Basketball

NBA League Pass in the Philippines

With the timezone difference, Filipinos in the Philippines can’t catch each and every game of the NBA. Normally, the games happen while we’re at work. Thus, we can only enjoy the games usually every weekend, and not all weekends are free day for everyone.

And thus, it’s not practical to fork out Php4,999 per year, Php650 per month, or Php99 per day to avail of the NBA League Pass.

If I were to suggest a reasonable price for NBA League Pass, it would be Php999 (~US$20) for a year, Php199 (~US$4) for a month, and Php49 (~$1) for a weekend (Saturday and Sunday, Philippine time). That is how Filipinos will find it reasonable, considering the standard of living and the volume of games they can freely watch anyway. And this is how NBA can sell the NBA League Pass in the Philippines.

NBA 2012 PlayOffs Fearless Forecast

I remember tweeting yesterday:

Fearless forecast? It’s gonna be PHI vs. IND in the Eastern Conf. Finals, and OKC vs. IND in the Finals. And OKC will sweep it all the way. — deuts

These forecasts can be further broken down into 6 detailed predictions based on the ongoing Conference Semifinals as follows:

  1. The Oklahoma City Thunder will sweep the Lakers (4-0) in the Western Conference Semifinals;
  2. The Oklahoma City Thunder will sweep (4-0) whoever they play with in the Western Conference Finals;
  3. The Oklahoma City Thunder will sweep (4-0) whoever they play with in the NBA 2012 Finals;
  4. The Philadelphia 76ers will beat Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals;
  5. The Indiana Pacers will beat Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals; and
  6. The Indiana Pacers will beat the Sixers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

After the Thunder lost to the Lakers earlier, one of my predictions is already down. Let’s see which of the other 5 will come out correct.

NBA 2K12 Available for iOS on October 4

Together with the release of the NBA 2K12 for PS3 and other consoles, 2K Sports will also be releasing the NBA 2K12 game app for iOS devices like the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

CNET’s Tap That App is all praises for this app:

I’ve purchased and played with EA’s NBA Elite app, and just as in the PS3 console, I’m pretty sure 2K will beat EA anytime of the day — especially when it comes to gameplay quality. …

It’s Dallas vs. Miami Part Deux

Obviously, it didn’t turn out to be what I’ve been rooting for — the #thunderheat. Instead, the repeat of the 2006 NBA Finals.

This blog has been old enough to have previewed mentioned the NBA Finals 5 years ago. And this time, I’ll be on the other side of the fence. For one, Miami Heat’s head coach, Eric Spoelstra, is half Filipino.

Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks have been doing great so far in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. But I believe that the Lebron-Wade-Bosh tag team will shine even better this time — in the 2011 NBA Finals. Add that to the fact that the Heat will be enjoying the Home Court advantage in this series.

The #thunderheat could have been the most ideal NBA Finals scenario, at least as far as I’m concerned. The Miami Heat clinching the 2011 NBA Finals Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy comes second.

NBA2K11 – A Quick Review

Having been a follower of the NBA2K series since NBA2K9, I can’t help but compare the latest NBA 2K installment, the NBA2K11, to the previous two (i.e., NBA2K10 and NBA2K9).

Of course, besides the NBA2K11 being a special tribute to the greatest basketball player who ever lived with the Jordan Challange feature, there are various improvements including (and especially) the gameplay.

Let me tell you my quick impressions about the game:

Improved Gameplay

I’m the kind of player who enjoys the quality of gameplay more than the superb graphic display and fancy character moves. I like simulating real NBA games—the heart-pounding crunch times, more than the flashing slams and jams.

Initial games I played indicate that the developers made some adjustments to the field goal percentages. Unlike the previous versions where field goal percentages shoot up to the roof, especially when inside the paint, it’s now closer to reality with as low as 35% on bad nights and as high as 60% on great (if not lucky) nights.

A more realistic field goal percentage leads to more realistic number of rebounds per game. Moreover, you can play the actual 12 minutes a quarter without totaling 150 points a night. It can now be closer to real NBA game, like 90 to 110 points per team per game.

There are also a lot of turnover/steal instances, so you just can’t pass around the ball blindly without incurring a ton of turnovers.

New Button Functions

If you can fake a shot when on the offensive, now there’s also a button (i.e.,the circle button [O] in PS3) to fake a pass. This is especially useful when you’re posting up and you fake a pass towards a team mate who cuts the lane.

Also, there were changes in some button functions, like you can now set an alley-hoop with L2+O, instead of L2+X in 2K10.

Layout and Sound

Of course, there are various changes in the layout like to score indicator, the time camera view, and substitution indicators. And some improvements and variety in the commentators’ comments. Also there are new halftime features, upcoming games plugs during quarter breaks, and post-game recaps.

It’s Game Time

Now, enough of blogging ‘coz it’s game time! But if you, fellow gamers, have something to share, what new features you liked or even hated the most about the latest NBA 2K installment, you are welcome to share them in the comments below.

Would Brgy. Ginebra Appreciate FIFA?

guest-post-iconThis is a guest post from Raymond.

Why is football a long shot in generating significant fan interest and sparking a sporting revolution in the country to overtake basketball in the hearts of gullible Filipino masses?

  1. As it is right now, nothing much can be expected from our various National Sports Associations in terms of funding, support and initiative in promoting their various fields. With athletes’ cries of delayed and entirely lacking and/or undelivered allowances, what more can we expect when it comes to solid provision for local and international exposures, gears, coaches and trainers, etc.

    With this, much of the needed funds and publicity will and should obviously come from corporate sponsors and sporting godfathers. Of course, nothing comes free. In exchange for sponsorships, athletes, teams, meets and leagues serve as marketing tools and vehicles of these interested sponsors.

    If one is a marketing manager with funds at his disposal, it is a no brainer to sponsor someone and something which will be gaining media mileage and publicity, say for example a basketball team participating in tournament complete with prominent coverage in the tri-media, over a grassroots football program at the heart of an almost empty, unkept football field doubling as shelter of carabaos with nary any media attention.

  2. We have enormous successes from the RP Blue boys of youth softball, jungolfers and tennis players, note even chess wizard Wesley So. But without much fallback in the form of commercial and professional leagues, athletes are left to fend for themselves with limited opportunities in sporting fields other than basketball.

    A man has got to eat. And without a promising long term horizon in other sports, not much interest is generated and sustained in the hearts and minds of our young athletes to pursue their passion. Government pension for athletes won’t take anyone anywhere.

  3. Come up with an improvised hoop and a ball and you’re ready to go. Roads in our country can double as basketball courts easier than converting them into football fields.
  4. I don’t know if this is entirely accurate. Or I may just be hating to admit it if it is indeed the awful truth, but we Filipinos have a penchant for the “bara bara“, lack of a system, free wheeling, anything goes, “bahala na si Batman” kind of an attitude. Football being the Beautiful game, may be something that is not ready to be appreciated by our masa. For a country thriving with one upmanship, “kanya kanya“, counterflows and cutting corners, the purity of Football will surely lull the masa to a deep slumber even before the first tagay of Ginebra.

With the international success of Pacman, Bata Reyes, Django Bustamante et al, again with the private sponsors and managers funding all their stints, awareness and interest in football will remain so so in the national scale.

So, what keeps a nation of vertically challenged citizens with not much success in the international scene in the significant past still addicted to hoops? Apart from ending, point shaving and the like which adds even more spice to the game, maybe it’s because of the immediate gratification in terms of points and fastbreaks, much the same as jabs and KO punches in boxing, that fans get to experience.

I personally believe that the excitement from basketball is something that Filipinos can relate to more than the excitement and appreciation to be derived from football. We absolutely don’t have a chance winning big in basketball globally. But it doesn’t matter to the fans. James Yap’s jumpers are enough for them to get their fix of adrenaline rush. They wouldn’t care less if James Yap won’t be able to convert those same shots over foreign behemoths in various international meets.

Basketball caters to Filipinos’ impatience more than football. Are you still wondering then why lines in lotto outlets as well as lines for showbiz auditions and gameshow contestants are eternally long?

Filipinos want a quick fix to everything; and they simply won’t last 120mins. with the score reflecting 0-0.

On LBJ Jumping Ship

guest-post-iconThis is a guest post from Raymond.

Greatness and legendary status entail more than talent. The scenario here is no matter how many titles the Heat may win, LBJ would have some trouble solidly validating and cementing himself as a true leader.

But, if he can totally live with it in the guise of “it’s the team that wins championships”, then it perfectly makes sense cutting corners and hooking up with DWade & Bosh.

MJ, Magic and Larry Legend are really a different breed belonging to a different generation. We can’t totally fault LBJ because he’s just being himself. He’s too self assured (even without a ring at that) that he can afford to jump ship and think that it doesn’t diminish anything at all.

This is a different generation altogether. Remember, even KB insisted on a trade not a few times when LA was in deep sh*t and before they were able to land Gasol for a song.

My point is: True leaders will always be the last person to abandon ship; and the thought wouldn’t even cross their minds. Greatness cannot be hyped. Legends need not be hyped.

So is it just fitting to ask, “What’s there to witness?!” =)

Reposted here as it appeared in http://moncruz.tumblr.com/post/791736670/mj

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