PG Basketball
October 17, 2007 -- Got something to say?
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By Alfonso Torrilo
Mr. John Love, chief of the PG County Sports and Permits Division told Fastbreak recently that he is issuing an invitation to Fil Am teams in the Metro DC area to come back and again take part in a basketball league that he is organizing in PG County Maryland When asked how many teams are now participating in his league Mr. Love said that not one Filam team is registered.
There were as many as fourteen Filam teams in the league which he organized and which ran for seven years. The league was called the Filipino-American Franchise Mens Basketball League. It was going great until an ugly incident occurred which revealed a lack of control on the part of the organizers . A crucial game was marred by a brawl and several Filam players were injured The officials were criticized for failing to control the game Filam teams started drifting away.
The onset of FABA may have helped spell the doom of leagues in Maryland and in the DC area that are not organized and run very well. Now Pinoy teams have a league to run to and be comfortable in an environment of intense but friendly competition. The question may be asked, are they willing to go back and take part in the Maryland league? Perhaps.. Only time will tell For that to happen Maryland organizers must first prove that they are in full control of the situation. While the Fil-Am community is grateful to Mr. Love for sponsoring the league, they are also concerned with the safety and well-being of the players and fans and yes even officials..
To the short list of Philippine Chess Grandmasters namely Eugene Torre, the late Rosendo Balinas Jr., Joey Antonio, Bong Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II and Mark Paragua add a seventh name: Darwin Laylo The 27-year-old business management graduate of San Sebastian College drew with 11th seed GM Zhao Jun of China to notch his sixth point after nine rounds of the sixth Asian Individual Chess Championship at the Cebu International Convention Center recently, in Mandawe City.
Its a dream come true, said Laylo, who made a triumphant return to the local chess scene after serving a six-month suspension for his alleged role in a game-fixing controversy last year. It was also a vindication for me. I am so happy to have clinched my GM title. My suspension served as inspiration for me to play my best, added Laylo, who earned his first two GM results in the Malaysian Open and the Bad Wiesse Open in Germany last year. Four other GM candidates IMs Wesley So, Jayson Gonzales, Oliver Dimakiling and Ronald Dableo are waiting in the wings for their turn to get a crack at Chess highest rank. Do we see a surge in Philippine Chess triumphs in international competitions? Come on guys our kabayans will be rooting for you.
A few months back, Fastbreak reported that the Philippines best bet for a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics is in Boxing. Manny Lopez, president of the ABAP says that funding shall be the key to achieve this goal. Private sponsorship should step forward because government support is simply inadequate for the purpose. Lopez is calling on every one to support this cause.
As if his prayers have been answered, Fastbreak came up with the following report in the 9/30/07 issue of Manila Mail. The countrys drive to capture its first gold medals in the Beijing Olympics next year got a huge boost when Senators Gringo Honasan and Juan Ponce Enrile promised to support the efforts of the PSC led by William Butch Ramirez for the much needed funds to fuel the onslaught for our first ever gold medals.
President Gloria M. Arroyo made the proposal to increase the PSCs budget from P117 million to P260 million next year and with the great atmosphere in the Senate there are high hopes that the proposed budget increase will be passed without problems. Also joining the bandwagon to win medals for the country in the said Olympics were Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Pia Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Ed Angara, and Manny Villar. Honasan a former sportsman himself promised to be the new voice of Philippine Sports in the Senate. Ramirez has the presidents mandate to bring the country to the threshold of Olympic power
Congratulations to the Philippine Davis Cup Tennis team who defeated Pakistan 4-1 to earn them right to advance to the next round in 2008. Frequent DC visitor Cecil Mamiit came back from his sick bed after winning his first assignment to help secure the tie. The other members of the team are Eric Taino, Patrick-John Tierro and Johnny Arcilla.
301-839-5375 *** ** email fastbreakpoints@aol.com
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