Bleacher Talk

Bleacher Talk April 27, 2008 Business and Sports One of the most popular clichés in sports is how “business and sports are a perfect mix.” Yes, one can do business, score deals and bond with customers in sports, and we often see this on the court. The most common phenomenon in this department is how top level CEO’s and company heads close deals and talk business over a round of golf at their favorite golf courses. A bottle of beer or dinner after a round of golf becomes the final icing on the cake of a business deal discussed over four hours of walking together in a CEO’s biggest “office,” the golf course. While this may be true for business owners, CEO’s and company presidents, those of us in the lower echelons of the work force also have our own share of business deals struck while playing our favorite sport with customers, clients or partners. While this may not involve the millions of pesos that are the usual topics out in golf courses, the numbers are good enough to survive and su...

Bleacher Talk April 20, 2008 Summer Action? We’re past the middle of the first month of the summer break and believe it or not, it’s been a quiet summer in the local basketball scene. I’m sure you’ll give us that expression that goes along with “Huh?”, but let me clarify things. When we say quiet, we’re not referring to all the summer clinics that are already ongoing in the different schools and basketball camps spread out all over the province. In fact, that’s the good news and sign about the basketball family. But if you look deeper into the situation, haven’t you noticed anything missing? Where are the usual summer tournaments for Cebu’s top leagues and teams? Where are Cebu’s top teams playing these days? Aren’t the CESAFI teams even thinking about tune-up games or tournaments for their squads to prepare for what is expected to be another big CESAFI basketball season? Are Cebu’s local commercial teams completely drained out that they can no longer afford to play in or host a tourna...

Davies Cup Update Polyflor, Roof Shield in Semis of Davies Cup The semifinals cast of the Davies Cup 2008 is set with Polyflor and Roof Shield joining Liquid Tile/UAP Lapulapu and Power Floor/UAP Cebu-Sugbu. Polyflor earlier scored its third win in four outings, eliminating Megacryl in Group A play, while Roof Shield turned back Da Vinci in Group B. In today’s sudden-death semifinals at the Metro Sports Center, Polyflor faces Power Floor while Roof Shield squares off against Liquid Tile. Both UAP-based teams composed of architects are undefeated and are favored to face off in the championship. The potent crew of Jay Ramodez, Mark Capili. Jonathan Suico and Elmer Laguna are expected to lead the Liquid Tile attack. Roof Shield, meanwhile, will lean on the all around play of its little big man in Efren Bauga who’ll need the support of the Gesulga’s and Ruben Jayme if they are to score an upset. Power Floor will be led by the power playing of team captain Antonio Decatoria Jr. and Criz Mat...

Bleacher Talk April 13, 2008 In & Out - Right to Vote Am I in or out? This is the million dollar question that is asked when one applies for a job. This is also asked when one applies to be accepted as a member of an organization. All this might sound so simple and straightforward, but the irony of it all is that it can get really complicated. If and when one is considered “in,” the next question is if he/she has a voice in the organization. The sports world is no exception to this phenomenon, and has in fact been troubled with so much controversy in this “membership” and “voting rights” debate. The trouble lies in the question of who or what organizations should be recognized as legit members of a particular national sports association (NSA). If an NSA is to chart the development of a sport in the country, logic implies that only genuine organizations deserve to be part of the association. A basketball NSA must be run by basketball people. A badminton NSA must also be managed by b...

Davies Cup Update Liquid Tile, Power Floor Score Sweeps Liquid Tile/UAP Lapu-lapu and Power Floor/UAP Cebu-Sugbu went perfect and scored a sweep of their respective groups in the Davies Cup 2008 basketball tournament at the Metro Sports Center. Liquid Tile/UAP Lapu-lapu leaned on the break-out game of Alan Choachuy to thwart Mortaflex 104-62, while Power Floor overcame Acreex, 63-50. In the other game, the slumping Sun & Rain/UAP Rajah Humabon scored is first win in three games by beating Megacryl, 60-53. Choachuy broke into double digit scoring for the first time in the tournament, banging in 13 points, seven of which came in the third quarter where Liquid Tile broke away to put the game out of reach. Mark Capili led Liquid Tile with 15 points leading four others in double digit outputs. Power Floor used a fourth quarter surge to outlast the fighting Acreex squad. Power Floor’s eight-point lead at the halftime was slashed to six at the end of the third quarter after Acreex’ repeat...

Bleacher Talk April 6, 2008 Invasion: Promdi Power It’s supposed to be an invasion of some type, or at least that’s what the card is called. With five different countries represented to take on the Philippines, it looks like an attack from all fronts. While that aspect of the “invasion” is impressive and valid, I’d also like to take a look at another side of the invasion angle. Today’s boxing card also features an internal or regional type of invasion. It’s Cebu and the rest of the Vismin invading the big city Manila in boxing. It’s not exactly anything new, but the development of boxing over the past decade (or two) has seen the Vismin boxing grow more than that of Manila, and we’re now seeing the fruits of all this. If you check out the line-up of Pinoy boxers who’ll climb up the ring at the Araneta Coliseum today, you’ll notice that all boxers are products of Cebu and the Vismin. As a footnote, even we in Cebu must acknowledge that we don’t have a monopoly on boxing even if we’re no...

Davies Cup Update Liquid Tile, Power Floor Go for Sweep Liquid Tile/UAP Lapu-lapu and Power Floor/UAP Cebu-Sugbu go for a sweep of the elimination when they face different opponents at the resumption of the Davies Cup 2008 basketball tournament this weekend at the Metro Sports Center. Both teams sport 3-0 win-loss slates in their respective groups and a fourth win will mean a sweep of their groups and the top seeding going into the cross-over semifinals. In their last games, Liquid Tile nipped Polyflor 82-79, in a game of undefeated teams, while Power Floor defeated Roof Shield 83-72. The Liquid Tile/UAP Lapu-lapu team of manager Alan Choachuy will go for the sweep when faces the Mortaflex (0-2) squad of Davies Cup host Richard Lazanas. Power Floor seeks to do the same when they go up against Acreex (1-1). The battle for the second semifinals slot in both groups is also getting interesting as Megacryl recovered from its opening day loss to turn back Mortaflex 81-56, in Group A play. Me...