MAD HOPS ON VIDEO

With nothing to do, I found myself going nuts over the Net. In doing so, I came across the name Taurian Fontennette, otherwise known in streetball circles as "Mr.720" and "Air Up There." Watch the video clip below to see why he's called "Mr. 720." And check out this link to see why he's called "Air Up There."

This next clip, meanwhile, stars someone familiar to basketball junkies everywhere: Vince Carter. In hoops parlance, this dunk is just downright nasty.

The more I watch videos like these, the more I'm reminded of my leaping ability, err, my leaping inability, rather. Now, if only I can jump half as much as these guys. . . (Daydreaming. . . priceless.)

DELUSIONAL BILL

It seems that every time sports “analyst” Bill Velasco has the chance, or whenever anyone cares well enough to listen to him about sports, he always tells people how Japeth Aguilar can be the first Filipino to make it to the NBA. He even went as far as saying that the former Ateneo Blue Eagle would be “a perfect fit for the Golden State Warriors” (Hardball, circa 2007).

Reality check, Bill: Japeth Aguilar ain’t making it to the NBA for at least the next two years, even three.

(For those who don’t know yet, Japeth Aguilar plays varsity ball for the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, an NCAA Division 1 school in the US.)

I don’t know if Mr. Velasco has been smoking crack or drinking too much, but the reality is that Aguilar just doesn’t have the game (yet) to even pique the interests of NBA scouts. At the very least, he is two full years away from even meriting NBDL considerations.

Sure, being the first Filipino baller to make it to an NCAA Division 1 school does account for something, and in a way, it is a testament to Aguilar’s talents and skills. But him making it to an NCAA Division 1 college does not, in any way, mean that he will automatically move on to the NBA. To wit, his numbers so far have been uninspiring, if not totally insignificant. See this stat line and tell me if this would merit an NBA scout’s time.

Just for the fun of it, consider the following, too:

• He has played in only two of the 18 games of Hilltoppers. Both games were blowouts.


• He has had 13 straight DNPs–CD (that’s Did Not Play–Coach’s Decision).


• He turned the ball over six times in only 32 minutes––this for a guy who doesn’t handle the ball that much.


• He is a 6-9, 210-pound center. Kelenna Azubuike is a 6-5, 220-pound guard. Kendrick Perkins is 6-11, 285-pound center.

Then, the most telling fact of all (something that Mr. Velasco may have conveniently chose to forget): He couldn’t even dominate the UAAP when he played there. Playing against guys considerably smaller than him, you’d expect this supposedly NBA-type 6-foot-9-inch guy to at least grab 10 rebounds a game and yet in his best season, he averaged 5.3 boards per game. Imagine that, the tallest player in the league averaging 5.3 boards per ballgame. Jervy Cruz, at 6-5, averaged 15 rebounds last season!

Now, I’m sure that Japeth Aguilar has a modicum of talent in the lean 6-9 body of his. After all, he wouldn’t be signed by an NCAA Division 1 school for nothing. But the fact is, he is years away from even being considered an NBA prospect. Not even Bill Velasco’s endless delusions of Mr. Aguilar being on the cusp of making it to the NBA can change that fact.

Am I saying that the former Atenean won’t ever make it to the NBA? Of course not! As the cliché goes, nothing in this world is impossible If he works extremely hard and catches a few breaks here and there, he might just make it. But for now, it would be wise not to expect too much from the young man. Leave the delusions to Bill Velasco, instead.

RANKING THE LEAD GUARDS OF THE PBA

Been seeing a lot of PBA games lately, and I’ve seen quite a few point guards playing out of their minds. So with some spare time, I’ve decided to rank the top 10 point guards (by team) in Asia’ first pay-for-play league in terms of talent, skills, intelligence, and impact.

1. Jimmy Alapag – At times, he looked like the best PG at the FIBA-Asia Qualifiers. He does everything a point man is supposed to do, and then some. He scores in bunches, sets up the offense, controls the tempo, and keeps his man in check. He can also take over games if needed.
2. JayJay Helterbrand – He is Chauncey Billups in boosters––a combo guard who can score at will. Nonetheless, he can orchestrate the offense as well as anyone in the league. Second to none in running the pick-and-roll and in the open court, he too, can take over games. Defense needs improvement, though.
3. Olsen Racela – Less-than-average in terms of talent and athleticism, but definitely at the top in terms of basketball IQ and savvy, Olsen is the quintessential PG. Peerless when it comes to orchestrating the offense and controlling the tempo of a game, this grizzled veteran is also clutch. Not too shabby in defense too.
4. Mike Cortez – The Cool Cat is every bit as good as Alapag and Helterbrand, though he has been held back a bit by Alaska’s triangle offense. When given the chance, though, to break away from the triangle and improvise, Cortez can be downright spectacular. Defensively, he is good enough to stay with his man.
5. Ryan Reyes – Sta. Lucia’s prized neophyte has all the tools to be special, if he isn’t already. Like Helterbrand, Reyes is a combo guard who can direct the offense and score in bunches if he has to. An average defender, he makes up for it, though, with his quickness, energy, and spunk.
6. Winnie Arboleda – When he plays well or when he stays on the court long enough, Air 21 is definitely a much better team. His savvy and court smarts are second only to Racela’s. He can shoot without conscience, and unlike most PGs, he can post up. Defensively, he is peerless in pestering an entire team.
7. Alex Cabagnot – This Fil-Am southpaw has the talent and skill set to be a special PG, and at times, he has been pretty special. But for a guy who once went AWOL on his former team, the biggest question is, “Can he put it all together?” If he does, he can be Hall-of-Fame great.
8. Topex Robinson – The Pit Bull offers very little offensively (he is basically an opportunistic scorer), but gives much in other areas, most notably, on defense. He can disrupt an entire team with his quickness and hustle while his energy and grit give Red Bull plenty of extra possessions.
9. Roger Yap – A converted PG, Yap is another smart and savvy veteran who just makes plays on both ends. He is not a gifted scorer by any means, but he has a penchant for making big shots and big plays. He also plays hardnosed defense, and is a classic hustle guy.
10. Froilan Baguion – The smallest PG in the league, Froilan is not too bad a player; actually, he is plenty good with his range, quickness, and ability to score But he is more a backup than a starter. Defensively, he struggles against bigger PGs. Can’t question his heart and desire, though.

RANTINGS ON THE PBA AND BOXING

Ren-Ren Ritualo was white-hot last night, raining down seven triples on Barangay Ginebra, including three straight in the noggin of a hapless Ronald Tubid. Once, the Rain Man drilled a trey with Tubid’s outstretched arms crowding his shooting hand. After the shot, poor Tubid had the “what-the-fuck?” look. My question, though: Where was this hot-shooting Ritualo when Team Philippines needed it most last July at the Fiba-Asia qualifiers?

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Nelbert Omolon dropped 40 on Air 21 yesterday. It’s either one of two things: Omolon is a better scorer than what he is being given credit for or Air 21’s defense is just simply that atrocious. I think it’s the latter. Other than Wynne “The Snatcher” Arboleda, who plays less than 25 minutes a game because he is perpetually in foul trouble, and Arwind Santos, who is more of a help-side shot blocker, there is no one on that team that can play defense. Unless Homer Se’s nonstop banging and bumping can be considered as defense.

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So the Philippine boxing team will fight in the Olympic qualifiers in Thailand after all. This after the AIBA interceded and convinced the Thai boxing council to let the Filipino boxers fight. Good luck to the six Pinoys who will battle for their Olympic dreams in hostile turf. They are kindred souls fighting an already lost war. Those six valiant warriors will be at the mercy of the Thais, and they will not be gracious hosts.

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The Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad fight is just five days away. Who cares? This is nothing but a fight between two washed up fighters. Jones, 38, has lost three of his last five fights (two via devastating knockouts), and his two wins were against nondescript sacrificial lambs. Trinidad, on the other hand, was last seen eating Winky Wright’s stiff right jabs for 12 rounds. Eight years ago, this fight would have been a fight for the ages; now, it’s just another fight of the aged.

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What’s hard is that I’m a Roy Jones fan. No, I’m not quite the fan that I was 10 years ago, but there remains a part of me that wants to see Roy succeed again. I want him to blast Trinidad, and then put on one final vintage Roy Jones performance against a ranked, top-of-the-line opponent like Joe Calzaghe, Bernard Hopkins, or Chad Dawson. Then, I want him to ride of into the proverbial sunset. Then again, not all I want ever happens.

MAKING PROGRESS

I haven’t eaten anything that resembles a genuine meal since Monday.

I haven’t eaten pork and beef meat in five days, something that has never happened since I first tasted pork and beef meat.

I’ve been living basically on biscuits, fruits, and water.

I haven’t tasted anything sweet.

I haven’t tasted anything salty either.

I’ve counted calories to make sure I don’t go over 1,500 calories in a day.

I haven’t touched junk food, or anything with monosodium glutamate for that matter.

I haven’t had a carbonated or caffeinated drink, too.

I’ve eaten only two cups of rice in the past five days, half of what I regularly consume for one particular meal.

I haven’t entered a fast-food chain recently.

I haven’t even eaten anything fried lately.

I’ve resisted every craving, every urge to indulge.

I haven’t given up.

I’ve decided that I will never do.

WANTED: LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Yesterday, I found four life-altering things: first, I’m morbidly obese; second, I’m borderline diabetic; third, my blood pressure is dangerously climbing; and fourth, my cholesterol level is probably in the dead-man-walking category.

Great, quite a way to start 2008, right? Basically, I found out that I was a prime candidate to join the dead-before-30 fraternity. What’s sad, though, is that I should never have reached that point. I became a victim of my own lifestyle, my own choices, my own stubbornness, and my own excesses.

So my doctor gave me this knee-bucking warning: Shape up or die young! (OK, OK, those weren’t her exact words, but that was basically what she was trying to say.)

Shaping up means doing the following: exercising regularly, dieting, and avoiding alcohol. The first one is easy; the next two, quite difficult. Me going on a diet is like a crackpot trying to quit smoking crack. At least I can say no to alcohol, but to food? Let’s just say that it’s going to be a Herculean task.

But I have no choice. Hey, I want to live until I’m at least 50, and the only way I’m doing that is by heeding my doctor’s advice. So ring the bells for new year because I’m now officially in diet mode. And diet mode means avoiding liempo, lechon, nuts, soda, juice, sisig, bopis, pancakes, hotdogs, hams, and basically everything that I love to eat. No more Coke and Pepsi products, too. Alcohol, as I’ve said, is also off-limits now.

This, to say the least, is the ultimate lifestyle change. And I have to do it.

Do I have any other choice?

TIME TO BREAK THE CYCLE

It’s yet another new year, and once again, I’m in my seemingly annual “it’s-a-fresh-start-and-a-new-beginning” mode. This time around, however, I feel a bit different because I actually feel like I will really, truly, genuinely have a fresh start in ’08. Why? Because I realized that it was about time for me to move on to the next phase of my life––you know, that phase when you explore your options a little bit more while shifting your career into higher gear.

This was my New Year’s Eve epiphany, something that dawned on me as I, in the confines of home, watched the traditional revelries that usher in every new year. Someway, somehow, seeing an inordinately long sinturon ni hudas blast an effigy into pieces made me realize that, in some ways, my life had gone stale. It had become cyclical, monotonous, and boring to the point that I, oftentimes, just go through the motions.

My life for the past five or so years was like this: I sleep, wake up, eat, take a bath, work (or study), and rest. Then, I sleep, wake up, eat, take a bath, work, and rest again. Then, I do it again… and again… and again. Occasionally, I play basketball, go to the gym, or indulge myself in drinking sessions with my friends. I have sex, too, say, once in a full moon. That was how I had been living my life, and for a while, it was an okay life for me, especially when I began earning money.

But I guess when you grow older, you tend to want more out of your life. And I think I’m at that very stage right now. I want something more out of my life––something more and something new, actually. I want to do new things, meet more people, discover new talents, develop new skills, make more money, work for a different company, and visit another country. Anything that’ll break the cycle and monotony of my life, I’m all for it.

This year is the perfect time to jumpstart my already stale life, and I really believe that I’ll be able to do so. I just feel it in my bones. If not, well, there’s always next year, I guess.