Merry Christmas

Laos SEA Games Aftermath

Just a funny thought, it was kinda hard for me to google this picture up. The keywords "poomsae" and "poomsae philippines" does not work to show this photo on the first page of its image results. What I did was search for who the three ladies were and find this photo on their Facebook profiles. So for the three ladies in this picture, sorry for invading your privacy.

So the 25th Southeast Asian Games drew to a close last Friday. The country finished 5th. It was a lowly ranking although the country could have managed to get into third spot.

It was kind of expected that the country would fare badly this year. But the country's non-representation as one of the broadcasters for the event is really just disappointing. It goes to show that none really cares about sports...other than basketball, billiards and boxing.

As expected, those sports with better funding (taekwondo, athletics, swimming) gets to win more gold medals. More funds means more appreciation shown to these athletes, more off-shore training, more international competitions, better training. Everybody from the sports-loving world has been clamoring for a national sports program that will be the avenue to better results on international sporting competitions especially the Olympics.

As we get to read December 20, 2009 broadsheet, expect sports columnists to write stuff about the things I have just mentioned. Lack of training, lack of funding, lack of preparation, lack of support. I'm just wondering, why aren't our athletes been really vocal about their dilemna? Shouldn't there be a Filipino athletes association? I believe that will mirror what our athletes really feel. Philippine sports is deeply fractured by rampant corruption and politicking. I hope our next President will give sports the recognition it rightly deserves.

See you all on the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in 2010! Expect more golds from the country this time!

Cardinal Rule In Blogging (An Oxymoron)

Don't blog for the sake of blogging. It vagues the whole purpose of writing, which is expressing one's self. No one obliges you to write (unless somebody pays you yo do it) on your blog.

Blog on your own terms.

You ok now?

Great.

25th Southeast Asian Games

The elephants looked really cute. Maybe that's the reason I loved going to Vietnam and Thailand. I love elephants.

Wait, I should be speaking about the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane, Laos. All I know is that I wanna go to Vientiane and see Patuxai. Anybody who's backpacking across Southeast Asia should know what the Patuxai is.

I'm not really jumping up and down with excitement cos I thought the Southeast Asian Games is really, just for Southeast Asia. Funny how host countries (Philippines included) would try to win every subjective sport to their advantage.

But I'm gonna say this only once: We always lose subjective sports on hostile grounds like Thailand and Vietnam. Are you familiar with the 2007 SEA Games boxing finals wherein the Philippines and Thailand faced on every single final there was? Massive cheating guys.

The events I'm looking forward to really would be swimming. Friend Daniel Coakley is gonna be defending his 50m Men's Freestyle gold and I am hopeful I'm gonna be holding that gold medal when he gets to fly back here to Manila before heading back to America for the holidays.

Honestly, I'm looking forward to next year's Asian Games in Guangzhou. Why? Because I thought we will be faring better this time. Hoping for a top ten (even top 15) finish next year!

Anyways, here's what I thought would happen at this year's SEA Games.

1. Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia or the Philippines would cry foul over some Thailand and/or Vietnam subjective sports wins (those sports that needed judges for scoring).
2. Miguel Molina and Daniel Coakley would win their swimming events without much competition.
3. The Philippine Billiards team would win the majority of pool events.
4. Malaysia and Indonesia will dominate Badminton.
5. Cecil Mamiit will win over Danai Udomchoke again on men's tennis singles final.
6. Tamarine Tanasugarn might win her last SEAG gold.
7. Philippines again would cry foul over Thailand boxing cheating.
8. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, East Timor in that order.
   

I'm A Fan, Not A Fan, Was A Fan

Pretty self-explanatory right? Let's start!


I'm A Fan

• Russel Brand (stand-up comic)
  
• Mancow Muller (new life hero, radio jock)
  
• How I Met Your Mother (the new F.R.I.E.N.D.S.)
  
• Entourage (just loved that show)
  
• Polynesian friends (just loved them!)
  

Not A Fan

• Adam Lambert (send him back to earth)
  
• Miley Cyrus (give that kid her pacifier)
  
• Billy Ray Cyrus (that's called child labor, right pops?)
  
• Momma Lohan (i think you and your daughter both need an intervention)
  
• Dingdong Dantes (nevermind)
  

Was A Fan

• Chico And Delamar (we're tired of you guys, sorry)
  
• David Blaine (the masked magician is way cooler!)
  
• Chris Brown (sorry kid, you've made the biggest mistake ever)
  
• Michelle Rodriguez (you're too testosterone-filled for me)
  
• McDonald's Hot Caramel Sundae (you are too sweet now for my liking)