nakaka-guilty!
last Saturday, i was kinda hoping that Iran will win against the RP team on the 24th FIBA opening day event held in Tokushima Japan. RP is bracketed in the so-called "group of death" with Iran, Jordan, and China. Only 2 teams will make it to the next round and every game really counts in the single round robin elimination.
suddenly, i found myself slowly falling in love with the iranian team. I've curiously followed the games on TV from the Jones cup tournament in Taipei. The Jordanians placed 2nd in the Jones Cup tournament and the Philippines capped the bronze medal. And as everyone expected the powerhouse China to easily beat anyone in Tokushima, then I just felt a certain degree of sympathy for the Iranians.
of course, it doesn't help that 75% of the RP team is composed of players with questionable nationality. when you look at their line-up, almost everyone is born the USA except for Raymundo, Ritualo, and Hontiveros. my favorite players Mark Caguioa and JJ Helterbrand obviously have Filipino lineage, or at least East Asian on the case of the latter, but the rest of the players cannot pass as an authentic citizen if only our DFA would be doing their jobs properly.
take for example, Gabe Norwood. I don't care on whether he says that he's the grandchild of some Mrs. Villoria, cause anyone could make such a ridiculous claim. What I'm saying is, if Norwood can represent the Filipino people then "Hello there, my name is Judy Anne Baretto and I'm half-Iranian!" 
another thing which doesn't endear me with the RP team is their coach Chot Reyes. i hated it when he made some fearless forecast right after the Jones cup that China, Jordan, and RP would fall into a 3-way tie of 2-1, with the Iran lagging behind with a 0-3 score. that for me, is sheer arrogance and a most effective way to put gargantuan pressure on your players. well, the result is that Iran won the game, fair and square, even if they complain otherwise. 
the more i see the Iranians play, the more I seem to like them. it kinda helps that my boyfriend is Iranian himself but as a long-time basketball afficionado, i have always gone for the underdogs and the good sportsmen. i remember in the 2000 Olympics how I fawned over the Lithuanian team and on 2004 over Argentina. I just love the game of basketball and I appreciate good team plays in spite of the lack of sheer talent. 
clearly, the RP team has underestimated their rival and they didn't do their homework properly. i cannot imagine how this is possible considering the amount of money poured by giant corporations on hauling a team composed of millionaires from the PBA. every time I turn on the TV, i heard the word SACRIFICE from the players, but I guess as people who aren't really Filipinos and who don't really give a damn to our country, they don't know the meaning of the word. they just throw it all around like they should be venerated as heroes just because they are training for 5 months and haven't seen their families for weeks.
i believe that real Filipinos, esp the OFWs know that what they're saying is not even closed to what we experience abroad. if one looks at the Chinese team for instance, all of them started out in the national team as teenagers, some as young as 13. they cannot see their families for years, they lost their childhood, and they are considered as government properties. unless, they make it to the NBA, they cannot really make the money our players are making.
in Japan, i was fortunate to have a student who was once playing for their national team and he said that they don't really receive anything. they don't have any pro leagues except for the newly-established BJ league, but i'm sure that is not as prestigious as our PBA.
all i'm saying is that if we pit in real Filipinos, even if we won't be having as much talent and height, at least we can make up for our heart. it doesn't matter if we lose all of our games, what matters is that Filipinos can relate to the players and can say that it's their own team. like for the Iranians, as far as i know, all 12 of their players are pure blooded and are born in their country. 
just a lesson that maybe we can learn and put to good use in the future. at least, if we let pure-Filipinos play, then they really give a damn about winning, instead of whining!!
Currently listening to: This year by A-teens
Currently reading: Harry Potter 7
Currently watching: RSS feeds, Iran vs China
Currently feeling: refreshed
sana-sana nasa Japan na lang ulit ako.