Sports Talk with MC

 Watching an Ateneo-La Salle tiff in the UAAP is a feast for the senses. Consider this- 23,000 screaming fans, a tight ballgame hyped up over days and days of speculation, and a ticket to the UAAP finals awaiting the victor at the end of the road.

What you get after all that, if you’re a paying patron, is 3 hours or so of excitement and drama that’s worth every cent you paid Araneta, or your scalper friends, for that matter (a special thank you to the latter, by the way).

I was at the Araneta Coliseum today for a knockout contest between Ateneo De Manila University and De La Salle University, two of, barnone, the most popular teams in local basketball today. The Archers won the said battle, 64-60.

At the end of it all, it was nice to have seen Ateneans applauding La Sallites, and La Sallites applauding Ateneans. It was nice to have had the chance to witness a ballgame sans dirty fouls, and punching, and throwing of seats, and fans fighting in the major arteries of the Big Dome after the final buzzer. What the world saw this afternoon was a healthy rivalry in action. A lot of thrills were put in motion. A lot of shouting, and cheering, and teasing. No spills though, and no below the belt shenanigans worthy of making a call to the UAAP board, or the cops.

I wish I had gone to the mass that followed the game, though. I should have gone instead of having gone home and just settling in for the night. I really do feel for the Ateneo team every year, not only because I am an Ateneo alumnus, but also due to the fact that, well, I love sports, I love basketball, and because I would’ve killed a hundred goats to have been part of that team when I was in college. Sadly, those goats have run off ahead of me. I’m sure there will be opportunities left for me to take advantage of in relation to making my sports dreams come true (fewer, but significant nonetheless).

Today made me feel proud to have Atenean blood coursing through my veins. No institution is flawless, but Ateneo does quite a good job in making those that walk its hallowed halls strive for the very best, and learn to walk on their own two feet when things get rough.

Animo Ateneo. And yes, it is the truth- I do love “this” game. What’s to really abhor about it, any way?