TIMEOUT: teen read week

teen read week has been one of the most anticipated events of the school year at xavier. as a program of the english department, it aims at promoting the "lost art" of reading to xavierians. one of the highlights of this week is the "dress me a literary" event where teachers, and eventually students, are asked to wear a costume based on a literary character, preferably from a book that students can easily identify.

during the first edition of dress me a literary, i wore a pharaoh costume because the week actually coincides with our lesson on the book of exodus. since then, i was known to high 1 students as "pharaoh" especially to my first and second batch of students. the year later, i dressed up as darth vader to coincide with my advisory class' "star wars" concept.

personally, this is one of the things i will miss in xavier. it brings much excitement to see fellow teachers do some sort of "cosplay" at least once a year. though san jose has been notoriously known for its "costume party" masses, the practice was unfortunately "outlawed" after the first class sponsored mass of the year. well, we still have the annual picnic for all our costume making and wearing needs.

since today is "dress me a literary" day in xavier, here's my advisory class' performance in last year's culmination of teen read week!

Josefino (once again) named New Archbishop of Manila

from the San Jose Seminary website

San Jose Major Seminary joins the Archdiocese of Manila in welcoming the news of the appointment of our esteemed alumnus, His Excellency, Most Rev. Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D., as the 32^nd Archbishop of Manila. The appointment was announced at the Vatican today, October 13, at noontime (6:00 P.M. Manila time).

Bishop Tagle succeeds His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, D.D., also an alumnus of San Jose Seminary (Batch 58), who retires after eight years of service in the country’s primatial see.

Bishop Tagle finished his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at San Jose Seminary and Ateneo de Manila in 1977 and his Masters degree in Theology in the same seminary and Loyola School of Theology in 1982.  He earned both degrees, summa cum laude.

On this important occasion, Bishop Tagle declared:

"His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed me, a humble servant, to succeed His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales to the Metropolitan See of Manila. I face this heavy responsibility with much trepidation. Leaving the Diocese of Imus, my beloved home, at the threshold of its Golden Jubilee is not easy. But faith in the gracious Lord and love of the Church give me strength. I know that I would find much good will and zeal for mission in the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Manila. In our openness to the Holy Spirit, we could render a joyful and robust witness to Jesus Christ, all for the glory of the Father and the good of the Church and of society, especially of the poor. I entrust the Archdiocese of Manila and my ministry to the loving care of our Lady, Mary Immaculate."

We congratulate Cardinal Rosales for his accomplished service to the Archdiocese and to the local Church in the Philippines. We pray for and wish our dear Archbishop-Elect Tagle many happy and fruitful years of ministry in his new assignment.

Hail San Jose!

TIMEOUT: a friendly message from Fritskie

just like fritskie, i can finally get some sleep.

AND 1: Blue Eagles 4peat Bonfire Video

FINALLY! i've been looking for this video since sunday!

TIMEOUT: AMDG

sa panahon ng exams, tandaang ang mga letrang AMDG:
"ad majorem dei gloriam"
at... "ayaw mag-aral di ga-graduate!"

TIMEOUT: Dogs go to heaven too

while at mass in gesu yesterday, i received yet another shocking news of death in our household. chowchow, the only female dog in the house and the last of our three original dogs, already joined al ghozi, moe, and pocknut in dog heaven. it has been a sad week for our household dogs, i guess.

(photo source)

i stumbled upon this photo in the internet containing 10 canine commandments. such should serve as a reminder to me on how i should value dogs - more than just a pet but as a best friend of sorts. i actually want to take care of a dog when i have my own parish soon. even if i still have josie (the seminary dog) and kicker (our family dog) to take care of, these 10 commandments post as a challenge for me to really value and take care of them.

interestingly, when moe died last february, "molly and me" was being shown at hbo. and my tears just flowed instantaneously. when i get home this friday, i will surely miss their presence in the house, especially because i'm the one in charge of feeding them daily. but i will surely see them in heaven, together with members of our family who have gone ahead, some of the greatest people in world history, as well as a bottle of san miguel beer. as a friend of mine commented, i'll see moe, ghozi, pocknut, and chowchow someday playing around the meadows in the nearby rainbow bridge.

FIRST 5: 5 thank you's for the 4-peat

(photo source)

mission accomplished. the ateneo blue eagles won their fourth consecutive uaap men's basketball championship exactly a week ago, and the experience of winning never really gets old. nonetheless, this championship was not give on a silver platter. players worked hard to win, coaches planned and run practices to perfection, and games were waged like wars - with the blue and white emerging victorious in the end. and so, here are five people who have been instrumental in the team's four-peat feat this season:

A call for help for victims of Typhoons Pedring and Quiel

Reposted from Fr. Ted Gonzales SJ's Facebook post

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN DISASTER RESPONSE MANAGEMENT
The Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan is currently building its volunteer base for disaster relief operations. At the moment, volunteer tasks include:

Command Center Operations (ADMU-based) – will monitor updates from affected areas, help receive and channel volunteers where necessary; coordinate with suppliers and deployed volunteers; document needs assessed and services delivered.

Deployment of Relief Goods – will travel to affected areas to accompany delivery of relief goods. Must be prepared and willing to travel to affected areas. No need for own vehicle, but if willing to volunteer a vehicle/drive (possibly within Metro Manila or to Northern Luzon, as per availability and willingness) – this will be a big help.

Time / commitment from volunteers may range from 1 day to a few hours a day over the next 2-3 weeks as we continue to respond to appeals from communities affected by Pedring and Quiel.

Anyone interested in helping with the above or through other means should kindly contact Br. Mark Lopez,SJ. 0915.2200330, mark.lopez.sj@gmail.com or 4266101 loc. 3440 or 426-5968.

Upon doing so, your name will be put in our data base and we will get back to you as soon as deployment to specific tasks will be necessary.

Maraming salamat po!

TIMEOUT: Bahala na si Batman

(photo source)

4 oral exams.
3 term papers.
1 greek exam.
1 recording.
1 final presentation.
sa mga panahon ng exam at pagtapos ng papers, kaw na ang bahala sa amin.

R.I.P. Pocknut

Yesterday, on the eve of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, Pocknot, one of our dogs joined Moe and Al Ghozi in Dog Heaven.

As my sister said, "he had a hard life, but he is a fighter and he never gave up, until yesterday."

Bye Pocky. Rest well, we will miss you!

Missing A-Day

one of the things that i will surely miss as a former teacher in xavier school is the appreciation day. known to most as a-day, this is the time of the year when the boys of xavier high pull out something really spectacular for their 'chers. well, it's not hard to love and appreciate xavier students despite all their antics in the classroom. but a-day is that time when students take the extra mile to show how much they appreciate our work and person in school.

here's a trip down memory lane to the three a-days that i experienced in xavier school.

my very first a-day was quite special. more than the ateneo blue eagles winning their first of four straight uaap basketball championships the night before a-day, it was the first time i experienced such a celebration for teachers. the "vacation" concept was quite creative and cute: i came to school with the boys taking me to the "airport" (the lobby converted as such, with the elevator turned into a plane). a student of mine was the flight attendant and provided some "unexpected turbulence" by rocking the elevator! at the third floor, a bunch of students composed of the class presidents of each class gave a flower necklace to the teachers and staff. but what caught my attention was the gift they gave to us: a clipboard (which i still use until now) with some small notebook containing messages from students! awww, it was so cheesy! i was reading the notes from the boys and i was amused with their comments ranging from "sorry cher for being noisy and inattentive in class" and "thanks for being the best angas CLE teacher."

my second a-day was spent with one of the memorable classes i handled, h1a. they are memorable because they are a rowdy bunch of students but they changed for the better by the end of the year. the celebration may not be as memorable as the first year (the concept unfortunately escapes my memory while writing this entry), but the gift i got that year - a tumbler with my name - is something that i use in the seminary until this very day. of course, i still kept the small notebook of cheesy notes from my students. hahahaha!

my last a-day was ironically my first as a class adviser. a few days before a-day, i was not in good terms with my class due to their behavior in the classroom. other sections actually invited me to join their a-day celebration instead. but my class pulled quite a surprise: they had this cake with the words inscribed "we're sorry mr. crisostomo, happy a-day!" it had to be the most touching gift i ever received as a xavier teacher. hahaha! they also had a short video presentation for the teachers of their section.


the video used to be in youtube, but since i can't find it, i just posted the last part. you just have to tilt your head a bit though. hahahaha!

this year, i got the annual a-day pin courtesy of dandi who gave it to me during our invitational dinner last week. i guess the pin's caption says it all: i transform lives daily. i am a teacher. though i'm now at the other side of the classroom as a student, my experience as a teacher is something that i will always cherish and remember. and of course, as a priest someday, it is part of our ministry not just to teach people but to ignite the light of the people's faith and let it shine to the rest of the world.

on a final note, i was tagged by one of this videos by my former students. interestingly, they were the first batch of students i taught in xavier. they are now in their final year in high school. time flies fast!



happy appreciation day! LUCEAT LUX!

where's wally?

the four championship runs of the ateneo blue eagles have been photo opportunities for me and my friends in the ateneo sports shooters' website (fabilioh.com). however, it seems that every year i have this "where's wally?" type of photo that somehow finds its way to the pages of fabilioh.

this is a challenge for people with 20/20 vision, or better yet, for those who can afford to waste some of their luxurious time. hahahaha!

here's a helpful tip: in all pictures, i wear an ateneo jersey of the current season, featuring my favorite color and number. let's see if you can spot me in these photos! GOOD LUCK!

NOTE: click photos to enlarge!

uaap season 72: ateneo vs. ue (game 1)

uaap season 73: ateneo vs. feu (game 1)

uaap season 73: ateneo vs. feu (game 2)

uaap season 74: ateneo vs. feu (game 2)

P.S. i will post my write-up on the blue eagles' four-peat when i finish more "pressing" stuff, like two term papers, a counseling interview, and my laundry. hahahaha :)

AND 1: Mission Accomplished

(photo source)

BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

Today's Wishes

first, i wish the best to my former students in xavier school, especially my former advisees (h1h 2010-2011) as they receive the sacrament of confirmation today. this sacrament formally opens a new chapter in your commitment, growth, and maturity in the catholic christian faith. may the power of the holy spirit inspire, guide, and transform you as you write pages in this new chapter of your life.

second, i wish the best to my contemporaries in san carlos seminary - rev. herbert camacho (my classmate), rev. edric bedural (my jabuk), and rev. kristoffer habal (a contemporary) - for their ordination to the priesthood this morning. may you have a fruitful ministry as priests in the archdiocese of manila! please continue to pray for me as i continue to persevere in responding to god's call in the seminary.

(photo source)

and finally, i wish the best to the ateneo blue eagles for game 2 of the uaap seniors' basketball finals in the afternoon! i hope to witness history today as the team goes for its fourth consecutive seniors' basketball championship. as i mentioned before, every game should be taken as an elimination game. i hope you guys win this one, because i, like many others, want to move on with their lives. hahahaha!

Sunlight and Water to the Seedbed (A Reflection on Trinity Sunday)

A homily-paper submitted in my God/Trinity class, intended to be delivered in in the monthly family mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary, attended by minor seminarians and their respective families

Today, we are gathered for three important reasons. First of all, today is the first family weekend of the school year, a day where our dear minor seminarians are “re-united” with their respective families for the first time since returning to the seminary for the new school year. Secondly, today also concludes your son’s first recollection for this school year, where they have reflected on the vocation to the priesthood as a call to answer, a grace to accept, and a gift to take care and cultivate. Finally, we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, one of the most important foundations of our Catholic Christian faith. It is quite fitting that the previous two reasons blend together with this great feast that the Church celebrates today.

The gospel reading today comes from the Gospel of Saint John, which was actually part of a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to Jesus at night to express his belief in Jesus. Nicodemus believes that Jesus is a teacher sent by God by virtue of the words and deeds that he witnessed in Jesus’ ministry. We hear in our gospel one of, if not the, most famous lines in the Sacred Scriptures: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believed in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” Perhaps this passage explains the message of the entire Bible in a nutshell: God loves us so much that He sent His son into the world to concretely express His love to us. Such is actually the basis of our faith in the Trinity: the love of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is given to us out of love so that we can live fully and share in His eternal life.

In our reflection for today’s mass, let us then reflect on this passage and the message of God’s love in relation to the three events that we celebrate this day: our first visiting Sunday, the culmination of our first recollection this school year, and the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. It is our hope that our reflection on the Trinity as a relationship of love can shed further light to two essential realities: the importance of the family in discerning and committing to God’s will in our lives and the challenge of responding generously to the vocation to the priesthood through our program of seminary formation.

TIMEOUT: so little time

as the rest of the san jose seminary community are on their way to dreamland, i have yet to begin working on the outline and keynote presentations for tomorrow's final presentation for our catholic social teaching class. at this rate, i've got so much to do with such a little time to spare.

and yes, if i have this much time, i'd rather spend it with you. :)

Batik-batik na Kariktan (Isang pagninilay sa pelikulang "Kung Fu Panda 2")

galing dito ang larawang ito

Ipinasa bilang isang "reflection paper" sa kursong Sangguniang Pastoral

Sa loob ng isang semestre ng pag-aaral ng kursong Sangguniang Pastoral, namulat ako sa ilang mahalagang aral hindi lamang sa sanggunian kundi pati na rin sa buhay. Bukod sa mga lolo at lola ng sikolohiya at mga paraan na inambag nila sa larangan ng sanggunian, ang isang leksiyon na maituturing kong lubhang mahalaga sa kursong ito ay ang kahalagahan ng pagkilala sa sarili: ng sumasangguni pati na rin ng sinasanggunian. Sa pagsisimula ng ating kurso, pinanood natin ang pelikulang Kung Fu Panda 1, na tila naghanda ng daan sa pagbubukas ng sarili hindi lamang sa kurso pati na rin sa bawat isa sa proseso ng sanggunian. At tila akma na sa pagwawakas ng ating kurso ay pinanood natin ang pelikulang Kung Fu Panda 2, na nagbigay ng mukha sa pagkilala ng sarili bilang pundasyon ng sanggunian at ang pagkakaroon ng malay sa pangkasalukuyan bilang haligi nito. Halos buong kurso nating binabanggit ang katagang “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift; that is why it is called the ‘present’.” Ang katotohanan ng katagang ito ay pinamalas sa tatlong tauhan sa pelikula: si Po, si Lord Shen, at ang Soothsayer.

TIMEOUT: Welcome to Hell Week

students of this day and age have coined the term "hell week" as the week of submissions of various requirements in preparation for their final examinations. i am not really a fan of the term as well as the week itself. for one, academic requirements should have been done earlier than the week of its submission. and of course, as a former teacher, the so-called hell-week of students entail an earlier stretch of "hell weeks" for teachers themselves: from the preparation and approval of these projects, its explanation, actual implementation, submission, and to its checking, grading, and submission of grades.

now, as i have already returned to the other side of the classroom as a student, i am on my own end of hell week. but that's beyond the point of this entry.

the fires of the so-called hell week can be extinguished by the water of life. in our apostolate area, one of the most striking scenes during sunday mass is the end of the celebration, where people come to the priest and ask for a blessing by sprinkling of holy water. interestingly, some people literally want their own dose of holy water as they would like to experience the drops of holy water sprinkled in one way or another to their own selves. perhaps this is a reflection of people's desires and aspirations today: the water of life quenching the thirst of their souls to bring life in their lives.

with submissions coming up and exams looming from the distance, let us ask for this blessing of water from god, our own spring of life.

here is one of the songs that i love playing in the mass, entitled "pababasbas." composed by fr. manoling francisco sj (my future thesis moderator hahaha) and mr. jandi arboleda, the song lyrics actually speak of the rite of dedication of churches. but on a more general sense, we also ask for dedication and blessing of our own selves: our bodies as temples of the spirit, our minds as gifts of god towards responsible stewardship, and our spirits as means to consecrate our thoughts, words, and actions for god's greater glory.

god bless us all in our respective hell weeks!

On Change (A Reflection on Matthew 21:28-32)

Part of the homily originally delivered in Filipino on the occasion of the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time at the chapel of Barrio Visaya, Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City

We begin our reflection on today's mass readings with this situation and question:

It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates.

Candidate A
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologers. He's had two Mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.

Candidate B
He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.

Candidate C
He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer, and never cheated on his wife.

Who would you vote for and what made you choose or vote for your candidate?

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 82, FEU 64 (Finals - Game 1)

nickobe and the cut-throat (photo source) 

three points on the the blue eagles' trampling of the feu tamaraws in game 1 of the uaap finals. though i was not able to watch the game live, i managed to download a copy of game 1 in the internet. 

there can only be one phenom (photo source)

1. 3rd quarter storm. for the past three years, the ateneo de manila blue eagles have used halftime breaks as leverage to pull off adjustments and eventually pull away from the game on a 3rd quarter surge. coach norman black and his coaching staff are able to dissect an opposing team's patterns in the first half and make the necessary adjustments that are quite effective enough to either erase a big lead or sprint away to win the game. with nico salva (my pick for the most improved player this season, and hopefully finals mvp) playing a perfect 8/8 in both the field and the charity stripe and enough support from three other eagles in double figures (17 points from kiefer ravena, 12 points from greg slaughter, and 11 points from emman monfort), the kings of the sky had a blistering 60% field goal shooting in this game, enough to build a lead too big for the tamaraws to upend.

saan ka pupunta?! buhay ka pa! (photo source)

2. shut them down. despite terrence romeo not "doing a romeo" this game (23 points on 10/15 2pt fgs and 1/4 3pt fgs), ateneo was able to shut down reigning mvp rr garcia down the stretch, limiting him to just 6 points in a forgettable 3/15 from the field. though there were stretches in the game when "rookie" russel escoto gave a scare to the blue and white, the blue eagles' suffocating defense limited the production of the tamaraws' key players like aldrech ramos (9 points) and cris tolomia (5 points). this was the key to this game: limit the scoring load to one person, let him be trigger happy, and shut everyone else down. as long as ateneo keeps playing tremendous defense on feu, a fourth championship is always on target.

one game at a time (photo source)

3. one more. with a win away from a four-peat, ateneo cannot just let their guard down. the blue eagles have to remain hungry and dangerous and finish this series on tuesday. it was interesting to see coach norman tinker with his line-up, especially with the minutes given to juami tiongson and "secret weapon" jp erram. expect the tamaraws to make key adjustments in the second game and try to get their groove back, especially the duo of rr garcia and aldrech ramos. originally, i predicted the blue eagles to win the series in close margins, but with this kind of desire in their eyes, it is not impossible to see another blowout this tuesday at the expense of the tamaraws. the team cannot be complacent though as winning game 1 only means that half the work has been done. as long as the team remains focused on its goal and executes the plays in both offense and defense, we might witness the fourth consecutive title raised high by the blue and white.

BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

 slaughter the tams (photo source)

last shot. if there is one person in the blue and white that i miss this season, it has to be you.

(photo source)

The scores:

Ateneo 82 – Salva 24, Ravena 17, Slaughter 12, Monfort 11, Long 8, Erram 4, Tiongson 4, Chua 2, Gonzaga 0, Golla 0, Austria 0

FEU 64 – Romeo 23, Escoto 12, Ramos 9, Garcia 6, Exciminiano 6, Tolomia 5, Pogoy 2, Cruz 1, Sentcheu 0, Bringas 0

Quarter scoring: 14-19, 33-33, 60-49, 82-64

credits to inboundpass and adrian dy (chinoy hoops fan) for the stats

AND 1: May the Fourth be with You

credit to the original artist, image found on facebook

i will miss watching game one tomorrow.
but i'm one in spirit with the rest of the blue eagles' 6th man.

GO ATENEO! 
ONE BIG FIGHT!

From the movie "Kung Fu Panda 2"

(photo source)

"Your story may not have such a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you choose to be... 
So, who are you, Panda?" 

- Soothsayer
Kung Fu Panda 2

Dreaming of the Ateneo-FEU Finals

sige nga, name the "angry" birds in this picture! (photo source)

i had a crazy dream during siesta time. it was about the uaap season 74 finals between the ateneo blue eagles and the feu tamaraws.

i found out yesterday that i will not be able to watch game 1 of the finals this coming saturday due to a commitment in our apostolate area. i was originally planning to watch the game first before going to apostolate, but with this development at hand, i might as well try to check how things will go on tv. but that's not the dream.

anyway, i dreamnt of watching the game live... at ringside! but since i didn't have tickets, i tried walking in the araneta, and surprisingly got in as there were no gate attendants in the area. i was surprised to see fellow josefinos watching there too! but what struck me was a little before the game ended, ateneo (already sporting a big lead) called a timeout for a "marian song" led by... our rector! for some reason, i and the rest of the josefinos left the coliseum but returned after the song. of course, ateneo won the championship in the end. only to hear my cellphone alarm. it's all a dream. hahahaha!

for sure, that dream meant something. i'll leave my sangguniang pastoral class for its psychoanalytic interpretation. but the fact remains: i will miss watching game 1 of the uaap finals live - for the first time in the ateneo championship era. but i hope to be back for game 2, which will hopefully be the clincher for the blue eagles' fourth title.

AND 1: Dynamite

featuring the ateneo-adamson big birds with the special participation of coaches norman black and leo austria! 

thanks bro. robbie for telling me about this awhile ago over tuesday basketball!

TIMEOUT: on loneliness and alone-ness

you may be alone, but not lonely. 
or lonely, but not alone.

Good Luck? Bad Luck? Who Knows?

from fr. eric castro's homily in national shrine of our lady of guadalupe, makati city.
story taken from http://seekingalpha.com/article/112485-financial-meltdown-good-luck-bad-luck-who-knows

A farmer used an old horse to till his fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”

A week later, the horse returned with a herd of horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?”

Then, when the farmer’s son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?"

Some weeks later, the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his broken leg, they let him off.

Now was that good luck or bad luck? Who knows?

Next in Line

this morning, three josefinos from the LIPAD (lubos na iniaalay ang puso sa amang dakila) class were ordained to the sacred order of deacons. the diaconate, a transitional ministry in preparation for ordination to the priesthood, is a ministry of service: in word (to proclaim the gospel during masses, to preach and to teach in a homily), in liturgy (to assist in various parts of the masses especially in communion), and in charity (to serve the poor and the marginalized). a deacon (from the greek διάκονος) is essentially a servant in the work of ministry in the church.

i am currently in my third year in theology, and i have to admit that this diaconal ordination makes me look forward to my own ordination very soon. though much work has yet to be done, ordinations like this brings much excitement and anticipation to me. it has been a long and winding journey for me, but i know that it has hardly entered its final stages. 12 years inside the seminary are just specks in relation to a lifetime of commitment to the priesthood. i've seen a lot, but i haven't seen them all.

this coming march 2012, i hope to get admitted for candidacy for holy orders. but before that will be pages to read, exams to pass, papers to write, publications to release, apostolates to attend to, basketball games to play, and prayers to pray. the fact remains that after this batch, i and the rest of my classmates are next in line.

so let's see what happens in september 2012. until then, i will pray well for perseverance in this vocation i am called to. i will study well for my future ministry. i will serve well in my duties and apostolates. and i will strive well to be formed as a son of san jose.

AND 1: Metta World Peace

so, ron artest is now officially "metta world peace." who's getting his jersey? i am. hahahaha

(photo source)

THREE-POINT PLAY: Ateneo 69, UST 66 (Final Four)

 

slaughter slams it home (photo source)

three points on the blue eagles' 12th straight victory over the growling tigers and a ticket to their fourth straight uaap basketball finals

angry eagle knocks down the tower (photo source)

1. lucky. the blue eagles have to consider themselves lucky to avert a meltdown in the end-game against the growling tigers. with a 10 point lead with a little more than 3 minutes left in the game, all hell broke loose as the growling tigers started hitting threes that they missed throughout the game. despite greg slaughter's absence in the last few seconds of the game due to cramps and kiefer ravena obviously gasping for breath in the end, the blue eagles were able to weather the storm with free throws from justin chua and nico salva in the closing seconds. what was disturbing was the fact that ateneo's lead ballooned up to 15 only to find the team groping for form in the dying seconds. what was earlier predicted as a walk in the park almost turned into a nightmare. some might say the breaks of the game pulled the blue eagles through, but the team can't rely on them at all times - especially with the championship close at hand.

WALA! (photo source)

2. a little too late. yes, a win is a win, but the shaky moments in the end-game kept everyone hanging at the edge of their seats. consider these "what ifs": what if those two wild outlet passes from jeric fortuna led to conversions for the yellow and white? what if jeric teng made at least one of his open looks in the three-point area? what is ust made more than four out of their eleven missed free throws? what if kevin ferrer exploited his mismatch against ravena a little earlier in the game? worse, what if fortuna made his final shot to send this game into overtime with our key players logging heavy minutes in the game? unfortunately for them and fortunately for us, these scenarios remain and will continue to remain as "what ifs". ateneo must learn to sustain its attack in the concluding stretches of the game - a crucial facet in their game play that they have displayed in their three previous championship runs. the blue eagles were lucky (again) to have the clock on their side as the tigers growled a little too late back to the game.

time to add another one (photo source)

3. it's not over. the blue eagles will be waiting for their opponent in the finals, which will start on september 24. with feu extending their series against adamson to a rubber match this coming sunday, the road to ateneo's 4th consecutive championship just got a bit more exciting. the last slot will be up for grabs between the tamaraws and the falcons - the former almost beating the blue eagles in the second round and the latter putting ateneo's "sweep dreams" to a rude awakening last sunday. each team has its own strengths and stories to tell: the tamaraws are seeking their return to the top of the food chain after years of frustration in the final four, while the falcons are trying to clinch their first title since 1977 with a team that is formidable enough to do so. both teams though have an interesting sub-plot to their story line: this season is their best chance to win the championship; otherwise they will have to wait a little longer to return to the last dance. in any case, the ateneo blue eagles will come prepared and ready for whoever wins on sunday. behind the two remaining games to win will be hard-fought games, intense practices, and tremendous preparations. the quest for 4 is not over 'til it's over.

ONE BIG FIGHT!
BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

The scores:

Ateneo 69 – Slaughter 17, Ravena 13, Salva 12, Chua 9, Tiongson 5, Gonzaga 5, Monfort 4, Long 4, Golla 0, Austria 0

UST 66 – Abdul 16, Camus 13, Teng 11, Ferrer 10, Fortuna 8, Afuang 5, Tan 3, Sheriff 0, Pe 0, Lo 0, Ungria 0

Quarter scoring: 18-18, 38-30, 52-40, 69-66

credits to inboundpass and adrian dy (chinoy hoops fan) for the stats

AND 1: Not in my (Slaughter)House!

(photo source)

will post my analysis of the ateneo-ust final 4 game tomorrow.

FIRST 5: Keys to the Final Four - Ateneo (1) vs. UST (4)

kiefer to kevin: mas masarap maging atenista (photo source)

2006. season 69. the mere mention of these numbers still hurt until now, despite the eleven straight games the ateneo blue eagles have won against ust, including a buzzer beater by kirk long in the second round of season 70, two final four appearances (in seasons 70 and 72), and two wipeouts during the eliminations this season. the blue and white meet white and yellow in the final four once more, and the stakes are higher this time around: rising above from a loss last game, sealing a championship birth towards a 4th consecutive title, and (still) avenging the title that should have been ours in season 69.

here are five things the blue eagles have to consider in this final four clash with the growling tigers:

Feast of the Triumph of the Cross

Today is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. It also marks the "original feast day" of Santo Cristo de Las Pinas Parish, my home parish.

Please continue to pray for our parish, now on its 16th year of existence. We pray especially the priests who have served our parish: Fr. Virgilio Pedregosa (our current parish priest), Frs. Rey Anthony Yatco, Gregory Ramos, Amado Arroyo, Lamberto Legaspino (former parish priests) and Frs. Rafael Cruz, Nestor Remata and Paul (former resident priests).

Please also pray for me and the seminarians who have served the parish in one way or another.

Viva Santo Cristo!

Feast of Saint John Chrysostom

photo taken from here

"If there were no tribulation, there would be no rest; if there were no winter, there would be no summer." 

- Saint John Chrysostom

Today (September 13) is the Feast day of Saint John Chrysostom, from whom our family name is based. Known as the "golden mouth" for his intense preaching and defense of the Catholic Christian faith, he is revered as one of the 33 doctors of the Catholic Church.

May the example of John Chrysostom animate us to be stewards of goodness, teachers of truth, and instruments of God's love to one another.

Happy feast day to everyone bearing the name "Crisostomo" all over the world!

TIMEOUT: some people just can't spell it right :|

AND 1: Bobby Ray's shot and NU's "could have been"

this shot perhaps defined the chances of the nu bulldogs making into the final four midway through the elimination round. too bad they did not make it to the postseason but they played a major role down the stretch as spoilers to la salle's shot at the final four as well as ust's bid for the number 3 seed.

bobby ray parks might have won the mvp plum for his 22 point performance yesterday, but nu's exclusion from the final four could give him second thoughts on staying put or entertaining offers abroad. now, the question is, will we still see "BRP" in season 75? it's for him to know and for us to find out.