Team Building - Prince Square Resort

Ampopogi ah... Mga ungas.


And now, the end is near...


Bakit ngayon ka lang? Blanket, bayong, kalan.


Dora and Boots


FHM 01


FHM 02


Uso pa ba ang harana?


Papalamang ba'ko sa bidyoke???


Huhhhhh?


Konti na lang ah.. (si Harana nasa background)


Jaboom Twins. Jaja and Boom-boom.


Almu-chow


Ihaw-ihaw. Panalo!


Team Melvin


Team Roshee


Team Willand


Uwian na? Tulog naman.

Upsets? Unlikely - but I can hope...

Boston - Atlanta, Detroit - Philadelphia: both tied at 2 games a-piece. Upsets in the making? Highly unlikely. I think both series will be done by Game 6 - although only one can hope they go seven or an upset really does happen:

These are my "dream" second round and conference finals match-ups:

East Second Round:
Cleveland - Atlanta
Orlando - Philadelphia
East Finals:
Atlanta - Philadelphia (Ultimate Battle of the Underdogs!)

West Second Round:
LA Lakers - Utah
San Antonio - New Orleans
West Finals:
San Antonio - Utah

But these will most-likely be the second round and conference finals match-ups:

East Second Round:
Boston (2) - Cleveland (4) (Doc Rivers will mess this one up, definitely.)
Detroit (4) - Orlando (1) (Unless Howard averages 40-30, this'll be Detroit's series to lose)
East Finals:
Cleveland - Detroit

West Second Round:
LA Lakers (4) - Utah (3) (Utah has the better starting five, but it won't be Kobe who will be the difference maker, it'll be Gasol)
San Antonio (4) - New Orleans (2) (Chris Paul is good, but his team won't have an answer for Ginobili)
West Finals:
San Antonio - LA Lakers

Pinoy Coach

Did you know that new Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra is half-Filipino? Eric is the son of an American father and a Filipino mother (Spoelstra is proud of his Filipino roots). He joined the Heat's staff as a video coordinator 13 years ago. Now, he takes over the reins as the new Miami Heat Head Coach with Riley announcing his stepping down from the coaching job (Pat Riley will still be president of operations for the Heat).
I have to say that I am very excited about the Heat next season. The possibility of either Beasley or Rose or Lopez joining, Wade and Marion fully rested, a Filipino coach, and no expectations. I honestly believe that the Heat will be back into playoff contention next year and possibly contend for the championship one or two years down the road.


Eric Spoelstra

Looking Forward to the Lottery

Since Miami has been officially out of the playoff picture for quite some time now, I can't help but be a scout-slash-NCAA-brackets-aficionado for the time being. There is a possibility that the Heat will get the overall pick. Actually they have the best chance of getting the overall pick for next draft (becasue of their current W-L record), but if history says anything, they'll probably be picking between 2 and 5.
So that got me to visiting different web resources checking out who is eligible for the draft, who is the projected top pick, other projected lottery picks, as well as some gameplay videos of these players. This thing also got me watching NCAA games even closer than before. Out of all the lottery picks i've "scouted," three players stood out with their talent and potential. Not surprisingly, these three are projected to go 1, 2, and 3 in the draft.

Michael Beasley (6'10" PF Kansas State Freshman)- he has been the consensus #1 pick among sportswriters and scouts. I see him sort of like a player with Shawn Marion's athleticism, Ray Allen's shooting, and Elton Brand's strength down low. Those are either the 2, 3, and 4 positions you can immediately fill when you draft this kid. The thing I keep hearing about him though, is his work ethic and that sometimes he coasts through entire games. Which is probably why this next guy gets considerations for the #1 pick as well:

Derrick Rose - (6'4" PG Memphis Freshman) - his athleticism and his speed is already one notch above everyone in the NCAA tournament. He also has the size and strength to be a good starting PG for any team. To say that he is NBA-ready is an understatement - he is ready to dominate the next level. Only thing is, this is exactly what everyone was saying about Kevin Durant last year, and he still hasn't impressed me that much.

Brook Lopez - (7'0" C Stanford Sophomore) - out of all lottery-bound players in this year's NCAA tournament. Brook Lopez is the one I probably watched the most. He has exceptional touch inside and has a nice range for a big guy. He also rebounds the ball extremely well, although not as much a defensive presence like his twin brother, Robin. Brook however, is the more offensively gifted of the two. Brook Lopez should not go any higher than the 3rd pick, not because if his game, but because Beasley and Rose is just way out on another level with their talent and potential.

Let's say Miami does get the ping-pong balls to bounce their way, and I am magically transformed into the Miami Heat GM. Given the number 1 pick, which player would I choose?

I am going with Derrick Rose.

First of all, I think that in the long run he will be a better player overall. Besides, it is extremely hard to pass up a point guard in the draft as gifted as Rose. Anyone, remember where Chris Paul and Deron Williams landed on draft day? Exactly. While I admit Beasley is a special individual, I think that Marion already fills his role on the Heat - a 2, 3, and 4 multi-positional player. What Marion lacks in Beasley's offensive game, Derrick Rose can more than make up for it. And if Marion, decides to bolt after the next season or during the offseason, the Heat will be better of with a Rose-Wade combo, than a Beasley-Wade pairing.
Anyway, the bottom line is, you cannot go wrong with either player. Both guys will be studs. If the Heat gets the third pick, it should be automatic - Brook Lopez. If they fall to the 4th or 5th pick - i'd just rather trade the pick and get good vets and/or protected lottery picks for next year's draft. I'm going to kill myself if the Heat chooses Bayless or Mayo in this draft - they are two of the most overrated players in the tournament. The talent is there, but they're playing entire games without you knowing that they are there. Unlike the first three, they make their presence felt from the get go. But with the circus that is the NBA, and what Miami has been through, bad luck and bad decisions can happen. Hopefully, it doesn't get to be the "NBA: Where shit happens."

Brand X

I've been investing in a lot of "Brand X" gadgets lately.

(1) We decided we needed a brand new hybrid DV cam for stills and video; because our Video 8 Handycam was, well, old and obsolete. Instead of buying the 20,000 peso Sony or JVC DV cameras, we decided to invest on a Pocket DV T300 from Aiptek worth around 6,000 pesos.

(2) PLU was badly in need of a decent car stereo. Instead of buying the 10,000 peso Pioneer head unit, I settled for a 3,000 peso Maxsound headunit - with CD/SD/MP3 capabilities similar to this one.

(3) PLU's rear shock absorbers were busted and instead of buying brand new shocks, i went to Cruven to have one repaired; and the other "unrepairable" one replaced with a Monroe second-hand surplus shock absorber - both for just 2,000 pesos parts and labor.

(4) I needed headphones for my laptop and instead of buying expensive Sennheiser headphones, guess what? Yes, i bought 100-peso generic earphone units from CD-R King.

There's definitely a case for me being a cheapskate. But so far, all these things I bought are working as expected. I've also read some good reviews of these gadgets and services from the internet. I'm telling you, some research will save you a lot of money.

But what about this: are you willing to buy a Brand X Car?

I have certainly thought about it. Chery Cars have a nice lineup of a sedan (Easter), a small car (the QQ is getting popular by the minute), and an SUV - the Tiggo. These cars are cheap - around half the price of a Toyota or a Kia. But are you willing to invest on a cheaper alternative (Brand X) on this large a scale?

Certainly there are a number of things that you need to look out for - like availability of parts, service, and overall quality of the car itself. As well as how many mechanics and people out there are really familiar with Chery Car technology.

It certainly is worth a look, however investing 700,000 hard-earned pesos on an SUV, could make a person go for the safer choice and buy a Toyota or a Honda or Mitsubishi, etc..

As for me, because of the scale of the investment when it comes to buying a new car, i'd rather wait one or two years to see how this Chery Car company turns out before buying a new one. We wouldn't want to have a Proton Wira just like in the 90s and then have my car brand bust in the local market, right?

The Proton Wira from the 90s

Ryan Wrigley Parmeter

I just got this article from ESPN's Page 2 site from Bill Simmons. This is such a tragedy. This story is so moving you can't help but think how this man is even holding up. This just goes to show you that you can never have enough time to spend with your family.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10567327

Is This Some Kind Of A "Joke?"

The following are from:
http://tob.hollywood.com/2008/01/22/rip-heath-ledger/

Paul Browne, Deputy Commissioner for Public Information of the New York Police Department, held a press conference on Heath Ledger Tuesday night.
He confirmed the following:
• Heath Ledger was sick with pneumonia when he died today in NYC.
• The deceased was discovered by a masseuse and a housekeeper at approximately 2:45 p.m. today.
• The masseuse was there for a regular appointment.
• The deceased was found in his bedroom.
• The deceased was lying on the floor, curled up, at the foot of his bed.
• The deceased was naked and face down.
• There were not pills found scattered around the room as had been previously reported.
• There were some prescription bottles, including prescription sleeping medication, uncovered.
• Police do not know how long the deceased had been in the apartment.
• The deceased was renting the apartment.
• The cause of death has not yet been determined. The determination will be made by the medical examiners office.



I'm still thinking he'll show up on the premier of Dark Knight Returns in his Joker outfit and say to Christian Bale, "Joke's on you, battie-boy!" No offense. Such a loss. We finally had a true portrayal of the real Joker. And he dies before the film shows. Well whatever happens, he just made sure the movie will be a blockbuster hit and an instant classic.

Where Are My Posts?

Actually, I have a lot of stuff I wanted to post lately:
1. TM Christmas Party
2. Seiichi's new haircut
3. My new haircut
4. My Birthday Party (or lack thereof)
5. Christmas at the Sabio's
6. The Transformers 2-Disc DVD Set
7. Jeanne D'Arc for the PSP
8. Nymphadora Tonks
9. Vagina Dentata
10. Heath Ledger = Joker
***Just waiting for the videos and pics. I've been doing mostly text-only posts for the past month, I wanted to have pics and videos with my next posts. Also tamurd comes to mind.

Ol' Bruce Wayne

I have to admit. This is the best comic book I have read. Ever. I didn't want to necessarily agree with Drei right away when he said this is the best ever, even before reading it.

Besides, I have come across some pretty good comic books during my time: Infinity Trilogy, Adam Warlock and the Infinity Watch, X-Men: Omega Red Series, Punisher WarZone, Legion Quest, Identity Crisis, Stormwatch Series, just to name a few.

But the Dark Knight Returns comic book has it all. Story, art, character development, scope. There are also a few things I have never seen before on a comic book or a story told that way (spoilers ahead) i.e. Superman's "Where?" message and the added focus on his "super-hearing" ability, the idea that heroes are what makes villains villains (no superheroes, no super-villains), Batman as ruthless f@#k, and children actually killed by the Joker and then his "twist" at the end.

Yep, this book actually takes the cake.

(image from Wikipedia.org)

What Is Wrong With Miami?

One and seven for the past eight?? Blechh. The offense is killing us right now. No movement, and absolutely lethargic on the wings. Only Haslem and Wright have shown to want to win all the games. And Dorell, doesn't even get enough playing time.

What would it take for this team to get back? Wade's back but still not a hundred percent. Pat Riley is contemplating retirement. Shaq is.. well Shaq is old. The Smush Parker signing is proving to be way awful. And all tradeable assets have been dealt (draft picks and Doleac).

So where? Where are they going to go from here? You can only ride the Wade-factor for so long. And besides, you have to get to the playoffs first, before Wade and Shaq and Zo can carry you, right?

So what do we do? If it were up to me: (1) Start Dorrell Wright (2) Trade Smush and Barron for a young Jarrett Jack-type PG; a point who hustles, gets to the hole, and knows how to feed big men, and a marginally-decent defender (3) Shaq 25 mins, Zo 20 mins and (4) transform Ricky Davis into a purely defensive SF (it is apprent now, that his offense cannot be trusted to win games).

Actually easier said than done, and might not have apparent results, but it should definitely be a step in the right direction.