Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Why we’re champions
By John Pages
Matchpoint

We won because of basketball. Thanks to its no-show, one million and five spectators instead scattered and spread out among the different sports.

We won because of Paeng Nepomuceno, the six-time world-bowling champion.

No, Paeng did not compete. But each morning at nine last week, he showed up at the Pearl Bowling Center and calmed the shaking hands of his fellowmen.

Here at home, we won because of Danao Mayor Ramonito Durano and Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez of mountainbiking and dancesports’ Edward and Eleanor Hayco.

It’s called helping hand.
We won because of Thailand. Thanks to Prime Minister Thaksin, the Filipinos united, yelled louder and sprinted faster to the finish line.

It’s called anger.

We won because Maritess Bitbit, who pedaled home the gold in mountainbiking, calls Danao City home. She tackled its winding trails and hills that pointed to the sky and memorized every curve and turn. We won because Liza Clutario, who bagged the gold in the Women’s Masters bowling, had faced the same lanes a thousand times before. We won because our baseball players have called the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium “home” since they were teenagers. In the locker room they’ve engraved their names and know the janitor’s name, Bosing.

It’s called homecourt advantage.

We won because Papa Eddie, Mama Celia, Lolo Nestor, Lola Conching, Tito Boy, Tita Carmen, Kuya Jun-Jun and Ate Tim-Tim watched from the bleachers.

It’s called family support.

We won because Cecil Mamiit, Eric Taino, Riza Zalameda and Denise Dy volleyed home three golds, one silver, and one bronze in tennis. Born, raised and trained in the US, are they legit Filipinos? Of course! Like you and me, they’re of medium-height, skin brown, hair and eyes black, and they know how to sing and dance Pinoy Ako.
It’s called the Fil-Am edge.

We won because the 10,537 fans who crowded the baseball stadium did “the wave.” They screamed, stood up and waved their arms.

It’s called cheering.
We won because of the P160 million raised by the private sector with the help of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. We won because we competed “out.” In Japan for judo, karatedo in Italy, archery in Korea, wrestling in Mongolia, taekwondo in Korea, gymnastics in China and the US, canoe-kayak in Hungary and football, fencing, volleyball, wushu, table tennis, swimming and weightlifting in China.

It’s called smart training.

We won because for 28 years, we’ve placed second (twice), third (five times), fourth (thrice), fifth (thrice) and seventh (once).

Never first. Worse, back when we hosted in ‘91, we won 91 gold medals and leapt for victory – only to fall off the golden pedestal, losing by a single medal to Indonesia.

It’s called hunger.

Finally, on the 23rd SEA Games trophy will be engraved one name.

It’s called Pinoy.











remember this quote from a famous war hero:
"Give me a thousand Filipino soldiers and I will conquer the world!" Gen. Douglas McArthur

The Thailunans call us cheater etc... but they were the number ! game fixers!

Vietnam bans 3 athletes for match fixing
11/12/2003

HANOI, Vietnam -- The deputy captain of Vietnam's under-23 team was one of three players banned for up to five years for his involvement in match fixing.

Vu Nhu Thanh was accused of throwing games after the under-23 team lost 4-2 to Malaysian Perak in a penalty shootout after a 2-all tie during a JVC Cup game last week. He was suspended by the Vietnam Football Federation, said Doan Thanh Lam, administrative head of the organization.

Local media quoted some team members as saying they were told by Thanh to stop scoring during the match. He was expelled from the national squad Monday.

The federation also banned Nguyen Viet Thang and Luong Trung Tuan -- former players from Vietnam's reigning champion Hoang Anh Gia Lai squad, for three years.

They were accused of fixing a match between their club and Bec Taro of Thailand at the Asian Club Champions Cup in Indonesia in July, Lam said.

© Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Ek-ek, I just learn how stereotyped you are.

How can you relate this story to support your accusation that thais are cheaters? mann....grow up plz. Use better logics to make an argument.

peace!

P.S. You shouldn't believe all the media said. You should have directly listen to what our prime minister said. Find out by yourself, and you will learn that you misunderstood BIG TIME! The story was deviated cuz of the politics!

Sorry, Politics is a way iof life also here in the Philippines!