Azkals Vs Real Madrid?

And just when you thought Manny Pangilinan has given us the best ever sporting moment, he come up with another one.

Yes, Filipino football fans, we might just see the best of the best in professional football go toe-to-toe with our very own Azkals.

MVP is currently in negotiations with the Real Madrid organization to bring the Real Madrid FC and basketball team Baloncesto for friendlies against the Azkals and Gilas.

Both Real Madrid FC and Baloncesto are at the top of their leagues in Europe and playing them would be a game made in heaven for both basketball and football fans.

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Gilas Cruises Versus Qatar!

I smell a set up.

The Gilas Nationals barely broke out in sweat last night as they easily disposed of Qatar, 69-52. The Nationals led from the very start, surging out to a 21-6 lead in the very first quarter.

Azkals In Absentia?

Coach Hans Michael Weiss is not amused.

“I’ve seen players more on billboards coming from Alabang to the training. I see them on billboards more often than on the pitch,” said Weiss.

And that should bode ill for the Azkals, whose most popular members have graced magazine covers, been put up in billboards, headlined print ads, guested in TV shows and starred in commercials.

The usually reserved Weiss issued some biting words to his wards, saying several key members have not shown up for training in the last few weeks. He also said that he is not afraid to relegate anybody to the reserved list, preferring to go with the dedicated rather than the popular.

The Azkals are in the midst of their preparations for the Long Teng Cup as well as a friendly match against Singapore.

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Gilas To Play Qatar And Jordan In Tuneup!

The Gilas Nationals play the final three games in their preparation for the FIBA Asia Championship against two familiar Middle Eastern rivals...Qatar and Jordan.

The Nationals last battled Jordan in last month's Jones Cup. The Jordanians came away with a 76-72 victory after the Nationals turned the ball over twice in the last minute of play.

And while the Nationals lost to Al-Rayyan of Qatar in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup held right here at home, they've also won convincingly against the Qataris in previous tournaments.

This series of games should give coach Rajko Toroman an indication of whether new recruits Jimmy Alapag, Ranidel De Ocampo and Kelly Williams have mastered the Gilas system of play.

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Gabe Norwood Inks 8.4 Million Extension As PBA Mulls Wage Hike!

The rich are about to get richer!

PBA chairman Mamerto Mondragon said he will back efforts to raise the PBA's salary cap as well as raise the maximum monthly amount that a PBA player can make.

The adjustment on the maximum amount a PBA player can make can rise by as much as 20%, bringing the amount to around P420,000.

This comes in the wake of allegations made by Alaska CEO Fred Uytengsu that cheating is rampant among PBA teams.

Meanwhile, Fil-Am standout Gabe Norwood inked a 2-year 8.4 extension with Rain Or Shine, jumping the gun on any potential salary increases.


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Teamwork Argentina Style!

Argentina has just made it to the semifinal round of the FIBA Americas tournament. They are led by their NBA contingent namely Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino and Fabricio Oberto.

In this clip, you can see the kind of unselfish basketball the Argentinians espouse. Look closely starting at 0:38 mark.

Barroca On His Way To B-Meg!

And now, Mark Barroca is on his way to his third team for the year.

The Gilas stalwart was drafted by Shopinas and now has been traded to the B-Mag Llamados in a three way trade that also saw Don Allado, elmer Espiritu and Bryan Ilad change teams.

Barroca is sorely needed at B-Meg, which also got a draft pick from Shopinas. Don Allado was a luxury B-Meg could afford to lose, as they welcome back Rafi Reavus, Rico Maierhofer and Kerby Raymundo.

We can only hope that Shopinas knows what they are doing, as they practically gave away a creative point guard with solid defensive skills for basically unproven players. I do hope they are not relying on a resurgent Marlou Aquino and Renren Ritualo to boost the Clickers' campaign.

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Treat Huey, Partner End Run In Third Round!

Doubles specialist and Fil-Am Davis Cupper Treat Huey and his partner Somdev Devvarman never thought they'd make it to the third round of the US Open in New York.

Well, they did but that feat would have to suffice for now, as the giant-killing duo ran into an Indian roadblock in veterans Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati, losing their match 6-4, 7-5.

Huey and Devvarman first hurdled the Argentinian duo of Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank, a pair who was expected to have an easy time over Huey and Devvarman. But impeccable teamwaork between the Filipino and his partner saw them dominate the Argentinians 6-3, 6-4.

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Azkals To Play Singapore!

Finally, the Azkals have a confirmed friendly match against a higher ranked opponent.

Singapore, one of the bastions of South East Asian football, has agreed to play the Azkals in Singapore on October 7, one of the days that Fifa has declared as Fifa match calendar days.

Match calendar days are days when football leagues around the world release players to their national teams. National teams can then schedule matches to earn Fifa points.

This means that players like Neil Etheridge, Stephan Schrock, Dennis Cagar, Paul Mulders and the other Azkals playing in Europe can come over to play.

Singapore is ranked 129th in the world while the Azkals are ranked 162nd.

Pakistan, ranked 170 in the world, is also offering to play the Azkals here as part of their bid for a higher ranking.

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Kelly Williams: Key To Gilas Success?

He should be... according to Gilas coach Rajko Toroman.

The former PBA MVP brings with him tremendous rebounding ability, defensive presence and inside scoring, all of which the Gilas team needs.

With Williams on board, Marcus Douthit be able to channel more energy to his offense, as Williams can help out on the defensive end.

The entry of Ranidel de Ocampo also bodes well for Gilas, as the wide bodied de Ocampo rebounds well, defends the post well and can stretch the defense with his three point shooting.

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