Thumbs down to the UP Fighting Maroons, who lured their fans into getting their hopes up with an improved team featuring rookie Fil-Am Mike Silungan, whom Coach Aboy Castro described as a cross between James Yap and Dondon Hontiveros. True to form, they got plastered by La Salle. They should just go ahead and change their name to the UP Sucking Maroons.

Read my report on the UAAP Season 73 opening weekend over at FHM.

I wrote a feature about UAAP for FHM, and it includes a wrap-up of season 72 and a sneak preview of season 73. Also, corny jokes:

UE Red Warriors

Looking back: UE had a fun run through Season 72, led by the spectacular Paul Lee and the solid frontcourt of Elmer Espiritu, Pari Llagas, and Val Acuña. The Warriors gave Ateneo a good scare in the Finals with a huge game 2 victory, but faded away in game 3.

Looking forward: Espiritu, Llagas, and Acuña will be leaving the team, which means that UE’s front line will be paper-thin, unless coach Lawrence Chongson is able to recruit quality big men. Chongson, meanwhile, has enough guards in his rotation to start a security agency.

Analysis: While both Chongson and fellow Tsinoy coach Alfrancis Chua rock the long hair, the UE mentor should consider asking Chua for hair care advice. Chua has nice, moisturized locks while Chongson’s hair is dry.

Read the whole thing at FHM.

The Far Eastern University Cheering Squad is this year’s surprise winner of the UAAP Cheerdance Competition. FEU is the host school for the UAAP this year.

The Ateneo de Manila Blue Babble Battalion bagged second place with a Michael Jackson-inspired set. Ateneo hottie Sari Campos won a special award for being, well, a hottie.

The UP Pep Squad, the two-time defending champion, was relegated to third place.

Here’s the thing: I know nothing about cheerdance. I just like watching for the cheerleaders in their skirts.

So I asked my friend Maureen what she thought of the routines, as she was watching the show with her friends. She asked me, “Question, ‘di ba Boom Gonzales is kinda short? And Megan Young’s tall? He’s probably on a platform right now.” That’s when I knew I had the right person for the job.

Anyway, her quick thoughts about what went on this afternoon:

Adamson: “I *think* Adamson were samurais? But it’s like they just decided to overwhelm the crowd with props, everything kept falling. Even the all-important stunts.”

National University: “Inokray ng friends ko, but I said it’s a marked improvement over the last 5 years.”

University of Sto. Tomas: “UST has a fire theme, which I didn’t get until my friend Giya said it was fire theme. The girls are in gladiator sandals, the boys in harem pants, mala-Hammer Time.”

De La Salle University: “My friends said, ‘Ooh, tribal din sila.’ I said, ‘Ha? Mukhang court jester.’ Tama ako, court jester nga. Are they trying to live up to their laughingstock image? At least no spelling errors this year. And the belly-jiggling, what was that all about? The ones they put in the front center weren’t completely toned pa.”

University of the Philippines: “May UP IKOT! I hope it works. OMGGGGGGGGG! ANG GALING! OMGGGGGGGGGGGGG! WALA AKONG MASABI!”

(Note: You can guess which school she came from.)

Ateneo de Manila University: “I like the concept of the MJ tribute, but the execution sucks! Hahaha, sorry! Parang noontime variety show. My friends liked the moonwalk, maybe I missed the good parts while typing. My friends asked, ‘What is AMDG? Ano yun, hindi naman nila school ang AMDG ah.’ She had to Google what AMDG meant.”

University of the East: “BAT MAY JEEP DIN ANG UE?! Is their campus big enough na they use jeeps inside?! Sabi ng taga-Ateneo friend ko, yan daw sinakyan nila going to Araneta. Kups!”

Far Eastern University: “Pwede! They’re doing stunts UP used to do. I just don’t see why FEU has a big bird! Tamaraws nga sila di ba? Sabi ng friend ko dapat nagdala sila ng Tamaraw FX.”

On the winner: “WTF! LUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! WEIRDEST RESULTS EVER????”


Anyway, to end this post on a happier note, here’s UP courtside reporter Erika Flores, just because.



Photo from UP Fighting Maroons

It’s a lazy Thursday, with the long weekend looming, so here are a bunch of links to tide you through the afternoon:

• Christian Soler at Inbound Pass has a good round-up of five college teams that wear blue: Ateneo and Adamson in the UAAP, and Angeles, Arellano, and Letran in the NCAA. From a pure basketball standpoint, I enjoy Soler’s work among all the Inbound Pass guys, simply because of the work he puts in.


• From a pure entertainment standpoint, however, I enjoy Tony Atayde’s Inbound Pass columns the most. His column after Ateneo’s demolition of his beloved De La Salle Green Archers was classic. Atayde is to Bader Malabes what Conrado de Quiros is to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. I love it. I’m rooting for La Salle to lose all the rest of their games in the UAAP just so Atayde keeps writing columns like this.


• I also thoroughly enjoyed Patricia Hizon’s piece on Michael Burtscher. Read it and try not to root for the guy. Then again, the inner jerk inside my head kept chirping, “But he’s a stiff! He averaged, like, two points per game in the Liga!” I think Alaska just drafted him for the good karma that it’ll bring. He might be the second coming of Cris “Jumbo” Bolado.


• A small line from this Philippine Star story caught my eye: Sta. Lucia signed Joseph Yeo to a max contract. What?!


• My buddy Gary over at Basketball Exchange has a good post-mortem on the Fiba-Asia championships.


• Heard on the news last night that Nonito Donaire will be part of the new season of Celebrity Duets. Also, unlike Manny Pacquiao, he can actually sing!


• Curious tweet from PBA stats guy Fidel Mangonon: “btw, ther's anothr big trade dats going 2 happen. 2 sister tms involvd bt d big-named Fil-for in ds trade is frm a tm dat wil b d 3rd party.”