Election 2013, Celebrity Voters

We have cast our votes! Proud to be participative citizens! @dodotjaworski twitter.com/mikeecj/status…

— Mikee C. Jaworski (@mikeecj) May 13, 2013

Look who voted bright & early in Pampanga! @iammvp twitter.com/coachot/status…

— Chot Reyes (@coachot) May 13, 2013

ADIDAS LAUNCHES NEW CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB CAMPAIGN TO SHOW THAT BLUE REALLY IS THE COLOUR

To celebrate the launch of the new Chelsea FC home shirt for the 2013/14 season, adidas has launched a bold new campaign – ‘It’s Blue, What Else Matters’ encouraging Chelsea fans across the globe to go ‘all in’ and buy the new 2013/14 home kit before seeing it.

To mark the occasion, adidas has created a hero film featuring some of Chelsea’s biggest stars and iconic imagery that will adorn the club for the forthcoming season. The artwork and film illustrate the commitment and the lengths that the players will go for the club.

The imagery is the centerpiece of the adidas marketing campaign based on the belief that Chelsea is not just a football club, not just a team, but something deeper and emotional.

adidas spokesperson said “The campaign was created based on the insight that Chelsea can clearly own ‘blue’ as a colour. Not only do they sing about it, but they are the only club in the English Premier League that call themselves ‘The Blues’. Seeing the players take part and show their commitment to the colour and the lengths that they will go to will inspire the fans and show the club as they have never been seen before”

The 1.5 min viral film that has been created for the campaign features Juan Mata, David Luiz, Gary Cahill and club captain John Terry. It starts with the journey of a single drop of blue liquid dominating the screen before cutting to a locker bleeding adidas’ iconic three stripes of blue liquid from its vent. The anticipation builds when you see Terry’s feet being covered in blue and builds intrigue as a suspended barrel of the blue starts to slowly pour creating a wall of paint. As the music drops and the speed picks up, the film cuts to John Terry, Juan Mata and Gary Cahill, bear chested, sizing up the blue liquid in front of them. John Terry is then pictured, falling back into a pool of the blue liquid, a scene that had to be shot in one take. The locker that was bleeding the three stripes suddenly explodes over Juan Mata, who does not flinch such is his commitment to being blue. Gary Cahill walks through the wall of paint in a dramatic scene before the climax of the film, which showcases David Luiz, unrecognizable, but truly iconic as he bursts out of a vat of blue from where he was submerged.

Each player spent two hours on set to create this epic piece of film and imagery showcasing their passion, love and commitment to the club.

David Luiz, “I have really enjoyed being part of this day, I would do anything for this club and to show my passion for being a Blue means everything to me”

Juan Mata ‘The blue is to belong to this club, as a player and a supporter’.

Petr Cech ‘I can say that painted in blue, It shows how blue I can be, Chelsea is a huge part of my life and Chelsea Football Club has become like my second family’.

The campaign was launched last April 5 and Chelsea fans will be able to explore the imagery throughout Stamford Bridge as Chelsea take on Sunderland.

To view the film visit: http://youtu.be/m9kAH2v9200

Basketball league sports development and scholarship for youth opens

BAGUIO CITY, April 9 (PIA) — The 4th Miners’ Cup, a basketball tournament for boys 16 years old and below, which aims not only for physical activity and sports development to youth but also offers scholarships to deserving youths, opened here Saturday.

The Miners’ Cup, being held at the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) Gymnasium, is led by the Philippine Mine Safety Environment Association (PMSEA) and Philippine Safety of Mining Engineers (PSME), Team Minero and Ang Minero Party List.

The tournament, which is open to all high schools in the city will run until May and offers two categories – 16 years old and under and 14 years old and under.

PMSEA president Engr. Louie Sarmiento, who led the opening program and ceremonial tossing of the ball, disclosed that aside from developing teamwork, camaraderie and perseverance, the event also aims to promote mining, geology and environmentalism, as through the tournament the association also gives mining and geology-related scholarship to deserving students.

“Hopefully, we can bring down to the high school level the good employment opportunities that mining and geology offer to them after graduating high schools as the Philippines is among the top 10 countries, as far mining industry is concerned,” Sarmiento said.

Aside from college scholarship, five players from the tournament will be selected to be beneficiaries of high school educational assistance.

Miners’ Cup scholar Alvin, who just graduated from the BCNHS, in an interview, shared that the educational assistance he received from the tournament was a big help for their family in his high school education.

The tournament also gave him an opportunity to further develop his basketball skills and with offers from several Baguio universities to play in their varsity teams, he can pursue his dream to earn a college degree, he added. (JDP/CCD-Julienne Fortunato and Jeffrey Gallardo/UC interns)

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My Shoe Story, True Story

My Shoe Story, True Story

 

I love basketball.

There was a time when basketball was my life. I played basketball like eight hours a day. From here on, call me THE MACHINE!

Unknown to many – there were circumstances and reasons, financial crunch is one – I stopped college schooling for a year. One summer, I went back home and rode the loneliest 2-hour bus drive ever.

In the year I was a bona fide out of school youth and stayed home, basketball was my salvation.

In the morning, I did hundreds and hundreds of shots. I kept on playing ’til sun’s burning hot. And pre-internet days, no iPad, no DVD, no cable TV, no nothing, as early as 3pm, I was back, shooting again.

Lemme mention that, for optimum performance, I ate my snacks first. My daily afternoon vitamins was a combo of richee-rich (or cream-o) and water.

At around 3pm, kids were in school, so I played alone. I had to wait some 2 hours before I get to play with some dudes (#ruralvillageproblems). Damn, this is a sad story. Wait til you hear this…

At one point, because I played hoops mula sa morning – hanggang sa evening, almost all day (sometimes after dinner too), my trusted slip-ons wasn’t able to take the abuse.  For the sake of this story, let’s name this tsinelas, “RAMBO.”

Part of Rambo’s sole were consumed and gone. The strap part, I had to put GI-wires (alambre) for it not to pop out. I dunno but I can’t seem to get a tsinelas replacement those days.

So I played with the busted slip-ons for a couple of days. Feet bruised and skinned out but I kept on playing and playing and playing and playing. Did I mention I love basketball? Our village court had this road concrete pavement. Rough, sharp, edgy. Close your eyes, imagine that.

Finally no masterful engineering feat could save my Rambo. One afternoon I shouted in despair. No tsinelas and it’s Christmas time! And, without tsinelas, I can’t play basketball! You know the scene when Tom Hanks shouted “Wilson” on Cast Away? That’s basically what I did that day… RAMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I am a MacGyver disciple, I see things, I see solution. I see dead shoes. I saw a basketball shoe.

One afternoon, I saw a pair of discarded black running shoes in the storage room, toe cap is pointed and long, a BIG SIZED one, (could be 3 size larger than my size), and no brand. It’s like running shoes slash kung-fu shoes.

Anyway, I am somewhat a painter. So I looked for a white paint and painted the shoes. I put on the Nike Sus! I mean SWOOOSH! Let’s call the shoes
“NIKE HYPER LOL.”  And there you go, an hour later, I was rocking kickass shoes with 2 pairs of socks, both folded at ends.

And of course, the gang made fun of my shoes. Ughhhh, I want to cry now but I can’t. They’re right, my shoes looked stupid. It deserved the mockery. But two things… they can’t guard me wearing that “Nike Hyper LOL” and that’s an upgrade over the tsinelas, so I am good.

Speaking of, there’s good news too in this story.

Things happen for a reason. Me stopping schooling for a year made me realize, no school aint cool. The following year, I was back in school and pounding the calculator and finding “X”. Hence on I valued my studies and all the wonderful things that came with it. And the year I was a legit out of school youth, I believe I improved my basketball skills, it made me an above average basketball player (or so I believe.)

To cut the story short, like a ball, I was able to bounce and rebound in my, then, young life. I finished school, passed some kind of an exam, found a job, then later started a business.

Fastbreak 15 or so years, walah, I AM NOT RICH, but I am able to buy basketball shoes that I like. I have LeBron, Kobe and DRose Shoes but sadly, I am not able to really use ‘em. Priorities, my schedule and my abdominal muscle injury prevent me from playing basketball.

I wrote a poem (oh now wait, I am a poet now?) years ago and it had a line “new shoes can’t take away the blues” and to me, that still very much true. Looking back at things, maybe it’s time to add a new line… “it’s hoops, it can take away the blues.”

Not playing hoops is by far, the greatest frustration of my life. I love these latest shoes but sometimes, even for a day, I wish I could trade my Kobe shoes for that Nike Hyper LOL shoes and be able to play again for one whole day.

This is my shoe story, a true story.

ADIDAS AND DERRICK ROSE LAUNCH D ROSE 3.5 SIGNATURE BASKETBALL SHOE

Explosive and passionate  players deserve explosive shoes. And so adidas is launching the new D Rose 3.5 signature basketball shoe this February 2013. I’m proud owner of previous adidas D rose shoes and getting this news is pure adidas-happiness.

 

My old D-Rose adidas pair still has some miles to conquer but with this new design, improved performance, bolder style and added D-Rose personal styling, I think I am ready to swipe my credit card again.

 

I may be negative PhP7995 soon and only jump few good inches but never mind, I wanna juice a li’l more explosiveness in me, be comfortable and fashionable too when I play hoops. With colorways, (black/white/red) and home (gray/black/red)  and incoming in six additional editions, there options for the color conscious basketball players.

 

“My main thing is always sharpening up my game and improving my body and with the D Rose 3.5 adidas took that same approach,” said Rose. “This shoe takes the best things from my last shoe and made them even better. I’m more comfortable and supported on the court and bringing some real serious style too.” The D Rose 3.5 shoe is inspired by Derrick’s dedication and hard work to his game and features adidas’ most innovative performance technology, premium and rich style elements and personal details.

 

Talking about serious style and hardwork, for those who use basketball shoes as office wear (cough cough), this shoes, it got serious style going on. This’ gonna be in my office shoes rotation. The three stripes are again featured on the back of the shoe to represent Rose’s speed, and now wrap around the outsole so opponents will see them not only when he drives past them, but also goes over them.

 

Yup, it’s on the court where one can truly enjoy this D-Rose 3.5.

 

To exceed the performance needs for Derrick’s unique style of play which includes extreme changes in direction, acceleration and explosiveness, adidas designers made the D Rose 3.5 more supportive, comfortable and responsive than its predecessor.

 

The shoe fits even closer to the foot for faster cuts and features a SPRINTWEB upper engineered specifically for his style of play, which reduces weight with maximum support and breathability.

 

Additional performance features include an ergonomic ankle collar pocket to ensure maximum support during hard cuts and a breathable mesh tongue to improve comfort. SPRINTFRAME technology features an external heel counter to reduce weight and allow for energy return and motion control, giving Derrick his best performing signature shoe to date to improve his performance on court.

 

The bold spiral overlay pattern is inspired by Derrick’s goal to tighten his game and functionally it increases flexibility and provides optimum toe protection. The synthetic leather upper features the spiral protruding from the D Rose logo on the ankle to represent how his on and off-court success continues to grow from the support of his family, who inspired the logo. Chicago call-outs on the inside of the tongue showcase the essence of Rose, including a “Rooted in Chicago” graphic with lettering, colors and shapes inspired by Derrick’s tattoos and the Chicago flag. Each colorway of the D Rose 3.5 will feature special graphics, materials and colors that give details about Derrick’s life and style of play.

 

Derrick Rose is on a comeback trail and I hear that he’s doing 5-on-5 practice and looking good. Looking good, D Rose 3.5, new shoes, “ready to comeback”, these are words we’d like to hear when we talk about adidas & Derrick Rose.

 

Always check our site for  D Rose 3.5 news and of course, Derrick Rose comeback updates.

 

BASKETBALL’S DEEP ROOTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

BASKETBALL’S DEEP ROOTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Philippines, February – One thing typically unites a nation. For some, it’s culture. For others, religion. For others, sports. For the Philippines, it’s basketball – a sport that transcends age, gender, social class and generations.

Basketball is to Filipinos what football is to Brazilians. Basketball is the national pastime. Visit the Philippines and you will find that basketball is everywhere – played anytime, anywhere, with anybody and in any form. From the courts in schools and residential estates, to public courts and hoops found on every street corner, you’ll hear the familiar thud of a dribbling ball or the clang when it hits the hoop. Athletes love the game; they play basketball to socialize. If they are not playing, they are either watching a professional basketball game from the U.S. on TV with family, or they’re with friends, and even strangers, talking about it. Either way, it is a not a sport that can be ignored.

In fact, basketball is more than a sport in the Philippines; it is also a commercial phenomenon. Billboards, print advertisements and television ads all over the country feature the sport or an athlete endorsing a product, from beverages to sports apparel. Politicians use it in their campaigns, whether it’s sponsoring a basketball tournament in barangay (smaller districts) or donating and fixing a new hoop for the community.

Nike Basketball has been an influential presence in the region, with signature products for top stars including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant experiencing dramatic growth. The most popular Nike Basketball shoes in the Philippines have consistently been the Kobe Bryant signature shoes and the Nike Hyperdunk. Basketball is a lifestyle for Filipinos – besides being part of everyday wear, it’s common for Filipinos to wear basketball gear for other activities such as running.

Basketball in the beginning
The American colonial government first introduced basketball in the Philippines in 1910, making it part of the physical education curriculum in schools. It was originally intended as an activity for girls, as baseball and track and field were deemed too rough and intense. The nation is one of the world’s first nations to play basketball, and the sport debuted in the country only 19 years after it was invented in 1891. Besides the United States, it’s hard to find another country that has played the sport as seriously and for as long as the Philippines. It’s also home to the second oldest basketball associations in the world, as well as Asia’s first professional basketball league.

The Philippines National Basketball team has consistently qualified and competed internationally since 1936, and for many years was considered one of the best basketball teams in the world up to the 1960s.

Nike’s entry into the Philippines basketball market began through a distributor business model. Nike Philippines was established in 1998, bringing a wider assortment of products to the Filipino consumer. Nike Philippines has a presence in the academic and professional leagues through sponsorships of team kits for various universities and the Philippines National Basketball team. Nike athletes such as JV Casio, Arwind Santos and LA Tenorio have also advanced from tertiary league teams into the professional leagues.

Basketball culture in the Philippines
In the Philippines, nearly 40 million people (or 40 percent of the population) play or have played basketball. According to the 2008 Sponsorship Intelligence Report, 81% of the urban population claim to be basketball fans, with nearly 50% being avid fans. Basketball is also the number one sport in viewership and participation, with 99% of people aware of the NBA.

Filipinos have more access to professional basketball games than Americans themselves, with games shown on cable daily, broadcasted across four to five channels simultaneously. Seventy-five percent of urban Filipinos claim themselves as fans of the professional basketball league in the U.S., higher than other international leagues and domestic basketball according to the 2008 Sponsorship Intelligence Report.

Professional basketball tournaments run through most of the year. And then there are the smaller leagues including semi-professional, collegiate and university leagues and various school basketball leagues within and near metro Manila. The university league is the biggest and most popular in the country, and young, up-and-coming players aspire to join this league more than their local professional league.

Casual leagues also abound, organized by an office building’s management, pulling together tenants and companies to participate in tournaments and even inter-office tournaments. There are also inter-barangay or inter-district tournaments, senior tournaments as well as friendlies and shootout games.

The Filipino basketball craze goes online
Outside of the U.S., the Philippines racks up the highest number of unique online traffic for basketball-related topics and pages. The nation takes the No. 1 spot outside of the U.S. for activity on Nike Basketball’s social media platforms.

On Nike Basketball’s Facebook page, the Philippines is the second most engaged country outside of the U.S., making up almost 15 percent of the Likes, Comments and Shares combined in January 2013. Almost three-quarters percent of the fans are male, mostly aged 18-24, followed closely by 13-17-year-olds. Filipinos also account for the second-highest number of followers on Nike Basketball’s Twitter page.

The Philippines has become a popular destination for professional athletes to tour off season. Kobe Bryant is one of the most popular international athletes, having visited most recently in 2011. Various community activities were held during his visit, including a neighborhood court dedication after a refurbishment where more than 2,500 people turned up to watch him lead a training clinic with youth. Over 11,000 fans filled the Araneta Coliseum to see Kobe, who watched a 10-minute game of Nike-sponsored local teams.

“Inside Access” is a series providing an inside look at Nike Basketball through the lens of design innovation. Look for new features the first and third Tuesdays of each month throughout the basketball season.

adidas Today Unveils a New Colorway of the D Rose 3.5 Signature Shoe

Dubbed, “Year of the Snake” the shoe pays homage to Chinese New Year which begins on February 10. It features a black synthetic SPRINTWEB upper with a textured, scale pattern to represent a snake’s detailed skin.

 

The SPRINTFRAME is chrome, metallic gold to stand out on court. The iced outsole and the laces, toe and liner feature a turquoise contrast to represent water, the key element for 2013 Chinese New Year. The inside tongue patch features black, gold and turquoise colors surrounding the D Rose logo in various shapes designed to represent the spiral inspiration of the shoe.

 

The D Rose 3.5 “Year of the Snake” edition drops February 1 in the Philippines for 7995 PHP and is available in adidas BGC, Davao, Greenbelt 3, Mall of Asia, Megamall and Trinoma, as well as in Titan stores.

 

Follow www.facebook.com/adidasPhilippines for the next exclusive colorway debut.

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13 basketball facts, as tweeted, Pinoy style

These are my tweets. Just making a post out of it. Edited for clarity…

1. Mas magaling mag-basketball ang batang nagsimula sa maliliit na bola kesa sa mga 5 Y/O, na pinalaro agad sa official ball.
2. Mas masarap mag-basketball kesa manood ng basketball.
3. Walang “I” sa “basketball”. Puwera na lang kung bisaya.
4. Sa Pilipinas lang, ang mga reperi sa plaza/street basketball, eh kumukuha ng tong.
5. Ang basketball ay ‘di lang pang matangkad at macho, pwede ding sa bading at unano. See rafeboogs’  Pacific Rim.
6. Sa pilipinas madaling maging coach ng basketball sa barangay level. Bili ka lang jacket tapos paburda mo sa likod “COACH,” ayus na!
7. Average height ng point guard sa larong kanto, 5-2
8. Sa basketball, mahirap bantayan yung construction worker na naka inom ng lapad tas nakahubad #simalakasatmadulas
9. Lusot lamang, pusta ng wala pera. Pag meron konting pera, ice tubig.
10. Ang kasabihang “bilog ang bola,” pang-basketball lang yun. ‘Di yun applicable sa American football.
11. Sa basketball, ang sakit na sobrang madribble ay tinatawag na #cabagnotism
12. Walang congressman, gob, mayor sa Pilipinas ang di nagpatayo ng basketball court. As in wala. #votewisely
13. Sa basketball, mahirap mag-manage ng isang team. Paano pa kung tatlo?!

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