Holidays 2009

It's the last of the decade, so I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Y'all enjoy the rest of the holidays.

Space Jam in Manila

December 23, 2009. 12 noon. Nike Park Bonifacio High Street.

This was, by far, the craziest shoe release I've gone to. Shoeheads and hakots lined up as early as 5 days before release day.

Congratulations to those who got their pairs by lining up, getting/paying someone to line up for you, or via the raffle.

They say it's all fair in love and war, and it works just the same for the sneaker game.

Six years on NT

Today I mark my 6th year on NT. Wow, it's been that long and a lot of good memories, new friends and of course, sneakers along the way.

I swear internet would be boring without NT.

Twenty Eight

I turn 28 today and I will have an awesome birthday unlike last year.

Bank on it.

Fantasy island

Everyone's been raving about the six-star Bellarocca Resort and Spa in Marinduque. From the photos I've seen, saying it's beautiful is an understatement.

It just dawned on me recently that the resort was built on an island owned by the family of an old friend of mine.

It wasn't common knowledge but it wasn't a secret either that the Hiranos owned Fantasy Elephant Island. Back in our elementary days, we used to tease my friend Joji that they were so rich they actually had an island.

Anyway, I don't know if they still own it. My guess is they probably sold it for a a little fortune, a few hundred million pesos perhaps.

Tiger's costly trysts

It looks like Tiger Woods will one-up Michael Jordan yet again.

He's about to top the $168 million Jordan paid his ex-wife, Juanita, for their divorce settlement. According to estimates, Elin Nordegren stands to receive an amount north of $300 million.

Who would've though that a seemingly stupid one-car accident will trigger Tiger's downfall?

Manila celebrates a decade of NT

NTPI held a mini-summit at Grappa's Greenbelt last night to commemorate Niketalk's 10th year.

I won't lie. I'm stoked that the folks I didn't want to see didn't show up. LMAO.

Ninja Assassin

It's the goriest film I've seen since John Rambo. Blood and body parts scattered everywhere.

Story was blah but the fight scenes were awesome. I love how the producers went old school when they casted ninja pioneer Sho Kosugi to play the lead villain role.

Niketalk turns 10

10 December 1999 - 10 December 2009

Cheers and congratulations to the fam.

In true NT fashion, :hat :eek

Gambling warlords

My good friend often shared a baccarat table with two of the infamous Ampatuans of Maguindanao, Zaldy and Sajid, at the Grand Regal casino in Davao.

My friend said they were actually nice and generous. They usually took care of the banker commissions of my friend and the other folks who played on the same table.

Women are like swimming pools

They cost a great deal to maintain considering the amount of time you spend inside them.

For the curious and courageous

NSFW. Do not click. Be warned.

I dare you though because I know you cannot resist.

Click me.

Stray cat

Via TXTS FRM LST NGHT

(703): Tiger just fucked it up for all of us... she grabbed my phone this morning and started asking questions.

If Tiger Woods, the celebrity-cum-athlete-slash-role-model who probably had the most squeaky clean image in the world, can stray and cheat, so can everybody else.

Seriously. He just fucked it up for all of us.

Tiger jokes

- What's the difference between golf and an Escalade?

Tiger can drive a golf ball north of 350 yards but can't muster 10 meters on his Escalade.

- What was Elin Woods doing out at 2:20 in the morning?

She was seen clubbing.

- Tiger just got baptized a new nickname. He is now known as Cheetah.

- Tiger drives well on a fairway but he doesn't fare well on the driveway.

LMAO

Catch the Tiger by the tail

Tiger Woods is not an ordinary idiot. He's a billionaire idiot.

Seriously, Elin Nordegren-Woods is gorgeous. I'd wife her up with the quickness. I don't think I'll ever understand how and why Tiger could cheat on her with some ugly jumpoffs.

If I had his life, best believe I'd be more than contented.

Philippine islands

Seven thousand one hundred and seven.

NFL Week 12

Damn. I just missed out on one of the easiest weeks in the NFL. Coulda been up big time.

Four Sixes

About a week or so ago...

Ugly duckling

Dakota Fanning in New Moon looks way better than Dakota Fanning in real life. Seriously, that's already saying a lot since she was exponentially uglier when she was younger.

Don't get me wrong though, the ugly duckling is still no swan.

Fiction's worst female protagonist ever

Bella Swan is the dumbest, weakest, lamest, most pathetic, most loserish female fictional character of all time, bar none.

Seriously, this girl is a disgrace to the female of the species. She's a simp, a bitch and a whore all rolled into one.

We can be Heroes

I just caught the 2009 CNN Heroes special earlier. Wow, I'm speechless. These are all great people. They make the world a better place.

I'm sure there are a lot more of their kind who are doing their thing without much or any fanfare. Y'all keep it up.

*claps and sheds tears*

CNN's shameful act

What the fuck was CNN thinking when it interrupted their 2009 Heroes special for a live coverage on Tiger Woods' car accident?!?

Worse, it wasn't just an update. They stayed on the story for a good 30 minutes or so.

Seriously, that is so fucked up. There are a lot more important stories than Tiger stupidly ramming his Escalade on a tree/fire hydrant just outside of his Florida mansion.

Popularity contests

Filipinos seem to have a knack for winning anything and everything that's being decided via free online voting.

I remember there was a time Pinays would dominate the Miss Photogenic awards of major beauty contests primarily because the votes were cast on the web and one can actually vote unlimited number of times. That said, we have people who'd spend literally all day just casting votes.

With the Chinese government censuring almost everything on the internet, we got this online voting thing locked down for years to come.

Now if only the Nobel Prizes and Olympic Golds can be awarded this way...

Kryptonite Krista

The Krista Ranillo issue just might be the start of Manny Pacquiao's downfall. She's way prettier than Jinkee, sure. But I don't think she's worth it.

I think the Pac-Man should straighten his act (or acts) before it's too late.

Manny or money

Krista Ranillo is one high-class, educated whore. Her father, Matt Ranillo III, is sleazier than your opportunistic, dirty neighborhood gay pimp.

Money obviously talks and matters. Can't knock their hustle though.

UNC 2009-10 season

US college basketball season has started and I've been slacking on North Carolina posts. I'll try to get some Tar Heel news and updates soon.

The Pacquiao bandwagon

I'm all for Manny Pacquiao winning but there are just far too many stupid Pac-Man homers out there.

Everyone needs to hop off the bus and get a life. Seriously.

Rustan's and its shitty website

The Rustan's Department Store website is pure garbage. It looks nice but it's completely useless.
I was expecting something better.

Check it out and see for yourself.

Bayless got paid

Referee Kenny Bayless was probably on the take.

We all know Miguell Cotto had no chance to snatch the win. But Bayless robbed those who bet Pac-Man to win by decision when he controversially stopped the fight in the 12th round.

One can argue that the Puerto Rican was still intelligently defending himself and could've finished the last two minutes of the fight.

Odds were +350 for Pacquiao to win by decision, and -170 for a KO victory. Sportsbooks would get crushed should Pacquiao go on to win by scorecards.

Obviously, Bayless sealed the deal for Vegas.

Pac-Man punishes Cotto

Everybody wanted a knockout.

They got one albeit under controversial fashion.

Manny Pacquiao scored a 12th round TKO victory via stoppage when referee Kenny Bayless decided Miguel Cotto could take no more.

The Filipino was clearly on his way to a dominant win but I don't agree with the stoppage. Cotto wasn't in danger of being knocked out and could've continued on to finish the final two minutes.

I see Vegas wielded its power and influence yet again.

Value play in Pacquiao-Cotto

Value is definitely with Miguel Cotto at +280. Pacquiao, the heavy favorite, is expected to win this one but risking -400 is just not the smartest bet.

For Pacquiao backers, a KO win might be the best value play at -170 since everybody expects him to knockout the Puerto Rican.

The rest of the lines:

Over 9.5 rounds: +120
Under 9.5 rounds: -160
Pacquiao by KO: -170
Pacquiao by decision: +320
Cotto by KO: +320
Cotto by decision: +680
Draw: +1800

Worshipping Pacquiao

I'm annoyed at all Filipinos who root for Manny Pacquiao just because he's Filipino. They're all saying he'll beat the shit out of Miguel Cotto.

Yes, it's indeed possible. However, true fight fans know the Puerto Rican has more than a puncher's chance.

People, especially Pinoys, need to step their horrendous boxing game up.

Son of a gun

Who in their fuckin' right mind would name their kid Sig Sauer? What's next? Heckler & Koch? Kalashnikov?

The Chinese really have a way with atrocious names.

No to Noynoy

Noynoy Aquino has laughable, if not useless nor negligible, accomplishments as a member of both Senate and the House of Representatives.

If it weren't for his national hero father and her ex-president mother, he'd be non-existent. Throw in that publicity-deprived-and seeking psycho sister of his and all of a sudden, he's being annointed as the next great hope of the country.

Seriously. If he wins in 2010, all signs point to him being the next Erap.

The Empire Strikes Back

After nine long years, an eternity for the Yankees and their fans, the World Series trophy is back in the Bronx.

With their all-world roster mostly intact for the coming years, best believe they'll be winning more.

Do I hear number 28 next year?

Core four: since 1996

Mr. Kate Hudson & Mr. Minka Kelly

Number 27

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 World Series Champions:

The New York Yankees.

*Bumps Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind"*

V for Visitors

V is back.

I loved watching the original V series when I was a kid. I'm stoked they're doing a modern remake.

Since it was definitely one of my favorites television shows during the 1980's, I can't wait to see how the 2009 version fares.

The lady is a tramp

If she dresses like a slut, don't approach her like a gentleman.

If she acts like a slut, don't treat her like a gentleman.

Machine does Maria

Los Angeles Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic, aka "The Machine," has finally done something right or worth applauding.

If reports are true, the Slovenian basketball player is currently dating Russian tennis superstar Maria Sharapova.

Fil-Ams in the US big leagues

I just found out that Texans RB Steve Slaton is Filipino-American. His maternal grandmother is pure Filipina.

Other popular Filipino-Americans currently playing in the major US professional leagues are:

Chris Gocong, Philadelphia Eagles LB (NFL)
Eugene Amano, Tennessee Titans OL (NFL)
Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay Rays SS (MLB)
Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants SP (MLB)

The recently-retired Tedy Bruschi of the New England Patriots is perhaps the most successful Filipino-American in US professional sports having been a vital cog during the Patriots' three Super Bowl championships in the mid-2000's.

Blair Witch Project

About 12-15 years from now, there will be a ton of teenage girls roaming around the world named Blair and blame it all on Gossip Girl.

How messed up can the world be?

SMFH.

All Saints' Day

I still don't get why most people visit their dead relatives every November 1st. Since when did their dead become saints?

SMFH.

Gridiron Bomb Squad

Ready to blow up.


Nike should add Colston, Roddy, Miles and DeSean to the squad too.

Stern allegations

Click the link for excerpts from convicted felon and former NBA referee Tim Donaghy's unpublished book, "Blowing the Whistle."

These may not all be factual but I'm sure there's some truth to at least half of what he's saying.

Yes, to some extent, I believe the NBA is fixed.

The Tiger Woods of Poker

What an absolutely awesome read. This is the life I want.

----------------------

4 days, 3 nights and $1 million

Spend some time with the world's best poker player

By Chad Millman
ESPN The Magazine

This article appears in the Nov. 2 issue of ESPN The Magazine

Phil Ivey is the best poker player in the world. This is a statement of fact, undisputed by anyone who would be considered the best poker player in the world if not for Phil Ivey. And poker players -- at least the best of them -- credit their success to an ability to live in the moment. What is the one move that this situation demands? Call. Check. Raise. Fold. They do not, cannot, consider the stakes or the consequences. The best poker move is the best poker move, and each decision reveals a truth about the player who makes it. "That's why this is the greatest game," Ivey says. "Every day that I play, I learn -- about it and myself."

Given that poker players live in the moment, and given that the 32-year-old Ivey is the best player in the world, the following statement should also be true: Phil Ivey is as good as anyone at living in the moment.

I set out to prove it.

The Mag asked me to peek into Ivey's life in advance of his sitting at the final table of the World Series of Poker, beginning Nov. 7. And on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 5 p.m. I got a call from Phil's manager, Chris "Gotti" Lorenzo, better known as the co-founder, with brother Irv, of hip-hop label The Inc. "Tomorrow, Phil is taking his jet from Los Angeles to Connecticut, then to Montreal and Austria, to do some gambling," Lorenzo told me. "Shoot me your passport number if you can go."

I did.

Sept. 9, 8:35 p.m., Grand Pequot Tower at Foxwoods Casino, Mashantucket, Conn.

Yes, Phil Ivey is a poker pro, but to call him that limits the scope of his game. It's like saying Jay-Z is just a rapper. Ivey is an all-around player, a man with the need and nerve to wager obscene amounts on poker, pro and college sports, craps or his own golf game. The kind of guy whose rep precedes him wherever he goes.

"Who wants their kid to be a gambler?" says Ivey's mom, Pamela. "Only sin can come from living your life in a casino."

As soon as he learned Ivey was headed his way, Allen Samuels, a Foxwoods exec whose job it is to keep the "whales" happy, set about preparing the Grand Pequot's two-story Mashantucket Suite. A butler cracked a lobster and splayed it onto a silver platter beside bushels of grapes. A fireplace was lit. Enough flowers to tip a luggage cart arrived. "You cannot pay to stay here," Samuels explains. "It is reserved for our most special customers."

Like Ivey. At 8:35, his Foxwoods-provided limo pulls up to the hotel. Three bellhops, a butler and Samuels stand sentry, hands clasped in front of them, smiles on their faces. I will soon know that this happens a lot when Ivey arrives at a casino. Samuels shakes his hand and says, "We have a spot ready."

"Let's go," Ivey says.

Wherever he goes, Ivey counts on his manager, Lorenzo (far right), and his pack of friends to ground him. He isn't here to play poker. This is the start of what Lorenzo is calling a dice tour, craps. High rollers don't gamble on the main casino floor. They work in private rooms, away from the squares and lowball players. So Ivey ambles toward the elevator. He is close to 6'3" and moves slowly, with a bit of a strut. In his gambling suite, a craps table is manned by a stickman who controls the dice, a couple of dealers who will handle the chips and a supervisor. I follow Ivey, along with Lorenzo and two TV producers for E:60. "Does anyone want wine?" Ivey asks. Then, to the butler, "Please bring the best bottle in the house," as he unleashes a cheeky smile.

The room settles. Ivey palms a pair of dice and casually tosses them like horseshoes in high, looping arcs. They tumble onto the table. The game has begun.

Here is how this scene plays out in the movies: A suave gentleman in a tux leans on the bumper of a table, chips pile higher, glamorous women swoon, onlookers scream, drinks spill. The excitement is palpable as the casino breaks.

Here is how it goes in real life: silence, as if the game had broken out in a library. Chips clink, dice softly hit the felt, the stickman announces the point rolled, and everyone keeps very still. "This is serious," Lorenzo had warned earlier. "It's real money."

Yes, it is. Ivey throws a six and puts $50,000 on six. He rolls a nine and bets $40,000 on nine. Then he rolls a seven, and the chips disappear. Lorenzo takes a turn. He throws a nine. Ivey puts $40,000 on that number. A four: $30,000 on four. A six: $50,000 on six. Nine. Ivey gets paid. Four. Ivey gets paid. Seven. The chips disappear. And on it goes. He wins, he wins, he loses.

The Breakdown: Phil Ivey The best player in the world has made it to the final table of the biggest tournament in the world. Will Phil Ivey be able to take his seventh-place chip stack and turn it into a WSOP bracelet?

Key stats:Age: 32
Current position: 7th
Chip count: $9.76 million
Tournament winnings: $12,096,302
WSOP bracelets: 7
WSOP cashes: 36

Ivey's pile grows slowly, but win or lose, his expression is unchanged, a warmer version of suspended animation. Away from the table, his default tone is sarcasm, followed by a quick, broad grin to let you know he's kidding. He likes ripping friends. He likes getting ripped. But his game face lacks any invitation for analysis. Move along, it says. Nothing to see here. It is a handy trait for a poker player.

The dice, though, are not so easily psyched out. After 25 minutes, Ivey rolls another seven and craps out. "That's it," he says. "Let's go." It's 9:05. Ivey is up $185,000. As he leaves, the butler finally returns with the wine, a 1986 Chateau Latour. Cost: $2,100. We get it to go.

Sept. 9, 11:45 p.m., Groton-New London Airport, Groton, Conn.

Apparently, flying from Vegas to Los Angeles to Connecticut before submitting a flight plan for Canada in a 36-hour span raises certain red flags. Which is why, at the moment, rather than jetting off for Montreal, we are grounded. Our bags are being searched, and we're being questioned in a hangar filled with Gulfstreams. As a customs agent checks my toiletries, I hear another one ask Ivey, "Have you ever been to Morocco?"

"Huh?" Ivey asks

In fact, poker has taken Ivey to places he never dreamed of when he was growing up in northern New Jersey. His grandfather Bud, who lived in the same house, taught him the game. "I'd beg him," Ivey says. "He'd cheat to beat me because he didn't want to encourage me."

Ivey was so competitive that he'd get mad when friends beat him out of 100-penny pots. Shortly after he graduated from high school, he told his parents -- mom Pamela, who worked in an insurance office and now lives in Vegas; and dad Phil Sr., a construction worker who passed away in 2005 -- that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Naturally, they blanched. "Who wants their kid to be a gambler?" says his mom. "Only sin can come from living your life in a casino."

His folks saw the potential for loss where he saw opportunity. And for a while, they were right. At 19, Ivey moved out and took a job as a telemarketer. Every weekend, carrying a fake ID with the name "Jerome," he took a bus two hours south down the Garden State Parkway to Atlantic City, to blow his paycheck at the Tropicana poker tables. He spent so much time at the Trop -- 18 hours a day -- that the dealers began to call him No Home Jerome. When he went broke and missed the last bus home, he'd sleep under the boardwalk. That is the cycle his parents worried about, the one they feared would eventually lead him back home, busted and lost. To them, the game never led to where Ivey is now: waiting in a small airport for his Gulfstream to be cleared for takeoff.

The airport manager approaches, carrying a poker magazine with Ivey on the cover. "I guess they don't know you," he says. "Would you mind signing?" Ivey cheerfully grabs a pen and signs. And two hours later, when our plane is finally freed, he pulls $1,000 from his pocket, hands it to Lorenzo and says, "Can you give this to the manager? I feel bad he had to stay open so late."
Phil Ivey knows what it's like to work.

Sept. 10, 12:30 p.m., Casino de Montréal

"Hi, this is Phil Ivey," he says into his phone, from the back of a limo sent by Casino de Montréal. "I need you to transfer $1 million from my account, please."

There is no self-consciousness, no hint of understanding that the rest of the world doesn't make requests like this. "I know it's a lot of money, but I like to gamble," Ivey says. "It's just in me. I try to manage what I do playing craps or blackjack. At the end of the year, I don't want the amount I gamble there to be bigger than what I win playing poker."

Ivey doesn't classify himself as a numbers guy: "At the level I play, it becomes more psychological than mathematical."

Ivey is wealthy, which has always been a career goal. When he told his parents about his poker aspirations, he added that he didn't want to be a stiff working 40 hours a week. He wanted to be rich. And he is. Rich enough to drive an SLR McLaren ($500K) and a Rolls-Royce Phantom ($400K) and live with his wife, Luciaetta, in a big house on a Las Vegas golf course. Rich enough to fly private. Rich enough to put his sister through grad school and law school. Rich enough to, on a whim at a charity auction in DC, offer round-trip airfare for two to Vegas, five nights in a suite at the Bellagio and a $5,000 shopping spree to the highest bidder. Rich enough that his eyes widen when I ask him about his wealth. All he says is, "I pay a lot in taxes."

And rich enough that he is escorted to a back room at the Casino de Montréal, where a craps table, with a plaque engraved with his name on top of it, awaits. The casino paid $40,000 to have the table custom-made, just for him.

Ivey writes a $1 million check and is handed a heaping pile of chips and a pair of dice. Ivey's toss flies high, nearly touching the dove's wings on the ceiling fresco. He wins, he loses. After just a few minutes, he's down $360,000. The room is still.

Lorenzo takes over. He rolls a four. Ivey puts $30,000 on four. He rolls an eight. Ivey puts down $50,000 on eight. Nine: $40,000 on nine. Four. Winner. Six: $50,000. Nine. Winner. Eight. Winner. It's a real live run. Ivey is getting paid in multiples of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The dealer can't count fast enough. I can barely follow the action. If we were on the floor, gamblers would be rushing the table. Here, only the stickman speaks. When Lorenzo finally loses, Ivey has $2.5 million in chips. After paying off his marker, he's up $1.5M. He's been gambling for 20 minutes.

And then he asks me if I want to roll. I don't, but before I can decline Lorenzo moves from his spot and the stickman pushes me the ruby-red dice. I try to look relaxed, but I'm so tight I can hardly bend my waist. I roll a six. Ivey puts down $50,000 on six. I roll a nine. He bets another $40,000 on that. Eight: $50,000. Five: $40,000. Four: $30,000. Ten: $30,000. There's $240,000 of his chips covering the numbers. I'm feeling better. I haven't cost him. Then again, I haven't paid him yet, either. The next roll is for the money. Or I can lose it all.

I roll a seven. Busted. "Man," Ivey mumbles, tapping the table. "I knew you were unlucky." As the chips are cleared, I want to click my heels and disappear too. After my roll, Ivey takes a turn and loses. Lorenzo does the same. I've killed the moment. I am the freaking Cooler. "That's it," Ivey says. "Let's go." He's up $752,000.

"Not bad," Lorenzo says on our way out. "That's nearly a million bucks in less than 24 hours."

Sept. 10, 4:13 p.m., rue de la Montagne, Montreal

"I've got an idea," Ivey says in the limo, the one headed to the airport and a flight to Salzburg, Austria. "Let's go to Amsterdam." He picks up his phone. "Hi, it's Phil. We're supposed to be going to Austria, but could we go to Amsterdam instead?" He is talking to whomever manages the plane. "Our options are where? Dublin? London? Oh, and Amsterdam? Great. Thanks."

There are seven of us in the car. "Let's vote," Ivey says. He opts for Dublin because he's never been. So do two others. But four of us stay strong for Amsterdam. "Okay," he says. "Democracy wins."

He redials. "We'll stop in Amsterdam. Thanks."

When he hangs up, I ask, "How did you know I was unlucky?"

"I could see it," he says. "You looked tense."

Ivey sees tics and tells the rest of us don't. This is one of his gifts. When he sits at the table unsmiling, headphones over his ears, he's like a cyborg computing the vulnerabilities of his opponents. While some poker pros calculate the odds of hands, Ivey doesn't classify himself as a numbers guy. "At the level I play, it becomes more psychological than mathematical," he says. "You really have to get in your opponents' heads and figure out what they're trying to do to you in pots and what they're saying and why, what is the meaning behind it all."

He thinks about everything and gives away nothing. "You don't gamble much," he says to me during the ride.

"Not in casinos," I say. "I'm afraid to lose."

"But," he says, "you could win."

Art StreiberBetween building a stack to $750K and greeting the masses at a fanfest, a man needs a soft spot to crash. Ivey believes in luck, the mysticism of dice and cards, and the karma of the person throwing or playing them. At Foxwoods, I asked Ivey why he'd walked away from the table after only 20 minutes, even though he was up nearly 200 grand. "I see what the dice are going to do," he said. "It's a feeling I believe in. Is that sick?"

No, not really. Ivey is a gambler, and gamblers are as tied to cosmic forces as astronauts are. But his faith in the stars fades when it comes to poker, which he contends is not a game of chance at all. And he may be right. Last spring, two researchers from the University of Hamburg published a paper that backs him up. Ingo Fiedler and Jan-Philipp Rock studied millions of online hands of no-limit Texas hold 'em played by 51,761 players. They found that the results of an average player who's a heavy loser fail to improve after 1,000 hands, due to a lack of skill rather than the randomness of the deal. The ability to learn, not the cards, makes the player. "The question is not whether [this] is a game of skill or chance," the researchers concluded, "but when it does become a game of skill."

Ivey's biggest challenge to his bankroll, then, will never be bad luck. It will be the kid who's online 18 hours a day, playing hand after hand after hand, working to be the next Phil Ivey.

Sept. 11, 8:22 a.m., Spuistraat, Amsterdam

After an overnight flight, Ivey and I walk along Amsterdam's cobblestoned alleys. It's a cool morning. Swarms of bundled cyclists pedal by.

Ivey has never publicly discussed the Internet tales about how he lives -- and how he gambles -- that have led to his cult status among a certain group of fans. To him, time spent working has a precise value, not just in money earned but in progress made. But now that he's made the WSOP's final table, Lorenzo has pushed him to pull back the curtain a bit. He's an A-list celeb among A-list celebs, texting with Michael Phelps about attending DC charity events, going backstage with Jay-Z, golfing with Michael Jordan. He's finding that it's not easy to be a private man anymore. "I don't know if you can be a celebrity and the world's best player," says Ivey's pal, poker vet Howard Lederer.

Ivey wants to know how doing interviews in this moment will help him play better poker in the moments that really matter. And the fact that he's spent more time buying in than selling out is why he's well liked by his peers despite his being the stone-cold face of the game. "He is a poker player's poker player, and he's the best in the world," says Lederer. "The debate is over. This is a combat sport; to win you have to inflict pain. And Phil has a desperate need to be the best, combined with a tremendous fearlessness. You can't hurt him."

Ivey's office is wired so that he doesn't have to go far to find the action. In 2000, when he was 23, Ivey won his first WSOP bracelet in one of the 23 tournaments before the Main Event. In 2002, he won three more. In 2003, he finished 10th in the Main Event. In 2005, he snagged another bracelet. This past year he earned two more, giving him seven total, the sixth most all-time. And when the final table begins, despite the fact that he'll have just the seventh highest chip total out of nine players, he's still being touted as one of the favorites to win it all. "Everyone dreams of winning the Main Event; anyone who plays poker and tells you differently is lying," says Ivey. "It would by far be my biggest accomplishment in poker."

But his real money is won in the straight cash games he plays on the side. In 2006, billionaire Andy Beal, a mathematical whiz, challenged a group of poker players known as the Corporation to a series of heads-up Texas hold 'em matches. A team of about 15 poker legends took turns facing Beal one-on-one and found themselves in a $10 million hole. Then Ivey sat down. Over three days, he won $16,600,000 from Beal, who quit the match and walked away from poker entirely. Ivey has hardly stopped making bank. Last year, he reportedly won more than $7 million online. And while he has already won $1.2 million for making the final table -- and stands to earn $8 million more if he wins it all -- he's made side bets worth another $4 million with people who doubt him. And that is Ivey at his core: He wants the money. But he also wants those he's taking it from to feel it burn.

Sept. 11, 12:30 p.m., Prins Hendrikkade, Amsterdam

Phil: "Do you feel bad losing me $240,000?"

Me: "I do, I really do."

Phil: "I believe you."

Sept. 12, 2:58 p.m., Salzburg Arena

A dozen of the planet's top poker players stand single file behind a curtain on the second floor of the arena, waiting for a fan meet and greet sponsored by Full Tilt, the online poker site. A smoke machine shoots a gauzy haze as a spotlight shines. Synthesized versions of classical music blare from the speakers. It feels like the beginning of a UFC fight. "I really like your theme song," I tell Ivey. He stares me down, then smiles real big. One by one the players are introduced, and they walk through the smoke to the cheers of 5,000 fans. Ivey's name is called last.

Fans surround the stage, snapping pics on cell phones. During our walk in Amsterdam, Ivey had said he felt as if the E:60 cameras were "stealing his soul." He was half-joking. Now, thousands of camera phones are finishing the job.

After a brief Q&A with all 12 pros, Ivey is one of four asked to stay for an autograph session. A fan tells him about a French website on which fans have Photoshopped his face into different scenes of their lives. This is his world now. As the session ends, a fan screams, "Phil Ivey is king!"

The king, though, is already headed for the door. His plane is waiting to take him to Munich for a high-stakes poker game. Wheels-up is 7:20; flight time is 17 minutes.

There's not a moment to lose.

Chad Millman is a senior deputy editor at ESPN The Magazine.

----------------------

Surrender Sundays

The NFL's "Any Given Sunday" mantra apparently does not pertain to the Rams, Buccaneers, Browns, Raiders and Lions.

If you've seen any of these teams play, you'd know what I mean.

Rollercoaster week

High. Low. Lower. High. Higher. Highest. Lower. Lowest. Highest of highs.

Autumn over Summer

I watched "500 Days of Summer" last weekend. All I can say is Minka Kelly is way prettier than Zooey Deschanel by a long mile.

Effin lousy joke

Just stumbled upon something a well-known local writer/author wrote on her blog.

http://bit.ly/j6EYr

Tangina, ang baduy. Seriously, was she tying to be funny? I doubt anyone laughed, except perhaps at her.

Roll out the Rolexes

The Rolex store in Greenbelt 5 was robbed in broad daylight last Sunday noon. Reports say the robbers took off with about 60 of the low-to-mid-end watches.

Some folks were wondering why Rolex was the target and not nearby IWC or Patek Philippe. Well, Rolexes are quite easy to dispose even without the proper documents. Plus, they're cheaper too so there are infinitely more potential buyers than the ultra-luxurious brands.

That said, expect the gray market to flood with a lot of Datejusts, Daytonas and Submariners within the next few weeks.

Who knows? Maybe I can score a Yachtmaster on the low.

LOL.

Balloon baloney

By now I'm sure everyone has heard of Balloon Boy. Reports have surfaced that it's all one big fat hoax and that the parents of Balloon Boy, Richard and Mayumi Heene, have known to be chasing publicity and fame to garner reality television interest.

Felony charges are being drummed up for the couple and I hope they both get locked up in jail for a long time.

Modern day, "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" stories like this cannot and should not be tolerated.

Men and yoga

Can't knock this man's veteran moves. LOL.

Copping-a-feel-cum-I'm-just-helping-you-stretch.

Cowboy sex

Caught inside a restroom during the first NFL game at the new Dallas Stadium a few weeks ago.


Anyway, girl should've been on top true-cowboy-style. Missionary ain't doin' it.

Amen to ASN

I finally got my subscription to the All Sports Network (ASN) on SkyCable premium. Should be enough to feed my NFL fix and then some.

Amazing alley-oop

This is just insanely spectacular.



WOW.

Black Prize

If Barack Obama weren't the first black US president, he wouldn't winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Seriously. Had McCain won the presidency, no way he nor Barack will be winning that.

Sleepy hollow

My sleeping pattern has gone awry and I think I've gone insane along with it.

On a number of occasions recently, I woke up not knowing where I was nor how I got there. I also don't remember falling asleep too.

Weird much, eh?

Flushed out

A couple of weeks after it devastated Manila and other nearby provinces, Typhoon Ondoy did what no one could ever do before. It cleared most, if not all, informal settlers or squatters away from public and private properties.

It wasn't a pretty sight but it is a wonderful thing. They are one of the major reasons why our drainage and sewerage systems get clogged and our waterways are polluted. It was high time nature delivered a strong, yet unfortunately, deadly message.

I hope they don't go back or else they're in for another lethal awakening.

Opportunistic politicking

I've said it once and I'll say it again.

Noynoy Aquino has got to be the most opportunistic politician in the country today. If it weren't for his mother dying, he will not be running for president in 2010. I can already see his father Ninoy's legacy getting tarnished.

Mar Roxas would follow as the second most opportunistic politician. He discarded his presidential ambitions to ride shotgun to Noynoy on the Aquino bandwagon.

Double repeat

Congratulations to the Ateneo Juniors (HS) and Seniors (College) teams for capturing their second straight UAAP basketball championships yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum. Both teams won their best-of-three series by taking Games 1 and 3.

The Juniors team, led by HS junior Kiefer Ravena, defeated top-seeded De La Salle Zobel in Game 3, 61-56. Ravena was named the Finals MVP.

The Seniors routed an uninspired UE squad, 71-58, in their rubber match. Ateneo senior center Rabeh Al-Hussaini took the Finals MVP trophy. Rabeh, senior guard Jai Reyes and senior forward Nonoy Baclao end their collegiate careers in amazing fashion: 32 wins against only 3 losses with two championship rings the past two years.

DLSZ forces rubber match

We could smell the aroma of victor already with Ateneo dominating pretty much the entire game. Too bad they couldn't hold on to an 8-point lead late in the fourth period as they fell to the Junior Archers, 53-57.

The Blue Eaglets seemed comfortably ahead, 51-43, midway through the final quarter but they went cold after that. The kids from Zobel outscored Ateneo 14-2 in the last 4 minutes.

Game 3 is on Thursday, just a few hours before the Ateneo seniors team meets UE in another winner-take-all affair.

UE routs Ateneo in Game 2

SMH at Ateneo shitting the bed today. Can't believe they got blown out by 20 in Game 2.

Oh well, should be a great rubber match on Thursday. Payback time for the Blue Eagles.

Unloyal Mega

I was surprised to see Sharon Cuneta in various ads for telecom giant Smart Communications. Apparently, the Megastar, also known as the SuperFerry for her cruise-liner figure, doesn't value brand loyalty as she used be the chief pitchwoman for Smart's biggest rival, Globe Telecom.

Money talks indeed, even for the mega-rich. I guess she's trying to get back the title as most bankable celebrity endorser after Manny Pacquiao and Kris Aquino took over the past few years.

Eaglets take Game 1

The Ateneo Blue Eaglets came closer to their bid for back-to-back UAAP high school basketball championships with an 80-73 'upset' win over rivals De La Salle Zobel. It's deemed an upset because the Junior Archers are seeded number one after the eliminations while the Ateneans were third.

Ateneo junior guard Kiefer Ravena was spectacular yet again with his all-around play. He finished the game with a game-high 33 points along with 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

Game 2 is set on Tuesday at the San Juan Arena. Ateneo leads the best-of-three series, 1-0.

Blue Eagles draw first blood

The Ateneo Blue Eagles won its 12th straight game by defeating the UE Red Warriors, 78-71, to take Game 1 of their best-of-three championship series.

Ateneo senior center Rabeh Al-Hussaini waxed hot from the field, delivering 28 points and 14 rebounds, bringing the Eagles closer to their second straight UAAP seniors division championship. Senior guard Jai Reyes pumped in 17 points, while nailing 5 three-pointers in the second half.

Ateneo will try to gun for the title via a series sweep in Game 2, scheduled this Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Balls not found

Seems like I lost my balls for a minute. I haven't capped any games for the past two nights. i could've made good bucks on a couple of seemingly sure picks but I begged off at the last minute.

A lesson in faith

Faith has told me not to question when seemingly insurmountable problems or unfavorable circumstances arise.

"Why me?"

Because when something good or great happens, I doubt you ever question Him.

"Why me?"

Keep the faith

I had no electricity for about 27 hours. The building still has no elevator service since Saturday morning. The condo's basement parking has been submerged in 12-feet deep of murky floodwater since Saturday noon, taking eight vehicles along for the ride.

I know a lot of people have it much worse so I am in no means complaining nor comparing. Despite it all, I feel very blessed.

May God bless us all, especially in these times of crisis.

Worse than Katrina

Hurricane Katrina dumped over an inch of rainfall in Louisiana for three hours and another half-an-inch per hour over the next five hours on August 29, 2005.

Typhoon Ondoy dumped an average of 2.24 inches of rainfall in Luzon per hour for six hours and then some yesterday.

It's nature's wrath at its worst.

Singapore GP

I was supposed to fly to SG and catch the SingTel Grand Prix live this weekend. Good thing I decided to skip it beforehand because it's gonna be a bitch trying to walk around with a severely banged up knee.

Besides, I was never a huge F1 fan anyway.

Tumblin' down the toilet

I don't understand the fuss about Tumblr. They're filled with reposted or reblogged shit ish from other people's Tumblr accounts.

It's plagiarism given life in cyberspace.

Politics by Puno

I love how people are so afraid of DILG Sec. Ronnie Puno's nationwide political machinery. He can make or break any politician's career.

Now, that's what I call power and influence.

Bam bam you're dead

Club and bar promoter Mark "Bam" Reyes was gunned down in front of his Makati condo not too long ago. According to reports, he was riddled with five shots to the body.

I don't know him but many people weren't suprised because the guy had made a ton of enemies.

Well, you reap what you sow.

Blitz'd

Damn. This Ray Lewis game-saving hit on Darren Sproles is just plain nasty. No wonder he's one of the most feared players in the NFL.

POP! Goes my other knee

What can I say?

It was deja vu all over again.

I blew out my left knee playing hoops last night at the Moro Lorenzo Gym.

I was in pursuit trying to stop a fastbreak layup when I landed awkwardly on my left leg, twisting my knee. I did get the spectacular mid-air block but I lost my knee in return. I swear I heard it pop just like I did three years ago when I busted my right knee, rupturing my ACL.

Then I started second-guessing myself. What if I just let him go? Maybe I should've let him get away with the game-winning layup and concede the game. But that's not me. Ten times out of ten, I will make the same play over and over again.

In a few days, I will find out how badly damaged my knee is. Right now, hope is bleak and it's looking like another torn ACL for me. That would mean another 6-9 months off the court.

I've no regrets though. I'd still make that play a million times over, in true Gonzy fashion.

The place to PLAY

Resorts World Manila provides the best gambling experience in the country. Everything is pretty much eye candy, especially the female staff in their all-black ensemble.

The hotel casino is not fully operational yet but expect an even better experience once they go all out in December.

Hootin', dealin', hoopin'

Finally had Hooters wings after a long dry spell then passed by Sofitel for a quick round of undisturbed Super 6 games. The night was capped by a good game of basketball at Celeb.

Awesome all-around day and night so far.

Sporting milestones on 9/11

In a couple of hours, two sporting-related events will have everybody tuning in.

The GOAT, his Airness, Michael Jordan, will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield while Jordan Brand endorser Derek Jeter, in the midst of a 9/11 memorial in New York, will try to overtake Lou Gehrig as the Yankees' all-time hits leader.

I will be a witness to both milestones. May God bless me with the ability to flip channels with the quickness because it's going to be an awesome day in sports and an even greater time to be a sports fan.

MJ goes to the Hall

The Greatest of All-Time spoke the truth, and he did it with class and humility.

"Don't be in a rush to try to find the next Michael Jordan. There's not gonna be another Michael Jordan.

- Michael Jordan, during the Hall of Fame Class of 2009 Press Conference

Alter Ego

Another awesome Nike TV spot starring Adrian "All Day" Peterson from the Minnesota Vikings.

11 September 2001

*A moment of silence.*

I wrote this exactly a year ago. Allow me to repost.

-----------------------------

Remembering 9/11/2001

I was with a couple of friends holding court at the Super Six table at the Casino Filipino Airport when we found out about 9/11.

My mom was on a CX flight on her way back home from New York (JFK-YVR-HKG-MNL) when the towers were struck. They were ordered to land at the nearest US airport which happened to be in Anchorage. They were stranded in Alaska for several days as the entire American airspace was declared a no-fly zone.

My brother was sleeping in his Manhattan flat just a few blocks away from ground zero.

Where were you?

-----------------------------

Can't believe it has been eight years since. A huge shoutout to all the brave men and women who gave their lives in service of not only America but the rest of the world. Your efforts will always be appreciated and remembered.

May the souls of all those who perished in this tragedy rest in peace.

DLSU misses the Final Four bus

La Salle misses the UAAP Final Four for the first time in like more than a decade. It's bittersweet because as I was born and raised in an Atenean family, I was taught to hate La Salle. However, I would have liked the Green Archers to have reached the semifinals so they can be slaughtered yet again by the Blue Eagles.

Anyway, to the DLSU folks and fans alike out there, we'll miss you all.

Intimate love

Love is a many-spendored thong.

Noynoy is not Ninoy

So Senator Noynoy Aquino announced his candidacy for president of the Republic of Philippines today. Well, he's nothing like his father and the only thing they share in common is the Benigno Aquino name.

Besides, if the old woman didn't die recently, we wouldn't even have this discussion. He's obviously taking advantage of the sudden resurgence of the Aquino name.

9/9/09

I honestly don't know why a ton of people give a lot of shit about this date (today) and the others like it (8/8/08, 7/7/07, 10/10/10, etc). Aside from the fact that they don't happen often, I don't know how else they are significant.

Ateneo shows UP who's boss

Ateneo would have been flawless this UAAP season if not for an upset loss to perennial cellar dueler UP in the first round. The Blue Eagles waited long for retribution and they finally exacted revenge on their Katipunan neighbors with a 93-75 blowout win yesterday at the San Juan Arena.

The game was never close with Ateneo (12-1) storming to a double-digit lead early in the first quarter. They were on cruise control the rest of the way with the lead balloning to 27 in the fourth period.

Thou shall not cheat on Chavit

By now everyone probably knows about the Chavit Singson saga that's been on the headlines the past week. Long story short, Chavit caught his partner cheating on him for like the nth time so he beat her and the guy to a pulp. If you want the whole story, I suggest you google it.

Everyone in the country knows that you do not mess with him so it baffles me to no end how his partner had the guts to try to pull a fast one over him . Definitely a stupid move on the girl's part and an even dumber move on the guy's. I heard the guy got the worst end of Chavit's wrath.

I'm not saying I agree with what the ex-governor did but since I don't have sympathy for cheaters, best believe they had it coming. It's even more puzzling how they could not have seen it from miles away.

Hout gets knocked out

I don't care what other people think but this guy deserved to be clocked. If you run your mouth and taunt while getting physical on an opponent after a game, you are just asking for it.



Oregon's Blount has been suspended for the rest of the season while that asshole Byron Hout from Boise State was spared of any sanction despite starting the post-game incident. SMFH.

Zesty warning

This is why you shouldn't fly ZestAir. Believe it or not, it happens to them more often than lightning striking something twice.

A breath of ZestAir

I doubt I'll ever fly ZestAir knowing there are way better and safer alternatives in PAL or Cebu Pacific. But if there's anything that the newest low cost carrier trumps its more popular rivals at, it has to be the sleek, figure-hugging unis of their cabin crew.

Ball break

Can't believe it's been a week since I last played basketball. I don't remember the last time this has happened.

Amber's rose

Amber flossin' her ass. Kanye lookin' to smash.

Unbelievable

No hoops scheduled last night, tomorrow, Sunday morning and Monday night. Definitely signs of a boring weekend ahead.

Bang bang

I fired a ton of shots last night and it appears I've hit some already. Lookin' to escalate these into full-blown shootouts.

Battle of Katipunan Part 2

I usually watch an Ateneo game or two every UAAP season but I haven't gone to any this year. I'm planning to catch the Ateneo-UP round 2 game and see the Eagles blow the shit out of the Maroons in a revenge game.

Ateneo lost its only game of the season to UP in round 1 via a 10-point rout so I'm sure they're raring to exact some vengeance.

MAAI 2009: Season ends

We lost our game last night, 68-72, so our record dropped to 3-2, tied for 3rd in the standings. However, we lose out on the tiebreaker so we're end up fourth place and out of the playoffs. Due to the short season, only the top 3 teams make it to the semifinal round.

We fell behind big early, being down by as many as 22 points, 30-52. We came roaring back to tie the game at 56 early in the 4th quarter but we couldn't convert down the stretch.

ABL season starts in less than 6 months. Still not sure which team I'll play for though.

Black Beauty

Real talk. I'd prolly give my ass for one of these.

Audi R8 in matte black.

Insane Bolt

Jamacain sprinter Usain Bolt set off two new world records recently by running the 100m in 9.58 seconds and the 200m in 19.19 seconds at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

The previous world records of 9.69 (100m) and 19.30 (200m) were also set by Bolt in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

MAAI 2009: Playoffs on the horizon

Got a big game this Saturday night. If we win, we automatically qualify for the playoffs. Not all is lost if we lose though. We still have a chance to make it but we'll need help from the other teams.

I'm happy we hold our destiny in our hands. We're going all out and hopefully, we come out with a victory.

Short circuit

The world knows I love women in short shorts. But this is taking it to another level. It's off the damn charts.


You won't see me complain though.

Daily holiday

Quezon City folks will enjoy two holidays this week - a citywide holiday tomorrow (Quezon City Day) and a national holiday on Friday (Ninoy Aquino Day). It's bittersweet that I won't be enjoying these holidays like I used to.

However, since I have complete control of my schedule, I can make every day a fuckin' holiday. How can you top that?

Green genocide

It's muuuurrrdddaaaaaa!!!!! Word to Ja Rule.

Ateneo just annihilated La Salle, 81-65.

Truth be told, it was a huge mismatch from the start. The Green Archers never had a chance. It was like throwing a wounded animal into shark-infested waters. There's zero chance of survival.

Someone call 9-1-1, I see people going on suicide watch.

Crossroads

Saw this from a friend:

One of the hardest things in life is deciding which bridges to cross and which to burn.

So true.

No big deal

I honestly don't know what's the big fuss about President Arroyo and her entourage racking up $35k in dinner bills while they were in the US.

I don't care where they ate, how much they spent or who took the tab. The government folks said the money came from private sources so let's keep it at that.

This reminds me of a similar instance last year when local IBM execs were driving new Bimmers while we were laying off a big number of employees. People will spend their money as they please, regardless of whatever moral or social implications it may generate.

Seriously, people should stop fronting like they're all charitable. We're all just the same.

Dumb Black

Norman Black and the Blue Eagles have the best record in the UAAP at 7-1. However, Black may just be the dumbest coach in the league too.

How can he let a huge 17-point lead dwindle down to 5 in less than two minutes? Only a stupid fucker allows that to happen. Yes, they did get the win but they had to sweat it out in the final minute instead of cruising to a comfortable blowout.

Yeah, I am fuckin' heated.

NBA everyday

I finally have Basketball TV (BTV). SkyCable sent us two Digiboxes for free the other day and the BTV channel came along at no extra cost as well.

I no longer have to rely on ESPN's and Star Sports' once a week broadcasts for NBA games.

The Baroness

Bloodied or not, the Baroness can definitely get it.

She seems good with big guns so I'll let her fire mine too.

Cover Girl

Nothing wields sexiness and power more than a woman in formal military gala.

Heck, she makes digital camo look sizzlin' too.

Ateneo survives DLSU scare

I have to admit I expected Ateneo to knock the shit out the La Salle asses during last night's game but I'll take the four-point victory nevertheless. First round ends with Ateneo (6-1) on top due to their straight-up win over FEU, who also sport a similar 6-1 record.

I have to give credit to the Green Archers for putting up a great fight though Webb took it to another level by doing his best horse impression and giving Bacon Austria a kick to the side of the torso. Like grandfather, like grandson.

Anyway, I'm mad Ateneo had absolutely no chance of covering the huge 12-point spread. They cost a lot of Blue faithful some damn good money last night.

MAAI 2009: Team Millar gets 3rd win

We survived a nailbiter of a game in a 59-54 win last night. I knocked in four straight freethrows to seal the deal in the final seconds.

Play of the day? I drilled a 30-footer just before the halftime buzzer. Boom boom Pao.

Evo seX

Sexiest Evo X I've seen so far. I can sense an orgasm from a mile away.

Oh fuck. Yeah, I think I just came.

Stupid kids

*Shots fired*

It's both hilarious and weird that some of the people who are OD-ing on Cory's death were kids who weren't even alive during EDSA 86 or during her term as president.

Y'all don't know shit so quit frontin' like you know jack.

Cory is no National Hero

Some camps are clamoring for former President Corazon C. Aquino to be given National Hero honors.

Please tell me it's a joke. We're all getting way ahead of ourselves. People lose their rational sense when overwhelmed with emotions. Let us not use her recent death as a bargaining tool.

Cory was thrusted into the national spotlight in 1986, as the opposition's presidential standard bearer. Her ascent to the presidency was a byproduct of a lot of political and social events, Ninoy's assassination in 1983 and People Power among others. She was merely the figurehead chosen to lead our nation back into democracy. She did not do anything remotely heroic.

Yes, she had her contributions and I'm not belittling them. However, whatever she had done for the country does not even scratch the surface of what Jose Rizal, Lapu-Lapu and Ninoy did for us. And let me remind everyone that she did not live a hero's life nor did she die a martyr's death.

For all these reasons and more, she should not be hailed as a National Hero. She just doesn't make the cut.

Ninoy, yes. But Cory, no.

MAAI 2009: Team Millar regroups

We bounced back after an ugly loss last week with a 62-55 win last night. Record now stands at 2-1.

My line: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals.

No way, KSA

Never really told anyone that's why I always forget. Anyway, I turned down a job offer to work in the Middle East last week. If only it were in Dubai and had a solid compensation package, I would've signed with the quickness.

Hotshot

Last night. Race to 30.

24 of our 30 points. 11-17 from the field.

Isolation. Off the pick. Bank. Drive. Pull-up. Trey. Fastbreak.

En fuego.

Analog love

Falling in love should be an immediate feeling. Simple yet magical and with ease. It does not have to be long, difficult and complicated.

Weak weekend

Save for a couple of things, this past weekend was just horrible. Looking forward to a good one ahead.

Yellow fever

I am annoyed at all the yellow things being plastered across the metro and I hope it's not just me. Heck, they even forced the UAAP teams to wear yellow ribbons or bands on their jerseys this weekend.

I will pop a champagne and celebrate once this is all over. Very soon I hope.

The lucky 300

I took this screenshot about a week ago when I reached 300 followers on Twitter. I topped out at around 345 yesterday before Twitter filtered out most of the spam tweeps. I'm down to 208 as of now.

Demented militant

According to news reports, Melissa Roxas, a Fil-Am activist, is claiming she was abducted and tortured by the military last May.

Activists have been infamously known for concucting absurd stories so how the fuck can you believe that? Besides, if she were really forcibly taken by government forces, I doubt she'd live to tell her tale.

State of local college hoops

There's no point in watching UAAP basketball unless Ateneo or FEU are playing. All the other teams are just plain horrible.

No one really watches the NCAA so I won't even bother talking about it.

You + Me

I'm a movement by myself
But I'm a force when we're together
Mami, I'm good all by myself
But baby you, you make me better

Word to Fab and Ne-Yo.

Ateneo starts season 3-0

Ateneo has gone through the gauntlet of top UAAP contenders unscathed. They beat FEU, UE and UST within a 7 day period. The rest of the first round schedule looks like JV basketball. A sweep is highly likely.

Record: 3-0 SU. 3-0 ATS.

MAAI 2009: Team Millar wins opener

First game yesterday. A 59-50 win. 1-0 record.

My line: 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals.

Oh yeah, for the third straight game, dating to the last ABL season, I fouled out again. SMH. LMAO.

Freeloader

*Shots fired*

Why do some women assume and expect that everything comes free? They don't even bother offering to pay for anything anymore, even if it's just for courtesy.

These rats got no shame.

Harry Fucker

Harry Potter 6 opened today and I don't give a fuck. In fact, I've never seen any of the previous films and it shall stay that way.

MAAI 2009 Season

The 2009 MPG Ateneo Alumni Invitational League starts this weekend and I can't wait to get this thing poppin'.

Goals for the tourney? As usual, to lead the league in assists as I've done the past seasons and hopefully get us into the playoffs again.

My team got robbed in the recent ABL season so we're aching to get some payback.

Always imitated, never duplicated

The original IBM/IBS hoops team's streak is intact. We never missed the playoffs.

*Tips hat and claps*

Another soon-to-dead president

North Korea's authoritarian leader Kim Jong-Il has pancreatic cancer. I hope he succumbs to it sooner rather than later.

Better yet, the US and its allies should just bomb North Korea to bits and pieces.

But wait. What are the chances/odds that he and another cancer-stricken ex-president die on the same day? Calling on Vegas bookies. Please come out with a line.

Offline

My connection was down for the past two days. Can't say if it made my life simpler but I do know I was hella bored having nothing to do at home. If anything, I think my life stalled for a moment. Haha.

Anyway, it's good to be back online.

Next great fashion equalizer

Is it just me or do these big ass sunglasses make every girl look cute and pretty especially from afar? But when they draw closer and take them off, they look mad mediocre at best.

I always fall for it every single time, even worse than the powerful Myspace/Facebook headhsot angle.

So ladies, invest in a good pair of huge bumblebee shades and know your best angle. They make one helluva killer combination.

LeDunkedOn

I just lost whatever little respect I had for the sore loser.

Reports have it that Lebron James just got dunked on pretty bad by Xavier sophomore Jordan Crawford during the Lebron James Skills Academy camp recently.

Lebron, with his mammoth-sized ego, didn't take the embarassment lightly as he ordered Nike officials to confiscate all videotapes that caught the college kid's spectacular two-handed throwdown over the NBA superstar.

It's probably not a coincidence it was a 'Jordan' who took the King down.

Two of the Greatest

Maybe it's not a coincidence they're both MJ's.

RIP Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

Dutch exodus from Madrid

With its bench filled with most of the Dutch first team regulars who are looking for consistent minutes, rumors have it that clubs are preparing to raid Real Madrid's Netherlands stash.

Apparently, English clubs are at the forefront of the potential transfers. Manchester United is said to be preparing a 20M pound bid to get Klaas Jan Huntelaar. Blackburn is looking at former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy while Chelsea is considering Wesley Sneijder.

I hope at least one or two of these deals push through so Madrid can go ahead and buy David Villa from Valencia. Word on the street also has them making a bid for Spanish international and Liverpool midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Real Madrid adds Benzema

French international Karim Benzema is joining Real Madrid after the Spanish giants agreed to buy the prolific striker from Lyon for 35M euros.

With Madrid's latest signing, I have doubts that David Villa will still make the move to the Bernabeu. As it is, there's already a big logjam at the striker position.

Anyway, stranger things have happened and I won't be surprised if the Spanish international becomes yet another Galactico.

Fighting five

Went 5-1 last night at Acropolis. Baj, Gan, Gonz, Mick and Marf. Great job boys.

Happy 90th!

My dearest grandmother turned 90 today.

Happy birthday!

Soon-to-be dead president

It's only a matter of time until this annoying, attention-seeking ex-president succumbs to cancer and dies.

Shit, I can just imagine the amount of hoopla and media coverage her death will be getting especially from the local networks. Thank God for cable television.

Two for the money

Last night:

2 games, 2 wins, 2 superb gamewinners.

Late for lola's lunch

I was two hours late for my lola's birthday celebration today because I woke up past 1pm. I could've gotten up earlier but the strong rains led me back to snooze. The weather was just perfect to sleep in all day.

She turns 90 on Tuesday.

Trojan horse

Looks can be really receiving.

You know I'm well-experienced at 27, yet I still get victimized.

Shame, shame.

Traveling Vol. I wanna fly again

Went to the airport last night to pick up my uncle who's in town for a short vacation. It's been a while since I was last in the NAIA area. It definitely made me miss traveling, especially the 18 or so flights I had back in February-March.

I swear I shall resume once I get hold of enough funds again.

Mid-morning re-Joyce

I saw this cute chick inside Bo's Coffee Katipunan this morning. So I went inside to catch a glimpse. Forced into action, I had to get dessert at 10:30 am. SMH.

She was mad cute though. She had like a summer dress on and wore an Ateneo ID. Her demeanor screamed freshman though. She just didn't have the upperclassman vibe or maybe she was little bit flustered. LOL.

Anyway, if only Bo's Katip offered free wi-fi, I'd swing by more often. I absolutely love their chocolate cake!

Twitter critics

Some folks at NT were complaining that they're tired of hearing about Twitter and its immense popularity.

They probably have no following. LOL.

Soaring standards

Great is not good enough these days. It baffles me to no end.

SMH. LOL.

Transformers 2: More than meets sablay

I watched the new Transformers movie (Revenge of the Fallen) the other night and it was average at best. Quite frankly, I expected a lot more coming in yet I left feeling shortchanged.

The film is just too long and I think they could've done everyone a favor by eliminating some of the sketchy subplots. Can someone tell Michael Bay that loads of action and tons of explosion will not make up for a bad and hazy storyline?

C'mon, Sam Witwicky dies and he gets resurrected by Primes in robot heaven? Please.

If it wasn't for Megan Fox stripping from her leather ensemble to reveal a sexy white number, I'd declare this movie a failure. Of course, its box office revenue will dictate otherwise.

Splendid Sunday

For some reason, I feel really good today. I haven't slept at all since I got in early this morning from a midnight screening of Transformers 2 but I'm still pumped.

I played basketball from 8-10am and I'm stoked to have had superb games. Did my best Stephen Curry impression, dropping buckets from everywhere while scoring about half of my team's points on the way to a 2-0 record.

I hope today turns out to be a awesome Sunday. I'm tired of the same old lazy Sundays that I'm so used to. Time for a change.

Hocus pocus

I told myself I think I may have found a keeper. Now if only she didn't do magic, then I'd be all over.

The Way You Make Me Feel

Whoa. We both share the same favorite Jacko song. Very interesting. Must be a sign. A good one hopefully.

Cavs buy Witness Protection

Seeing how witness turned into weakness in their Eastern Conference Finals series with Orlando, Cleveland just bought themselves Witness Protection by acquiring Shaquille O'Neal and his $20M salary from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for backup center Ben Wallace and seldomly-used reserve Sasha Pavlovic.

This trade should help beef up their weak frontline but I'm not so sure it will be enough to rule the East next year. If anything, they should match up better now against Orlando's Dwight Howard.

With Shaq having one year left in his deal and Lebron possibly opting out after next season, the pressure for the Cavs to win an NBA title now just dramatically increased exponentially. Cleveland fans have about a year to find out how this interesting saga will end.

Carolina draft recap

Tyler Hansbrough - Indiana Pacers (13th overall)
Tywon Lawson - Minnesota Timberwolves (18th overall)
Wayne Ellington - Minnesota Timberwolves (28th overall)
Danny Green - Cleveland Cavaliers (45th overall)

As expected, three Tar Heels get selected in the first round. I was surprised to see Tyler Hansbrough go ahead of Ty Lawson though. I thought the speed demon point guard had the best shot to land in the lottery.

I thought it was hilarious and stupid for Minnesota drafting three point guards with their first three picks (Spain's Ricky Rubio, Syracuse's Jonny Flynn and Lawson). That said, they've agreed to send Lawson to Denver for a future 1st rounder. The Nuggets just improved their exciting high-octane offense by adding him to their roster. He is expected to log backup minutes for Billups.

Meanwhile, Cleveland is getting a heck of a player with swingman Danny Green. Dude will be a solid contributor for the Cavs. I fully expect him to crack the rotation given the lack of quality bench players in Cleveland.

No matter how they fare in the NBA, the teams that drafted these UNC players are getting proven winners.

Tar Heels in the 2009 NBA Draft

With the NBA Draft only several hours away, I only have one wish - that UNC's Danny Green can somehow sneak into the first round.

Dude was instrumental in Carolina's magnificent run to the NCAA Championship last April and I hope he gets a chance to land a roster spot come the regular season.

The other three Tar Heels are all expected to be selected in the first round. All-Americans Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough might even end up as lottery picks while Wayne Ellington is predicted to go in the late 20's range.

Regardless of where they may end up, I wish them nothing but success intheir professional careers.

My 1st Kobes

I got my first pair of Kobe sigs today. Huarache 2K4's and Hyperdunks don't count as his sigs even if he was the lead pitchman for both.

There's a reason why I never copped any of Kobe's sneaks. I was never a fan and I'm still not a fan despite his awesome postseason performance on the way to leading the Lakers to the 2009 title. But with him achieving his fourth championship, his validation ring, I allowed myself to buy my first ever (and perhaps last) pair of Kobe signature shoes as some form of tribute.

Anyway, I picked these MPLS Kobe IV joints and a couple of other stuff up using the store credit I received for returning my damaged/defective pair of gray stealth XX3's. It took about a week for the exchange to get approved and finalized. Props to the Nike Park management and the Eastwood outlet staff for their assistance.

Return of the robots

Transformers 2 opened today and I'm positive they've sold out in pretty much all popular cinemas. They'll probably sell out the same this weekend.

Aside from seeing Megan Fox and a bunch of morphing robots, I heard there's a Decepticon that transforms into an R8. That's more than enough to get myself amped despite the so-so reviews.

I hope I get a shot at watching this Saturday with my adorable date in tow.

Three strikes

Does that mean I'm out?

Typhoon Tuesday

Save for the unexpected downpour, I want to say it was a great day. Too bad I can only speak for myself though.

Players aplenty

After only 13 people showed up at last Monday's games, 37 players went last night. SMFH.

King of LSS

Is it just me or does Flo Rida make hella catchy beats?

From "Low" to "In The Ayer" to "Right Round" and now, "Sugar," which samples Eiffel 65's 1999 popular hit "Blue (Da Ba Dee)."

I swear everytime I hear his songs, they stay spinning in my head long after.

Nation of domination

Two notorious countries have been hogging the global headlines the past week - Iran for it's dictatorial rule plus the violence and chaos its recent elections have caused; and North Korea for threatening to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) against the US and some of its allies.

I'm sure to get flak for this but I hope the United States flexes its muscles on another set of erring nations. I wish the US military nuke both Iran and NoKor into submission, or maybe even instant obliteration from the world map.

I swear they won't know what hit them and the suffering won't last long. It'll be just like putting both countries on lethal injection.

It's quite unlikely though with Obama in power. Dude doesn't have the Bush balls to intimidate anyone.

Shallow speed bump

My dinner plans tonight got slightly derailed. I'm not bothered one bit though. We'll have our time soon and it's gonna be a blast.

Good luck Bred

A good friend of mine left for the US yesterday. His goal is to try his luck on potential employment opportunities there.

He's planned this for about a year now and I hope it works out for him. I wish him well.

The Lake Show drowns the Magic in Orlando

You already know.

Kobe got his validation ring while Phil got his tenth. Quoting Kevin Garnett from last year's Finals, they're certified.

As much as I don't like the Lakers, I knew I had to ride them all the way to the bank. Fan allegiance and money matters were usually mutually exclusive this time.

Props to them for going all out and not letting up. They proved a lot of critics wrong that they can't close out on the road.

Random thoughts on Game 5

I wonder how the NBA Finals Game 5 will turn out tomorrow.

The Lakers can close it out on the road but there's always the thought of wanting to celebrate in front of your homecrowd. The Magic, on the other hand, might not want to get embarassed at home thus producing an outstanding all-around performance for a possible win.

Keep in mind though that the Orlando players should be aware that even if they win Game 5, their chances on winning Games 6 & 7 in Los Angeles are quite non-existent. They might not be willing to take the long flight out West only to eventually lose anyway. That said, I won't be surprised if they exhibit a subpar effort tomorrow enough to concede the championship to the Lake Show.

Why over-analyze you might ask? Because I need to figure out which side to put money on for Game 5. LOL.

Erasing contacts Vol. Phonebook

Why is it that when you delete a dormant contact from your phone, that person somehow calls or texts you soon after? Now it leaves you wondering who that person is.

Always happens to me.

Fitness fact

A friend of mine walked up to me after our game last night. He asked, "How do you not get tired?"

I said, "Football (Soccer)."

One thing I'm very proud of is my superb conditioning and endurance. Having played competitive football for most of my life, basketball is not even close to challenging my football-developed stamina.

CR7 now a Galactico

It's official. Newly-elected Real Madrid Florentino Perez has delivered on his promise to bring in star power to the Spanish capital.

Manchester United has agreed to sell superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish giants for a world record $132M.

Didn't see this coming sooner than the David Villa transfer. Anyway, CR7 must now choose a jersey number since Spanish legend Raul owns Madrid's #7.

Next up for the Los Merengues are Spanish striker David Villa (Valencia) and French midfielder Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich). Coincidentally, like Raul and Ronaldo, both Villa and Ribery also wear the number 7.

Con-Ass protest via FB

People are trying to mount a crusade against the Con-Ass by creating a Facebook group/cause. I don't care if they invite or recruit their friends and then some but that won't deter the Congressmen from pursuing their plans.

It's amazing and flabbergasting how stupid people can become.

Magic win first ever Finals game

Game 3 turned out to be a best case scenario for me. The Magic won while the Lakers covered. I'm not so sure Game 4 will have a similar result though.

The Mamba is furious. I'll bet he has his gameface-cum-scowl back on.

Galacticos reload Vol. World's best

First it was Kaka. Now it's David Villa. Next up? Hopefully Cristiano Ronaldo.

Real Madrid is creepin' on the come up.

Suffer-ink

The worst part of getting a tattoo is not the pain. It's the aftercare. Fuckin' hassle to the highest level.

Sour Apple

Desperate times calls for desperate measures.

Apple is getting desperate now with the company slashing prices for its iPhone and Macbook models in an obvious effort to gain more market share.

Nice try but they'll never overtake any of their major competitors in either industry. They should just to stick to iPods.

Suns vs. Nuggets on Jimmy Kimmel

Chris Andersen & Dahntay Jones of the Denver Nuggets face off against Grant Hill & Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns in "The Team Mating Game" on Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night.




Hilarious stuff.

Act a fool

I was out cold last night. I don't remember shit. I dunno how I got to my room. I even left the living room lights and television on. I think I sleepwalked myself to bed.

When I woke up, I was like, "WTF just happened?"

All these and I wasn't even remotely close to being drunk. Didn't even have anything to drink!

I blame exhaustion.

Another US lawmaker with messed up priorities

One US congressman is questioning the NBA's age limit rule. According to the league's collective bargaining agreement with the players' association, an American citizen wishing to join the draft must be at least 19 years old and one year removed from his high school class.

The congressman is concerned over the rule on the basis of age discrimination. Did he even bother looking at his own backyard? Last I checked, the US Congress has it's own minimum age rule (25 years old).

Someone tell this scrub to clean out his backyard first. Better yet, he should move on to more urgent and important matters like tackling recession.

Delusional denial

The wife of the lone Filipino passenger aboard the Air France flight that recently crashed into the Atlantic Ocean believes that her husband is still alive. She remains positive despite the authorities are saying it's highly unlikely that anyone could've survived.

I don't mean to ridicule her misery but this is just plain dumb. Ignoring the facts will just prolong her agony. Acceptance is the key.

Channeling Mamba

I'm still way too exhausted. But I'm still fuckin' elated.

I killed on the court last night, scoring from a variety of ways and hitting shots from everywhere. More importantly, I led my team to three tough race-to-forty wins, nailing the gamewinner in one.

Still floatin' on hoops nirvana.

Air France Flight 447

I'm still puzzled how an airplane as big as an Airbus A330 can just vanish without much of a trace. Sometimes even the most modern of technology seems rather useless. Took a page right our of the Bermuda Triangle chronicles.

Damn weather

What the fuck is up with the weather? It's been raining hard nonstop since Sunday and this has basically done nothing but mess up my plans.

Not a good look at all.

Missing ink action

My freakin' tattoo artist flaked out on me last night. Dude wasn't answering his phone to reconfirm my appointment. I swear he always does this shit. Hell yeah, I'm pissed.

What an ass.

Unbecoming of a King

Lebron James stormed off the Amway Arena after the blowout loss his team suffered against the Orlando Magic. He never bothered to shake hands, congratulate or even acknowledge any of the Magic players.

After all the showboating during the 4-0 sweeps over Detroit and Atlanta, the King suddenly disappears in front of a worldwide audience. No handshakes, no hugs, no words.

Humble in victory, gracious in defeat. Lebron James has none of that.

That's just one of the many reasons he'll never be like Mike.

Witness weakness

Fuck the fix.

Orlando it is.

Lebron had his witnesses. But Dwight got the verdict.

Battling the fix

David Stern just got his first wish as Kobe and the Lakers are through to the Finals. Now it's up to Orlando to fight the fix and close out Lebron and the Cavaliers in Game 6 later.

It'll be tough because everyone knows the calls are all going to be for the King despite being on the road. But if Orlando waxes hot and they keep making their shots, Stern and company can't do jack about it.

I hope the Magic finish this one in blowout fashion so they can stick all the refs' whistles up David Stern's ass.

Sunday morning hoops

Went 4-1 in tough scrimmages last night. It got my body a little banged up with a couple of bruises here and there but I'm all good though. Ready to hit the courts again in a bit for an early morning runout. Game time is at 8am. Too bad I'll miss much of Game 6 of the Cleveland-Orlando series. I hope I get back in time to see the Magic finish off the Cavaliers.

Wanting Kobe 4 whiteouts

I am so tempted to cop my first ever Kobe sneaker. I've never had any of his sigs and I still intend on keeping it that way. So help me God.

The fix is still on

David Stern can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for another day. His dream for a Kobe-Lebron championship series is still alive.

The Orlando Magic had their chances in Game 5 but ultimately fumbled in the fourth quarter. As expected, it didn't help the Magic's cause that the refs were riding the King's jock again.

The fix was a bit more obvious in Game 5 of the Denver-LA series as all 50-50 calls in the fourth quarter went the Lakers' way. Still, Denver had their opportunities too, but they played terrible basketball in the final period. Chauncey Billups was totally out-of-sync. He looked like a rookie with all the stupid turnovers and poor decisions.

I hope the Nuggets get their act together and win Game 6 tomorrow at the Pepsi Center then hopefully squeak past the NBA fix for Game 7 in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Orlando has a real solid chance of closing Cleveland out at home on Sunday.

Count me in as one of the few who don't want to see a Mamba-King duel in the Finals. I can just imagine how much of a slurpfest that would be.