Explaining the tweet

THE few people who pay attention to my tweets may have noticed a rather strongly-worded tweet against the Azkals the other day and were puzzled.

All things are settled now.

But I believe I owe an explanation. Especially to Sir DP, who sent me a message after reading my tweet.


I woke up a bit late and was having my first cup of coffee and was shocked to read the text messages from the coverage team that was assigned to stake out at the airport for the Azkals� arrival.

The team evaded them�misled was the word used�and had a bus directly fetch the team from the runway.

And off they went to Plantation Bay.

Now it�s not easy getting from the airport to Plantation Bay, but the coverage team, along with those from two TV stations, decided to follow the bus anyway but they were stopped at the gates.

�No local media allowed,� they were told.

I said WTF?

They are not going to propose marriage to the players, they were there to cover the team, why ban them?

Then I remembered snippets of a previous conversation--the team daw wants their stay at Plantation Bay kept off the news; the hotel is under instruction to bar fans, and under orders not to confirm to anyone that the Azkals are staying at Plantation Bay; they even said they�ve contacted the police to make sure fans stay out.

I was shaking my head. So, I kept to my morning routine to calm myself down. I checked Facebook and
Twitter and read the updates from the Azkals themselves, �We�re here at Plantation Bay!�

What the fuck? And you said it was supposed to be a secret?

I learned, later, that Jojo Rodriguez was the man blamed for the fiasco and learning that Jojo banned local media really pissed me off, hence, the tweet, �If the Azkals want a news blackout in Cebu, I�d give them a fucking news blackout in Cebu.� (it would have been a lot stronger, and lot more damning if not for the 140-character limit. Thank God for small favors, eh?)

Why get doubly pissed at Jojo being blamed? Because back in 2006/2007, when the NCRFA picked a fight against the PFF, Jojo loved me so much that he traveled to Cebu twice just to meet me and present dozens upon dozens of documents. You see, we were the only paper writing about the fight.

Then, the local media seemed very important for Jojo, because he was getting what he wanted. And now, we are getting shooed away like dogs?

By the way, you could ask, �Why bother staking out at the airport or going to Plantation Bay. Why not wait for a press con?�

Well, we had no idea what the team was going to do in their first day in Cebu. We were not even sure what time they were going to arrive as even that was kept under wraps.

So the airport and Plantation was the only option for us.

What an option it turned out to be.

The football factions in Cebu aren�t helping either since one group is trying to pull the Azkals their way, away from the other. (Check out the Facebook page of pinoyfootball, and you�ll notice).

Of course, everything has been cleared up now. Sir Dan called to apologize�but, like I told him, I don�t think he has anything to apologize. He also said he was surprised upon hearing about the ban on local media, which they never do in all places that they�ve been.

Well, I wonder what will happen in Day 2?