THE WILLIE MILLER SYNDROME

In game 2 of the championship series between Ginebra and Talk and Text, Willie Miller missed two crucial free throws in the last 18 seconds of the game. Ginebra, however escaped with a victory as Alapag missed a three-point heave. The score ended at 108 - 106 for Ginebra.
I believe that Willie Miller is still the best player in the Ginebra line-up. But his constant misses at the free throw line somehow raise concern. Miller has long been suspected of making his team lose on purpose.. In fact, this is the reason why he has been traded several times in the past despite helping his teams win championships. It will not help Miller any if he continues to miss crucial free throws in the dying minutes of the game. It can't be said that he still has the jitters in taking those game-winning free throws. After all, Miller is a two-time MVP and has been playing for over a decade now. At this stage in his career, being a choker, whether by accident or choice, will not help Miller any.
But I continue to have faith in Willie Miller. He is the type of player who can come up with a good performance if he puts his mind to it. He has the ability to win games for his team. That is, if he wants and tries to.

THE ROYAL WEDDING : WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL ?

The world virtually came to a halt to witness the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Two billion people watched the event on television. Some of the world's most well-known celebrities attended the wedding to give it more prestige and glamor.

Personally, I did not bother to watch the wedding. I simply could not stand the extravagance and hype that people gave the event. Lost in the pageantry was the solemnity of the wedding. It became more of a spectacle than a solemn vow between two people in love. I guess people just had to vicariously live out their fantasy of royalty by watching the event. People just had to see how it is to be of royalty. People just had to partake of the event reserved for royalty.

What people seem to forget are the lessons from the life of Princess Diana. Her marriage to Prince Charles, in fact, made her life miserable. People seem to forget that happiness goes beyond wealth and nobility. Princess Diana found comfort and her own happiness in helping others in the midst of the miserable life that she embraced when she became royalty.

ANG KABALIWAN NI AIKO MELENDEZ : MUNTI ANG KAHAHANTUNGAN

Nuong nakaraang Linggo sa Paparazzi, ibununyag ni Cristy Fermin kay Mayor Meneses na ang dati niyang kasintahan na si Aiko Melendres ang may pakana ng matinding paninira sa kanya. Halatang di makapaniwala si Mayor Meneses na magagawa sa kanya ni Aiko ang ipagkalat ang malisyosong balita na may karelasyon siyang kapwa lalaki.
Sadyang maituturing na wala sa matinong pag-iisip si Aiko upang makagawa ng paninira sa isang tao na tumayong ama na rin sa kanyang dalawang anak sa loob ng tatlong taon. Sadyang baliw na matuturing ang isang tao na gagawa ng kasinungalingan para lamang malagay sa kahihiyan ang isang tao na nagmahal sa kanya nang totoo. Sa paghahangad ni Aiko na malagay sa kahihyan si Mayor Meneses, nawala sa kanya ang respeto ng mga tao. Siya at di si Mayor Meneses ang nalagay sa kahihiyan.
Sa ngayon, desidido na si Mayor Meneses na magsampa ng kaso laban kay Aiko. Sa malamang, makukulong nga si Aiko Melendres sa kanyang pinag-gagagawa. Marahil, maganda na ring mangyari sa kanya iyon para di na siya makapaghasik ng lagim pa sa mundong ibabaw.  Mababawasan ng isang baliw ang lipunan sa pagkakulong ni Aiko Melendres.

WILL GINEBRA RISE FROM DEFEAT TO FINALLY MAKE THE FINALS ?

Tonight's game between Ginebra and Smart Gilas is pivotal for both teams. A win by Ginebra will push it to the finals against Talk and Text. A win by Smart Gilas on the other hand will force a winner-take-all with Smart Gilas enjoying the momentum. With the stakes quite high, both teams will surely go all out to secure a victory tonight.
Ginebra will have its hands full in containing Douthit. But it will also have to pay attention to the other players of Smart Gilas who are all capable of exploding on any given night. JV Casio proved to be the biggest thorn on Ginebra's side in game 3 which caught Ginebra by surprise.
But the physicality of Ginebra's brand of play will most likely spell its success. Even Coach Toroman is upset with the way Ginebra gets away with its physical game. When push turns to shove, Ginebra will surely be there to separate the men from the boys.
It's force against finesse tonight as Ginebra and Smart Gilas slug it out at the Araneta Coliseum. May the force be with you.

THE CCF CHALLENGE : EPHESIANS 2: 8-9

Ephesians 2: 8-9
You have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

CCF cites the bible verse above to justify its doctrine that faith alone saves. CCF simply connects the words "saved", "faith" and "not by works" to come up with the belief that faith alone saves. But do the verses really mean that faith alone saves ?
First, we must investigate the word "saved". Just what does the word saved in verse 8 pertain to ? To find out, we simply have to go back to Ephesians 2:5 which says, "that even though we were dead in sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. ( it is only by God's grace that you have been saved )".So saved in verse 8 means saved from being trapped in sin. Saved in this case means saved from the power of sin. Saved in this particular verse does not mean saved from judgement at all.
But through faith in Jesus' death and  resurrection, we can achieve favorable judgement. Since we now have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the power and influence of sin once we believe in Jesus' death and resurrection, there is hope that we can have eternal life. It is a gift of God since Jesus, after all, was God's gift to mankind. The death and resurrection of Jesus took place because of God's great love for humanity. It is this great love that manifested itself in the form of a gift in the person of Jesus Christ. But we have to note that we still can continue to live in sin if we choose to. We certainly can still be in sin if we refuse to have faith in Jesus' death and resurrection. Faith is indeed vital in overcoming sin. Hence, the word "faith" in verse 8.
The words "not of works" pertain to Jesus' death and resurrection which not a single man had something to do with to take place. No one may boast of having now the ability to resist sin because Jesus alone did all that is needed to give man such power. More importantly, aside from resisting sin, faith in Jesus' death and resurrection gives man the ability to do good works. Ephesian 2:10 says, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." And once we are driven  to do good works, we then become more justified come Judgement Day.

James 2:24
So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

So, what does CCF think of Ephesians 2:8-9 ?

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS : WHY I THINK IT IS REAL

Two days from now, Christians from all over the world will be celebrating Easter. The day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus after dying on the cross. Without the resurrection, Christianity ceases to be true. But is the resurrection of Jesus 100% true ?
I firmly believe that the resurrection of Jesus did occur because of two reasons. One, there were people who saw  Jesus alive after dying on the cross. The gospels are one in saying that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to several people. Two, Jews could have easily destroyed the belief in the resurrection if it truly did not occur. The Jews took the time and effort to prove the resurrection was merely a figment of the imagination of Jesus' followers  to prove their belief that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. But the belief in the resurrection of Jesus survives to this day. Skeptics have not found a way to debunk the resuurection to this day.
As Easter draws near, I remember that Jesus is a living God. And that my God has overcome death. How then can I go wrong with Jesus ?

SACRIFICE OR OBEDIENCE ?

Holy Week is the time that most people perform personal sacrifices. Some refrain from eating pork as their form of sacrifice. A few go to the extreme and have themselves nailed to the cross. But are sacrifices demanded by God during Holy Week ? Do our sacrifices please God ? Do we really have to share in Jesus' passion in the form of sacrifices ?
To answer the questions above, I looked up several bible verses that deal with sacrifices. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, " But Samuel replied,  " What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice ? Listen ! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. " Mark 12:33 says, " And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law. " Hosea 6:6 says, " I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings. From the verses cited, it is obvious to see that obedience is better than sacrifices to please God.
But are sacrifices totally useless in the eyes of God ? Hebrews 13:15-16 says, " Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. " Indeed, to do good to others is the form of sacrifice that is acceptable to God. This Holy Week, let us truly offer the sacrifice that pleases God. Let us allow our faith in Jesus' death and resurrection to work in us to enable us to love others and do good works.
A meaningful and relevant Holy Week to everyone.

HOW MUCH DID ATENEO SPEND TO HAVE A STRONG BASKETBALL TEAM ?

I just read that Keifer Ravena and Greg Slaughter played superb basketball to tow Ateneo past San Beda in a local tournament. Slaughter scored 26 points while Ravena scored 25 to lead the team in what may signal the start of  Ateneo's winning ways in collegiate basketball.
While I am happy to note that Ateneo strives to excel in basketball, I can't help but ask how far the school will go in pursuing its quest for basketball supremacy. I can't help but wonder if  Ateneo paid a huge sum of money just to have Ravena and Slaughter in its line-up. Were there cars and condo units involved just to have the two play for Ateneo ?
But then again, it could be that the two players simply want to get their degrees from Ateneo. If that is the case, then Ateneo is indeed lucky to have the two in its basketball team. This early, with Ravena and Slaughter in its line-up, Ateneo is regarded as the team to beat in the UAAP.
I just hope that Ateneo did not compromise its principles by offering a huge amount of money in exchange for the services of the two players. I hate to think that basketball supremacy and glory in this country can be bought. Because come to think of it, the Philippines ranks lower than India in the latest FIBA world ranking. Philippine basketball, for me, is simply not worth the hype and the money that most Filipinos give it.

FEARLESS FORECAST : GINEBRA AND AIR21 IN THE FINALS

Ginebra will go up against Smart-Gilas while Air21 goes up against Talk and Text in a pair of semifinals matches that promises to go down the wire. Talk and Text and Smart-Gilas will have the luxury of being well-rested for the series. Both Ginebra and Air21 have momentum on their side as the two teams are coming off impressive wins in the quarterfinals.
I pick Ginebra to win over Smart-Gilas because Ginebra players are all capable of dishing out an excellent game on any given night. There are reports as well that Smart-Gilas will be missing the services of Marcus Douthit due to a hand injury. Without Douthit, Smart-Gilas is severely crippled at the center slot. Ginebra will have an easier time without Douthit manning the shaded area for Smart-Gilas.
I likewise pick Air21 over Talk and Text for the simple reason that I am for the underdog. Talk and Text remains formidable after finishing the eliminations on top. Coach Chot Reyes will surely devise ways to really clamp down on Air21's veterans. But Air21's second stringers have been performing well and contributing to Air21's cause. The entire Air21 squad is playing on a mission and could very well post an upset much like the way it did with Alaska.
With the four teams all capable of excellent basketball, fans can surely expect the games to be exciting. In the end, it will be a question of which teams are hungrier to win and make it to the finals. And the way I see it, Ginebra and Air21 are all pure heart in their quest for a seat in the finals.

AIR21 DEFIES ODDS TO BARGE INTO THE SEMIS

Air21 posted a big win over Alaska to enter the semis of the current PBA conference. Despite being down by 18 points at one point, Air21 did not lose hope to score a dramatic upset.
The trade involving the "old" players of San Miguel and young players of Air21 can now be safely considered to have worked more to the advantage of Air21. The "old" players of San Miguel proved to be instrumental in securing crucial wins for Air21. I guess the "old" San Miguel players are out to prove to everyone that they still have what it takes to carry their team all the way to the top.
While beating Talk and Text is a formidable task, Air21 will for sure put up a great fight. With momentum on its side, Coach Bong and his men will surely not let go of the opportunity to get a championship crown.

HOW TO SPOT A WINNER

My new sideline requires me to immediately spot a winner from a group of players. So to remind me of who can be considered a winner, I have decided to enumerate the things that, to my mind, define a winner.

 A winner is :

1. One who knows how to excel and set himself above the rest. He offers something that others do not.

2. Someone who knows how to recover from setbacks. He learns from past mistakes and uses them to better himself.

3. A person who is beautiful inside. A winner possesses true beauty from within which shines through and becomes evident through his good works.

4. One who places much importance on spiritual life. Knowing the ultimate source of goodness and blessings makes a winner.

5. Someone who dares to right the wrong despite the risks involved.

6. A person who knows when to accept defeat and move on to bigger things in life.

Are you a winner ?

WILLIE REVILLAME : LESSONS LEARNED THE HARD WAY

As major sponsors pulled out of Willing Willie, it left Willie Revillame with no choice but to think things over. Starting tonight, Willing Willie will no longer be aired live. No new episodes are likewise scheduled until April 24, 2011.
What Willie Revillame thought as a funny number of a six-year old unexpectedly turned into a nightmare for the popular host. Revillame did not know what hit him. He did not expect the rather distateful act of Janjan Estrada and his approval of the act  to cause such an outrage among viewers. Not even the ten thousand pesos that Willie gave Janjan could compensate for the child abuse that Janjan suffered in front of millions of viewers. At least that was what most viewers thought which prompted a lot of them to propose a boycott of the show's sponsors. And with the boycott came the decision of most of the sponsors to pull out their placements in Willing Willie.
Hopefully, Willie Revillame will realize that giving out millions of pesos does not give him the right to abuse people. Hopefully, Willie refrains from making the poor act like fools in front of the camera to generate just a few laughs. And hopefully, Revillame treats his fans and followers with respect and dignity. After all, everyone deserves respect, whether he or she is poor or not.

FACE - TO - FACE : POSITIVE VALUES IN THE MIDST OF UNREFINEMENT

There was a time when My mom wonders why I laugh so hard whenever I watch Face-To-Face. Now, my mom's day will not be complete without Amy Perez's highly popular show.
Face-To-Face, like Willing Willie, features ordinary people. But Face-To-Face does not give away millions of pesos. Instead, it settles disputes between individuals. It tries to reconcile couples and family members who are at odds. It gives legal and spiritual advice to guests who are in various complicated relationships. the show's appeal is without doubt anchored on its guests who engage in catfights and even brawls in front of the camera. But its other appeal is the reconciliation that happens between the guests before the show ends. By the end of the show, the guests, as well as the viewers, are taught to behave like decent human beings.
As Face-To-Face celebrates its first anniversary, I hope that it continues to provide entertainment and sound advice to people. It will remain one of my favorite local shows as it provides positive values amidst the unrefined ways of its guests.

GERALD ANDERSON TO PLAY FOR GINEBRA ?

I just told a good friend to ask Coach Jong whether Gerald Anderson could possibly play for Ginebra. Anderson is currently practicing with the NLEX team which is going great guns in the PBA D-League. At the moment, the ABS-CBN matinee idol has yet to sign a contract with the NLEX Road Warriors. But Coach Boyet sees great potential in Gerald Anderson as a basketball player. The good coach is confident that the addition of Gerald Anderson will boost his team's chances of winning the first ever D-League championship trophy.
For Ginebra, the addition of Anderson to the team will increase Ginebra's fan base cosiderably. With Anderson in the team, could Kim Chiu be far behind ? I could see Araneta Coliseum filled to the rafters whenever Ginebra plays with Anderson in its line-up. The young Anderson will likewise signal the transition of Ginebra from an old to a young team. A lot of Ginebra players are, after all, well above 30 years old. Anderson could very well signal the changing of the guards for Ginebra. So, what do you say, Coach Jong ?

BOWLING + GOOD FRIENDS = GREAT TIME

Friends from college organized a reunion of sorts as our friend, Loiue, returned home after 8 years of stay in the U.S. A lot of things have transpired in all our lives in the 8 years that we haven't seen each other. As expected, all were looking forward to the rare get-together.
With the four of us being decent bowlers, Arnel and Joel decided to have the reunion at the SM Bowling Center in North Edsa. After the usual greetings and a bit of catching up with each other's lives, we divided ourselves into 2 teams. Louie and I, being former doubles champions, formed one team. Arnel and Joel formed the other team. As I expected, the games were far from being played seriously. Arnel would often try to break our concentration by employing dirty tactics. Loiue too found the bowling center too hot that effectively prevented him from playing his usual game. I, on the other hand, wasted so much energy trying to stop Arnel from breaking our concentration. As a result, we lost all of our matches.
But more than the games, what I truly enjoyed was the great company that my friends provided. We shared a lot of good laughs as we talked about people we knew in college, our misadventures when we were so much younger and the incredibly insane things that we do today. Julius managed to arrive as we were about to wrap up our games, which all the more made our reunion a blast. Despite the unexpected loss in bowling, I was happy to have won a great time with great friends.

A CALL TO BOYCOTT WILLING WILLIE'S SPONSORS

To this day, Willie Revillame has yet to apologize for the incident involving six-year old Janjan Estrada. What Willie Revillame has done is merely to justify what he and his show did to the poor kid. He stands firm that he and his show did not abuse nor shame the poor kid. Perhaps, to teach the highly popular host a lesson or two, it is time for people to boycott the sponsors of his highly popular show. A boycott of his sponsors will hopefully make Willie Revillame think twice about making the elderly, the minors and impoverished act like fools just to get a quick buck in return. Below are the sponsors of Willing Willie that readers may consider boycotting :

1. UFC Cook and Dip
2. Pepsodent
3. Vaseline shampoo
4. Talk and Text
5. Generics Pharmacy
6. KFC
7. Downy
8. Pantene
9. Surf liquid detergent
10. Glutamax
11. Pau Liniment
12. Bench Daily Scent
13. Will Cologne
14, Rexona
15, Cebuana Lhuillier
16. Tide bar
17. Real Leaf tea
18. CDO Funtastyk
19. Viva Records
20. Cherry Mobile
21. Technomarine watches
22. Oishi
23. Islander rubber sandals
24. Belo Essentials
25. Protec-Cee
26. Safeguard
27. San Marino corned tuna
28. Sensodyne
29.McDonalds
30. Calpol
31. Quickchow
32. Tiger Energy Biscuit
33. Tang
34. Ariel
35. Head and Shoulders
36. Foton
37. Camella Homes

It is time to make a definite stand. It is time to act in the face of the mockery and abuse that happen right in front of our eyes everyday.

THE DEATH OF THE 3 OFW'S IN CHINA : A SAD REFLECTION OF VALUES

While majority of Filipinos see the death of the 3 OFW's in China as an economic issue, I see it more as a sad reflection of the values that Filipinos possess. I see the unfortunate incident as a reminder of the outrageous desire of some Filipinos to get rich fast by any means. I simply do not buy the idea that the three mules were forced into the drug trade because of their overwhelming and noble desire to feed their families. Truth of the matter is, there are millions of of Filipinos who live under poorer conditions than those of the 3 OFW's. But the majority choose to engage in jobs that afford them dignity, honor and respect. They choose to earn money for their families through legal means.
The 3 OFW's knew very well what they were getting into. The opportunity to earn easy money proved to be too tempting for the 3 OFW's to miss. Sadly, the choice that the 3 OFW's made cost them their lives. Hopefully, with the incident, Filipinos truly value and respect hard work, however modest the income may be. Hopefully, Filipinos realize that it is simply not worth risking their lives to earn a lot of money in a flash.