Though there is scarcity of “real” men that are bona fide students of the College of Mass Communication (CMC), it does have a men’s basketball team. And judging from history, they are no pushovers.

UP CMC’s basketball team, known as the Wildcats, were perennial champions of UP’s inter-college intramurals during the early ‘90s. Some of the men who have grazed this glorious tradition were Richard Gomez, Ryan Gregorio and Ivan Mayrina.

Then, the college always paraded a big line-up and they were getting easy wins. But now things have changed. The Wildcats’ performance over the past years has taken a nosedive. Gone are the championships and the celebration that comes with the title. 

Every new season comes a new hope for the CMC-based cagers but they always see their season end in frustration in the hands of mighty teams like that of the College of Engineering and the College of Human Kinetics.

With this season comes a new hope. And if most CMC students think that hope is all they’ve got for the team, this year’s team can live up to the expectations—and can hopefully bring back the glory days of Wildcats’ basketball.

The team took major changes during the off-season. With players like Jordan Santos and Mark Limchoa leaving the scene, a fresh wave of exciting players burst into the act. These players are expected to bring out high levels of tenacity day in and day out.

The coaching staff is overhauled as well. The Wildcats’ are now under new head coach Bien Carayag, ending former head coach’s Paul Mata’s three-year stint on the diagram board. A former Wildcat himself, Carayag has high hopes for this team.

“This year’s team is relatively small so we will have a hard time with the likes of Engineering and Human Kinetics,” said Carayag. “Nevertheless, the team’s most potent weapon is it’s quickness. This year’s team is a running team. Plus, this year’s team is a great perimeter shooting team. Expect a lot of those in the coming intrams.”

On that note, expect a lot of fastbreaks from the team come intramurals time. Leading the charge of Wildcats this year are Team Captain Carlos Miguel Locsin, Mark Mallo and Dinno Sandoval—the three highest scorers of the team.

“For this year, I was shifted from the point guard to the off-guard position. I have high hopes for this team and we hope to bring the crown back to CMC,” Locsin said.

“We will surely bring our up-tempo game for forty minutes. It’s our best weapon. We’ve got to bring out our best every game. That’s what we are going to do this year and it will give a lot of teams a run for their money,” Sandoval said.

Aside from Locsin, Mallo and Sandoval, other holdovers are coming back to the picture. They are Ralph Peralta, AJ Malabanan, Mawen Dalimot and Bam-bam Alegre.

Lending aid to the Wildcats are some supremely talented and exciting rookies that will make the team into a title contender. These new cagers are worth the wait for the team and its fans. And the result could be something better than good.

CMC’s new players are point guards Marlon Borreo and Andrew Valdez, defensive-minded baller Roland Antonio Guia, role players Eric Martinez and Julius Belotindos, big man Franklin Paul Alcones and sweet-shooting Lawrence Fernandez.

A transferee from the School of Statistics, Borreo is part of the team that won the 2005 Gilette Vector Basketball Tournament (UP Diliman- Division A) title. An icewater in the nerves point guard, expect Borreo to bring out his A game in the clutch situation.

High leaping Andrew Valdez is not just good in orchestrating plays. He is also a high leaper and an excellent outside shooter. A member of the UP CMC Broadcasting Association, Valdez will contribute heavily for the Wildcats’ cause offensively or defensively.

On the other hand, Guia is the “dirty worker” of the team. He may not score huge but his influence can be felt due to his impressive defensive and rebounding skills. Though small, Guia uses good boxing out techniques against taller opponents to pluck those loose balls.

Martinez is a former ball player at the Quezon City Science High School. Aside from his tremendous hustle and his pesky defense, he is also a threat when it comes to slashing through the other team’s defense.

Belotindos’ style of play is like that of Martinez. A no-nonsense operator on the court, Belotindos is a great player who can do a lot of damage in the art of intimidation. He guards opponents like a lint and never let them see any daylight.

Alcones is already a seasoned basketball coach and player. He has lead a number of teams to summer league championships and he also played for the Ramon Magsaysay High School basketball team. With his height, Alcones will fill in the rebounding problems of this year’s team.

Fernandez is a relatively slow player but his jumper is money in the bank. A player with a relatively wide body, he can pluck boards without jumping high, a style of play that is a throwback to PBA’s Bong “Hawk” Hawkins.

Though the team was formed for only a few months, the Wildcats have managed to reach the semifinals of the Vector Tournament before bowing out to Borreo’s side.

“It is a great start for us. Though we have only been formed for a few months, we showed some great signs of team play,” Coach Carayag added. “Of course, we will work on it to perfection. It might entail a lot of practice but then again, practice makes perfect.”

The Wildcats are hoping to bring back its winning ways. For the past three years the team suffered losing seasons, causing their early exit in the inter-college intramurals. Last year’s record was 2-3, before that was 2-3 as well and three years ago, the team won nothing in five games.

“We are definitely improving. And now with a powerful rookie group coming our way, I think that there is no other way for this team but up. We are title contenders,” Coach Carayag said.

With that, the prayers of many hopefuls will be answered when opening tip-off comes.

The former is the master of thugonomics, the latter is the rabid wolverine. And though their personas are different, they are binded by one thing: the WWE draft lottery.

I can't forget Vincent Kennedy McMahon talking to Captain Charisma Christian and his Problem Solver Tyson Tomko in a Smackdown! episode about this draft lottery. And after that announcement, the whole WWE was just up on its feet. Christian became vocal about transferring to RAW and Ray Mysterio has talked about the same thing as well.

But its not Christian or Mysterio that were first affected by the draft for the current WWE Champion and the former World Heavyweight Champion switch homes with Cena going to RAW and Benoit going to Smackdown!

It wasn't a surprise that RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff picked Cena from the Smackdown! roster. If I were in his shoes, I would pick no other than the best. On the other hand, I was expecting that Smackdown! General Manager Theodore Long will just cancel the pick of his counterpart and pick the World Heavyweight Champion Batista instead.

Maybe its Batista's upcoming Hell in a Cell match against Triple H in Vengeance was the reason why Long did not choose The Animal. This leaves Smackdown! without a champion. But I feel that one the Batista-HHH match is done, The Animal is on his way to Smackdown!

The draft should not be taken for granted for a lot of WWE Superstars have benefited from it. One would be Shelton Benjamin who from a Tag Team winner became the Intercontinental Champion and named as one of the most athletic wrestlers as of the moment. There is Rob Van Dam who also held the Intercontinental Champion. And also, the Dudley Boyz became more dominating once they have transferred from Raw to Smackdown! The list goes on but these are the most notable to mention.

Expect Cena to forge rivalries with Christian for, sad to say, Christian is immitating Cena's style by rapping poorly. You can also say that Triple H's eyes are set on Cena's spinning title belt but Mr. You Can't See Me will have a say on that. Or if possible, Batista and Cena will battle it out for a unification match but I guess Smackdown! will have to say something about that.

As for Benoit, it is possible that he might rekindle his ties with co-Radical Eddie Guerrero and their focus might be on Ray Mysterio or on the WWE Tag Team Championship currently held by MNM.

As for other predictions, I think RAW will get Carlito Carribean Cool and Smackdown! will draft Chris Jericho. If that happens, both Carlito's Cabana and Jericho's Highlight Reel will have to switch channels. I also feel that RAW will get the deadman, the Undertaker in exchange for Edge. I do believe that Christian's antics will not go empty-handed for its possible tor him to cross the bay.

Things are continually being shaken up but we know what all this is for: the improvement of the leader in sports entertainment. Imagine someone no. 1 improving. It makes you think whether it is wise to battle them. And in this note, McMahon and everyone in the WWE will have to deal with more money flowing through their bank accounts.

It's really hard to see sports heroes walk in the end of the sunset. Since they have performed better than their peers, it is expected of them to continue winning titles as long as they live. Yet, everything on earth has an ending. And these fairy-tale endings will serve as inspiration for future generations of sports icons.

I wouldn't be publishing this if I haven't seen the last ever bout of Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez. At age 42, he has finally hung up his glove. Never worry though Chicanos for Julio Jr. and Jesus Chavez will add up to the legacy brought by Julio Sr.

Donning the national colors of his homeland, Chavez fought former NABA champion Ivan Robinson for a ten-bout, non-title, showdown. At the pre-introduction part of the match, Robinson showed what no boxer has ever given to his opponent while in the ring: respect. When Chavez's name was called, Robinson even did the praising gesture infront of Chavez and even kissed him on the cheek.

I did not expect much from the rounds of the match but I intently watched for one of the boxers that I truly admire will be punching his last few blows. There was a surprise though in the 4th round when Chavez even knocked down Robinson.

The decision that came out was expected: a victory for Chavez. Well, two theories can be formed as to why he won: respect or strength.

Maybe for Robinson, giving a victory to Chavez in his last bout ever is the best form of respect he can possibly give. It was evident in the match that Robinson was operating in subtlety: counterpunching a few times and combining these with quick spurts of offensive combination which I thought that were not meant to hurt Chavez. It was like Chavez was just having a sparring session with a fellow trainee in their gym.

On the other hand though, Chavez has the figures to prove that he hasn't lost his touch though his age is on the rise. I remember Chavez having a fight against the Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya approximately 7 years ago (this bout was even televised live on Citynet 27 before). I haven't remembered de la Hoya's exact boxing record though I know that he was still undefeated at that time. As for Chavez, his record before that bout will be programmed in my mind as long as I live.

97 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw with 79 knockouts: that was Chavez's bout tally in that moment. Take note also that that fight was his 100th professional bout. Sad to say, Chavez lost that in that classic fist exchange.

Fast forward to the Chavex-Robinson match and before Julio Sr. took the stage before his last dance, his record stood at 106 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws with 88 wins coming by the way of knockout. Now, simple Mathematics would tell you that 106 minus 97 is 9 while 88 minus 79 is also equal to 9. This means that all of Chavez's bouts after the de la Hoya bout that I have mentioned were won by him and all by the way of knockout. And considering that he was already around 35 years old, this is such a feat for it's rare for boxers to still perform well when they reach their mid-30s.

He won his last bout though he wasn't the Chavez of old. The flashy, resilient and quick Julio Sr. that we have seen in his younger days was not seen in him anymore. The footwork has left him but a bit of his punches was still evident.

Though he has reached what is inevitable to every athlete, he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest boxers who ever wore those gloves. His 107 victories is enough justification of how he has built his reputation of not just being one of the greatest but also being one of the most durable boxers in the planet.

His place in the hall of fame is sure and his number of victories might not be matched by any boxer in this era because of those one-time, big-money matches.

As a three-time world champion and a winner of 100 victories, Julio Cesar Chavez is an inspiration to all boxers slugging it out night in and night out. And his place in boxing Olympia has long been cemented.

It seems like a universe yet to explored. You know they exist but you haven’t explored them. Its views are breath taking; its aura nostalgic. And sinking the championship putt is an imagination away. Every yard is a test but the memories that you have after you leaved will be among your best.

Though it may not be one of the premiere sports in the country, golf courses are scattered through the archipelago. They offer yards of championship-caliber golf courses that were designed by some of the best that have embraced the game. And because only a few Filipinos play in them, its beauty has been well preserved throughout the years. It’s for you to explore the wonders of our golf grounds. It is a haven at par with golf courses in Europe and the United States.

It’s hard to determine which Philippine golf course is the best for they have their own unique facets that makes them a good pick for a week-end tee fest with your old buddies. Yet, you can handpick a few great courses among them. I

n Metro Manila alone, there are still a few courses left for play. Some of them are for members use only while some are open to the public. In terms of accessibility and visibility, nothing beats the Veterans Golf Course in Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City.

Built inside the compound of the Veterans Hospital, this course is convenient if you cannot spend a day out of the metropolis. The 18-hole, par 72 course boasts of its tight fairways and small greens. Sturdy Kakawate trees line many of its fairways up. Though it is easily accessible, you might not want to hear the honking of automobiles and jeepneys since the course and the main thoroughfares in Quezon City are only separated by grilled fences. And as you know, concentration is everything in golf.

If that’s a big minus to the Veterans Golf Course, there are still other so-called “military courses” waiting for you. Nearest to Veterans is the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club located of course inside Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Its fairways are wider as compared to that of Veterans so you don’t have to be an expert sniper when playing this course. Although, bunkers and water hazards compensate for the short-distanced courses in Camp Aguinaldo. The front nine is tough due to water hazards that come to play in every hole. In the back nine, you have to bring out your accurate short drive game out. The course’s signature hole is the sixth one for it has an island green that requires a precise middle-iron shot off the tee.

Camp Aguinaldo is open to the public so you won’t have any problems about being alienated by members. As for its caliber, the club has produced the likes of Gerald Rosales, Jennifer Rosales and Ramon Brobio. Not bad for a public golf course, isn’t it?

If the camp’s golf course is whopping with whack masters, then you can try the Villamor Air Base golf course and the Philippine Navy Golf Club. Villamor could be the best course under Philippine conditions since the fairways are composed of indigenous carabao grass combined with imported zoysia grass. This course is the best example of how well-maintained local turf grasses could remain playable even after decades of wear and tear. Villamor is the most prestigious among the military courses and the only one that remains championship caliber in terms of its design. Built in the 1960s, the course now features several humps and bumps due to redesigning for an improved drainage of the flood prone course.

The high agoho trees are still present but a lot of concrete-lined, man-made lakes have been constructed to protect some of the holes and the make the courses tougher. Consistency is what you must have when you are playing in Villamor for you will be treated to combinations of world-class golf. Doglegs, elevated greens, tight fairways, name it and the course has it.

If you feel the need of a challenge, this is the course for you. Although, a lot of people play here mainly because of the toughness of the course. It would be advisable to call their office first to check out availability of the course.

If there are really no available slots though, the nearby Philippine Navy Golf Course is a happy fallback for golf enthusiasts. No other golf course in the metro has gone through more redesigning than this par 70, 18 hole, and 5022-yard course.

The whole course was built on gently rolling terrains and its design offers combinations of dog-leg and straightway holes that are bordered by Ipil trees.

Started as a nine-hole course in the 1980s, the course became a compact 18-hole field before expansion projects made it bigger and better. It is only a few minutes away from the Makati Business District, is open to the public and makes a distinction between Filipinos and foreigners in terms of playing fees.

But if you can really spare time and go out-of-town, golf courses outside Metro Manila is just as satisfying for you and for your swing.

Some of the best golf courses outside the metropolis are in the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal) area. Due to the availability of huge chunks of land in this area, setting foot on these spacious and scenic golf courses is a must for everyone who has held a golf club.

One of the best in this area is the Riviera Golf and Country Club in Silang, Cavite. Though it is a relatively young course, it is becoming to be one of the premiere tournament venues in the country having sponsored the Philippine Open in 2000 and 2004.

A few kilometers from Taal Volcano on the Aguinaldo Highway, the courses boasts of 36 holes of action and are covered with well-maintained Bermuda 419 fairways and Tif-dwarf greens.

None other than Masters Champions Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer designed the two courses. Langer’s 18 holes is much more open, has narrower landing areas and a great length off the tee shot would do you wonders. Also, the best approach angles are well protected. On the other hand, the Couples course is reminiscent of Hawaiian resort courses as tall palm trees and undulating greens dominate the place.

Since the courses have been layout on wide areas, strong prevailing winds are a big factor in terms of club selection and shot efficiency. There’s a good mix of direction though and rarely you will be facing consecutive courses playing into the wind.

If Cavite has the Riviera, Batangas has the Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa City. Architect Michael Poellet’s design of three lovely, playable, all-weather nine hole courses looks as if it was a picturesque obra maestra of Fernando Amorsolo. With its rolling fairways accented by contoured bunkers and sneaky water hazards, Malarayat is one of the most photogenic courses you will see.

It is also the most weather resistant course in the country due to its wall-to-wall sand capping with ample catch basins. After heavy rains, the only thing that you will find in your shoes are raindrops. The greens have small openings and is usually surrounded by several bunkers or hazards, making a seemingly straightway course difficult. As an added twist, the three nine-hole courses are named after nearby mountains, Mount Lubo, Mount Malipunyo and Mount Makulot.

For Laguna, its strongest best would be the TAT Filipinas Golf Club. Formerly called Holiday Hills, this 18-hole, 7173-yard golf paradise was designed by famous Japanese Golf Architect Seichi Inoue and has hosted the Philippine Open Golf Championship in 1994. 3000 young ornamental plants and fruit trees were planted to add to the 1000 coconut trees and 200 bearing mango trees lining the fairways. Also, ponds and bunkers serve as obstacles to the greens, giving you the chance to really use all of your golf clubs. This course though is exclusive to members only and a member must accompany guests. As for Rizal, nothing beats the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City. Nestled at the foothills of Antipolo, it was the first golf course built east of Manila as it opened for operation in 1961. Another nine fields were made on the northern part of the land while the third nine was redesigned to have an 18-hole executive course.

The courses are a combination of uphill and downhill shots and are dominated by a combination of Tifton and Zoysia greens and carabao grass fairways. Its finishing holes are the toughest in the country. Valley can get hot during the summer but the shade from the trees makes it a great experience. Valley has maintained the ambiance of a country club although it has been around for half a century.

Outside Metro Manila and CALABARZON, there are still a few courses worth of praise. There’s the Baguio Country Club wherein the ambiance and nostalgic golf amidst the pine trees is second to none. Also, the Fort Ilocandia Golf and Country Club in Paoay, Ilocos Norte is worth mentioning. The course is just a stone throw away from the famous Paoay Lake with the green of hole 3 and the whole hole 4 placed beside the lake. This golf course is a few meters away from the Malacañang of the North. Fort Ilocandia was designed by golf great Gary Player.

The Peninsula Golf Club in Bataan is a great course as well. Carabao grass grows on wide and undulating fairways and you get a panoramic view of Manila Bay and the metropolis’ skyline on most of the elevated greens. On the west side of the course you will be spectacled by the majestic mountain ranges of the peninsula.

And for an unusual play of golf, the Wallace golf course in San Fernando, La Union and the Isabela Golf Club can give you that thanks to its sand greens that are a challenge for beginners and advance players alike.

Going South to the Visayas region, finding a great putt arena is not a waste of time. These courses are found in the Negros Island and will surely give tee players a superb run of their money.

The most amazing among these courses is the Bacolod Country Club. Designed by the great Celestino Tugot, this 18-hole, 6050-yard golf hotspot has tight fairways that require accurate iron shots. Located 600 feet above sea level though, prevailing winds is a big factor especially in the afternoon.

A drive towards Victorias City will bring you to the Victorias Golf and Country Club. Built in the land of the Victorias Milling Corporation, its challenging ravines and island greens compliment its narrow but majestic fairways. Built in the 1970s for the Victorias Milling Company, it was expanded in the 1990s as a difficult 18-holer.

Cross to neighboring Negros Oriental and you will be able to witness the Pamplona Plantation Golf Club in Tanjay. Constructed on a rolling terrain, greens are smaller in the back nine though fairways are wider in the front nine. Pocket landscaped areas break the green fairways and man-made lakes are present to increase difficulty.

There is one catch though, Bacolod and Pamplona are exclusively for members so if you’re a guest, better have a connection with a member. Victorias though is open to the public.

Hopping into the southern part of the country, Mindanao is a real promised land not just of its abundant natural resources but also due to its wondrous golf locations that combine wonderful landscape with top-notch golf.

Golf players will find Cagayan de Oro a great place to visit once they have embarked on the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club. Nestling in a plateau 350 meters above the Cagayan de Oro sea level, each hole is beautifully crafted, accented by multiple bunkers and etched against lush vegetation and Tifton fairways.

What was one 80 hectares of rocky pastureland was converted by architect Robert Trent Jones to a golfer’s dream. The course’s signature spot is “Pretty Poison” located between the third and fourth holes.

Folks of Lanang in Davao City would definitely bragg the Lanang Country Club as one of the greatest courses in our country. And why wouldn’t they: a notable product of golf tourism efforts of the government in the 70s, the lush fairways are planted with coconut and hardwood trees giving the feeling as if the golf course was naturally there.

And last on the trip, the Zamboanga Golf and Country Club, the course, a combination of dog-legs and long par 4s, is a true gem with its difficult elevated greens protected by mighty acacia trees. Claimed to be the oldest golf course in the Philippines, the Zamboanga Golf and Country Club was built in 1911. None other than Brigadier-General John Pershing served as the first president of the golf club and no Filipino was allowed to play in its lush greens back then. It was only after World War II that Filipinos got to whack dented golf balls off tees in this golf course. It is now a public course managed by the Philippine Tourism Authority.

So there ends our wonderful trip among the wonderful and majestic golf courses throughout the country. Come visit them for a golfing experience you will never forget.

How many times have you heard a line like this: “Pitcher winding for the pitch…here comes the throw…slider struck him out.”

Pretty loaded statement, right? If you think you have heard this on a baseball broadcast, you’re right! And if you insist that the broadcaster is describing a pitching sequence, money in the bank for you!

So knowing that you’ve watched Roger Clemens or Randy Johnson pitch, do you actually understand what they are throwing?

Sliders, sinkers, and forkballs: these are words that describe the variety of baseball pitches. These nouns are in itself adjectives for what a pitcher has in store for a batter.

It takes to know the nature of these pitches. Not only will you raise your understanding of the game but if clarifies further that pitching is not just mere throwing.

Let’s start the ball rolling!

v Forkball—It is an off-speed pitch (meaning it is slow). It is held towards the base of the index and middle fingers giving it a slow speed when thrown. This is an Achilles heel for great fastball hitters and batters who want to whom baseballs in a hurry. This pitch travel a downward tumbling motion giving the effect that it is a strike but it’s not. Also, catchers are having a harder time catching them.

v Split-finger fastball—This is the pitch that made Curt Schilling a force to reckon with. He used this weapon to help the Arizona Diamondbacks win the 2000 World Series against the heavily favored New York Yankees. This pitch is basically the same as the forkball but this baby is held by the end of the middle and index fingers and is thrown very hard. Its traveling motion and its given effect is the same as the forkball.

v Cut Fastball/Sailing Fastball—By the name itself, it sinks (or it has a downward motion towards the plate). This is usually thrown with the seams of a baseball and usually hard to turn into a pop-up or a fly ball. The best of these are impossible to lift. It is as if you’re hitting an anvil with a sugar cane, as ex-MLB catcher Tim McCarver puts it.

v Riding Fastball—Unlike the sinker, this is pitched across the seams to get its riding effect. This pitch targets the upper strike zone of the batter (from the armpit level down to the hip or pelvic area)

v Screwball—If most pitches have a forward spinning motion, the screwball is an exception. You have to turn your hand in and down to execute this. It usually travels towards the middle of the plate and catching it is like a feather. The great Dodger pitcher Fernando Valenzuela became known for this one.

v Change-up/Palmball—If the forkball is an illusion of a pitch being a strike, the change-up is an illusion of a pitch being there. It is held anywhere in the ball so he can deceive a batter with his arm motion and usually in an awkward manner to give an off-speed travel to the ball. If this is successful, batters swing at the arm motion of the pitcher itself.

v Knuckleball—First things first, this is an inappropriately named pitch. It is rarely thrown with the knuckles but rather with a pitcher’s fingertips in a daintily manner. Catchers should not have to handle knuckleballers. The reason? Bob Uecker puts it plain yet precise: “The only way to catch a knuckler is to wait till the ball stops rolling, then pick it up.”

v Slider—Two words: Very tough. The twisting motion is what makes it so hard on the elbow. It travels horizontally and moves parallel to the field. A good slider can be determined by its “dime” or tight spin. The tighter the spin, the faster the ball travels and less likely will a batter detect it. The more erratic the spin, the more that the batter will see the ball and turn it into a disappointing hit for the pitcher. If the spin is a “dime,” the ball’s spin is tight, if it’s a “quarter,” it’s loose.

v Curveball—Few pitchers throw the true curve anymore. A dropping breaking ball, it gives the feet as if a baseball dropped off a table. Nowadays, this pitch is known as the “slurve” and is easy to catch. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax claims that this is the pitch that made him great. On the other hand, Nolan Ryan could have had a better all-time winning percentage if he hadn’t thrown many of these throughout his career.

v Spitball—Nobody knows anyone (or nobody claims) who throws this pitch. The throwing motion does not matter for this is thrown with the help of saliva, grease, slippery elm or even Vaseline. Heavy like a sinker but breaks much more sharply down, this is a real spin downer and tough to throw for a strike, too. This pitch was outlawed in 1920 for sanitary reasons. Before that year, this is a pitcher’s favorite. Although it is as if it was never banned. Several mound warriors would agree to legalize this for all of them add something to the baseball other than rosin.

v Beanball—This is an illegal pitch. A beanball is practically any of the pitches above, it’s just that this nasty ball hits any part of the batter’s body. If this happens, the batter is entitled to a free walk to first base. It’s included in this list for it is often used by a lot of pitchers to send a message to the batter. Baseball announcers often call this the “dirt ball” because most hitters are being thrown down the dirt once this pitch is executed. As for me, I call this the “curse ball” for it is as if the pitch is equipped with hundreds of curses for the batter to evade.

So there my friends are all of the pitches that are used in baseball. So next time you watch a diamond game, you won’t be like a batter facing Roger Clemens or a Randy Johnson: not knowing what you have just seen and facing humiliation.

One car. Three models. Many differences.

RACKET LAUNCHER

Look out! This ace continous to reach new heights after his lift-off

It seems like the trend in sports nowadays at is that younger stars excel more than their older counterparts. In basketball, some experts are saying that Lebron James has already outperformed (or will continue to) Kobe Bryant. In soccer, guys as young as 14 or 15 are already being chased by European clubs. Every sport has his or her “kid wonder” (or wonders if they are a group), and tennis is no exception.

Applying the old cliché “Offsprings should outlive their parents” to the scenario of the racket sport, when old (and a bit old) players like Andre Agassi retire and a fresh generation of players will rise as new demigods of the sport. Sad to say though, this doesn’t apply to tennis. As early as now, young racketeers are starting to build their own legends, at the expense of those who they idolized and even imitated.

Though guys like Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer are relatively young and have proven their might, an even younger batch of players are already up to the challenge. And to name one person in particular, Spain’s Rafael Nadal.

"You see the evolution of athletes getting bigger, stronger, more powerful, faster and explosive and hitting the ball harder. Me at 18, looking at Nadal at 18, from the neck down you would think one person was 26 and the other was 12."

This is what tennis legend (and future Hall of Famer) Andre Agassi told about Rafael Nadal. And take note readers, You didn’t hear Agassi wrong, this Spanish kid is only 18 years old.

Born in Mallorca, Spain on June 3, 1986, this 6’1”, 178-pound young sensation is the most talked about emerging superstar in the sport. Actually, he might not be even considered emerging anymore; he has started to prove his worth.

This lefthander started playing at the early age of four. It was his uncle, Toni Nadal, who introduced him to the sport and is still his coach at present. His other coach right now is Jofre Porta who is also Carlos Moya’s coach.

He won his first tournament at age 8 at Baleares and soon entered the junior league wherein he was already hailed as one of the future bright spots for Spanish tennis.

In 2002, at age 15, he was the youngest player ever to qualify for a Masters event. At the end of the year, he was the 235^th best player in the world according to the Association of Tennis Players’ (ATP) entry system rankings.

In 2003, he broke into the top 50 of the ATP rankings after winning two Challenger titles. It was also the year when he first reached the semifinal round in any Tennis Masters Series that he has played in. He also won the Croatia Open men’s doubles title with Alex Lopez Moron. In that year’s Wimbledon, he was the youngest player to reach the 3^rd round of the prestigious tournament since Boris Becker in 1984 but lost to Thailand’s Paradorn Srichapan.

As for his US Open debut also in that year, he reached the second round of the tourney and eventually bowing down to Morocco’s Younes El Aynaoui. At the end of the year, he was ranked 49^th in the world but was placed 67^th in the ATP championship race.

In 2004, he continuously improved in the ATP championship race, going up 21 notches to be in 46^th place though his world ranking dropped to 51^st. He won one singles event (The Idea Prokom Open in Sopot) and one double’s title (The TATA Open in Chennai, India with Tommy Robredo) during the year. He has also been instrumental in Spain’s Davis Cup victory over the United States at the Estadio Olimpico de Sevilla in Seville Spain, teaming up with former no. 1 Carlos Moya, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Robredo.

Now comes 2005 and what might be Nadal’s best year playing in clay, grass and hard courts. He posted career-high rankings during this year. His 2005 doubles entry position was 52^nd and now he is ranked 18^th in the doubles race. As for his singles’ fate, he entered the ranks in 11^th position and is now ranked 2^nd in the title melee behind multi-titled Roger Federer and has amassed a total prize money of $1,000,064. As for his ATP tour rankings, he is now ranked 17^th from as low as 51^st.

This year alone, he has already won three ATP Tennis Masters Series legs: the Brazil Open (Costa de Sauipe), the Abierto Mexicano de Teris Open in Acapulco (defeating Alberto Montanes, 6-1, 6-0), The Tennis Masters Series Monte-Carlo leg. He was also a finalist of the Auckland Open and the Miami Open also known as the Nasdaq 100, the so-called fifth major title. As for his double’s play, he won the Doha Open with Albert Costa.

What’s his secret you might ask? his strength and his left hand. Nadal's strength helps him impart tremendous topspin, forcing opponents to meet the ball chest high. He's the highest-ranked left-hander and one of only three in the top 40, allowing him to hit shots at angles other players seldom sees.

"Because he's a lefty, it changes so many things. His forehand is huge. Even on the run he can hit it with the spins. He can hit winners off every forehand. He hits his backhand very close to his body but still gets it back well and hard when he's under pressure. And he's a good defensive player as well. He moves totally different from most players. He's an outstanding athlete,” Federer said after defeating Nadal in the Miami Open.  

Then there's the serve, which has a kick but rarely tops 175 kph (110 mph). Nadal's upper-body strength makes it likely he'll soon be serving harder. With all of his credentials and his wizardry with the clay court, he is already a favorite to win this year’s French Open (also known as Roland Garros).

"I don't know whether I will play good or bad at the French Open but my objective is to improve my tennis. I need to improve my serve, my volley, my slice and if I can improve these shots, I think I can win a lot of matches," Nadal said in a press conference after bagging the Monte Carlo Open.

Yup, those words really came from him, all right. He feels that he is not yet the best player that he can be. But with the way things are going for him right now, you might be wondering if greatness for him is synonymous to invincibility. Maybe, when he has already mastered the tricks and tactics of the game, all of the events that he will play in must be tagged “the battle for second place,” the champion of course being him.

I was watching the game between the FedEx Express and the Talk and Text Phonepals yesterday. During the early stages of the game, the game was relatively close but as the second half opened, Talk and Text suddenly broke away. To add to the insult done to FedEx, the Phonepals were able to increase their lead without any of its three top players (Asi Taulave, Jimmy Alapag and Willie Miller) on the floor. It was gutsy players like Mark Telan, Vic Pablo, Yancey de Ocampo, Patrick Fran and Bong Ravena who staged a rally that somehow put the game out of reach from the Express.

Then I remember, Talk and Text won its first three games already and those they defeated before were not easy opponents. Noong Opening Day ng PBA Gran Matador Philippine Cup, San Miguel Beer lang naman nila Olsen Racela, Dondon Hontiveros, Nic Belasco, Dorian Peña at Danny Ildefonso ang tinalo nila tapos ung second game nila, Alaska Aces lang naman din nila Mike Cortez, Don Allado, Brandon Cablay, Ali Peek at Bong Hawkins and nadali nila.

The first two teams that they defeated are title contenders but Talk and Text made it look so easy to defeat them. Now I wonder, just how great the Phonepals are?

Let's start with the coaching staff: Joel Banal lead the Ateneo Blue Eagles to the promised land in 2002 and as a player himself, he won numerous championships with Great Taste. Assistant Coach Aric del Rosario lead the UST Growling Tigers to four straight UAAP trophies during the nineties thanks to players such as Rey Evangelista, Dennis Espino, Chris Cantonjos, Bal David and Patrick Fran. Its other Assistant coach, Ariel Vanguardia, might not have any trophies to show but he showed his potential when he lead the Phonepals to a 5-1 record during Banal's absence. In terms of resume, the Talk and Text Coaching staff has one of the best.

On its player's side, the Phonepals boast one of the most balanced teams in the PBA today. Balance in the sense that it seems that it doesn't have any weakness in its five positions. Starting with its guards, they have Jimmy "Mighty Mouse" Alapag, a prolific scorer and slasher who can easily put up at least 15 points to his credit a game. Then you have Patrick Fran, one of the best defensive guards in the PBA and has a reliable 3-point shot. That's not all, they do have Felix "DonBal" Belano, also a deadshot in rainbow land and is also a certified speedster. It's offguard position is tremendous as well, oh no, should I say terrific. Who's in store? Willie Miller and Bong Ravena. Ever since his college days in Letran, Miller was already a certified scorer. With his acrobatic moves and his terific shooting, PBA teams were dying to have him on their roster. Yet, he chose to play for the Nueve Ecija Patriots in the MBA and he lead the said league in scoring in every season that he played. In conrast, as great as a player Miller is, the Patriots were one of the doormat teams of the MBA. Then he transferred to Red Bull in the PBA and he won MVP honors in 2003. On the other hand, Ravena won Rookie of the Year in 1992 and brings to Talk and Text the leadership he has develop when he played for teams like San Miguel, Purefoods and the Pasig Blue Pirates also in the MBA.

In terms of its frontcourt, the Phonepals can match or can even outmanuever the big guys of other teams. In their first three games, they dominated the boards by significant margins and the big boys of Talk and Text shot better both inside and outside. The star of the Phonepals' frontcourt of course is the Fil-Tongan (although his Fil blood is still in question) Paul Asi Taulava who lead all locals in scoring in the PBA Fiesta Conference. Then you have Vic Pablo who is also know to be a big time player (he isn't called "The Conqueror" for nothing). Next, you have Yancey de Ocampo who is a great acquisition from FedEx for he brings not only height but shooting accuracy from the perimeter as well and at 6'9", he is one of the more versatile players in the league.

Also in the team is the balik-Talk and Text Celedon "Don" Camaso who also has a claim in being the most versatile players in the PBA. He may not score an awful lot of points but its his hustle and tremendous energy that makes him a potent piece of the Talk and Text puzzle.

And last but not the least, Mark Clemence Telan. Telan has found a home with the Phoneoals but his already been know as a major contributor during his college days in La Salle and his stints with the PBL and with Tanduay and Shell in the PBA. Yet, in the first three games of the Phonepals, it is like Mark Telan was reborn. He ran the hardwood better, shot better, rebounded better and thought better. In chort, Telan improved significantly. He has his numbers to show: average of about 19 points a contest in their first three games is proof enough (considering his about 12 a game before). He has been a revelation so far and credit that to the Talk and Text management who invested so much on Telan that they brought him with Taulava to a basketball clinic in the United States.

Allow me to also mention the two remaining players in the Talk and Text Roster. They may not be used often but they sure are great ballers. Who are they? Rookie Niño Gelig and Allan Salangsang. Galig is one of the key players of the UST Growling Tigers during the late nineties and he won one (hope i'm right0 of the four straight crowns of the España-based team. He shared the hardwood with Cyrus Baguio who is now with Red Bull and the two of them played together in the Hapee Toothpaste Teeth Sparklers team in the PBL. On the other hand, Salangsang was also part of the Hapee team and is one of the leading scorers of that team.

Up to its twelfth man, the Talk and Text Phonepals seems to be a well oiled machine going into the PBA Philippine Cup. They sure are one of the top contenders in this conference and they have shown their worth in their first three games. Without injuries among its players, I think they will be the team to beat in this conference. I guess the only thing that can defeat them is ala-Bal David's buzzer beater during the Ginebra-Mobiline (now TnT) scrimmage during the quarterfinals of the McDonald's-PBA All Filipino Cup back in 2000. I would love to see Taulava cry like that again. But I guess with a formidable squad beside him (as if that mobiline team was not formidable enough with Andy Seigle and Jeff Cariaso) , it would take a long time until I see him burst into tears of sorrow of course.

First of all, I would like to congratulate the new members of my organization, the Union of Journalists of the Philippines-UP Diliman. They are (in no particular order to avoid people to formulate any speculation): Roland Guia, Melanie Pinlac, Rosanne Chua, Kat Pascual, Steph Raymundo, Rona Cappal, Rey Talaoc, Darlene Ramos, Erica Ramayrat, Care San Antonio and Martha Teodoro. Pasensya na kung may nakalimutan ako.

Now, here's the good part, I would officially record my first blog entry in my new blog of course so here it is:

If Hollywood created "The Scarlet Letter", Formula 1 is experiencing the "Scarlet Fever" thanks of course to the dominance of the Marinello, Italy-made Ferrari car of German hero Michael Schumacer.

This season, Schumi proved once again that his throne as king of Formula 1 will be retained for one more year as he gained his 7th drivers championship by getting the top spot in 15 of the 17 grand prix this year. His dominance also helped Ferrari to win its fourth straight constructors champioship trophy.

With this dominance of the scarlet-donning Ferrari, racing afficionados wonder whether any team in Formula 1 can match the technology Ferrari has developed for the past four years. We will remember that in 2002, they were using the Ferrari F2000 car and by 2003, they already had their Ferrari F3 car. Ferrari mechanics claim that the newer car performs better in terms of horsepower and fuel tank capacity. Also, the aerodynamic front downwing of a Ferrari F1 car were curved in such a way that downfroce will be achieved greater.

But of course, with the great innovations, you must have a great driver. Ferrari has no problems with that. Schumacer is at the moment the best Formula 1 driver ever (Record: He has more wins and driver's championship than any other driver. He has seven and his closest rival is Juan Manuel Fangio who won 5 titles in the 50's. The late Aytron Senna has more poles than Schumi with 65). He is good when it's sunny and believe it or not he is better if it is raining. He is known to be the "Rainmaster" of Formula One. To prove his dominance, he clinched his 2002 trophy with 6 races left, his 2003 trophy with 5 remaining and he bagged this year's trophy with 7 races remaining. No wonder he is also the highest paid F1 driver today at around $33 million. For sure, all teams are dying to acquire his services once he takes off his scarlet uniform for the last time. The sad thing is that it might not happen. It was even Schumi himself who commented that he will continue to serve Ferrari even though he isn't a driver anymore.

There is something in Schumi that there isn't in any F1 driver today: the ability to communicate. He can easily say to his engineers that one of his rear tires is busted or if his gearbox is malfunctioning. As for the other drivers, his presence alone is frightening. I just can imagine how Fisichella or Button would feel everytime they are being chased down by Schumi.

What's amazing is that rarely does Schumacer push his car to the exremes. He might not record fastest laps very often but its his knowledge of the circuit and his tactics that makes him fly above the rest. He often cruises laps in relatively slow times especially if he has already notched up the victory (must be something he has learned from Jackie Stewart).

On the other hand, with this dominance of Ferrari, television ratings of Formula One dropped significantly due to the predictability of results. Fans feel that they need not watch races on tv live for they are almost sure that either Schumi or Rubinho (Rubens Barrichello) will bag the race. On this light, a number of advertisers are starting to pull away from lower-performing teams and try to transfer to better teams. Thus, revenues of the former decrease while its the other way around for the latter. Even merchandise like t-shirts and banners are dominated by Ferrari.

This year, the F1A formulated a plan that could generate back audience interest to formula one. Drivers can only have one qualifying lap so each of them must give their best. Also, championship points are awarded up to the 8th place finisher making the race better. The plans might have been great but as we see Ferrari once again wreck other F1 teams, only time will tell when "Scarlet Fever" will end.