.

One must wonder how on this planet Scorsese not managed to win the Oscar statuette that year. Had this been an issue inside the Goodfellas plot, Henry and his mob would have stabbed the non-voters immediately.

Thome Crushes 600th Career Homerun

2011-08-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Two successive crushed balls were enough for Jim Thome to enter the elite hitters'club of 600. Presumed to be the most silent build-up of a hitter's march towards homerun number 600, Jim Thome rounded the bases mindless of it and with possibly the feeling of satisfaction carrying the burden off his back; that finally, the chase is over and he's a bonafide member of the club that boasts of Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Babe Ruth and four others.

At age 40, only the legendary Babe Ruth had reached the 600 Homerun plateau faster than Jim Thome. The Bambino only needed 6, 921 at bats to do so. Thome did the same on his 8, 167th plate appearance.

After Thome's historic homerun, talks were immediately swayed as to whether Jim Thome will be elected to Cooperstown. Several experts were quick to remind everyone that the 600 of Thome is not enough to breathe hope in his Hall chances. Why? Because Jim Thome happened to be prolific during the Steroid Era. That Jim Thome isn't a transcendent star. That it takes Skip Bayless at least five hesitations to figure out if he should belong in the Hall of Fame. Summing it up means that they give little weight on Thome's statistic credentials. If that is the point then it may be derived that had Jim Thome did produce exactly the same numbers at exactly the same number of games but only this time around, played with a coastal team, say, New York or San Fransisco, Jim Thome may have filled the checkbox next to "transcendent ". Jim Thome was pronounced by some not worth of the call to Hall because his name lacks luster. Isn't it a shame?

He may led a league only one-time in total homers in a season but that doesn't take away the cumulative boggle that is 600. The bottom line is, 600 is 600 and only 8 players, out of more than 17,000 players that set foot on a Major League game, had ever accomplished this rare feat.

Rick Rypien Found Dead

2011-08-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

In a span of a few months, another hockey hoodlum is found dead. Former Vancouver Canucks tough guy Rick Rypien was found dead inside his Alberta home and reports were that he took his own life. Rypien would have been playing for the reborn franchise of Winnipeg Jets this coming season.

Rick Rypien spent most of his career playing for the Vancouver Canucks and grew a reputation of a tough customer when it comes to fights and for which that he was my favorite in the NHL 2009 PC game to start a two-man melee. Boogard gone. Rypien gone. Tough guys dying young. [Yahoo! Sports]

The PBA: Where Playoff Games Can Be Taken For Granted

2011-08-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we were sworn witnesses to one of the most awful twin bills the PBA had ever offered. Two contests that match the antics of its scripted telenovelas time slot counterparts. Not for the reason of high viewership but for its stench of fabrication. The fabrication part may not be true but be that as it may, the format that the PBA instituted for the semifinals have led to this kindof bad perception.

This PBA Governor Cup’s semi-finals format is appalling. Most of the teams’ chances are pinned on the other teams' performance. Of course they wouldn’t have to if only they did much better during the Elimination Round (that’s Talk n Text) but to carry-over their W-L slates onto the semifinals is bewildering.

Making it to the Semifinals should be enough of a reward for a team’s Elimination Round performance instead of the format where a high placing team like Talk n Text having an almost shoo-in ticket to the finals. This format even almost disregards one of the best sources of the best stories in sports: Upsets.

When TNT dropped its game against Petron during the first game, Ginebra were automatically out of the running for the last finals seat. This game only matters to Petron and Petron only. TNT can play Gilbert Lao as their point guard for the whole duration of that game and TNT will still be in the finals because they were assured of it already. On the other hand, Petron, with several injured KEY players, badly needs a win and a succeeding Ginebra win to enter the finals, which at the conclusion of tonight’s games, happened.

The problem is that the format encourages the tendency of shoo-in teams to take games for granted. It should never be, given that it is the playoffs. Every team should have the intense feeling that each game is a “must win” and each loss is a huge setback. This attitude was never in display during that TNT-Petron game-at least for one team. It is a disgusting playoffs sight. A team who takes a PLAYOFF game for granted!

Fans and critics who are very much aloud in their thoughts that the games were pre-meditated and fixed can’t be blamed because the format affords the tendency of such assumptions and tirades.

Jesus Christ. What is happening to the PBA.

Sunday's Mysteries

2011-07-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

It's not the Red Sox. And it's not the Yankees. Neither of these giants who need another starter snagged Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies. The 27 year old right-hander was sent to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for four prospects. [Sports Illustrated]

Fedor Emalianenko might as well be on his way to retirement after Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Dan Henderson knocked the Russian soul out of well, the Russian MMA legend. [ESPN]

Jeter has already 3, 000 Homers. That is according to NBC

2011-07-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Derek Jeter has already more homeruns than Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Jesus combined.

Mark Cuban would be a welcome addition for the MLB

2011-06-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Dodgers is in some deep debt stemming from whatever the fuck Frank McCourt had done to this baseball franchise. When Bud Selig nixed that television deal last week, McCourt had his last string of hope mercilessly cut. The Dodgers, I assume, needs financing that Mr. McCourt obviously doesn't have the capacity anymore unless the whole Major League Baseball organization unanimously agree that all Dodgers could just be salaried by hotdogs or anything of lesser cost.

Major League Baseball has no salary cap. Mark Cuban is a free-spending sports tycoon that he could even afford paying Optimus Prime to play for well, the Mavs. He has shown interest in buying the Dodgers but this interest could have already faded now. The point is, if Mark Cuban sees the Dodgers as fixable and worthy of purchase, he would be great owner. He is an innovator and is unafraid of doing things differently. Does Bud Selig think that Cuban's antics would alienate the league?

Boston Bruins is 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Champions

2011-06-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

The Boston Bruins molested Canucks' goalie Roberto Luongo and wins Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Bruins' goalie Tim Thomas was awarded with the Conn Smyth trophy capping of a great season replete with a Venzina Trophy.

With or Without the NBA next season, I'll be just fine (guaranteed for one season only)

2011-06-10T04:17:00.001-07:00

While the euphoria of this year’s edition of the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks continue to cause a sharp increase in the usage of Sick and Vacation Leaves among employees, raging searches of “NBA live streaming” online from those who are passionately immersed in their covert mission to do some Homing From Work and school/college kids who either miss or cut class to be witnesses of a Brian Cardinal finals sighting, there is one real impending news that is of great probability to happen that we, as a nation that considers basketball as a pseudo-religion, might associate with the portent of the 2012 world destruction: That there might be no NBA games to watch next season. A flat-out 11 months straight of dead scoreboards and hard courts devoid of LeBron James’ dunks, Kobe Bryant’s fadeaways and Anderson Varejao’s hair. Simply put, it is going to be an 11 month long offseason.

Why the possibility of a stoppage? Apparently, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA Players’ Association and the league owners is about to expire by June 30 and if a deal is not reached by that time, a looming lockout can be expected.

Maybe an agreement can be reached in one of the succeeding months and games will be played but only in a shortened season that would hearken back memories of the 1999 San Antonio Spurs winning its franchise’s first Larry O’ Brien trophy when the regular season was only 50 games long. This is all hoping-for-the-best scenario in which a regular sports fan could really do nothing except shed some patience and wait.

Now, how do you fill-up the vacated calendar of NBA basketball? In the regular NBA offseason, the collegiate cage wars of the NCAA and the UAAP give us a respite from our offshore basketball addiction. Top amateur standouts from top colleges and universities provide us a brand of play that differs greatly from what we’ve been watching for the last nine months from the NBA. We see raw talent and sheer youthful determination as the main ingredients of the entertainment of these leagues not to mention the rivalries and the affiliations that come with it. In the normal cycle of basketball schedule in the Philippines, once the champions of the NCAA and UAAP are crowned which is around October, NBA basketball is just a couple of weeks away and the lust for it to begin merely fills up the remaining days before opening night.

Then there’s the PBA. Switching back to a three-conference season makes for more championships and a smaller offseason gaps which is perfect for a cage-wars thirsty legion of fans. The Commissioner’s Cup is underway just as the NBA season ends benefiting the PBA as it no longer had to compete for viewers and attention with the NBA. Let’s admit it already, the PBA, especially to the younger generation, does not hold much aura anymore that would enamor these kids. Cable TV and the internet bombarded them with daily supply of endless thread of highlight reel dunks leaving this portion of fans unjustly looking for the same in the local professional league.

An absence by the NBA may not be that bad after all. Idle sports fans might have their attention gravitated towards another sport that they are unknowledgeable about. The cravings for an NBA game could lead a lot of people into looking for another league regardless of sport that they can follow. Migration of interest is essential to anyone into becoming permanent patrons of any league. I know this all too well. I have my experiences. My continuous fandom for Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Hockey League (NHL) was born out of a mixture: A crushing gusto to interest myself into another type of sport (since basketball has pretty much engulfed my sports calendar, knowledge and thirst) and of an unexpected rendezvous.

The 2001 World Series was surprisingly televised locally by Studio 23. The games were live and featured the Arizona Diamondbacks and the defending champion New York Yankees. This was the start of my eventual fandom to baseball. My friends say it was a boring game which I think is agreeable given the palpable lack of action. I thought baseball was a boring game entirely because I was ignorant about the game. A huge step towards appreciating America’s national pastime happened during that rare local airing of a baseball game-and a World Series at that!

The MLB season covers the months of April up to September. In this manner, I get to continue enjoying North American professional team sports even after the NBA season ended.

During my first stint as a working professional, I happen to come across hockey. Working in a private cubicle is often a temptation to delay work in exchange of some non-work related surfing. The NBA Playoffs was then underway and browsing the latest news and updates while in the office is the best way to keep me from having my head slumped on the desk out of post-lunch drowsiness. I noticed that many sports blog and news aggregator were not only filled with stories of only one league's playoffs.

The NHL’s season begins almost simultaneously with the NBA’s. Following both from 0-0 standings to the game sevens of both playoffs is a sports fan’s nirvana. Playoff-gasm if you may. Shifting from one league to the other creates personal excitement that is unrivaled by the personal excitement that I could get when I’m just following the NBA. Don’t get me wrong, I followed the NHL not for the sake of just having another sport to root. I discovered and acknowledged upon then that hockey is one tough, exciting and intensity-full sport. No touch fouls, fighting is allowed, hard, crushing hits and the tradition itself are all reasons as to why I find it THIS appealing.

The blank NBA calendar can spawn similar stories. It can also heighten a somewhat pedestrian interest to a sport. Filipinos might soon find the Azkals a bigger place in their households. With no competition from the NBA again, the Azkals can get all the exposure and all the love they can get.

The beauty of a life filled with sports, as I discovered, is bliss. Amidst the real world problems, the stress of work and every real-life upsets, there is always something I can resort and absorb myself into. And guess what, this escape isn’t short-lived. It is a season-long affair.

So long NBA, with or without you, I am just fine. But please, I can only carry on without your league for some time.

Stanley Cup Finals Game 1: Of Biting and Canucks' Late Game Winner

2011-06-02T02:29:00.001-07:00

The first game of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins went deep into the third period with the scoreboard registering a scoreless tie. That's until Raffi Torres slid the puck past Bruins' goalie Tim Thomas with 18.5 seconds to go before overtime. Canucks lead series 1-0.

As late as the first goal had come, we were still entertained by witnessing a frustrated attempt of cannibalism when Vancouver's Alex Burrows bit the finger of Boston center Patrice Bergeron.

2011 NBA Finals' Game 1: LeBron' s First Finals Win (Never mind Bosh's)

2011-06-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was LeBron's day. It does not matter if they won as a team. It was still LeBron James' day. Their Game 1 win over the Dallas Mavericks is The King's first finals win. Remember that in 2007, James and the rest of the Cavs were rolled over by the Spurs in the fewest number of games possible to win the championship. Lebron's three wins away from redemption. Three wins away from nailing The Decision down for good. The Larry O' Brien is his weapon of choice to silence most of his critics.

The win is either a portent of the many championship James and the rest of the Big Three could achieve in the future or a smashing finals debut for a doomed finals ride because Dallas is still dangerous. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, Peja Stojakovic, Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler. A group of great veterans hoping that their collective desperation could win them the ever elusive Championship Trophy. It is an outrageous reality that someone like Mark Madsen has more rings than all of these aforementioned Mavericks combined.

The Brilliant Chino Trinidad and Quinito Henson

2011-05-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

Note: I wrote this three years ago and posted on my Multiply account just after the Pacquiao-Diaz fight. The fight were covered by Chino Trinidad and Quinito Henson. I sure did hope then that the referee would also call a stoppage to their ultra-dramatic radio play-esque broadcast.

Someone mentioned to me that Joe Cantada was the best of all the local Sports Commentators. He need only to mention two Cantada trademarks phrases to convince myself that he really is in a class of his own.

“There is still an eternity of basketball left”
“This is going to be another cardiac finish”

Yesterday’s Diaz-Pacquiao lightweight action was covered by Nonito Donaire and two other men who are going overly dramatic over the intangibles of the fight: Quinito Henson and Chino Trinidad.

Just as Pacquiao is shoe-shining Diaz’ face with a series of combinations, here goes Chino Trinidad with a combination of his own monologues that could rival not the punches of Pacquiao, but the narration of Ate Charo in Maalaala Mo Kaya only with too much zeal.

“Bilib talaga ako sa PUSO ni Diaz”,
“Grabe ang PUSO ni Diaz”,
“Ibang klase ang ipinapakitang PUSO nitong si Diaz.

Ladies and Gentlemen the brilliant Chino Trinidad.

And to complement him is the winner of Bikini Bottom’s Squidward Look-Alike Contest Quinito Henson. Mr. Henson is a walking sports encyclopedia who became known for his deep arsenal of sports facts and analysis. Hands down he is the book smartest of all sports journalists locally.

While Manny Pacquiao has cemented his position as the planet’s Pound for Pound king with his obliteration of Diaz, Mr. Quinito Henson has also solidified his position as one of the world’s Pound for Pound bests when it comes to stating the obvious.

It is wishful thinking to expect that the next brawl would be covered by the HBO guys and not these two men who has been robbing us of precious intelligent technical knowledge of the games.

I got a hard bound book titled ESPN 25 which I dug up in Buy-the-Book for just 99 pesos. I envy the people of America that they have ESPN giving their sports a culture of their own. The sports journalists are very creative with coming up with their game descriptions.

“Puttin’ the Biscuit in the Basket”
Three ball, corner pocket.”
That ball has been voted off the island!”

Missing Marlboro

2011-05-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Marlboro Tour days were long gone. The names that so frequently occupy the sports pages during those days barely make it to today’s sports sections. Espiritu, Davadilla, Guieb, Domingo, Dolosa et al. These cyclists, these athletes, with their aerodynamic helmets, wind glasses and heat-oppressed faces, I admit I had a hard time recognizing their faces.

But I don’t mistake their respective names with somebody else’s. Not to a college ball player. Not to some up-and-coming boxer. Not to anyone’s. Doing so gravely betrays the time spent of repeatedly looking at the television coverage’s leader board updates thus leaving a mark in my then young and shallow collection of athletes ‘names.

Comparing these local sports heroes to today’s generation of cyclists is a popularity mismatch.

I completely understand that Marlboro is just the major sponsor of these twin-wheeled races and even with its support withdrawal, the race is continued to be staged each year since. Of course, there were a few major sponsors that filled the void left by Marlboro but none were able to salvage or even relish the great success of the previous partnership.

And each of the succeeding editions of this summer sport spectacle also continued to decline not only in stages but also in the public’s immediate awareness. There were fewer columns and smaller photos of the event in the papers today dedicated to the cycling event. No TV station broadcast the races either. To sum it up, I think the tour is sadly drifting into oblivion if it had not already.

Honestly speaking, I haven’t followed any of the races anymore. The last time I truly and religiously followed it was in 2004 when Enrique Domingo had all but won the tour only to fade in the last stages. It was won by Lloyd Reynante. I even had the effort to cut newspaper clippings of it which to this day still steadily sits in an old clear book.

The yearly tour will continue. It will strive. But matching even its most recent of glory days isn’t in the horizon. It hasn’t passed the time trials yet. Soon, another summer would end without it making a significant buzz.

The Playoffs: Bulls Lead Series; Red Wings Forces Game 7

2011-05-11T01:46:00.000-07:00

Chicago is on the verge of making it to the Eastern Conference Finals after staving off Josh Smith and the Hawks in Game 5 of their series with a 95-83 win.

One thing for the Hawks: If you're against a powerhouse team built mostly with former Utah Jazz starters and inserted them into an already potent team that is the Chicago Bulls, someone in your team who goes by the name of Jamal Crawford should score more than a paltry 2 points.

Another opportunity for the NHL and its fans to witness a Game 7 after a team trailed 0-3 in a series. The Detroit Red Wings coursed through a 3-1 win against the San Jose Sharks. After Jeremy Roenick called out Patrick Marleu "gutless" on live television, the Sharks went out of their way to prove that it isn't just Marleu, but the whole team-at least in this Game 6 battle.

Oklahoma Thunders-Memphis Grizzlies’ Game 4

2011-05-10T01:44:00.001-07:00

The Game 4 of the Western Conference Semi-finals between the Oklahoma Thunders and Memphis Grizzlies seems to know no concept of ceasefire unless the second-coming of Christ calls everything to a halt.

There were 3 overtimes and this isn’t just your regular season game. This is the NBA Playoffs. A series round where in the entire history of the Grizzlies’ franchise had never been a participant before.

In the end, the heroics, the big shots, and the toughness lasted more for the Thunders. Any lingering hope and luck for the Grizzlies ultimately succumbed and left the team.

All because of the terrifying scowl of Mr. Perkins.

Playoffs Bullets

2011-05-09T03:22:00.000-07:00

Unlike many sports nuts in the country, there are two playoffs that I follow during this time of the year: The NBA Playoffs and the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

I know it does not rain snow in this tropical country. I know rivers in this country never turn into smooth and slippery ice every December. I know that there is only a .000001% chance that the guy next to me in a jeepney ride knows who Alexander Ovechkin is. But I enjoy hockey.

The Dallas Mavericks complete their mission to humiliate the Lakers sweeping them 0-4 inthe series with a 122-86 win. The Mavericks sank 20 three-pointers. Despite the margin of loss, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom managed to find a more ignominous way to decorate Phil Jackson's last game by displaying their thuggery.

The Atlanta Hawks evens up its series against the Chicago Bulls 2-2 with a 100-88 win at home.

The proud franchise of Detroit Red Wings refuses to surrender it's series against the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks won the first three games before the Red Wings answered with two straight making it 3-2. The Chicago Blackhawks almost did the feat of coming back from a 0-3 series and win only to lose in their Game 7 match with the Vancouver Canucks during the first round. 4-3 was the score.

Talk and Text keeps Grand Slam hopes alive; Eulogy for the Kings

2011-05-08T23:28:00.000-07:00

Chot Reyes finally giving Gilbert Lao some minutes

Last night, after everyone had finally concluded that Shane Mosley is indeed 390 years old, the sporting nation witnessed the PBA crown it's Commisioner's Cup Champions-Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters as they completed a come-from-behind win at the expense of the proud Ginebra team.

The championship kept the Texter's hope of winning the coveted Grand Slam. The last team to win a Grand Slam was Alaska in 1996.

This was a tough loss for Ginebra. If the game was only three quarters long, we would have a Game 7 come wednesday. But the Texters are just too pesky, too strong, and Ginebra too shaky in the end that the series was decided in game 6.

Willie Miller was actually having a fiery game for Ginebra sinking pull-up jumpers and tough fade-aways and JC Intal made sure that the raining isn't only outside Araneta but also inside as he dropped a barrage of threes during the game helping Ginebra build a large lead.

The two rookies, Rob Labagala and John Wilson were providing surprising performances given the game on the line.

John Wilsom reminds me of then rookie, Sunday Salvacion, during one of Ginebra's 2004 championships. Salvacion was the revelation in that final's series. Plus, both were former NCAA MVPs. Rob Labagala did a nice job but were firing fastbreak dishes that turned into turnovers. He could have sealed the game during the end of the regulation had the prayer he threw up trickled into the basket. A few more gasps from the Ginebra faithfuls and the ball would have been sucked into the basket.

Only that it did not and the Gin Kings eventually lost the game and the series in overtime.

The Gin Kings management, I expect, has a lot to do in the short off-season if not up to the next conference. Even if Ginebra made it all the way to the finals, their brittleness showed.

Roundup

2011-05-07T05:13:00.001-07:00

• Andre Ethier extends his hitting streak to 30 games. A single in his first-at-bat sealed his entry into territory thirty. 56 games is a long way to go and I’m fancying that he’ll not reach 40 games. Somewhere along the way, Jim Joyce will call him out on first base in the bottom of the 9th of a so-far hitless game.

• Ageless wonder Nicklas Lidstrom scored two goals in the first period for the Detroit Red Wings against the San Jose Sharks giving his team a 4-3 win and avoid a humiliating series sweep. Series is now 3-1 in favour of the Sharks.

• The Boston Bruins avenged their 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs grand meltdown against the Philadelphia Flyers by completing a 4-o series sweep and destroying Chris Pronger’s dream of robbing pucks in the finals. The Flyers came back from a 0-3 series deficit against the Bruins last season and sealed it with a Game 7 win after being down 3-0 in the game.

• Happy Birthday Willie Mays!

• I don’t know anything about this man and I don’t usually pay attention to Golf but they say this guy’s a legend so R.I.P.

Game 6 Western Conference Semi-Finals starring Europeans

2011-05-06T22:58:00.002-07:00

Dirk Nowitzki is obviously tired. Tired of all the losing, the choking, the coming-up shorts and just about everything that has happened to the Dallas Mavericks in each and every edition of the postseason. It was in 2006 when he lead the Mavericks in the franchise’s first-ever finals appearance which ended in an awful collapse. The following year, he won the coveted Most Valuable Player award as he anchored the Mavericks towards a regular-season ending record of 67-15-the best in the league. The same year, in which the Dallas Mavericks were in the short-end of a historical upset, losing to the eight-seed Golden State Warriors during the first-round of the playoffs. Each frustrating exit only compounds Nowitzki’s advancing age as the window of opportunity slowly closes.

Peja Stojakovic may just well be feeling the same during the precarious stretch of the fourth quarter. His hey-days are well behind him. He is no longer the feared net-scorcher that he once was. The repeated post-season losses in Sacramento still hurt him.
Those two Europeans bonded by upsets, hard court heart-aches and desperation.

Those two Europeans drilled crucial daggers in an almost scripted pattern. Those two Europeans sank the Lakers in a crater 0-3 hole no one had even predicted prior to the series. Maybe, the upsets had expired on them but the stigma never ceased.

One of Dallas’ half-court set during their run was to give Nowitzki the ball around the perimeter, make a move composed of endless fakes and jab steps, if the double team comes, pass the ball to the trigger-ready Stojakovic and wait for the ball to find the bottom of the net.

Those two Europeans.

This brings to another European. Pau Gasol.

Gasol’s softness is never a kept secret. There is not a short supply of roasting aimed at Gasol with regards to his toughness since the Playoffs began, if not since his career began.

Apart from his ambidexterity, flawless footwork and Jesus Christ beard, Gasol’s on-court repertoire also includes being eaten alive on defense, sprawling everywhere on the floor and tumbling down just as much.

Pau Gasol isn’t the one to blame in their three straight losses against Dallas. But his lack of toughness is part culprit. In the great lineage of centers the Lakers’ team had paraded over the years which boast legendary monoliths like Wilt Chaimberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’neal, Gasol’s name can’t be put in the same sentence with these aforementioned greats if toughness is the subject.

Dirk Nowitzki isn’t the only reason why the Mavericks are dominating the Lakers. But his game is slowly sending Phil Jackson to retirement and in the most ironic way-a sweep.

Hail Mary's Resurrection

2011-05-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

Almost a year of hiatus and futility.

This blog started when I got bored with my work (which is just about the first day of my first job) so it is just fitting to resurrect it when I again got bored of my job(the next and current one).

There has been a deluge of sporting spectacles that has happened since the last post that I managed to put up here on HailMaryAttempt but I haven't written anything about it. Worse, the last post before this was about Tennis. I guess I just had to pat myself in the back and resort to the peaceful thought that at least the last post was not about some championship cockfight.

Fast forward to today, I'll not just be a spectator. I'll be blogging again. I'll be praising winners. I'll be laughing at classless losers. And I'll still be spontaneously vomiting every time I lay my eyes at Kronum.

In this resurrection attempt, I'll also be including the local sports scene like the PBA, college basketball, and boxing.

It's stupid for me to start blogging again when the NHL and NBA respective seasons are on the verge of conclusion but I expect the offseason will produce some hilarity that ranges from drunk athletes to ridiculous trades.

One year isn't that long for futility. Thank goodness for the Cubs!

The longest tennis match finally came to a close.

2010-06-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

Well I guess everything has to come to an end. Although sometime, the end seems like to come after an endless walk at an industrial strength treadmill until it's worn out.

The longest match in the history of tennis has finally came to a conclusive halt. John Isner and Nicolas Mahut were two tennis players who prior to their epic battle were just a shade more famous than the name of any hotdog vendor. Not until they churn a final score in the fifth set where the numbers resembles that of a cellphone unit. Get this: 6-4 3-6 6-7 7-6 70-68.

The game was so long, I think the spectators were more concerned on the final score than who the winner is. Just to name the victor-John Isner pulled of the emergency brakes to this record breaking match.

11 hours and some minutes. That was how long the world had to wait to determine just who is going to walk away with all the sweat and hours of knees buckling compensated with a sweet win.

Some of the spectators had been reportedly developed a left to right neck and face motion mannersim.

Armando Gallaraga's perfect game dreams blown to bits

2010-06-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

Video Here

Your weekly dose of F-bomb

2010-05-26T03:57:00.000-07:00

Just a short one here.

In your life's checklist of what to do before you die, seated in the guilty pleasure category is the "Say the f-bomb on live TV" (that's under "Ripping Craig Sager's suit on live broadcast") which this drunk Flyers' fan just managed to broadcast after the Finals clinching win of Philadelphia over the Habs. She did it out of complete ecstasy.

F-bomb number two was the earlier entry for this week. Jason Williams didn't just drop a bomb. He machine-gunned it like Rambo to all those reporters who would just not back up from his locker. He mentioned it as often as you say the word "the".

This was after the Magic fell 3-0 behind the Celtics in the series.

Wherever LeBron

2010-05-17T05:54:00.001-07:00

And they keep on rubbing it on LeBron James with a sadistic fervor of a 7 year old hammering away on a dodging mole arcade game. It has been a meltdown. A colossal meltdown because it's the Cleveland Cavaliers and he's LeBron James. Losing to a worthy opponent is a consolation that no one would buy simply because the Cavs carry the best record in the league and the expectation were as high as the flight of the Hindenburgh.

And then "Oh humanity" happens.

The same goes with Alexander Ovechkin and the Caps. Only, his fate is a little bit more difficult to swallow than Castor Oil. Getting ousted by the eight-seeded Habs, not to mention being up in the series 3-1 before that imporbable Habs' three-game streak. the only consolation also for Ovie is that the same Habs ousted the Pens and of course most importantly-Sidney Crosby. Proves only that the post-season sometimes does not reflect your regular season performance.

Now what for LeBron? Is he going to New York? To Dallas? To the Bobcats? To Delonte West's home and start twisting West's head like a loose threaded light bulb? I don't really care that much about where he's going. I am more excited on the hype, anticipation and most especially the burning threads of discussing where he might be and should be than the actual signing he's going to make, let's say to play for Cleveland Indians just to surprise everyone and set a Guiness World Record for the "Sports announcement that caused the most number of simultaneous shitting in pants."

Ripping heads in the NHL

2010-03-17T02:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, Alexander Ovechkin gets a two-game suspension after treating Chicago Blackhawk defenseman Brian Campbell as if he's a playground swing with a kid on. Campbell got his clavicle dislocated as a result thus the suspension for Ovechkin aside from the 5-minutes stay inside the bin.

It was not supposed to be a bigger issue had it been the first offense of such kind by the Caps star and also, had it not happened after a slew of blind-side hits in recent games. We have seen Mat Cooke's failed attempt to rip the head of Marc Savard and not get a suspension. These NHL penalty decisions just draws the line in a blurry manner. Clearly, Mat Cooke has the intention to injure Savard while in contrary Ovechkin's intent was for the play-not the player.

And you have Mat Cooke escaping a suspension? I feel Don Cherry's remarks that other players might consider this as an open season for blind-side hits having seen Cooke get away with it.

No arguement that Ovechkin should get a suspension as it states in the rule:

23.5 Fines and Suspensions - Stick Infractions, Boarding and Checking from Behind Category - In regular League games, any player or goalkeeper who incurs a total of two (2) game misconduct penalties for stick-related infractions, Boarding - Rule 42, or Checking from Behind - Rule 44, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game.

Except, you can argue whether Ovechkin did it to injure the other player but that's not what the issue in the NHL is. Clearly, the issue is the unbalanced implementation of the rules' penalties. It almost make it look subjective despite consulting a concrete rule book. Simply, if Ovechkin got that kind of penalty, then the likes of Mat Cooke should get more.

Here, Don Cherry offers his thoughts as we are left to watch horrendous montage of Cooke's murder attempts.

Sampras-Agassi brings back time by acting like grade schoolers

2010-03-15T04:12:00.000-07:00

Final dump for the day.

Howard-Pujols Trade brewing,brewing, brewing, gone

2010-03-15T03:41:00.000-07:00

It's either a brewing possibility or a brainchild of a complete gossip between two soccer moms discussing about men with exactly the same names. Reports of a Phillies-Cardinals negotiation to trade their respective star first basemen-Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols-gathered some steam enough to make the rounds on the web.

Clearly, Pujols is a way ahead of Howard when it comes to all-around performance although the reason seen for this "trade" is that Pujols might ask for the continent of Africa once he's a free agent after 2011. Certainly, it might rival that of A-Rod in 2007 when he was promised the whole nation of Bhutan as payment.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, in an article from ESPN.com, denied such kind of talks going on.
"That's a lie. I don't know who you're talking to, but that's a lie." Well, I think such a short retort is enough to convince me.

Castillo leaves us with the "10th round" memory

2010-03-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

As the rest of us pugilists fans were left with a stuff of legend that Joshua Clottey trained for his fight against Manny Pacquiao by replacing the filling of a punching bag with his own self, a relatively quiet decision right after an undercard was made. A combatant in one of the greatest fights boxing has ever witnessed is calling it quits.

Jose Luis Castillo decided that it’s time to hang up his gloves after retiring on his stool between the fifth and the sixth round of his fight against Alfonso Gomez. It did not take a while for the former lightweight and junior lightweight champion to realize that he doesn’t have it anymore.

“I just found out tonight I don’t have it anymore,” Castillo said. “I want to apologize to the public and I am definitely announcing my retirement.”

Of course, as a boxing fan, it’s difficult to find a reason on why we should forgive him for there’s hardly a reason why he should apologize in the first place. He was one in the great line of Mexican warriors of this generation drawing close fight with the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. and several other class fighters.

But there is only one bout that will forever be associated with his name. A brawl so memorable not even Alzheimer’s can make me forget-at least for that one improbable round.

It was his fight with the late Diego Corrales in 2005 when in round 10 he managed to put Corrales down on the canvas twice. Corrales appeared to be very unstable at that moment that is seems Castillo is about to commit murder on national TV should the pummeling continue. And in a stunning reversal of the situation, Corrales managed to dig deep for those last drops of power to score a TKO. No words is enough to translate what has just transpired during those moments.

It was the boxing version of “Shock and Awe”.

Now that Jose Luis Castillo is done as a boxer, he leaves the ring with a 60-10-1 record and the memory of this legendary fight a true boxing fan will not forget.

Cold War: Canada proxies Russia

2010-02-27T23:38:00.000-08:00

The Vancouver Winter Olympics’ rolling snowball is now in the stage of reducing its momentum as it nears its closing ceremony. That speaks for the other sports played in this quadrecentennial sporting affair.

The same cannot be said with the Men’s hockey tournament. Barely a week after the “minor miracle” win over hockey nation and host Canada, Team USA is now in the finals after causing Finland major headaches in the semifinals that Finnish Goaltender Mika Kipsussoff played no different than an aspiring limbless net minder from Chernobyl. The score was 6-1 with Patrick Kane scoring two goals-to which he said: “Would’ve been nice to get a couple more”.

In a perfect world, it should have been a Cold War affair between US and Russia exactly 30 years after Lake Placid. In the great world of spoilers, it’s going to be US-Canada. Looking at it at the marquee, it’s a not that bad either as it brings sentiments almost 5 decades after Squaw Valley.

The rivalry even made a story of its own in this very tournament. With the loss to the US during the preliminaries, team Canada Lego-locked its cojones together (benching Brodeur for Luongo the next game) and made the Russians collectively resemble Jaromir Jagr during that isolated cross-check fate by Alexander Ovechkin.

If the US wins, I’ll go call it an upset. It doesn’t matter to me if they’ve beaten them before, doesn’t matter if you’re country is mostly the home of the NHL , when you’re up against a proud superpower hockey nation in their home ice, a win is an upset.

Even video games will tell you the same.

Blood is thicker than Water. But wait, Mayweather's proposal is thicker than Blood.

2009-12-23T04:12:00.000-08:00

What started to be as a spontaneous speculation of how Pacquiao managed to be extraordinarily strong and durable –having salvaged at least a belt from nosehairweight to the Welterweight division-is now a root of some unnecessary hindrance towards the realization of this super bout.

Floyd Mayweather Sr., in an interview some months back, accused Manny Pacquiao of using some kind of performance enhancing drug that enabled the Filipino fighter to gain substantial power as he goes up in weight divisions. Needless to say-and upon consideration of the source-this statement clearly does not belong in an intellectual discussion, though the accusation itself can be useful to salesmen of Penis enlargement supplements.

The issue is the condition of having blood tests for both men prior to the bout to ensure a “leveled playing field”. Well, Pacquiao’s group isn’t favoring the suggested Olympic-style of drug testing with Freddie Roach being against the idea of blood test 48 hours before the fight. Knowing Floyd Mayweather Jr., it’s another high time to showcase what he got from his father-defying the rules of syllogisms and heading straight to the conclusion: Manny Pacquiao is both afraid of being discovered using PEDs and of course, of fighting him.

The way I see it, there’s no need for an Olympic-style of testing. Nevada has its own regulations for testing that has been done to every boxer that has ever fought in the state. This Mayweather stipulation of such kind of testing is an insult to the athletic commission’s tested standards.

If a leveled playing field is all that Mayweather wants, then we ask: Had he demanded/whined of the same to Carlos Baldomir, Zab Judah, Arturo Gatti, Oscar dela Hoya and the rest of his victims? This fussiness is going to name this bout as the best that has never happened.

Listen, Floyd if you just want to play Dodge ball, admit it.

Chad Ocho Cinco calls out Andre Berto

2009-08-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

"THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge."

-The Cask of Amontillado
Edgar Allan Poe

Chad Ocho Cinco this time has his mouth again racing ahead of some sitting-down-for-a-thought moment. Even before he learns the next to basics of boxing, he's in the thick of business again with some pretentious claims that we'll be struck by awe once we see him beat WBC Welterweight champion Andre Berto.

"So when I get in the ring and knock out (welterweight champ Andre) Berto, and people are like, 'I didn't know Chad could fight,'" he said to us, "I just told you."

Andre Berto has heard of this horsing around and though he's not Muhammad Ali his spontaneous reply is genius while sounding inadvertently funny with an influence of "yo mama" jokes accent.

"I'm here to say that when his season is over, which should be before the playoffs start, I'll give him the beating of his life and show him the difference between kicking footballs and getting your ass kicked. By the time I'm done with him, he'll want to change his last name to No Mas!"

That "No Mas" goes down on my list of the top comebacks of all time. It's almost tantamount to a catfight ending in a slap and "You Bitch!" retort.

We know that Ocho Cinco has been venturing in the ring for some time but its not suffice to say that he is in an equivalent level of Berto. It's not even fair enough to give him the 20th rank of the division to fight.

No matter how silly it looks like, I can still say that almost everyone of us can throw some sort of a spinning back-fist but not until we are in a state of clinical insanity would we challenge Chuck Liddell in an octagon brawl.

Listen PETA, its the dogs' fault. Not Vick's. Got it?

2009-08-19T23:38:00.000-07:00

In a complete attempt to display perplexing reasoning skills, one viewer from somewhere sent in his own opinion of the whole Michael Vick mess:

How could the entire justice system of a great democratic nation miss this treasure of an argument? Could this piece of philosophical thought be enough to make open the eyes of PETA and have them to publicly apologize to Vick in behalf of those Pit Bulls with lacerated tongues and bloodied nostrils?

Ok, enough with the sarcasms. This, people, are the kind of ideas that can trigger your brain to involuntarily instruct your leg muscles to jump off the balcony.

The Washington Nationals did it in cliffhanger fashion

2009-08-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

As the eleventh hour for the signing of the overall top draftee Stephen Strasburg approaches, the Washington Nationals had just managed it at the buzzer. With a $15 Million contract signed (which was way below the projections after the draft) by agent Scott Boras' client, the drama is over. At least if we're not looking at the National's slate nor watching a YouTube moment of some National big leaguer guy seeing a mirage in between bases.

Although the team's acting manager Mike Rizzo has said that Strasburg is unlikely to pitch this season, it may at least build a high measure of anticipation for Washington's ticket market for the rookie's first appearance.

Cubs fan to Shane Victorino: Say hello to my liitle drink

2009-08-13T00:52:00.000-07:00

Phillies' Shane Victorino did not only get to catch a fly ball but also gets a shower of beer at the same time during the fifth inning of their game against the Cubs on Wrigley Field.

If it was Ron Artest instead of Victorino, it would have been a different story. Not even a 10 foot wall would limit his devilish intentions of hiking the bleacher and stuffing the ball to that idiot's mouth. The sad thing only is that the security in the stands nabbed the wrong guy thus leaving the real perpetrator grinning ear-high to his sheet that night.

Deadspin.com has the identification of the characters.

Check out the dude on the beer thrower's right side taking a sip on his beverage as if saying "I got mine. It's not me world!" You sure that's not urine?

The case of Baron's stolen laptop with personal images in it

2009-08-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

Baron Davis' laptop has been stolen and has already reported the incident to the police as immediate as the moment the old man jizzes his pants at the first glance of red tube's home page.

Why would someone like Baron Davis who earns money in a year enough to buy me while sleeping, waste time in chasing the culprits and hire legal people to send letters to different media outlets regarding his missing gadget? That laptop might be worth only of one assist to a zippy Mark Madsen.

As some of you might have heard already, the laptop in search contains a plethora of personal photos by/of the NBA star. A letter to various media outlets has been sent threatening legal action if ever any of the laptop's content would be published.

That leaves you gay people to find a quiet, serene, and full of tranquil place and go sharpen your imagination.

Page 1 of Legal Letter
Page 2 of Legal Letter

Shaq to play Home Run Derby against Albert Pujols

2009-08-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

With David Beckham preferring to gut it out on the field with a fan instead of acknowledging the many call outs of Shaq to appear on his Shaq Vs show, The Big Aristotle has a lot of options from the horrors of a beach volleyball game-where he even more terrifies us with a wager-to a friendly Home Run Derby contest between him and Cardinals star Albert Pujols.

Shaq's career average on the free throw line is .528. Albert Pujol's career average is .334. Shaq has been botching free throws way before man learned how to tweet. A free throw wherein he has all the liberty granted by the constitution to smoothly hoist the ball into a stationary basket but opts to rather mortar the Spalding to every part of the basket except through it.

Can Shaq pummel a speeding fastball with a 90 MPH on it to the bleachers? An encyclopedic research of his stats points to the poor catcher having his jaw surgically replaced with an exhumed one.

Rashard Lewis' version of "unknowingly"

2009-08-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

Steroids in the NBA? I haven't heard of it yet until now where Rashard Lewis is going to be suspended for the first 10 games of the season plus being severed $1.6M off his $18M salary this year.

Lifting a phrase usually read in the volumes of documents of MLB players' cantations, Lewis has said that something he put inside his mouth was a supplement he got over-the-counter which, unknown to him, contained a substance banned in the league.

“First and foremost I take full responsibility for the situation and accept the corresponding penalty,” Lewis said. “I apologize to Magic fans, my teammates and this organization for not doing the research that should come with good judgment.”[Orlando Sentinel]

If I ever had to suggest to any dictionary publisher an example sentence use of the word "unknowingly", refer to the sports pages next time.

Sex is good before games according to Alexander Ovechkin..It's always good Mr. Capital

2009-08-06T01:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a man rule that one should restrain himself from seeing any sheet action before a game unless it's really your game. Robert DeNiro's Jake LaMotta character tried it but eventually gave in. Well, it seems that it doesn't work like that quite so often. Alexander Ovechkin, the Capitals' superstar, told a Russian media outlet Russian Today that he would do sex not just before but also after a game.

That is how he prepares for games my fellow poor butt plugs. While we find our shoe laces, our bats, our head gears or set pawns, Ovie is humping his way to Wilt Chamberlain Club.

As a consolation, he admitted that he's face does not fit advertising.

No more defense by LeBron every time there's a camera around

2009-08-06T00:28:00.000-07:00

LeBron is now on an alert-status level every time he's playing with a bunch of players who might be dreaming of duplicating the very ill hyped Crawford throwdown. Lebron is seen here on defense against UCSD, University California at San Diego exerting enthusiasm that he would to a drying paint.

Unless this game pays him by the millions, don't expect him to stop treating the court as a treadmill.

NBA top 100 dunks of 08-09 season.nuts for supper for some poor souls beneath

2009-08-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

For all the other reasons to watch NBA basketball, its really the dunks that has made the most of us be absorbed to the league. Those fancy dishes and dribbling maneuvers just aren't enough for basketball's popularity-unless you're in Europe and contented on perfectly angled chest passes as your highlights of the week.

Contact the tower, pilot-we're about to take off.

Fedor reportedly declines UFC contract offer.

2009-07-30T01:08:00.000-07:00

Fedor Emelianenko has reportedly been offered a contract by the UFC which also would have been the richest in the company's history: $30M for just 6 fights. Andit does not end there:

- The UFC offered Fedor an immediate title shot

- Lesnar/Fedor would be the biggest PPV in MMA history (we assume), and the UFC offered M-1 Global a cut of the PPV on top of Fedor's purse.

- Fedor was free to wear as many M-1 logoed items as he wished.

- The UFC also relented on allowing Fedor to compete in combat sambo.Despite these almost absurd one-sided contract in favor of Fedor, the heavyweight champion turned it down thus preventing an inevitable collision with UFC champ Brock Lesnar.

Now, the offer in general was one of its kind. It's like offering Stephon Marbury a lifetime supply of t-shirt just to stop his insanity. The fact that Fedor still found a way to keep his senses even after realizing how huge the money he declined is a sign that that we may not see a Fedor-Brock brawl, perhaps becoming the greatest fight that never have been made in MMA history.

What does he want? A stipulation that an axe be made available exclusively for him inside the octagon?

Bloodyelbow.com

Sore Throat? Slingshot a spoonful of vaseline to your mouth

2009-07-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

And as we continue to devour Starbury's live streaming, we are treated to a gradually increasing bizarreness that I expect to end in this tune.

Crying, Screaming, and now eating vaseline. Vaseline people. Mr. Stephon Marbury plunges a finger full of vaseline into his mouth and then opens his mouth to show us its all gone just like they do in Rhode Island. This, according to him is a cure for his sore throat.

Nice to know you pal.

Mark Buerhle Sets another record

2009-07-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Mark Buerhle seems to take it upon himself that as long as there are still some butt plugs that keeps on forgetting the right spelling of his last name, he is going to set records.

Today, the lefty White Sox retired 17 straight Twins' batters to break the long-standing record of 41 set in 1972 by San Fransisco's Jim Barr and tied by his teammate reliever, Bobby Jenks in 2007.

Coming off a perfect game against the Rays where he sent 27 batters back to chewing tobaccos in their bench, he dominated the Twins up to the fifth inning until Alexei Casilla walked on the sixth. His attempt to have his second no-hitter was spoiled as Denard Span singled on the follow-up.

Amidst the display of exceptional pitching, he allowed 5 runs in the ensuing innings giving the Twins a win.

Tell you, if Mark Buehrle managed to have two straight perfect games, he might as well buy all of us a granddaddy pendulum clock.

Shaq's WWE foray

2009-07-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

Offseason for Shaq means more available time to spend for his antics. In here, he traveled to Verizon Center for a WWE event where he exchanged chokes with fellow timber Big Show.

This is just another evidence that even if the time comes that he's to walk away from basketball, Shaq's name is far from being blanked in the mainstream.

The Stephon Marbury all day experience

2009-07-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Stephon Marbury has turned himself into something the net psychological academe would find very convenient to observe. Watching him weep over some Kirk Franklin tune only seems to protrude his lonesome only a pop-up sim clown can subside.

Take a peek inside the mind of Stephon Marbury with his around-the-clock butchering of anything sane. [UStream]

Dana White welcomes Tito back with a smile-on twitter

2009-07-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

Is this a portent of another Tito Ortiz appearance inside the six-sided cage boundary of UFC? Actually,this is just Dana White saying he and the Huntington Beach MMA star are cool now after trading barbs and diatribes normally heard inside a warehouse involving a deal gone sour.

But Ortiz returning to the octagon is a "possibility" as according to a radio interview of White:

"Tito just had major back surgery," White said. "He feels good since he had the surgery. So we'll see if he can come back."

At least the beef is off. Time to look for a new one.

Some DJ found a use out of a drazillion "practice" words

2009-07-24T01:16:00.000-07:00

Some DJ decided to mash different infamous press con meltdowns and total it into a remix that surprisingly sounds better than any garbage Flo Rida continues to squeeze at us poor citizens.

Allen Iverson, Jim Mora, Joe Namanth-Suzy Kolber and some other folks all contributed their piece of non-sense for this remix-"Press Hop"

White Sox's Mark Buehrle's perfect game

2009-07-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Before Mark Buerhle tossed in a perfect game against the Rays, there has only been one White Sox pitcher that had done it and since that, Halley's comet dropped by our planet just twice. So why the mention of the comet? Well actually, when I think of rare-Halley's C is the second thing that comes to mind being big-peckered Japs the first which doesn't sit well with the subject this time.

Buerhle threw 116 pitches and struck out 6 Rays but no story of his triumph will be complete without a mention of outfielder teammate Dewayne Wise's 9th inning home run robbery at the expense of Ray's Gabe Kapler who seemed to be on his way to spoil a presidential congratulatory phone call for Buerhle.

This was the first perfect game thrown since Randy Johnson zeroed the Braves in 2004. Mark Buerhle joined the Big Unit as the only active pitchers who has a no-hitter and perfect game in their resumes. [VIDEO of the Buerhle's 9th inning ]

Something to watch if you hapen to exhaust yourself looking for that Erin Andrews' peep vid

2009-07-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

At last a video that could at least compensate for our cannibalistic cravings over that Erin Andrews' through the peephole vid.

The Jordan Crawford dunk over LeBron is now on leak over the net. TMZ released the video earlier than eBaumnation.com but the TMZ copy is blurry one could actually argue that it's a behind the scenes take of The Great Train Robbery.

Good thing eBaumnation purchased a much clearer video from a local videographer who tours basketball camps like that.

Silly that Nike or 'Bron hid/confiscated/threw/gave to his dog/fed to the shredder/ the video and made a lot of ensuing buzz from the bloggers to serious newspaper columns and then seeing the people around the video now-not one is actually close enough to pull his pants down and stretch his dong up to his ass out of sheer amazement.

Nice dunk though.

Phils on a 10 game roll; Cubs on a 794 years WS-less tradition

2009-07-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Phillies won their 10th straight game at the expense of a club who hasn't won a WS since Moses was in third grade. Jayson Werth hit a three-run home run in the 13th inning to beat the Cubs 4-1 at Citizens Bank Park. It was the longest streak by the team since a baker's dozen run back in 1991.

Limiting the Cubs with only a run, the pitching of the Phillies is set to be more solid with the arrival of former star pitcher Pedro Martinez and maybe, as all of us have heard 'till our ears gets mercilessly clogged, Roy Halladay.

Chan Ho Park threw in three scoreless inning in a terrific relief job. [VIDEO]

Grade 3 kid tasked to create the Mexican Basketball Web site

2009-07-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

A few times when a fish bone gets stuck in my throat, my instinct tells me to be in front of my PC and google down not the first aid but the PBA website instead. There, you have a visual cure. The site actually induces vomiting.

Now, join me as I say goodbye to my online first-aid-cure-when-a-fish-bone-gets-stuck-in-my-throat doctor
and usher in the new specialist-The Mexican Basketball Federation website.

Ryan Howard is now the fastest player to reach 200 home runs

2009-07-17T00:20:00.000-07:00

Phillies' Ryan Howard is now the fastest player in MLB history to collect 200 homers by blasting one in the 6th inning of their game against the Florida Marlins. It was the 23rd of the season of last year's NL MVP. Previous holder of the record was Ralph Kiner who did it in 706 games.

Meanwhile in other news, Hamed Haddadi of the Memphis Grizzlies has 48 points in 19 games.

Shaq's Video Tribute for MJ. Beat it with a likeable buffoon Damon Jones

2009-07-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

Couple of weeks ago that Michael Jackson died and only recently did Shaq made a video tribute for the King of Pop(ping boys). But why the delay?

Of course, he went to every state to oversee the flock of fanatics audition for the role of his video partner. Piles of people showed up day and night in hope of landing the role even if they do not know exactly what's in it. Whether they become practice dolls for Shaq's future MMA plans they don't care.

In the end Damon Jones got the role for being the perfect fit to play a buffoon. No need for method acting, Stanislavsky shit. Just being himself. It's raining kids!

Dan Henderson's dream after Bisping fight captured on film

2009-07-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

Micheal Bisping shitting on his trunks after Dan Henderson delivered a swing that nearly made an immediate eulogy necessary-wasn't enough for some fans to just sit and savor the sweet hush of trash-talk frothing mouth of the Brit.

Fans has used Photoshop to express their cravings for more Bisping ridicules and taunts. Take that you poor Bisping-hating-MS Paint limited-fan!

Prince Charles, George Harrison and a Red Coat uniform. Bisping is as amazing as the Quick-Change duo!

Thanks to THESUN.co.uk.

Lakers withdraw offer to Lamar Odom because Mbenga says so

2009-07-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

The LA Lakers had just pulled off their offer to Lamar Odom for contract extension. The offer was sitting on the lap of Odom for a week now and because the Lakers haven't received any kind of response from the other party, Jerry Buss and company decided to cancel it.

Here are the details of the offer from the LA Times:

Lakers team officials, who were not authorized to speak about the negotiations, said Buss offered Odom a deal for $9 million a season for four years at $36 million, or $10 million a season over three years for a total of $30 million.

Odom and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, were looking for $10 million a year over five seasons.

News that Odom is in talks with the Mavericks and Heat could have made Jerry Buss unhappy.

The Heat and Mavericks can offer Odom only the mid-level exception of $5.8 million, but can give him a five-year deal up to $34 million.

It is obvious that it would be more bank account fattening to accept the Lakers offer as compared to the other two teams and if he stays with the Lakers he will have another strong chance for a ring. Also, there are only a few teams that can still burn some cap space to give way to a luxury player like Lamar.

Actually, the negotiation can still resume and Lakers fan can hope that this will not turn into a Marian Hossa circus backfire. Lamar won't like this scenario either: Declining to play for the Lakers and seeing them repeat next year and lastly-having his name a definition on Urbandictionary.com sound like Hossa.

Only that he betrayed the favorite.

Here are the salaries for the Lakers in the 2009-2010 season.

LAKERS	2009-10 salary
Kobe Bryant	$23 million
Pau Gasol	$16.5 million
Andrew Bynum	$12.5 million
Ron Artest	$5.6 million
Adam Morrison	$5.2 million
Derek Fisher	$5 million
Sasha Vujacic	$5 million
Luke Walton	$4.8 million
Shannon Brown	$2 million
Jordan Farmar	$1.9 million
DJ Mbenga	$959,000
Josh Powell	$959,000

President Obama's first pitch made it to home plate. Albert Pujols appointed to a cabinet post

2009-07-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Blame the coverage if you and your bipolar counterpart is still on debate whether President Obama's first pitch before the All-Star game will reach home plate or not. There was no good camera angle to clearly give a view for the verdict.

As I saw it from video below, the pitch was obviously low and Albert Pujols did save the no-bounce-bettors by moving up for the scoop. Clearly a ball.

Albert Pujols might as well be at bat during that pitch and give us a line drive to that camera's lens. Nice!

2009 MLB All-Star Homerun Derby

2009-07-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

From Sports Illustrated:

ST. LOUIS (AP) -Prince Fielder beat the hometown boppers on their own turf.

With Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard eliminated early, Fielder won baseball's Home Run Derby on Monday night with a steady power display that included a jaw-dropping drive estimated at 503 feet...continue...

VIDEO
The result in a swing:

Player Nelson Cruz	Round 1 11	Round 2 5	Total 16	Final Round 5

Prince Fielder	11	6	17	6

Brandon Inge	0	--	--	--

Adrian Gonzalez	2	--	--	--

Carlos Pena	5	--	--	--

Ryan Howard	7	8	15	--

Joe Mauer	5	--	--	--

Albert Pujols	5 (won bat off)	6	11	--

Allen Iverson on tears. Note: Not an allergic reaction to practice

2009-07-13T19:50:00.000-07:00

Office time and I'm writing this. I don't have a headset, a co-worker with one, nor the audacity to let this one on loudspeaker. The only thing I can do is watch Allen Iverson sob. Why was he crying? Does he now feel guilty of stepping over Tyronne Lue? His favorite sleeves missing? Or is it an allergic reaction to practice? Ah, MJ.

The video of Iverson in front of students discussing his scholarship program.

You 'Gatti' Believe. Arturo Gatti found dead. Wife detained as suspect

2009-07-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

The binge of deaths among stars is now approaching the grocery-list zone. It all started with Farrah Fawcett and MJ then Billy Mays to Ed McMahon. Joining the bandwagon later were ex-sport stars Alexis Arguello, Steve McNair and now is its newest addition- former Junior Welterweight champ Arturo Gatti.

Gatti, who was best known with a trio of ring encounters with Mickey Ward, was allegedly killed by his wife-23-year-old Amanda Rodrigues -in a tourist resort in Brazil. Contradictions in statements of his wife lead the police to detain her as their primary suspect.

Rodrigues told the police that it was her who found the dead body of Gatti but could not explain well how come it took her 10 hours before realizing there was a dead body with her inside the residence.

Prior to the incident, she also said there was a fight between her and Gatti Friday night after dinner that resulted the latter pushing her wife to the ground with witnesses reporting the same adding that Gatti was drunk.

Arturo Gatti waas 37 years old and has a career record of 40-9 and 31 knockouts after calling it quits in 2007.

Anthony Parker set to join Cavs. LeBron needs Peter

2009-07-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tweets are a rain of love to us news hawkers. It's like waiting for a HR. Sitting there waiting for the ball that would prompt Chris Berman's "back, back, back-hits the granny's face!" The last part is improvised.

Ok so here we go, Brian Windhorst has tweeted the rumor slash news (we'll know later) that Anthony Parker is close to signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers:

"Cavs have come to terms on a contract with guard Anthony Parker, the deal should be completed in the next couple days."

And most recently is Ric Bucher doing his own tweeting:

"Cavs fans, you got your athletic wingman. They're close to a deal w/Anthony Parker. Two yrs, under $6 mill."

Does this action makes you forget that lovely Crawford throw-down?

Poor Fans' asses got balls

2009-07-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of NESW Sports

Balls this past few days are like heat-seeking ICBMs hunting for any poor fan's ass experiencing a heat wave. A couple of fans has had embarrassing moments of their own as they were on the receiving end of a rear end ball smash.

Anthony Kim's tee shot off the 18th hole on the AT&T National and Mark Wahlberg's first pitch. Take cover.

Two-handed flush on Bron Bron video . Stop searching that on you Tube

2009-07-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

We have no idea of how exactly the dunk looks like. We just know that King James gets a two-handed flush from a 6 foot 4 kid named Jordan Crawford .

It was a pick-up ball game in the LeBron James Skills Academy when two journalists were recording the session which includes the dunk by Crawford. The tape could have been an overnight You Tube swag had it not been hijacked by Nike or King James or both. We don't know.

Nike spokesman Derek Kent has released this statement Wednesday:

"Nike has been operating basketball camps for the benefit of young athletes for decades and has long-standing policies as to what events are open and closed to media coverage. Unfortunately, for the first time in four years, two journalists did not respect our no videotaping policy at an after-hours pickup game following the LeBron James Skills Academy,"

Ryan Miller was one of the two cameramen working the recording said that they have been filming all game long without being told to stop until after the Crawford rattler.

We have to feel for this Ryan Miller. His ticket, together with Crawford, to Andy-Warhol-axiom fame got a drive-by shooting journalism sabotage love.

The Ryan Miller podcast here.

Part of transcript here:

Ryan Miller: [The dunk] was good. I haven't looked online to read too much about it. It was as good as it could've been hyped up to be. LeBron's team actually lost two out of three games to these college guys. It was LeBron; Danny Green, the rookie; Christian Eyenga, the rookie; Tarence Kinsey, who's on the team; and one of LeBron's high school buddies. And Jordan Crawford blew by Danny Green, the kid from North Carolina on the Cavs. And LeBron came for some help defense, and they jumped at the same time, and he threw it down with two hands over LeBron. This is, like, a 6-foot-4 kid.

Interviewer: Man. So then, when you get word that they want your camera, then, how did that all break down?

Miller: It's funny because LeBron's team won that game, actually, [the one] with the dunk. And then LeBron's team lost the next game to the same group of college guys. And LeBron was just standing there, grabbing some water, 'cause it was winners stay on, so LeBron had to sit out a game. And I actually went up and introduced myself and said, "Hey, I'm Ryan Miller." LeBron's good friends with Jonny Flynn, and I know Jonny real well, and I was like, "[I'm] good friends with Jonny." Jonny gave me a little message to tell LeBron if I ended up seeing him. He's like, "Oh, where are you from?" I said, "Syracuse" — [it was a] "nice to meet you" type of thing. He's pretty friendly. Then two minutes later, I saw him go over to Lynn Merritt, the director of basketball at Nike, and then he was talking to him for a second, and then Lynn brought me and another camera guy over. We were the only two people filming — it was later at night — and they said, we need your tape. They claimed you weren't supposed to be shooting the college and the pro guys working out, and I was told earlier in the day that you could, and there was no media policy saying you couldn't. It had to have been because LeBron — he played terribly all day, actually. Those three games he played terribly. So my guess is he didn't want anybody seeing the footage. That's the only thing we could think of.

Interviewer: So when you get your camera or tape — so that tape is gone?

Miller: I don't know what happened to it. He originally claimed, well, like, these guys are just getting in shape right now, these Cavs guys. People don't need to be seeing 'em. He was kind of giving me the runaround with different excuses. There was a guy in charge of the media who took my tape, and he's like, "You know what, lemme just pass this by the Nike guys, and I'll give it back to you in the morning." But the next morning, he said the director at Nike actually wanted the tape himself, so I have no idea where it is.

Rampage Jackson will not do this to Joe Rogan

2009-07-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

A cagepotato reporter was dry humped by Rampage Jackson as she was interviewing him. The bitch obviously liked the rubbing.

Rampage Dry Humps Cagepotato Reporter - Watch more Funny Videos

A giant leap by Armstrong takes him to 3rd place overall

2009-07-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Christophe Ena/Associated Press

Lance Armstrong proved once more he's still got the balls to jostle it up in the upper tier of the Tour de France standings after 3 stages. He is now placed in third place just 40 seconds behind leader Fabian Cancellara and 33 seconds off from second placed Tony Martin .The resurgent Armstrong benefited from experience when he sensed the wind making a living out of riders just before a corner turn with just 18 miles to go.

“Whenever you see a team lined up at the front like that, you have to pay attention.You know what the wind’s doing, and you see that a turn’s comingup, so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that you have to go to the front.”

The seven time tour champion was also fined 100 Swiss Francs ($92) by the committee, headed by tour Director Jean-Francois Pescheux, for being late on the pre-stage registration.

100 Francs? Lance could put an autograph on a spoke and sell it for $500. It's even harder to tongue twist "Jean-Francois Pescheux" than paying it.

Armstrong tweeted later his apology faulting Ben Stiller of why he was late.

Roger Federer and his 15th Grand Slam title; And Roddick and his hungry sibling.

2009-07-06T00:59:00.000-07:00

The sports web is at abuzz with the 15th Grand Slam title of Roger Federer after his triumph over Andy Roddick. It's not only a battle but an epic one for it lasted a little longer than Prince Hamed's ring entrance. Sorry that's a bit of over the top.

Ok, now the facts: 5-7, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 16-14 with the final set played for 95 minutes.

During the match, millions of people watching live on television, discovered what Roddick's brother-John-do when it's crunch time. Munch on some greens. Yes! Boogers!

Football player pays tribute to MJ by playing dead.

2009-07-03T02:29:00.000-07:00

Playing dead as a celebration for catching a 21 yard pass touchdown? Seems ok with CFL's Toronto Argonauts' wide receiver Arland Bruce.

After all, he's impersonating Michael Jackson. Not the moonwalking, child-dangling, umbrella-best-friends-forever, living Michael Jackson but the DEAD MJ.

Bruce said he was making a tribute for MJ by playing dead.

Ok boy, roll over.

ESPN
SportsRubbish

Not up to date thumbnail photo. AKA N.U.T.D.T.P.

2009-07-03T00:35:00.000-07:00

Ron Artest's thumbnail photo on his Yahoo sports profile has him still wearing a Sacramento Kings home jersey. Apparently they did not bother to even photoshop it. What the heck wasting some time just for a wardrobe change.

Note: I did not bother checking the profile of Kwame Brown.

Tru Warier to be in Laker uniform next season

2009-07-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of the LA Times.

So the Tru Warier decided to leave the very troubled Rockets to be Laker. After all those grueling defensive match-ups with Kobe and all those yapping, the two are now teammates. Oh c'mon guys, give each other a hug.

Artest, who averaged 17.1 points in 69 games last season playing for Houston, was dealt to the Lakers in exchange for Trevor Ariza, said he's ok to take a pay cut reasoning that he's no longer after the money. So what's he after? West Coast rapping spree?

Known to be a defensive menace and also a potent offensive weapon, we can see it coming that once the other teams put a double on Kobe, Artest will have an easier time scoring goals than hiking the bleachers searching for something.

Evgeni Malkin is known to skate on cool ice. Offseason wise, he's playing with something hot.

2009-07-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

Regular season for Penguin star Evgeni Malkin is all about skating on cool ice. After the season, with his name securely etched on Lord Stanley's Cup, he takes a break from the cold environment he used to be around with and opted venturing on something hot.

Malkin together with his girlfriend-Oksana Kondakova, played it down on Miami Beach. Some more pics from SBB.

TV caller wants to know the weiner size of Ian Snell

2009-07-01T01:29:00.000-07:00

One guy caller seems to know everything about sports and to quench his thirst for the very last sports fact that he's yet to discover, he phoned in a TV show to ask JUST HOW BIG IS IAN SNELL"S DICK?

Guess what. No answer was provided by the hosts as they do not have the specific stat for that.[Sports Rubbish]

Two Minor League teams' scores look like its on Mitchell Report

2009-07-01T00:19:00.000-07:00

You're given a score figure of 33-18 and asked what sport you think is more likely associated with it. If baseball is the first thing your brain cells generate, you better stop answering questions because you're a walking crime for jocks.

Not this time though, Lake Elsinore Storm beat the High Desert Mavericks 33-18 in a High Class-A California League match. I don't know if they scored every blasted ball to the bleachers the same way a touchdown in football would .

The stats to explain how the two teams produced 51 runs:

-High Desert starting pitcher Nathan Adcock took the loss, going 0.2 innings, giving up eight runs on seven hits, two walks and had a 108.00 ERA for the game.
-Lake Elsinore starting pitcher Jeremy McBryde somehow lasted 4.2 innings, surrendering 13 hits, 11 runs one walk and settling for a 21.21 ERA on the night.
-For those math wizards out there, the two starters combined to give up 19 runs on 20 hits.
-High Desert reliever Jose Yepez entered in the ninth inning. He then gave up consecutive home runs to the first three batters he faced. Then got a ground out before giving up another home run, followed by a double before being taken out. He gave up five runs on five hits (four of which were home runs) in 0.1 innings. His catcher had to be telling the hitters what was coming right? Yesterday’s performance raised Yepez’s ERA to 135.00 on the year.
-High Desert’s pitchers combined to walk 13 batters.
-The teams combined for 51 runs, 58 hits, six errors and 10 home runs.
-The Mavericks had four different players with four RBI.
-The victorious Storm had 33 runs on 32 hits and five home runs.
-They scored eight runs in the first inning, six runs in the eighth and had two five-run innings as well.
-The Storm sent 13 men to the plate in the first inning, eight in the second, nine in the third, eight in the fifth, 10 in the eighth, and nine in the ninth. So they batted around in four separate innings and sent eight men to the plate in two others.
-Lake Elsinore’s leadoff batter Bradley Chalk, came to the plate nine times in the game. He went 4-9 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored.
-Lake Elsinore designated hitter Matt Clark went 5-for-6 with two home runs, a triple, seven runs scored and five RBI.
-Storm first baseman Felix Carrasco drove in six runs.
-Every player in Lake Elsinore’s lineup had at least two hits an RBI and a run scored.
-Shortstop Beemer Weems was the only Storm player to not record an extra base hit. He went 2-for-5 with three walks and two runs scored.
-Chalk was the only Storm player to not record a walk.

Thanks to RumorsandRants

Brandon Jennings stating what everyone thought during the time of Isiah

2009-06-29T23:41:00.000-07:00

The kid missed english. He doesn't know shit in Spanish nor fuck you in Italian making his mouth shut when he could talk trash with the Europeans. Now that he's back in the states, he quickly hooked up with this rapper, Joe Budden, and unleashed tirades reminiscent of Christian Bale.

Unknown to him it was recorded.

Fuck the Knicks! said little Jennings.

Hey that's what we thought when Isiah Thomas was in the Knick's bench drawing a play that would enable the opposition to score.

Here's the rest of the conversation I got from The Baseline:

On next season in Milwaukee ...

Budden: You better worry about Ramon Sessions, diggin' in your a**, pause.
Jennings: He's not going to be here. [inaudible] That money is going to Charlie.
Budden: N****, Ramon Sessions is gonna be there.
Jennings: I doubt it.
Budden: They ain't go no other guards.
Jennings: Ridnour.
Budden: N****, get that bum-a** n**** outta here.
Jennings: He's going to be a backup.
Budden: To who?
Jennings: To who? Who else n****?

On what happened on draft night ...

Budden: Who was hatin' on you?
Jennings: Jay Bilas.
Budden: What happened? You ran in the draft late or some dumb s*** like a loser?
Jennings: No, I was at the hotel. This is what happened right. My agent is like "Well, we ain't hear nothing .We ain't have no guarantee." So we makin' phone calls and s*** and n***** is saying like "The workouts is great and everything and he's the best point guard but we don't know yet, we just don't know."
Budden: They didn't say that about Rick Rubio, number one, and number two they didn't say you the best point guard. They said your jump shot is shaky, you got some potential, but your work ethic is bull****. You averaged 3 points.
Jennings: You're a liar. I know you're lying now.
Budden: I'm just telling you what they said.
Jennings: That ain't nothing but a college person.
Budden: Just tell me what happened. You end up running in the draft? I tunred it off after that.
Jennings: No, n****, I came out there and made my appearance n**** and I had the best appearance out of all them n******. And I was the best dressed, they said, by the way. I was the best dressed.

On whether he'll start next season ...

Budden: You think you gonna start for real though?
Jennings: I don't know, actually, I really don't know.
Budden: I heard that n**** Scott Skiles is an a**h***.
Jennings: That n**** tough, that n**** tough though. There must be a reason he liked me. There must be a reason.

On Ricky Rubio and the Knicks ...

Budden: Let me know when Minnesota get there. So I can watch Rubio light your f****** a** up. I never seen a n**** hate on Rubio so much.
Jennings: [inaudible]
Budden: You know what's funny? You're the only guard in the draft talking s*** about Rubio.
Jennings: The other n***** are scared.
Budden: What are you going to do when Rubio comes to the Knicks?
Jennings: Rubio is not coming, they are not giving up Rubio. You got Jordan Hill, you happy with that?
Budden: I don't really know enough about Jordan Hill to be happy ... I'm happy with Toney Douglas.
Jennings: I know they were booing this n****.
Budden: What does that mean? They boo everybody n****.
Jennings: If it was Stpehen Curry, them n***** would've went crazy in there.
Budden: Shut the f*** up, you don't even know nothing about New York basketball.
Jennings: F*** the Knicks, them n***** skipped out on me.
Budden: Oh man, you feel to the Knicks like I do about Jay-Z? [Laughs] Yo, the Knicks is your Jay-Z?
Jennings: F*** the Knicks, them n***** is always going to be weak.
Budden: This is where I f****** hang up on your f****** ass for talking stupid.
Jennings: Duhon ain't gonna get it done.

Rocket's fortune cookie: No Yao

2009-06-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

The foundation of the the NBA's Great Wall is now showing a strong evidence that it's not made to last. News is out that Yao Ming's future not only as a Rocket but as a player is in a blur for having that left foot injury.

All this years of running for transition defense, jumping for rebounds, jockeying for position, and walking a dog at the park tortured the Chinese mastodon's feet. With a height not really normal for us humans, the Robert Wadlows of the world obviously are the most vulnerable to feet injuries.

According to Rocket's team physician Tom Clanton, Yao's absence might not only eat up most of the next season and going as far as to say that the injury is "career threatening".

That might need some acupuncture needles. No, I mean roof nails.

NHL 2009 Entry Draft

2009-06-29T01:06:00.000-07:00

The NHL entry draft 2009 happened a day after the NBA version and it should not take a lengthy congress debate as to which is more popular. While the whole population knows who Blake Griffin is even before he started to learn how to flip birds, an ESPN poll revealed that 38% of its respondents thought John Tavares was a U.S soccer midfielder.

Only goes to show you why I only thought of posting it today but seriously, I personally think that the previous Stanly Cup Playoffs was better than that of the NBA including the finals.

Here are the first round draftess of batch 2009:

1. John Tavares, N.Y. Islanders, c, London (OHL)
2. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay, d, Modo (Sweden)
3. Matt Duchene, Colorado, c, Brampton (OHL)
4. Evander Kane, Atlanta, c, Vancouver (WHL)
5. Brayden Schenn, Los Angeles, c, Brandon (WHL).

6. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Phoenix, d, Leksand (Sweden)
7. Nazem Kadri, Toronto, c, London (OHL)
8. Scott Glennie, Dallas, rw, Brandon (WHL)
9. Jared Cowan, Ottawa, d, Spokane (WHL)
10. Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, Edmonton, lw, Timra (Sweden).

11. Ryan Ellis, Nashville, D, Windsor (OHL)
12. Calvin de Haan, N.Y. Islanders (from Minnesota), D, Oshawa (OHL)
13. Zack Kassian, Buffalo, RW, Peterborough (OHL)
14. Dmitri Kulikov, Florida, D, Drummondville (QMJHL)
15. Peter Holland, Anaheim, C, Guelph (OHL).

16. Nick Leddy, Minnesota (from Columbus via N.Y. Islanders), D, Eden Prairie (USHS)
17. David Rundblad, St. Louis, D, Skelleftea (Sweden)
18. Louis Leblanc, Montreal, C, Omaha (USHL)
19. Chris Kreider, N.Y. Rangers, C, Andover (USHS)
20. Jacob Josefson, New Jersey (from Calgary), C, Djurgarden (Sweden).

21. John Moore, Columbus (from Philadelphia via Anaheim), D, Chicago (USHL)
22. Jordan Schroeder, Vancouver, C, U. of Minnesota (U.S. College)
23. Tim Erixon, Calgary (from New Jersey), D, Skelleftea (Sweden)
24. Marcus Johansson, Washington, C, Farjestad (Sweden)
25. Jordan Caron, Boston, RW, Rimouski (QMJHL)

26. Kyle Palmieri, Anaheim (from San Jose via Tampa Bay, Ottawa, N.Y. Islanders and Columbus), RW/C, U.S. U-18
27. Philippe Paradis, Carolina, C, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
28. Dylan Olsen, Chicago, D, Camrose (Alta. Jr. A)
29. Carter Ashton, Tampa Bay (from Detroit), RW, Lethbridge (WHL)
30. Simon Despres, Pittsburgh, D, Saint John (QMJHL).

The complete list of the NHL 2009 Entry Draft

Mariano saves his team for the 500th time

2009-06-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

Before it was only Hoffman, now comes Mariano Rivera thus giving baseball a reason to call it a club. Rivera got his 500th career save after closing a Yankees 4-2 victory over cross-street rivals New York Mets.

All-Time Saves Leaders

Trevor Hoffman-571
Mariano Rivera-500
Lee Smith-478
John Franco-424
Dennis Eckersley-390

Rumor has it that the LA Clippers and Detroit Lions are begging this men to study their sport and be part of their roster. Another marvelous idea!

Werth's blast in to the fifth level exile

2009-06-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

the700level
From the same guy that produced four stolen bases in a game this season (including three in the 7th inning), comes another hit from Jayson Werth when he batted the ball back, back, back, and back in to fifth level exile in the Toronto Blue Jay's home field-Roger Centre.VIDEO Clip

I knew it. I could have been a movie trailer copywriter.

The feat made Werth only the 14th player to do so and the first one since 2004. The game was won by the Phillies via 10-0 riding on a 4-4 by Jayson "him again" Werth.

As a consolation to the Jays, no pop-corn was thrashed by the ball.

Alex Rodriguez passes Reggie Jackson in career homerun list

2009-06-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

Reggie Jackson just got his homerun record surpassed by Alex Rodriguez and according to my estimate, it will only take the time of about a few syringe pumps before the Dominican slugger marches on to surpass the next one.

His 564th career HR was made as he sent one to the bleachers helping the Yankees rout the Mets 9-1.

Prior to the Mets game, A-Rod sent the ball into centerfield in Atlanta to tie the 563 of Reggie Jackson good for the 11th place in the list.

Rodriguez admitted last February that he had been injected with PEDs with the help of his cousin during the early years of 2000s saying his being young and naive made him do so. As of the moment, I'm still young and naive and stupid also to believe that his statements are not horseshits but words sort of biblical wisdom.

Chad Ocho Cinco's tweeting about the death of Michael Jackson and it's connection to 9/11. Brilliant.

2009-06-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson err, Chad Ocho Cinco posted a tweet regarding the death of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson comparing this day's sorrow to that of 9/11. His tweet went under fire by other tweets as well saying his published thought was obtuse and undeserving of such juxtaposition.

As those angry tirades started to pile up, Mr. Ocho Cinco apologized saying he's just in an emotional state. Meaning he's not in the mood at the moment to race with a horse.

Tiger got schooled in Golf by Fallon. yawn. WHAT?!

2009-06-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Fallon has the envious achievement of beating Tiger in a golf match after he offered the challenge earlier this week. It could have been more rolling-on-the-floor envy for us if he pulled it off in the real grass. But no, this Fallon fella brought down the Tiger by virtually beating him on Wii's Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10.

The showdown between the two was staged on Time Square with numerous tourist making themselves instant spectators.

Fallon was for par as against Wood's double-bogey and a bogey before he called it quits just before the third hole. Once it was over, Fallon was in ecstasy his face resembling a full page print of his face.

Sit back and enjoy as we witness the single best performance in virtual golf history by any guy named Jimmy Fallon who was born in Brooklyn and is a comedian in his thirties.

NBA Draft 2009

2009-06-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Draft day is done and there goes Griffin to the Clippers.And no people. He is not to be another Michael Olowokandi. He is supposed to be the Patrick Ewing, the David Robinson, the Hakeem Olajuwon of a franchise who always end up OWNING itself.

And so goes the Marianas Trench pressure on his shoulder with Clippers fans standing on the other yapping to his ear to please get them out of the cellar, the dungeon,or the grave before the last shovel of soil.

Alright, I'm not going to act as if I know a lot about the draftees. Truth be told, I only know about three or four of 'em thus I'm not going to be pretending as your Dick Vitale.

Blake Griffin is a given. I only saw him through the highlight videos on the web. It's up to the Clippers whether they'll use him against themselves by self-destructing or by benefiting from him. Clippers fans clap.

Ricky Rubio. The Spanish teenage phenom who is a vital part in his country's last Olympic run went to the Wolves. They say he has a Gretzky feel for the game of basketball. Does that mean he's going to be The Great One 2.0? Not until he perfects behind the basket, over the shotclock shot.

Brandon Jennings went to Europe skipping college ball and is seen by many as an attempt to hone his skills there preparing for the big league while simultaneously earning cash to pay for his translator. Now, he averaged just 4 points per game in Europe. Just saying.

And Tyler Hansbrough. Finishing his last season in North Carolina with a boatload of individual awards. He's among the list of college stars that aren't meant to be in the pros. He will be decent but please don't derive his future in the NBA from what he's been in college. He can't even be a shadow of Dwight.

The Indiana Pacers sure loves loyal frontmen amateurs who played the very last year of eligibility for their alma mater. From last year's Hibbert to Hansbrough.

NBA DRAFT FIRST ROUND RESULTS

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) PF
2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet (UConn) C
3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden (Arizona State) SG
4. Sacramento Kings - Tyreke Evans (Memphis) SG
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Ricky Rubio (Spain) PG
6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jonny Flynn (Syracuse) PG
7. Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry (Davidson) PG
8. New York Knicks - Jordan Hill (Arizona) PF
9. Toronto Raptors - DeMar DeRozan (USC) SG
10. Milwaukee Bucks - Brandon Jennings (Europe) PG

11. New Jersey Nets - Terrence Williams (Louisville) SF
12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson (Duke) SG/SF
13. Indiana Pacers - Tyler Hansbrough (UNC) PF
14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark (Louisville) PF
15. Detroit Pistons - Austin Daye (Gonzaga) SF
16. Chicago Bulls - James Johnson (Wake Forest) PF
17. Philadelphia 76ers - Jrue Holliday (UCLA) PG
18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Ty Lawson (UNC) PG
19. Atlanta Hawks - Jeff Teague (Wake Forest) PG
20. Utah Jazz - Eric Maynor (VCU) PG

21. New Orleans Hornets - Darren Collison (UCLA) PG
22. Portland Trailblazers - Victor Claver (Spain) SF
23. Sacramento Kings - Omri Casspi (Israel) PF
24. Dallas Mavericks - B.J. Mullens (Ohio State) C
25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Rodrique Beaubois (France) PG
26. Chicago Bulls - Taj Gibson (USC) PF
27. Memphis Grizzlies - DeMarre Carroll (Missouri) SF/PF
28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wayne Ellington (UNC) SG
29. Los Angeles Lakers - Toney Douglas (Florida State) PG
30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Christian Eyenga (Congo) SG
Complete List of the 2009 NBA Draft

Eat their English

2009-06-25T01:49:00.000-07:00

Soccer has never upped my interest to no more than the anatomy of a dodo. Though some moments really deserves to pull my attention away from my Sunday dish washing chores.

The very underrated Team USA was not supposed to win against the top rated squad in the planet. Is this some sort of a revenge dating back to 2002 when the Spaniards handed the once mighty Team USA basketball squad its second loss in the World Championships thus being the second team to do beat an all-pro American quintet in history?

Nah. That's just playing over the top.

The US made an unprecedented upset and American soccer's life goes on still thriving for the mainstream recognition. This game might be the tipping point or just a one hit wonder and then that's all folks. The important thing is that this match should not just be an upset but to be a start of a sustaining perennial contender status.

Speaking of upsets in the sport where kicking balls is fun, there has to be none close to a feat made by the 1966 North Korean team.

Yes, before Kim Jong Il went nuts over his missiles, they went berserk on the grass.