Unconventional Way to Understand Basketball Part 1

All Cordillera NBA Finals: Burnham Lakers vs the Bontoc Celtics

Time to resurrect the old joke. Here's the real (fantasy) Bontoc Celtics.
This BTW is a photo of the Mexico-RP Olympics basketball match in 1936. Look at the net, the shorts, the open court, the no-box out rebound and the greasy hair.

Zen Fastbreak

"If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball"
Phil Jackson

It's All Stats

That new Fil-Am coach of Miami Heat said it right: it's all statistics. Before you say that the Celtics-Lakers Finals was all magic and nostalgia and parquet flooring and fate, John Hollinger as early as March said that Celtics has one foot in the finals and the Lakers has one small toe jammed on it. He had them 1 and 3 in his power rankings. Utah is 2nd while Detroit is 6th. Spurs is 8th so stop fretting about a Detroit-Spurs shouldabeen. It's less likely. This was later changed to Celtics 1st, Pistons 2nd, Lakers 3rd and Utah 4th. At the start of the playoffs, Celtics is 72 percent likely to make it to Finals while and 54 percent as champs. Lakers was 18 percent in the Finals and 7 percent to win it all. Utah was 31 percent Champs but the intangibles were again at work here. Although the Las Vegas oddsmakers (Market) were more on the money. Two months this was the comparison. They don't know the power of Le Bron:
Boston - 42% (Hollinger) / 24% (Market)
Detroit - 12% (Hollinger) / 12% (Market)
LA Lakers - 12% (Hollinger) / 15% (Market)
Utah - 6% (Hollinger) / 4% (Market)
Orlando - 6% (Hollinger) / 3% (Market)
Houston - 4% (Hollinger) / 4% (Market)
San Antonio - 4% (Hollinger) / 12% (Market)
New Orleans - 3% (Hollinger) / 5% (Market)
Dallas - 3% (Hollinger) / 4% (Market)
Phoenix - 3% (Hollinger) / 10% (Market)
Denver - 2% (Hollinger) / 1% (Market)
Golden State - 2% (Hollinger) / 1% (Market)
Cleveland - 0% (Hollinger) / 3% (Market)

When the Celtics-Lakers Dominations Ended

Tonight, for the first time since 1979, the National Basketball Assciation championship series began without the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers.
Uh oh.

Home

Really bad news for the Spurs. Boston Globe, which knows what it's saying with the Celtics said that home court advantage is real. They gave reasons, like travel for the visitors, familiarity of turf and the psychological state of the home athletes. That means Manu is better off playing in Argentina.

Curtains

Yes, Spurs fans will talk about the foul on Barry that never came but there were fouls that weren't called anyway. Whatever it is, it's curtains. 1-3 and they are going to LA. Here's Kobe's call on the thing:

Villar's Bilyar

One of the "nicer" things that Senate President Manny Villar did was organize the Villar Cup. One, billiards is one thing we're good at and second, his name is almost a homonym to "bilyar." So I didn't know there was a controversy behind the 1st Villar Cup until Villar's camp sent an email to me (and presumably to the rest of the media) about Efren "Bata" Reyes denying that they joined the tournament only because of the money. Reyes also said (the statement was in Filipino) that Villar is not "incompetent" to hold such tournament and that they were not paid to join the senator's gimmick. Paying top players to join a tournament is the norm in golf and presumably in billiards as well. So what's all the sour-graping all about then? Roxas can have a market beautification contest to remind people that he is "Mr. Palengke" or encourage people to cook meals at P50 (Roxas). Bayani Fernando can hold cycling tournaments to remind people that he is the only one to install bike lanes in his city. Or maybe a tenor singing contest. Noli de Castro can have a dwarf-tossing contest. It's all in the image, peepz.

Wengweng in the Wing: Another Reason Why Pinoys can Excel in Soccer

Sports Rants (with Photos of Li Wei, Our Artist of the Week)

It's so hard to be a Seattle sports fan. First, they now have no NBA franchise team now. 2nd, the Seahawks released Shaun Alexander, the NFL MVP two years ago. That, after releasing Joey Galloway also years ago. The only bright hope are the Mariners and yet, they got into injuries early. This while watching live the M's - Orioles game when Hernandez pitched to Hernandez who grounded to 2nd while Hernandez slid to 3rd safely. Couldn't figure that out, unless you are a fan of Calvin & Hobbes.

Basketball

It's been years since I last played pick-up basketball. The last time was at the fire station at Camp John Hay and that's ages ago. I think I have to go back for health sake (when we were young, we stopped playing for health sake. Dislocated shoulder. broken fingers) Like Bryan Boy, I looked at the Internet for some gears and here's what I found:


Not impressive you say. But then our idol Phoenix Suns guard/environmental pointman Steve Nash created this new basketball shoe, Nike Trash Talk $100, with an upper made of leather and synthetic leather pieces collected from the factory floor, mid-sole from factory scrap foam, and the outsole using less toxic rubber plus Nike Grind material from outsole manufacturing waste.

But the ball will make up for this environmental awareness. Nike Limited Edition Jordan 23 Basketball ($150). Only 2323 of the full-grain leather balls are being made, featuring the trademark Jumpman on the side, and a graphic chronicling his Airness' triumphs wrapping around.

Pacquiao

Ciara Sotto sang the Philippine national anthem Lupang Hinirang followed by Teo Gonzales who sang Mexico's El Himno Nacional. Filipino American Jasmine Villegas sang the Star Spangled Banner. That's all you need to know because Pacquiao won b a split decision like the singing of the national anthems. He floored Marquez in the third round but true to form, the Mexican came back. Both had bloody eyes. It was a good fight. Click on the pix to see how strong P's left was

Breakable: Manny Pacquiao

Figures for Manny Pacquiao to think about:

$8.5 MILLION: est. money Manny will get from his March fight with Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas. That comes out to about P350 MILLION

P2.4 MILLION: money raked in by "Anak ng Kumander," the movie starring Manny Pacquiao shown during the Metro Manila Film Festival last December when all theaters in Manila and many places elsewhere were required to show only entries from the festival. BTW that money was the total take from all theaters in the country.

The point, Manny, is, since you also endorse MagicSing, we now sing: I love you just the way you are. We want you bloodied and dizzy in the ring and nowhere else. Don't go tryin' some new fashion. Don't change the color of your hair. Who-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo

Big J

There is a book about the 100 top basketball players in the country. There is only one born in Baguio but then he's The One. Ok, Number Seven. The Big J. Robert S. Jaworski Jr. Born March 8, 1946 in Baguio City of a Polish father and Pinay mom. He's mum about his Pop but when i was young, I thought his father is Leon Jaworski, the Watergate prosecutor. Jawo was the point guard because he loves to point when he was a coach and say, This is you. This is me. Jawo's nicknames were "Big J" and "Living Legend." So what's the S? Eh, di "Sonny." Ha ha ha. Funny, but it stands for "Senador." OK, "Salazar." He became a senator, becoming the third basketball legend to become one. There was one time when he came to Baguio to discuss about some titled lots in Engineer's Hill. Robert Jaworski Abano and I covered him just because naman ano. Know where he held his consultation. On the basketball court, of course.

Journalist Gomez

Now I know why they call him Superman. Robert Gomez used to be a field reporter of ABSCBN in Zamboanga before concentrating on his pool game. Now that is why he looks familiar. And this is where "hometown news er decision" comes in handy. They will play the game in Table 1 where Gomez's soft break game never failed him. He soft-broke table 2 and it didn't work because he had a dry break. So he played hard for the first time and somehow scored 11 racks in a row.

Superman vs. Lex Luthor

Robert Gomez, an unknown even in this billiard-crazy country, will be facing Daryl Peach, another unknown, in the battle of the unknowns. But I already placed my money on Gomez two days ago so i believe he will win. The Zamboanga will have the hometown decision, of course, but all vestige of Pinoy hospitality vanished for Peach because of his controversial win over Django Bustamante. Leading 10-9, Django thought he pocketed the 9 ball using the 3-ball. The shot was nullified and Peach scored two more racks to win. The call of Referee Rees was right because the slow-mo said so, but try telling that to the crowd tomorrow. Gomez scored 11-4 against Kuo, the most points he gave his opponent so far. Gomez, whom they call Superman, is 28 and the last Pinoy qualifier, coming from Zamboanga. He previously won who won the Battle of Scandinavia 8-Ball in Norway and the Pacman 10-Ball in General Santos City. Peach is 35 and we share the same birthday. His head is like a cue ball while Gomez sports a blond streak in this pomaded coiffure. His latest win was the IPT German Open. of course, it's their first time to meet each other. I think Gomez is more skillful and Peach better at decision-making. But the last game of Gomez should strike fear in England's (black)pool's heart. After trailing 0-4 against Boyes, he scored 11 straight to nail the game and Boyes to his chair. The same thing he did with Lely, 0-1 then 10 straight racks. Pool fans, however, frown at his soft break. I'm sure if Strickland is still here he would be fuming like crazy. But then that last game with Boyes showed that Gomez can break hard. He even had a golden break on his 8th rack, the first time that the 9 ball went in in the first salvo. Tried listening to the Studio 23 simulcast, what idiots these commentators are.

Pool

Immonen is the last WPC champion in the last 8. Gomez remains the most dominant unknown with a 11-0 beating of Feijen, after the other night's 10-2 win over former WPC champ Chao Fong Pang and 10-1 win over Alex Lely of Netherlands. There are still two Bustamantes. Only Kuo is left for the mighty Taiwanese squad after Lu lost. Peach is on a dream run and leads the final England charge with Boyes. Games odds now favor Bustamante the Greater with a 9/2. Stan James even said that the odds on Django is 4/1; and after that win over Pagulayan who was second in the odds, his odds would become smaller indeed. Gomez is surprisingly at second at 15/2 followed by Immonen (who is half-based in Manila because of the great pool talent pool there and of course, because he can afford it) with 9/1; Kuo with 10/1; Peach (16/1), Joven Bustamante (20/1), Foldes (20/1) and Peach with an amazing 40/1 odds.
Most of the winners used the soft break and Immonen is thinking of following suit. Today, Django Bustamante will be facing Peach in the best odds/ worst odds game. Hey, Peach won over Luat, Alcano and Lee. Immonen would be facing Foldes. Kuo-Gomez would be fun to watch while the Bustamante-Boyes deal would be Saturday's dark horse game.

1. Konstantin Stepanov (Russia) 4-11 Karl Boyes (England)
2. Francisco Bustamante (Philippines) 11-2 Alex Pagulayan (Philippines)
3. Kuo Po-cheng (Chinese Taipei) 11-7 Corey Deuel (USA)
4. Niels Feijen (Holland) 0-11 Roberto Gomez (Philippines)

Table two
1. Satoshi Kawabata (Japan) 9-11 Joven Bustamante (Philippines)
2. Alain Martel (Canada) 8-11 Mika Immonen (Finland)
3. Vilmos Foldes (Hungary) 11-5 Lu Hui-chan (Chinese Taipei)
4. Daryl Peach (England) 11-5 Harald Stolka (Germany)

Manny

I didn't watch the Pacquiao fight live but heard it live. So I was on the bed listening to GMA7 radio and slept from Round 3 to 9. I have a feeling that Pacquiao was losing until the 11th round where he finally hit Barrera's face with a hard left and the area on the proud Mejicano's lower eye was bloodied. Other than that it was a fight that went the distance and so there would be a Third Match. I texted my friends about it because they were still waiting for the match to start on TV. So what happened on the 11th, Andy texted. I answered, "Hinalikan ni Ara Mina kaya sinapak siya ni Jinkee. Tumawa si Barrera, lumobo sipon sa ilong. Pinalobo din ni Pac ang mata."
AND I SAY IT NOW: THE NEWSPAPER THAT WILL HAVE THE BANNER, "PACQUIAO'S WIN UNITES THE PEOPLE" WILL GET TO MARRY KEVIN NADAL.

China is Excited About the Olympics

From Amnesty International

OJ in Anagram

A Chronological Story of "Orenthal James Simpson" in Anagrams

OJ, He Seminal Sportsman
Host OJ, Primal Meanness
Mr. OJ, Meanness, Hospital
OJ, Immense Sharp Talons
Heisman Plot, Snare Ms. OJ
Moonlit James Sharpens
"Immense Harlot!" OJ Snaps
OJ Slashes Prominent Ma
Heisman Person Jolts Ma
Inept OJ Slashes Mom, Ran
She Enjoin Mortal Spasm
Ms. OJ's Ron, Lame Thespian
I'm OJ, Slashes Neat Ron, PM
Hapless Ron Join Tame Ms.
Patrolmen Hiss OJ's Name
Jam, Solemn Shapiro Sent
Ashen Patrolmen Miss OJ
Jam, Solemn Shapiro Sent
Ashen Patrolmen Miss OJ
Shapiro Menses Jolt Man
OJ's Solemn, Marsha Inept
Ron Set OJ, Heisman Plasm
OJ, Him Last Manson Spree
OJ, Less Mama, Then Prison
Orenthal James Simpson

This is from Internet Anagram Server. I humbly give my suggestion after OJ's latest heist

Jinn Steals Hammer. Oops.
Heist Planner Jams. Moos.