Bleacher Talk

Bleacher Talk July 26, 2009 The Good, Bad & Ugly If you’re a fan of Philippine basketball, this past week had to be a strange mix of the good, the bad and the ugly. So where do we start? The good news is that once and for all (and for nth time), the FIBA, basketball’s international organization for basketball, has officially recognized the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) as the country’s official managers for the sport. This official stamp was needed after the “ugly” act of the BAP continuously questioning the authority of the SBP (via email and letters) before the FIBA. The irony of it all is that the FIBA gave weight to all these emails, thus the need to call a special commission-cum-investigation among the FIBA, SBP and BAP that took place in Switzerland earlier this week. But another bad and ugly sight (or no sight) was the absence of the BAP panel in the meeting that was actually put up due to their own complaints. It’s like having an accuser missing his biggest day in c...

Bleacher Talk July 19, 2009 College Basketball With the NBA and PBA seasons coming to a close, the period of July onwards in the Philippines is virtually “reserved” for another type of basketball that is just as popular as the pro leagues. Timing couldn’t have been more perfect. As the pros cool their heels and head home for a much-needed rest, things are just heating up for college basketball and all the school-based basketball competitions across all levels. College Basketball. It’s fast-paced, dynamic, full of youth and boasts of a more solid base of fan support that would rival that of Barangay Ginebra or any other PBA team. It also features THE most awaited rivalry of all of basketball (PBA included). The competition is intense among all the various leagues across the country. And just as the competition within each league is at its highest, also present albeit in a more subtle way is the battle for bragging rights as to which collegiate league is the best in town. Like the intern...

Bleacher Talk July 12, 2009 Pinoy Boxing Judge in USA While Manny Pacquiao will hog the headlines for Pinoy Boxing, there’s another member of the boxing family who is also making waves in the U.S., albeit in a quieter manner. But under the radar it may be, this ought to stand out and make us proud. Have your heard of Filipino boxing judge Jonny Davis? He might be remembered by many for being the brave judge who saw Vic Darchinyan as a 114-112 winner of hometown boy Z Gorres at their 2008 fight here in Cebu. The fight was declared a split draw with the Thai judge scoring the fight for Gorres and the Aussie judge seeing it as a draw. But that’s Jonny Davis for you. He’s a boxing judge who sees a fight the way he sees it and isn’t swayed or influenced by a hometown crowd. He’s also one of the judges with whom this corner exchanged analysis and commentaries during the actual fights. Fast forward to today. Davis proudly broke the news that he has now been accredited and licensed as a boxing...

Bleacher Talk July 5, 2009 In Control of the Business of Boxing One of the most puzzling questions that arise in boxing is who decides on who should fight be who, especially when this involves the sport’s biggest stars. A clear example is our very own Manny Pacquiao. Who should have the final say on Pacman's opponent in November? Should it be Bob Arum of Top Rank as the official promoter of Pacquiao? Should it be any of the boxing organizations (WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF) which are in a way being “ignored” by the biggest names and promoters? Or should it be the boxer himself? Sugar Shane Mosley wants to fight Pacquiao very badly and has indicated that he’s willing to give in on many concessions such as the catch weight and the split of the purse. But nothing seems to be developing on this end. All roads seem to be leading towards a showdown between Pacquiao and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at a catch weight of around 144-145 pounds. You can bet that both Pacquiao and Mosley are ...