UST vs DLSU: Head-to-head stats

UST and La Salle (or, as Boom Gonzalez prefers it, "DEE-EL-ES-YOO", each and every damn time) have met each other four times. They'd meet for the fifth and final time in the UAAP this Saturday. These are the stats from those four meetings this year. These are not season stats, finals stats or elimination round stats, but stats from games that involved both teams.

Head to head: Teng vs Teng - UAAP Season Seven-TENG-six Finals

If there's a "Throwback Thursday" finals, this is it. Meeting in four finals series in the 1990s, the UST Growling Tigers won three out of four, but La Salle won the last matchup in 1999, capped by an epic Game 3 that went into OT; the green school was saved by Don Allado and Dino Aldeguer.

It's now 2013, and the players from that 1999 series are either now retired or at the twilight of their PBA careers, if they made it that far. It's a new generation of Tigers and Archers are on court, including brothers, the sons of Alvin "Robocop" Teng: Jeric and Jeron Teng. But it won't be just about the Teng brothers, with both teams suffering title droughts: UST since 2006, and La Salle since 2007; in fact they were the last two schools that won the title before Ateneo's unprecedented, at least in the Final Four era, 5-consecutive title romp.

March Madness! Haterade version!

As tribute to Grantland's "The Most Hated College Basketball Players of the Last 30 Years" tournament (written by the Rafeboogs himself), this blog ripped off their brilliant idea, because, I'm not into plagiarizing -- I cited them. Only that I made it better: instead of making this tournament solely about college hoopsters, why not include the bigwigs? You know, the shady people behind the scenes that make college basketball a little bit exciting.



Just like Grantland's version, there are four brackets: the bigwigs, players of the 2010s (2010-present), players of the 2000s (2000-2009), and the Pinoy version of Duke, the team everyone hates, a DLSU-centric bracket. But don't worry people who seethe the Gremlins, some DLSU bigwigs are at the bigwigs bracket, so an all-DLSU final is possible.

Seedings are determined by total overall hate throughout the interwebz, measured through my own biases. This is not to be a scientific survey of hate, and seeds may have been adjusted for meaty matchups, both in the first round or, potentially, in the latter rounds. I present, the bracket:


And now, the first round!

DLSU bracket:

2010s players bracket:

Polls end after a week, then the other half of the bracket gets their spotlight.

The War Zone at the Office: Lakers-Rockets VII

When Yao Ming crashed and burned on Game 3, everyone thought that Houston had a big problem (yes, that was a poor play at the pun), but Shane Battier and Ron Artest made sure Kobe won't have another day at the office and they forced the deciding game 7.

Which team would win? Would Bill Walton come out of his broadcasting retirement to push for Luke to be on the starting 5? Would the the Western Conference Finals of the NHL (Detroit-Chicago) would have better ratings if Houston won?

Houston Rockets	Dept.	Los Angeles Lakers	Verdict
Aaron Brooks	Point guard	Derrick Fisher	If you thought another Derrick would win the hearts and minds at the point, you are sorely mistaken. And aside from Vujacic, Fish must've been the most hated player by fans on the roster.
Ron Artest	Shooting guard	Kobe Bryant	Here are Kobe's point totals after Game 3: 15, 26, 32. That 30+-point explosion in Game 6 came from his 9/10 FTs, which means Ron had a bad defensive night. Artest shouldn't have a bad defensive night two games in a row or else...
Shane Battier	Small forward	Trevor Ariza	Ariza has always been described as the next best thing. Betcha Bill Walton has a better punchline than that.
Luis Scola	Power forward	Lamar Odom	The revelation of the series? Luis Scola. Everytime he plays at least 32 minutes, they'd win.
Whomever Adelman starts	Center	Pau Gasol	Despite all of the accusations of being soft, if he does log at least 42 minutes, the Lakers' record is 0-3. But heck, without Yao, Gasol and Bynum are free to camp at the shaded lane. Just don't tell the refs.
Brian Cook	Sixth man	Andrew Bynum	This is one subplot no one cares about: the revenge of Cook against the Lakers! And he'll make Bynum pay.
Rick Adelman	Coach	Phil Jackson	Phil just has to hold a sign saying "Remember the 2000 Western Finals" and Rick will cry.
Joey Dorsey	12th man	DJ Mbenga	Just a few seasons ago, Mbenga was being trashed by Lakers fans for being too stupid. Gotta thank Kupchak for this signing.
Tracy McGrady	Secret weapon	Sasha Vujacic	To atone for this, I dunno, 100 first round exits, Adelman will insert T-Mac into the lineup if victory is all but secured, only to find out they'll forfeit the game, or something.
3	Result	6	If there's one thing David Stern absolutely hates, it is the NHL out-rating the NBA in the spring, so make sure Stern pulls out all of the stops, and perhaps bailing out Tim Donaghy from the feds, to make sure the Lakers and the Celtics win. Like if you were to choose, which would rather watch: Detroit vs. Chicago or Denver vs. Houston?

Game 7 is at Monday, 3:30 am at BTV. Those who don't live on the European time zone can catch the encore at C/S9 right after Game 7 of the Magic and the Leprechauns.

Head to head: The Cs vs. Da Bulls

Two teams, six games, seven overtime periods, a "cumulative" score of 573-572 (excluding Game 3). And we need a game seven. Heck, this has more drama than "Tayong Dalawa," "Totoy Bato," and the whole Velvet lineup combined.

Celtics-Bulls, when Rondo got away with flagrant-2 happens.

Chicago Bulls	Dept.	Boston Celtics	Verdict
Derrick Rose	Point guard	Rajon Rondo (or Stephon Marbury)	Rondo's in danger of being suspended for good, so it's down to the rookie of the year vs. the greatest point guard in the NBA. So who wins? Has Starbury had a better playoff debut? Rose wins.
Ben Gordon	Shooting guard	Ray Allen	On Game 6, Da Bulls fared better when Gordon fouled out. And Allen hit long 2 after long 2, the refs must've loved watching reruns.
John Salmons	Small forward	Paul Pierce	Outside "Big Baby," "The Truth" has the best nickname in all of sports. Well... aside from "Jesus" too.
Tyrus Thomas	Power forward	Glen Davis	WTF, it's Big Baby who should win this! He hits fadeaways like Dirk!
Joakim Noah	Center	Kendrick Perkins	K-Perk has to win here, unless Noah brings with him the entire ark.
Kirk Hinrich	Sixth man	Eddie House	Captain Kirk will chase House out of his own house if the refs weren't looking..
Vinny del Negro	Coach	Doc Rivers	Say what you want to Vinny del Negro, but Doc is a crappier coach. He's the crappiest COY awardee ever.
Brian Scalabrine	12th man	Aaron Gray	The only time Aaron Gray would step on to the court is when Captain Kirk is chasing the leprechaun all over Beantown.
Benny the Bull	Secret weapon	Kevin Garnett	Who knows KG might do a Willis Reed.
3	Result	6	As I predicted in a web forum, the Cs will win in seven games, and I stand by that. Add this: they'll win via a blowout.

Bulls-Celtics Game 7 is on BTV and C/S9 at May 3 at 8:00 a.m. Right before Pac-Man and the Hitman tickle each other.

Head to head: ABS-CBN Sports vs. Solar Sports

New on this blog: head-to-head, where we dissect the matchup the way a plastic surgeon does his thing.

Our premier: ABS-CBN vs. Solar: Which is the better sports provider?

	Dept.		Verdict
Jude Turcuatco	Top announcer	Boom Gonzales	Both announcers yell "Gets it to go!" And both are associated with violent and loud noises. But the original Kaboom wins over Boom, simply because Kaboom has more ooooomph.
Quinito Henson	Top analyst	Butch Maniego	Quinito Henson is greener than Willie Revilliame. Butch Maniego knows baby talk like I know raising kids. Quinito wins.
PBA on C/S9	Flagship local program	UAAP on Studio 23	Contrary to popular belief, the PBA is still more popular than the UAAP, at least nationwide. It just appears the UAAP is more popular since people are required or even feel they have to attend the games. PBA fans do not necessarily have to shell out cash to support their teams.
PBL on IBC	#2 flagship program	NCAA on Studio 23	Lets face it, the PBL is the tune-up games for both the UAAP and the NCAA. ABS-CBN wins.
NBA	Flagship foreign program	UFC	Guess what, Balls' flagship program has no relation to balls. If you touch the balls, you're DQed. Solar is on a roll here.
C/S9	Main channel	Studio 23	Once Solar got "24" and Jack Bauer from Studio 23, it's all over.
7-1-1, 2 KOs	Manny Pacquiao bouts	3-0-0, 2 KOs	Pac-Man is undefeated at ABS-CBN. Kapamilya wins this round.
The Olympic Channel	Slogan	We Got Them.	Yeah, we got LPGA? Tour de France? NBA FTW.
Sev Sarmienta	Best over-the-bakod	None	The fact that I don't know anyone from Solar going to ABS-CBN means something.
House of Hoops	Local talk show	Hardball	Hit strong, hit hard as we play... Hardball wins. Only because of Boyet Sison. No one from Solar can hold a candle next to him. Not even Bobby Yan.
Patricia Bermudez-Hizon	Female broadcaster	Gretchen Fullido	Patricia is married, and I don't want an Atenean to beat me up, plus like no one can beat Gretchen and her puppies!
WWE (Jack TV)	Best program on men-oriented channel	Attack of the Show! (Maxxx)	Olivia Munn must win this.
Gossip Girl (ETC)	Best program on women-oriented channel	The L Word (Velvet)	I gotta give one for the LGBT people.
24	Best program on free TV	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	24 has 6 Emmys vs. CSI's 4. And who will win in a deathmatch between Jack and Grissom?
8	Result	6	If I haven't introduced the latter three totally unrelated departments, Solar Sports' lead would've been wider.