UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Vicson Aypa Mabanglo
IV - Sir Isaac Newton
When you walk on the streets of a typical city, you’ll eventually find yourself in a very incomparable scenario, noisy and polluted. Further observations will lead you to numerous basketball courts. Basketball courts which showcase and feature players in tattered shirts and flip-flops, non-regulation rims with nets that are often made up of metal chains, and plenty of loud yelling.
Basketball had been very popular all over the world. It has been the most common and most-loved sport by many nations. It has dominated the minds of the youth furthermore influenced them to a more healthy lifestyle without any vices.
Basketball is one of the events in the last Beijing Olympics 2008. In this event, the stars of the NBA led by Lebron James, the United States of America national team bagged the gold medals. Came third was the national team of Argentina. And came second was the defending champions Spain.
It had been a solid Olympics for the Americans for they didn’t lose any game. They made Spain worthless and downhearted. Spain really had a hard time and an agonizing ending losing their championship.
But behind this defeat was a beginning for one of the players of Spain. He was the key point guard, often as a starter, of the Spain national team. He was Ricky Rubio, a basketball prodigy at 17 years of age. He is the youngest player to ever join the Olympics basketball event. Playing at the age of 17 against player aging from 25 and above is hard. It needs determination and lots of courage.
This great point guard ,that I guess you’ve never heard of , lives in the streets of El Masnou, a seaside village 10 miles outside of Barcelona. He stands 6’3’’, weighs 180 lbs. and is only 17 years old. He was born on October 21, 1990.
Already Ricky Rubio has had a great beginning to his story. In 2005, as a 14-year old, Ricky Rubio was the youngest player ever to appear Spain's ACB league, which is regarded by most as Europe's finest national basketball league. And in 2006's Under 16 European Championships, Rubio recorded a quadruple-double in a game against Croatia with 19 points, 13 assists, 11 steals, 10 rebounds in 33 minutes (he actually achieved the quadruple-double in only 28 minutes of play) if that wasn't enough, Rubio put up a more amazing and unbelievable performance when he recorded 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists, and 7 assists against Russia in the tourney's final, when Spain won 110-106.
He (just like implied in the first set of pargraphs) was selected to join the Spanish national team. They participated in the basketball event in Beijing Olympics 2008. They only placed silver but this might be the start of a new basketball star.
Ricky Rubio is actually scouted now by different NBA teams. By next year, at the age of 18, who knows, he might me on NBA showcasing his talents with the Americans and showing the whole world his talents. Who knows?
Showing posts with label SPORTS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SPORTS. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2008
GOLD RUSH
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Jose Mari Hall Lanuza
IV - Enrico Fermi
14 Olympic gold medals. 32 world records. His name etched in history books.
Michael Phelps.
He is arguably the greatest Olympian the world has ever seen. Winning 8 gold medals in the Olympic Games is something rarely seen by mankind, and Michael Phelps did so just a few days ago. He won the gold medal in every event he competed in, beating the record of Mark Spitz in the 1972 Munich Games with 8 gold medals whereas Spitz only had 7. From the individual medley relay to the butterfly, Phelps seemed unstoppable once he dove into the pool. This Baltimore lad who wears his cap backwards is now hailed as the greatest Olympian in history. But behind the gold medals, the world records and the swimming cap, who is Michael Phelps really?
From Humble Beginnings
Michael Fred Phelps was born in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore, on June 23, 1985 to Fred and Debbie Phelps. He has two sisters, Hilary and Whitney Phelps. His father was a state trooper for the Maryland State Police and his mother was a former teacher and now a middle school principal. His parents got divorced in 1994.
In his youth, Michael, whose nickname is “MP”, was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a mental disorder that makes those diagnosed show various degrees of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness which caused many to assume that this was the reason behind Phelps’ swimming prowess. Michael and his siblings, however, got their athletic ability from their father. All three of them got into swimming at an early age. Michael tried swimming at the early age of seven. His sister Whitney had tried out for the Olympic team in 1996 but unfortunately was not qualified. This does not imply, however, that his sisters had not been of any help to Michael Phelps. Michael’s Olympic career never would have happened without his sisters. It was they who taught Michael how to swim, as well as the value and importance of hard work in his life.
During his teens, he was also diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. This is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. People with this syndrome are often very tall with long limbs and fingers; oftentimes their arm span is longer than their height. Phelps has a height of around 193 cm, but his arm span is around 208 cm. Some people speculate that this might be the reason why Phelps is such a phenom in the pools. Eventually, medical tests have cleared him of Marfan syndrome but he is still advised to take annual check ups for the disease.
Between 2004 and 2008, Michael Phelps studied college in the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is taking up sports marketing and management.
Love At First Swim
Michael’s first swimming coach was Bob Bowman. He is a former University of Michigan head coach. He first saw Michael in the North Baltimore Aquatic Club at the Meadowbrook Aquatic and Fitness Center and saw his potential instantaneously. Phelps had to train there since his school had no pool. Bowman thought that Phelps was perfect for swimming, with his long limbs, big hands and big feet. It was here where his career started, competing at the age of 11. Since his school did not have a swim team, he continued to compete for the NBAC. His progress came very quickly, and the reward for all his hard work came when he qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Just before reaching the age of 15, Michael had already broken many records and won many competitions. And he became an Olympic swimmer at the age of 15, making him the youngest swimmer ever to represent the U.S. He finished the year 2000 with high ranks, ranking 7th in the world in the 200-meter butterfly and 44th in the 400-meter individual medley.
Along with his many credentials, he has also been hailed as the World Swimmer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007, as well as the American Swimmer of the Year in 2001, 2002, 2003, 3004, 2006, and 2007. In his career, he has won 48 medals; 40 of which are gold, six are silver and two are bronze. He is only second to gymnast Larissa Latynina when it comes to the number of Olympic medals won, with Latynina having 18 medals, and Phelps having 16.
Olympic Era
When the year 2004 came, Michael Phelps had already built a name for himself. What was next for him was the Olympic games in Athens. This was the next obstacle in his pursuit of success. He opened his Olympic career in true Phelps fashion, winning the gold medal in the 400-meter individual medley in record time. He won four more gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 4 x 200 freestyle race and 200-meter individual medley. His sixth gold medal came from his teammate Ian Crocker. Phelps gave his spot in the 4 x 100-meter medley race to Crocker because it was Crocker’s last opportunity to win a gold medal for himself. Crocker won, and gave Phelps and the rest of the U.S. team a gold medal, making Phelps finish the Olympic Games with 6 gold medals and two bronzes.
Following his Olympic victory, Phelps’ fame and good image was undercut when he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol when he was 19. He plead guilty, and was sentenced to 18 months probation, a $250 fine, a meeting against drunk driving sponsored by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and public service in the form of speaking in schools against alcohol. His status dropped. His chance to be under the spotlight again came March 2007 in the Melbourne World Championships. He won all the seven events he competed in, breaking more records and setting personal bests.
Legendary
His next test, probably the hardest but most rewarding of all, was to compete in the Beijing Games in 2008. He won in all eight of the events he participated in; setting world records every time he jumped into the pool. In most races, Phelps finished more or less 2 seconds ahead of the other swimmers, and in one race, by a hundredth of a second. But arguably the greatest feat he did in the 2008 Summer Games was breaking Mark Spitz’s record of 7 gold medals. Phelps won 8 gold medals, and participated in more events than Mark Spitz, making him the most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time.
When asked about how he still manages to find the motivation and the strength to dive into the pool everyday in spite of his awards, Phelps said ”In the end, I am going to be the one who has to get up and stand up on the blocks and do what I want to do. Bob [Bowman] is not going to do that. He is helping me. I'm like, yes, I don't want to do this set but it's going to do something that will help me in the end and help me accomplish my goal so I'm going to suck it up and do it - sometimes it's like that“.
Before winning his 8 medals in the Olympics, he was asked as to whether he thinks of himself as the greatest American athlete of his time. His response? “It doesn't even go through my mind. I look up to who in my opinion is one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan. I think that guy, what he did both on and off the court - it's something I've never seen or heard of. When I was really big into basketball and watching it all the time, he was the only reason why. Now if I watch it I'm watching LeBron [James]. LeBron's sick, too. That's who I think is one of the greatest. He so dominant in everything. Same with Tiger [Woods]. He's so dominant, too”. His newly-set records will probably stand for a long time, unless he breaks them again in London after four years.
Man or Machine?
A six-foot-four, 200 pound swimming demolition derby. Michael Phelps seems to have been born to swim, or at least that is what his physique indicates. Many of his physical attributes are at fault for making him the swimming superstar that he is today. These five attributes are: his long torso, his long arm span which is disproportionate to his height, his short legs, and his big feet.
Another secret to the success of Phelps is his diet. Do you think he is strict about what he eats? On the contrary, it seems as if he has no discipline when it comes to eating. Phelps consumes around 12,000 kilocalories a day, or at least six times the normal intake of a full-grown male. According to NBCOlympics.com, Phelps’ secret to victory is in his diet, which consists of: “a five-egg omelet, two cups of coffee, three fried egg sandwiches, three chocolate chip pancakes, French toast with powdered sugar, and, to top it all off, a bowl of grits” for his breakfast, and “two pounds of pasta, two ham and cheese sandwiches smothered in mayo, an entire pizza, and then he washes it down with 2,000 thousand calories worth of energy drinks” for the rest of the day. Talk about eating your heart out! And yet, he does not have any fat on his body, for his training regimen consists of a 5-hour-a-day, 6-days-a-week session. This answers why Michael Phelps can stuff himself with all the food he wants, and yet still be fit enough to win 8 gold medals in one Summer Olympics.
Michael Phelps has confirmed that his last Olympic participation will be after 4 years, in London. He said he did not want to compete beyond the age of thirty. When asked why, all he said was “I've never wanted to go beyond 30. I may go a few years beyond the Olympics. I said to my coach, 'Don't get any ideas because I don't want to compete beyond 30,' and he said, 'That's good because I don't want to coach you past the age of 30." With 14 Olympic gold medals already in hand, his next challenge will be the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London, England, where it is reported that he will try to participate in new events.. His last Olympics. The next performance of his life, after his success in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Will it be a different ending for Michael Phelps? Or will it be his best Olympic performance ever? Another gold rush perhaps, Mr. Phelps?
REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Phelps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bowman_(coach)
www.jockbio.com/Bios/Phelps/Phelps_bio.html
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1144316/index.htm
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/08/24/phelps.2012.ap/index.html
http://www.nbcolympics.com/wtvj/news/newsid=219672.html
By Jose Mari Hall Lanuza
IV - Enrico Fermi
14 Olympic gold medals. 32 world records. His name etched in history books.
Michael Phelps.
He is arguably the greatest Olympian the world has ever seen. Winning 8 gold medals in the Olympic Games is something rarely seen by mankind, and Michael Phelps did so just a few days ago. He won the gold medal in every event he competed in, beating the record of Mark Spitz in the 1972 Munich Games with 8 gold medals whereas Spitz only had 7. From the individual medley relay to the butterfly, Phelps seemed unstoppable once he dove into the pool. This Baltimore lad who wears his cap backwards is now hailed as the greatest Olympian in history. But behind the gold medals, the world records and the swimming cap, who is Michael Phelps really?
From Humble Beginnings
Michael Fred Phelps was born in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore, on June 23, 1985 to Fred and Debbie Phelps. He has two sisters, Hilary and Whitney Phelps. His father was a state trooper for the Maryland State Police and his mother was a former teacher and now a middle school principal. His parents got divorced in 1994.
In his youth, Michael, whose nickname is “MP”, was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a mental disorder that makes those diagnosed show various degrees of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness which caused many to assume that this was the reason behind Phelps’ swimming prowess. Michael and his siblings, however, got their athletic ability from their father. All three of them got into swimming at an early age. Michael tried swimming at the early age of seven. His sister Whitney had tried out for the Olympic team in 1996 but unfortunately was not qualified. This does not imply, however, that his sisters had not been of any help to Michael Phelps. Michael’s Olympic career never would have happened without his sisters. It was they who taught Michael how to swim, as well as the value and importance of hard work in his life.
During his teens, he was also diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. This is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. People with this syndrome are often very tall with long limbs and fingers; oftentimes their arm span is longer than their height. Phelps has a height of around 193 cm, but his arm span is around 208 cm. Some people speculate that this might be the reason why Phelps is such a phenom in the pools. Eventually, medical tests have cleared him of Marfan syndrome but he is still advised to take annual check ups for the disease.
Between 2004 and 2008, Michael Phelps studied college in the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is taking up sports marketing and management.
Love At First Swim
Michael’s first swimming coach was Bob Bowman. He is a former University of Michigan head coach. He first saw Michael in the North Baltimore Aquatic Club at the Meadowbrook Aquatic and Fitness Center and saw his potential instantaneously. Phelps had to train there since his school had no pool. Bowman thought that Phelps was perfect for swimming, with his long limbs, big hands and big feet. It was here where his career started, competing at the age of 11. Since his school did not have a swim team, he continued to compete for the NBAC. His progress came very quickly, and the reward for all his hard work came when he qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Just before reaching the age of 15, Michael had already broken many records and won many competitions. And he became an Olympic swimmer at the age of 15, making him the youngest swimmer ever to represent the U.S. He finished the year 2000 with high ranks, ranking 7th in the world in the 200-meter butterfly and 44th in the 400-meter individual medley.
Along with his many credentials, he has also been hailed as the World Swimmer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007, as well as the American Swimmer of the Year in 2001, 2002, 2003, 3004, 2006, and 2007. In his career, he has won 48 medals; 40 of which are gold, six are silver and two are bronze. He is only second to gymnast Larissa Latynina when it comes to the number of Olympic medals won, with Latynina having 18 medals, and Phelps having 16.
Olympic Era
When the year 2004 came, Michael Phelps had already built a name for himself. What was next for him was the Olympic games in Athens. This was the next obstacle in his pursuit of success. He opened his Olympic career in true Phelps fashion, winning the gold medal in the 400-meter individual medley in record time. He won four more gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 4 x 200 freestyle race and 200-meter individual medley. His sixth gold medal came from his teammate Ian Crocker. Phelps gave his spot in the 4 x 100-meter medley race to Crocker because it was Crocker’s last opportunity to win a gold medal for himself. Crocker won, and gave Phelps and the rest of the U.S. team a gold medal, making Phelps finish the Olympic Games with 6 gold medals and two bronzes.
Following his Olympic victory, Phelps’ fame and good image was undercut when he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol when he was 19. He plead guilty, and was sentenced to 18 months probation, a $250 fine, a meeting against drunk driving sponsored by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and public service in the form of speaking in schools against alcohol. His status dropped. His chance to be under the spotlight again came March 2007 in the Melbourne World Championships. He won all the seven events he competed in, breaking more records and setting personal bests.
Legendary
His next test, probably the hardest but most rewarding of all, was to compete in the Beijing Games in 2008. He won in all eight of the events he participated in; setting world records every time he jumped into the pool. In most races, Phelps finished more or less 2 seconds ahead of the other swimmers, and in one race, by a hundredth of a second. But arguably the greatest feat he did in the 2008 Summer Games was breaking Mark Spitz’s record of 7 gold medals. Phelps won 8 gold medals, and participated in more events than Mark Spitz, making him the most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time.
When asked about how he still manages to find the motivation and the strength to dive into the pool everyday in spite of his awards, Phelps said ”In the end, I am going to be the one who has to get up and stand up on the blocks and do what I want to do. Bob [Bowman] is not going to do that. He is helping me. I'm like, yes, I don't want to do this set but it's going to do something that will help me in the end and help me accomplish my goal so I'm going to suck it up and do it - sometimes it's like that“.
Before winning his 8 medals in the Olympics, he was asked as to whether he thinks of himself as the greatest American athlete of his time. His response? “It doesn't even go through my mind. I look up to who in my opinion is one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan. I think that guy, what he did both on and off the court - it's something I've never seen or heard of. When I was really big into basketball and watching it all the time, he was the only reason why. Now if I watch it I'm watching LeBron [James]. LeBron's sick, too. That's who I think is one of the greatest. He so dominant in everything. Same with Tiger [Woods]. He's so dominant, too”. His newly-set records will probably stand for a long time, unless he breaks them again in London after four years.
Man or Machine?
A six-foot-four, 200 pound swimming demolition derby. Michael Phelps seems to have been born to swim, or at least that is what his physique indicates. Many of his physical attributes are at fault for making him the swimming superstar that he is today. These five attributes are: his long torso, his long arm span which is disproportionate to his height, his short legs, and his big feet.
Another secret to the success of Phelps is his diet. Do you think he is strict about what he eats? On the contrary, it seems as if he has no discipline when it comes to eating. Phelps consumes around 12,000 kilocalories a day, or at least six times the normal intake of a full-grown male. According to NBCOlympics.com, Phelps’ secret to victory is in his diet, which consists of: “a five-egg omelet, two cups of coffee, three fried egg sandwiches, three chocolate chip pancakes, French toast with powdered sugar, and, to top it all off, a bowl of grits” for his breakfast, and “two pounds of pasta, two ham and cheese sandwiches smothered in mayo, an entire pizza, and then he washes it down with 2,000 thousand calories worth of energy drinks” for the rest of the day. Talk about eating your heart out! And yet, he does not have any fat on his body, for his training regimen consists of a 5-hour-a-day, 6-days-a-week session. This answers why Michael Phelps can stuff himself with all the food he wants, and yet still be fit enough to win 8 gold medals in one Summer Olympics.
Michael Phelps has confirmed that his last Olympic participation will be after 4 years, in London. He said he did not want to compete beyond the age of thirty. When asked why, all he said was “I've never wanted to go beyond 30. I may go a few years beyond the Olympics. I said to my coach, 'Don't get any ideas because I don't want to compete beyond 30,' and he said, 'That's good because I don't want to coach you past the age of 30." With 14 Olympic gold medals already in hand, his next challenge will be the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London, England, where it is reported that he will try to participate in new events.. His last Olympics. The next performance of his life, after his success in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Will it be a different ending for Michael Phelps? Or will it be his best Olympic performance ever? Another gold rush perhaps, Mr. Phelps?
REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Phelps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bowman_(coach)
www.jockbio.com/Bios/Phelps/Phelps_bio.html
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1144316/index.htm
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/08/24/phelps.2012.ap/index.html
http://www.nbcolympics.com/wtvj/news/newsid=219672.html
Monday, August 18, 2008
PHELPS WINS 8TH GOLD, BECOMES GREATEST OLYMPIAN EVER
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
Monday, August 18, 2008
BEIJINGCanada
Monday, August 18, 2008
BEIJING
Jason Lezak held on to the lead Phelps gave him, anchoring the
But Phelps, with a big hand from three teammates, would not be denied. He eclipsed Mark Spitz’s seven-gold performance at the 1972 Munich Games, an iconic performance that was surpassed by a swimmer fitting of this generation: a 23-year-old from
“I don’t even know what to feel right now,” Phelps said. “There’s so much emotions going through my head and so much excitement. I kind of just want to see my mom.”
Debbie Phelps was sitting in the stands at the Water Cube, tears streaming down her cheeks, her two daughters sitting with her. After receiving his eighth gold, Phelps quickly found his family, climbing through a horde of photographers to give all three of them a kiss.
Mom put her arm around his neck and gave him a little extra hug.
Her boy sure earned it.
“The Beijing Olympics has witnessed the greatest Olympian of all time - Michael Phelps of the
Even though the Americans have never lost the medley relay at the Olympics, the latest win was hardly a breeze.
When Phelps dived into the water for the butterfly - the third of four legs - the Americans were third behind
But Phelps, swimming the same distance and stroke that he used to win his seventh gold a day earlier, powered to the front on his return lap, passing off to Lezak with the Americans in front.
The Aussies took silver in 3:30.04, also under the old world record, while
“Nothing is impossible,” Phelps said. “With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination, and that’s something I learned and something that helped me.”
Phelps patted breaststroker Brendan Hansen on the head and threw his arms in the air after Lezak finished, though the Americans still had to wait a couple of tantalizing minutes for the official results to be posted.
Finally, it flashed on the board.
World record.
Gold medal No. 8.
On deck, a beaming Phelps slapped hands with his teammates and thrust his arms toward the Water Cube roof.
The winning swimmers locked arms as if they were in a football huddle about to break for a play.
Aaron Peirsol swam the leadoff leg for the Americans.
Phelps, who won five individual races and three relays in
“Without the help of my teammates this isn’t possible,” he said. “I was able to be a part of three relays and we were able to put up a solid team effort and we came together as one unit.
“For the three Olympics I’ve been a part of, this is by far the closest men’s team that we’ve ever had. I didn’t know everybody coming into this Olympics, but I feel going out I know every single person very well. The team that we had is the difference.”
Phelps won some races by ridiculously large margins, others with the closest of finishes - most memorably, his seventh gold by one-hundredth of a second over
He set seven world records and one Olympic record, doing a personal best time in every event.
“It’s been nothing but an upwards roller-coaster and it’s been nothing but fun,” Phelps said.
Ditto for Dara Torres, who capped her improbable comeback with two more silver medals, missing gold by one hundredth of a second in the 50 freestyle.
The 41-year-old Torres, a five-time Olympian and the oldest American swimmer ever, also anchored the American women to a runner-up finish in the 400 medley relay. She got silver in all three of her races in
Completing a race for all ages, 16-year-old Australian Cate Campbell claimed the bronze in 24.17.
The Americans claimed silver with the second-fastest time in history, 3:53.30, while
Torres was joined on the
Coughlin received her sixth medal of the games, giving her 11 in her career.
Grant Hackett fell short in his bid to become the first man to win the same event at three straight Olympics.
“It’s like 90 yards of a touchdown. It was so close, but I didn’t have much of a response,” Hackett said. “It’s disappointing I didn’t win. I have no regrets, it certainly was a close race.”
Mellouli held off Hackett in the closing meters of the grueling race, swimming’s version of the mile. Hackett earned the silver in 14:41.53, well off his 7-year-old world record of 14:34.56.
“He’s never hung on like that in the past,” Hackett said of the winner.
“He did a great effort. Good on him for winning. He was the better competitor.”
Sunday, August 17, 2008
TRADITIONAL BIKES TO MOUNTAIN BIKES
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Rochene Jerusalem Relator
IV - Madame Marie Curie
Since the beginning of time, the human race has been inventing new games and sports. In ancient times, games were invented to test endurance and train warriors for acts of war. Some of the newest sports to develop are snowboarding, rollerblading, skateboarding and mountain biking. While none of these sports would be able to assist in a warfare type situation, they are pretty extreme sports and will definitely keep you fit
Mountain biking has transformed the traditional bicycle, first available in the late 1800's, into a well oiled piece of machinery. The knock-on effect of this has created one of the most exciting and popular new sports of the 21st Century.
Regardless of the fact that the sport is referred to as "mountain biking" it is actually suitable for everyone, regardless of background biking proficiency and age. Just because you're mountain biking, it doesn't mean that you have to pedal at breakneck speed down Everest.
A mountain bike is not your average bicycle, and the extreme end of the sport may be quite simply described as "bicycling on steroids". Mountain biking will always demand more of you than just pedaling along a flat road on a sunny afternoon. It's more streamlined and muscular in appearance than the good, old fashioned, racing bike.
The terrain that mountain biking takes place in is very different from the more traditional form of biking. Mountain bikes are made to go up and down rocky trails and descend into muddy streambeds and sandbanks. This is normally all the fun of the activity.
By Rochene Jerusalem Relator
IV - Madame Marie Curie
Since the beginning of time, the human race has been inventing new games and sports. In ancient times, games were invented to test endurance and train warriors for acts of war. Some of the newest sports to develop are snowboarding, rollerblading, skateboarding and mountain biking. While none of these sports would be able to assist in a warfare type situation, they are pretty extreme sports and will definitely keep you fit
Mountain biking has transformed the traditional bicycle, first available in the late 1800's, into a well oiled piece of machinery. The knock-on effect of this has created one of the most exciting and popular new sports of the 21st Century.
Regardless of the fact that the sport is referred to as "mountain biking" it is actually suitable for everyone, regardless of background biking proficiency and age. Just because you're mountain biking, it doesn't mean that you have to pedal at breakneck speed down Everest.
A mountain bike is not your average bicycle, and the extreme end of the sport may be quite simply described as "bicycling on steroids". Mountain biking will always demand more of you than just pedaling along a flat road on a sunny afternoon. It's more streamlined and muscular in appearance than the good, old fashioned, racing bike.
The terrain that mountain biking takes place in is very different from the more traditional form of biking. Mountain bikes are made to go up and down rocky trails and descend into muddy streambeds and sandbanks. This is normally all the fun of the activity.
PACQUIAO TO FIGHT DELA HOYA
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Therese Romaine Nalangan Rustia
IV - Michael Faraday
Manny Pacquiao, the pride of the Filipino people, wants to arrange a fight with Oscar dela Hoya, the Golden Boy.
Knowing that it would be his biggest fight ever [both in magnitude and power], Pacquiao vowed to be in his best shape when he comes face to face with his opponent.
“I need to be in my best shape ever. He’s taller and bigger. But if I’m in my best shape, I think I can handle him,” he said with an added remark that his training should not be less than two months.
According to dela Hoya, whether he fights against Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Sergior Mora, Manny Pacquiao or Felix Trinidad, it will surely be his final battle.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s former business manager Rod Nazario said that Oscar dela Hoya may be too tough for Pacman on the proposed showdown, Dec. 6.
Nazario added that the game will depend on whether the Golden Boy would have a difficult time reducing his weight or not and if Manny could be fit enough when he gains weight because of the agreed fight at 147.
Both fighters were good because Manny is strong and fast while Oscar is taller and a tough player to beat.
Whether that boxing match is a “good risk” or not, Manny Pacquiao will still make the final decision.
By Therese Romaine Nalangan Rustia
IV - Michael Faraday
Manny Pacquiao, the pride of the Filipino people, wants to arrange a fight with Oscar dela Hoya, the Golden Boy.
Knowing that it would be his biggest fight ever [both in magnitude and power], Pacquiao vowed to be in his best shape when he comes face to face with his opponent.
“I need to be in my best shape ever. He’s taller and bigger. But if I’m in my best shape, I think I can handle him,” he said with an added remark that his training should not be less than two months.
According to dela Hoya, whether he fights against Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Sergior Mora, Manny Pacquiao or Felix Trinidad, it will surely be his final battle.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s former business manager Rod Nazario said that Oscar dela Hoya may be too tough for Pacman on the proposed showdown, Dec. 6.
Nazario added that the game will depend on whether the Golden Boy would have a difficult time reducing his weight or not and if Manny could be fit enough when he gains weight because of the agreed fight at 147.
Both fighters were good because Manny is strong and fast while Oscar is taller and a tough player to beat.
Whether that boxing match is a “good risk” or not, Manny Pacquiao will still make the final decision.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
DENIED OF THE TRUTH
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Marian Denise Glipo Basallote
IV-Madame Marie Curie
He is a top-rated in-ring fighter. He surely possesses great skills. He has defeated many remarkable names. He was supposed to come out of octagon as a champion that night. But, fate decided not to give him the taste of success.
Brandon Michael “The Truth” Vera, a former top heavyweight contender, began his career in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) with eight consecutive victories. However, he still lacked experience, among other things, which gave him his first loss to Tim Sylvia. After experiencing a disappointing loss, he eventually built up his confidence and was determined to win his next bout and the championship. At UFC 85, on June 7, Vera had his chance of proving his worth to Fabricio Werdum.
The fight between Vera and Werdum was intense. Each man was determined to come out of the arena with the belt on his waist. You could see the fire in their eyes and just like a strike of lightning, they were already grappling in the middle of the arena. Werdum was raining down punches, but when the referee stepped in to stop the fight with just 20 seconds remaining in the round, Vera vehemently protested.
Tension suddenly filled the room as Vera realized what had just happened. It suddenly came to his realization that his belt was already gone. The referee had abruptly and unjustly stopped the match. Vera could have well fought off Werdum for he had the strength. He was trying to escape the grasp of his enemy when he suddenly heard the bell ring. It signaled the end of the fight. It was a fight that ended in a controversial fashion.
A frustrated Vera could not accept this kind of defeat. He thought everything was treated unfairly. He firmly believed that the referee had no valid reason of halting the fight for he neither tapped out nor had his face stained with blood. He thirsted for a rematch. He thirsted for vengeance.
Vera is scheduled to make his light-heavyweight debut against former International Fight League fighter (IFL) and UFC newcomer Reese Andy at UFC Fight Night 14. UFC Fight Night 14 will feature a main event between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and James Irvin in a non-title light-heavyweight bout. The event goes head-to-head with "Affliction: Banned."
By Marian Denise Glipo Basallote
IV-Madame Marie Curie
He is a top-rated in-ring fighter. He surely possesses great skills. He has defeated many remarkable names. He was supposed to come out of octagon as a champion that night. But, fate decided not to give him the taste of success.
Brandon Michael “The Truth” Vera, a former top heavyweight contender, began his career in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) with eight consecutive victories. However, he still lacked experience, among other things, which gave him his first loss to Tim Sylvia. After experiencing a disappointing loss, he eventually built up his confidence and was determined to win his next bout and the championship. At UFC 85, on June 7, Vera had his chance of proving his worth to Fabricio Werdum.
The fight between Vera and Werdum was intense. Each man was determined to come out of the arena with the belt on his waist. You could see the fire in their eyes and just like a strike of lightning, they were already grappling in the middle of the arena. Werdum was raining down punches, but when the referee stepped in to stop the fight with just 20 seconds remaining in the round, Vera vehemently protested.
Tension suddenly filled the room as Vera realized what had just happened. It suddenly came to his realization that his belt was already gone. The referee had abruptly and unjustly stopped the match. Vera could have well fought off Werdum for he had the strength. He was trying to escape the grasp of his enemy when he suddenly heard the bell ring. It signaled the end of the fight. It was a fight that ended in a controversial fashion.
A frustrated Vera could not accept this kind of defeat. He thought everything was treated unfairly. He firmly believed that the referee had no valid reason of halting the fight for he neither tapped out nor had his face stained with blood. He thirsted for a rematch. He thirsted for vengeance.
Vera is scheduled to make his light-heavyweight debut against former International Fight League fighter (IFL) and UFC newcomer Reese Andy at UFC Fight Night 14. UFC Fight Night 14 will feature a main event between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and James Irvin in a non-title light-heavyweight bout. The event goes head-to-head with "Affliction: Banned."
LEGACY OF NEW LEGENDS
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLKE
By Jose Mari Hall Lanuza
IV-Enrico Fermi
Three veterans. Six games. One championship.
This NBA season was filled with many controversies, like superstar trades, trash talk between all-stars, and many coaching flaws. But one of the issues that rocked the industry was the blockbuster trade between the Boston Celtics, the Minnesota Timber wolves and the Seattle Supersonics during summer. This gave way to the monster team-up of all-star veterans now called the Boston Big Three. They are Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. They were three superstar veterans, all hungry for their first ever NBA title. Last June 18, their dream came true.
After a shocking seven-game first and second round playoff series, the Boston Celtics, led by the Big Three, won the conference championships in six games against another Eastern Conference contender, the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics headed on to the Finals against the team of the season MVP Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers. In game six of the best of seven series, the Celtics, with a 3-2 lead, took the Lakers back to the Boston Garden, confident that they would win. And despite the efforts of MVP Kobe Bryant, the Celtics were simply too big of an obstacle. The plays made by Kobe were simply no match for all-star Paul Pierce, who led the Celtics to their 17th championship.
Pierce had help in annihilating the Western Conference champions, in the form of his teammates and co-Big Three, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Both superstars scored 25 points in the last game. Their loss in game 5 fueled the Celtics to play even better than last time. They put up a better performance in the Finals than in the earlier rounds of the playoffs where they needed all seven games to win the series.
In this post-season, many people became unsure of the Celtics’ ability to win a championship, mainly because of the show they put up earlier in the playoffs. They doubted whether the Big Three can perform on the same level as they did during the regular season, setting the bar in the league with 63 wins. After all, the playoffs is a different stage than the regular season.
It was evident during the entire post-season that the Big Three were not as mighty as they were in the regular season. Allen had problems with his shooting, and Kevin Garnett took the role of the leader earlier in the playoffs. But when the Finals came, it was Paul Pierce’s time to shine. He led the Celtics to the title, paved the way for his teammates, and made the season MVP look like a rookie. He scored 17 points in their game six triumph, and he averaged 21.8 points in the Finals. It was definitely a unanimous choice for the management to make Pierce the Finals MVP.
Just a season ago, the Boston Celtics were a 24-win team. They were on the bottom of the food chain in the NBA. They were simply hopeless. But all that changed when Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came to Boston. In just a span of one year, they simply changed. From being the loser team to becoming the team that everyone wants to beat. This trio of superstars ended the 22-year championship drought of Boston, by giving the Lakers a humiliating 131-92 loss on June 18, winning the NBA title in the process.
All of the three major superstars of the Boston Celtics have never won a championship before. All of them were great, but they lacked something. Each of their former teams had no future. So when the new Boston roster was assembled, everyone knew that this Boston team was nothing like the old one. What’s the proof? The 2007-2008 championship banner, hanging on the ceiling of the Boston Garden.
This trio of superstars never knew how to get a title on their own. They never knew what it felt like, to touch the trophy, to have great teammates. They were deprived of the luxury championships brought. They never even dreamed of this great team. They were simply great players in the shadows of teams that have been champions before.
Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce never knew what it took to become NBA champions. That was back then. You want to know how to become champions? Ask them, they surely know now.
By Jose Mari Hall Lanuza
IV-Enrico Fermi
Three veterans. Six games. One championship.
This NBA season was filled with many controversies, like superstar trades, trash talk between all-stars, and many coaching flaws. But one of the issues that rocked the industry was the blockbuster trade between the Boston Celtics, the Minnesota Timber wolves and the Seattle Supersonics during summer. This gave way to the monster team-up of all-star veterans now called the Boston Big Three. They are Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. They were three superstar veterans, all hungry for their first ever NBA title. Last June 18, their dream came true.
After a shocking seven-game first and second round playoff series, the Boston Celtics, led by the Big Three, won the conference championships in six games against another Eastern Conference contender, the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics headed on to the Finals against the team of the season MVP Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers. In game six of the best of seven series, the Celtics, with a 3-2 lead, took the Lakers back to the Boston Garden, confident that they would win. And despite the efforts of MVP Kobe Bryant, the Celtics were simply too big of an obstacle. The plays made by Kobe were simply no match for all-star Paul Pierce, who led the Celtics to their 17th championship.
Pierce had help in annihilating the Western Conference champions, in the form of his teammates and co-Big Three, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Both superstars scored 25 points in the last game. Their loss in game 5 fueled the Celtics to play even better than last time. They put up a better performance in the Finals than in the earlier rounds of the playoffs where they needed all seven games to win the series.
In this post-season, many people became unsure of the Celtics’ ability to win a championship, mainly because of the show they put up earlier in the playoffs. They doubted whether the Big Three can perform on the same level as they did during the regular season, setting the bar in the league with 63 wins. After all, the playoffs is a different stage than the regular season.
It was evident during the entire post-season that the Big Three were not as mighty as they were in the regular season. Allen had problems with his shooting, and Kevin Garnett took the role of the leader earlier in the playoffs. But when the Finals came, it was Paul Pierce’s time to shine. He led the Celtics to the title, paved the way for his teammates, and made the season MVP look like a rookie. He scored 17 points in their game six triumph, and he averaged 21.8 points in the Finals. It was definitely a unanimous choice for the management to make Pierce the Finals MVP.
Just a season ago, the Boston Celtics were a 24-win team. They were on the bottom of the food chain in the NBA. They were simply hopeless. But all that changed when Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came to Boston. In just a span of one year, they simply changed. From being the loser team to becoming the team that everyone wants to beat. This trio of superstars ended the 22-year championship drought of Boston, by giving the Lakers a humiliating 131-92 loss on June 18, winning the NBA title in the process.
All of the three major superstars of the Boston Celtics have never won a championship before. All of them were great, but they lacked something. Each of their former teams had no future. So when the new Boston roster was assembled, everyone knew that this Boston team was nothing like the old one. What’s the proof? The 2007-2008 championship banner, hanging on the ceiling of the Boston Garden.
This trio of superstars never knew how to get a title on their own. They never knew what it felt like, to touch the trophy, to have great teammates. They were deprived of the luxury championships brought. They never even dreamed of this great team. They were simply great players in the shadows of teams that have been champions before.
Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce never knew what it took to become NBA champions. That was back then. You want to know how to become champions? Ask them, they surely know now.
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE MOST TALKED ABOUT UAAP
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Jezel Christine Nolasco Quevada
IV-Madame Marie Curie
Sports are being promoted in almost all universities in our country. They are doing to this to make the students well-rounded individuals and not just focused on their studies. It helps them become healthy and besides, sports is one way of defocusing from stress in their studies, building camaraderie among team mates and strong sense of belongingness and loyalty to the school they represent. It is one way of helping them stay away from vices and prohibited drugs. To some, it prepares them on their future professional careers. As a whole, sports contribute to the total development of an individual. Among the universities that compete with each other are the following: University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, National University and University of the East.
Some long-lived rivalries in various sports history are those of DLSU and ADMU, UP and ADMU, the contention of FEU against UE, the rivalry of UP between UST, the enmity of UST and DLSU, the battle of DLSU against FEU. If you happen to wonder where did these rivalries actually start, the answer is the UAAP.
UAAP stands for University Athletic Association of the Philippines. It was established in 1938 as a sport association of eight major universities (stated in the first paragraph of this article) in our country. Each year 15 sports are being competed by these universities. From these sports, rivalries are born. The UAAP is consists of the following braches of sports namely; basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, cheer dance, baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, badminton and fencing. Different member-universities of the association take turns in sponsoring and organizing the annual season.
It was in the year 1924 when the thought of having a sports association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), came to the mind of Dr. Regino Ylanan, the late UP Physical Education Director. He threw the idea of this project to the universities of UST, DLSU, ADMU and FEU.
In 1930, The University of the Philippines sponsored an experimental meet with the first "BIG 3" league (UST, NU, UP) on basketball, swimming, baseball, relays, track and field, volleyball, tennis and soccer.
In 1935, University of the Philippines was not able to join the event for it had numerous mass intramurals inside the campus. The event was then organized by UST, NU and FEU.
Three years later, the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF), the highest sports body in the country, in cooperation with the UP Alumni Association encouraged the original “BIG 3” including FEU to build and form a permanent sports association. This was the time when the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was born. Events included were basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, football, swimming and track and field. During that event, UP bagged three titles (volleyball, baseball, track and field), UST ranked 1st in football and swimming while FEU triumphed in basketball.
The season 1941 to 1942 was somewhat hindered due to the outbreak caused by World War II.
In 1946, the UAAP season was sponsored and organized by UST.
During 1952, four new members joined the league namely University of the East, University of Manila, Adamson University and Manila Central University.
In 1954, UE is permanently accepted into the league. The three universities (UM, Adamson, and MCU) were dropped from the UAAP due to their inability to comply with the UAAP requirements.
In 1970, Adamson University tried again to join the league with yet another two-year probationary period.
In 1974, Adamson University hosted the season; from here they became a permanent member of the league.
In 1978, Ateneo de Manila University joins the league and has been accepted. Eight years after, 1986, their rival, De La Salle University joins the league too.
Through the years, the University Athletics Association of the Philippines believes that the true development of an individual does not totally depend on his academic growth hence it depends also in how he involves himself to physical activities and the foundation of camaraderie and sportsmanship.
This year, the association is having its 71st season, which will be sponsored by the University of the Philippines who is celebrating its centennial. The first semester sports starting from the month of July to October includes basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis and the most awaited cheer dance competition. The second semester, which starts on the month of November and ends in March, includes baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, badminton and fencing.
The UAAP craze is about to start again. Even if we are not students of the universities competing in the UAAP, for sure, we will cheer the universities we like best. Hopefully, we will be a part of that event, too. Go UP fighting maroons! Animo La Salle Green Archers! Go Ateneo Blue Eagles! Go UST Growling Tigers! Go Adamson Blue Falcons! Win FEU Tamaraws! Go NU Bulldogs! You can do it UE Red Warriors! Go for the gold and bring home the bacon your school is waiting for. Fight! Fight! Fight!
By Jezel Christine Nolasco Quevada
IV-Madame Marie Curie
Sports are being promoted in almost all universities in our country. They are doing to this to make the students well-rounded individuals and not just focused on their studies. It helps them become healthy and besides, sports is one way of defocusing from stress in their studies, building camaraderie among team mates and strong sense of belongingness and loyalty to the school they represent. It is one way of helping them stay away from vices and prohibited drugs. To some, it prepares them on their future professional careers. As a whole, sports contribute to the total development of an individual. Among the universities that compete with each other are the following: University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, National University and University of the East.
Some long-lived rivalries in various sports history are those of DLSU and ADMU, UP and ADMU, the contention of FEU against UE, the rivalry of UP between UST, the enmity of UST and DLSU, the battle of DLSU against FEU. If you happen to wonder where did these rivalries actually start, the answer is the UAAP.
UAAP stands for University Athletic Association of the Philippines. It was established in 1938 as a sport association of eight major universities (stated in the first paragraph of this article) in our country. Each year 15 sports are being competed by these universities. From these sports, rivalries are born. The UAAP is consists of the following braches of sports namely; basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, cheer dance, baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, badminton and fencing. Different member-universities of the association take turns in sponsoring and organizing the annual season.
It was in the year 1924 when the thought of having a sports association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), came to the mind of Dr. Regino Ylanan, the late UP Physical Education Director. He threw the idea of this project to the universities of UST, DLSU, ADMU and FEU.
In 1930, The University of the Philippines sponsored an experimental meet with the first "BIG 3" league (UST, NU, UP) on basketball, swimming, baseball, relays, track and field, volleyball, tennis and soccer.
In 1935, University of the Philippines was not able to join the event for it had numerous mass intramurals inside the campus. The event was then organized by UST, NU and FEU.
Three years later, the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF), the highest sports body in the country, in cooperation with the UP Alumni Association encouraged the original “BIG 3” including FEU to build and form a permanent sports association. This was the time when the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was born. Events included were basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, football, swimming and track and field. During that event, UP bagged three titles (volleyball, baseball, track and field), UST ranked 1st in football and swimming while FEU triumphed in basketball.
The season 1941 to 1942 was somewhat hindered due to the outbreak caused by World War II.
In 1946, the UAAP season was sponsored and organized by UST.
During 1952, four new members joined the league namely University of the East, University of Manila, Adamson University and Manila Central University.
In 1954, UE is permanently accepted into the league. The three universities (UM, Adamson, and MCU) were dropped from the UAAP due to their inability to comply with the UAAP requirements.
In 1970, Adamson University tried again to join the league with yet another two-year probationary period.
In 1974, Adamson University hosted the season; from here they became a permanent member of the league.
In 1978, Ateneo de Manila University joins the league and has been accepted. Eight years after, 1986, their rival, De La Salle University joins the league too.
Through the years, the University Athletics Association of the Philippines believes that the true development of an individual does not totally depend on his academic growth hence it depends also in how he involves himself to physical activities and the foundation of camaraderie and sportsmanship.
This year, the association is having its 71st season, which will be sponsored by the University of the Philippines who is celebrating its centennial. The first semester sports starting from the month of July to October includes basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis and the most awaited cheer dance competition. The second semester, which starts on the month of November and ends in March, includes baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, badminton and fencing.
The UAAP craze is about to start again. Even if we are not students of the universities competing in the UAAP, for sure, we will cheer the universities we like best. Hopefully, we will be a part of that event, too. Go UP fighting maroons! Animo La Salle Green Archers! Go Ateneo Blue Eagles! Go UST Growling Tigers! Go Adamson Blue Falcons! Win FEU Tamaraws! Go NU Bulldogs! You can do it UE Red Warriors! Go for the gold and bring home the bacon your school is waiting for. Fight! Fight! Fight!
PACQUIAO CLAIMS WBC LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Therese Romaine Nalangan Rustia
IV-Michael Faraday
ENDLESS CHEERS FROM the crowd were heard as Manny Pacquiao knocked out David Diaz in the ninth round of the World Boxing Council lightweight title match at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 29.
Pacquiao finished the fight as he punched Diaz in the left jaw and took the title as the new WBC lightweight champion.
During the earlier rounds, Pacquiao had already given his opponent a cut on the bridge of his nose and another above his right eye.
Diaz was also able to give tough punches and bravely fought the Filipino boxer.
Having a new record of 47 wins, three losses and two draws with 35 knockouts, Manny Pacquiao garnered a total of four world titles including his flyweight, super – bantamweight and super – featherweight titles.
With his amazing victory, he also became the first Asian to win 4 titles and the first Filipino lightweight champion.
As each Filipino proudly celebrate for him, Manny Pacquiao remains as the People’s Champ.
By Therese Romaine Nalangan Rustia
IV-Michael Faraday
ENDLESS CHEERS FROM the crowd were heard as Manny Pacquiao knocked out David Diaz in the ninth round of the World Boxing Council lightweight title match at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 29.
Pacquiao finished the fight as he punched Diaz in the left jaw and took the title as the new WBC lightweight champion.
During the earlier rounds, Pacquiao had already given his opponent a cut on the bridge of his nose and another above his right eye.
Diaz was also able to give tough punches and bravely fought the Filipino boxer.
Having a new record of 47 wins, three losses and two draws with 35 knockouts, Manny Pacquiao garnered a total of four world titles including his flyweight, super – bantamweight and super – featherweight titles.
With his amazing victory, he also became the first Asian to win 4 titles and the first Filipino lightweight champion.
As each Filipino proudly celebrate for him, Manny Pacquiao remains as the People’s Champ.
NADAL GOES STRAIGHT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Maylene Librando Manzano
III-Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
Ear piercing shrieks and heart-stopping moments came to an end as Rafael Nadal snatched his place to the finals when he crushed Rainer Schuettler during the semifinals of Wimbledon 2008 at the centre court, July 4.
Non-stop rallies between these two players definitely made the crowd go wild. With Schuettler’s backhands and Nadal’s known service aces, everyone was caught up on high as Nadal grabbed the first set with the score of 6-1.
After losing a set to his opponent, Schuettler came even more aggressive and took chances as the second set began. With Nadal’s play on the rocks, the German tennis prodigy gained a huge advantage against the King of Clay. But it all came to an end with a tie break, still leaving Nadal in the lead with the score of 7-6.
As the final set took place, both players showcased their best forms of play that made the audience even more invigorated with the head-turning shots and slices of Schuettler and the 2nd seed’s net approaches and tricky maneuvers.
In the middle of the game, Nadal had a knee injury and it was bleeding all throughout the set. But it didn’t stop the Spanish pride from grabbing the last set and thus, came out victorious.
Rafael Nadal will be going head to head with -time Wimbledon Men’s Singles Champion Roger Federer in the upcoming Wimbledon Championships this Sunday.
By Maylene Librando Manzano
III-Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
Ear piercing shrieks and heart-stopping moments came to an end as Rafael Nadal snatched his place to the finals when he crushed Rainer Schuettler during the semifinals of Wimbledon 2008 at the centre court, July 4.
Non-stop rallies between these two players definitely made the crowd go wild. With Schuettler’s backhands and Nadal’s known service aces, everyone was caught up on high as Nadal grabbed the first set with the score of 6-1.
After losing a set to his opponent, Schuettler came even more aggressive and took chances as the second set began. With Nadal’s play on the rocks, the German tennis prodigy gained a huge advantage against the King of Clay. But it all came to an end with a tie break, still leaving Nadal in the lead with the score of 7-6.
As the final set took place, both players showcased their best forms of play that made the audience even more invigorated with the head-turning shots and slices of Schuettler and the 2nd seed’s net approaches and tricky maneuvers.
In the middle of the game, Nadal had a knee injury and it was bleeding all throughout the set. But it didn’t stop the Spanish pride from grabbing the last set and thus, came out victorious.
Rafael Nadal will be going head to head with -time Wimbledon Men’s Singles Champion Roger Federer in the upcoming Wimbledon Championships this Sunday.
Monday, July 7, 2008
PACMAN MAY BE RP FLAG BEARER IN 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Zatia Denise Danao Gammad
IV-Madame Marie Curie
Photo from news.yahoo.com
It would be another feather in Manny Pacquiao’s cap should plans push through for him to become the flag bearer this coming Olympic Games in Beijing.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants Pacman to lead the Philippine contingent during the opening ceremonies on August 8. Malacañang has reportedly asked the Philippine Olympic Committee to reconsider a decision made by the executive board to have swimmer Miguel Molina as the Philippine delegation’s official flag bearer.
According to the International Olympic Committee guidelines, the flag bearer must be part of the official delegation as an athlete, coach or team official. Manny Pacquiao has never been part of any national team considering he has begun in his professional boxing career at the age of 16.
To be part of Team Philippines’ 32-member delegation, Pacquiao has to gain first accreditation from the POC and the IOC.
POC spokesman Joey Romasanta said that they are willing to make the necessary arrangements, adding that POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco said that having Pacquiao as our flag bearer will be a big morale-booster to our athletes. The POC believes that he deserves it.
Meanwhile, Chinese Embassy officials said yesterday that Beijing is on the final phases of its preparations to host the 2008 Olympics Games.
Chen Yongshan, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Manila, made this assurance after disclosing that all the necessary infrastructures have already been completed.
By Zatia Denise Danao Gammad
IV-Madame Marie Curie
Photo from news.yahoo.com
It would be another feather in Manny Pacquiao’s cap should plans push through for him to become the flag bearer this coming Olympic Games in Beijing.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants Pacman to lead the Philippine contingent during the opening ceremonies on August 8. Malacañang has reportedly asked the Philippine Olympic Committee to reconsider a decision made by the executive board to have swimmer Miguel Molina as the Philippine delegation’s official flag bearer.
According to the International Olympic Committee guidelines, the flag bearer must be part of the official delegation as an athlete, coach or team official. Manny Pacquiao has never been part of any national team considering he has begun in his professional boxing career at the age of 16.
To be part of Team Philippines’ 32-member delegation, Pacquiao has to gain first accreditation from the POC and the IOC.
POC spokesman Joey Romasanta said that they are willing to make the necessary arrangements, adding that POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco said that having Pacquiao as our flag bearer will be a big morale-booster to our athletes. The POC believes that he deserves it.
Meanwhile, Chinese Embassy officials said yesterday that Beijing is on the final phases of its preparations to host the 2008 Olympics Games.
Chen Yongshan, Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Manila, made this assurance after disclosing that all the necessary infrastructures have already been completed.
HEART OF A TRUE CHAMPION
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Vicson Aypa Mabanglo
IV-Sir Isaac Newton
When you walk on the streets of greater Manila, you’ll eventually find yourself in a very incomparable scenario. Too-narrow streets, tricycles blocking your way, jeepneys parked on both sides of the road and people talking about daily news are often and common. Further observations will lead you to numerous basketball courts. Basketball courts which showcase and feature players in tattered shirts and flip-flops, non-regulation rims with nets that are often made up of metal chains, and plenty of loud yelling. Indeed there are lots of hoops that can be found all over the country, from the rural cities to the urban cities.
Filipinos are born with a basketball in their hands. Filipinos love Basketball from the moment they acquire their awareness up to the very last second of their lives. Filipinos consider basketball as their main sport. A typical Filipino life won’t be complete without any experience inside the “hardcourt”. A typical Filipino life won’t be complete without the setbacks and challenges offered by the game. Basketball is truly engraved in the heart of every Filipinos.
But nowadays, Filipinos are often attributed as “losers” when it comes to the game of basketball. Why? It is mainly because of the height of an average Filipino. In the game of Basketball, we must admit that height really plays a major factor when it comes to the final outcome of a game. One proof is the fact that we, Filipinos, have not won any international award when it comes to Basketball. Our country has not tasted any success overseas. Our heights always keep our feet on the ground. It hinders us to reach our main goal of becoming a champion. Some sports analyst even stated that we should focus more on other sports, which does not involve height of course. They even stated the insulting fact that we must focus more ourselves on Football. For in this sport, the ball is always on the ground.
Now, I do admit that Filipinos have not tasted any success outside the country, but that doesn’t mean we should not try and give up our passion for the game, right? The type of basketball in our country is not all about winning an award or a championship overseas. It is more about the thrill given by the game to the Filipinos. It is more about the true value of sportsmanship, the cooperation of a team, the excitement of a good game and the spirit of competition. Philippine basketball is about kids being able to play on the streets and dreaming that they can achieve something too, just like the PBA stars. It is more about competing in a “liga” in small barangays and villages and gaining the Most Valuable Player Award. Basketball is our premier sport not because we are internationally famed, but because we love the game. Basketball is truly engraved in our hearts.
By Vicson Aypa Mabanglo
IV-Sir Isaac Newton
When you walk on the streets of greater Manila, you’ll eventually find yourself in a very incomparable scenario. Too-narrow streets, tricycles blocking your way, jeepneys parked on both sides of the road and people talking about daily news are often and common. Further observations will lead you to numerous basketball courts. Basketball courts which showcase and feature players in tattered shirts and flip-flops, non-regulation rims with nets that are often made up of metal chains, and plenty of loud yelling. Indeed there are lots of hoops that can be found all over the country, from the rural cities to the urban cities.
Filipinos are born with a basketball in their hands. Filipinos love Basketball from the moment they acquire their awareness up to the very last second of their lives. Filipinos consider basketball as their main sport. A typical Filipino life won’t be complete without any experience inside the “hardcourt”. A typical Filipino life won’t be complete without the setbacks and challenges offered by the game. Basketball is truly engraved in the heart of every Filipinos.
But nowadays, Filipinos are often attributed as “losers” when it comes to the game of basketball. Why? It is mainly because of the height of an average Filipino. In the game of Basketball, we must admit that height really plays a major factor when it comes to the final outcome of a game. One proof is the fact that we, Filipinos, have not won any international award when it comes to Basketball. Our country has not tasted any success overseas. Our heights always keep our feet on the ground. It hinders us to reach our main goal of becoming a champion. Some sports analyst even stated that we should focus more on other sports, which does not involve height of course. They even stated the insulting fact that we must focus more ourselves on Football. For in this sport, the ball is always on the ground.
Now, I do admit that Filipinos have not tasted any success outside the country, but that doesn’t mean we should not try and give up our passion for the game, right? The type of basketball in our country is not all about winning an award or a championship overseas. It is more about the thrill given by the game to the Filipinos. It is more about the true value of sportsmanship, the cooperation of a team, the excitement of a good game and the spirit of competition. Philippine basketball is about kids being able to play on the streets and dreaming that they can achieve something too, just like the PBA stars. It is more about competing in a “liga” in small barangays and villages and gaining the Most Valuable Player Award. Basketball is our premier sport not because we are internationally famed, but because we love the game. Basketball is truly engraved in our hearts.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
WIMBLEDON FINALISTS RIVALRY
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Julia Nina Somera Moncada
IV–Madame Marie Curie
After his semifinal victory in the Wimbledon Open, Roger Federer found time to watch a few games of Rafael Nadal’s semifinal match. Federer does have a DVD of Nadal’s match but does not intend to use it for their face off Sunday.
Federer is confident that he knows all that he needs to know of Nadal. He’ll have to back up those words in their face off on Sunday. That will be the sixth Grand Slam title match between the No.1-ranked Federer and the No.2-ranked Nadal, more than any other rival pair in the 40-year Open era.
They faced in the past three French Open finals. Nadal won all three. This upcoming battle will be their third consecutive Wimbledon final, with Federer winning the first two.
Some significant milestones are at stake Sunday.
Federer, who has tied Bjorn Borg’s record of winning 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles, is going for his sixth Wimbledon title. Nadal, on the other hand, wants to be the first to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
This will be their 14th tournament title match, putting the pair 4th in the Open era history. Following behind Ivan Lendl vs. John McEnroe (20 matches); Andre Agassi vs. Pete Sampras (16); Boris Becker vs. Stefan Edberg (16); and Jimmy Connors vs. McEnroe (15).
Federer, being 26, and Nadal, being 22, the number of matches will surely increase in the following years.
By Julia Nina Somera Moncada
IV–Madame Marie Curie
After his semifinal victory in the Wimbledon Open, Roger Federer found time to watch a few games of Rafael Nadal’s semifinal match. Federer does have a DVD of Nadal’s match but does not intend to use it for their face off Sunday.
Federer is confident that he knows all that he needs to know of Nadal. He’ll have to back up those words in their face off on Sunday. That will be the sixth Grand Slam title match between the No.1-ranked Federer and the No.2-ranked Nadal, more than any other rival pair in the 40-year Open era.
They faced in the past three French Open finals. Nadal won all three. This upcoming battle will be their third consecutive Wimbledon final, with Federer winning the first two.
Some significant milestones are at stake Sunday.
Federer, who has tied Bjorn Borg’s record of winning 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles, is going for his sixth Wimbledon title. Nadal, on the other hand, wants to be the first to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
This will be their 14th tournament title match, putting the pair 4th in the Open era history. Following behind Ivan Lendl vs. John McEnroe (20 matches); Andre Agassi vs. Pete Sampras (16); Boris Becker vs. Stefan Edberg (16); and Jimmy Connors vs. McEnroe (15).
Federer, being 26, and Nadal, being 22, the number of matches will surely increase in the following years.
SIBLING RIVALRY
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Samantha Grace Ignacio Cruz
II-Robert Hooke
After Venus Williams flawlessly wins her spot in the Wimbledon finals, she intently watches the later match to discover that she will be competing against no other that her little sister- Serena Williams. The sisters, however, say that there is no rivalry whatsoever between them. Venus Williams was even thrilled to find out her sister magnificently won the match. They are, in fact, looking forward to the moment and said “It’s good practice for both of us, we’re just enjoying every moment.”
During the semi-finals, neither of the sisters lost a set. Venus Williams ended her match superbly against the fifth-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia, 6-1, 7-6 (3). And Serena Williams hit 14 aces as she emerged victorious over 133rd-ranked Zheng Jie of China, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Coincidentally, both of them won 80 of the 141 points in each of their matches.
On the day of the match between the sisters, defending champion Venus will be going for her fifth title at Wimbledon, and seventh major overall while Serena, will be going for her third title at Wimbledon, and ninth major overall.
After playing each other, the sisters will go against Lisa Raymond of the U.S. and Samantha Stosur of Australia in the Wimbledon women’s doubles final. It has been more than five years since Venus and Serena Williams won a Grand Slam doubles title together, and they can end that by winning in this year’s tournament.
The exceptional pair has won at Wimbledon in the years 2000 and 2002. Their last Grand Slam doubles title came at the 2003 Australian Open. Overall, they have entered 33 tournaments as a team before this year’s Wimbledon and won 10 titles, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Though they are sisters, they, of course, have their differences. Venus is considered to have a faster serve, and Serena is said to have a better return. Nonetheless, both want the glory, and both are confident to earn it.
Venus Williams says “Our main focus is obviously both of us getting to the finals, then, from there, it's every Williams for herself."
The father and coach, Richard Williams, immediately got on a plane to watch his daughters the minute he was told the news. He missed most of the other 15 matches the Williams sisters had against each other, and he was not willing to miss this one as well.
The match between the two siblings, which will be held at the All England Club, is really a most anticipated event. It will not only determine who the best player is in the world, for the time being, but also the best player in the Williams family. Whatever the result may be, we all know that these sisters are two of the world’s greatest tennis players.
By Samantha Grace Ignacio Cruz
II-Robert Hooke
After Venus Williams flawlessly wins her spot in the Wimbledon finals, she intently watches the later match to discover that she will be competing against no other that her little sister- Serena Williams. The sisters, however, say that there is no rivalry whatsoever between them. Venus Williams was even thrilled to find out her sister magnificently won the match. They are, in fact, looking forward to the moment and said “It’s good practice for both of us, we’re just enjoying every moment.”
During the semi-finals, neither of the sisters lost a set. Venus Williams ended her match superbly against the fifth-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia, 6-1, 7-6 (3). And Serena Williams hit 14 aces as she emerged victorious over 133rd-ranked Zheng Jie of China, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Coincidentally, both of them won 80 of the 141 points in each of their matches.
On the day of the match between the sisters, defending champion Venus will be going for her fifth title at Wimbledon, and seventh major overall while Serena, will be going for her third title at Wimbledon, and ninth major overall.
After playing each other, the sisters will go against Lisa Raymond of the U.S. and Samantha Stosur of Australia in the Wimbledon women’s doubles final. It has been more than five years since Venus and Serena Williams won a Grand Slam doubles title together, and they can end that by winning in this year’s tournament.
The exceptional pair has won at Wimbledon in the years 2000 and 2002. Their last Grand Slam doubles title came at the 2003 Australian Open. Overall, they have entered 33 tournaments as a team before this year’s Wimbledon and won 10 titles, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Though they are sisters, they, of course, have their differences. Venus is considered to have a faster serve, and Serena is said to have a better return. Nonetheless, both want the glory, and both are confident to earn it.
Venus Williams says “Our main focus is obviously both of us getting to the finals, then, from there, it's every Williams for herself."
The father and coach, Richard Williams, immediately got on a plane to watch his daughters the minute he was told the news. He missed most of the other 15 matches the Williams sisters had against each other, and he was not willing to miss this one as well.
The match between the two siblings, which will be held at the All England Club, is really a most anticipated event. It will not only determine who the best player is in the world, for the time being, but also the best player in the Williams family. Whatever the result may be, we all know that these sisters are two of the world’s greatest tennis players.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
SPAIN TAKES WORLD CUP HOME
UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Vladimir Paat Villegas
IV-Sir Isaac Newton
After 44 years of long wait for their first major football trophy, Spain came home with the bacon after defeating Germany in this year’s World Cup.
Aboard an open top bus, the champions sang Queen’s “We Are the Champions” while gathered around captain Iker Casillas after coach Luis Aragones hoisted in the air for several times.
“This cup is yours, one man who got us where we are today, Luis Aragones,” Casillas screamed to the crowd as he turned to his coach.
Everyone was overcome by emotions, even the melancholic coach, as they sang one of their theme songs since the 2006 World Cup, “A Por Ellos” (“Let Us Go Get Them”).
“If I could not manage the quality of the players we have, then it would be impossible to win the Euro. Why? Because we have the best team in the world”, the 69-year old coach said as he pleased the members to remain as he resigns.
Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper, began the official celebrations with a resume of each of the 23 players before surrendering the microphone.
“Without you guys, we would not have been able to win this,” said Fernando Torres, the striker whose 33rd-minute goal delivered a 1-0 win for Spain.
An honor was given to Genaro Borras, a longtime team doctor who passed away shortly before the start of Euro 2008, by unfurling a banner. Manolo Escobar, a Spanish singer, then eventually emerged to lead a live version of “Vive España” (“Long Live Spain”).
Traffic ground to a halt as the bus crawled into the capital.
By Vladimir Paat Villegas
IV-Sir Isaac Newton
After 44 years of long wait for their first major football trophy, Spain came home with the bacon after defeating Germany in this year’s World Cup.
Aboard an open top bus, the champions sang Queen’s “We Are the Champions” while gathered around captain Iker Casillas after coach Luis Aragones hoisted in the air for several times.
“This cup is yours, one man who got us where we are today, Luis Aragones,” Casillas screamed to the crowd as he turned to his coach.
Everyone was overcome by emotions, even the melancholic coach, as they sang one of their theme songs since the 2006 World Cup, “A Por Ellos” (“Let Us Go Get Them”).
“If I could not manage the quality of the players we have, then it would be impossible to win the Euro. Why? Because we have the best team in the world”, the 69-year old coach said as he pleased the members to remain as he resigns.
Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper, began the official celebrations with a resume of each of the 23 players before surrendering the microphone.
“Without you guys, we would not have been able to win this,” said Fernando Torres, the striker whose 33rd-minute goal delivered a 1-0 win for Spain.
An honor was given to Genaro Borras, a longtime team doctor who passed away shortly before the start of Euro 2008, by unfurling a banner. Manolo Escobar, a Spanish singer, then eventually emerged to lead a live version of “Vive España” (“Long Live Spain”).
Traffic ground to a halt as the bus crawled into the capital.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
PACQUIAO KOs DIAZ FOR WBC LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
By Kevin Iole
Yahoo! Sports
LAS VEGAS – Round-by-round coverage of Manny Pacquiao’s WBC lightweight title-winning effort against David Diaz from the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
AP Photo by Jae C Hong
ROUND 1
Crowd is heavily pro-Pacquiao as Michael Buffer introduces them. Ex-world champion Fernando Vargas, who has gotten very heavy, walks to the ring with Diaz. The fighters meet in the center of the ring as the bell sounds. Pacquiao lands two lefts. Pacquiao is circling and Diaz is moving forward. Diaz lands a combination to the body. Combination to the head and body by Pacquiao. Hard left by Pacquiao. Diaz lands a left. Pacquaio’s jab gets through three times in a row. Combination to the head by Pacquiao. Speed edge is huge for Pacquiao. Diaz misses badly with a hook. It’s easy right now for Pacquiao. Diaz lands a right and Pacquiao is warned for holding. Four-punch combination by Pacquiao brings a roar from the crowd. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 2
They trade inside as the round starts. Now, they’re wrestling. Diaz fires a combination to the head, but Pacquiao lands a counter left. Left-right-left from Pacquiao lands. Good left from Diaz. Hard left by Pacquiao. Right hook and a left from Pacquiao. Jab and a hook to the body by Pacquiao. Overhand left from Pacquiao lands. Right hook snaps Diaz’s head. Left-right combination to the head by Pacquiao. He’s teeing off on Diaz. Right hook by Pacquiao. Pacquiao lands a five-punch combination. It’s ridiculously easy at this point for Pacquiao. He’s far outclassing Diaz. Diaz has reddening around the eyes. Another hard combination by Pacquiao. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 3
Diaz opens with a jab. Pacquiao double jabs and then a left. Right hook from Pacquiao. Diaz lands a good right. Four-punch combination to the head by Pacquiao. Hard left by Pacquiao. Pacquiao is simply far too fast. It’s a mismatch at this point. Right hook by Manny lands. Diaz digs to the body. Diaz has a cut on the bridge of his nose, but it shouldn’t be a factor. Jab-left by Pacquiao snaps Diaz’s head. They tie up for only a second and the crowd boos. It’s been a fast pace. Diaz roughs Pacquiao up inside and lands a short right. Combination to the body by Pacquiao. Left cross lands by Pacquiao. Hook to the body by Diaz. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao.
AP Photo By Eric Jamison
ROUND 4
Pacquiao opens with a jab. Diaz lands a right. Hook to the body and hook to the head by Diaz. Pacquiao lands a left that stuns Diaz. Another hard left by Pacquiao. Diaz is cut badly on the right eye. Referee Vic Drakulich stops the fight briefly to allow the doctor to examine the cut. He’s OK to go, but it will bother him. Hard right by Pacquiao. Right hand and then a big left by Pacquiao. Diaz wobbles. Pacquiao is firing away and landing hard, crisp shots. He’s totally dominant. Left by Pacquiao and then they clinch. They trade hard blows, but Pacquiao lands several more. Hook by Pacquiao. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 5
Diaz’s corner has done a good job closing the cut. Diaz lands a hook to the body. Pacquiao lands a hard right. Right by Pacquiao and then a right-left combination on the chin. These punches are going to take a toll on Diaz pretty soon. Chopping left by Pacquiao. Diaz bending at the waist and bobbing and weaving, trying to find a way to avoid the punishment. Two rights by Pacquiao lands as the crowd roars its approval. Left to the body by Pacquiao. This is an extremely impressive performance. Diaz cracks Pacquiao with a good right, his best punch of the fight. Three-punch combination by Pacquiao to the head. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 6
Diaz’s cut is on his eyelid and is in a very bad position. Pacquiao is circling and flicks a jab. Diaz lands a right. Pacquiao lands a double hook. Cut is bleeding heavily. Pacquiao not quite as aggressive in this round, but is still landing what he throws. They wrestle in the center. Diaz warned for hitting behind the head. Good left to the head by Pacquiao. Short right inside by Pacquiao. Diaz lands a jab and then a right hand. Three-punch combination inside by Pacquiao and then a hard right to the head. Drakulich calls time to have the cut checked. He lets it continue. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
AP Photo By Eric Jamison
ROUND 7
Diaz said in between rounds, “Those punches are just too fast.” Diaz misses badly with a hook. Pacquiao lands a jab and then a right. They’re warned for rough tactics. Right to the body by Diaz, but Pacquiao answers with a 1-2 to the head. Left to the body and then to the head by Pacquiao. Diaz lands a jab. Three-punch combination inside by Pacquiao, who just gets off so much quicker. They clinch in the middle. Diaz pops a jab. Pacquiao lands an uppercut and then a right. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 8
Pacquiao opens with a couple of hard punches to the head. How much punishment is the corner going to let Diaz take? They need to think of stopping it now. Diaz seems to have no shot, not even the lucky punch chance to keep his title. Right-left-right by Pacquiao sends Diaz sagging to the ropes. Diaz fights his way off, only to be pummeled in the center of the ring with a blistering combination. Pacquiao raking him along the ropes. This is horrendous. Diaz is taking a frightful beating. Pacquiao continues to batter him with shots. Pacquiao lands a five-punch combination to the head, all of which were hard shots. Left by Pacquiao catches Diaz on the way in. Diaz is wincing. Iole scores it 10-8, Pacquiao
ROUND 9
Diaz’s face is a mess as the round starts and Pacquiao resumes the assault. Pacquiao lands a three-punch combination to the head. Diaz throws a left and a right, which Pacquiao blocks with his gloves. Diaz simply can’t land much. Straight left by Manny snaps Diaz’s head back. Diaz’s left eye is blackening and closing quickly. Pacquiao circles and flicks a couple of jabs. Right hand inside followed by a left sends Diaz down face first. The ref doesn’t even bother to count and waves off the fight at 2:24. Pacquiao wins by knockout.
AP Photo by Jae C Hong
Kevin Iole covers boxing and mixed martial arts for Yahoo! Sports. Send Kevin a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Yahoo! Sports
LAS VEGAS – Round-by-round coverage of Manny Pacquiao’s WBC lightweight title-winning effort against David Diaz from the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
AP Photo by Jae C Hong
ROUND 1
Crowd is heavily pro-Pacquiao as Michael Buffer introduces them. Ex-world champion Fernando Vargas, who has gotten very heavy, walks to the ring with Diaz. The fighters meet in the center of the ring as the bell sounds. Pacquiao lands two lefts. Pacquiao is circling and Diaz is moving forward. Diaz lands a combination to the body. Combination to the head and body by Pacquiao. Hard left by Pacquiao. Diaz lands a left. Pacquaio’s jab gets through three times in a row. Combination to the head by Pacquiao. Speed edge is huge for Pacquiao. Diaz misses badly with a hook. It’s easy right now for Pacquiao. Diaz lands a right and Pacquiao is warned for holding. Four-punch combination by Pacquiao brings a roar from the crowd. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 2
They trade inside as the round starts. Now, they’re wrestling. Diaz fires a combination to the head, but Pacquiao lands a counter left. Left-right-left from Pacquiao lands. Good left from Diaz. Hard left by Pacquiao. Right hook and a left from Pacquiao. Jab and a hook to the body by Pacquiao. Overhand left from Pacquiao lands. Right hook snaps Diaz’s head. Left-right combination to the head by Pacquiao. He’s teeing off on Diaz. Right hook by Pacquiao. Pacquiao lands a five-punch combination. It’s ridiculously easy at this point for Pacquiao. He’s far outclassing Diaz. Diaz has reddening around the eyes. Another hard combination by Pacquiao. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 3
Diaz opens with a jab. Pacquiao double jabs and then a left. Right hook from Pacquiao. Diaz lands a good right. Four-punch combination to the head by Pacquiao. Hard left by Pacquiao. Pacquiao is simply far too fast. It’s a mismatch at this point. Right hook by Manny lands. Diaz digs to the body. Diaz has a cut on the bridge of his nose, but it shouldn’t be a factor. Jab-left by Pacquiao snaps Diaz’s head. They tie up for only a second and the crowd boos. It’s been a fast pace. Diaz roughs Pacquiao up inside and lands a short right. Combination to the body by Pacquiao. Left cross lands by Pacquiao. Hook to the body by Diaz. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao.
AP Photo By Eric Jamison
ROUND 4
Pacquiao opens with a jab. Diaz lands a right. Hook to the body and hook to the head by Diaz. Pacquiao lands a left that stuns Diaz. Another hard left by Pacquiao. Diaz is cut badly on the right eye. Referee Vic Drakulich stops the fight briefly to allow the doctor to examine the cut. He’s OK to go, but it will bother him. Hard right by Pacquiao. Right hand and then a big left by Pacquiao. Diaz wobbles. Pacquiao is firing away and landing hard, crisp shots. He’s totally dominant. Left by Pacquiao and then they clinch. They trade hard blows, but Pacquiao lands several more. Hook by Pacquiao. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 5
Diaz’s corner has done a good job closing the cut. Diaz lands a hook to the body. Pacquiao lands a hard right. Right by Pacquiao and then a right-left combination on the chin. These punches are going to take a toll on Diaz pretty soon. Chopping left by Pacquiao. Diaz bending at the waist and bobbing and weaving, trying to find a way to avoid the punishment. Two rights by Pacquiao lands as the crowd roars its approval. Left to the body by Pacquiao. This is an extremely impressive performance. Diaz cracks Pacquiao with a good right, his best punch of the fight. Three-punch combination by Pacquiao to the head. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 6
Diaz’s cut is on his eyelid and is in a very bad position. Pacquiao is circling and flicks a jab. Diaz lands a right. Pacquiao lands a double hook. Cut is bleeding heavily. Pacquiao not quite as aggressive in this round, but is still landing what he throws. They wrestle in the center. Diaz warned for hitting behind the head. Good left to the head by Pacquiao. Short right inside by Pacquiao. Diaz lands a jab and then a right hand. Three-punch combination inside by Pacquiao and then a hard right to the head. Drakulich calls time to have the cut checked. He lets it continue. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
AP Photo By Eric Jamison
ROUND 7
Diaz said in between rounds, “Those punches are just too fast.” Diaz misses badly with a hook. Pacquiao lands a jab and then a right. They’re warned for rough tactics. Right to the body by Diaz, but Pacquiao answers with a 1-2 to the head. Left to the body and then to the head by Pacquiao. Diaz lands a jab. Three-punch combination inside by Pacquiao, who just gets off so much quicker. They clinch in the middle. Diaz pops a jab. Pacquiao lands an uppercut and then a right. Iole scores it 10-9, Pacquiao
ROUND 8
Pacquiao opens with a couple of hard punches to the head. How much punishment is the corner going to let Diaz take? They need to think of stopping it now. Diaz seems to have no shot, not even the lucky punch chance to keep his title. Right-left-right by Pacquiao sends Diaz sagging to the ropes. Diaz fights his way off, only to be pummeled in the center of the ring with a blistering combination. Pacquiao raking him along the ropes. This is horrendous. Diaz is taking a frightful beating. Pacquiao continues to batter him with shots. Pacquiao lands a five-punch combination to the head, all of which were hard shots. Left by Pacquiao catches Diaz on the way in. Diaz is wincing. Iole scores it 10-8, Pacquiao
ROUND 9
Diaz’s face is a mess as the round starts and Pacquiao resumes the assault. Pacquiao lands a three-punch combination to the head. Diaz throws a left and a right, which Pacquiao blocks with his gloves. Diaz simply can’t land much. Straight left by Manny snaps Diaz’s head back. Diaz’s left eye is blackening and closing quickly. Pacquiao circles and flicks a couple of jabs. Right hand inside followed by a left sends Diaz down face first. The ref doesn’t even bother to count and waves off the fight at 2:24. Pacquiao wins by knockout.
AP Photo by Jae C Hong
Kevin Iole covers boxing and mixed martial arts for Yahoo! Sports. Send Kevin a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
