Philippine Azkals beat Sri Lanka

CONGRATULATION TO TEAM AZKALS. I am one of the big fans of Madrid team in FIFA World 2010.... now because of what you did to Sri Lanka, I am yours! Keep up the good work AZKALS. Next Fight with Kuwait bet them too. TEAM WORK is the best weapon to bet the enemy. Hope you can make it to the FIFA WORLD Cup

This is it. Time to be nationalistic. Let's all support the Azkals, our own Pinoy Football Team. They're the best that ever happened to Philippine sports after Pacquiao.

Just stay optimistic and stay well-disciplined players and we will reach our final goal to be recognize also in football games possibly much better if we would qualify to play in the WORLD CUP. Let us all pray that God will also allow it to happen with the continuous fighting spirit of the team and overwhelming support of Filipinos here and abroad.

I'm so happy that our football team won,I hope and pray that we qualify in the world cup although its a long way to go, football is a game where we Filipino can excel, I hope we all support our Football team, I wish I can be in Kuwait to watch it live on their next game, hope our team continues their good team work and God bless the coach who plan the technical moves needed.

Football is suitable for Filipinos. You don't have to be a 7-footer. Little boys will be inspired to play this game. Besides, more players can play at a time. In basketball, if you're the 9th best player in the team, you better expect to ride the bench and play chess with the 10th player.

Filipino player in Wimbledon

This is probably the most irrelevant post I have done but hell I’m going to write it anyway.

You know I'm not fun tennis. I can’t really see the point in hitting a ball back and forwards across the net but here lies the dilemma.

I know tennis can be a bit tense and exciting at times. Like most sports. But I just can't get into it. All the serve, volley, matchpoint stuff leaves me cold.

Im not a fan of Wimbledon. It's a British sports tournament but no one British ever wins Wimbledon. Well I'm sure they did once, but I don't remember a British tennis player winning it.

When it is on TV I am hooked on it. What’s all that about?

Writing this after just finishing watching Jeson Patrombon progress through  the first round of the Wimbledon 2011. I must say I really enjoyed the game.

Funny enough I get the same feeling for Football, Basketball and Cricket but when it is on TV I can’t help watching it.  Perhaps I’m leading my life with a spilt personality. Who knows?

Well at least I will enjoy the next couple of weeks of tennis.

Who is this Jeson Patrombon? 

Jeson Patrombon is a Filipino tennis player from Iligan, Philippines. Born on March 27, 1993, Patrombon started playing tennis at the age of 7 and often served as a ball boy in his hometown’s local tennis clubs in Iligan City before he was spotted by coach Manny Tecson, who saw his potential. Soon after being spotted, then-17-year old was sent to Manila to train at the tennis academy of the Philippines. By September of 2010, he was chosen to represent the country at the first Youth Olympics.

Now the 18-year-old Filipino, who used to serve as a ballboy at his local club for some pocket money, is representing the Philippines in Wimbledon in London,  thanks largely to his coach Emmanuel Tecson.

His coach says, “When I first saw him, he was hitting balls with a bottle. I saw him and thought if this kid can hit a ball with a bottle without any shoes on, I thought let’s give him a racket,”

Soon after being spotted, Patrombon moved to the tennis academy of the Philippines foundation in the capital of Manila, starting a new page of both his sports career and life.

“When I coach players, I ask them why they want to play and they often say to be a champion and that sort of thing. But when I asked Jeson why he wanted to play, he said, ‘to help my family’, so I gave him a chance.” coach Emmanuel Tecson said.

“I started playing tennis because one of my brothers played and now I am here representing my country. It is really a great experience,” Patrombon said.

Philippine Football Team, a major development

For the first time in recent history, Filipinos are actually following their football team, a major development in a country where the three B’s – basketball, billiards, and boxing – are the only sports that garner any significant TV time. Over the long term, the Azkals’ fairytale run could spark a long-overdue renaissance in football, a sport that many believe is actually a better fit for Filipinos but that has been woefully neglected and underdeveloped.

The Philippines will now prepare for a semifinal series against powerhouse Indonesia, which is sure to be the team’s toughest assignment yet. The semifinal is a home-and-away format where each team will host one match in their home country. However, the Asean Football Federation recently announced that the Philippines had no suitable venue to host a Suzuki Cup match, and as such, the Azkals’ “home” match will have to be played in a neutral country of the Philippines’ choosing.

While this development was born out of the fact that nobody expected the Philippines to advance to the semifinals, it is also a sad reflection on the state of football in the country. It will also deny Filipinos a chance to watch the team live and provide much-needed home field advantage.