Sports News

The coach we refer here is multi-titled coach Freddie Lazarito.

Coach Nene, as we fondly call him, is the most dominating figure in football. He is the former national mentor (when foreign coaches have yet to invade the Philippines). He may be considered a dominating school-case mentor not only in the province and region but in national tournaments. His recent accomplishment is winning the 2013 National PRISAA held in Lingayen, Pangasinan last February. He also steered the Ceres-backed team of Negros Occidental Football Association in last year’s PFF-Suzuki U23 National Cup and is defending the title in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. I saw Coach Nene with NOFA-Ceres team on opening games of the 2013 PFF-Suzuki U23 National Cup Friday at Gov. Mariano Perdices Memorial Stadium, the venue of this year’s tournament. I saw him with Mr. Ramon Janeo sitting side by side each other when I glanced back. I saw him go outside with his team after the half of Baguio-Benguet and Iligan-Lanao opening match. But I DID NOT SEE HIM during the Media Thanksgiving Dinner Friday night at Bethel Guest House and instead Ali Go was sitting on his behalf. This really puzzled me only to find out that their Saturday, May 18 game against Zamboanga-Dipolog which they won, 6-0, Ali Go is calling the shots. Was this his furlough as what he had said before that he will give up coaching this team and only concentrate on school-based teams? Well, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt until he issues statements of his "disappearance".

Cyril Dofitas

The Philippine Football Federation and Suzuki-Philippines disclosed during the press conference of the 2013 PFF-Suzuki U23 National Cup held last Friday at the Bethel Guest House in Dumaguete City that around a thousand balls have been donated by the motor company to the federation to strengthen its grassroots development program.

"It is a fact that not all provincial associations get equal support or sponsors. But by creating activities and posting competitions in various areas as well as strengthening the structure of competitions in these areas, it will encourage provincial associations to support their players because this is our commitment to Philippine football," said Cyril Dofitas, Department Head –PFF.

Dofitas also made correction on the impression that the federation is rich. "The subsidy of FIFA is being divided into several departments. It supports the grassroots development program, administration program, women’s committee and other programs to improve and strengthen the association. Likewise, we also set aside budget for our national team," he clarified.

With a few days after the election is over, the Negros First team that is leaving for 2013 Philippine National Games (PNG) has two options to be at the venue in ULTRA, Pasig in Metro Manila before the start of the competition on May 24 to June 2, 2013.

This was disclosed by Cecil Bando-Oyos, who said they are still awaiting approval of the budget for the team. Oyos said it is either on May 23 or May 25. If they will take a ship from Bacolod City, they should leave May 23. If they take an airplane, they should leave on May 25, a day after the opening starts, depending on the release of the budget.

There are about 30 athletes to compete in our sports events, out of 42 sports disciplines to be contested in 10-day sports competition. These are boxing, athletics, taekwondo and dance sports. A separate badminton team will also join from Negros Occidental.

Miami and San Antonio will enjoy homecourt advantage in their respective conference finals duel against Indiana and Memphis, respectively, with the Pacers and the Grizzlies deemed hardpressed to turn the tide in their favor what with the Heat and the Spurs’ edge when it comes to the home town crowd.

Today, we won’t be talking much of the reigning National Basketball Association winner Miami or the Western Conference No. 2 seeds San Antonio. In contrast, we will be allocating this corner to both Indiana and Memphis, both considered lightweights when it comes to the NBA Finals.

That is, if both teams go on to defeat and pull the rug from under the Heat and the Spurs in their respective conference finals which started yesterday with the Spurs-Grizzlies Game 1 at the AT & T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Tomorrow, the Heat and the Pacers begin their Eastern Conference titular battle at the American Airlines Arena in Florida.

Indiana upset No.2 seed New York during their best-of-seven conference semifinal meeting, 4-2, highlighted by the Pacers’ Game 6 win over the Knicks last Sunday over at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse to the tune of a 106-99 triumph.