This blog turns two years old today, so let me take this opportunity to celebrate this blog’s modest achievements.

Over the past couple of years, the level of discourse about sports in this country has deepened and broadened, and I’m proud to say that Fire Quinito has had a little to do with that, even though the posts here aren’t always polite or in good taste.

In its two years, this blog, with the help of its readers, commenters, and contributors, has explored topics rarely examined by the mainstream and presented ideas that challenged conventional thinking. We’ve celebrated the continued existence of the Philippine Basketball Association, without turning a blind eye to its ills; in fact, people now rail openly against lopsided trades and collusion among teams, perhaps more so than ever before. We’ve had nuanced discussions of Filipino-American identity, beyond the usual hackneyed arguments you see in the usual newspaper columns. We’ve hailed Manny Pacquiao for being a hero inside the ring and pilloried him for being kind of a jackass outside it. We’ve been critical of the problems in the basketball federation and in the Smart Gilas program while still rooting for its players, the ones who play with their heart out and deserve to have “PILIPINAS” emblazoned on their chests. We’ve hoped for the best for the Azkals, and done so while keeping our heads out of the clouds, instead trying to collectively learn more about this newfangled sport called football.

And we’ve talked about sports the way people talk about sports in real life. Sometimes, there’s profanity, there are inane arguments, there are tasteless jokes, there is silliness – but that’s how people really talk about sports while watching a game with their buddies, and that’s how people argue after the game over a cold one.

And while these kinds of discussions may have been present before Fire Quinito began its existence – mostly in the deep, dark recesses of Internet message boards, among mostly anonymous but rabid fans – it has spilled beyond just discourse among fans. The list of readers of the blog includes commissioners, executive directors, sports officials, team owners, coaches, legends, active players, veteran reporters and editors, and many others.

And we’re only just beginning. Here’s to more fun discussion in the years ahead!