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.