The Closer

This was the 1st blogsite that I ever wrote for. I never thought that I’d love blogging. Unfortunately, I have  found a better blogsite to write in. This will be my last post on this blogsite. I came to like the other one because it was user-friendly. I could easily customize what I want with my blog. I could mix and match with what I want without having headaches on how to do it. I have posted a lot on that site already. I’m just leaving this blogsite but it doesn’t mean I’m gonna quit blogging.

Catch me on http://www.danielloteyro.blogspot.com/.

Ang Tunay na Mahirap

Election season again in the Philippines. Every corner you see faces of politicians, you hear their advertisements on the radio and see them on television, they’re here, there, and everywhere. One politician caught my attention just recently, not because im impressed nor fascinated with what he did and what he intends to do if he wins, but because im annoyed. So annoyed, I switch the channel whenever his commercial plays on the TV. With his catchphrase “Ang Tunay na Mahirap”, I guess you know now who I’m talking about. I received an email from my grandfather showing pictures of a beautiful, elegant, enormous mansion in Salt Lake City, Utah owned by him. Take a look and be astonished:

Nice crib right?! I wonder how he was able to build such work of art. My question is: Is this realistic for someone who claims that it’s all sipag and tiyaga?

Bikini

No wonder everyone wants to be behind her

 

I was reading an article when I came across a word that I never heard of in my life. I was curious so I take a look at it in the dictionary.  I visited this website and to my surprise, its homepage showed the 10 most searched words from different places. Guess what?! BIKINI is number 1. They made a tally for the 10 most searched words and Bikini topped it. Looks like the summer is taking its toll on everyone. I don’t know if they don’t know the meaning of bikini or they just wanna know the origin of the word, or better yet, they just browsed the wrong site to search for a bikini. For me its a good sign, it seems that a lot of hotties or notties will be wearing a bikini and bask in the sun this summer. Remember ladies, flaunt it if you have it, otherwise, stay indoors…Peace

For The Love Of Country

It’s almost summer. I can already feel the heat swarming my skin. I can see the green grass turn brown. It’s just sizzling hot. Much like what happened last week in Arlington, Texas.  Yes, but I’m not talking about the recent Pacman annihilation of Joshua Clottey, it wasn’t the hottest thing that happened that night.  I’m talking about the Arnel Piñeda singing of our national anthem. The NHI crucified the artist for singing it in a different way, where in fact he was just expressing himself, the so called “Artisitic Freedom”. I don’t blame arnel for doing a version of his own, I mean if you never noticed, the Star Spangled Banner is sang in different ways depending on the artist doing it. The Lupang Hinirang is way boring to listen to, that’s why I can’t blame the Martin Nieverra, the Arnel Piñeda’s to add a little flavor. Screw the NHI for being such a critic, that’s why this country won’t progress, it’s because of people like them, such crabs.  They were just doing their job, anyway. Oh and they’re singing for our country.

The All Star Snubs

Now that 24 players have been named to showcase their skills in Dallas on February 14, I think it’s right to present the shoulda, woulda, could have been all stars.  Well, after the announcement earlier, I’m sure a lot of eyebrows were raised. I remembered Hedo Turkoglu when he played for the Magic 2 seasons ago, he got snubbed badly even last year. So here are the Hedo’s of this year.

Eastern Conference: Having Iverson in the starting line-up really hurt other deserving players. Rondo could have taken his place but Rondo wont win the ballot anyway, Vince was next to AI. But hey, maybe AI deserved it too, he has made a name for himself and his fans wants to see him play. Kudos to D-Rose, Crash, and Rondo, you guys deserve it. Unlike Granger and Harris last year.

David Lee -  The guy is playing the best basketball of his life. He is averaging a double-double per game. He is the reason, alongside Al Harrington,  why the New York Knicks are in contention for the playoffs. You have got to give the kid props. He is an undersized center an yet averages over 10 rebounds per game. He is the only center I know that dominates the east, aside from Dwight Howard. How in the world did Al Horford end up being in the All Star Team rather than Lee?!! I know Knick fans are going bananas…..

Josh Smith – Again, Al Horford?!! You got to be killing me. This guy deserves the spot. Derrick Rose was the wild card, you could swap him over Josh Smith. Josh deserves it more than Al and Rose. I think it’s too early for Rose to make the team, I know he is good but then again, Josh Smith has been superb. The guy is averaging career highs on his stats. I know a lot were surprised why he was by-passed. Paul Pierce was expandable too.

Maurice Williams – You should be in but you are injured anyway. The cavs still played good without you.

Western Conference: Z-BO, D-Will and KD, justice have been served. Nowitzki should have been a starter, but then again his still playing and I hope he snags the All Star MVP in front of his homecourt. Nash managed to sneak in past T-Mac, which I think was a conspiracy theory.

Chris Kaman -  You are the David Lee of the east. You are the MVP of the other LA, yet fans dont give you that chant unlike the other man in LA. Who would have thought that the Clips would be few games away from the 8th spot in the west?! Aside from Yao, who is injured by the way, you are the only legitimate center in the west. I know nothing was wrong with Pau in the team but he missed a lot of games, you deserved it more than him, but then again the Lakers are better with Pau on the team.

Monta Ellis – If you were in the east, I guess you would have made the team. The record of your team hurts you thats why you were snubbed.

Chauncey Billups – Too many games missed. You would have been eligible if you didn’t get injured.

No more Answer?

I woke up this afternoon shocked with the news that Allen Iverson (aka the Answer or A.I.)  would be announcing his retirement this week. Wow!! That was unexpected. I know that he was released by the Memphis Grizzlies to free agency after playing three games and I was expecting him to play for another team this year, but to announce retirement was odd.

Honestly, I am not a fan of A.I. but I gotta admit that in my generation, he was the best small man to have ever played the game. Imagine a 6 foot guy scoring, dishing, defending, doing everything for his team to win. This guy was the number 1 pick and the Rookie of the Year way back 1996. He was MVP in 2001 where he brought the Sixers to the NBA Finals. He led the league in scoring for 4 different years wherein he became one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, despite his small (6 ft 0 in) stature, with a career scoring average of 27.1 points per game, being fifth all-time.  Iverson was a ten-time NBA All-Star which includes winning the All-Star MVP in 2001 and 2005.

This guy, at the age of 34, still has a lot of basketball in him. I felt bad for him. I don’t get it why no team is willing to sign him (although some showed interest). This guy can give you 25 points per game, he can attract defenders, he can dish, and he is faster to the ball than some other guys. I know he had this bad reputation for ruining team chemistry, for being a pain in the ass with his coaches, and for being selfish but as Michael Jordan said in his Hall of Fame speech, “There is no I in Team but there is I in wIn”. Sometimes great players just take it upon themselves to give their team a chance to win. Isn’t it what Kobe, Lebron, D-Wade, Melo does for their team this days? With regards to ruining team chemistry, Memphis is 5-10 on the win-lose column, New York is 3-12, do you think there is enough chemistry in a team with a losing record? I don’t think so. There is nothing to ruin in a team with a losing record. I don’t get why Memphis won’t give A.I. enough playing time and New York for announcing to the world that you are gonna sign A.I. and backed out, no wonder your team sucks because your orgnization sucks, too (No Brandon Jennings and probably no Lebron next year). Miami, New Jersey, Orlando, Boston (teams that showed interest in signing Allen) never made a public statement that they are gonna sign him. What New York did was a blow to A.I.

Well, the next few days will be crucial for Iverson, many players were shocked with the news and even they showed dissapointment. Iverson could have chosen a better exit but if this is what he really wants then he left the league with good memories.  Everybody’s gonna have their opinion these days but as long as he’s happy, that’s the most important thing.

2.0

 

 

Wish You Were Here

Like the song from Incubus:

We all wish you were here….

A Shot at History

 

I peeked into my laptop clock and it read 12: 13 am. I bet  a lot of Filipino’s are already anxious and excited for tomorrow’s big bout. I take myself as an example, I’ve been watching videos of Pacquiao and Cotto for about 4 hours now and I still can’t get enough. I love watching them box, Cotto using his size and strength to overpower his opponent and Pacquiao using his speed and agility to outbox his rival. Both are pretty good boxers, in fact, Cotto is considered as the best welterweight today while Pacquiao is tagged as pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. Cotto has defeated good boxers like Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Ricardo Torres, & Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao has been relentless so far by defeating  the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar Dela Hoya, & Ricky Hatton. On paper, Pacquiao’s resume looks better that’s why he is considered the best pound-for-pound. He defeated Dela Hoya and Hatton on a weight he has never fought before and he took them down with style, earning a TKO in the 8th round for Dela Hoya and a devastating KO in round two for the latter.

Both consider this fight as the biggest in their careers. Cotto wants to redeem his only lose to Antonio Margarito, a lose that up to this day haunts him. He wants to shake off the monkey in his back. For Pacquiao, he is gunning to be the 1st boxer to hold a title in seven different weight classes. History is what he is after for . They will be fighting in a 145 catch weight and it will be for the WBO Welterweight Championship, which Cotto holds for now. The question is “Who’s style will prevail?”. Will it be Cotto’s size and strength? or Pacquaio’s agility and speed?. How I wish time would fly faster because I really want to find out who will win. Of course, as a filipino I’d love to see the Pacman win.  It’s 12:51 am, 9 hours to go before fight time, might as well sleep.

Oh!! I dont want to miss this out. The winner is said to face Floyd “Money” Mayweather next year. That would be an awesome fight. Also, Brandon Vera is facing Randy Couture in the main event of UFC 105 (Brandon Vera is a Filipino-American). Indeed, tomorrow is a big day for a filipino fight fan, may it be  UFC or Boxing.

Mixed Emotions

RELUCTANT

My contract in the hospital working as a nurse just expired last September. I was in a one month lay-off from work and honestly I was enjoying it. I can wake up whatever time I want, I can sleep anytime I want, I can play the playstation 3, ride my bike, surf the net the whole day, and I can hangout with my friends anytime I wanted to. I was really having fun.  One day, a representative from APAC called me and wanted me to apply in their company. I was very hesitant to apply but my friend told me that he would also apply, so I tagged along. Actually, the interview in APAC wasn’t my first because I already applied as a company nurse in the company, I just never got hired because I was still under contract with DOLE. Fortunately, Me and my friend got accpeted in APAC. Orientation day came, my friend was so excited and confident while I was timid. But misfortunes do happen and my friend backed out because the schedule with his class and the job were the same. I had no choice but to attend orientation alone. I spent the entire weekend thinking over and over if I would still pursue working in APAC. A lot of things were running all over my mind, I consulted a lot of people, including my family and friends. I went to church, prayed, and after an hour, I’ve already made up my mind.

HAPPY

I was overwhelmed with happiness when training started. I didn’t expect that training would be fun. I acknowledge the most part of it to my trainer, Jonas, but I wouldn’t leave behind my colleagues, they made it easier for me to blend in. I was very silent during the 1st day and it felt like eternity sitting and waitng for classes to be over but these guys accepted me like they’ve known me for a long time already. I’m not really that comfortable yet with this group but I gotta say my comfort zone has upped one notch. I also learned a lot about the english language. The proper accent, intonations, pronunciation of words, liaising words, etc. Classes here best defines the saying “Learning is Fun or should be Fun”. We’re enjoying, laughing together, having fun with the discussion but more importantly, we LEARN. Going to class has never been fun because you dont know what to expect each day. That’s why I’m looking forward to future classes, as Antono Ego said in the animated movie Rattatouille, “Surprise Me”.