panalo!

The DLSU Green Archers sweep the series with a 2-0 standing, winning against the Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Big Dome this afternoon. Yes, you read it right. And nope, the UAAP won’t be kicking-off until next Sunday.

Coming from a late lunch at the friendly neighborhood carinderia, I got home this afternoon and turned on the television for some pre-thesis and post-siesta viewing. And then, as I switch the channel to Studio 23, I saw some guy wearing a green and white jersey shooting a free throw. And I said to myself, “this can’t be the UAAP? It’s just July 2.” But curiously, the faces and the names of the players were strangely familiar. And then it dawned on me, “I get it!!!” Hilariously, as they were going to pause for a commercial break, they replayed a footage of Franz Pumaren making a tree point shot… to the tune of Holding Up for a Hero!!! Hahahaha! How retro can you be?!

The title can’t be more self-serving: The Ultimate Showdown: Ateneo VS. La Salle. But who’s complaining right? And besides, it’s no news that the school war between Ateneo and La Salle has been there at the top of the list among such great battles as The Peloponnesian War, The Crusades and World War 1 and 2. Hehehe. Yeah, it’s a tad exaggerated (duh?) but it’s true that the competition between the two schools is one of those realities of Filipino society permanently lodged in the country’s psyche (did I mention self-serving? Hahaha!). From the dug-out to the boardroom, the tension between the two schools can’t be more apparent.

Coming from that quaint little place along Ortigas Avenue called LSGH, I had my share of stories about the rivalry. I can still remember the time when groups of the 3rd year would assemble at the amusement center at the basement of “Gale” (Robinson’s Galleria) to meet up with you know who for you know what. And then, you hear of stories of troops among troops of security guards and police men assembling at Paeng’s (a bowling center by Paeng Nepomuceno, also at Robinson’s Galleria) to stop a group of kids from doing you know what. By the way, when I say “you know what” I mean it in a gang-war kind of way and not in a bastos, sleazy kind of way. Kayo talaga, green talaga kayo! Hahaha. Wait, I’m not sure which is better. Hahaha. Anyways.

As I have said, mostly are just stories and accounts from the higher batches but I did read some newspaper clippings of some incidents, especially that of the car window smashing spree at the Araneta (tama ba? Now I’m not quite sure of the place). I choose to tell it like this – a somewhat bystander-slash-chismoso kind of stance – because I never did have a first hand experience with those sorts of events. Fortunately, being part of the high school swimming team has kept me away from having my head bashed and my back whacked by a baseball bat. By the way, I have added a link to the Green Oysters (that’s what we perennially and lovingly call our team although officially, we are the Stingrays) site. Feel free to check it out and meet some of my friends. Interestingly, we have Ateneans on our team. How? Long story. Hehe. Also, don’t bother looking for me in the pictures, I have been a “no-show” guy for a very long time. The last party that I have attended after a long while was that 2 weeks ago. And unfortunately (or fortunately), we didn’t have camera that night. Oh well, there’s always the next time. =)

Back to the story.

But even without the baseball bats, the rivalry has been apparent in many areas aside from the basketball court. I need not expound on this so I won’t. But rephrasing what a good friend said in one of her speeches, “Ang lamang na lang ng mga taga-Ateneo ay wala pang Lasalistang nagiging presidente.” Point well taken.

The games this afternoon was an interesting mix of euphoria brought by the same school spirit that has fuelled the UAAP through the years (as well as poured money into the pockets of countless opportunistic scalpers) and a nostalgia of days gone by when you watch the UAAP games not just for the games but because of the fact that you had someone to watch it with with. Again, I’m not going to expound on the natural high you get from screaming your lungs out, jumping, thumping, waving, clapping your hands until your palms become a beautiful bloody pink, clenching and throwing your fist on the air every time your team gets to score (or when they don’t) – that’s pretty self-explanatory. But I guess the latter is something many people take for granted, or at least, don’t realize yet – not until the noise, the cheers and jeers have died down, that they find cheering beside them a person not only someone who goes to the same school and shares the same color they’re wearing, but a friend who has always been there for them, whether they win or lose in that ultimate game we call Life.

As Noli Eala has commented, “There’s a lot of pointing going around here.” If you’re scratching your head and asking what the heck that meant, so did I. And then he explained it. Every time a player makes a shot, he points to the crowd. He points out to the crowd where his family is seated, a simple gesture to say thanks to their support for all that they’ve been through. There were two games played this afternoon, one for those batches 84 and older (The Legends Game) and another for those batches 85 and younger (All-Star Game). This gives you an idea how old these people are. Following that train of thought, we can say that many of these players already have their own families. So for many, it didn’t come as a surprise (if they’re Atenean or Lasallian) to see their dad, uncle, older brothers or even lolo’s suiting up for their Alma Maters. And of course, if the daddies, uncles, kuyas and lolos were there, so were their better halves (halfs). It was heartwarming to see parents wearing their caps on reverse, mingling with their children’s barkada (hmmm… come to think of it, it was the opposite – I think the more mature crowd outnumbered the younger ones, a change from the usual teen-packed audience of the UAAP). The nostalgia comes from the fact that these player are paying tribute not only to the schools which have helped them become who they are now but more importantly, to their families who have been there beside them, in or out of the court.

As for me, the UAAP has been a very special event to watch out for each and every year. But admittedly, I imbibed the UAAP fever late in school. I did watch some games back in high school but all of them were on the TV. I was more interested in the water, arcade games, the library and schoolwork than watching basketball and having to pay for it (if I ever did go to Araneta). But I’ve heard of their names: Aldeguer, Webb, Allado, Ritualo, Jose. But they were nothing more than that, just names. The funny thing is, if a cousin or a friend greets me with a, “hoy! galing ng La Salle ha”, I was all smiles and I would say “oo nga! galing namin no?”. Then suddenly, they follow it up with, “pero sayang, bridesmaid lang…” When that happens, I just scratch my head and say “ah, ganun ba? hehehe” while laughing nervously.

It is not until college that I got to really feel that energy, being pumped up every time I hear that La Salle has won a game or that they’re (we’re) up against Ateneo. And then there was Plaridel. Aside from covering the EDSA 2 and Mendiola rallies, sneaking inside Araneta was my favorite job as a photographer. Why sneaking? Hehehe. Basta. Hehehe. And the fun thing about it is that I was not alone in this fiendish exercise of wits and pambobola. I had my Retrato friends along with me. Leading our version of Mission Impossible was Boss Obi, and his sidekick(s) Kuya Caloy and Kuya Marco (and Ate Sansan, minsan). Then there was Jam, Betsy, Elmo, Gekgek, Macri, Franco, Jean, Kate, Christine, Christian (I hope I didn’t forget anyone, ngay…). Then there were also our friends from Isports, Lea, Yanyan, Ate Joy (hmmm… sino pa ba?). We were there, cheering and shouting… all of us… at the courtside! Hahaha! I was in first year and we were champions. We had wonderful pictures of those games (and of us watching the games). And we had each other to make those times some of the most wonderful moments of our lives.

Maybe, this is stretching the topic a little tiny bit too much but everyone has to agree that each of us has his or her own memory of the games that are far beyond than just watching the ball go through the hoop. As for me, after last year’s basketball season, UAAP will not be the same way again. Oh well. Let’s see what this season has in store for me.

This afternoon’s games were wonderful. Shempre! La Salle ang panalo e! Hahahaha!!! But besides the obvious (still laughing… Hahahaha!!!), and besides the heart-pumping basketball, the games were also filled with scenes that would surely put a smile on anybody’s face. And I leave you now with some of them:

- Members of the pep squad having a hard time bending down when they were doing the Rektikano routine. *wink wink*

- The beats of the ‘80s punctuating each break or line-up call. Think We Built This City, Buttercup, Let’s Get Physical, Eye of the Tiger, .Footloose, Staying Alive, I’m Coming Out and a song that goes, “Ooooohhh there she comes, she’s a man-eater.” Yah mahn.

- Players on the bench wearing glasses. (And they were obviously not for reading) *wink wink* ulit.

- Gary Lising and Sen. Dick Gordon together on the parquet shouting “Blue Eagles, Blue Eagles” with the “senior” Blue Babble Battalion. =)

- Danny Francisco on the hardwood after 18 (?) long years. His is quite a story. I learned about him when he was featured on a documentary on channel 4 (or 5). He was regarded as the next Mon Fernandez. Until a heart condition totally ended his career, at least, as a player. He was playing this afternoon wearing a Kevlar armor under his jersey to protect his chest. Touching story really.

- Cong. Fuentabella making 7-point shots (2 player shootout).

- Tonichi Yturri and Ren-ren Ritualo going against Jojo Lastimosa and Epok Quimpo, also in the 2 player shootout.

- Vince Hizon vs Mon Jose, each being a shadow to the other, both literally and figuratively. The match-up makes more sense when you see how they looked so alike with their headbands and bald heads. =)

- Coach Franz Pumaren making 3 point shots in the Legends Game!

- And his brother Dindo bucketing 6 of the first 7 points for the DLSU in the All Star Game!

Panalo tayo! Animo La Salle! And Go Ateneo na rin! Panalo tayong lahat! Weee!!!

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By the way, I’m back. In the blogging world at least. =)