15 Strong

That was their mantra upon entering the playoffs..Fifteen players playing their hearts out and working cohesively as a team..And now their fruit of hardwork and labor has come into it's fruition..

I found it surreal as soon the buzzer sounded...Shaquille O'Neal winning his fourth ring..Dwayne Wade with another scintillating performance (36 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks) and Alonzo Mourning spearheading the Miami defense with 5 blocks in 14 minutes of action..

Pinch me...Am i dreaming?

No this is reality....

As i took my break to witness the waning seconds of Game 6 i went out of the Pantry as a winner..As if i won another ring hehehe...Ya i wagered 750 bucks putting my money on a Miami Heat franchise that's being heavily written off by their critics..

Who has the last laugh this time..

It was 2 years ago when Shaquille O'Neal made the move to be traded to the Miami Heat..Looking forward to play alongside Dwayne Wade and promised to bring a championship to the city..It was a tough ride for them being minutes away from their first finals appearance last year, they regrouped and the big aristotle played the role of General manager by capping off 20 million dollars from his 5 year extension to acquire the services of marquee players such as James Posey, Jason Williams and Antoine Walker. Skeptics would say that they are gambling on forming a highly combustible team with all their egos but after the long run they played together...As the season progressed they proved doubters wrong most especially when they eliminated Eastern conference powerhouse Detroit Pistons in stunning fashion..15 strong...15 hearts all focused on one goal..Winning the NBA Championship..

..Destiny fulfilled..

Pat Riley - What's in the mystery bowl? 120,000 or so cards that only has one theme..15 strong..He motivated his team right from the get-go and he knew from the start that he found the right mix for a championship team.

Shaquille O'Neal - 4th ring and the first without Kobe. He found the right team and the right pupil in Dwayne Wade. He thought Wade how to be a winner and he clearly nailed it..

Dwayne Wade - Finals MVP (need to say more?)...Clearly unstoppable..He made the finals as his playground carrying the team in his shoulders and gave them a ride that they will never forget..

Antoine Walker - He knew his role..He saved the shimmy for every precious moment and in game 6 we got to see that shimmy one more time..A priceless moment..

Udonis Haslem - The son of the South Beach won State championship in High School and led the Gators to the Final Four...Winning the championship in Miami is very fitting for his storied career in Miami...His blue collar ethic is simply one of a kind.

Jason Williams - A troubled career and a problem child for coaches. He played with high spirits because Shaq showed the way and Riles showed him the tools to be the fitting floor general for the Heat..

Gary Payton - After 16 years The Glove has finally some bling in his finger..After 3 attempts he finally found the right people to give him a ring and are we seeing a retirement after this season? :)

Alonzo Mourning - The comeback kid was finally rewarded with championship gold. Lance Armstrong helped him keep his heart pumping and his engine running at full steam..Daily Dime might have Dwayne Wade as their best player for Game 6 but for me 'Zo took the slack from a foul-plagued Shaq and dominted the defensive end with 5 blocks in 14 minutes.

James Posey - Was spectacular in Memphis but he was phenomenal in Miami off the bench. The fountcourt wouldn't be the same without him. Tenacious defense and perimeter shooting is what he brought to the table..

Michael Doleac - Dolie stepped up to pick up the slack from Zo's injury..He truly earned his ring..

Jason Kapono - The pretty boy from Long Beach has added firepower beyond the arc and was a reliable player off the bench when he is needed.

Derek Anderson - Ring number 2 for D.A.. Being a last-minute acquisition he brought experience for the Heat.

Shandon Anderson - After 2 failed attempts in Utah it's time for Shandon achieve something what former teammates Karl Malone and John Stockton never had..An NBA championship..His defensive efforts during the finals are simply instrumental..

Dorrell Wright - Showed character in the regular season but hopefully next year we will see more of him for the World Champs.

Earl Barron - Shaq's prodigy...A work in progress but his support during the postseason was needed to motivate this team to win it all..

Wayne Simien - Watch out for this player next year..He will be given more exposure to bring more fresh legs on the frontcourt..The official team mascot as he leads the cheering gallery on the bench..

15 strong..Winners in their own right but one thing is very common for them...World Champion..

Welcome to Hell Team USA!

As we waited for Team USA to play their first group stage game against Czech Republic last Tuesday, everyone had their sights on the slightly favorable Yanks. Before kickoff the place was electric..Fans waving their little flags and some were draped by the gigantic American flag thats waved by the spectators..And after 5 minutes into kickoff they were silenced..Czech striker Jan Koller drew first blood that will never be relinquished by the Czechs en route to a 3-0 shutout of the Americans..After the game everyone was wondering who is to blame..US Manager Bruce Arena blames it on his stars particularly DaMarcus Beasley who had a dismal performance at manning the pitch for the Americans..The players are blaming Arena who after the long run did not find the right pieces to win at their first game..

Now 3 points down the standing they will be facing the Italians on what many would say will be more of a friendly match..It might look like an insurmountable climb for them but having lady luck by their side it's still anybody's game (Do i sound like an optimist hehe).

After all the media hype and the 75 million dollars forked by their outfit sponsor..Are the Americans facing doomsday? Who is to beware this time?

Postgame syndrome..

I came across several sports websites after the classic 3rd game of the NBA finals. Checking every headline they have in relation to the game and some post game quotes that might create a very nice angle leading to game 4. The hype was so intense ESPN classic did a replay a day after it happened (Talkin about a game that's way off the charts hehehe)

Anyhow i saw this very famous sports site (thats very famous for their swimsuit magazines hehe!) and saw the very famous Mark Cuban all suited up for the Mavs. Yes it's all done in the power of modern technology so you won't have to change ur online fantasy lineup hehe. I consider Mark Cuban as the new age team owner. You won't be seeing him in box suites instead he will be watching in the stands interacting with the fans. And he has made a legacy of always hitting the rival team with his own blog (www.blogmaverick.com) or through his media interviews. Funny thing i saw on TV yesterday prior to tipoff...."The only Cuban that is not allowed in Miami is Mark Cuban"..Pretty clever and in a way, very ironic..

The question is Mark Cuban healthy for the NBA? He may be very vocal and all but his spunk for the game itself truly makes a tremendous impact in the league and he really shows that he not only loves his Mavs but also the game of basketball..

20 is the magic number

Heading to game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals pitting the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat, Dallas are looking for an insurmountable 3-0 series lead and Mavs X-factor Josh Howard is on a string of scoring 20 point games and giving Dallas the "W" for the past 25 outings....

I got here at work exactly 9am to check the opening festivities and the tipoff..The Heat were playing more aggressive and was getting more help from their sixth man..The deafening Miami crowd all dressed in white who jampacked the American Airlines Arena. But as the game progressed the Mavs capitalized on their strengths primarily their quickness and transition offense..Not to mention the coverage that they are providing for Big Daddy Diesel..Heading to the final canto Howard scored his 20th point i began to think if this will be another win for dallas and push Miami to the brink of getting swept in the finals...The answer came in the final 6:34 mark with Dallas up 89-76 when Dwayne Wade ignited a 15 point scoring barrage to bring the Heat back in the game..And in the final play tied at 95 a piece...Enter Gary Payton...Number 20 playing at age 37 made one of the biggest shots of his career..A deep jumper from 22 feet to bring the Heat up 2 points and win it all 98-96..

A game that is certainly a classic..A that will be a surefire momentum shifter heading to Friday's game...Two sides of 20s...Josh Howard lost on a 20 point outing and number 20 Gary Payton scoring big for the Heat....

Honor thy sport

The World Cup is in full swing and as we see these gifted athletes on the pitch pride and honor always comes into place...Let me show you a clip of how France's Thierry Henry displays honor by taking it to the streets!! All is legal but still electricity can still be flet in the name of the sport :)

www.nikesoccer.com

Are you ready!?

Nine years ago we saw the face of professinal wrestling change with the evolution of D-Generation X..A faction led by the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels and The Game Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Better known as Triple H)...DX stood to no authority (Ask then-WWE commish Sgt. Slaughter) and are truly against the norms of professional wrestling as they brought the "attitude" in the WWE "attitude" era. Five years they dominated the WWE until they finaly fell apart with HHH betraying his "brother" Shawn...

Who would expect that we will be seeing more of DX after their untimely demise....Not until Wrestlemania 22...

Two of it's core foundation..Michaels and HHH are involved in their own matches..Vince Mc Mahon wanted the old HBK to come out for that he got a double crotch-choppin HBK jump off a 30 foot ladder to smash Mr. Mc Mahon covered in an aluminum trash can...HHH on the other hand was on a WWE championship match with then-champion John Cena where after a spinebuster Cena was on a receiving end of a DX crotch chop much delight to the Chi-Town crowd....

Weeks after what has transipred in WM22 the question is..Are we seeing the return of D-Generation X?

It took almost 2 months to find the answer...June 12, 2006...D-Generation X is reborn!! back to raise hell and raise the bar of what "attitude" should be in sports entertainment.

Up to now i am still in awestruck seeing HBK and HHH do the crotch chop and all lock and loaded to raise hell in the WWE..All i can say is i have two words for it....SUCK IT!!!!

We have KICK off!!!

Billions of soccer fans around the world had their hands full on the 2006 World Cup Finals which opened over the weekend. Many pundits do say that Brazil is a runaway favorite but who knows!? We do have several dark horses (Including my favorite team Germany) who are on a mission to add a star on their jersey in the next four years.

The opening game was an offensive clinic for home team Germany as they cruised past Costa Rica 4-1. Tho i still find it odd to see a different keeper for the German squad this year. Oliver Kahn is to be seen on the bench or warming up as Jens Lehmann is now commanding the last line of defense for the Germans. On the other hand Ecuador beat Poland 2-0 which left the Polish crowd shellshocked after the game. We still have to expect few more teams to showcase their stuff in the first round of eliminations like Brazil, England, France, Italy and the team that's under a magnifying glass this year, U.S.A. The Americans have their hands full after nearly scaring the Germans in the last Cup Finals. Now loaded with experience and having the Challenge of having one of the most difficult brackets this year, The Americans are now on a mission to bring home a championship that is not predominantly a sport that's being played in their own turf. Not to mention that Nike forked 75 million dollars for their "Don't tread on me/Beware" campaign (I do dig their theme..Sounds very Metallica to me! hehehe!) the Yanks this time will be truly a force to be reckoned with. Another team that will be watched out this year will be the Oranjes or team Netherlands. They may have one of the oldest keepers in Edwin Van Der Sar but they will be making up for the lost that they had four years ago when they did not qualify for the Cup final. Expect Ruud Van Nistelrooy to be firing at all cylinders this time for the Dutch squad which by the way is still in search of their first cup title even with a stellar finals record.

The theme of this year's World Cup is that "We should make friends; stop racism"; this has been a very vague issue in the soccer scene that needs to be stopped. I myself support Thierry henry's drive to stop racism in football (www.standupspeakup.com) It was also reported that a group of Germans and Britons had a heated argument that led to a Police breakup. Ivory Coast is currently having a truce to give way for their people to represent the World Cup in a positive note. I do hope in the next 64 games leading to the cup we will see that soccer is indeed the universal language of the sport..No violence and all fun in the name of Football..

Motown meltdown

Here's a consolation prize to the Detroit Pistons who had gone fishin' after being pulverized by the Miami Heat who will be playing against the Dallas Mavericks for the NBA championship.

I saw this play unfold on TV and i was like "Fuck, i never saw someone stuff Shaq with a Spalding BLT Special like that". Yes Ben Wallace is a real worker...The epitome of a Blue Collar player (Next to my list is Miami's Udonis Haslem who will be up to the test in guarding Dirk Nowitzki in the Finals) and if there will be a chip on Shaq's illustrious career, this will be one of them; Posterized defensively by a player who lifts the bench press twice his weight (Yes i'm talking about 460+ lbs. baby!) and 5 inches smaller than him. It's like watching Wrestlemania III all over again when Hulk Hogan got the best of Andre the Giant by bodyslamming him squarely to the mat.

Winning against a team like Detroit..As many would say the measuring stick of the NBA with their hardwork and never-say-die attitude, the Heat has earned my respect and with that i want them to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy after all is said and done....

Audio shuffle exam by Nicky and Nicey

This is very interesting!! Make sure you have ur audio players ready for this hehehe!! Another Nicky and Nicey original i'd say hehehe!!

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn't make sense. NO CHEATING!
4. Tag 10 people to play this game too.
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1. How are you feeling today? Enter Sandman - Metallica
2. Will you get far in life? Ride It - Geri Halliwell
3. How do your friends see you? Sing my name - D'sound
4. Will you get married? My lover's gone - Dido (Hmmmm.....)
5. What is your best friend's theme song? Inches - Brain Salad
6. What is the story of your life? Bring 'em back alive - Audioslave
7. What was high school like? Swallow - Blindside
8. How can you get ahead in life? Mary Jane - Alanis Morissette
9. What is the best thing about your friends? It's not right, but it's okay - Whitney Houston
10. What is today going to be like? Pass it Pass it - Snoop Dogg (Oh snap!! hahaha!!)
11. What is in store for the weekend? Don't say no, Just say yes - Avant
12. What song describes you? Eight miles high - The Byrds
13. To describe your grandparents? Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
14. How is your life going? Last Caress - Metallica
15. What song will they play at your funeral? Hit the lights - Metallica (Oh Yeah!)
16. How does the world see you? Battery - Metallica
17. Will you have a happy life? Corcovado - Everything But The Girl
18. What do your friends really think of you? Step in the name of Love - R. Kelly
19. Do people secretly lust after you? Immortality - Pearl Jam
20. How can I make myself happy? Cosmic Girl - Jamiroquai (A Ferrari and Lambo Autobahn roadtrip!!)
21. What should you do with your life? Girl be mine - Francis Magalona
22. Will you ever have children? Summer of love - 311 (Ya Pam was made in the Summer..Late Summer hehehe!!)

tagging 10 people
- Aian
- Carlo
- Eric
- Nigel
- Alvic
- Mica
- Faithy
- Arjay Flower
- Fernandus
- Mike Stone