WANTED : STANDARD FOR EXCELLENCE

courtesy of m.spin.ph

After three straight defeats, LVPI team notches its first win against Nanjing University of China. Some LVPI supporters are celebrating the come-from-behind victory.

Is the celebration warranted ?

Definitely not.

The victory of LVPI team is actually an insult to LVPI and its team. LVPI officials and players can only manage to score a victory at the expense of a lowly university team.

The problem really is that we, as a nation, do not have a standard for excellence. We do not demand excellence from our teams that whatever victory our teams manage to score, no matter how insignificant, we celebrate and rejoice.

This is the reason why LVPI officials dare to present to us a team that was assembled at the airport. This is the reason why LVPI officials dare to send a team where players hardly know each other. This is the reason why LVPI officials  dare to represent the country with a team that did not practice even once for the tournament.

LVPI officials cultivate a culture of mediocrity among Filipinos that dangerously creeps into every aspect of our lives.

We deserve better.

COACH CHOT REYES AIN'T SO BAD AFTER ALL

courtesy of rappler.com

I am one of those who strongly demanded that Gilas head coach Chot Reyes be removed from the Philippine men's basketball team. His instruction to his players to shoot at the opponent's basket, for me, is just unacceptable.

But with the on-going disastrous performance of volleyball head coach Roger Gorayeb in VTV Cup, I must admit that Coach Chot deserves so much more credit than what I am willing to give him.

For one, Coach Chot prepares his team well for any coming tournament. He really makes sure that his team trains abroad by competing against foreign teams. Despite not getting all the players that he wants to be part of his team, Coach Chot is able to bring out the best in his players to make one formidable unit. The performance of Gilas in the World Cup in Spain is a testament of Coach Chot's professionalism and dedication to his craft.

But more impoortantly, Coach Chot knows very well his responsibility to his countrymen. He knows that he must bring pride and honor to millions of Filipinos worldwide, at all cost. Despite the losses absorbed by his team, Coach Chot can hold his head up high to anyone as his team showed that that Filipinos can compete with the best in the world in a game where Filipinos are not given a ghost of a chance.

Mabuhay ka, Coach Chot Reyes !

OPEN LETTER TO ABY MARANO

courtesy of rivals.ph

Dear Aby,

You missed the entire point of my blog post.

In any case, if you can say that you never called any player to join the LVPI team to VTV Cup, then I will gladly apologize through this blog.

Wishing you and your team the best of luck in Vietnam.

Yours,

Eric

LVPI OFFICIALS THRIVE ON THE IGNORANCE AND GULLIBILITY OF PLAYERS

courtesy of pinoyheadline.com

The incident where Aby Marano calls in the middle of the night to invite volleyball players for the VTV Cup is a shameless display of LVPI officials exploiting the ignorance and gullibility of athletes.

LVPI officials know very well that players are just so desperate to play. So desperate in fact that these players do not mind losing their dignity in the process. Marano acted like she was merely inviting friends to attend her party when she called up several players for the tournament in Vietnam. What she did is not only inappropriate but an insult to all former national volleyball players who worked hard to earn his or her spot in the national team. It is a travesty in the highest order as the formation of a team set to compete in a tournament abroad is reduced to a mere phone call.

The incident clearly shows too the utter lack of respect of LVPI officials for the Philippine team. That LVPI officials see the Philippine team to be so trivial that a player can actually call her fellow players to form the team. It is such an insult to the players, team and country as a whole. This is what players must realize. LVPI officials reduce players to mere pawns in a cruel game that they play. Players must think and analyze to better understand the manipulation, exploitation and disrespect that they are being subjected to.

Nearly everyone in the volleyball community has taken a strong, well-thought of and defined stand in the current problem involving PVF and LVPI. Why can't volleyball players do the same ?

MAY PANANAGUTAN ANG MGA PLAYERS SA GULO SA PHILIPPINE VOLLEYBALL

Nananatiling bulag, pipi at bingi sa katotohanan ang mga players kaya nanatiling masalimuot ang kaganapan sa Philippine volleyball.

Patuloy na ipinagkikibit-balikat ng mga volleyball players ang kawalanghiyaang ginawa at ginagawa ng LVPI sa PVF. Kaya naman, namamayagpag ang baluktot na sistema ngayon sa volleyball. Patuloy na sinusuportahan ng mga players ang mga ganid na LVPI officials. Kaya naman, patuloy na isinasantabi ng mga LVPI officials ang kanilang mga mahahalagang tungkulin na walang kita. Patuloy na pinipili ng mga players ang wag makialam at kumampi sa PVF. Kaya naman, nalalagay sa bingit ng alanganin ang kinabukasan ng volleyball at mga atleta nito.

Maituturing na malaking pagpapala na marami ang humahanga sa ilang mga volleyball players. Isang malaking karangalan sa mga volleyball players na marami ang umiidolo sa kanila. Kaya marapat lang na suklian ng mga players ang pagpapala at karangalang ito ng tamang desisyon at aksyon. Responsibilidad ng mga players ang manindigan sa tama at maging ehemplo lalo na sa mga kabataan. Ipakita sana nila ang pagpapahalaga sa katwiran at di lang ang pansariling kaligayahang makapaglaro para sa bayan. Isaalang-alang sana nila ang pangmatagalang kapakanan ng volleyball at mga manlalaro nito. Huwag sana silang magpagamit sa mga sports officials na walang hangad kundi palitawin na sila, mga sports officials, ang magaling kahit malayo ito sa katotohanan.

LVPI SHOWS THE WORST AMONG FILIPINOS

The actions of LVPI officials with regards to the country's participation in the VTV Cup in Vietnam show the worst in every Filipino :

1. The culture of mediocrity is being flaunted by LVPI without shame. Instead of sending the best possible team or not sending one at all, LVPI chooses to send a ragtag team that has not practiced even for a single day. Chances are, the team will end up dead last and LVPI officials are not worried a bit about the shame it will bring the country.

2. Filipino crab mentality is at its best with LVPI officials. Instead of allowing PVF to send its own team to the tournament in Vietnam, LVPI officials told the organizers not to accept the entry team of PVF at all cost. Indeed, crab mentality at its finest.. Incidentally, China has two teams entered in the tournament to underscore the possibility of a country being represented by two teams.

3. LVPI officials feel a sense of entitlement that is unwarranted and unfounded. LVPI officials requested the passport renewal of six of its players according to the office of PSC Chairman Richie Garcia. The request involves the renewal of passports in one day. Obviously, for the passports to be renewed in such an unimaginably short period of time, LVPI must use the padrino system. Every ordinary Juan dela Cruz waits for at least one week for passport renewal. Why can't LVPI officials and players go through the normal process like everyone else ? Why the sense of entitlement ?

All these, should make every Filipino shudder with the thought that these are the type of officials that the country has for volleyball.

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES NOT SENDING A TEAM TO VTV CUP

courtesy of manilastandardtoday.com

The inability of Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) to send a team to VTV Cup in Vietnam tells a lot about the men running the federation.

1. LVPI officials are inutile. Despite boasting of having UAAP, NCAA, Shakeys VLeague and Superliga as "members", LVPI officials cannot get the players to play for the tournament in Vietnam.

2. LVPI officials are deemed corrupt by major sponsors. To this day, major sponsors refuse to be associated with LVPI. These companies only know too well where their money will go once they come in as sponsors for the LVPI team.

3. LVPI offivials are liars as they continue to insist that LVPI is now the recognized and acknowleged NSA for volleyball. Truth of the matter is, PSC does not consider LVPI the official NSA for volleyball. As a result, LVPI teams are not funded by PSC which prevents full participation in tournaments abroad.. Likewise, LVPI players do not enjoy the benefits die national athletes like monthly allowance, travel tax exemption, terminal fee exemption and free use of government facilities.

4. LVPI officials are inept. They cannot even submit the requirements of PSC and COA. The submission of the requirements would allow PSC to fund LVPI team to Vietnam.

5. LVPI officials are so delusional that they think they can do a better job than PVF officials. LVPI can't even send a team to Vietnam while PVF is only too willing and able to send one.

But what all these really amount to is the absence of love of LVPI officials for volleyball and its athletes. LVPI officials cause so much damage to the sport and players because they, LVPI officials, are only after their selfish interests than anything else.

PSL BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE CUP : I-BOYKOT

courtesy of cnnphilippines.com

Akala siguro ni Tats Suzara na di alam ng volleyball community ang naging papel niya sa biglaang pagkawala ng FIVB recognition ng Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF). Akala siguro niya di alam ng publiko ang pinaggagagawa niya para sa madling panahon ay matanggalan ng pagkilala ang PVF bilang national federation ng Pilipinas sa volleyball.

Ngayon, panahon na para ipaalam kay Suzara na di mangmang ang mga totoong nagmamahal sa volleyball. At wala nang gaganda pang panggising kay Suzara kundi isang matindi at malawakang boykot ng kanyang Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup.

Sa lahat ng nagmamalasakit sa volleyball sa Pilipinas, i-boykot ang PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup na gaganapin sa July 18. Ipaalam natin kay Suzara ang ating pagtutol sa kanyang pinaggagagawa.

Isang boykot ang sagot sa panggugulo ni Suzara at kanyang mga alipores sa Philippine volleyball.

OPEN LETTER TO FIVB DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OFFICER AND PSL PRESIDENT TATS SUZARA

courtesy of sports.abs-cbn.com

Dear Mr. Suzara,

Greetings.

First of all, I wish to commend you for the hard work that you put in to secure the provisional FIVB recognition of Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, or LVPI. You literally travelled halfway across the planet to get the all-important provisional FIVB recognition for LVPI and effectively push Philippine Volleyball Federation, or PVF, out of the picture.

But I write to call your attention with the way sports officials are not forthright with you. With much concern, I wish to inform you that some top sports officials are talking behind your back and are issuing slanderous statements against you.

Should you decide to press charges and take these sports officials to court, I will gladly share with you an audio material that contains the defamatory statements of these sports officials

Respect must be accorded to everyone who deserves it. And you, Mr. Suzara, certainly deserve respect from the very people you work with and have immensely helped to get what they want. Do not allow these sports officials to besmirch your name and impute wrongdoing on your part. They, of all people, do not have the right to impute wrongdoing to any person.

Take the ingrates to court and deal with them accordingly. Perhaps that way, they will know that they need to treat you with respect.

Yours truly,

Eric

CALL ME MAYBE

courtesy of iconfinder.com

In a meeting between sports officials and athletes, Sport Official A called Sports Official C a thief. The athletes were so shocked and in disbelief that SOA could actually call SOC a thief behind his back. Worse, Sports Official B laughed and seemed to agree with SOA's slanderous name-calling. SOB and SOC are said to be friends and are close to each other.

Who are SOA, SOB and SOC ?

Clue : Their names appear in a particular order in the Filipino alphabet !

TALE OF THE TAPE : RICKY PALOU VS. TATS SUZARA

It seems that the fight of the century is not between Mayweather and Pacquiao. For Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc., it is between Ricky Palou and Tats Suzara.

courtesy of spin.ph

courtesy of spin.ph

According to a report in Bandera, conflict erupted between the two LVPI stalwarts when Palou refused to enter Ateneo and PLDT Home Ultera in Suzara's Champions League. Ateneo, as champion of UAAP and PLDT Home Ultera as champion of Shakeys VLeague are eligible to join PSL's Champion League. But Palou flatly rejected the idea of entering both teams in the tournament, upsetting Suzara in the process.

Suzara is the one responsible in securing the AVC and FIVB recognition of LVPI. He is also the main reason why FIVB is turning a deaf ear to PVF's pleadings. Suzara remains the main link of LVPI to both AVC and FIVB.

Palou, on the other hand, is the secretary-general of LVPI. His influence over the Ateneo team is his main weapon in securing his post with LVPI. His close ties with UAAP also make him indispensable to LVPI.

With the two having important but different roles in the organization, Romasanta will have a hard time choosing one over the other. Romasanta's indecision will ultimately force the two to make their own decisions. The way I see it, Suzara will be the one to decide to leave LVPI. After all, he has the backing of AVC and FIVB even without LVPI behind him.  A source says however that Suzara needs LVPI for his pet project of ASEAN Volleyball Club League.

Should Suzara back out of LVPI, will he make life hard for LVPI ? He has done it before with PVF. So what's stopping him from doing the same with LVPI ?

KILOS PHILIPPINE VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION !

Sa gitna ng mga kasinungalingan ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) at Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas inc. (LVPI) na ibinuko mismo ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), sadyang nakakapagtaka ang katahimikan ng Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF). Ni isang pahayag na kumukondena sa mga kasinungalingan ay walang lumalabas mula sa PVF.

Hindi dapat palampasin ang ginawang panlilinlang ng POC at LVPI  sa players at sambayanan nang sabihin ng mga ito na ang kanilang mga binuong koponan ay mga pambansang koponan. Di biro ang perwisyo na ibinigay ng POC at LVPI sa PVF  nang sabihin ng mga ito na LVPI na ang kinikilalang NSA para sa volleyball sa bansa. Di rin katanggap-tanggap na ni isang COA required document ay walang naisusumite ang LVPI hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Sa tinatamasang suporta ng PVF sa publiko, marapat lang na suklian ito ng PVF nang tamang pagkilos at gawa. Walang karapatan ang PVF na maghintay lamang sa desisyon ng korte sa kasong inihain nito laban sa POC at LVPI. Dapat maging masigasig ang PVF sa pagbatikos sa lahat ng mali na nakikita nito sa loob at labas ng volleyball. At buong tapang dapat nitong ipinagsisigawan ang mga kamaliang ito upang umalingawngaw sa buong kapuluan at magsilbing mitsa ng pagbabago.

THE PHILIPPINE ARMY DRAGON BOAT TEAM

This is the Philippine Army Dragon Boat Team. In 2014, at the 9th International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew Championship in Italy, the team won 2 golds and set new world records in the 200m. and 500m. Premier Open events. The team's incredible performance in Italy gave it the title of " Fastest Boat Crew in the Planet ".

This July, the Philippine Army Dragon Boat Team will compete with the world's best in Japan. Let us support this world-class team as it once again tries to bring honor to the country.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As a way of thanking all those who spread and signed the petition to save PVF, I wish to share what USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal told me in his email dated July 1, 2015.

" I will do my best ---no promises except that I will raise the issue and discuss the lack of opportunity for you and others to present your case to the FIVB Board. "

This only goes to show that together, we can make a difference. That there are people out there who care about our united stand. That there are honorable men, like Mr. Beal. who despite their stature, remain involved in the struggles of other people. We have the Spirit of Edsa as a people and we merely have to tap into it to effect change.

Maraming salamat po sa lahat nang nanindigan at patuloy na naninindigan sa tama at matuwid na pamamalakad sa pambansang palakasan.

Eric