In case you missed it, @bigdaddybav or Bobby Reyes was the tweep with the best tweet in our recent contest where we promised an authentic London Olympic cap and T-shirt for the top answer to the question “What does the Philippines need to do to improve on its Olympic showing?”
Here’s what @bigdaddybav tweeted: “We need to simply do our part, from believing we can do it, from trusting we can make it and from embracing that we really want it as a nation…enough of the blame and simply look forward, one goal and one heart. We need to make sure that the willingness of everyone is there, this does not happen overnight. We need to be patient.”
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Someone recently posted a list of Olympic gaffes supposedly committed by US sports commentators on NBC TV during the London Summer Games. It turned out that the list was recycled from previous postings. A certain Joe D. apparently wrote the original list in 2003. David Emery, in About.com Guide, said the exact origins of the bloopers are impossible to pin down as “most of these quotes were already circulating as far back as 2002 and a few even date back to 1999 or earlier…viral compilations of this kind are endlessly revised and recycled to the point where even journalists mistakenly assume they must be authentic.”
Emery, however, confirmed this quote from Venezuelan sportscaster Willie Oviedo on TVes in 2008: “Never in the Olympic Games has any mortal, any living being been able to win eight gold medals. Only Michael Phelps in the Olympic Games of Munich in the year 1972, over there in the Germany of Hitler, where he refused to give him the medals himself back then.”
Clearly, Oviedo had his facts all wrong or mixed up. African-American trackster Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 and Adolf Hitler, president and chancellor of Germany, refused to award the medals. Oviedo also forgot that in 1972, Hitler was long gone. Oviedo must refresh his memory because Owens, who died in 1980, didn’t look anything close to Phelps.
Joe D.’s list is still worth reviewing if you want a good laugh.
Weightlifting commentator at the Olympic snatch and jerk event: “This is Gegoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm-up and it was amazing.” Ted Walsh, horse racing commentator (in a recycled version, the source was a dressage commentator): “This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother.” Pro golfer Greg Norman (attributed to gymnast Paul Hamm in another version): “I owe a lot to my parents especially my mother and father.”
Boxing analyst: “Sure there have been injuries and even some deaths in boxing but none of them really that serious.” Softball announcer: “If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again.” At a trophy ceremony of the BBC TV Boat Race in 1988: “Ah, isn’t that nice, the wife of the Cambridge president is hugging the cox of the Oxford crew.” (A recycled version said the IOC president’s wife is hugging the cox of the British crew.) Metro Radio college football commentator: “Julian Dicks is everywhere, it’s like they’ve got eleven Dicks on the field.” Grand Prix race announcer: “This lead car is absolutely, truly unique, except for the one behind it which is exactly identical to the one in front of the similar one in the back.”
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The Claret Football Center, established in 1981, will be conducting a clinic of 12 sessions at the Claret School field every Saturday and Sunday from Sept. 8 to Oct. 14 for boys and girls within the age range of 5 to 12 in both the beginners and advanced divisions. The module is open to Claretians and non-Claretians with former UP coach Bob Salvacion at the helm.
Salvacion, a former national senior and youth coach, led the Maroons to the UAAP football championship in 2001 and 2002. UP was runner-up in 2003 and 2004 also under Salvacion. Assisting Salvacion in the clinic are Azkal player Anto Gonzales, Claret-NCR coach Franco Bambico, Asian Football Confederation project future coach Andrew Santiago and Claret champion grassroots coaches Dodjie Locsin, Benj Anicete, Christopher Datu and Carlos Santiago.
Confirmed to participate in the clinic as assistants are UAAP MVP 2012 Nathan Octavio, UAAP MVP 2011 Stephen Permanes, UAAP MVP 2009 Jed Rances, UAAP Rookie of the Year 2012 Michael Simms, UAAP best defender 2011 Deo Segunial and Azkal under-23 player Raymark Fernandez.
Among Claret’s prominent products are Philippine Football Federation techniical director and nine-time NCAA San Beda champion coach Aris Caslib, Kaya coach Kale Alvarez, Diliman FC leading scorer and former Azkal Ariel Zerrudo, Gonzales, Diliman FC skipper Andrew Santiago and current under-14 national players Marco Casambre, Ray Sanciangco, Harel Dayan and John Abraham.