#SendongCharityGame Set

The match has been set. C.F. Madrid, a Tercera Division club in Spain, will be the opponent. What matters is that help is coming on the way for those who really need it.

Blog Outsourcing - December 26 edition

Greeting to everyone.

Just happy to know the NBA is back.


Here forth are the links to keep you busy after the jump.
Some batch of seniors from Boise. (c/o Idaho Press & Idaho Statesman)

Parting gift for Fedora! (c/o Reno Gazette-Journal)

This bowl just got a whole lot more unwatchable when it was already unwatchable. (c/o Quad City Times)

Preseason 2012 Heisman favorite. (c/o Los Angeles Times)

Hope springs anew. With a matching extension, eh. (c/o Indianapolis Star)

RIP Joseph Villavisencio. (c/o The Inquisitr)

Close but no cigar. (c/o New York Times' The Quad)

Someone got stabbed over a shoe. C'mon son. (c/o Z6Mag)

Apparently, two events is just enough to win a money title. (c/o Washington Post)

What looms ahead for Floyd. (c/o Opposing Views)

PacMarquez III was the event of the year. Should it be, really? (c/o ABS-CBN News)

Fixing baseball's HoF issues. (c/o Hardball Talk)

To part, here is what Christmas should be.

Blog Outsourcing - December 19 edition

Hello and I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and other holidays that come at this time of the year.

Allow me to once again take things seriously as the Motherland, specifically its southern portion, was battered by Tropical Storm Washi (locally known as Sendong) over the weekend. I am fine, but after personally enduring the wrath two years ago, it surely is not alright down there.

Relief efforts are already underway. If you so choose to help, you can check here & here for details on how you can chip in. You may also check the website of the Philippine Red Cross.

The Filipino spirit remains undaunted. Unfazed. We will rise up again. And Again.

Here forth are the links after the jump:
U-LA-La! Thrilling finish. (c/o SportsNOLA)

You got some hot MAC-tion in exotic locales like New Mexico and Idaho. (c/o Buzz on Broad & Idaho Statesman)

Absolute hypocrisy. (c/o Wall Street Journal)

Was it a Smart move? (c/o College Football Talk)

As if things haven't gone bad already in Happy Valley. (c/o Lost Lettermen)

Urban's presence paying off. (c/o The Ozone)

They truly are the World Champions. (c/o New York Times)

FIFA is based in Zurich, so this might get messy. (c/o Swiss Info)

Will he make it in time for Euro 2012? (c/o Inside Futbol)

The ability to bounce back from adversity is key. So far so good for Manchester City (c/o Guardian)

Speaking of Manchester City, they are holding Carlos Tevez hostage for AC Milan. (c/o Sportsmole)

This was one wicked round house, dude. (c/o The Big Lead)

Andre Ward could possibly be the Fighter of the Year. (c/o Eastbay Express)

Rematches underway for Hernandez-Cunningham & Hopkins-Dawson. (c/o Fightnews & Fighters)

Why not make it a 40-40 with winner netting the remaining 20? (c/o Larry Brown Sports)

He'll ensure that the school becomes a basketball school. (c/o Florida Today)

Cycledan feeling good, but kwsn not thrilled. (c/o Juice Online & Indianapolis Star)

From Petco to the Great American Ballpark. That's some major turnaround, Mat. (c/o Sportsrageous)

The versatile Cuddyer is off for some Coors. (c/o Southside Showdown)

Latest on Bryan Stow (c/o Deadspin)

You spent $75M for someone to get sentenced to house arrest. (c/o Call To The Pen)

A letter to Donald Sterling. (c/o Laker Nation)

Baron Davis is an upgrade to Mike Bibby. (c/o Study of Sports)

Best wishes to Jeff Green. (c/o Inquisitr) 600 wins for the Q. (c/o Chicago Tribune)

To part, a Christmas classic. I find it appropriate.

May the force be with Neil Etheridge

Good luck Neil. You have just made history, not just for you, but for Philippine football and for the continent as well.

Blog Outsourcing - December 12 edition

Good Morning and welcome to the latest edition of The Morning After.

The weekend was abuzz with much ado about how Tim Tebow managed to pull magic out of the hat. Again. But hey, isn't that what Eli Manning is pulling out of his hat, too? He just tied another NFL record being held by his brother and his brother's iconic predecessor. Doesn't the Broncos have a mean defensive line like Elvis Dumervil? But the Giants have that guy gracing our cover photo for today? Willis McGahee has been adequate without Knowshown, but Brandon Jacobs just passed a Tiki Barber record and played one half without Ahmad.

They have some sort of luck, but not the Andrew kind, because that is what Indianapolis needs.

Here forth are the links after the jump:
Postscript from Assembly Hall. Pat Forde with an in-depth view of its magnitude (c/o Inside the Hall & Yahoo!)

Fallout from the Crosstown Brawl. (c/o Kansas City Star)

Ben gave Reeves the full nelson. (c/o Busting Brackets)

Life after football has not been easy for JoePa. (c/o College Football Talk)

Curious choice of a coach for the Pac-12 South Champs. (c/o Building A Dam)

After a harrowing season, possible opportunity for catharsis. (c/o Terrapin Station)

Dyer straits. (c/o SB Nation Atlanta) Could be the right fit. (c/o The Battalion)

RG III does the stiff arm. (c/o Washington Post)

Khan gets deposed. (c/o Doghouse Boxing)

Fast start, couldn't finish. (c/o Daily Mail)

If you are making this kind of investment, it better pay off. (c/o Soccer By Ives)

Tar Heels take the NCAA title. (c/o New York Times)

It's over for the Nittany Lions. (c/o Lexington Courier-Journal)

Rivals in the field, partners for life? (c/o BusinessWeek)

Quite simple a parting moment.

You're Quite The Natural, Brandon

I am a huge fan of Brandon Roy. The shooting guard out of Washington was a Minny draft pick before being shipped out to Portland for the rights to Randy Foye.

You cannot question his heart, his will, his love for the game and his devotion to the sport and to its fans, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where he played for Lorenzo Romar in the University of Washington and for the Portland Trailblazers.

It is with great regret that I heard reports saying that Brandon is seeking medical retirement due to his degenerative knee condition. It is definitely saddening and disappointing his physical body could not withstand the pressure and wear-and-tear that is the NBA.

However, we choose to remember his greatness and in this past postseason, he surely gave us one to remember him by.

Thanks, Brandon. We'll miss you.

There is only one Stan Musial

I guess the idea that someone playing his entire career with one team is pretty much dead or over. People prided over that notion that you stick with the team through thick and thin, through the good times and benefits, and the bad times, when things get ugly and all that.

Those were the days. It looks so far away now.

I look at this as reports come out that Albert Pujols has agreed to become a member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after spending his first eleven years in the National League. A $250 to $260 million 10-year deal for a 32-year old three-time MVP. Said deal has a full no-trade clause and no opt-out.

Maybe this is for the benefit of the Cardinals, not being burdened by such a contract, but I feel this is a missed opportunity for him to burnish a legacy as a true St. Louis legend.

Kudos to the Artie Moreno and the Angels. They wanted to make a stand in a town where the being the main baseball talk can be had with the current state of the Dodgers. Adding him and then adding C.J. Wilson definitely helps.

*Stan Musial played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball. All of them with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Blog Outsourcing - 12/5 edition

Yup, David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy arrived in Manila as part of their Asia-Pacific Tour. You could also consider it as the farewell tour for the English midfielder, considering he already has offers from Paris Saint-Germain and others to return to Europe.

You can check out here for some details. Also here.

Football in the Philippines has come a long way after a year. From being nowhere in sight to now being in the spotlight. Hope this continues.

Here forth are the links to make your morning after the jump.
Free your Christmas Day sked. The rest will follow on Tuesday. (c/o SLAM Online & ProBasketball Talk)

Meanwhile, you can commence your chase. (c/o HoopsWorld)

Another Cavs legend heads towards the comfy confines of the state of Florida. (c/o Orlando Sentinel)

The Diva Double-Play Combination set down in South Beach. Or maybe not (c/o Miami Herald and Baseball Nation)

Will Bobby V bring back Papi? (c/o BoSox Injection)

Could they compromise? (c/o Detroit Free Press)

Maybe trading a catcher to the Blue Jays would be in the Angels' favor this time. (c/o Rant Sports)

What to expect in the winter meetings? (c/o MLB)

Manny returns, and is still is being Manny. (c/o Call To The Pen)

Hey Minny, you got Tebow'd. (c/o Yahoo!'s Shutdown)

They're back in the playoffs. (c/o San Francisco Examiner)

Frank Gore. Niner Legend. (c/o San Jose Mercury News)

Screaming Trap Game. And it was. (c/o Landry's Hat)

How much would this save the Bears this offseason? (c/o Chicago Sun-Times)

Would a deep Freeze fix the Rebs? (c/o Jackson Clarion Ledger)

Apparently, playing anytime, anywhere, any place cost Pat Hill his job eventually. (c/o The Collegian)

This has been Sharapova's Thigh's mantra over the past few weeks. (c/o The Coloradoan)

Is this the right one? (c/o Wall Street Journal)

Oklahoma State tried its best, but that loss at Ames really hurt, especially under the circumstances surrounding the university on that day. (c/o The Oklahoma Daily & USA Today)

Welcome to the Urban Meyer Bowl. (c/o CBS Sports)

Time to rekindle the memories of a bygone era. (c/o Slap The Sign)

They have a losing record, yet go to a bowl. (c/o Bruins Nation)

Not fair that the Hilltoppers got screwed out of a bowl and no non-AQs in the BCS. (c/o Louisville Courier-Journal & Examiner)

Someone got in a Hakim Warrick-esque moment. (c/o The Republic)

Yup, the media botched this one. Badly. (c/o Go Local Prov)

Cycledan > Trey (c/o The Juice)

Justice was served. (c/o Boxing Scene)

Was watching the replay of the AMAs last night...

Wishlist for the Azkals versus the Galaxy

Yes, I am absolutely giddy for the match between our national team and that of the MLS Champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy. At the same time, I would like to put my thinking cap on and dream about what I would like to see this weekend.

1. World class action from the Galaxy. At least, we have an idea on what to expect from them because they faced an Indonesian side first. Hopefully, we can get to experience world-class football action from them for at least a half before Bruce Arena decides to turn the rest of the game into an audition to see who fits into his plans next season.

2. Debuts. Well, Weiss added two new elements previously unknown to the normal masses, Matthew Uy and Demetrius Omphroy. Both are defenders, so at least they can be added onto a pool of possible plug-ins for the future given the age of our back line. Demetrius would be familiar in facing the Galaxy, after all, he was playing for a MLS club in Toronto FC. I also would like to see the only position player that did not see action in the just-concluded SEAG, Jake Morallo of the Loyola Meralco Sparks. And yes, Chris Greatwich finally returns to the side that remembers him well for his goal scoring exploits.

3. Prove-its. No one probably took a huge flak in their individual performance earlier this year than what Edward Sacapano had to go through in the second leg of the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifier at Mongolia. This is his chance to prove the naysayers wrong. Of course, no one else has to be under fire more than Weiss, after what can be said as a disastrous SEAG campaign and with mounting questions about whether he really is fit to handle our national side.

4. Chemistry. This is the chance for the under-23 standouts to see if they can immediately fit right in our senior side. Good opportunity for the likes of Joshua Beloya or Ojay Clarino to play a role alongside their elder counterparts. Yes. This is a good time to experiment, but not at the extent Weiss pulled off in earlier matches. Remember, the Challenge Cup is to be held in March.

5. Crowd. I'd like to see a vibrant, energetic crowd that will inspire our national side to give its fullest effort. Hopefully, a full crowd that can convince the powers that be, that you know what, there is hope in getting people to watch events like this in the future.

Blog Outsourcing - 11/28/11

Welcome to this week's edition of The Morning After.

I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving Weekend. Thanksgiving is an opportunity for everyone to be appreciative and reflective. I hope you were able to do that with you and your families.

What I am thankful for is that basketball is coming soon to you and yours. It was a warm Saturday afternoon watching live futbol action outside when my twitter timeline just got flooded by stuff from the likes of Woj, Sheridan, Stein and Bucher.

I am pleased that the NBA is back. Hopefully, all the fine lines are smoothed over. The t's are crossed and the i's are dotted. You can get better enjoyment from your football and baseball. My groove is with basketball and now futbol.

Here forth are the links after the jump.
Things are not Fine at Syracuse. (c/o Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician)

The First Fan in action. (c/o Global Grind)

ONIONS! seen at Cameron Indoor West. (c/o Charlotte Observer)

Viva Las Vegas for the Runnin' Rebels. (c/o The Daily Tar Heel)

The perils of tweeting abound, Alex Oriakhi. (c/o The UConn blog)

They miss Steve Lavin. (c/o New York Post)

Ron Zook crashed and burned. (c/o Hail to the Orange)

Two seasons and it's that for Turner Gill. (c/o The Wichita Eagle)

You deserve to be fired when USC is ineligible and you could not win the division that you're favored to win easily, Dennis. (c/o Arizona Republic)

Quite literally, it's BCS or Bust for UCLA. (c/o Los Angeles Times)

Regardless, he should be invited to New York City. (c/o MVP Texas)

Parrish > Lefty. (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The Luke Fickell interregnum. (c/o The Lantern)

The Leader is having a Ball, while waiting for the Spartan Legend at Indianapolis. (c/o Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel & Big Ten Network)

Could Mark Ingram's successor duplicate it? (c/o Sports Grid)

LSU stamping class. Guide if you want to watch it again. (c/o And The Valley Shook)

San Diego gets Tebow'd. (c/o Denver Post)

Matt Leinart is clearly not fit for pro ball. However, Texans still win. (c/o Houston Chronicle)

Raiders get a kick out of the Bears. (c/o San Jose Mercury News)

Just fitting for Ndamukong. (c/o Yahoo!'s Shutdown Corner)

Stevie J in bad taste? But Plax gets final say. (c/o Newark Star-Ledger and New York Times)

Remember Troy Brown in his later years? Meet Julian Edelman. (c/o WEEI)

Astros pressing reset button. (c/o USA Today)

Bobby or Gene, what's it gonna be, Ben? (c/o Call To The Pen)

All systems go for Cotto versus Margarito. (c/o Doghouse Boxing)

It's a great achievement for a team when you last tasted defeat before this was back in April. (c/o The Guardian)

RIP Gary Speed. (c/o The London Telegraph)

Where to, Becks? (c/o BBC Sport)

Lebron 1 - Marc Stein 1. (c/o Belfast Telegraph)

Magpies deny Red Devil satisfaction. (The Daily Mail)

So, you probably had one of this after the long holiday weekend.

Texas State Champions

You got to love college sports. They always bring out the creative minds of the youth. Whether it is from the Philippines or overseas, if you have something creative, it might just be on a shirt.

The latest neat idea came from the twitter feed of CNBC's Darren Rovell, who tweets sports-related stuff from the business perspective. He is referring to 11th ranked Kansas State (15th if you ask USA Today and 16th if you ask the Associated Press), currently toting a 9-2 record (6-2 in Big 12). They are now selling a shirt that is factual and legit.

Now that is what you call sticking it to them. Because the truth hurts.

Blog Outsourcing - November 21, 2011 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

The University of Miami is one very very proud institution that has produced lots of NFL greats then and now. Although it has fallen through hard times as of late both on and off the field, it has always taken pride in the success of its athletes in the NFL, especially in its knack to score touchdowns. In fact, they have scored in 149 straight weeks, far and away the longest for a NCAA team. 33 different alumni from Da U! have scored 661 touchdowns.

That streak is now in question. With Monday Night Football in sight, there are only two Canes' alumni who will be playing tonight. Vince Wilfork and Allen Bailey. Can they continue the streak? Who knows.

Here forth are the links after the jump:
Before there was Tim Tebow and Twitter, there was Vince Young. (c/o 700 Level)

The train keeps on chugging for the champs. (c/o Total Packers)

Cardiac Comeback Cats. (c/o Detroit Free Press)

Haven't we seen this all too often in San Diego? (c/o Sign On San Diego)

Do you believe in the power of Hanie? (c/o Chicago Tribune)

Could Matt Moore be what Ryan Fitzpatrick is? (c/o Phin Phanatic)

How bout 'em Cowboys? (c/o Washington Post)

Engaging fans in nasty banter is not good. (c/o The Inquisitr)

Could hard work be enough to succeed? (c/o Broncos Talk)

Will he be Boston's Valentine? (c/o Boston Herald)

Looking back at the past to move to the future. (c/o The Chronicle Herald)

Ouch, J.R. (c/o SLAM Online)

Who is your AL MVP? (c/o Toronto Star)

Latest on the Bernie Fine controversy. (c/o Searching for Billy Edelin)

Hello, Robert Griffin III. Goodbye BCSNCG, Oklahoma. (c/o The Oklahoma Daily)

Could the SEC West be the best division in football, college or pro? (c/o Al.com)

If they were 10-2 and not 6-6, they ain't going to do this. (c/o BC Interruption)

Congratulations to David Beckham. Finally. (c/o Soccer By Ives)

To part, here is a tribute to the voice of Georgia

Are we back at the drawing board?

So we end our campaign in the Southeast Asian Games in the sport of men's football. What was thought to be a promising opportunity turned into something quite different. Very very different.

The anthem snafu in the opener versus Vietnam probably signaled the woes that our national team had to face. In that match, we managed to snatch a 1-0 lead, only to lose 3-1, with captain Matthew Hartmann having a hand thanks to a own goal. After a narrow 2-1 defeat against Timor Leste, the next thing we knew was that Matthew is back home, getting into an argument against Green Archer players whilst playing for club team Loyola Meralco.

Then, Joshua Beloya against Laos happened.

It buoyed optimism that we can still make it past the so-called "Group of Hope." Raised fervor and enthusiasm. And then reality smashed our dreams and visions. Myanmar and Brunei ended that for us.

So, two losses sandwich a come-from-behind win. Not really what we had in mind. Hey, they thought they could pull off ten points. So did we. And we are reminded that we are miles away from it. We are reminded that band-aid-esque measures ain't gonna work. This ain't basketball where our collegiate studs would get the job done in the region.

Now what? What lies ahead? The same rhetoric is still echoing. The same issues still remain and prevailing. Divisions and controversies and yet it is just there, waiting for a solution. A sincere fix. A permanent one. Maybe when the PFF elections come later this month. The leadership needs to step up to the plate.

The success opened the eyes of the larger populace. It is expected that we are to make upgrades our well.

Blog Outsourcing - 11/14 edition

Hello and Welcome to the latest edition of The Morning After (which has somewhat morphed into some kind of a weekly thing).

So, there was a fight this Saturday / Sunday. A long awaited fight. Featuring two pound-for-pound greats. One from Mexico, the other, the Philippines. Much has been said before, during and after the match. Lot of debate whether Dinamita won, or should it be a draw, but one thing for sure, come Cinco de Mayo 2012, the Fighting Congressman will be facing someone.



Here forth are the links after the jump to stuff you may not necessarily have missed during the weekend.
The Miami Marlins have arrived. (c/o Call To The Pen)

Cards go back to an old reliable of theirs to retain the essence of Larussa. (c/o STL Today)

How do people deal with Pujols anxiety. (c/o Viva El Birdos)

He's safe and sound now. (c/o Yahoo!'s Big League Stew)

Where should Prince Fielder go? (c/o Detroit News)

Is Dale Sveum the answer? (c/o Boston Globe)

Vermont and baseball. (c/o Chicago Tribune)

He won't solve bat issues, though. (c/o Buzz on Broad)

Here's one rich guy with a good hand. (c/o Compatible Poker)

Yup. Floyd hacked. (c/o Third Age)

Qatar finally gets beaten in securing rights to host an event. (c/o Herald de Paris)

The concept of putting this before the PPV fight was a good idea. (c/o Sportsrageous)

What exactly is Klinsmann's vision for US Soccer. (c/o Sporting News)

The State of the MLS in 2011. (c/o Major League Soccer Talk)

No wonder the NBA needed a lockout. When MLS gets more people to watch games... (c/o BizJournal)

The Best XI have been named. (c/o Washington Times)

3 Lions encouraged after their win against La Furia Roja. (c/o The Guardian)

No Vettel to cause trouble, so Lewis nails a win. (c/o BBC)

Smoke versus the Backflip in Miami. (c/o Examiner)

That means, the JJ dominance is about to close. (c/o Racin Today)

The Carrier Classic is a brilliant idea. (c/o Rivals) What does it mean now? (c/o Searching for Billy Edelin)

Boise gets kicked out of the BCS party. Again. (c/o Idaho Statesman)

Why do you still kick to Devin Hester? Why? (c/o Chicago Sun-Times)

He wants to beat Harvard more than secure a Rhodes. (c/o Bloomberg)

More discussion on Paterno from the collegiate student view. (c/o Student Life)

Soul searching in (not-so) Happy Valley. (c/o The Daily Beast)

How do you win in the BEast this year? (c/o Voodoo Five) And why they might still be able to retain their AQ. (c/o Washington Examiner)

Down on his Luck. (c/o Pacific Takes)

Hmmm... Releasing this to the public is PR positive strike by the NBA. (c/o BlazersEdge)

Now why would you steal Shawn Bradley's bike? (c/o Off The Bench)

Sure feels like the early Nineties, eh? Niners over Giants. (c/o San Francisco Chronicle) Cowboys over Bills. (c/o Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Is it awkward? (c/o Huffington Post)

I don't think 9-7 will be enough when 10-6 was not enough last year. (c/o Philadelphia Inquirer)

Welcome to (Not-So) Happy Valley

The Sandusky scandal has rocked Penn State in a way that has not been seen in a long while.

What happened? Well, Jerry Sandusky was the long-time defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions under Joe Paterno. Just a few days ago, he was arrested on charges of felony sex crimes on children. Crimes that are pretty much too disturbing to illustrate and describe.

This editorial (h/t to the Newseum for this one) pretty much encapsulates the whole thing.

It is unfortunate, but I'm sorry, JoePa. It's time for you to depart the Valley.

Blog Outsourcing - 11/7 edition

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

Currently penning this piece a little early because I will be focused on watching the Philippines' Men's Under-23 football team play their Timor Leste counterparts at 5pm local time (4am in the turf of most of the TVF writers). We had just lost our first match in the Group Stage in the Southeast Asian Games and I personally would like to start off the new week right.

And I'd like to congratulate the Giants for their entertaining win. Just like last time, someone wearing 85 caught a pass that beat a team maintaining perfection. This is a day after Kirk Ferentz somehow saved his job. Sounds like a cranky gambler coming soon.

Oh and by the way, hopefully you guys have already adjusted your clocks.

Here forth are the links after the jump:
Here's one from the Motherland, Mark Munoz. (c/o Bloody Elbow) What's next for him? (c/o Full Mount)

This time, it's legit for Kelly Slater. (c/o New York Post)

Dan Duquette gets the call because the usuals passed on this one. (c/o Lohud Yankees)

MLB sweeps Chinese-Taipei. (c/o Hardball Times)

Extensions galore for Kirk Gibson and company. (c/o Venom Strikes)

Sure, Jim Thome's a good catch, but Michael Cuddyer might be a better one. (c/o Larry Brown Sports)

Adjust the dimensions, sure, but will the Mets hit? (c/o Amazin' Avenue)

Amy K. Nelson for the SB Nation. (c/o Deadspin)

*Insert something here*> Tebow meme gone overdrive.  (c/o Business Insider)

We may have an idea on who will be the one managing the Cubs. (c/o Cubs Insider)

The chase for the Straight Edge Racer has just begun. (c/o Yankees 101)

The Veterans Committee has whittled the ballot down. (c/o Beyond the Box Score)

One week away... (c/o ABS-CBN News)

Floyd always around to steal thunder and make it his own. (c/o Bad Left Hook)

Get well soon, Smokin' Joe. (c/o Yahoo! Sports)

Bute dominant. (c/o Doghouse Boxing)

There's Smoke behind Carl Edwards. (c/o Sporting News)

25 years of Sir Alex Ferguson. (c/o Daily Mail)

Real Madrid on a roll. (c/o SoccerNation)

Yup. It's official. Mizzou is in the SEC East, where they are even further west than LSU. (c/o CBS Sports) And Chuck is disappointed. (c/o College Football Talk)

Jeff Van Gundy's commentary coming soon to a college near you. (c/o Sports Grid)

The Greatests Kabooms in 25 years. (c/o College Courtside)

No sale. (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The lockout simplified for the fan. In other words, we're pretty much screwed. Then again, most of y'all could care less, unlike me. (c/o USA Today)

I blame the lockout for this. (c/o SLAM Online)

Here is the chic Grantland piece of the week from Klosterman. Discuss.

They are rumored to be coming to my region in 2012 and I am a huge fan of theirs.

The Blue-Haired Defense

c/o Life's My Trip

It is very very easy to make allegations if you hid behind the anonymity of a blank face, especially when you making very damaging ones that impede on the integrity of an individual and to a sport and institution.

Here is the said allegation:



It is prudent of a journalist to hear the other side of the story, which the site owner Rick Olivares provided by posting the response around three-and-a-half hours after the anonymous individual placed his. I am posting it here (in full) on a specific post of its own to give it the fullness that it deserves:

This is from Ebong Joson who I have known since our school days in Ateneo. I have also worked with him professionally and have become good friends with in the last few years:

Hello. Si Ebong ito. Gusto ko lang sana malaman kung saan mo nakuha ang info na kumukuha ako sa ticket sales kasi hindi ko kontrolado iyan at ni kailan man ay hindi ako humingi ng cut sa kahit kanino man. Sa totoo lang, ang laki ng nagastos ko just to be able to launch the Kaholeros,at hanggang ngayon ay wala naman akong sweldo dito. Walang perang pampersonal na hinahanap. As for the non-profit incorporation that we are working on, that is the way we can properly seek for sponsorship while giving back to the companies that may help us (and Philippine sports in general and Philippine FOOTBALL in particular) by offering tax breaks to the amount they give. Everything will be in the open. I will never hold any money or bank account, and the distribution and control of assets garnered will be subject to the approval of the Kaholeros board. We will also have a third party auditing firm to make sure everything is properly done. That is why we need the incorportion. Why do we need the sponsorship? Because it costs money to mobilize people. We need to help our members by helping them with transpo, meals, uniforms, and yes, even tickets. Napakarami kong mga members gusto sana mag practice. Gusto sana pumunta sa mga football events, gusto sana makapag cheer para sa PilipinasFutbol, pero hindi kaya kasi sagad ang budget. Yung sponsorships na gusto kong mahanap ay hindi para sa akin kundi para sa mga miyembro ng Kaholeros. Dahil tuwing nakikita ko sila na nahihilo na sa kaka-cheer, iniisip ko kung sila ba ay nakakain ng maigi bago pumunta sa game.

As a parting request, if you really have concrete evidence that I have been raking in the money, or even witnesses to bear to that fact, I would gladly sit down with all of you and Mr Rick Olivares. You can openly reach me on Kaholeros Official (FB Community), or privately through PM in my FB account. Mr Olivares can even put the whole meeting on video, so everyone can see and judge properly the hard work and sacrifice that I and my Kaholeros have made for our country.

Mabuhay, and God Bless.

Ebong Joson
The Blue-Haired Fanatic
Kaholero 

I have seen how much he puts himself into this little vocation and how much he has given to the sport. It is unfair that one individual rewards such sacrifice and nobility with crass. It is not right to impinge the integrity of someone like him if you do not back up what you say. I can personally vouch for the commitment that he puts forth each and every single time.

So please, unless you have something to prove, kindly keep your hands off the keyboard and keep those voices in your head just there, inside your head.

Blog Outsourcing - October 21, 2011 edition

 

Hello and welcome to the Halloween Edition of The Morning After.

As the norm, the 1st day of November is a holiday here in the Motherland with All Saints' Day, where families all across the islands go to the cemetery and visit their dearly departed loved ones. The government has been kind enough to declare today as a special holiday to accommodate the throngs of people who will going back to the provinces.

As for me, I am looking forward to that, although I will be reporting to work today and tomorrow. Hopefully all of those who had to deal with the nasty weather have been able to resolve things correctly. It has been sunny here, but with November coming, the northeast monsoon brings the cold Christmas atmosphere.

Here forth are the links after the jump.
D-Leaguers get you a bronze. (c/o Ridiculous Upside)

Baseball returning to the Olympics? (c/o Washington Post)

End of the road for B.J. Penn (c/o Inside Fights)

You probably have nothing to do on Super Bowl Weekend, right? (c/o Yahoo! via Cagewriter)

Ok, so Bob Arum is being a pessimist. (c/o NBC Sports via Off The Bench).

Still, Floyd brought in the $$$! (c/o Boston Herald)

Marat Safin, parliamentarian. (c/o Daily Mail)

David Beckham > Thierry Henry (c/o Los Angeles Times & New York Times)

Galaxy to the Motherland. (c/o Soccer Central Philippines)

Soccer has concussion issues, too. (c/o Boston.com)

They're back on top. For how long, we will see. (c/o Managing Madrid)

You remember him authoring this. Now he just authored this. (c/o The Guardian)

16 thoughts over 8 goals at Stamford Bridge. (c/o Football 365)

Vettel dominant in India. (c/o Belfast Telegraph)

Open wheel racing near the bossman's turf. Coming Soon. (c/o Newark Star-Ledger)

The three Roushketeers? (c/o USA Today)

Sprint Cup Chase is already Smokin' (c/o Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

New golf rules for Spencer to tinker. (c/o Golf Monthly)

Where was this, Sergio? (c/o The Australian)

Bill Self cracking the whip. (c/o Kansas City Star)

The NCAA is not going to adjust for you, Jim. (c/o Hartford Courant)

Mizzou bringing redemption to Joplin. (c/o Carthage Press)

We knew this will happen to these Tigers. It's an all too familiar script. (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Give the guy a break. He's 84. (c/o Chicago Sun-Times)

Andrew Luck bedazzles the Coliseum. (c/o San Francisco Chronicle)

Mats Sundin, Maple Leaf Legend. (c/o Toronto Star)

He's going to be back. (c/o New York Daily News)

Hey, some ballers in the same time zone as I am! (c/o CBS Sports)

Cardinals basking in the glow. (c/o Saint Louis Beacon)

Sure helped the Rams (c/o 101 Sports).

Tebowing sounds like deboning. The latter happened in the Bronco slaughter. (c/o Detroit Free Press)

John Beck is CLEARLY NOT the answer. (c/o Washington Post)

Trick or Treat, everyone!

Beckham(?) and the Galaxy in Manila

So, there have been rumors about some English superstar coming into our shores in the holiday season. Of course, you have seen the reports and you got all too-giddy.

I'd like to remind you of some things.

1. The announcement of whether this is legit or not lies with the LA Galaxy, first and foremost. The only announcement from their end is their friendly against the Melbourne Victory scheduled on December 6 at the Ettihad Stadium in Australia. As per someone, a LA Galaxy official is said to be checking out if Rizal Memorial is ideal for such a friendly to take place. Bugging them Galaxy players about this is not really a good idea given that the team is currently starting its playoff run.

This measure once again reminds us that we really do need an updated stadium. Not necessarily a cavernous one, but nevertheless, a new stadium fit for an impressive friendly / match. It preferably has to be near the NCR, though. Also, wish said stadium is either covered or uses field turf, to ensure all weather availability.

2. Even if the LA Galaxy do want to come here to Manila, we don't know who are they sending here. Their newest acquisition, Ireland captain Robbie Keane, was injured in their Euro Qualifier and will in all likelihood will be missing most, if not all of the playoffs. The MLS Cup (if they get far enough, will be on November 20). And the biggest question of it all, David Beckham is an upcoming free agent. His contract expires at the end of the season. There has been no reports of David renewing his contract with MLS via LA. Plus, he wants to play in Europe once the transfer window reopens at the start of the year. With rumors of offers in England (Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City) and France (Paris-Saint-Germain) out and about, we are not exactly sure if he's coming.

I do, remain hopeful that they come and play. I just want to properly frame myself up and keep expectations modest and at the same time, realistic.

I ain't some kind of a naysayer. I'm just the truth-teller, y'all.

Blog Outsourcing 10/24 edition

So, the legend of Tim Tebow continues to grow, eh. Tim pulls off another comeback against Miami. So what if it was Miami, the guy sure knows how to win games late. So what he was missing the receivers left and right, he made them when it counted late in the game. Another thing, he did not throw a pick in this match, given all those missed opportunities. We'll see if Tebow can pull off another win/s in the next few weeks, with Detroit, Oakland, Chiefs and the Jets on tap.

Here forth are the links after the jump.
The New Zealand All-Blacks are the kings of rugby. (c/o Sports Mole)

They may have lost, but they gave it all out. (c/o The Guardian)

No GSP on UFC. (c/o Yahoo! Sports)

Bernard gets his title back. (c/o Sportsrageous)

Nonito retains but it really felt like a lighter version of Pacquiao vs Clottey. (c/o GMA News)

Why do this, Roy Jones, Jr... Why... (c/o SaddoBoxing)

Would you be interested in Flushing Meadows being the first Grand Slam to be have an official Monday finish? (c/o Tennis Talk)

100 wins for RCR. (c/o Washington Post)

Luke Donald is just being awesome right now. (c/o The Australian)

Why I find all this Native American hullaballoo a little too much ado on PC. (c/o Yahoo!'s Puck Daddy)

Won't be too long before Washington gets involved. Not exactly what taxpayers had in mind with their money. (c/o Inside Higher Ed)

An effort to explain what is going on in Mizzou (c/o Columbia Missourian)

Dominique Davis perfecto! (c/o The Ledger)

Kellen Moore just wins. (c/o One Bronco Nation Under God)

Case Keenum has been around since Phi Slamma Jamma. (c/o Houston Chronicle)

Will Joe Buck ruin World Cup Coverage, too? (c/o Sports Illustrated)

"Rooney Rule" in soccer? (c/o Washington Post)

Levante currently pulling off the unthinkable. (c/o Spanish Football Info)


Old Trafford massacre. (c/o The Guardian)

Thanks to the Twitterverse for this lil' gift below