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| The Lambeau Leap | Credit: NFL |
Random Thought #1: Any thoughts on the Ateneo Blue Eagles?
First off, I have to say my traditional reaction once Ateneo reaches the Finals…
We’re Baaaaaaaaaaccccckkkkk!!!
Yeah, I know. It happens every year for the past four years. It never gets tiring. Knowing how frustrating the feeling of losing in the past decade was, you have to savor every moment you get the opportunity.
I have to admit, I still have not watched the Final Four game against UST. Yes, even the replay. Thus, I would not be commenting too much on the game. What am I going to analyze given the fact that I just wrote 900 words about the Blue Eagles last week?
Once again, the Blue Eagles are in position to grab the title. The good thing is, their opponents have pretty much the same momentum that they have. Ateneo lost to Adamson last Saturday. Normally, we dislike losing our last elimination game because we want the players to play at a very high level come the Final Four. Because of that loss, the Falcons have a lot of momentum switch to their side. However, they lost to FEU last Thursday. Thus when it comes to the momentum wars, who has the upper hand?
Ateneo and FEU may have won their most recent games, but no one has the sure upper hand. Winning by a slim margin is not something to be proud of after you have led by a ton of points during the game. What only happened last Thursday was to kill some momentum from the Soaring Falcons. They were on a high prior to the Final Four. If there was one thing I was hoping for, I wanted FEU to beat Adamson. Now that it happened, I say any of them can win the next game. I think FEU is still a dangerous team. They kept themselves at a low profile this year, which was what the Blue Eagles did prior to their Keyser Soze-esque massacre game. And you know what, they hold the longest (which is not that long) winning streak of the remaining teams. They have some sneaky momentum.
The Falcons are also scary despite their recent setback. They are the hungriest team these days. We know what they are capable of (see Round 2 game against Ateneo). Their recent loss may have blemished some momentum, but it also served as a good lesson for their team to not take things for granted. That is one of their major weaknesses. If they fix it in due time, they are a dangerous team to face in the Final Four.
The Blue Eagles may be able to rest for quite a while but given the fact that the winner of the Adamson-FEU game will rest for almost a week, Ateneo does not hold the resting advantage. In fact, rust may become a factor. I just hope that there won’t be no let-ups by the Blue Eagles come September 24. Eyes on the prize. One big fight!
ADDENDUM: FEU has already defeated Adamson.
Random Thought #2: On a scale of 1 to 10, (with 10 being the highest) how comparable to a video game was the Patriots win over the Dolphins last week was?
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| Run, Wes, run! | Credit: NFL |
If I were to compare it to a Madden game, it is like you are playing an All-Pro or All-Madden CPU. CPU gets to score over you even if he is just using Chad Henne. That initial drive by the Dolphins was almost mistake-free for the much-criticized Henne. When playing Madden, I usually rely a lot on my defense but there are times no matter how you switch your scheme to fit the opponent’s strategy, the CPU gets to find a way to complete a pass or rush for the 1st down. That’s what you get for playing a higher difficulty level.
Having a sound game plan gives you a chance to outwit a high difficulty level CPU. Just like what the Pats did on Monday Night Football, they went for the no-huddle offense. Whenever you want to catch up to the computer in Madden, that is what you do. Mix it up and use some of your money plays. Suddenly, you get the lead. But just like every high level CPU game in Madden, the computer tries to catch up (no matter how weak its lineup is) and ties the game. Miami did it. Quite disheartening if you spent a huge amount of your effort to create a lead, but this is the part where you either succumb to the pressure or break away. The Patriots did the latter. I love high octane offenses in Madden because you can always catch up or regain your lead on your next possession. Brady did that by throwing a flurry of nifty passes to his very reliable tight ends. The Patriots grab the lead for good.
The most awesome part of the game was when the Patriots got the ball at the ½ yard line. If you are playing a video game and if you are leading against the CPU, you have a tendency to want to score more (because you are greedy and want to have more points… after all, there is no repercussions if you squander the lead). Instead of running it up (which is equally scary), the Patriots went into shotgun. The Fins opted to go for the blitz. In video games, I have seen these situations numerous times. I just love it when the CPU’s safeties blitz my QB. One quick slant or one good quick pass does the trick and you break away with the touchdown. That was what happened when Brady threw that Eff You pass against the blitzing Miami D. The result: A 99½-yard touchdown by Wes Welker. Game over.
Random Thought #3: Which team came out the best after Week 1?
I still have to go with my Green Bay Packers. Both my teams impressively won their games, but the Pack faced a stronger opponent. It is better to give up a lot of yards to Drew Brees than to Chad Henne. Either way, the Packers and the Patriots were the best two teams in Week 1. Other impressive teams were Baltimore after giving a beatdown on the Steelers (thanks to Ray Rice for helping my fantasy teams win) and – I hate to say this – the New York Jets. They should have won the game in the first place, but their clutchness is very commendable. Mark Sanchez has ice in his veins.
Random Thought #4 (sorry this is still about NFL): What are your picks to win Week 2?
I got bored last week and decided to create a Pigskin Pick ‘Em and an Eliminator Challenge accounts. If I get uber lucky, I get to play in Fantasy Focus’ “The Man’s League.” So far, so good. I picked Arizona to win Week 1 and I almost got toasted by rookie quarterback Cam Newton. My Week 1 picks were mediocre as I had one win above the .500 line (which was equal or better than the ESPN analysts in my division). I just hope that I get more picks right this week. Here they are: (Home teams are in CAPS)
BUFFALO BILLS over Oakland Raiders. This was a tough pick, but I have to go with Fitzpatrick and Co. They are at home and guess what, they demolished last year’s playoff team, Kansas City Chiefs, at the road. Oakland may have won over the Broncos last Monday, but we must note that it was just a 3-point win care of the 63-yard (how in the hell?! I could not even kick a 45-yarder in Madden) fieldgoal by Janikowski.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS over Chicago Bears. I just have more faith on Drew Brees. Fantasy analysts are killing New Orleans’ Defense for giving up a lot of points last week (hey, they were against Rodgers!). My response is to pick up the New Orleans D/ST this week. Heck, this is even my Eliminator Pick. I know it might bite me back but I see this game as the game where analysts always go wrong. There’s always “that game.”
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS over Cleveland Browns. I know that Indianapolis is currently a wreck. But so is, Cleveland. I picked the home team and the team that’s more experienced in victories to win.
DETROIT LIONS over Kansas City Chiefs. Fourth straight home team pick. Yup, let’s do this. I am a believe of the Detroit Lions this year.
Green Bay Packers over CAROLINA PANTHERS. No need to expound on this.
Baltimore Ravens over TENNESSEE TITANS. I also believe in the Ravens. I think Ray Rice will be the #1 Fantasy Running Back by the end of the year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers over MINNESOTA VIKINGS. Wow! More people are picking the Vikes. I know Tampa was horrible last weekend, but I think they are still more talented than Peterson’s Vikings.
NEW YORK JETS over Jacksonville Jaguars. Not even close. Jaguars will be eaten alive.
Arizona Cardinals over WASHINGTON REDSKINS. I can’t believe I am picking Arizona again after they almost choked their previous game. Redskins were also impressive, but I also believe in Kolb and Fitzgerald.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS over Seattle Seahawks. Say hello to the Massacre Game of the Week.
Dallas Cowboys over SAN FRANCISCO 49ers. Cowboys are still more talented. They may have lost Game 1, but we must remember that they commanded the ball game for most of the time against the Jets. Yup, the J-E-T-S. Jets! Jets! JETS!
DENVER BRONCOS over Cincinnati Bengals. Amidst all the controversy in Denver, I think they will win this game. Kyle Orton will bounce back and surprise everyone. I know the odds are stacked against Denver on this one – Lloyd and Moreno are probably out, while Orton is experiencing Homecourt Disadvantage. However, I’ll just go with my gut feel on this.
Houston Texans over MIAMI DOLPHINS. Texans are just too good. Furthermore, I still think Henne’s performance was a fluke.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS over San Diego Chargers. Because I love the Patriots. That and it’s Drew Bledsoe Night.
Philadelphia Eagles over ATLANTA FALCONS. This is the toughest pick for me. Atlanta is great at home and there are several question marks on Vick’s game from last week. However, I think Matt Ryan will have a difficult time facing the Philly cornerbacks just like last year when they lost to Green Bay.
St. Louis Rams over NEW YORK GIANTS. My upset pick of the week. The Rams were severely injured last week but I have enough faith on Sam Bradford destroying the New York secondary. Also, the Rams’ defense is impressive enough to pick Eli Manning.
Random Thought #5 (last thought on NFL): Who were the best fantasy surprises last week?
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| Fearless Prediction: Ray Rice will be the best fantasy running back this year | Credit: NFL |
As for running backs, it was a huge week for Ray Rice, Matt Forte and Darren McFadden. In my early leagues, I usually ended up drafting Rice and Forte in the first and third rounds respectively. I do not like how my wide receivers ended up on those lineups. Ironically, my first teams ended up as the best fantasy producing teams in Week 1. Beginner’s luck, I guess. That, or I am starting to understand what Adam Schefter said, “the more you know, the less you know.”
Random Thought #6: Now that La Salle is 100% eliminated, is it bashing time?
No. This might be the year I have been the nicest to the Green Archers. Yes, I did bash them early on (and I won’t apologize for it – that’s just how it goes). However, I will not bash them for squandering their Final Four chances. The La Salle community has suffered too much this year that I do not see it apt to add further salt to their wounds. Instead, I will be a “man for others” by giving my thoughts on what went wrong for the greenies.
Before Dindo Pumaren took the reins from Franz Pumaren, La Salle got eliminated for the very first time since the Final Four format began. Yes, it was a team built for the Pumaren style – Dindo and Franz share almost similar coaching styles. However, we must note that the team that Dindo inherited was damaged goods. Their confidence was shattered for six straight losses to their archrivals. Most of these losses were even humiliating. In some way or another, it has an effect on the players’ psyche. The Blue Eagles from 2004-05 shared the same confidence issue, so I can say that Atkins’ batchmates shared the same weakness. Ateneo also had a coaching change then. Guess who was the coach who had to inherit the ‘damaged goods’ team? Norman Black. Heck, he even had to watch Ateneo get swept by their archrivals for a year (two if you were counting his consultant years).
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the La Salle community sucks for quitting on Dindo. It is just that Dindo had the initial disadvantage of coaching a team that had high expectations but were affected psychologically because they were dominated by their archrivals. The mental game is a huge important aspect of basketball. Classic example is Bader Malabes. If you watched his performance against Smart Gilas recently, you will notice that he performed well. If you watched the DLSU circa 2007, Bader was considered a threat. I can still remember listening to Halikinu Radio’s Ateneo-La Salle rivalry special edition where Bobby Yan (a La Salle die-hard) mentioning that he would put Bader Malabes in his All-Star Ateneo-La Salle team that year. Guess who underperformed in his final years in DLSU and was heavily scrutinized by fans. Bader Malabes.
But if we are going to ask why DLSU Green Archers failed miserably this year, the answer is actually simple. It was because of the coaching staff. The years of baggage got exponentially worse with wrong game-time decisions by Dindo Pumaren. He was rotating too often that his players could not catch sufficient momentum. There are players who can score when called upon as soon as possible, but most players need ample playing time before they get their shooting touch. With Dindo’s tactic, he lost his players’ potential to deliver strong because by the time they develop their ‘touch,’ they are sent to the benches. Another concern for the Archers was their big man coaching. Arnold Van Opstal had a decent rookie year, but if you are going to observe how most of the recent DLSU big men performed, the results are underwhelming. The fundamentals to stay inside and score easy baskets were missing. Instead, we get to see Norbert Torres waste his bulky body by shooting blanks from the outside. They say he has the shooting touch, but fundamentally you would want him trying to score inside and have a high chance of rebounding his miss than making him take a low percentage shot that he would be seldom get fouled on.
Because of the coaching miscues, DLSU incurred several losses. I feel bad for Dindo because he was still able to put the Green Archers to the playoffs last year. At least, he was the nicer Pumaren. I could not say that the Green Archers are cocky anymore.
Just a note: if La Salle chooses to revamp their current system, I think they are in a difficult time (unless their next head coach shares a similar philosophy to the Pumarens). Their team is built to press – even if it is not threatening anymore. So for my green friends, I have to say that sometimes it needs patience and some understanding.
Random Thought #7: How scared are you of the Red Sox and Braves’ wild card struggles?
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| Josh Beckett is the remaining bright light for Boston's starting pitchers | Credit: MLB |
As we enter the final ten games of the MLB regular season, I am concerned for both Atlanta and Boston. As much as possible, you would want your team to enter the playoffs with some momentum. They may be able to reach the playoffs but if they do not get their act together by the end of the regular season, I can see postseason failure ahead. Shown below are what is wrong or is concerning me:
Shaky pitching. Atlanta is known for great pitching. I was proud of them last June because they possessed the best runs against total. Yesterday, they just gave away double-digit runs to the lowly New York Mets. Do not even get me started with Boston. The only time they were able to catch a break was when Josh Beckett pitched. And you know what, they barely escaped in that game.
I hope they fix these issues before the playoffs. This is the final stretch, guys. Let’s do this!
Random Thought #8: Any thoughts on Adamson’s loss?
Because it took me a while to finish this writeup, I have to remove one baseball random thought for this last UAAP thought.
Adamson’s loss was one of the biggest heartbreakers for the season. Their fans waited for long just to reach the Finals. Instead, they were shellshocked by a rejuvenated FEU team.
Adamson lost the game because they were outcoached. The Tamaraws trampled the Falcons by running as much as they can. I have been tweeting about this as Ateneo’s way of beating their feathered foes in Round 2. Adamson hates running the ball. Thus, FEU went guns blazing by running it up and getting easy points as much as possible. It instigated their third quarter flurry – something Adamson would have a hard time catching up to. The lead became significant and the once confident crew fell back to earth knowing that they might miss the Finals again. Like I mentioned a while ago, basketball is a mental game. Adamson is used to losing through the years that even if they knew they are good this year, there would come a time that their past fates would haunt them.
The Falcons did not give up that easily. Or at least, their graduating point guard did not. Jerick Canada singlehandedly trimmed the lead to three points. The best they could to get it close was by two before they lost the rebounding battle with their horned foes. The Falcons had the shot for a last ditch effort but the biggest story was Flores’ effective strategy of fielding a fast, three-point shooting three-guard tandem. It was responsible for giving them the huge lead and on making the Falcons realize that they are vulnerable again.
I do not know how the Adamson fans feel right now. For the Ateneo haters who are in the Adamson bandwagon, they will most likely jump to the FEU bandwagon. For the loyal fans who went through a lot, I do not know if this is the consensus feeling but human tendency is to ask, “bakit ganun?” I actually took it from the homily of the recently concluded Sunday Mass. The homily was about the first being the last; the last being the first. Adamson had to build up a good regular season record only for them to get defeated in the end. In reality, this is reflective of what is happening to our lives. Our parish priest mentioned people were probably asking, “why are the greedy, corrupt people enjoying their lives while those poor people who kept their faith stayed poor?” For Adamson’s fans, their sad fate seemed unfair especially because they made a huge collective effort to support their team. As humans, it is normal to doubt on such occasions.
This is how life goes. But, this does not mean that one should give their faith up. For Adamson’s fans, I can say is just read this year’s slogan. All heart, all out. The Falcons may have been shellshocked when FEU made the huge third quarter run, but the fact that they honorably tried to come back is a feat. For each fan, the best you can hope for is to see your team try. Just take the cue from Canada. He went all out. It might not be enough to win a title, but it was enough to serve as a moral story for everyone to try their best even if everything seems to go wrong.
Adamson fans, you do not need to get envious to Ateneo or FEU for reaching the Finals again. You guys can already treasure how great your team battled in their last game. Every loss is a chance to improve your character. Congratulations for having a good season.
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