Sports overload

The Celtics lost the 2010 NBA Championships and the Lakers did not win it.

Well, yes, it was a great game. Lots of interesting twists, but the Celtics squandered a very comfortable lead and could not find their touch towards the end.

Some would prefer to say that the Lakers are the better team and I guess the result of the seven-game series proves that, but game seven was a game lost more than one that was won.

 Okay, I sound like I don’t like the Lakers, yes I don’t like them and I don’t keep that a secret, but I am no Celtics fan either, well maybe long ago when Larry Bird was still there.

Now that we got over the NBA Finals, there’s the US Open Golf Championship aside from the World Cup in South Africa to spend my TV time on.

It’s a great time for sports lovers as there is so much to watch and so many events to follow.

Sports overload? Nah, I don’t think I’ll ever experience that. Just lacking sleep maybe, but I try to knock off when I can, but not at work (the boss is reading this so I had to emphasize that hehehe…).

* * *

Argentina proved the other night why the team is one of the favorites to win the World Cup with a 4-1 whacking of South Korea.

The team was so awesome that I forgot I was standing most of time to follow the action from the small TV set at the office that is dedicated to sports.

I was hoping to see Lionel Messi score his first goal in the tournament, but then it was Gonzalo Higuain, who starred in that game scoring the first hat trick of the tournament.

The victory of Mexico against former champion France should also be an eye-opener for us Pinoys that people built like us can win games in this biggest tournament of football. We just need to start getting our acts together if we want to do that.

Based on the world rankings on www.fifa.com, the Philippines is ranked 167th in the world.

To be able to move up in the rankings, our national team ought to take part in more international events, which unfortunately is not happening.

We can always dream of making it to the World Cup and work on developing the kids for a start, but once we get past the age group competitions, that is where the real problem starts as there is nowhere else to go for our players except maybe for the tournaments here and there and not a professional or even a semi-pro league.

This is not just our problem with football as it is even more evident in golf and tennis where we develop outstanding junior players, who would suddenly see their contemporaries become among the best in the world while they fade into oblivion.

I’m sure our sports leaders know how to address this matter. The only problem is that they can’t seem to get their acts together.

Sports development is a step-by-step process that has to move seamlessly until we reach our grand dreams. If we take only small steps then stop, we can never go too far.

* * *

MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to my high school classmate Mark Y. Mancao, who turned a year older yesterday.

I would also like to greet my maternal grandfather, Silverio Espina Lebumfacil, a very happy birthday as he turns a year older tomorrow. 

Today’s greetings go to Julienne Eva Guanzon, Matet Nierre and Riza Balgos.

Advance birthday greetings also to others celebrating tomorrow like PAL Captain Dennis Gaona, Edward Ceniza, Rhea Marie Fantonial-Bautista, and my Tao brother Prince Motol.

More power to all of you! – THE FREEMAN