Thursday, 28 July 2011

Azkals run ended on high note...


Philippine Azkals falls 2-1 to Kuwait, 5-1 in Aggregate. But the final scoreline does not indicate how the match went because the Azkals showed that it can compete with other Asian Powerhouses.

The absence of Shrock - probably their best player - and Aly the captain, has hurt the Azkals during their first leg which they ended up losing 3-0. But the second leg definitely was more competitive on their side and has resulted to a fascinating match.

Although the lose means that they are eliminated for world cup qualifying, it is interesting to see how this team progress and compete in the coming years. Given that more quality players are coming here and more attention is given to the sport, the only thing we need is funds!

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Uruguay wins Copa America!


Uruguay won the Copa America for a record 15 times! Yep, that's more than the total of Argentina and Brazil. With the most outstanding player of the tournament Luis Suarez and another phenomenal player Diego Forlan leading the way, there was no stopping Uruguay to win in record breaking fashion.

No doubt that Uruguay was the clear favorites to win the finals, but with Argentina and Brazil falling to lesser opponents in the quarterfinals, it was hard to predict what would have happened in the match. But again, with two quality goal scorers that has had most success in the international stage the match was never in doubt once it has started.

Certainly the dark horse no more, they are indeed a formidable team after going through the Semi-finals in the FIFA World Cup and winning the Latin American Championship, they will be a team to watch out for in Brazil 2014.

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Have you been to The Village?

Courtesy of online coupons, my girlfriend and I were able to experience the luxurious lifestyle of members of The Village Sports Club in BF Homes Paranaque. The recently opened Sports Club boasts 3 Swimming pools, 2 Badminton Courts, a Basketball Court, Tennis Court, Futsal Court, and Football field. But to play sports is not the only reason people join this exclusive club, members also get to enjoy and relax in their private Gym, Sauna, and Spa.

Membership costs 455,000 pesos for 1 nominee but 675,000 pesos for 2 nominees. This is excluding the other fees such as for court rentals and other amnesties.

But we were able to experience being a member for a day for 400 pesos each and we documented our journey to The Village...



The Locker Room looked more like a spa than a fitness club.


Hotel Showers! The best!


Entrance to Sauna and Steam Room.


The Gym is actually not as impressive as Fitness First's gym, well mainly because a lot of equipment for hardcore body builders are missing.


The big machine called "Kineses" actually costs 500,000 pesos - enough to buy myself a gym at home.


The view of their courts. Very impressive with Hanes as their sponsor.


Basketball Court. Quality of court is Great because this was registered under FIBA which probably says it all. Wooden court, well ventilated, nice ring/board. Only downside is few people can watch from the bench.


Failed attempt to picture the futsal court. Floor is non-slip type and size is okay. I like the use of Nets surrounding the court since you don't have to chase for the ball if it goes outside. Again, downside is there is no bench.


Badminton Court. A bit dark because no one was playing on this side. Good quality courts although there are only 4 courts to be used at a time.


Outside there was a football field. Grass might not be in the best condition. Field is a bit small. This will only cater to 5-aside or 7-aside football at most.


Failed attempt to picture Tennis court. We could not go in to take the picture. Only one hard court. The court looks good since it's new, but personally do not like outdoor courts because of the extreme heat or constant rain here in the Philippines.


Olympic sized pool but its only about 6 feet.




Also a place for the Kiddies to play and swim.


Extreme sports lead to extreme hunger. This is where people can eat. Kulinarya Restaurant which overlooks the entire swimming pool.


The Menu... Priced just right, and taste is surprisingly good with the ones we've ordered. Although more variety needed since these are only for snacks. Pizza is a bit overpriced so we did not order any.


Beverage... Did not order any because of all the swimming prior to eating.


Her order... Pasta Aglio Olio (P150)
Cheapest in the Pasta Category - Capers, spanish sardines, and full of olive oil! Taste was okay but a bit too oily for me. Good for one person only.


His order... The Village Burger (P160)
Their specialty burger - with crunchy potato chips at the side. I loved the meat! Did not care about the rest. Looks big but is good for only one person.

This Village experience was awesome! The facilities were new and hi-tech, food was good, and the place was very private and relaxing. I would definitely come back for all this. But with the membership price you pay and all the fees for the different facilities... Is it worth the price?

Visit...
The Village Sports Club
El Grande cor. Tropical Avenue BF Homes Paranaque

Monday, 18 July 2011

Copa America News: Brazil, Argentina - Out!

As you may have heard, both Brazil and Argentina has been eliminated from the Copa America Tournament. Their race to the finals is now over.



Both Juggernaut teams fielding roster full of star players are out by teams that they should have destroyed.

Now, only one team is the clear favorite and a loss by Uruguay in the semis will sure make this tournament the weirdest in recent memory.

Japan Rising Again!

The Women's World Cup is a spectacle that all of those who watched the Men's World Cup should have watched.

Marta, Wambach, Solo, and now Japan has put on a remarkable and unforgettable performance in this tournament.

Japan started off as a mere group stage team but shocked the world with their win over 2nd Ranked Germany. This followed with an impressive victory over 5th ranked Sweden. The icing on the cake was the victory against the 1st ranked USA team which happened to be the victory that won them a trophy and the hearts of many. Their inspiring performance was dedicated to the March Tsunami Tragedy that has caused 23,000 deaths or missing people in Japan. As they are trying to recover from this devastating event, the lady Blue Samurais proved that they sure are tough to beat even when they are down.

Twice going down a goal against the 1st ranked team, the second in extra period, was just a hurricane that put them off the course. However, they rose up, fought through it, and led to a victory that surely will help their country to rise again.

Sunday, 10 July 2011

What's wrong with Brazil?

When we think of Football, we say Brazil! Brazil has captivated viewers with their style of play which contains both flare and substance. They have won numerous competitions including 5 world cups with the likes of Pele, Rivaldo, and Ronaldo leading their way. Given their recent slump in international football, they were still considered the favorites outside of Spain in all football tournaments.

But 2 draws (one that was salvaged in the 89th minute by substitute Fred) has made us thinking if they can still win or in fact qualify for the next round of Copa America?

The real doubt is not even in this tournament, the more compelling question is how they will fare in the 2014 world cup when all eyes will be on them in front of their home crowd?

Monday, 4 July 2011

20,000 Calories in 10 Minutes

Joey Chestnut once again won the Nathan's Annual Hotdog eating Competition. With no sign of his closest rival Kobayashi, there was no doubt who would win the competition.

The question this time is by how many?

Chestnut ate 62 hotdogs in 10 minutes. This did not broke his own record but the fact that he won 5 times in a row now is impressive.

After gaining 20,000 calories in the 10 minutes, how the hell is this guy still alive?

Sunday, 3 July 2011

Nadal-Federer Dominance has ended...

It's official, we have a new world number one in Men's Tennis!


Novak Djokovic, more known for his wild on-court antics and his viral youtube video has one earned a more serious and reputable distinction - world number 1!

This was determined even before the finals against Nadal, but his win against the defending champion and 10 time grand slam winner has cemented his place as the world's best player today.

With a 5-0 mark against Nadal this year, all in Tournament finals, and more impressively a 48-1 Win record in 2011 - there is no stopping Djokovic now. The only person that can beat Djokovic and become world number 1 is... well of course, Federer or Nadal.

Saturday, 2 July 2011

Wimbledon Highlights

Power overcomes, well, power. Strong hitter Petra Kvitova defeated three-time Grand Slam Champ and former winner of the All-England tournament Maria Sharapova to a straight set 6-3 6-4 victory. This was an impressive victory for the 21 year old champion, but this is certainly not the last time will hear of this name because the great Martina Navratilova has already claimed that Kvitova is a player to watch in the coming years.


Is she the Roy Mcllroy of tennis?

In another highlight, the Bryan Brothers won another Wimbledon title at the doubles event. Nothing new here...

Now, All focus will be on how Djokovic stops the Rafa Machine.


Photo credits to Yahoo Sports.

Friday, 1 July 2011

COPA AMERICA! Kick Off...

The most important football event in Latin America starts this July 1, 2011 and concludes July 24, 2011. The tournament kicks-off when host nations Argentina faces Bolivia in Group A. Along with Argentina, other favorites to win the cup is of course their nemesis Brazil from Group B, and recent Gold Cup champions Mexico.

Below are the rest of Groupings for the tournament:
Group A:
Argentina
Bolivia
Colombia
Costa Rica

Group B:
Brazil
Paraguay
Venezuela
Ecuador

Group C:
Chile
Mexico
Peru
Uruguay

Tournament hosts 6 rounds in the group stages from July 1 to July 12. Knock-out round begins in July 17, 2011.

Top Questions going into the tournament:
1. Will Argentina finally overcome Brazil and win the tournament after finishing runner-up to their rivals for the past two cups?

2. Will Messi shine for his country this time?

3. Can Mexico repeat success after winning the gold cup without all those suspended players?

4. Is Neymar the next Pele?

5. Will Messi shine for his country?


No doubt that Messi will be the focus of this tournament.

More details can be found in Copa America Official Webpage.