A Real American Hero

It's been quite a while since I last wrote on this blog, 3 years, 3 months and 7 days - to be exact. During that time, a lot of things have happened. The Philippines voted in a new president (Noynoy Aquino), Ateneo won the UAAP's Men's Basketball Championship 3 more times (en route to a Final Four era best 5 straight titles), The Walking Dead TV series premiered in October of 2010 and it has been a zombie love-fest since then (admittedly, I was a little late to the zombie apocalypse, watching Seasons 1-3 during the Easter Holidays, but as they say, better late than never), The Big Bag Theory continues to chug along (now on its 6th season) and a few comic / cartoon live-action movies have been shown, some were great (Iron Man, Thor, The Avengers and X-Men First Class to name a few), others were so-so (Transformers 3, Captain America and the Spider-man reboot) and one was a complete dud (Green Lantern - this sucks as, together with Batman, he is one of my favorite DC comic hero). Which brings me to my blog topic of the day: G.I. Joe, with G.I. Joe: Retaliation hitting the movie theaters last March, I thought it would be nice to finally write something about my favorite 80's cartoon show (or more specifically, the toys they were "advertising").

During the 80s, the most popular cartoons showing on TV were The Transformers (more on this in the future) and G.I. Joe, they were shown every week (can't remember which specific day), and suffice to say, it was something I looked forward to as a kid. The shows were so popular that they even spawned 2 feature length animated movies (although G.I. Joe The Movie never made it to the theaters, it went the direct-to-video route). Along with the cartoon show came the toys, manufactured by Hasbro, the robots and military action figures were a must have for most kids back then.

Since G.I. Joes were much more affordable than Transformers (Php 60.00 vs. Php 350.00 at that time), it was easier to save up for them (Dad would take care of the Transformers, hehe), I remember saving my weekly allowance just so I can purchase a G.I. Joe figure at Nova Fontana. Trips to Hong Kong and the US would not be complete without stopping by Toys R Us, where they had aisles and aisles of Joes.  At the end of it all, my little brother and I would approximately have a combined 60 Joe and Cobra figures, around 5-10 vehicles and playsets.

Sadly, puberty hit and the toys were forgotten, it was only around 2001 when I started thinking of rebuilding my Joe collection.  At first, I tried to look for my old Joes, but 15 years is a long time and unfortunately for me, I could not locate them anymore. Luckily, during this time, eBay was already popular and a lot of people were selling these toys on-line.  The first figures that I got were Beachhead and Shockwave, I had these 2 figures as a kid and they were always my favorite Joes, it was a no-brainer that I had to have them again!  

25th Anniversary Beach Head
(Mint on Sealed Card)

Wayne " Beach Head" Sneeden is an Army Ranger, he is 4th in command in the G.I. Joe Team (after Hawk, Duke and Flint).  He appeared in the Sunbow cartoon series, the animated movie and the comics.  He was first released as a toy in 1986, as part of the 5th series of G.I. Joe toys (this wave included the Navy Seal, Wet-Suit, another one of my favorite Joes). He has been re-released a few more times after that, having a total of 16 versions to date, with the latest one as part of the G.I. Joe Retaliation toy line (Ninja Dojo Set).

Visually, Beach Head almost always appears in a mask (green balaclava), complete with vest, a backpack and a submachine gun. I have 4 Beach Heads in my collection, the original one released in 1986, the 25th anniversary version, the comic 2-pack version and the Rise of Cobra version (together with Rollbar and the Snarler Cycle ). Needless to say, I have him in multiple quantities, some loose, others mint on sealed card. Sadly, he has yet to make an appearance on the live-action movie, but with G.I. Joe 3 being greenlit by Hasbro and Paramount, there is still a chance we get to see him in the future.

Vintage ARAH Shockwave
(Mint on Sealed Card)

Jason "Shockwave/Shockblast" Faria is the team's S.W.A.T. specialist.  His primary military specialty is special weapons and tactics. He appeared in the DIC cartoon series and the comics.  He was first released as a toy in 1988, as part of the 7th series of G.I. Joe toys (this wave included light infantryman Hit & Run, another Joe favorite of mine). In 2009, he was re-released as part of the comic 2-pack series (together with Destro), but this time around, his code name was changed to Shockblast. In total, Shockwave/Shockblast has 6 versions, with the latest version being the Rise of Cobra 2-Pack (with Night Creeper).

Shockwave is usually dressed in a blue camouflaged uniform, complete with vest, backpack, sidearm and a submachine gun. His head is also covered by a balaclava, usually blue, and he wears a hat (and/or helmet, based on the 2009 release).  I also have him in multiple quantities, both loose and mint on card. He has not appeared in any of the live-action movies, and given the theme of the movies (more military than police), his chances of appearing in the next installment appears slim.

As of today, I've rebuilt my entire 80s Joe collection (and then some), and as far as my favorite Joes are concerned, I have a total of 6 Beach Heads and 4 Shockwaves/Shockblasts in my collection:

• 1986 Beach Head (Loose and Complete with Filecard)
• 25th Anniversary Beach Head - Silver Foil Version (Mint on Sealed Card)
• 25th Anniversary Beach Head - Comic Version (Mint on Sealed Card)
• Comic 2-Pack Beach Head (Loose and Complete with Filecard)
• Comic 2-Pack Beach Head (Mint on Sealed Card)
• Rise of Cobra Beach Head (Loose and Complete with Filecard)
• 1988 Shockwave (Mint on Sealed Card)
• 1988 Shockwave (Loose and Complete with Filecard)
• Comic 2-Pack Shockwave (Mint on Sealed Card)
• Comic 2-Pack Shockwave (Loose and Complete with Filecard)

I'm hoping for new versions of these badasses soon, so that I can post reviews about them, but for my next post, I'm planning to write about my 2 favorite Cobra figures, Big Boa and Croc Master...post should be up in the next week or so. Yo Joe!

Retro Kicks

As far back as I can remember, retro kicks have been around since the mid 1990s (Chuck Taylors are excluded from this, as they've never been out of style, hence, they're never retro). It started when Nike began reissuing the old Air Jordans, I remember this because the day the Air Jordan 3s were reissued, me and my buddies all went out and bought a pair of these beauties. Ever since then, Nike has been constantly reissuing some of its more popular models, such as the Air Force Series, the Air Max Series and others. Pretty soon, Adidas and Reebok followed suit, with Adidas reissuing its ever popular Pro Model Series, and Reebok doing the same with its Classic (Red White and Blue Logo) Series and Pump Series.

I'm not sure if these reissues are making money for the shoe companies, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of people are psyched whenever they hear news of a certain pair of shoes being reissued. I know I was psyched when I heard that Nike was reissuing the Air Force Max last 2007. I guess its because I used to own a pair of those, and they were my all time favorite kicks. But aside from nostalgic reasons, I actually believe that the shoe styles and designs back in the late 80s and early 90s were top notch, and despite the passage of time, they actually still look pretty cool. Of course, the shoes now are more technically sound and advanced, giving the athletes of today more comfort and safety, but in terms of style, I don't think they match up with the kicks of the 80s and 90s.

Back in my college years, despite the fact that I stand five feet nothing and weigh a hundred and nothing, I played a lot of basketball, not varsity level basketball, but serious basketball nonetheless. Because of this, I also had my fair share of the latest basketball kicks during that time, my favorites were Charles Barkley's Air Force Max 1, Shawn Kemp's Kamikaze 1, and Penny Hardaway's Air Max Penny 1. And wouldn't you know it, all three models have been or will be reissued, I guess it wasn't only me who liked these shoes after all. Anyway, read on for a little background on my favorite retro kicks.

The Air Force Max 1 was released in 1992, but they didn't arrive here in the Philippines until 1993. The shoes were primarily worn by Charles Barkley in his 1st season with the Phoenix Suns. However, I think it was the Fab Five of the Michigan Wolverines who made the shoes a must buy for every baller. With their baggy shorts and black socks, the Fab Five basically ushered in a new way to look cool in the basketball court. Personally, aside from the fact that it looks cool, I liked the Air Force Max 1s because they're comfortable, it just feels right when I wear them. And of course, I was wearing them when I won my first Dorm Intramural Championship. So yes, a lot of memories there. When Nike reissued them back in 2007, I immediately got myself a pair. The only retro kicks that I own right now.

The Kamikaze 1 was released by Reebok in 1994, with Shawn Kemp being the endorser. Yes, the immortal Shawn Kemp, the Reign Man himself, the same guy who fathered 7 children by 6 women. But back before he became a human blimp and druggie, Kemp was actually good. Who can forget his high wire acts and vicious dunks, plus, the alley-oops with Gary Payton. He's actually the first player to jump into the NBA without playing college ball since Moses Malone. Anyway, the Kamikazes were quite popular during the mid 90s, popular enough for Reebok to issue a second version of it, the Kamikaze 2s, which were actually way cooler than the first one. Sadly, shortly after its release, Shawn Kemp's career steadily declined, and with it, the chances of a Kamikaze 3. However, Reebok (now owned by Adidas) is releasing an updated version of the Kamikaze in 2010 (see image above), and if I get lucky and they release it here in the Philippines, I'll definitely get myself a pair.

The Air Max Penny 1 was released in 1995 by Nike, with Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway as the endorser. And just like Hardaway's basketball career, it was brief, but memorable. People now forget, but when Penny Hardaway first entered the NBA, he was destined for greatness. As a rookie, he was a member of the All-Rookie Team (Chris Webber won the ROY Award), by his third year, he had been a 2-time member of the All-NBA First Team, a 2-time All Star, and a member of the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal Team. He, along with Shaq, also led the Orlando Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals, losing to the Houston Rockets in 4 games. He was dubbed the second coming of Magic Johnson, only more athletic, way more athletic. Tragically, Penny would only have 1 more superstar season in him, after that, a series of devastating knee injuries took away his speed and explosiveness. He retired in 2007, when he was cut mid-season by the Miami Heat. The shoes pretty much took the same path as the player, the Air Max Penny 1s were absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous enough that I even wore them outside the courts (T-shirt, Denim Shorts and my Air Pennys. Yikes!), and they were light and comfortable too, in other words, they were perfect. The next 3 versions though, weren't as nice. Nike reissued them in 2008, but they were only released in the US, which totally sucks because I really wanted to have them. Still hoping that they reissue them again and release them here.

So there you go, my favorite retro kicks, and I'll be crossing my fingers that they release them here, so I can get myself a pair or two, you know...just for old time's sake.

P.S. Some of the other kicks that have been or will be reissued that I'm also looking forward to include: the Air Force 180, the Air Trainer SC II Low and the Air Jordan VI Olympic Edition. (See image below)

Legen...dary!

Fans of the hit TV series How I Met Your Mother will be happy to know that the book, Bro Code is finally in stock again. I picked up a copy the other day at Fully Booked Edsa Shangri-la.

For those not familiar with the series, the Bro Code is a compilation of written rules that bros supposedly have to follow. Barney Stinson (played by Neil Patrick Harris, yes, Doogie Howser himself), one of the lead characters of the show is the proponent of the Bro Code.

About the book, its around 200 pages long containing roughly 150 codes and a few diagrams and illustrations. I won't really try to go into the details of the codes, you'll have to read it to appreciate it, (okay, maybe appreciate is a strong word), but heck, if you have money (Php 500.00) and time to spare, go pick up the book, its worth a few laughs.

With that said, I'm listing down my favorites...

My Top 7 Bro Codes:

Article 19: A Bro shall not sleep with another Bro's sister. However, a Bro shall not get angry if another Bro says, "Dude, your sister's hot!" Corollary: It's probably best for everyone if Bros just hide pictures of their sisters when Bros are coming over.

Article 24: When wearing a baseball cap, a Bro may position the brim at either 12 or 6 o'clock. All other angles are reserved for rappers and the handicapped.

Article 65: A Bro must always reciprocate a round of drinks among Bros. Exception: A Bro is off the hook if his Bro orders a drink that arrives with an umbrella in it.

Article 95: A Bro shall alert another Bro to the presence of a chesty woman, regardless of whether or not he knows the Bro. Such alerts may not be administered verbally. (There's diagrams shown in the book on these non-verbal alerts)

Article 101: If a Bro asks another Bro to keep a secret, he shall take that secret to his grave. This is what makes them Bros, not chicks.

Article 127: A Bro will always help another Bro reconstruct the events from the previous night, unless those events entail hooking up with an ugly chick or the Bro repeatedly saying "I love you, man" to all his Bros.

Article 150: No sex with your Bro's ex.


The above list is in no particular order...and yes, I need to get myself a life.

Vengeance Mode

Photo Credits: Jenner Ong, Alyson Yap and Rick Olivares

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start.

And just like that, the characters of the popular Nintendo 64 game Contra, suddenly go into overdrive mode. The main characters of the game, commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Bean¹ suddenly have a full set of powerups and infinite lives (okay, more like 30 lives) which allow you to go thru the game quite easily. I still remember the joy of discovering this cheat code, allowing me to go to vengeance mode and finish off the enemy.

Years later, I would discover Bill Simmon's² Vengeance Scale, a way for him to measure a certain person's vengeance factor after facing adversity and surviving it. As mentioned in his article, prime examples would include: Michael Corleone in Godfather 1, after his father, Vito was gunned down by a rival family; Daniel LaRusso in Karate Kid 1, after enduring much pain and antagonism from the Cobra Kai; and Michael Jordan, in the 1996 NBA season, after losing to the Magic in the 1995 NBA Playoffs. The Sports Guy offers countless more examples (which you can see here) but I guess you get the picture.

Which now brings me to the Ateneo Blue Eagles, post 2007 UAAP Season. After a painful ending to their 2007 UAAP campaign, wherein archrival De La Salle Green Archers eliminated them in their Final Four match. The Blue Eagles suddenly went into Vengeance Mode, winning 58 of their next 63 games³. The streak included winning 2 UAAP Championships, 2 Uni-Games Championships and 2 PCCL Championships. That's 6 titles out of 7 tournaments, 58 Wins and 5 Losses, a .921 winning percentage over the past 2 years, it's like somebody flicked a switch and suddenly, these boys forgot how to lose. And to think that after that 2007 debacle to the Archers, some disgruntled alumni were calling for Coach Black's head, fast forward to two years later, the Coach now has more bling than an OFW coming home for Christmas. Take that!

Regardless of any innuendos the other camp may say, we all know that there's no magic cheat code involved, no Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start which the team could push and magically turn themselves into an invincible unit. But how did it happen then? How could a team suddenly turn from perennial losers⁴, to undisputed champions in such a short span? 4 things stand out for me:

Reason No. 1: The team simply matured. Remember that except for Ryan Buenafe and Nico Salva, the core of the team has been playing together for the past 3 years. They've gone through thousands of hours of practice, endured painful defeats and had grown together as a team. You could see the maturity of the players especially during close games, wherein more often than not, they would manage to pull out a win.

Reason No. 2: Norman Black's System finally bore fruit. Now, I'm not an expert or anything as far as basketball systems or coaching are concerned, but I have been following the team since Coach Black took the reins in 2005⁵ and the one constant that he has been preaching has been Defense. Everyone on the team should play defense, not just straight man-to-man, but also team defense. While there have been glimpses of this during the 1st three years, the team finally became a force on defense during the 2008 UAAP season. Even the stats back this up, Ateneo was either number 1 or 2 in most major defensive categories.

Reason No. 3: The emergence of Nonoy Baclao. During the 2007 season, Baclao was playing in his 1st year for the Blue Eagles, he wasn't technically a rookie since he was a transferee from West Negros College wherein he played for 2 years, but 2007 was basically his first venture into big time college basketball. And it showed. Although he gave us glimpses of his enormous talent that year, he was mostly a foul-prone, offensively challenged, defensive specialist. Despite this, Nonoy was slowly improving each game, unfortunately, his improvement during the course of the year was not enough to prevent the Blue Eagles from losing in the Final Four to the eventual champions that year, the Green Archers. He did however, give us reason to hope. His coming out party actually happened in late 2007, during the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (then known as the Collegiate Champions League), wherein he won tournament MVP honors while leading the team to its 1st major basketball championship since 2002. From there, Baclao's rise to superstardom has been meteoric. By the start of the 2008 UAAP Season, he has been named one of the co-captains of the team, and was tasked to lead the team on the defensive end. And this he did, with much aplomb and success. He was basically the team's defensive anchor for the next 2 years, swatting and changing shots with such regularity that opponents eventually decided to just take the easy way out and opt for the low percentage outside shots. Rabeh might have been the team's go-to guy, and Chris might have been the leader of the team, but Nonoy was unquestionably the team's heart and soul. I truly believe this and I will argue this to death with anyone who believes otherwise.

Reason No. 4: The aforementioned Vengeance Factor. Yes, after years of falling short, losing in the Final Four to La Salle in 2005, to UST in the 2006 Finals⁶, and again, to La Salle in 2007, it was time for payback. And as they say, payback is a bitch. The team went on a rampage, and basically bulldozed their opposition the next 2 years. Although it might seem that they wanted to beat every team they faced during this period, a closer look would show that the team always played extra hard and were more motivated when facing UST and La Salle, the last 2 teams to knock them out of the last 3 UAAP seasons. Let's look at UST first, since that loss to them in the 2006 Finals, Ateneo has faced them a total of 10 times (UAAP and PCCL), in those 10 times, Ateneo's record against them is 9-1. Also, during that same span, Ateneo has eliminated UST in 4 out of 5 tournaments that they played⁷, it was only in the 2008 UAAP Season that UST was not eliminated by Ateneo, of course, that also happens to be the year wherein they didn't make the Final Four. Next up, La Salle. After the 2>3 debacle in 2007, Ateneo has faced them a total of 9 times, their record against them? 8-1⁸. Simply put, this team got tired of losing, they're tired, mad and ticked off, and with it, came the resolve to try to win every game that they played, especially against the teams that caused them their most recent heartaches. And that my friends, is the so-called Vengeance Factor.

One last thing, using The Sports Guy's Vengeance Scale, I would rate the Ateneo Blue Eagles at about 9.25, and only because they lost the 2008 PCCL Championship. However, if the Blue Eagles somehow manage to win the UAAP Championship again next year, I'm bumping up their rating to 12.25, and you know what, if I were a betting man (which I'm not), I wouldn't bet against this from happening.



¹ Yes, they have names, although as I kid, I always knew them as Sylvester Stallone's Rambo and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator.
² AKA The Sports Guy
³ Major tournaments only (UAAP; Uni-Games and PCCL)
⁴ I use this term loosely, after all, their 3 year UAAP record prior to the turnaround was at 34 wins and 16 losses (playoffs included), finishing 3rd twice, in 2005 and 2007, and 2nd once, in 2006.
⁵ Longer than that actually, I became a fan during their 1988 Championship Season, but since we're only talking about Coach Black's system, we'll stick with 2005.
⁶ This one still hurts. Until now, I still tell myself that Game 3 never happened...let's just move on before I start crying again.
⁷ 2007 and 2009 UAAP, 2007 and 2009 PCCL
⁸ That 1 loss was during the 2008 PCCL Finals, and of course, Ateneo played minus Chris Tiu and Ryan Buenafe, I'm not making excuses, but still.

All I Want for Christmas Is...

Photo Credits: Philip Sison

Yes, its that time of the year again, when everyone gets a chance to wish for something, and in the spirit of the holiday season, I'm coming up with my...

Top 7 Wish / Want List for Christmas:

1) A Lakers-Celtics Finals: I don't really root for any particular team in the NBA nowadays, the only team I actually rooted for were the 80's Showtime Lakers, after that, I only rooted for the teams that Kenny Anderson (My all-time favorite NBA player, and don't ask me why, because I don't know either) played for, the Nets, Hornets, Blazers and the Celtics. Now that he's retired, I'm basically an NBA orphan, a diehard NBA fan without a favorite team. Having said that, I still enjoy a good game, and for the past 3 years, the Lakers-Celtics Games have been the hottest ticket in town. Here's hoping that they do meet up again in the Finals this coming June, 2010.

2) Classic Transformers & GI Joe Toys: Come on Hasbro, more of the 80s version of these toys please. I know that you had to come up with updated (i.e. movie versions) of the toys to attract a new and younger fan base, but please please please, do not forget about your loyal fans, those who stuck with you through the bad years...bring back the Classic Transformers and GI Joes in their original packaging. For TF, I want a Classics/Henkei Wheeljack and Jazz. For GI Joe, I want a Shockwave, Wet-Suit, Hit & Run and Big Boa, and in original packaging please, none of the comic 2-pack and/or 7 pack crap.

3) A new and improved version of Mafia Wars: Actually, I'll settle for a working version of Mafia Wars. Please get your act together before its too late, too many issues on page loads, request errors and long loading times. And while you're at it, can you also give me a Liger and an Impression so that I can complete my Tigers Unleashed and Moscow Loot collection. A CM Dragon ( from Cuba Crates) and a Bugatti Veyron (from Limited Edition Loot) would also help in beefing up my car loot collection.

4) A World Series Championship for the Atlanta Braves: Huge Atlanta Braves fan, ever since the early 1990s. Next year will be Bobby Cox's last season as manager of the Braves, and as they say, "Let's win one for the skipper"

5) A Superbowl Championship for the New England Patriots: I know I know, it doesn't look too good right now, the defense is suspect, the offense is inconsistent, and Bill Belichick has been gasp...human. But hey, anything can still happen, and it doesn't hurt that they're still led by the immortal Tom Brady. Let's go Pats!

6) A Three-Peat for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP: We are now entering year 3 of the Ryan Buenafe saga, and it promises to be another championship-filled year for the Blue Eagles. Ever since Ryan donned the blue and white, the team has won back-to-back UAAP and Uni-Games Championships, and 1 PCCL National Championship. That's 5 major championships in a span of 2 years (more on this on my next post...Vengeance Mode). And for next year, I have this feeling that Coach Black will finally unleash Ryan on the rest of the UAAP. Yikes!

7) Peace and Goodwill on Earth...and of course, an election win for Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to all.

Holiday Readings

Photo Credits: Bill Simmons and Rick Olivares

Picked up a couple of books (okay, 1 book and 1 journal) these past few days. The first one is The Book of Basketball, by Bill Simmons, the other one is The 18th Banner, by Rick Olivares. Thoroughly enjoyed reading both of them.

The Book of Basketball
The NBA According to The Sports Guy
by: Bill Simmons

I was actually thinking of ordering the book from Amazon, but luckily, while looking around at Fully Booked Rockwell the other day, I saw a hardbound copy in their hobby/sports section and quickly picked it up.

I've been a huge fan of Bill Simmons since 1997, dating back to the days of his independent site (a site hosted by AOL I think), bostonsportsguy.com. During those days, he basically writes about the Boston area professional sports teams, the Celtics, Red Sox and the Patriots (maybe a bit of the Bruins too, before he totally lost interest in the NHL). He writes it from a fan's perspective, which in a way is refreshing because you could almost actually relate to him when you read his articles. He also has a tendency to include pop-culture references to his sports articles, which make them infinitely more entertaining. An example would be, instead of writing a straight forward piece about what happened during the most recent NBA off-season, he would somehow manage to write it using quotes from a movie (in this case, Almost Famous) He's a bit mainstream now, moving to LA and becoming a columnist for ESPN's Page 2. Although this has given him more access to the sports and pop-culture world, he still manages to be true to his roots, that of writing something that the fans or an everyday person can relate to (now, if only he can write more often and podcast less). Anyway, check him out on his Page 2 site in ESPN: Sports Guy's World

About the book, it's a must read for NBA fanatics. My favorite parts are the What If Game and the Hall of Fame Pyramid. The book is quite long, almost 700 pages, but there's no need to read it from cover to cover since it is not your typical beginning-middle-end type of book wherein you have to read it in one sitting. Its actually like a compilation of several short articles, so you can pick it up and put it down as many times as you want.

For those of you who haven't bought it, two things to take note of before buying the book:

1) Do not buy the Kindle edition for this particular book, it contains tons of footnotes (which is integral to the stories) and reading it through Kindle would be awkward.

2) The paperback edition is due to come out sometime late next year, for those who want updated information, better wait for that version.

The 18th Banner
Ateneo's UAAP Season 71
by: Rick Olivares

I've been waiting for this ever since Rick Olivares mentioned it in his blog. When it finally came out last week, I immediately went to the Loyola Schools Bookstore in Ateneo and got myself a copy.

The journal details the path that the Ateneo Blue Eagles took towards winning the 2008 UAAP Men's Basketball Championship. While it was full of photos, game accounts and even statistics (boxscores are posted below each game story), honestly, I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting a lot more inside stories, and I was hoping to know more personal stuff about our hardcourt heroes (not the fan-girl stuff but you know, personal basketball stuff that only the team or insiders know, like who's the best student after Chris Tiu, who's the team clown, who arrives the earliest at practice and who stays the latest after practice, who trash talks the most - probably Eric Salamat and Ryan Buenafe in that order...but yeah, something along those lines).

I don't know, maybe I'm just a bit spoiled, as I do get a lot of information already from Rick's blog: Bleachers' Brew and from the different Ateneo basketball fora (specifically, Blue Eagles' Nest from the Gameface Forum) But don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading the journal, and if you are in any way shape or form an Ateneo Blue Eagle fan, this is a must buy, a way to preserve the memories of that wondrous and epic season.

Anyway, try to get these books, you won't regret it. They're actually a nice segue to my next post, entitled Vengeance Mode. Stay tuned.

Nerdvana

Nerd (noun) - a technically bright but socially inept person; an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit

Nirvana (noun) - a place or state characterized by freedom from or oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world; an ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy

Nerdvana (noun) - ideal state of geekness

I first heard of the word Nerdvana from the sitcom Big Bang Theory (I love this show); the show mainly deals with the lives of 2 physicists (Leonard and Sheldon) and their interaction with their attractive blonde neighbor (Penny). Leonard and Sheldon's geekiness and intellect are contrasted with Penny's social skills and common sense for comedic effect. The term Nerdvana is often mentioned in the show to describe the pursuits of the lead characters...this would include Halo Night, Comic Book Night, Star Wars Marathon, ... etc.

Watching the show made me think what my own Nerdvana is, what truly makes me happy even without or with very minimal social interaction. Here is what I came up with so far:

1) My Toy & Comic Collection (mostly Transformers and GI Joe, with a sprinkling of Justice League of America);

2) My DVD Collection (wide range of genre, including war movies, teen flicks, cartoons, drama flicks and more)

3) Sports (NBA, MLB, NFL, and to a certain extent, the PBA)

4) Computer Games (currently addicted to Mafia Wars...used to eat sleep and drink Counter-Strike and Command and Conquer, also used to play console games)

5) Ateneo Blue Eagles (Back to Back, yeah baby!)

That is the list so far...my own personal Nerdvana