Kobe, cold in the Heat, shoots for more

Mr. Bryant faced Mr. James last Thursday. It was a meeting of two MVPs: Kobe had won the award in 2008 while LeBron snatched the Most Valuable Player trophy the past two seasons. On an eight-game winning streak in the city where the Wild Card Gym resides, the Lakers team was on a roll. Miami? They had lost steam. They lost five games in a row. But, when the two squads played three nights ago, it was LBJ who beat KB. The score: Miami, 94; L.A., 88.

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

“By snapping a five-game losing streak and completing a two-game sweep of the defending champions,” wrote one of my favorite NBA analysts, Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports, “the Heat reminded everyone — and most importantly themselves —they can compete with the elite when the Big Three get a little help from their soldiers.”

Miami did not win the NBA title. Not yet. Or, in the eyes of cynics, they won’t. Not in 2011. And, one victory doesn’t epitomize the whole season. They’re still in third place in the Eastern Conference. Against the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls (the top two), they’re a combined 0-6. Still, a win is a triumph–especially against the two-time defending champions.

“Had Miami lost Thursday night,” said Whitlock, “the Big Three were toast. There would be no reason to take them seriously the rest of the year.”

True. Last week was a Crisis Scenario. They had lost five straight. Calls for coach Erik Spoelstra to resign—again; in an echo we’ve heard many times before–resurfaced. Miami felt the heat. They were pressured. “A loss Thursday night would’ve destroyed the Heat mentally and emotionally,” added Whitlock. “It would’ve been a repeat of the Chicago game, complete with postgame tears.”

But, against LA, they responded positively. The game was close. With five minutes left to play, the score was 80-all. Then, after Kobe sank two three-pointers, it was 88-88. Two minutes were left. Then, Kobe–the NBA’s best closer–closed the door on himself. He failed miserably. Kobe attempted another 3-point shot. Wade blocked it. Down four points with 20 seconds remaining, he made another attempt. This time, 29-feet away. Again, he missed. In all, he was 8-for-21 and, in the crucial second half, was 2-for-11.

Kobe failed. But do you know how he responded? Over an hour after the Miami-L.A. game had finished, he came back on court and shot hundreds of jumpers.

“Bryant wanted the workout, wanted the chance to cleanse himself of missed shots and missed opportunities in the final minutes,” wrote Adrian Wojnarowski for Yahoo! Sports. “Mostly, he wanted James and Wade to understand the lengths they’ll need to go to take his title away. ‘This is my job,’ Bryant would say 2½ hours after the game, slumped in a chair courtside. ‘This is what you’re supposed to do …’”

Here’s the Wojnarowski narration: “All those Heat stars breathed a sigh, packed up and left American Airlines Arena. Bryant marched back onto the floor at 10:45 p.m. and started sweating again. Three Heat ball boys fed him passes, and Bryant marched to every corner of the floor and lofted his shots. Security staff and other Heat officials stood befuddled, unsure what to do. One security worker insisted he had never witnessed this in his eight years on the job. The Lakers were gone and Bryant was still dripping sweat on the Heat logo.

“Sometimes, players will do this in their own arena, but never on the road. This was a spectacle and no accident. Bryant’s still the player they’re chasing because he’s the MVP of the back-to-back NBA champions. Bryant knows these Heat will get it together and become a problem for everyone in the Eastern Conference. Wherever James and Wade had gone late Thursday, Bryant clearly wanted word to reach them: He won’t accept losing to the Heat. Not on Christmas, not on Thursday night and not in June.

“Hours later, when asked about his motivation in a text message, Bryant responded with the words of Achilles: ‘I want what all men want. I just want it more.’”

Tennis aces and a Japanese ace

Cebu Country Club, last weekend, organized an event to commemorate its winning a long-standing court case involving its golf course property. They called it the Thanksgiving Tournament.

One person was more thankful than everybody else. His name: Gen Nagai. His accomplishment? He scored a hole-in-one and brought home a brand-new Suzuki Celerio. This happened last Saturday. His feat was timely because, just as his countrymen were besting their Filipino rivals in Davis Cup play last weekend, Gen Nagai, a Japanese, did the same on the golf course. The tennis aces won on clay; he aced on grass. Gen’s unexpected coup at Hole No. 15 three days ago–swinging once and landing that white ball inside the cup–was the good luck charm his fellow Japanese needed. They won the Cup; he won a Celerio.

I first heard about this news last Sunday. Minutes after Go Soeda, the No.1 Japanese, defeated our own Cecil Mamiit at the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, I was approached by a familiar face. Atty. Jovi Neri, watching from the bleachers with his fellow Class A golfers Marko Sarmiento, Macky Michael, and Mark Garcia, approached me after the game. We met inside the tennis court, just as Mamiit was swarmed with fans eager for a photograph with their fallen hero.

Jovi, the 2002 CCC Club champion, introduced me to a Japanese. “You should write about him in your next article,” said Atty. Neri. “He just made a hole-in-one.” Gen and I shook hands. Another person on-court, thinking I was a Davis Cup player (I wore the same blue Accel shirt as the players), took my photo with Gen. “Sure,” I told Jovi, who himself won the Division A trophy last weekend, besting Montito Garcia.

Here’s the rest of Gen’s story, e-mailed to me the other night by Jovi: “Last year, Gen was promised by his mom, Ryoko, that he would get a brand-new golf set if he will shoot below par.  Gen finally earned it by shooting a 3-under par 69 – in a tournament no less. For his reward, he would get a complete golf set custom fitted to his exact specifications.

“In this scientific era of sports, properly fitted equipment is a must for top-level athletes so they do not give an advantage to their rivals. REDGOLF, Cebu’s top golf retailer, had to take Gen’s measurements such as height, wrist-to-floor, hand size, swing-speed, swing characteristics, and other key parameters. Gen’s was assembled in Japan and took almost a month to arrive which was one week before the tournament.  He practiced a bit with his set but his first game with it was the tournament.

“Wielding a pitching wedge, he hit the perfect shot which never left its line, landed softly on the green and rolled to the hole. In his flight and witnesses to the amazing shot were: Jovi Neri, Mark Dy, Bayani Garcia, and Raymond Garcia…

“He worked hard on his game, and his mom gave him a reward with a new equipment. It must have been only fitting that he used his new equipment to score that elusive ace.”

Gen’s weekend was perfect. In fact, he plans to try swinging again at the sport that he used to play when he was even younger: tennis. (At the Plantation Bay bleachers, surrounded by Filipinos, he was the lone Japanese in the corner cheering for his team.)

“He was inspired watching his countrymen win,” said Jovi, “that he is contemplating a return to tennis to complement his golf practice. If not tennis, he is looking into swimming, running, soccer, or badminton. He hits balls everyday and practices the hardest among all the junior golfers in Cebu Country Club. He wants to add an active sport to maintain his fitness.”

As to the Suzuki Celerio that he won? The dutiful and obedient son that he his, he gave the car keys to his mom. The reason? Gen can’t drive. He doesn’t have a license. He can’t get one. While he can drive that dimpled golf ball 288 yards away and he can drive that electric golf cart in CCC, he can’t drive a car along Osmeña Boulevard. Why not? Gen is a Grade 8 student at the Cebu International School. He’s only 14.

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Categorized as Golf

Cecil lost in tennis — but won over Cebu

Last Sunday, he vomited. Twice. Head bowed, shoulders drooping, his face grimaced. His Babolat racquet nearly fell off his weakened fingers. Cecil Mamiit, after nearly six hours on the oven-like tennis court last Friday, sprinting and smashing and sliding from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., was fatigued. His body ached. It was his third straight day under the intense Mactan seaside heat–the hottest three days of 2011. His body protested.

(Photo by Mario Maluenda Aguilar)

Yet, this braveheart wouldn’t say no. Quit? Retire? Give up? Over 1,200 spectators last Sunday, all watching our No.1, would have understood. But Cecil doesn’t quit. Instead, after vomiting and losing that second set to Go Soeda of Japan, he sliced an uppercut. Like the boxers of the ALA Gym whom he befriended, Cecil was a boxer on tennis shorts. He fought. He jabbed–punching volleys to win the third set. He had break point chances–I counted six–in the fourth set. Had he converted–he’d have won the pivotal fourth set and possibly scored a come-from-behind victory.

But, no. In the end, with his body exasperated, he lost. Our Davis Cuppers were defeated, 3-1. But those are only numbers because, to all who watched, we won. Cecil won. He won the hearts and applause of Cebuanos. Call it determination. Call it guts. In this game of teenagers, call it a 34-year-old grandfather’s willpower.

Cecil Mamiit may not be Manny Pacquiao. But, in fighting spirit and tenacity, they are equals. Cecil may not be the Azkals–their popularity ratings are not equal. But, amongst those who watched last weekend, their prominence is the same.

In truth, we could have won. The final score, 3-1, could have been reversed. We almost did win. We should have. In that first match on Friday, Cecil had three chances to win. He held match points. He led 4-0 in the deciding set. Given that victory plus the doubles win on Saturday, a 2-1 PHL lead would have been insurmountable.

But, this is the beauty–and agony–of sports. Victory is not attained in a mere five hours and 4-0 lead. Often, it takes six hours of pain. Yes, it was painful to watch that loss. More so because of the suffering inflicted on Mamiit: a counterpuncher who is made to languish by running left, forward, right, backwards. While Go Soeda is effortless like Roger, Cecil is Rafa: he’s made to sweat, grind, agonize. And vomit.

Still, kudos to Japan. And while the loss was disappointing, everything else was near-perfect. The crowd was incredible. I’ve watched many DC ties in Manila and, I’m proud to say, the Cebuanos reign. We are loud, drum-beating, noisy–complete with sexy dancers called Harry’s Angels.

Cecil mentioned this support to me at our small-group dinner last Sunday. The cheering boosted him, he said. The passionate audience bolstered his weakened body.

Harry Radaza? He celebrated his birthday last Sunday and, though he didn’t get the birthday gift via a victory, the impressive Lapu-Lapu City hosting made the city councilor drink bottomless San Mig Light… (To Lapu-Lapu City, to Mayor Paz Radaza, and the rest of the team—especially Plantation Bay–everybody was superb!)

Back to Cecil, I spent considerable time with him the past two weeks. While Treat Huey, for example, is quiet, Cecil is entertaining and gregarious. Minutes after Sunday’s loss, he had a mix of emotions. He wiped away tears. He was tossed in the air by the Japanese. He was eloquent in the farewell speech. As dozens swarmed him for photos, he grinned.

Then… he jumped in the pool! With complete tennis attire, he dove. He then shouted to the stunned audience–who wants this shirt? A young lady jumped to the pool. Anybody want my Nike shoes? Two others plunged the water. They each grabbed a shoe and wrestled for the other. Finally, a girl screamed, “Can you give us your tennis shorts?” Ha-ha.

His loss erased by the incredible affection the Cebuanos had showered upon him, Cecil teased the crowd by slowly pulling them down… Cecil paused, smiled and—as if to say goodbye to Cebu–submerged back into the pool.

See all the photos here and here.

Can the Philippines do a Korea against Japan?

View more photos here.

Summer is here! It started last Friday. While it’s been raining and drizzling the past month, the sun roasted Cebu starting two days ago. No clouds covered and no rain showered Lapu-Lapu City. Yes. This was what we hoped for. And we got it. With near-freezing temperatures in Tokyo today, we prayed for the sun to show its might in Davis Cup Cebu. It did.

Cecil Mamiit won last Friday. He should have. He nearly did. After trailing 2-5 in the fourth set, everybody expected Cecil to lose. But, given his resilient Filipino heart, he refused to quit. He won the fourth set in a tiebreaker. In the fifth set, he led 4-0. As we looked at Tatsumi Ito’s facial language, we knew it was over. It was 1-0, Advantage, Philippines. Yehey! we shouted. My seatmate, Meyrick “Jacs” Jacalan, at that point, told my wife Jasmin, “I’ll run naked on court if we lose!” Jacs lost the bet (but was stopped from fulfilling his promise by his wife, Perl!).

We lost. In the most thrilling battle I’ve seen on a tennis rectangle, we lost the match in the fourth… we won it at 4-love in the fifth… we lost it again… we won it… until finally…. The Japanese, near-faltering, would not quit. Thus ensued a battle. Cecil had four match points, Mr. Ito had three match points–it was a see-saw battle. In the end, after 5 hours and 40 minutes–the longest and best-ever match my eyes have witnessed–Japan triumphed.  They won again last Friday in the 2nd match when Go Soeda bested Johnny Arcilla. Two-zero, Japan.

Yesterday was different. In the only doubles match of the entire weekend, Treat Conrad Huey was mad. As the sun burned the spectators, he, too, was burning inside. He served left-handed aces. He hammered the ball so hard in one forehand it almost hit the opponent in the chest.

He didn’t want to lose. Not yesterday. Not on his debut match in the Visayas. Not in front of boisterous Cebuanos. He and Cecil Mamiit played flawless doubles tennis–subduing the visitors in three, easy sets. That straightforward game was important, especially for Cecil who– after Friday’s near-six-hour match plus yesterday’s doubles–will play the first reverse singles today.

Today, it’s Cecil Mamiit vs. Go Soeda, our No. 1 vs. their No. 1. Then, it’s No. 2 Tatsumi Ito against Treat Huey. Down 1-2 in this best-of-five series, we need to win today’s two singles matches to clinch victory and make today’s birthday celebrant—Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Harry Radaza–the happiest man in Mactan.

Can we do it? I talked to Cecil moments after yesterday’s doubles and there was vengeance and intensity in his eyes. Almost, he won last Friday. Last year at this same month, he lost to the same Japanese he’ll face this 10 a.m.: Go Soeda. There’s retribution. There’s unfinished business to settle.

Can he do it? Yes, the Filipino can.    I saw Cecil win the gold in the Southeast Asian Games in 2005. During that moment, he was up against the top-ranked Thai, Danai Udomchoke. The Davis Cup tournament also saw Cecil do it against Korea last year. Down 0-2 last September, nobody expected us to win. The Koreans celebrated on Friday evening. They shouldn’t have. We won on Saturday. And Sunday. We beat Korea, 3-2.

Cecil can do it. Huey can, too. If this happens this March 6, 2011, it will be the craziest and most fulfilling comeback–possibly in Philippine tennis history.

TICKETS. Can you still watch? Yes. The P500 tickets are available at the Plantation Bay entrance. To get to watch two singles matches for this price is a bargain. But, while reading this, you’ve got to leave for Lapu-Lapu City now. The first match begins 10 a.m. And you wouldn’t want to miss the fiery sun—and the fiery spirit of Cecil Mamiit.

Davis Cup – First Day Photos

Randy Villanueva, Harry Radaza, Monico Puentevalla

Tatsumi Ito moments from saving three match points

Mike Limpag flanked by Jurence Mendoza and Jacob Lagman

POC Chairman Monico with Cecil’s dad

See more here.

PHL v. JPN: Kaya nato ni, bai!

It all began last October. Randy Villanueva called. Can the Davis Cup be held in Cebu? the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) Vice-President asked. We had discussed this issue before. My usual reply to Randy: Sure… but where? Cebu does not have an international-standard venue. Worse, where do we get the bleachers? I thought of Baseline. I inspected Cebu Country Club. We studied Casino Español. Will the SRP be possible? I phoned Harry Radaza. The newly-elected councilor of Lapu-Lapu City, I had long known Harry from our high school days at CIS. He was my brother’s basketball teammate. I knew him to be a sports fanatic.

The Hoops Dome was the first option. Seating 7,000 and air-conditioned, it was brand-new. But Randy asked for a hot, open-air venue. We wanted to fry the opponents. Councilor Harry visited Efren Belarmino of Plantation Bay. They inspected the area. Phone calls ensued. Randy and his father, Lito Villanueva, the Philta president, in a few days’ notice, landed in Mactan. We sat for a meeting with Mayor Paz Radaza. Within weeks last October… the deal was finalized. A three-day visit by Cecil Mamiit–pampered by a massage spa at Plantation Bay–sealed the deal.

TODAY. Well, tomorrow. Because here we are, just moments away from a historic party. Plenty has been written. We know the Japanese won our last three Davis Cup meetings by a wipeout score of 5-0. But two of these encounters were in Japan and all on either fast indoor carpet or hard-court.

The last two times we played Japan on the clay-court? We won. Our latest victory was in 1995. The invaders were led by Shuzo Masuoka, world ranked no. 46. We beat Japan. Led by Joseph Lizardo, Robert Angelo and Camoy Palahang–we won the last two singles matches and beat them, 3-2. This was 16 years ago. (Ironically, Angelo and Palahang are both coaches in Japan today.) On clay, we’ve won. On clay come Sunday at Plantation Bay, we wish for the same.

TIPS. To those making the Davis Cup trek, here are some pointers:

Cheer. During the Fans Day last week at Baseline, over a hundred spectators watched. Sadly, they were quiet. Few clapped. Nobody cheered. We hope this scenario doesn’t happen tomorrow. We hope for the loudest, most boisterous atmosphere that will rattle the Japanese. Shout. Roar. Trumpet those vocal cords. Wear a PH shirt. Display our colors. The so-called “home-court advantage” isn’t a reality until we scream. Scream!

Bring a cap. We hope the sun will be exposed in its fully, yellow shining glory. Wear a cap. Wear Rudy Project sunglasses. Bring an umbrella (just in case it rains–though you can’t use it on-court). Use sunscreen. From 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., it will be hot.

Leave early. Tomorrow’s first match is 10 a.m. I suggest, if you reside in Cebu City, to leave at 8. Three days ago, it took me an hour just crossing the old Mactan Bridge. Also, there will be an opening ceremony to start tomorrow’s clash. It will start 9:30 a.m.

Tickets still available. While the P500/day tickets were unavailable last weekend, a few more are for sale today. Visit Planet Sports (Ayala) or Nike Stadium (SM) or call 0322390552.

Official Draw today. At 10 a.m. at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall, it will be the official “bunot-bunot” on who will play who. This is the tennis version of boxing’s “Official Weigh-In.” It’s when the players from both camps stand side by side. Though they’ve played each other before, there will be jitters.

TV coverage. For those who cannot watch the games live, here’s good news: We were able to ink a deal with TV5 (owned by Manny Pangilinan) for their new sports-and-news channel (Channel 29 or 41) to air the games.

Go, Philippines!!!

Our goal: To be PacMan in tennis shoes

For nearly an hour yesterday morning, I watched the Japanese players practice. They wore Yonex, a Japanese brand. Go Soeda, their No.1, donned a bright red shirt. His forehand and double-fisted backhand were just as bright: cross-court, down-the-line—he could pound the yellow ball to any corner. Their second-ranked netter, Tatsuma Ito, wore blue. Tall at 5’11”, his serve boomed. It echoed around the newly-build stadium of Plantation Bay. He’ll be a formidable and tall sight for our Pinoys.

Good thing the sun reappeared yesterday. After a full day of rain last Sunday, it was outdoor-court practice time for the players. The Japanese practiced from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. Our Filipino Davis Cuppers took the court from 2 to 4 p.m. After that, it was back to the Japanese. That’s how it will be today until Thursday—two hours alternating time until Friday’s “The Battle of Mactan.”

On paper, give the edge to the visitors. Go Soeda, based on the Davis Cup website, is ranked world no. 108. That’s high. His teammate, Tatsuma Ito, is world 168. Their third player, Yuichi Sugita, is no. 175.

Check out the flying flag on top of the waterfalls

The Pinoys? Cecil Mamiit, who had a ranking as high as no. 72, is now at 738 in the world. Treat Huey (doubles ranking no. 101) sits at 886 in singles. Based on numbers, we lose. But Davis Cup is not about numbers. So many a DC tie I’ve witnessed where—given the external factors (climate, surface, cheering/home court)—a much higher-ranked player succumbs to the pressure and wilts. He loses.

As a Filipino, we hope this happens. We hope, like Manny Pacquiao, who rose from obscurity to defy every handicap facing him (remember how we thought Oscar de la Hoya would destroy MP?)—we hope for the same from Pacquiao’s countrymen in tennis. Or how the Azkals—anonymous before last December—have now transformed into the darlings of sport. The ball is round. The sun, too, is round. We hope these two combine like doubles partners to weaken the invaders.

Looking down? We hope so.

SEE MORE DAVIS CUP PHOTOS HERE.