Heartbroken over Seigle.

Danny Seigle winning MVP honors at 2006 Brunei Cup

It was a do-or-die contention. And the game analyst proved prophetic when he pointed out that they are approaching the dying seconds of the game as I saw my team figuratively die. Stupid coach. Where in the world could you find a coach who would risk burning an opponent’s entire 24-second shot clock with only 3 seconds left to try and gain a go-ahead basket on the other end? That was a stupid mistake, and I hope one that would haunt SMB’s coach (lest I cannot even mention his name) from here on out. I felt like scratching my head or pulling my hairs apart. Exaggerated but it felt more like it.

Then I turned my attention over to Seigle. It was nearly a decade ago when he came into the league with a lot of promise. There were several big names from the local basketball scene that came in with him, not to mention that the former PBL team Tanduay at that time decided to join the PBA. So there was a lot of fellow rookie competitors out there including Eric Menk and Sonny Alvarado.

There was no other player in basketball history, local or international, whose career as a cager I followed more closely than that of Seigle’s (Danny, that is). Following in his older brother Andy’s footsteps, he confirmed the many talks spreading around the basketball community that he was the better player. I’m sure, even Andy wouldn’t argue with that.

He introduced a fresh brand of basketball during his time that was becoming more prevalent today. You know, the “big man” who can carry the ball and shoot from the outside. He was filled with immense athleticism that even today, at aged 32, he still got some hops to him. He was one of those few big men during his time, standing 6′6″ or 6′7″ perhaps, who can dribble the ball like he was 5′11” and shoot from beyond the arch. For his level of play, he was given the moniker “Dynamite Danny” and was often referred to as the “Walking Mismatch” because none of his defenders could keep up with him. If he were guarded by a smaller defender, he would post them up. If he were guarded by a big man, he would shoot over them or leave them in the dust by driving to the basket.

I was probably the most petrified people around when he suffered a sprain in the National Team’s exhibition games versus Qatar (in 1998, I think) when he accidentally stepped on one of the opposing player’s foot and he had to be taken out of the national team. Sigh. Not to mention that he sat out a few of the games this conference in the PBA. So, you could probably imagine the feeling of delight I had when he was able to play through the wildcard series, to the quarterfinals, and into the semis. Only to lose last night.

As they always say, there’s always next conference. But I’m still keeping my fingers crossed on another individual recognition for Seigle. I still firmly believe that he is the most talented player in the league to have not won an MVP award…yet.

update on the sporting world

This is rather late for the first post of this new year. But hey, a person’s got some work to do. Still, it’s better late than never. I was just trying to screen out my ideas in search of finding the best subject to discuss on this blog. Something that would kick off my blogging year right. Too much for my obsessive-compulsive behavior, it’s actually an update on the latest sporting events (for those who are yet unaware that I DO have a sporting side to me).

I’ve been out of the loops on the NBA for a while, so NBA fans better look someplace else. I did manage to catch up on the Celtics’ loss to the Cavs last Saturday though, Friday night in Cleveland. Looks like the Celtics tough winning form from last season’s championship crew is not so evident this time around. And with the Cavs and Magic hot on its heels, they better get back to the drawing board. I am keeping my eyes peeled on local basketball league this time, so NBA better had to wait.

Another major update is the upcoming Australian Open. If you did not know, this is the first of four grand slam tournaments and it will unveil exactly a week from now, January 19th. Melbourne is the hottest place to be in Australia during this time of the year. Let’s see if Novak Djokovic will be able to successfully defend his title from last year’s tournament or if Roger Federer, 3-time Aussie Open champ before Djokovic snatched it from him last year, will rise to the challenge.

Jayjay Helterbrand slicing through the defense of SMB's Danny Seigle (left) and Marc Pingris (right).

Last, but definitely not least, on my list is the recent events on the PBA. Last night’s matchup between sister teams Ginebra Gin Kings and San Miguel Beermen were pitted to be a major on-court battle and it certainly was! Racela’s early ejection saw the SMB squad’s fate turn from bad to worse, trailing by as much as 22 points at some time during the game. But with a deep bench and a talent-laden lineup, who says my Beermen are going to back out? Several players contributed but Hontiveros was the biggest contributor to that epic comeback. Lineup-wise, it was supposed to be a lopsided match but Ginebra surely did give SMB a run for their money. Glad it was over and on to TNT for Wednesday. The other end of the semis match pits Sta.Lucia against Alaska. I can’t wait!

On the UP Fighting Maroons

Was it simply a case of too early a celebration?

Don’t get me wrong. I do not intend to sound pessimistic. But the team’s fate last season (er, a winless record) is revisiting to haunt me. After winning their first game, the UP Fighting Maroons dropped their next two. And I do not want to come up with excuses, but despite the fact that they lost to UST and Ateneo, a loss is still a loss.

Immaturity or lack of talent?

With a team comprising of predominantly rookies and sophomore players, you can’t help but feel sorry for the guys instead of criticizing them for not coming up with a win. Several occasions before, they actually had the opportunity to win. But come end-game or what they refer to in basketball lingo as “crunch time”, they just fall apart. I am not saying that these guys are doomed but each of them only have a maximum of 5 years to play for the team, I just hope that they adjust quickly. One year should be enough adjustment and they cannot always use their “lack of maturity” in the game as an excuse.

This actually speaks volumes. The case is not just isolated to the UP Maroons, but also with several sporting events in our country. How many times have we sent our athletes for international sporting competitions and they did not win. Some of our athlete would let out their sentiments that they did not get enough support from the government, and if it weren’t for their sheer skill, they would not even get the achievement they got.

Does the UP Fighting Maroons lack the support they need too? At least, in the technical aspect of the game. Hopefully, the basketball and other athletic division of UP will get the much needed boost. A more enhanced basketball program would really help those talented guys come out of their shell. Maybe having kicked out Joe Lipa and tapping Aboy Castro as a replacement is a good start. Well, one thing we (meaning me and fellow UP Maroon fanatics) do know is that they are not lacking in terms of moral support. Hate to sound cheesy, but what does an undying support and lots of hopes for the team after a forgetful performance last season means?

Oh, am I blowing the story out of proportion? Going back to the UP Maroons, they still have 11 more games left. That’s reason enough to be optimistic.

To read another entry about the Fighting Maroons, click here.