The boys are back! Chuck Araneta, Polo Bustamante and Carlo Pamintuan break down the PBA draft



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I started writing about way back, filing stories about the UP Fighting Maroons for an old incarnation of Peyups.com. With the new UAAP season opening this Saturday, I unearthed an old article I wrote in 2003, a running diary of the league's opening.

I'm posting it now for a couple of reasons: it's fun to look at how my writing has changed (or hasn't changed) since eight years go, and it fits in well because Ateneo is hosting this season again.

A few more notes:

- I was totally ripping off Bill Simmons in this diary, something I would freely admit, except no one called me out because he wasn't the sportswriting superstar he is today, and not as many people read him back then.

- A couple of interesting figures turn up in the diary: play-by-play guy Jude Turcuato, who was really the first mainstream media person who gave this blog the time of day, and analyst Ryan "The Genius" Gregorio, who needs no introduction to readers of this website. Funny how these things work out.

- The Karl in the article is the owner of Peyups.com; he's now one-half of the famous wedding photography tandem Mimi and Karl.

- While it's not exactly excellent writing, I still enjoyed my gratuitous potshots at Ateneo.

Oh, sorry, *the* Ateneo.

Enjoy.

Continue reading "A blast from Peyups past: My running diary of the UAAP opening day 2003"

While the Azkals are in the midst of their quest to make it to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, at least one other Philippine football team already made it to Rio de Janeiro ahead of them: the Homeless World Cup Team Philippines.



I wrote about the team, which won the Host Cup in the 2010 Homeless World Cup in Brazil, for the anniversary issue of UNO Magazine, with the lovely Iya Villania on the cover. I profiled the team’s coach Rudy del Rosario, who led the UP men’s football team to the UAAP title as a 17-year-old freshman in 1986, and two stalwarts of the 2010 Rio team: brothers Mark and Lexter Maravilla. Mark now serves as Coach Rudy’s assistant for the 2011 team set to compete in Paris, France, while Lexter has been signed up as a defender for Kaya FC, where he shares the field with Azkals Anton del Rosario and Aly Borromeo.

The 2011 team is now in full preparation for the Paris competition, and we should have more updates on the team for you at InterAksyon.



Meanwhile, apart from my article, the latest issue of UNO also features loads of goodies, including pictures of Iya and a gallery of eight previous cover girls. So bili na kayo!

Today’s actually my first day at the new office. I’d spent the last month or so transitioning stuff at the PCIJ while doing editing work after hours for InterAksyon.com, which explains the lack of updates here in the blog. We’re working on a nice new version of the sports site, so I’ll probably still be busy, but once that is done and things settle down, I will: 1) be writing a lot more stuff for the TV5 site; and 2) I’ll still be posting regularly on Fire Quinito. You can hold me to that promise.

For now, check out our wall-to-wall coverage on InterAksyon.com on the Azkals. I’m proud of our output, by the way, and I’d put it up against the work of any other media outlet that also covered the series against Sri Lanka. I filed three stories yesterday:

- Weiss: Bigger challenges ahead for the Azkals
- What's next for the Azkals: Mighty Kuwait
- Azkals destroy Sri Lanka to advance in World Cup qualifier

Ryan Fenix, whom you might know from his previous contributions on this blog, has been doing excellent analysis for InterAksyon as well. We’ll be posting his analysis on last night’s big win later today.

The Philippine men’s national football team encountered surprisingly tough opposition, but managed to salvage a 1-1 result in the first game of its World Cup qualifying tie against Sri Lanka at the Sugathadasa Stadium Wednesday in Colombo.

Nate Burkey tied the game for the Azkals with a header at the 50th minute, a follow-up to James Younghusband’s own header off a curling free kick by Chieffy Caligdong. The goal by Burkey, who came in at the 20th minute after Phil Younghusband injured his hamstring, prevented what would have been a massive upset for Sri Lanka.

Read on at InterAksyon.com

It’s our favorite naturalized Filipino (by a Marcos presidential decree) from Sri Lanka himself, Ronnie Nathanielsz!

I can’t really make a comment on ABS-CBN’s choice itself (considering I’ll soon be technically working for a television network too), although I’m sure you guys must just be thrilled.

Here’s some big news that would affect you, dear Fire Quinito reader: A couple of weeks ago, I accepted a job offer to head the new sports website for TV5.

Yeah, I don’t know what they were thinking either.

Continue reading "Important announcement"

If you missed it, here’s my report on Smart Gilas Pilipinas’ heartbreaking loss to Mahram of Iran last Saturday.

I wasn’t able to file a report for Sunday’s game, but Karl Decena, whom you might remember as the college student who wrote this excellent profile on Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, filled in for me to write about the Philippine team’s loss against Qatar.