SPORTING LIFE JOURNEY: Ysa

October 18… a Thursday. The Metro League had their games scheduled on Dapitan Sports Complex in Manila. I went there after my NCAA gig in San Juan to check on Ervin’s work as a CA and to check on Ernest and the new girl he was giving a run on the livestream panel. Ervin was doing fine, getting the sequence of the calls right and being able to control the chaos in his place. I then approached the panel area and made my usual business of distracting Ernest in his broadcast. There I met Ysa. She totally ignored the fact that she was doing a broadcast and chose to turn around to me and shake hands while I introduced myself. As I sat down right behind them to make a sandwich, that Chinese girl is gesturing me to take over her spot in the broadcast. I said “No way!” I felt she’s struggling at that moment but for sure I know she’ll be able to shake it off and go on with the broadcast. As I munch my tuna sandwich, I start to notice that she is not talking. The moment I tried to start encouraging her, she gestured to me once again to take over her spot, this time with tears in her eyes. I was baffled, really, but all I could say to her was the usual thing that I always say to people that I work with for the first time… “kwentuhan lang kayo tungkol sa game.” That didn’t work.

So thankfully (for her, perhaps), the game ended, and a chance to figure out what went there in the broadcast. Why did she not speak? What is wrong? With those questions in hand, I invited them for a drink in a nearby spot and sent Ervin home (sorry dude, you did well that night). From there, I finally heard her speak. I think that is all I wanted to hear that night… for her to speak.

Since the workshop was coming up, we obviously invited her to sign up. True enough, she was willing to learn more about the things that we do. Of course I can’t contain my excitement for my fellow workers in the Metro League in their upcoming workshop stint, so I get the chance to talk to her once in a while thru Messenger. Short kwentuhans once in a while until the days of the workshop.

I was really busy in the first day of the workshop and can’t afford lengthy conversations with those Metro League guys. On the second day, I just dropped by in the morning because I have a PSL four-hog starting on noon. Noel even bragged about how I was going to make so much money that day because of the four-hog. Third day of the workshop, I was out of the workshop majority of the time, and my attention was paid to everybody because it was their final exercise, and their tour to the game. Those were three busy days. Several weeks later, I found out that there is this one girl who was paying some special attention to me and was somehow begging me to notice her on those three days. Thus, calling me “suplado”.

After the workshop, the short kwentuhan goes on. I never really made special kwento to her because there was nothing really for me to make kwento aside from the games I do the previous day, the present day, and the following day. It was my Mega November, there was nothing really special for me to tell. Until we found a common opportunity to talk about something else on that one Monday in November. We found our chance after work, and there we go… to the usual spot where it is far away from sports and other stuff that makes it so cool for good natural conversations… Tagaytay.

There we had a very good conversation. It went like 10% sports, 40% other people, and 50% about our lives in general. It was time well spent. A very helpful and healthy getaway for me because it gave me a quick break from the Mega November I was experiencing.

As the Mega November goes on, our conversations go on as well, this time with increased frequency. Since I have only been telling her about my day on sports, it seemed to me that she appreciated everything that I do; the preparation I give for it, the time I dedicate for it, and what I do after in order for me to improve. She seemed to like it. When she is down, I just stay there a listen to her. It’s the most I can give her that time, and it seems she was pleased about it. My humor is sometimes dirty and most of the times offensive, and she laughed about it. When I tell her to relax in times of her anxiety, she seems to calm down, because that is the only thing to do… really. When I subtly flirt with her, she rides along just fine. With everything she knew about me, I think she understood my need to flirt some times.

The more I become me, the more she seems to like it… and love it. The more I become me, the more I knew about her. The more I become me, the more I appreciated her… and liked her… and want her to become a part of my life, no matter what.

So yes… the night before the Iran game. After the dry run the night before, I wanted to see her so I can finally shake the last pieces of nervousness and scare in my body to call that game. There we got a really deep talk on what she needed that moment, and what I can give her on that moment. She appreciated me for what I am, and she needed my unadulterated support. Who am I not to give her that. So I promised to become a forever friend to her no matter what. She can consider me as a family because she is family to me. And for good measure, I told her without any hesitation or any malice to it… just pure and genuine… I love her.

And all she did after was cry. The first time we met, she cried. The deepest talk that we had, she cried. Man, I’ll be sent to the guidance office for this one.

When she composed herself – that is after I drove her home – she finally converted those tears to words. It was a pretty complicated statement in the middle, but in the end she said the most important word (I think) she needed to say… “I love you too.”

And then the Iran game…

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Support is what she gave me the night before the Iran game, support is what I must give in return. She got a hosting gig on that Wednesday after the Iran game far, far away from the city. I had a scheduled Spikers’ Turf game to call and she totally knew I will not be able to drive her going to the gig. But she agreed for me to pick her up after the gig. Too bad I wasn’t able to see her in action due to some pending school work (one of the few times I became a teacher that month), but I made it on time just to pick her up. From there, we had another opportunity to share another deep talk. Something out of the ordinary. Something that is not related with what I do. From there, our conversations went so deep…

And deeper…

And deeper…

And deeper…

And deeper…

So deep that it got to a point where…

She found the courage to move past the stage where she attempts to get out of her current emotional state (and continually finding reasons and courage).

She discovered the things that she’s really good at, and be able to concentrate on it, and work on to improve in it.

She quits work and jump to the world of uncertainty (in a good way) in order for her to fully concentrate on her passion.

She quits smoking.

She drinks more water than beer now.

She starts to say things like “igagawa ko mga anak ko ng baon” out of nowhere.

She becomes clingy, and jealous... in a really cute way (and I love it).

She started taking care of herself and loving herself a bit more.

She started to become more and more beautiful.

She considers the positive side of things.

She is seeking to live her life to the fullest.

All because she chose to.

I just keep on telling her for three good months on how I live my life. I just became me. And I would be a really damn idiot if I let go of this lady that appreciates me, cares for me, and love me just for being who I am. To me, this was the easiest, most natural, nothing but pure honesty, no false advertising whatsoever way of loving a woman.

Knowing that this was very easy, I know I can give more. I know I can do more. I know I can love her more.

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Look at how far we’ve gone now… from seeing her cry on the first day we met and then sharing friendly drinks, to pledging to sponsor my car’s tint job, and to planning to spending holidays with my cute and cuddly nephew. Me and Ysa have gone this far, but we know we have a long way to go. As the days continue, know that I will be there for you to be your friend and your family. In all aspects, I love you Alyssa Gabrielle.

Our journey continues...

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Follow the writer on Instagram and Twitter: @sportscastengr

SPORTING JOURNEY: 2018 Greatest Hit

“Kaya mo na mag-FIBA?”

A really casual question that was texted at me by Noel Zarate that one November day, in the middle of that overloaded month where sports was so on demand but the supply was a little bit short. My primary concern was that no spots will be left voided on all the leagues that I was involved that time. That’s why text messages that I receive were pretty casual that season:

“Pre, UCBL sa Monday ah…”

“Sir, Spikers’ Turf po sa Thursday. First game po kayo.”

“Bro, UAAP srs on Wednesday. Big game yun. Good luck!”

It didn’t matter to me anymore if I was calling a no-bearing game or a game that will put either UP or La Salle at the final four with a victory. The fans know if the stakes are high, so I’ll just leave it up to them. While all of those are happening, I also send text messages like this:

“Can you do PSL on Saturday, for the first two games?”

“I can’t do Rebisco on Thursday pare. Ikaw na tumira nun.”

“Ervin, do Game 1. Levi will do Games 2 and 3.”

In a crazy month where not only I have been assigned to do games, but also I have been assigning people to do games, there is no way a feeling of anxiety in doing games will dawn upon me. Ang dami ko na ngang iniisip at ginagawa e. But this one CASUAL text by my mentor changed the complexity of my state of being that time.

“Kaya mo na mag-FIBA?”

It brought me back to 2012 where I did my very first TV broadcast. Say yes now… figure it out later.

“Kayang kaya. What game?”

“Iran.”

“The December 3 game. Got it.”

And World War Eight began in my stomach.

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I was working for Smart back in 2013 when the FIBA Asia Championship was held here in the country. Took a leave of absence for the duration of the tournament several months prior to the games in hope of covering the entire tournament. I was an idiot back then, so no coverage for me that time. My officemates got accreditation IDs for the games and I thought I will get mine too, but apparently there was none. So there was no other recourse but to watch the games on TV and cover it from the comforts of my home. But home was too comfortable. So the battle between writing about the games and laying down to watch it like an ordinary fan was pretty much intense, with the latter winning the battle.

Going fan mode, I went early to SM San Lazaro to buy a ticket for the game. I have waited for this the entire year so I think I needed to see even at least one game. As soon as the mall opened, I went directly to the cinemas to buy a ticket. Surprise, surprise! The line was long. What on earth??? Where did these people come from??? Did they camp inside the mall for this??? Pwede ba yun??? I never bothered to ask why and just chose to concentrate on getting a ticket. After 30 minutes, the quarterfinals game was sold out. An hour later, the semifinals game was gone too. Fifteen minutes later, I got my ticket. The finals game. I wonder who will I be watching?

Three days later, Gilas made it to the finals against Iran. Full blown fan mode, I wore a white shirt underneath and a Gilas jersey on top of it. I was situated on the upper box of the arena, screaming on the top of my lungs, and joining the wave whenever there is one. Gilas lost the game, but it was enough to give them a spot in the World Cup, and to give this die-hard fan an experience he has been looking forward to the entire year. I am sure I said to myself that I want to be a part of it if the FIBA games happen again in the country. In any capacity, I wanted to show my support for the national team. That is how I want to serve the country.

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I have detailed on previous posts the story on how I got myself involved with the people at SBP who organize the FIBA games here. I got my first PURE front row seat experience back in the Japan home game in February, then the out-of-the-mind experience in the Australia game, and was also inside the venue during the Qatar closed-door game. I was satisfied of being a big epal during the games and doing little errands for the other guys who are actually working there. Hell that is a court access! High fives and good luck shouts to the players was an ordinary occurrence… the 2013 me would pass out once he knew he could do that.

And that thought somehow made the World War Eight in my stomach a tad worse. The feeling of excitement, fear, fulfillment, nervousness, exhilaration, anxiety, yabang, stage fright…

“Development: baka makauwi ako ng December 3. Ginagawan ng ABL ng paraan para makauwi ako…”

Oh good! Damn. That stopped the war inside my tummy.

But this was a good (more or less) 10 days before the game, and a lot of things are still bound to happen. There is still the possibility that Noel might not be able to come home for the game and I still get to call it. World War Nine might start inside my tummy again as the day approaches.

This was a good opportunity to me to get myself together and be ready for the game… it doesn’t matter if I was the sure guy who will call the game between Gilas and Iran. Others might hate that uncertainty. To me, it was a blessing and a chance for me to prepare.

To help me prepare emotionally and mentally, I used the facts and the uncertainties of the situation in order for me to calm down (because that is apparently my only problem). I called my scheduled games accordingly, like in a “I will call another game tomorrow so I have to preserve and prepare myself” mode. I met with Noel and arranged schedules together because he’s also somehow destroying my assignments. On the side, we met some of the Batch 1 graduates of the Newbies Broadcasting Academy (more on that on the next entry), that will set foot on covering the NCRAA. Naturally, stories will be told and shared by us, the experienced (I actually cannot believe I am included in the “experienced”), to the newbies. Since they were there, we also shared to them the problem of high demand-low supply that we were experiencing that month. And stories like “there are actually two people who SBP goes to when there is a FIBA game here in the Philippines to do court announcing duties, and one of them is dead… that is Rolly Manlapaz (God bless his soul). The other one is me, and I am assigned to broadcast the ABL games in China and we have this problem and I don’t really know if I can get home to do the Iran game, but there is Jay getting ready on stand-by. After that game, at least dalawa na ulit ang kaya mag-FIBA.”

If my mentor was so convinced that I can do it, then there is no way in hell I will not be convinced that I can do it. There is so much calm in my gut now, that no more World War is ever going to happen there. Now to keep me grounded and not to get ahead of myself, I made a perfect response to people who are asking me during that period if I will do the FIBA game…

“Depende, baka dumating si Noel.”

Even on the day itself. My insides are feeling great, that I was able to hold a lecture to my class that morning before the game. Arrived at MOA Arena really early to study the names of the Iranians. Even when Rick Olivares asks me “Are you going to do the game later?”, I just said “Maaga pa, baka dumating si Noel.” Mr. Bernie Atienza of the SBP was the only pasaway one who said “hindi na darating yun… pinaghanap ko na ng champoy sa China yun.” and lead us to the power nap party that afternoon in his office in the MOA Arena. It was five in the afternoon, and I am still entertaining the fact that Noel might come, but I was damn ready. I used a separate table in the table official’s row because apparently it doesn’t fit us all and I was the lucky one who ran out of space. So I looked like an office clerk handing out notary publics to people while I was preparing for the game.

6:30 P.M.: Noel sent me a bilin that I totally forgot to execute. Either way, that must be the confirmation that he will not make it.

This shit is mine!

7:20 P.M.: This…

But what happened the night before was the one that sealed the deal for my state of being that time. The state of calmness and readiness despite the uncertainty and the stakes and the class of this game, I got that the night before. But let’s reserve that for another story.

The journey continues…

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Follow the writer on Twitter and Instagram: @sportscastengr