How to be a tennis fan (this is actually not about that)

From mirror.co.uk

Tennis season.

I never really got the chance to be big on tennis before my formal tennis training. Now, as I got more and more addicted to Business Insider, I see tennis headlines every day, and read them every day, and click on some slide shows about them every single day.

My tennis training is similar to my training in French. Sporadic, self-motivated and resilient. I think I am made for challenges more than I am made for create a great color palate on my face (or match pieces of clothing).

Seeing the tennis players outdo each other in the US Open 2011 still makes me wonder how in the world will I reach their stage. I want to take tennis seriously (that's why I blindly signed up for a 5-hour tennis marathon this Saturday) and want to win a match (at least a match) against other players from the other churches.

So far, I feel like I've been left out by my batchmates in the game because of lack of time for drills. I never skipped a Saturday schedule, but the weekdays are hard for me to commit to.

I saw some cool-looking racquet carried by players in the US Open. I was wondering how much will it cost me to acquire those. And whether my skills will increase Nadal-like if I buy something that the stars use.

I have a long way to go. But my mind over winning a match is so powerful that I type this in my sleep.

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To the man who did and does it again: Pacquiao da man

CNN's news report on Pacquiao's latest victory

He fights like a madman. He conquers the ring like a king. He's swooned over by ladies and men alike. He sings. He acts. He drinks beer. He is the best pound for pound boxer in the entire universe (given there are no Pacquiao Venusian counterparts). He currently holds a seat in the House of Representatives. When he tweets, people go nuts. He speaks better English than your seatmate. He has a loyal family et al. Anything that has to do with him and his face and his knuckles and his shorts sell like diamond in sporting houses.

He is known all over the world even with those who don’t have TV.

And he’s a Filipino.

Just in case you don’t know.


Read more on Pacquiao defeats Mosley on CNN.

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On flaps

The time was unbelievably early, but it was no surprise. I actually reminded God that night to wake me up at the right time. I prayed at around 4:15 and finished early enough to get to Ch's house at 5:25. She was up already when I arrived - another surprise. For some strange reason, only the sky did not surprise me, it was still half empty and no stars were apparently awake that time.

We did 1 KM only. Then the next half kilometer was done chitchatting. Ch is preparing for a marathon so she needed to shape up. I am, well, her best friend and jog buddy. It was our first time to run together again. It was nice. I've been jogging alone and having someone beside you is welcomed.

Right before we took off, I saw the sole of my right shoe moving from its place and I feared it would fall off from its attachment.

It didn't. The after thirty minutes of running, and French chatting, I managed to survive the possible ordeal of running with a dysfunctional shoe. But as I walked further, I felt a salient flapping below my right foot. It was falling off. Good job. I basically dragged my foot to the end of the street where Ch and I were to part and walked alone to draw way too much attention to myself. By then, tricycle drivers were out, vendors were on their way to their stores from the wet market, tambays were still out off course, students were on their way to school, and my shoe was the best thing to be seen that boring morning. It was a pair of blue Nike running shoes and without the flapping thing underneath it, it already was an attention-grabber.

I thought of taking it off, but I couldn't stand the mud on the road, so I made sure I dragged it beautifully til I reached the Jrl residence. Upon arrival, I immediately called after Hny and asked for a pair of slippers.

"Need it. Emergency."

I took off the shoes and changed into one of the pink floral slippers I saw. The pinkness of the slippers was better. I went home and asked my mom to ask our helper to glue the sole back for tomorrow, Ch still has to run again.

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Tutkals: Another new term emerging the Philippine streets

When was it, when Jke told me he dreamed of street children playing soccer (for him)/football?

Apparently, they call it Tutkals (Tutang Kalye). Well, the weird thought here is that football = Azkals already. Hmm. Source: (The Azkal's twitter page)

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From basketball to football to boxing to rugby

I want to start off by saying I'm sad I missed the Azkals game in Bacolod. Wasn't able to watch it. I am also sad I wasn't able to watch Donaire's game last Sunday. I tried, but he didn't give enough time for walkers like me to get home to finish his opponent. And I've always secretly liked the Volcanoes. I guess it's because of the movie, Forever Strong. I never got that chant though.


This makes me ever more proud to be Pinoy.


Start of article.

During my recent visit to Las Vegas for the IRB 7s, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Fil-Ams making a name for themselves on the American rugby scene.


One of our brightest prospects there is Alex Aronson, a 20-year old fly-half playing at Cal Berkeley, the undisputed No. 1 university rugby program in the USA. Since 1984 when the legendary Jack Clark took over as head coach, Cal has won a staggering 21 national titles. Last Saturday, Aronson was the starting fly-half against Air Force and contributed 25 points in their 90-0 victory.


The dilemma for many of our Filipino-heritage rugby players is the choice between trying to break into an established national union or to contribute to the PRFU in a more substantial role. Under IRB laws, a player can only represent one national union after turning 18 years of age. I’m hoping that as we progress through the international ranks, the decision to commit to the PRFU will be made easier due to the higher levels in which we will compete.

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Volney Rouse

The number of Filipino-heritage rugby players who are now internationals with other unions is growing steadily. The latest of these was Volney Rouse, a fly-half at San Francisco Golden Gate in the USA Super League. 27-year old Rouse attained his first cap for the American Eagles in 2010 playing against Russia in the Churchill Cup. Rouse, like Aronson, is a point scoring machine with his ability to run at the defence line and his goal kicking accuracy.


Rouse attended St. Mary’s College of California and after taking up the game late, he twice achieved All-American honours. In 2009 he led his San Francisco Golden Gate team to the Super League title. In order to improve his chances of selection with the Eagles, Rouse decided to take up an offer to play rugby in New Zealand. This certainly paid off for him as he gained selection to the national team shortly after.


One of the most recent additions to the Wallabies squad is 21-year old Queensland Reds flyer Rod Davies. In the 2010 Super14 season, Davies scored some blistering tries, most notably the one against the Crusaders. A hamstring injury prevented him from completing the season but he had shown enough potential to be picked in the Wallabies European tour.

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Rod Davies

Davies went to Ipswich Grammar and was the GPS 100m sprint champion with a time of 10.81sec in his final year of high school. In 2008, he played for the Australian U20s at the World Championships. Recently at the Reds’ pre-season training he was crowned the fastest player with many calling him the fastest man outright in rugby. Both his national coach Robbie Deans and his provincial coach Ewen McKenzie believe that Davies will only improve with time. This is only his third year of professional rugby after having had a stint in rugby league with the Brisbane Broncos.


Davies visited the Philippines in 2009 to help run some coaching clinics with the PRFU. He has a soft spot for the country and eagerly awaits another opportunity to help develop the local game. For the time being he is focused on remaining injury fee in order to push for World Cup selection with the Wallabies at the end of the year.

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AJ Gilbert

Another Fil-Aus player who has attained national honours is 23-year old AJ Gilbert. Born in Dorrigo, northern NSW, Gilbert was a member of the Australian U19 team which won the World Championships in 2006. In the same year he was picked for the Australian 7s team and also signed a contract with the Queensland Reds under Eddie Jones.


Gilbert named George Smith as his childhood hero and comparisons were easy to make. At the time, not only did they feature matching dreadlocks but they were both flankers who played hard on the ball.

So there is no question that Filipinos all over the world have got the talent to succeed in this sport. The PRFU is dedicated to growing the game locally as well as internationally. Our Filipino-heritage players who are based abroad will hopefully guide the Volcanoes to further international success. They will be the heroes that the local players will aspire to be. They will be the players who will ensure our next generation continue the high standards already set.

Source. Please also visit PRFU's website.

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Childhood

Practically raised alone, I spent most of my life learning things. My idea of a typical school day would be being picked up by my mom’s students to hang out with her at the multi-level school just behind ours during lunch and go back for an afternoon of ballet and/or ethnic dances. My weekends would be spent in front of the TV, eating the mashed potato I learned to cook on my own, waiting for my parents to go home wondering whatever pasalubong they had for me. Sometimes, it’s singing the karaoke, while blocking out my old yayas from my parents’ room, aircon blasting and simply waiting for them to arrive. Sundays would be mall days.

My idea of sport: playing outside for any street game that will allow me to exercise my infantile muscles and have my legs wounded. My mom hated it so I would always wear jogging pants or pyjamas outside. Most of them became torn on the knee part. I became good at running. I never knew I developed it there. I would hang out with boys because I thought them to be mature. I never knew I got it there as well. We moved houses and I left my old playmates. I learned street volleyball in our new community, back when my eyes could still see the ball. I taught children dances, made dance numbers. Made it a career. I never learned how to ride a bike.

Then I spent less and less time outside and chess became a challenge when one day, the school had a tournament, and known to be kind of intelligent, I begged my father to teach me. I learned overnight having registered that afternoon and fought. I made it to the semis and got kicked out by the sister of my former crush. It was a feat, but I never fought again.

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Azkals on FIFA.COM

Azkals: Headline in FIFA.COM.

When they were still known for their skills and not their hot bodies and to-die-for faces. 

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