AFTER ITS semifinals series against Derby Ace, I thought San Miguel would have a very hard time in the finals going up against either Alaska or Talk N Text, who at the time were still to figure in a deciding seventh game in their own semifinals matchup. It had a lot to do with how San Miguel, the much fresher and deeper team, had so much trouble putting away a tired and overmatched Llamados squad whose import, Tony Washam, couldn’t even get a shot off Arwind Santos. That it took a superhuman effort for Gabe Freeman – who dominated Derby Ace’s injured big guys Rafi Reavis and Marc Pingris – for San Miguel to finally advance didn’t really inspire much confidence in me as a basketball observer.

Continue reading "Bel13ve! Alaska, the thinking fan’s team, wins championship #13 with heart"

Most everything that comes out in Rafe’s blog is a must-read (except for the clips of him singing, only his screaming fangirls would enjoy those), but his latest piece, I feel, is particularly important. In it, he calls out PBA analyst “Dr. J” Andy Jao for making a racist comment about Topex Robinson and Jason Castro in an Alaska-Talk N Text playoff game last week.

Continue reading "Rafe Bartholomew calls out Andy Jao’s racist comment"