La Salle comes back

Just when I was about  to give up on De La Salle after absorbing two defeats in games considered in the bag, the Green Archers finally played a good and game as it routed the much-improved UST Growling Tigers in the UAAP last Saturday. In the game against lowly University of the East, La Salle squandered a big lead in the dying minutes as Rey Suerte nailed back-to-back triples to edge the Archers. 

Then in the game against the University of the Philippines, Juan Gomez De Liano fired a game winning triple in the last 7.8 seconds to stun La Salle 22-71, who led for almost the entire game.  La Salle however is starting to fill the shoes vacated by Jeron Ting with his dare devil drives. AljunMelecio and Andrei Caracutcontinue to be a threat from the arc.  Of course the guy to go in the end game is still Justin Baltazar.  Jamie Malonzo is also a dependable scorer while Brandon Bates is fast improving in defense.  Jordan Barlett is also a good back up to Melecio  whileJoaqui Manuel could also hit the Treys.  Expect a better showing of the Archers in the next round. Animo La Salle!

Enter the dragon

The other Wednesday, a tragedy struck members of  theBoracay Dragon Boat team when their boat capsized after battered by sudden strong waves off SitioLingganay, Barangay Manoc-manoc, Boracay Island. Sevenmembers died while the rest of the team  were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard.  This is indeed a sad day for Dragon Boat  competitors as the PCG and Boracay local officials temporarily ban training in the area.

Did you know?

THRILLA IN MANILA. On October 1, 1975, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought for a third time at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.  Before the fight, Ali was in his usual style, insulting Frazier as he rapped “It will be a Killa and a Chillaand a Thrillawhen I get the gorilla In Manila”.The two fought a classic fight with Ali winning in the 14th round when Frazier didn’t answer the bell for the 15th.  Both men were badly battered with Ali then 33, saying “We went to Manila as champions, and we came back as old men”.After the Manilabrawl,Ali tried to apologize to Frazier through his 15-year-old  sonMarvis.  “He should come to me and say it to my face said Ali who issued another apology in March 2001.

IDI AMIN. As troops from neighboring Tanzania, led by Julius Nyerere, invaded his country,Ugandan  President Idi Amin proposed a novel way to settle their differences, a boxing match to be refereed by Muhamad Ali. Nyerere refused to fight Amin as the dictator used to be a heavyweight champion in Uganda for nine years.

HELEN STEPHENS. Caused an uproar in the 1936 Berlin Olympics after defeating Polish favorite Stella Walsh (real name StanislawaWalasiewicz) and rumors quickly spread that the sixfoot  Helen Stephens was secretly as a man.  Helen submitted to a sex test and proved she was a woman. 

One person who never doubted Helen’s gender was Adolf Hitler. Helen was invited by Hitler in his private box where he groped her bottom and ask her to spend a weekend with him in Berchtesgaden, but Helen turned him down.  On the other hand, Stella Walsh was not asked to undergo a sex test.In 1980, Stella was caught in a bungled robbery attempt and was shot dead.  An autopsy revealed her to be a man still in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, German high jumper Dora Ratjen turned out to be a man as well.