Reflections on a Championship

written by Mr. Simon Mossesgeld, former team manager of the Blue Eagles, and also a friend. Being a big Blue Eagle fan like him, I agree with his view about the team, how I believe the Blue Eagles would win on Sept. 25 (left pang-libre money with my sister in the morning of Sept. 25), and how the good Lord has blessed the Ateneo for the championships in basketball and swimming. Read on...

Reflections on a Championship
by Simon Mossesgeld

I watched the first game of the championship live right behind the bench and marveled, as I have many times throughout this season, at how this team is a team in the best tradition: unselfish, hard working, with great respect for one another, friends on and off the court. The players are largely unassuming. They do not strut about to let the world know how good they are or their team is. They just do their part and play their best together. This is what strikes me most about this team and I think it explains best its championship character. I could not watch the second game because I was teaching in a seminar but resolved to immediately proceed to the Gesu. I had texted Paolo Trillo that morning saying I would see the team in the Gesu. That is how confident I was.

Someone asked me while we were waiting for the team to arrive at the Gesu after the championship, “Sir, do you miss being team manager?” I realized that I did miss it a bit but much, much more than anything I was very happy for the team. I was happy about how the coaching staff and management (and the school) formed the players into men we could all be proud of. I did not taste a championship during my two-year tenure but it did not matter because Ateneo basketball is more than championships. It is about giving it your best. It is about forming men with the right principles and values. It is about gratitude for all that we have received. It is about community. It is about God and this team, like many teams before them, is all these. But I sense there is more in this team.

A friend texted me the next day that she saw me at the Gesu that evening looking as if I was in a trance. I guess I was in a trance-like state. I was deeply thankful for God’s love for his players, his team and his Ateneo. I was very quietly happy for the team, for my fellow Ateneans and for the school and was simply content to bask quietly in the happiness and the gratitude that filled the church that evening. This is the Ateneo I grew up in and have grown to love.

Tonight we will celebrate four champion teams—three in basketball and one in swimming. I once again thank God for his blessings.

Ateneo-La Salle Game 2 Finals

Prayer of a Sportsman

Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life
I ask but a field that is fair,
A chance that is equal with all in the strife,
A courage to strive and to dare;

And if should win, let it be by the code
With my faith and my honor held high;
And if I should lose, let me stand by the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
Or play any sniveling part;

Let me say, “There they ride, on whom laurel’s bestowed
Since they played the game better than I.”
Let me stand with a smile by the side of the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

So grant me to conquer, if conquer I can,
By proving my worth in the fray,
But teach me to lose like a regular man,
And not like a craven, I pray;

Let me take off my hat to the warriors who strode
To victory splendid and high,
Yea, teach me to stand by the side of the road
And cheer as the winners go by.

-Berton Braley

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I read in one of the posts in Multiply that losing with character and poise is as important as winning with honor" --- Ateneo has a lot to teach La Sallites and not just how to play good basketball. Very interesting. Despite heartbreaking losses of past seasons, Ateneo has been poised even in defeat. I remember that from the Game 3 of Season 69, when JC, Macky and Doug thanked the Ateneo supporters in Araneta despite losing to UST. In contrast to Pumaren when all he could do was to blame officiating and saying that the finals was a script. Sorry, a lot of people don't buy this!

And to the Blue Eagles, what a season it has been! Biggest thanks to Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Bacon Austria, Nonoy Baclao, Mike Baldos, Ryan Buenafe, Vince Burke, Justin Chua, Yuri Escueta, Tonino Gonzaga, Kirk Long, Jobe Nkemakolam, Jai Reyes, Eric Salamat, Nico Salva, Chris Sumalinog, Chris Tiu, coach Norman Black, and everyone who made this championship possible. It has been a memorable season and championship! Congratulations! Bonfire na!!!

Related articles:

PDI

Manila Bulletin 1

Manila Bulletin 2

UAAP Awards

Lumabas na ang balita tungkol sa mga UAAP awardees sa artikulong ito mula sa Inquirer.

MVP: Rabeh Al-Hussaini (Ateneo)

Mythical 5:
Rabeh Al-Hussaini (Ateneo)
Jervy Cruz (UST)
Rico Maierhofer (DLSU)
Chris Tiu (Ateneo)
JV Casio (DLSU)

Rookie of the Year: Ryan Buenafe (Ateneo)

Sa Huwebes magaganap ang awarding ceremony. Sana kasabay na rin nito ang awarding sa CHAMPIONSHIP!

Ateneo vs. La Salle Game 1 Finals

Di na ako nag-abala pang bumili ng tickets at nanood na lamang sa Moro Lorenzo Sports Complex ng laro, kasama ng mga kapwa Atenista.

Masaya ako na nanalo ang Blue Eagles sa unang laban sa finals. gRabeh ang nilaro ni Rabeh Al-Hussaini, ang sentro at isa sa mga nangungunang kandidato para sa Most Valuable Player Award. Ang kanyang 31 puntos ay naglagay sa kanya sa record books bilang player na nagtala ng pinakamalaking puntos sa isang finals game.

Maganda rin ang nilaro ni Baclao. Ang 7 shot blocks ay marami para sa isang laro. Humuhusay si Nonoy sa pagiging isang defensive player. At lumalabas na rin ang kanyang 'angas'. Minsan naman kelangan ang angas para maipakita sa kalaban na seryoso ka sa laro at gusto mong manalo.

Nabawasan ang playing minutes ng Team Captain na si Chris Tiu dahil sa foul trouble, kaya rin nadagdagan ang playing minutes ni Rabeh.

Magaling ang depensa ng Ateneo ngunit hindi masyadong maganda na nagtala ang Ateneo ng maraming turnovers. Buti na nga lang magaling ang depensa at hindi nakapuntos ang La Salle.

As usual gRabeh ang aking sigaw at pagka-hyper ko kahapon, lalo na tuwing nakakapuntos is Rabeh. Sobra akong natuwa sa pinakita niyang emotions. Kitang-kita sa kanya ang kagustuhang manalo para sa Ateneo community. Nagkaroon sya ng interview kamakailan lang, na maaaring magpaliwanag sa kanyang gumagaling na performance sa UAAP. Ang interview ay makikita rito.

At ang block at sigaw (mukhang sigaw kasi sa TV) kay Rico Maierhoffer... wala akong masabi. Ito ang angas!

Sa pagtatapos ng blog entry na ito, nais kong ibahagi ang nabasa kong nakatutuwang talata. Ito ay mula rito.

Yuri-ka! Salamat at after a long wait nasa cham-tiu-nship ulit ang Ateneo. This season is a really big rabeh-lation. Good job-e Blue Eagles. Bombahin nyo ang oping-sa ng La Salle with a jai-namite. Baldos-er their defense, always block-lao their shots, and continue zig-zags-ging to create fast burke points. Justin time for them to be black-ed out. Lets see if makaka-salva pa sila.

Phew..I think I'm going to have a buenafever because of all this heat. So bring home the bacon guys.

Dalawang araw pa at game 2 na. Tapusin na natin ito! OBF!

It's Ateneo vs. La Salle in the Finals!

Makalipas ang 6 na taon, muli na namang maghaharap ang Ateneo at La Salle sa kampeonato ng UAAP. Though mas gusto ko sana na FEU ang kalaban, a championship match against the arch rival is always interesting. Ang tagal na pala ng rivalry na ito: seventy years! Panahon pa ito nung college ang lolo ko. 

Sa UAAP, ito ang pang-apat na beses na maghaharap ang Ateneo at La Salle sa Finals. Nagkasagupa ang dalawang koponan noong 1988, 2001 at 2002. Nag-kampeon ang Ateneo noong 1988 at 2002, at ang La Salle naman noong 2001. Sino kaya ang magiging kampeon sa taong ito? Abangan!

Grabe ang fuss about the finals, as usual! At pahirapan na naman ang pagkuha ng tickets. Di na ko masyadong umaasa na makakapanood ng championship games live. Pero syempre, tuloy pa rin ang suporta. Tuloy-tuloy lang, Blue Eagles! OBF!

Ateneo wins over La Salle again

I expected that La Salle will come out strong at this second round encounter with Ateneo. After all, this game is more important to them, for a win would mean that they will be in 2nd place and would have the twice to beat advantage. For Ateneo, on the other hand, there is really no pressure to win, for even if they lose, they will still be in 1st place. While many are saying that this will be a no bearing game for the Blue Eagles, the team thinks otherwise. After all, it's the rival team that they are battling. And all throughout the game, it could be seen which team wanted to win more. I was actually disturbed by a comment from the sportscaster from La Salle. I can't remember the exact words but she kind of said that Ateneo is on top only by a few points, and we (La Salle) are not giving our best yet... it's our destiny to win... My reaction is that if you are not giving your best, then you don't deserve to win. And the result of the game just proved that!

And I loved the halftime performance! Sayang lang hindi naipakita nang buo sa TV. Pero ito ang video (by kitaruna, from YouTube):



Note the arrow broken by the A! First time ang pang-ganti na ito, coz the other team has that 'arrow through the A' routine.

Oh I just love the Ateneo! On to the Final Four! OBF!

The newest Adidas endorsers

The Ateneo Blue Eagles!

Actually, hindi lang sila ang endorsers. The De La Salle Green Archers are also endorsers of the popular sportswear. This is a scene from the autograph signing at the Adidas store. All 16 Blue Eagles were present in the event. I was surprised to see so many people at the store!


I lined up to have my poster autographed by the Blue Eagles.

What can I say? I'm a FAN! I've been a fan of the Blue Eagles since grade school. And this season was particularly special because this is not like the Blue Eagles that I was used to watch. I guess the basketball program is now reaping its fruits :)

This is now the autographed poster of the Blue Eagles.

Hail Mary Shots

This video presents some of the reasons why Ateneo is called the "Hail Mary Team". I really can't forget the last play, because I watched the game live! Naaalala ko pa na halos maiyak ako nun.

Lapit na ng Final 4. More "Hail Mary's" for the Blue Eagles!

Adidas Sports Apparel

I really think that this is a good idea, featuring the hottest college basketball teams in the country and the fiercest of rivals (There's also another version featuring players from La Salle). From a marketing point of view, this is a good strategy. Both Ateneo and La Salle have strong following from their students and alumni, who have money.

I liked the jackets, and am seriously considering to buy one. I wonder which color to buy, blue or white?