The following is a blog entry written by long-time Shale contentact and friend Carmel Puertollano. Now, I haven’t really followed the recent UAAP men’s basketball games, which led to the Ateneo Blue Eagles sweeping the De La Salle Green Archers and claiming the championship, but obviously things have been (usually) tight post-celebration. In light of the hullabaloo regarding what happened at the Ateneo bonfire – a fact that already earned an official, if not quiet, apology from school bigwigs – she finally writes her thoughts as a DLSU student. But this isn’t one-sided – at least that’s what I think. The entry’s been edited for style requirements, but everything else remains the same.

Three years.

It only took me that long to enjoy the privilege of being bona fide student of De La Salle University Manila. During the orientation or LPEP, as Lasallians commonly know it, basic Lasallian values and principles were taught. We were also taught how to cheer (and not to jeer).

In those three years, I have to admit that I have never attempted to skip classes to watch a game live at the Big Dome. For one, it’s a waste of money and time and I would choose listening to my professors’ lectures over losing my voice and hearing in Araneta.

The little bits of information I’ve known about the UAAP came from friends who were quite fanatical. The worst story I’ve heard was a certain school holding up a banner saying “You’ve got money, we’ve got manners” while throwing things at the supporters of our school. Upon hearing this, I absolutely felt irritated as this school used the words “money” and “manners”. To start with, not all Lasallians are rich and we were taught how to respect the opposition no matter what their social status is. We never threw things at the opposing side as this behavior is only fit for uncivilized morons. Pardon for the term, but it’s true. Other stories I’ve heard included the scalping industry which has continually grown (and improved – technology-wise) over the years.

During my last year in DLSU-Manila, I wished for DLSU to win the championship so that I’ll experience a victory party and that we’ll be vindicated for the suspension in 2006. It eventually came to fruition as DLSU beat the UE Red Warriors, which significantly, made our school a hate figure, as I’ve observed. People, according to my friends, were screaming “luto” as our team won the game. Blog entries from DLSU students also narrated horrific stories about post-game behavior.

I may not be the most value-oriented or unbiased person, but I’m smart enough to know that these acts are unsportsmanlike. So we got suspended two years ago, big deal, we got punished already, FEU got their trophy. Case closed but should this issue come up every single UAAP season? Whenever we lead in a game, the opposing team screams “fixed”, but when referees call “fouls” on our players, you think it’s right. (Bato bato sa langit, ang tamaan huwag magalit.) It was also observed by a lot of people that Chito Narvasa suspends referees who calls on a lot of fouls on our opposition. Is that fair?

Which brings me to my next point.

What purpose does the UAAP serve?

Capitalists have profusely taken advantage of the existing rivalries, most notably the ADMU-DLSU one. The one time I went to a game, I’ve collected a “Yumber 1″ finger that says DLSU from Jollibee, a little tarp from Accenture which says “Animo La Salle”, a flaglet and cardboard visor from Globe Telecom which bears the name of our university. The good thing was that I have a huge plastic bag as I went book shopping at National Book Store. I still have them stashed at home, not knowing what to do with them. Oh, and I still do have that DLSU bandana and clapper from last season from Astring-O-Sol. People have already turned these events into cockfights, taking bets on teams.

The other night, I posted a blog entry on Ateneo’s bonfire, where the planks used bore the names of our players past and present. At a certain level, it did not come out right, my blog. And I do apologize for that. Thank you, Sam [Bautista, a friend of the writer], for your comment. I actually meant to send the message out to those Ateneans who are posting blogs either saying the pics were photoshopped or the whole thing was fun. Issa [Diomampo, a friend of the writer] and I particularly discussed the rivalry on that post, agreeing that the rivalry is too commercialized and overrated. Who wouldn’t see that, really? Even high school students were divided between the rivals – I should know. My class, six years back, was divided too between those two schools as if we were already students there.

The UAAP was established to foster the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship. After this season though, I think that the high officials of the commission should consider things for improvement. For one, scalpers who extort money from willing patrons (including student scalpers) should be stopped from hoarding tickets. Next, the unbecoming behavior during games should never be tolerated as this should be a friendly competition. Finally, championship celebrations should always maintain a certain degree of respect to the opponents. Obviously, whoever the alumnus who crafted the planks should have been stopped. Moreover, I think that the participating universities should instill proper values to students. No school should be exempted from this rule. This is the biggest flaw of the UAAP as I’ve observed.

Respect. It’s such a simple word to begin with, so why don’t we live it if we are so civilized?

FluidShale 2007.10.04: Not everybody can buy tickets to the DLSU-UE game, so again we resort to another video of those who watched at Z2. This time, though, it’s outside – and a bigger game, it is. Will the Archers topple the Warriors for the first time this season? Malia didn’t immediately think so. However, after the video was shot she hoped her prediction wouldn’t come true – and indeed, it didn’t, by one foul shot. This is how noisy it gets. And, of course, there was the surprise that our very own Carlo Cruz was the telecast’s face of the day. The lines for the second game was very long – it snaked to the Central Plaza and never got shorter – but you can’t expect this crowd in school on Sunday, sadly.

A disclaimer: I’m not a bitter Lasallian. I’ve not really written about the UAAP games because I’m not really interested in it, until lately when my sister got bitten by the bug. At this point DLSU faces Ateneo for a fifth time after another one point victory for the Eagles – disappointing for us because, for the entirety of the second half, the game was ours.

I wonder what the crowds that assembled at the Central Plaza felt today. The projectors were bad, and the crowd was growing when I passed there a half-hour before the game was slated to start, but surely when we lead by as much as seven points the cheers grew ever so louder. My RELSFOR class was called off because, apparently, some wanted to watch the game and not counted as absent, thus we got the rollover effect (nobody requested for that even if our class hit the game’s time slot perfectly). Everybody’s expectations probably grew big.

But I’d give it to the Blue Eagles for a good fight. This is probably the closest rivalry I’ve witnessed in my conscious viewing, with all games ending with a one-point lead so far. But for those at the green side at the Araneta Coliseum today, it is probably the most disappointing afternoon ever.

Calmness and sobriety

The top administrators of DLSU have been calling for “calmness and sobriety”. This one, from Chancellor Carmelita Quebengco:

First of all, let me thank you for the unwavering support you have exhibited for our student-athletes throughout the current UAAP season. As we move our way into the finals, especially in the men’s basketball games, let me reiterate the call for calmness and sobriety issued by the Director of the Office of Sports Development, Br. Bernard Oca FSC. Let us project positive energy with our cheering, disregard the jeering and insults that may come from supporters and players of the other teams. Let us not bring with us to the games any material that would connote negativism, nor taunt or insult our opponents, their supporters, and their officials.

Let us be true Lasallians in and outside the court by being humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

Animo La Salle!

She was referring to this one – a letter from the Office of Sports Development director Bernard Oca FSC:

We would like to thank the Lasallian community for the overwhelming support you have, thus far, shown the Green Archers [basketball team]. As we inch our way to the finals, the games will inevitably reach a crescendo, and might spark taunting and, heaven forbid, fights among the audience and supporters.

In this regard, would like to remind the entire Lasallian community for calm and sobriety, to project positive energy with our cheering and to disregard the jeering and insults coming from supporters of the other teams. The Discipline Officers and other Lasallian officials are instructed to take down any material (poster, flyer, streamer, banners of any form, shape) that connotes negativism, taunts and insults other teams, officials, and supporters.

If others jeer and taunt us, let them do so without retaliation. It does not benefit us to engage in tit for tat mockery and insult which lead to nothing except ill will and hatred which clearly contradicts why the games are held in the first place.

The support of the entire Lasallian community is truly inspiring. Your support through thick and thin and through our hard-fought wins and heart wrenching losses is a constant source of strength. We trust that you will not fail us in this regard.

Animo La Salle!

Judging from the television coverage today, it seemed that all is well on both sides. No bad banners nor cheers – just good old spectators from both sides being true to their alma mater. Good enough for me, because for once, I was on my toes, especially during the very last minutes – which I caught. Only that.

“This is fucky, I swear”

Anna finally remembered to charge her phone – despite the fact that RELSFOR classes were called off, I only got to leave campus at around 16.00 due to academic obligations. She was texting me from the second quarter, when she announced that the Eagles led by two points, and ended with the Archers leading by a point in halftime. I also caught that, until the bus changed the channel (but not after I spotted her boyfriend Milan, who’s a member of the Pep Squad, given a close up while leading the routines). It was obvious she was excited.

Further so when we led. I was becoming hyperactive in the worst possible place – in a crowded passenger bus, in the middle of traffic. I had a skip walking to the jeepney terminal, after which Anna – Shale’s official “Araneta wingwoman”, an irony considering Archers don’t really have wings – texted me that we led by five.

I got home hearing my sister screaming inconsolably. The lead was closing down – Anna was texting me the same the moment I stepped into my living room – and then the seemingly impossible: the Eagles are ahead.

One last play, and the Archers, despite all their efforts, failed. Because of the twice-to-beat advantage, both teams will face again on Sunday – a precarious situation for the Archers, since one more buckle would mean they lose the finals slot.

Who’s playing it clean?

Anna was still texting me, very much annoyed.

“They’re idiots, I swear,” she said, referring to the Ateneo crowd. “Screaming ‘wrong spelling’ during our halftime.”

“Foul!” I replied. “It doesn’t pay to be humble. Nakooo.“

“You should go to atenista.net. Milan’s so mad at fucking Ateneans he left me to reading through the Blue Eagles section.”

I didn’t want to read it; obviously it wasn’t a good time. I instead asked for a description.

“Calling us DLRT, DLSV, not having Christian values…”

Now that was foul. Turns out it wasn’t as well as I saw it, but what more after all of the efforts to keep it a clean game? I can’t say the same for the La Salle crowd – there was a lot of flaming at what some called as a feeble attempt to copy the Animoism shirts – but being in a game, surely, it must be a given for us to be a good sport, and be gracious losers in defeat. But before we can lose, we were being taunted for what has already been forgiven by the affected community itself.

The next week, for fans and avid followers, would be a busy one – another one with long lines at the Yuchengco lobby and the ensuing ticket scramble that follows. I can only hope that things go a little bit more, err, civilized – quoting Sir Ronda again, it is just a basketball rivalry – because there is more to things than who wins the UAAP men’s basketball plum. And, as I told Anna, “the game is still lo– err, mahaba pa ang laro.“

Searching for an unnecessary symbolism, it starts raining outside. Must be a good sign.

Many thanks to Jan Manaog and Carmel Puertollano for providing links and relevant content for this article, and of course, to Anna Abola for texting from the Araneta Colisuem against all odds. Personally, I owe you a big one.

Surprise, surprise – just in time for what appears to be a fourth La Salle-Ateneo game, this time for the second UAAP men’s basketball finals slot, an article about the fancied rivalry appears in The New York Times! There’s nothing really new here, but here’s what the Americans probably first know about what we are so much into. At least if you’re from either school. Writer Raphael Bartholomew is writing a book about Philippine basketball, probably partly based on his experiences working on that school in Katipunan. Many thanks to Leslie Sy for the tip on this one.

Senators, foreign diplomats, cabinet ministers, a smattering of Forbes’s 40 richest Filipinos, movie stars and enough professional basketball players to play five-on-five. They are the elite of Philippine society, and they all gather at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City to watch the men’s basketball rivalry between the universities Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle.

La Salle coach Franz Pumaren said, “The janitors in Araneta always say, ‘If there’s an Ateneo-La Salle game, once everybody’s out of the coliseum, it still smells good because of the all the socialites watching.’”

In the basketball-crazed Philippines, where former players have become senators and nearly every public square has its own court, it is hard to imagine a crowd like this assembling for any other event. Kristie A. Kenney, the United States ambassador, attended the season’s first meeting between Ateneo and La Salle in late July.

Ateneo and La Salle are the most prestigious private universities in the country. The question of which institution provides a superior education is a toss-up; the tie breakers take place on the basketball court.

Although Ateneo and La Salle have similar upper-class student bodies, their respective basketball teams are very different.

The Ateneo players have a squeaky-clean image. The team’s prize freshman, Kirk Long, came from Faith Academy, a high school in suburban Manila for the children of foreign missionaries. Guard Eric Salamat’s surname means thank you in Tagalog.

La Salle’s players have a menacing swagger, with tattoos, headbands, shaved heads and chin-strap beards. In 2005, La Salle revealed that two of its players had used phony high school equivalency results in their applications, and the team was suspended for the 2006 season.

The teams also play different styles, with somewhat different results. The De La Salle Green Archers won four straight national championships from 1998 to 2001 thanks to its vaunted trapping defense.

“The dreaded press; you know your guards will turn over the ball against it,” said Joel Banal, who coached Ateneo in 2002 and 2003. “I used to have nightmares about it.”

Ateneo plays textbook basketball, with man-to-man defense and an inside-out offense that relies on post-up moves and perimeter shooting. The Blue Eagles won the 2002 championship, their only title in the last 17 years.

If Ateneo wins Sunday’s game against the University of St. Thomas, it will face La Salle for the fourth time this season, in the national semifinals. Ateneo has won two of their three meetings this season, games decided by a total of 6 points.

In each of these nail-biters, the 15,000-seat arena was sold out, with supporters standing in aisles and stairwells. Almost everyone on La Salle’s side of the coliseum wore green. On the other side, Ateneo’s fans wore blue. Marching bands blared fight songs as spectators on both sides chanted.

The frenzied crowds are often led by some of the most prominent alumni. Senator Richard Gordon, a former Ateneo cheerleader, is renowned for sideline antics like jumping on the scorer’s table to rile up the crowd. La Salle counts the former finance secretary José Pardo and the shipping mogul Enrique Razon Jr. among its supporters.

The rivalry allows Manila’s elites to relive their carefree college days, said Ricky Palou, Ateneo’s athletic director. “It’s the passion they have for their alma mater,” he said. “They become immature. They act like kids.”

The fans’ excessive behavior is matched by the largesse that the alumni lavish on their teams. A group from Ateneo installed the hardwood floor used for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game at the university gym. Not to be outdone, Razon donated about $1 million, which went toward refurbishing La Salle’s sports center and financing athletic scholarships.

The heightened atmosphere of the rivalry puts coaches and players under enormous pressure. When Joe Lipa coached Ateneo in the late 1990s, the former president Corazon Aquino, whose daughter Kris is a 1992 graduate, would call Lipa to check on the team’s progress, said Ricky Dandan, Lipa’s former assistant.

“You can lose to all the other teams, but not to La Salle,” Banal said.

When his team defeated La Salle for the championship in 2002, it was “my most fulfilling accomplishment,” Banal said, adding: “After that championship it’s like the whole Filipino nation knew me. Like if you go to a restaurant, you eat, you’re paying your bill, somebody from Ateneo got it already.”

But the shame of losing also haunts players and coaches. In the final game of the 2002 national championship series, the La Salle star Mike Cortez missed 11 of 13 shots. Afterward, La Salle students and alumni accused Cortez of throwing the game. Although Cortez is now an all-star guard in the Philippine professional league, many fans still regard him as a game fixer.

The rivalry has loosened the bond of friendship between the teams’ coaches. Ateneo Coach Norman Black and Pumaren won several professional titles together in the late 1980s with the San Miguel Beermen.

“If you’re part of the rivalry, you just don’t like each other,” Black said. “Franz played for me and he was my assistant coach, but that has little bearing on what’s happening right now. He’s the coach of La Salle; I’m the coach of Ateneo. Let the chips fall where they may.”

FluidShale 2007.09.18: Back on the video trail, and this time, it’s about the crowds that never got tickets but are watching the DLSU-Ateneo game nevertheless. I just got dismissed from RELSFOR class and got to look at the crowd, and interview some people as well. Eventually we won by one point, 70-69. There’s more after the jump.

In the beginning, there was seeming failure

At this we all know what happened during the past week and a half. La Salle lost to Ateneo, La Salle lost to UE, and Ateneo lost to NU, forcing a third duel between the blood rivals for the twice-to-beat advantage. The folks at NU 107 – home to Halikinu Radio, and lately, to Green Archer Radio, after moving out of Max FM – have been a bit chaotic with discussing both teams’ chances for the big game. Of course, each side is biased to itself, but in the spirit of media responsibility they have been giving credit to each other all throughout the two-hour radio special, dubbed Ready To Rumble.

They also had Boom Gonzalez in. He who did commentary for Studio 23’s coverage of the UAAP games gave his take on the two teams’ chances for the victory, and most importantly, the championship, especially in the face of the still-undefeated Red Warriors. In the same spirit of media responsibility, he was being fair, but I somehow managed to keep in mind his statement published in the latest issue of The Lasallian with regards to DLSU’s chances against UE. “If La Salle can’t beat UE,” he said, “nobody will.” And it actually felt very smug.

More than the fact that this is the Green Archers’ comeback season, it’s the challenge posed by UE’s unblemished standing this season, which has earned them a first class ticket to the finals. That was the challenge for every team in the UAAP, and with every game the gap kept on closing in – of course, not everybody has to be reminded that the last DLSU game was the only one UE had in overtime this season. The thrill of the DLSU-Ateneo rivalry remains, though. During the last regular rivalry game, which the Archers almost won, I was using the Red Warriors as a reason for die hard fans not to cry – we may not have defeated Ateneo again, but we will be the ones to defeat the Warriors, I insisted.

Of course, I was wrong, but the possibility of another DLSU-Ateneo faceoff was very irresistible. When it happened, things went by in a blur. You can imagine the lines that formed yesterday at the Yuchengco lobby, barely an hour into the text announcements.

Different locations, same reactions

At home, there is a little more interest with the UAAP games. A cousin studies in UST – currently in fourth – while my dad is a UE graduate, and is very much passionate about the entire thing. My sister watched the DLSU-UE game at the Araneta Coliseum itself, while I was merely happy with watching at home, and getting text messages from those who are watching. Anna was annoyed at the guy beside her – apparently he’s for DLSU until some point in the game when he flipped territories.

“This is the UE-guy-who-sat-beside-me’s fault,” she texted. “He brought us bad luck!”

Today, though, she had a different assignment for me. The game was at 15.00 and I had class, so there was no way I could watch a bit of the game (because I’d be going home on a bus that shows soap operas). Anna, then, became my “Araneta wingwoman” – in short, the one to talk to with regards to what’s happening at Araneta. “Funny way of referring to me,” she replied. “My phone will die soon but I’ll update as much as I can.”

Gypsies, at that moment, was eeriely empty – an extraordinary thing for Tuesday lunchtime. The staff thought it’s because of the game, although it’s four hours away. Nevertheless they had a television installed. A big flat-screen television now hangs above the door, behind the sign. The people filled in afterwards.

My RELSFOR class was also half-empty. The previous class, it was the same – all but one of the OCM students were at Araneta watching the Archers lose to the Warriors. Thus, we prove that an age-old rivalry never dies, because more were away. In between the film the remainder of the class were watching, Sir Salcedo was updating us with the score. Ateneo leads, but never beyond ten points. I’d never know. Classes were then dismissed.

What happens next

But what else do you expect on a game like this? A public screening, and a really full Z2. SJ Walk, and even the second floor of Miguel, had the spillover crowd. The world hasn’t slowed any much in particular, though. There were just the smallest quirks.

I just realized how much a DLSU-Ateneo match stirs a batch. In our first SOCIETY class with Sir Doy, I led the prayer and did the customary dedication to St. John Baptist de La Salle. Off a loss to the Blue Eagles, he joked that we should be dedicating prayers to St. Ignatius Loyola instead. The next day, on the first WRIFILM class, Kat did exactly that. Things turns out better, so it was doubly weird.

Jackie led the prayer today during WRIFILM class – there is a conscious effort that I don’t do the prayers as often – and eventually prayed, very fervently, that we win against Ateneo in this instance. What more after losing the last two meetings? Although the folks at Green Archer Radio insisted that Ateneo never won three straight games against La Salle – and the last two victories wouldn’t make them more favored for a third – the attitude in general was to wait and see. Thus, during halftime, and a six-point lead, I wasn’t any excited.

Anna, my Araneta wingwoman, did not get to send a text message. My cousin sent me the only word I got about the game when I got home. “Talo Ateneo,” she said with glee – she is a closet DLSU fan after all, complete with foam fingers for her alma mater and ours – and it was by a point. But my sights were on being the only team to defeat UE, which means entering the finals. Obviously, what happened next was an exchange of tirades between the two of us, hitting each other’s schools… probably to no avail. I’m also privy to UST because my mother is a graduate of that school, not to mention I almost took journalism there.

And now, everybody on YM is happy about it – very much, in fact. The general sentiment basically is a sigh of relief, that we defeated the Ateneans for once, as one put it. Shiftee made it more deep: “we win when it matters most.”

And then I remember what Sir Ronda told us on the very first day of PE class: it’s just basketball. That still remains to be seen.

I don’t know, but I think I’m lucky enough not to have watched the UAAP cheerdance competition on the television this afternoon. But surely something was wrong when Ariane texted me something I wouldn’t have expected. “Ang bulok ng pep squad natin!“

Apparently the mistakes were so glaring, most of the people I’ve talked to about it thought it was humiliating on the school’s part. But I guess our cheerleaders make mistakes also, so I’d give them a chance. But almost everybody else saw it, and so far that’s something.

I was talking to Charmaine about it, and what follows is the unedited transcript. (And if you’re sensitive to graphic references and safe profanity, then skip this part.)

Charmaine Tan: ang palpak naman ng pep squad natin
Henrik Batallones: di ko napanood
Charmaine Tan: hindi ko maipagmalaki sa mga kaptid ko
Henrik Batallones: pero pinagtatawanan na ako ng tatay ko
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Charmaine Tan: buti nalang hindi mo napanood
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Charmaine Tan: nakakahiya
Henrik Batallones: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: nako
Henrik Batallones: tignan natin bukas
Charmaine Tan: nagkalat sila dun e
Henrik Batallones: anong mangyayari
Charmaine Tan: excited na ko
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: parang… nyay
Henrik Batallones: baka matalo tayo nyan vs ateneo
Henrik Batallones: sana sila rin nagmispell
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: first two letters rin. mas nakakatawa
Charmaine Tan: etaneo
Charmaine Tan: taeneo!
Charmaine Tan: hahahaha
Charmaine Tan: oonga noh
Henrik Batallones: right right
Charmaine Tan: pwede!
Henrik Batallones: mas nakakatawa yun
Henrik Batallones: buong mundo matatawa
Henrik Batallones: magiging red ang blue eagles
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Charmaine Tan: brown!
Henrik Batallones: brown?
Henrik Batallones: if we blush ba brown?
Charmaine Tan: ah..
Charmaine Tan: eh kasi tae eh
Charmaine Tan: so brown
Henrik Batallones: iblog mo! ibloooog!
Charmaine Tan: hahahaha
Charmaine Tan: yaw ko
Henrik Batallones: sa blog na hindi kami makapag-comment!
Charmaine Tan: napaka desente kong tao e
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: hindi kaya
Charmaine Tan: hindi pa naayos ni mimi e
Henrik Batallones: pictures mo sa multiply ng kung sinu-sino
Charmaine Tan: eh hindi namn ako marunong
Charmaine Tan: dibale
Henrik Batallones: hahaha
Charmaine Tan: papaalala ko k mimi
Charmaine Tan: sinong kung sinu-sino?
Charmaine Tan: alin dun?
Henrik Batallones: kay karla?
Henrik Batallones: akin?
Henrik Batallones: kay trix?
Charmaine Tan: nyak
Charmaine Tan: eh hindi naman pwedeng puro ako lang noh
Charmaine Tan: ang vain
Charmaine Tan: hehehehe
Henrik Batallones: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: hindi nga
Henrik Batallones: pero interesting ang photos
Charmaine Tan: talagang tiningnan ko naman ang multiply ko
Henrik Batallones: wala diyan
Henrik Batallones: sa multiply nga namin
Henrik Batallones: candid or otherwise
Charmaine Tan: ah…
Henrik Batallones: candid lalo na sakin
Charmaine Tan: oh..
Charmaine Tan: gets gets
Charmaine Tan: ang sabaw ko
Charmaine Tan: hahahaha
Henrik Batallones: ang linaw linaw ng sinabi ko!
Charmaine Tan: ay sorry namana
Charmaine Tan: dibale
Henrik Batallones: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: basta alsalista tayo
Charmaine Tan: malabo lang talaga ang aking pagiisip
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: hail hail alma mater
Charmaine Tan: go al salle
Henrik Batallones: hail to de al salle
Charmaine Tan: ang pangit!
Charmaine Tan: hahahaha
Charmaine Tan: ang mas nakakahiya pa
Charmaine Tan: baligtad yung “A”
Henrik Batallones: pano ispell yan???
Charmaine Tan: tapos yung sa logo nagkabaligtad din
Henrik Batallones: langya
Charmaine Tan: hindi.. as in upside down
Henrik Batallones: buti talaga di ko napanood
Henrik Batallones: siguro iba pronounciation nun
Charmaine Tan: kasi yung sa logo naman, nakacut into strips
Charmaine Tan: tapos nagkabaligtad yung 2
Henrik Batallones: langyaaaaa.
Charmaine Tan: hahaha
Henrik Batallones: di ako mahilig sa uaap pero mahal ko naman ang la salle.
Charmaine Tan: hehehe
Henrik Batallones: mas mahal ko ang la salle kaysa sa mga minahal ko. (nyak.)
Charmaine Tan: hindi rin ako mahilig
Henrik Batallones: ay. al salle pala.
Charmaine Tan: nakakahiya lang
Charmaine Tan: hehehe
Henrik Batallones: este… di pwedeng baligtarin ang a!
Charmaine Tan: ako ang gusto ko la salle. ayaw ko ng al salle
Charmaine Tan: hehehe
Charmaine Tan: hahaha

DLSU will be facing Ateneo for the solo second place spot, after UE gets a ticket to the finals. And UP won this competition, something which their basketball team cannot manage to do… at least they won something, though.

Thanks to Carmel Puertollano for alerting me to this page: the actual DLSU Pep Squad performance on video. You judge for yourself.