New Fil-Spanish for Azkals ?

RT @cedelfpt: Fil-Spanish defender Carli (Carlos) Olaivar de Murga arriving Monday to join Azkals. Olaivar, 22, plays for 3rd div Racing Club Portuense in Spain

Saturday--September 3, 2011

Masslive has a story on how UMass season tickets for football are up and have a renewal rate of above 80%.

I think having the games at Gillette will provide a significant bump in attendance and season tickets. UMass could lead the MAC in attendance in our first year in the league.

Also from the article:

"Besides the MAC teams like Temple, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo and Northern Illinois, the Minutemen are looking to schedule nonconference games against BCS conference teams as guarantee games in which UMass travels and gets a big payday, or 1-for-1 or 2-for-1 deals that will bring big-name teams to Gillette Stadium.

UMass already as UConn and Indiana scheduled for next year and is working on a four-year deal with Vanderbilt, and McCutcheon said there are more in the works."

It's going to be nice to see UMass play some big name schools and not have to do a trip to Kansas or Texas.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is kinda cool. UMass is trying to get the students to be more involved in UMass Sports.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Berkshire Eagle says Pagel was relaxed in the Minutemen's opener.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matty V. has three stars from the Holy Cross game.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This story mentions former UMass standout Kyle Harrington.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll be back tomorrow with some recruiting news.


Observations on Maui:

1. There are some serious surfer dudes here
2. There are some serious babes in bikinis here.
3. Some people seriously should not be out in public in a bathing suit.
4. Native Hawaiians are not clear where New Hampshire is.

Jawad Cup: Cebu's longest running table tennis event

This one is not about football, but this is a very interesting story of how one family's passion--despite the circumstances--had led them to organize the Philippines longest-running table tennis event without much fanfare.

For original story, click here

NOBODY knew that a young man�s dream shattered by a heinous crime will go on to become the biggest and longest-running table tennis competition in the country.

The Erne Jawad Cup celebrated its 20th year in existence with hundreds of participants from all over, including the country�s top players.

However, little did everyone know that the tournament was actually the idea of a slain RP team member, Erne Jawad, who came home after disappointment with the discrepancies in the national ranking.

Having been told to intentionally lose during the ranking, Jawad refused, but sensing that he could not do anything about it, he did not finish the tournament and came home.

It was here when the idea of hosting a Cebu Open and to focus on the grassroots was hatched. However, Jawad never saw it come true after he was stabbed while waiting for the vehicle that would transport the borrowed pingpong tables to the tournament.

�When he died, a lot of people�his students, even our family�turned their backs on the sport,� said his youngest sister Jessica Jawad-Honoridez, who was the one who continued the tournament in her brother�s honor.

�Our mom Esther told us, �Undangi na ninyo. Madisgrasya lang mo anang pingpong,�� said Honoridez.

But passion for the sport will always run in the family�s blood.

It was in his first death anniversary when the tournament started.

�The three kids who stopped playing after his death played and we decided to turn it into a mini-tournament and my mom even gave them token cash prizes,� said Honoridez, who gave up a career as a chemical engineer to teach the sport to kids.

After that year, it became something not just all table tennis players look forward to playing every year, but the event her 78-year-old mom looks forward to attending.

Honoridez added even if finances are a little steep, the tournament still pushes through.

�The thing that has kept this tournament going is the spirit of volunteerism,� Honoridez said.

�For the past 20 years, we survived with very little. Our officials are all volunteers. Mostly former players, who have taken to the spirit of volunteerism.�

�Financially, I just do not have the guts to ask for assistance, Mauwaw ko. But there are those who believe in what we do and are ready to help,� she added.

Honoridez said that she is touched when former athletes would take time and their own resources just so the tournament will continue.

�Even ang pinaka ordinary nga tao, mutunol ug P100 para mutabang sa tournament. The older ones will take a leave of absence to help us officiate for free. Who would not be touched?� said Honoridez.

The next thing they knew, the tournament was already on its 20th year�the country�s longest-running table tennis tournament�and most importantly, his brother�s legacy continues.

�We are still playing with borrowed, substandard equipment. But these are the equipment that had produced Palarong Pambansa champions and some of this country�s top players and we can�t be any prouder,� said Honoridez.

World Cup Qualifiers Match Day 1

China v Singapore 2-1 (Duric) 17,000

The Lions took the lead in Kunming through the oh so reliable Aleksander Duric on 33' and hopes were high they could secure a famous victory. But substitute Zheng Zhi equalised with a penalty just two minutes after coming on to set up a nail biting climax and four minutes later Yu Hai gave the Chinese a slender lead. In the other group game Jordan beat Iraq 2-0. (stats)

Australia v Thailand 2-1 (Teerasil) 24,540

Yet again the South East Asian team took the lead on foreign soil. Yet again they were unable to hold on. And yet again a flurry of late bookings leaves them vulnerable in the future. With Sarayuth on the bench the Thais took the early on 15' with Teerasil Dangda but Josh Kennedy equalised just shy of the hour mark and Alex Brosque made it 2-1, breaking Thai hearts, with four minutes on the clock. (match report) (stats)

Iran v Indonesia 3-0 75,800

Kunming and Brisbane are relative football backwaters. The Azadi Stadium in Tehran isn't. Indonesia opened their World Cup campaign in Iran in front of one of the wildest crowds in the world and they never got going. Despite the talk of hitting Iran on the break the team lacked any meaningful pace beyond M Ilham and he was withdrawn on the hour, making way for Irfan Bachdim. Iran of course will still have to come to Jakarta but Indonesia's fans can make their own noise thank you very much. But will it be enough? (stats)

Away to three of the biggest names in Asian football, this was never going to be an easy opening day for teams from the region. If there is one lesson to be learned it is that the football world isn't limited to the borders of ASEAN. If FAs are serious about seeing their national team do well on the world stage they need to be arranging games against the best in Asia and not just looking after themselves and their families on fully expensed jollies.

Friday--Sept 2, 2011

Worcester Telegram/Steve Lanavo image

UMass writeup on the Holy Cross game.

Holy Cross' website with the same.

Two articles from Matty V on Hernandez' return to central Mass and Kellen Pagel helps UMass win over the Cross.

Boston Globe said UMass ran past Holy Cross.

The Worcester Telegram says UMass crashed the Crusaders party. Relevant quote:

�I think they blitzed every single play of the game,� Gilmore said. �They came after us. We didn't make them pay with our run game and ultimately that kept them in that same thing (defensively). It's hard to throw the ball when you're getting blitzed every single play.".

Looks like aggressive defense has returned to UMass.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some feel good stats: Tom Gilson had his first catch for 17 yards. TSN reports on the game and Gilson's persistence.

Transfer Brandon Yelovich kicked off 5 times and went 321 yards 64.2 AVE and 0 out-of-bounds.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not-so-good stat: the UMass offense only had 314 yards against a Patriot league defense.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True freshman Anddy Moas started at RG for the Minutemen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two CAA teams faced off against the MAC and didn't do so well.

Temple crushed Villanova 44-7.

New Hampshire was run over by Toledo 58-22

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What's not to like about these Owligators?

Mike Edwards' great photo captures Daz smiling ear to ear after his shower.

Watching that big smile on Steve Addazio's face after being dumped with Gatorade told the whole story of last night's 42-7 destruction of Villanova.
Gator Aid has arrived at Temple and it's a pretty tasty drink.
All the key upper management in this program held key upper management jobs at the University of Florida.
Steve Addazio was Florida's head coach for awhile (most people don't remember that). Chuck Heater was defensive coordinator (officially, co-defensive coordinator but that was in name only). Scot Loeffler was the quarterbacks coach.
All showed their stuff impressively on Thursday night.

Addazio's motivational skills + Loeffler's play-calling + Heater's fire-eaters = sky's the limit

This is what an SEC staff can do to a 1AA staff, albeit probably the best 1AA staff out there.
This is what an SEC staff can do to the rest of the MAC.

Dare I say, this is what an SEC staff can do to a nearly 90-year-old head coach in a couple of weeks.
As I said in an earlier post, let's go to the blackboard for Temple's successful formula this season:
Addazio's strength is as a CEO and a motivator.
Heater has impeccable credentials as a defensive coordinator.
Loeffler developed Tom Brady and Tim Tebow.
All showed their strengths on Thursday night.

The CEO in Addazio allowed Heater to run the defense and Loeffler to run the offense.
That read belly option Ohio abused Golden with the past two years?
Well, Villanova coach Andy Talley made it a staple of the Wildcat offense last night and Heater's fire-eaters were not even fazed by it.
On offense, what have I been telling Golden and Matt Rhule for the past two years?
Establish the run behind franchise back Bernard Pierce, then use play-action off fakes to Pierce to find open receivers roaming through enemy secondaries.
Something that was so difficult for Golden to grasp Loeffler got right away.
The formula for Temple's success in 2011 is simple:
Addazio's motivational skills + Loeffler's play-calling + Heater's fire-eaters = sky's the limit.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, though.
That 90-year-old (OK, 80-something) guy is known for saying a team improves most during the season between its first and second games.
If so, Akron better watch out.
It may take a week or two or three, but this notion that "Temple will take a step back without Al Golden" will be disabused in a hurry.

Fair Play: Cesafi volleyball, taken for granted?

WHEN I saw the schedule for the volleyball games of the Cesafi, I was a bit shocked. I�ve never seen an �uglier� schedule, ever.

The games are held every day for almost two weeks that it seems the organizers want the Cesafi games to be done and over with so they can concentrate on bigger things to fry.

Yep, I�ve never seen a sports schedule as packed like this that it seems it�s taken straight from the Palarong Pambansa, where games have to be played every days since the athletes can only stay in one venue that long.

But the Cesafi?

And with almost two months to go before the semester ends the only available playing dates the organizers can find are between Aug. 29 and Sept. 20?

I think this is the first time collegiate volleyball matches are held at 6 p.m. during weekdays and that�s sad because next to Cesafi basketball, volleyball matches attract the biggest crowd.

What gives? It seems they are such in a hurry to end the Cesafi so they can pour their efforts on other things.
Oh wait, they are, aren�t they?

The organizers of the Cesafi�the Cebu Volleyball Association�are also busy with the 6th GUV Cup and can�t possibly be conducting two tournaments at the same time.

And the GUV Cup will start on Sept. 17, right smack in the middle of the tournament.

Besides, this year, they are trying to synch the schedules, so Cesafi players can suit up for their hometowns in the GUV Cup, which is one of the country�s biggest volleyball competitions.

But does the synching of schedule come at the expense of the Cesafi tournament? The packed schedules seem to suggest that.
Oh well, I could be wrong and that the volleyball coaches all agreed to have this packed schedule, but a feedback relayed to me by the reporter who covered the first day of the volleyball matches seems to suggest otherwise.

Anyway, I hope whatever happens because of this packed schedule, the organizers will learn to spot the perfect solution.

Start the darn season a month earlier.

KAHOLEROS CEBU. To all footie fans out there, the Blue-Haired Guy (who won�t be named since he said a cousin would be pissed if he learns he was in Cebu and didn�t visit him) will be back in Cebu today to hold the organizational meeting and elections for the Kaholeros Cebu Chapter.

By the way, the Kaholeros are not just supporters of the Azkals�the senior team. This group supports all things Philippine football.

The meeting will be at the Azkals Sports Grill and Bar at noon today and among the initial plans being discussed is a one-day Fefa-Palami futsal tournament featuring a game between the Kaholeros and Dan Palami�s Global FC.

I�m also trying to insert a friendly game (emphasis on the friendly) between the local media and Sir Dan�s team on the same day, which if plans push through, should fall on Davis Cup weekend so Sir Dan and the Kaholeros can also cheer for our Davis Cup team.

For the friendly games, especially the one involving the media, Sir Dan has graciously agreed to let the winner take care of the post-match drinks.

So better dust off those futsal shoes.