Character: Striving to be Better than Everybody Else

"It's about character. It's about striving to be better than everybody else" - Coach Eric Taylor of "Friday Night Lights"

It has been a tough weekend for me and I should be better off getting some rest (69 hours of work in the past four days) but “Friday Night Lights” Season 5 Episode 3 was just too good that it motivated me to write this journal entry. Oh, not just write but also to research. (Scrap that. Searching episode names in IMDB and copy-pasting is not “research.”) I am straining my eyes again, but what the heck – let Future Jeff worry about that.

“Friday Night Lights” S05E03 was so remarkable (more on that later as I do not want to spoil my readers) that I think it was one of the best TV episodes this year. It had great drama and a good ongoing theme. It was probably the best episode of this TV series in 2010. It was so appealing that “#fridaynightlights” became a trending Twitter topic on the week of its release. It made me ponder on which TV series episodes shown this year are the best. We might have a weaker TV season for most shows but I am definitely sure that this year produced several outstanding episodes.

8 Random Thoughts on NU 107, NBA, HIMYM and Friday Night Lights

NU 107 will forever be missed. Credit: NU 107

“And when it rains
On this side of town, it touches everything
Just say it again and mean it
It don’t miss a thing…”
-    Paramore from the song entitled “When It Rains”

Here is my latest edition of the eight random thoughts to tackle on the not-so-latest topics. Before I will cut this introduction short, I will just inform you that I cut this blog into two parts: first part is for the non-spoiler section while the other part would be about the spoiler section (which means it is about TV shows. That is, in case you are behind or you plan to watch “Mad Men,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Friday Night Lights”)

Greatest Sports Songs of All-Time

Are you ready?!!

...Sports Songs. Yes, this blog is about sports songs.

October has ended a week ago. Of all the months, I think October is the best month for sports. UAAP’s Finals usually happens in October (except for this year and in 2008). American major sports only occur simultaneously in October (and sometimes November) as the MLB Playoffs take place while the NBA Tip-Off happens in the final week of October. Because of these, I think it would just be apt to have a proper send-off for the best sports month in every year with a write-up on the best sports-related songs.

Best Sports Game Soundtrack

As the NBA 2K11 fever heats up across the globe, I think that it would be a good preliminary point of discussion to ask which video game possesses the best soundtrack. I have played various sports games through the years like the NBA 2K games, NBA Jam, College Slam, Triple Play, Madden and FIFA. The ‘90s versions of these games may have catchy sounds but these never had a compilation of actual songs. The best video game soundtrack should come from the 2000’s. Thus, I think the best has got to be “Madden 2010.”

Little Giants No More

The new World Series Champions

Sem Break 1997. It was a fine morning in Manila as I watched the final game of the 1997 World Series with Lolo. It pitted the Cleveland Indians and the Florida Marlins. One team was one of the teams with the longest championship drought (although the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox still belonged in that list) while the other team was in its first ever World Series appearance. It would be a big delight to the fans whichever team wins. As my favorite team was already eliminated then, I was just a mere spectator. But if there was one team that I wanted to side with, it would be the Cleveland Indians. My favorite team – the Atlanta Braves – defeated the Indians in the World Series a few years back so I never had the jealous type of hatred on them. The Marlins, on the other hand, killed the hopes of the Braves in 1997 on the way to the World Series.

Me and our Nolan Ryan baseball

Cleveland was on its way to victory when they led in the final stretches of the game. I can still remember ESPN flashing the teams with the longest championship drought. Cleveland was among them and that led me to sympathize and root for them further. However, the Marlins found a way to inch closer. By the end of the ninth inning, the game was already knotted up at two. The Florida fans screamed louder. If you happen to root for the visiting team, it is always a sick feeling to hear fans roaring when the home team gets the huge momentum at the crucial moments of a team game. There is a mix of helplessness, terror and intimidation. This was one of the first times I genuinely felt that (since I never got to watch Games 6 and 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals and Houston just purely dominated Orlando in the 1995 Finals). The Indians apparently shared the same feeling that I had. They struggled to score in the next two innings. Florida, on the other hand, got to reach the bases in the 11th inning. The fans roared when the young Edgar Renteria stepped into the plate. He hit the ball and scored the championship-winning RBI as the Marlins rejoiced their first taste of championship.