Big Blue Eagle Back-to-Back Bonfire

To the non-Ateneo fans, sorry, I'm still on the Back-to-Back high. To the haters, pls don't hate... Appreciate! :)

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Being the die-hard fan that I am, I did not dare miss the Bonfire! It was an excuse to visit my 2nd home, to celebrate, see friends, batchmates, and the Ateneo community.

I dropped by after hearing mass with the family so the parking space I got was on the other end of the campus. =| That's the problem with the Bonfire, EVERYONE goes!!! So traffic also did not dare miss to be in the Bonfire.

Ateneo changed it this year. No mud since the venue was set in the Grade School campus and not in Bellarmine field.

Ever wonder why they called it Bonfire? Back in 2002, I was a senior in High School and it was the first championship in 14 long years! My theory here is that they all wanted B's to be in the celebration. So it was called the BIG Blue Eagle Bonfire! Well... that's what I think.

That year was just crazy! People were just too happy. Traffic was terrible! I think it was more than 2008. Plus I remember that it was the time Pepsi launched Pepsi Blue. Hahaha.

The 2009 Bonfire wasn't bad at all. The temperature was just too hot... Yun lang. Pero masaya naman!

I feel bad for my friend and batchmate, Lia Cruz. Parati na lang siya niloloko ng mga Players... On stage, there was a High School player who asked her oif she could be his Grad Ball date... The crowd cheered for the guy... Lia, had to say Yes. Hahahaha. I expect her to tweet during the Grad Ball :)

Plus Wesley Gonzales is just hillarious! I read his tweets and I keep laughing! Panalo siya!

My favorite quote was from Eman "The Pocket Rocket" Monfort. Sabi niya "Mike (Baldos)! Thank you!" (Eman got his slot in the roster since Mike couldn't play...) Hahahaha.

This was the Bonfire in which I stayed the longest! Last year, I just dropped by because there were just too many Ateneans!!!

Anyway, sharing scenes from the Bonfire :)

Late dinner with my blockmates :)

With Moe and Joni

Our view of the stage

With my favorite high school teacher and her husband, Coach Sandy

With my Philo classmate and the best Blue Eagle to wear the number 4 (in my opinion),
Yuri Escueta!!!

With Ateneo Atheltics' Ceres Lina

With my favorite Juniors player of my batch, Mr. Merrill Lazo!

Merchandise!

Back-2-Back =)

I wasn't fortunate enough to experience a championship as a college student. I had 2 chances. 2003 and 2006. We lost to FEU in 03, and I was one of the many in Araneta who experienced the heartbreaking loss of 06 to UST.

But hey, things happen for a reason. I think 2006 was a learning experience for Coach Norman and the players who were there. If I'm not mistaken, Rabeh, Eric, Emman, and Jai were part of that 2006 team.

So, Ateneans can add October 8, 2009 as the date of BACK TO BACK!

October 4 ng gabi pa lang, I was just so damn nervous about the Thursday game. Insane! That's how much of a die-hard fan I am!

It was a good thing that I filed for half-day leave October 8 even before Game 2. It was because I wanted to visit my Lola's tomb. I couldn't go on my birthday and on the 7th because of things to finish at work. So before heading to the game, I went to Manila Memorial Park. I prayed the rosary and thanked my Lola for everything. I told her how much I missed watching basketball with her. And... I asked if she could help Ateneo. =)

So this is what it feels like to win Back to Back. What made it sweeter is that the Juniors also won Back to Back! It was the 1st time in UAAP history that both Seniors and Juniors teams won!!! So Ateneo is the first school to accomplish that! (Well that's according to the people)

But I think it'll be hard to beat the 7-peat of UE and the 4-peats of La Salle and UST.

Ateneo played an awesome game last Thursday. It was a nervous 1st quarter for us. 4 point lead lang but once Eric shot that trey, I had a good feeling we'd get the win. I thought that the turning point was when Ryan had that "holy cow" shot plus the foul! I thought that Ateneo was just dominating the game. I thought that UE had poor shot selections. Val Acuna had bad shots and Pari Llagas was just out of it. I felt bad for those guys. Elmer was trying his best but his shots weren't going down either. Rabeh just had a monster game and Jai got his rhythm in the 2nd half.

The only time I was sure that we won was below the 1:30 mark in the 4th. Why? Because ANYTHING can happen in the UAAP!!! You can never be too sure!!!

It was the first time I wore Blue this season. All the rest I wore black and 1 yellow. I had a 7-1 for the LIVE games I watched. 2 against DLSU, 2 against UST, 1 against UP, 1 against AdU and 2 against UE. Game 2 was my only loss...

But I also wanted to put a bit of yellow in my blue :)



Season 72 was awesome for me! We got back to back for Seniors and Juniors! Not to mention 1st runner up sa Cheerdance!!! :)

I don't think that the experience of 2006 will ever leave... It was a painful loss. But the experience of 2009 is a great experience you can add to the awesome UAAP memories.

Of all the seasons, I think 2002 would be my favorite. It was the dream season! But sadly, we didn't get the back to back the following year...

After this, you can put Norman Black and the rest of the coaching staff in the Hall of Fame. Also the 3 vets - Nonoy, Rabeh, and Jai! (Jai is one of the few True Blue Seniors to win in Grade School, High School, and College)

Oh, for the Ateneo fans, correct me if I'm wrong, but to be King Eagle, you have to come from the Grade School right? Because Enrico was King Eagle and Rich wasn't the year after. Larry was and LA wasn't...

And for the Courtside Hall of Fame, I think that Jessica Mendoza now belongs with Pia Arcangel, Lia Cruz, and Patty Laurel.

Props to UE for giving an awesome series! I'm expecting Elmer Espiritu to get in the PBA. I'll be cheering for that guy! He's just awesome on the court. Walang yabang whatsoever! Just like Nonoy!

OK, before I blab some more, CONGRATS TO THE ATENEO COMMUNITY! :) Woohoo!!! ONE BIG FIGHT!!! Thanks for the awesome belated birthday gift!!!

One Big Fight - 2009

So tomorrow is the final game of the 2009 UAAP Season.

Lots of exciting games!!!

I am very very nervous... what more the players???

Anyway, basta, faith!!! GO ATENEO!!! ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

2009 has been a difficult year for me, so I hope the sadness ends tomorrow!!!

Ateneo fans, let's all pray we get the back2back both SRS and JRS!!!!! :)

On to the fray!!! March on to victory!!!

Not a bad day at all :)

Got a lot of surprises!

Jonty was the first.

My team in the office. - BIG SURPRISE!!!

Ospret and his antics...

Dinner with my loved ones :)

Plus Lola's making her presence felt... :) Still miss her very much

Turning 24

In less than 2 hours, I say goodbye to being 23.

I really don't feel like celebrating my birthday since Lola's not with us anymore. :(

I was talking to Ninang last night and she noticed it too. Mom was the first one to experience a birthday without Lola. Among the apos, I'll be the first one to experience a birthday without Lola.

Lola gave us all one last birthday. She completed everyone's birthday before she left to a better place. Ninang noticed it. Whenever she'd implement a new rule on Birthdays, she'd start with the eldest...

The past week, I woke up crying. Twice. Why? It's funny really. I dream that I'm crying and I wake up crying. Dreams can seem so real right? Why did I cry? I dreamt about my Lola.

Yes, I still miss her very much each and everyday. I was really close to her...

It pains me writing this entry but it's my way of venting out and sharing it with you.

I thought that she'd give me an early birthday present with an Ateneo Championship but I'm hoping that she's just delaying it for a bit so I can pray some more :)

I didn't take a leave from work because of important things to do. Plus you get to see your friends at work who'll greet you. Hahaha.

2009 hasn't been a good year... Hopefully, it'll change on Thursday... I want the title that bad :( sigh... (Sorry UE... die hard talaga ako.)

Now, I'm looking back at the previous years and birthdays. They were awesome. Felt the love! Although it's a bit different because next year, dang! I'm a quarter century old!!!

Time's flying by way too fast... You have to live everyday to the fullest. Make your loved ones know how much they mean to you!!!

Anyway, I know that God has His plans. May His will be done.

On the upcoming game...

I have this uneasy feeling... I didn't like how Ateneo played yesterday. They were just off plus I thought Coach Norman had bad luck with the rotation of his players.

I couldn't sleep last night because I was thinking about the game.

Why is that? My friend Dino confirmed it earlier this evening. I texted him, "why am I having this nervous feeling for Thursday?"

He simply answered "Because we went through 06"

He's right. October 4, 2006 still remains as my worst UAAP game. It was the most heartbreaking loss of all time. It was UST's Cinderella story ending. It just wasn't our year. I still remember it vividly. JC Intal had 2 chances of sealing the game for us. But the 2 shots just didn't go down the rim. :(

So I don't know about Thursday. Too much of history repeating itself? Milenyo was there in 06 together with a rookie coach. Now it's Ondoy and there's also a rookie coach.

Difference is, I think that Coach Norman can hack this one. He's been with Ateneo since 2005.

He knows what to do already. He's a veteran coach.

Plus I think Jai will play big this coming Thursday. It's his last game as a Blue Eagle and he's a homegrown player. He will come out BIG! That's my fearless forecast.

And it will be DEFENSE that will bring Ateneo to the championship! It's what brought us to the Finals in the first place.

I'm hoping for a back-to-back...

ONE BIG FIGHT! :)

God Bless Efren Penaflorida!

I was browsing through the Twitter feed and I checked on this guy named Efren Penaflorida. He happens to be one of the 10 CNN Heroes of 2009.

Efren teaches kids in the slums to read. He has a pushcart classroom and he and his volunteers go to the slums on Saturdays to teach kids. Now that's a hero!



I am truly inspired by this man's mission to educate the less fortunate. He's my hero.

You have to check his story.

I voted for him several times already. I'll continue to vote!

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/03/05/heroes.efren.penaflorida/index.html