Stupid lightning! Go Team Pilipinas!

Ok, so my attempt to write everyday was disturbed by a stupid lightning! There was a strong lightning that cause a power surge within the computer's power supply, even the modem and the phone line got affected. I had some thoughts these past days but now, I totally forgot them! Anyway, I'll just try to recall what they were and just post whenever they strike me again. Hmmm....

I would like to give a shout out to Team Pilipinas! They're now at Tokushima, Japan but they lost to Jordan thus snatching the opportunity to play at Beijing for the upcoming Olympics. I've been following their progress (although not like a watchdog) and I must say, they gave our fellow Asians a run for their money. You can't really blame anybody for the loss, they gave it their best shot! All the months of grueling preparation and sacrifice is deserving of not just a pat on the back but a standing ovation as well. I was reading today's paper (The Philippine Star) at breakfast and came across this article:

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Sidelights: Jordan coach labels grouping ‘big joke’
By Nelson Beltran
Tuesday, July 31, 2007

TOKUSHIMA, Japan – To Jordan coach Mario Palma, FIBA-Asia’s system of bracketing “is a big joke.” Palma said he still can’t understand why three of the top four teams in last year’s Asian Games plus the Philippines, which has always been a top contender with its professional players, allowed to slug it out in one group.

“So what you see is the four teams in this group playing with so much pressure while top seeded teams in the other brackets winning by more than 50 points,” rued Palma.

“Because of the pressure, players in our group are getting hurt. The top two teams in the other group easily advanced to the quarterfinals with the luxury of keeping their top players fresh,” Palma added. He cited two players in his team now injured. He’s also aware that Danny Seigle, Asi Taulava and Jimmy Alapag got hurt in the SMC-RP team’s first game against Iran.

“Now Jordan and the Philippines are playing in a knockout game. But the loser in this game is capable of winning the championship,” said Palma on the eve of the match.

China topped the Doha Asia Games with Iran coming in third and Jordan fourth. Yet, they found themselves in one group with Philippines in the elimination round of the FIBA-Asia men’s championship here. “It’s a joke. But I can’t do anything. I’m just a coach, I’m not a politician,” Palma said.

Posted as seeded teams in the four groups are China, Lebanon, Qatar and South Korea – the top four finishers in the 2005 FIBA-Asia championship in Qatar. The rest of the teams, except host Japan, drew their brackets. After the second round of the draw, Japan chose to join Lebanon and Kuwait in Group B.

The Philippines was drawn second to last, being the second team with the lowest world ranking here. Unfortunately, the Philippines found itself in the Group of Death with China, Iran and Jordan while Indonesia, the lowest-ranked squad, joined Qatar, Kazakhstan and India in Group C.

FIBA-Asia used to employ the inverted “S” bracketing system where the No. 1 and No. 8 teams in the previous championship are put together in one group, No. 2 and No. 7 in another group, No. 3 and No. 6 in their own bracket and No. 4 and No. 5 in the last group.

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All I can say, enough said! Let's move forward, all is not lost! JOB WELL DONE TEAM PILIPINAS, WE SALUTE YOU!

Happy Birthday to me! First post for me!

Now I'm 23! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

I planned to make a blog for soooo long. I actually did, once, and I only had one post. Did it just to access my friends' accounts with friends only posts. I told myself to start one when I graduate (supposed to be March 2007). But that was postponed simply because....... I didn't graduate, hahaha! I then took summer classes to complete it, and thank God I did! However, I was still too lazy to start a new blog so I gave myself a deadliest deadline, today! MY BIRTHDAY!

That's all for now! Slow by slow lang, hahaha! One small step for Marts, one giant leap.... For Marts! Hope I get to continue this, get to write everyday, just like Doogie Howser, MD. Come to think of it, that series was the first to show me the concept of blogging.

More random thoughts, hopefully soon! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday Marvin the Martian and to all my fellow celebrants!