AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY

Posting this one for the sake of Philippine basketball. Down with BAP!

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY

The Board of Trustees of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Inc. (SBP) wishes to express their gratitude to all of you who have given their support and contributed to the success of the numerous programs which the SBP has put in place to develop Philippine basketball. In the two (2) years since its inception, the SBP's influence, reach and leadership in Philippine basketball have been significant — particularly when viewed from the context of the four (4) decades of existence of its predecessor association, the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP).

Referees Programs
1. Implemented the comprehensive National Referees Development Program (NRDP) which has already benefited more than four hundred (400) arbiters in its first year.
2. Regularly sends Filipino referees to International Referees' Clinics so that there are now eleven (11) Filipino FIBA-licensed International Referees compared with only four (4) when the SBP took over from the BAP, one of whom will officiate in the forthcoming world championships Jr. Men's in New Zealand.
3. Organized and fully-subsidized the series of elite referees' clinics conducted by Mr. Alan Richardson, FIBA International Instructor and Euroleague Supervisor for Referees.
4. Created an Elite Referees Pool whose members are now being used by SBP member leagues.

Coaches Programs
The SBP has implemented the National Coaches Accreditation and Licensing Program (NCALP) which already completed its first task of gathering and identifying over eight hundred (800) coaches
nationwide. Numerous coaching clinics are now being held to standardize our coaching techniques in line with our National Team Program.

Youth and Grassroots Programs
1. Stages various National Championships for different age groups and gender categories including the Philippine Champion's League where over two hundred (200) universities and colleges participated and the forthcoming National Junior Championships for boys and girls.
2. Founded the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC), the elite basketball school for 18 and under boys and girls.
3. Created the SBP 33, inspired by FIBA's 3-on-3 basketball program, to form competitive teams for the Asian Indoor Games, Asian Beach Games, Asian Youth Games and the Youth Olympics.

National Teams
The SBP maintains a robust and aggressive national team program for all age and gender categories. All National Teams are well-funded through the support of SBP sponsors and donors.
1. The SBP has a long-term program for our young Men's National Team with the objective of qualifying for the London Olympics in 2012, and improving our currently low standing in the FIBA world rankings resulting from long years of neglect. To help realize these goals, a Serbian coach, Mr. Rajko Toroman, has been engaged and a comprehensive training program and calendar has been put together which includes so far, tournaments and training camps in Serbia, the United States, Indonesia and Japan.
2. The Philippine National Teams have achieved significant results in the last year by virtue of the SBP programs now in place:
a) 7th place, FIBA Asia Championships for Junior Men in 2008 d) Champion, 1 st China Asean-CBO International Tournament in 2008
b) 2nd place, 1 st Asian Beach Games in Bali 2008 e) 5th place, FIBA Asia Champion's Cup 2009
c) 2nd place, Division II, FIBA Asia Championships for Junior Women in 2008 f) Champion, SEABA 2009 - Qualifier for FIBA Asia Men's Championships in Tianjin, China
3. The SBP National Team Competition's calendar for 2009 has never been more vibrant with our teams qualifying for the FIBA Asia Championship for Women (16 and under), the FIBA Asia Championships for Junior Men and Women, the FIBA Asia Championships for Men, the Asian Youth Games and the Asian Indoor Games (Vietnam).

Membership Program
To date, five (5) new active members have been added to the roster of SBP membership bringing the total number to twenty four (24). Other applications are now being reviewed by the Nomination and Membership Committee for active status. In addition, ten (10) new associate members have been added with provision for future consideration as regular active members. Total membership (active and associate) now stands at forty (40).

WHY DO THE ATTACKS ON THE SBP CONTINUE?
Despite these achievements, it saddens us to note that there are still those who continue to question the legitimacy of the SBP and its current leadership. These individuals, who are still aligned with the BAP, have chosen to disregard the “Tokyo Communiqué” dated 28th August 2006, which led to the formation of the SBP as the country's sole and unified governing body for basketball. They also allege that the SBP has failed to comply with the subsequent “Bangkok Agreement” dated 4th February 2007, which elaborated further the terms of the Tokyo Communiqué. It is apparent that the BAP continues to raise issues and complaints against SBP and its present leadership to the detriment of achieving unity in Philippine Basketball. It is also clearer now that BAP's interpretation of unity means unity on its own terms.

Last May 28, 2009, the SBP received a letter from Mr. Patrick Baumann, FIBA Secretary General, advising the SBP of the creation of a “Special Commission for the Philippines”. The formation of this Special Commission was precipitated by “various correspondences and continuous complaints addressed to the FIBA Secretariat over the past months on the matter related to the institutional legitimacy of the Philippine Basketball Federation and its current leadership.”

WHAT IS THE SBP’S POSITION?
The SBP has decided that it will not submit to the jurisdiction of this Special Commission for the following reasons:
1. Mr. Baumann in his letter dated last year (May 13, 2008) and sent to the SBP clearly and categorically stated that:
(i) FIBA is fully supporting the SBP and its President Manuel V Pangilinan and its Board of Trustees;
(ii) FIBA will disregard any communication coming from the former BAP “as it has no rights with FIBA”; and
(iii) FIBA is dismissing Mr. Graham Lim with immediate effect from his membership in the FIBA Youth Commission, citing his “continuous actions to disrupt the proper functioning of the SBP as “unacceptable”.
2. The Philippine Court of Appeals has already affirmed SBP's compliance with the Bangkok Agreement and the Tokyo Communiqué. The Court's decision confirmed the membership validation process undertaken by the SBP and also sustained the validity of the June 12, 2008 SBP National Congress and the regular election of SBP's trustees and officers held at that meeting.
3. The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) have both recognized the SBP and have effectively and correctly accorded its leadership with full rights as the lawful governing body of basketball in the Philippines.
4. The basis on which the Special Commission was formed rests on complaints and allegations, as mentioned in the Baumann letter of May 28, 2009, made by the BAP that are unverified and biased. That is why the Baumann letter is simply incomprehensible - giving apparent credence to “various correspondences and continuous complaints” without verifying their veracity.

Instead of removing the squeaky and noisy wheels - as Baumann indicated he would in his letter last year to SBP - he has now lubricated them with oil.

WHAT’S NEXT?
We should emphasize that it was the BAP which initiated the judicial action challenging the legitimacy of the June 12, 2008 SBP National Congress and elections. We regard this legal step by the BAP to be significant because it clearly demonstrates its intention and preference to have the matter decided by our Philippine judicial system - and not by any other party, tribunal or commission — foreign or local. Having lost in a forum that they themselves chose, BAP is now shopping for another forum that may be sympathetic to it.

Accordingly, the SBP has to put on record and placed FIBA on notice that it shall not participate in any proceedings which this Special Commission may undertake, unless and until it has become unequivocally clear to SBP what its mandate, jurisdiction and scope of authority really are. More importantly, the BAP legal challenge, after having been rejected by our Court of Appeals, has been elevated by it to our Supreme Court, where it is now under consideration. In that light, the SBP has firmly taken the position that whilst this domestic issue is under judicial review, it should not submit itself to any other legal jurisdiction until the matter has been finally resolved by our legal system. Let Philippine law take its course; let us respect our Courts and not incur their contempt otherwise.

We the members of the SBP call upon all legitimate stakeholders of Philippine Basketball to raise their individual and collective voices and take a unified stand condemning the disruptive actions of the BAP, and protest FIBA's unwarranted intrusion into what must be a purely domestic matter requiring domestic resolution.

Make yourself be heard by sending your comments through sbp.com.ph.

Mabuhay ang Philippine Basketball!


Signed:



Gov. Oscar V. Moreno
Chairman of the Board

Manuel V. Pangilinan
President

Jose Emmanuel M. Eala
Executive Director


Joaquin Trillo
Philippine Basketball Association


Michael Romero
Philippine Basketball League


Anton Montinola
University Athletic Association of the Philippines


Fr. Mateo de Jesus OSB
National College Athletic Association


Reynaldo D. Gamboa
Philippine Collegiate Champions League


Jose Soberano
Pinoy Basketbol Inc.


Daniel Danilo V. Soria
Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League


Fr. Paul M. De Vera
National College Athletic Association – South


Robert L. Uy
Iloilo Basketball League


Bernardo Gabriel I. Atienza
Cagayan de Oro Basketball Association


Pedro C. Alfaro
El Federacion Basketbolista de Zamboanga


Gerardo P. Sabal III
Cagayan de Oro School Athletic Association


Ernesto Jay G. Adalem
National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and University


Raul D. Alcoseba
Visayas Amateur Athletic Association

RP's Hope in the Group of Hope

It's that time again when we leave our biases on the door and be united. The RP National Team for basketball will compete in the FIBA Asia Championships later this year. Thanks to (sir) Nardy from the interbasket forums for the pic below which features Rain or Shine star Gabe Norwood when he wore the RP colors during the SEABA championships earlier this year.

We belong to the Group of Hope (Korea, Japan and Sri Lanka)--- a good news compared to last time around when we were with the powerhosue squads in the Group of Death.

Go Philippines!

i miss the bastard.

Come the 2009-10 NBA Season, Jason Williams is set to be reinstated in the NBA (after his "retirement")... i was trying out www.bing.com (MSN's new search engine) for a random search to see how that new site works. And found this:

He thinks he is alone. Alone until a reporter catches a glimpse of him. The media dash ensues. They want to ask him about his best game yet in a Heat uniform. Eight assists, four steals, seven rebounds - enough statistical fodder to spawn a cheery interview out of most players. And Miami even won.

Williams, his panther and dragon tattoos concealed by his shirt, hurries to his locker, his back turned to a pack of trailing reporters.

"I don't have any individual expectations," Williams says.

"We can be as good as we want to be."

"My job's real easy. Those guys rebound and give me the ball and then I just have to pick and choose who to go to."

After four questions, the entourage has run out of ammunition. Or are they icebreakers?

One reporter switches gears.

"Jason, what do you cherish about your days at Florida? Obviously it didn't go quite as you planned, but what did you enjoy about going to college there?"

"I cherished getting kicked out of school," Williams snaps after several seconds of silence. "It was a great thing. I became a millionaire."

And that is why i miss the bastard.

And oh, some youtube links by J-Dub:

Kamukha ko o dae?

Sabi kang tugang ko, kamukha ko daa ang aki niya--- na sabi man kang dakol na tawo, although sa hiling ko maslamang ang kuya ning dikit (Kaidtong same age niya si Jigs.)
Pero kamo na maghusga. Kung sa hiling nindo totoo yan (na lamang si Kuya), dae na kaipuhan magpost sa COMMENTS (since ma man nagco-comment... dahil ma man reader ang blog, dakol ang agree.)

And kung may reklamo ka man, sige na post na. Protesta na. And explain yourself tano dae ka naga-agree sako.

More Clear Plugs!

Chris Tiu as Clear Men Future League Host

It was roughly a year ago when a friend (Enteng) posted this entry on his blog. Little did he (we) know that i will get to rub elbows with this certain famous celebrity because of work (Yeah, still, fuck work but these are the "little" [exaggerated] things that make you survive this stressed-induced workaday world that we live [work] in.)

Here are a few honest Tiu-related realizations:

1) At first, i was very hesitant of (well, adamantly disagreeing with) the management's (actually, client's) decision to hire Chris Tiu as the main host (think Sylvester Stallone in The Contender, or Ryan Seacrest in American Idol) of the Clear Men Future League because of his "rehistro" on tv (particularly, GMA shows)--- sim-ply because, in my opinion, he was "trying too hard" or maybe "just too robotic" to be the host of the rather challenging task of carrying a sports reality show.

i was wrong. i was dead wrong. You give the guy the leeway, the freedom (a little bit of it) of attacking the script his own way--- his own style--- and you'll get a host who's effective in connecting with the participants and the (TV) audience, one way and/or the other. And you get an honest host who just tries to do his thing. And it works.
2) Chris Tiu is thisclose to perfection. Successful basketball player (UAAP hero, National Team star leader), good looks, and intelligent/smart? Now, now, don't get me wrong... As Enteng wrote on his blog--- simply, if you are a Filipino that's practically what you want to be, what you want your sons to be and some... Basketball fanaddicts? He is the personification of what we all wantED to be when we were kids, when we were growing up watching the Samboy Lims or Allan Caidics.

(If you want more details you have to email me and ask me about the Production Manager's, Creative Director's and Make-up Artist's reaction when they first met Mr. Tiu.) ... Before i get burned being DTNL and some, please refer to the Enteng's Kidding Aside post because he pretty much has summarized what i am trying to say here.

3) And if you think the buck stops there... This person is actually very un-Atenista like... (i would know even if i am from de Naga, and they are from de Manila)... No Atenista-yabang air at all, which is weird because that is what i expected from the start. Down-to-earth and very, very humble. As the headwriter for the show, that was one less potential to worry about. So yeah, it was very, very easy working with Mr. Tiu.

4) And finally, thanks to a Smart Gilas jersey he gave me (i don't usually ask for freebies and all, but i mustered enough courage to ask for it!) plus this priceless picture below:

So there. As Chris said, hope that our show would rate well. i hope so too. Because honest, humble, good guys deserve nothing less. Karma, please take over now.

Sharon on the Clear Men Future League!

100 Unclear Things

But that would preempt everything, eh? So, there. We wait for things to settle down and wait for the clear picture in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 days...

CS Origins, BTV, Solar Sports, Sci-Fi Get Together (In other words, The Desk/Avid Reunion Ron/Pol Birthday Party)

Dahil sobrang busy (MALINAW naman kung bakit), sobrang trabaho (MALINAW din kung ano 'to), sobrang revisions (As i've told a friend, i don't hate revisions but i justify first what i did, then revise), sobrang iniisip (Sa akin na lang 'to) at madami pa ibang sobra sa buhay kaya heto lang ang sasabihin ko:Pakyu ka Sadik, di ka pumunta! (At pakyu na din kay Gelo kasi di rin pumunta pero bawal murahin ang EP; pahabol pakyu kay Crosby, kaso mabait na yun these days kasi may asawa/anak na kaya bawal din murahin)

The images from the sort-of-kind-of-reunion get together of the Sports Desk/Avid team:

And finally:

SM NEgamall

Yes. 'twas SM's big mistake--- not calling it as i suggest above. Heck, it's the hippest, coolest rip-off ever. At the same time, you'd have little effort selling the name and the product itself. The idea that it did not at all float escapes me really. For the probinsyano's they'd always ask themselves: "Why go to Megamall when you can go to Negamall." Unintentional slang and all, Naguenos and Bicolanos alike will enjoy the ripped-off name. And the pseudo-mega shopping experience, after all, they've got it all for you!
Speaking of ripped-off names, i've talked to an Ayala insider and they are considering of putting a mall right across SM City Naga. The name? Yes, they'd be more creative this time: Tri-Naga. It's located in Triangulo (barangay) via your usual tricyle. And no, you won't get the joke if you are not from Naga, so don't try.
As emphasized by Enteng's post, the saddest part is the fact that most stores/restos are the ones you find only in Naga City. We had a nuisican mayoral candidate years back, i think his name is Herbas and one his campaign promises was to put a roof over the entire "centro" of Naga. On May 2009, it just happened. Courtesy of your SM City Naga.

As dead as Naga centro will become among the early victims (according to stories) is the E-Mall, previously the first (Ok, second there's the LCC Mall) 'shopping' center in the area. Good riddance, there's a reason why it's called the E-Mall: After the E-ntrance you can already see the E-xit. There goes your record-breaking 2-minute malling experience.

(And errr, pardon the pics, they were rushed when i took them. Not that it changes my status of being an ama-teur photographer and all)

+++

Another sad fact is the traffic. No left or right turns? One way street? i can see it in the tricycle (trike) driver's faces: "fuck 'em all, they are soon going to replace us with taxi/cabs." Or maybe not. Because after all, everywhere in Naga is still five minutes away from point A to point B. Case in point: i walked home earlier tonight from SM. Arhtritic joints and all (after a KFC dinner with the family) i actually enjoyed it. Much like walking from school to our house 15 years back.

And finally... i went home because i really wanted to this "malling" experience. Nyaha. Like there's no mall in Metro Manila (And where can you get Star Trek @ 100 pesos in Metro Manila?). But hey, it's not the same when you are at home and with your pamangkin, who by the way scored another one of those Transformers autobots.

The wrath of work, and payday awaits.

Anti-Boni Makeover

Sabi ni Ermana, i-post ko daa ni sa blog ko (kaya uyan na). Basically, the before and after kang sadit na harong ko sa Antipolo.

Medyo mahal man yan, worth 500 pesos and some! (Magulo na ulit these days, so i have to cough up another 500 bucks tapos pamasahe kung isay man ang mabisita sako para maglinig.) Iyo, tama, hamak na hugakon lang akong tawo kaipuhan ko pa ning ibang tao para maglinig ning sakong harong.

Before

AfterBeforeAfter
Before
AfterDagdag sa 500, ipopost ko pa ang picture ni ermana as part kang saiyang incentive para sa tultol na paglinig sa harong ko. (And dae ko yan kamukha, kung naging babae ako sigurado mas magayon ako diyan, ta hamak na mascute man ako saiya ever since aki pa kami)

Unholy Pac!

Haha. This youtube video is too damn funny. i must say, conspiracy theorists are the most creative people in the planet. Heck, i am not even sure if Manny understands 90 per cent of his accusations. That, or the maker of the Nike emblem is the real devil worshipper. Either way, maybe we should all start worshipping the devil as well so we can all be rich?!

The video:

Holy Pac!

Just too damn awed for Manny's victory over British boxer Ricky Hatton. Me and Ian (Clear SP) were doing chest bumps after we heard the news at the Saint Louis University Gym where we were shooting the Semifinals/Finals of the Baguio Leg of the Clear Men Future Leg.

i am not (yet) even whining about the fact that this is the first time since the first Barrera win that i have NOT watched the Pacman live on the tube.