Oh Yeah!

It has been over 7 months since I hurt my left rotator cuff sparring with my 6'2, 230-pound Australian boxing mate. It happened after he blocked a left hook I threw to the body with his elbow and forearm. The violent impact rendered my shoulder useless. The pain was equivalent to getting shot in the arm at close range.

It was 5 months before I could lift a dumbbell heavier than 35lbs. Even raising my arm to put a shirt on my back was hell.

Today, I faced him in the ring, and my shoulder held par. I felt like a Spartan reborn_hooray!

Dragons Need To Find Their Resolve

After a disappointing finish, no doubt the Dragons will need to make some changes in the off-season. Since Nakiea Miller wasted no time announcing he will not renew his contract to play for the Dragons next year, recruiting a starting center will be at the top of the to do list.

Miller's announcement comes as no surprise; the writing was on the wall. He has been publicly critical of Dragons' Head Coach Goh Cheng Huat for several weeks. A comment from Miller following the Dragons' second loss to the Philippine Patriots in the ABL Semi-Final Playoffs via Twitter pinned the loss on the Dragons' head coach.

We lost, coach threw the game! Experimenting in the semi's wit dudes who never
play in regular season! I'm so mad

At one point during the Dragons' final post-season game, Miller emphatically implored Goh Cheng Huat to change the line-up on the floor. The head coach complied with Miller's wish by making an immediate substitution, which made me wonder two things. Who is actually coaching the Dragons? Second, how much respect and confidence does Miller have for his coach, or the ability of his fellow team mates?

When the star player and head coach do not see eye-to-eye, one of them has to leave. Miller's volunteered exit nullified what could have been a difficult decision for the Dragons' owners to make.

I don't prescribe to how Miller aired his grievances, but I do think his latest charge is valid. I was present at every Dragons home game this season, and the starting line-up varied from week to week. No team should be experimenting with personnel changes late in the season. By playoff time, a coach should know who are the starting five. It's hard to execute strategy, if the players don't know what to expect from their coach and each other.

Playing 'guess who is starting' does not create an element of surprise; it creates confusion. One only needs to see a replay of the final game between the Dragons and the Patriots to know that the Dragons' offensive and defensive schemes are a mess!

Congratulation AirAisa Philippine Patriots;

I give respect, when it's due.

The Patriots Tame The Fury of The Dragons

Just returned home from MABA Stadium, Kaula Lumpur where I bared painful witness to The Westsports KL Dragons going down in flames against the AirAsia Philippine Patriots; 92 - 95. For the second consecutive season the Patriots have the pleasure of celebrating winning the ABL Semi-Final Playoff series on the Dragons' home court. Ouch!

I was hoping the the Dragons would recapture some of the magic they discovered in the early and middle part of the season; but no such luck. The Truth of the matter is that the Dragons' performance took a dramatic down turn at season's end, and then soured completely with tonight's loss.

The Dragons were outplayed, out muscled, out rebounded, and out hustled the entire contest. Despite being out favored in most statical categories, they still had a chance to beat the Patriots, or at least draw even at game's end. The Dragons had possession of the ball with 1:03 left in the game; down 89 to 91. It was a golden opportunity to either tie the score, or go up by 1. The result of the possession was an ill advised pass from Rudy Lingganay to Nakiea Miller in heavy traffic. Miller lost control of the rock, which then trickled out of bounds. The Patriots proceeded to head down court and scored a coffin nailing 3-pointer from downtown. The scoring after that juncture was purely academic. The Dragons lost one wing in the Philippines, and the Patriots clipped the other tonight.

Top performers for the Dragons were Nakiea Miller; 24 points, 13 rebounds, Rudy Lingganay; 25 points, Justin Leith; 18 points, and Patrick Jan Manlawe Cabahug; 17 points.

So what went wrong? Nothing a lesson on fundamental basketball wouldn't fix. The Dragons have talent, and they play with heart. But the team lacks mental fortitude and technical execution. The same issues that I have mentioned a dozen times before is what keeps the Dragons from getting over the hump. They don't execute well out of set-plays. Opposing teams are given too many second chance scoring opportunities, because the Dragons consistently fail to box out. The offense is primarily dribble and then shoot. Motion without the ball and swing passing is a viable option that seems to have escaped the team's attention. All these things represent essential skills needed to win championships. Heart and talent alone will not get the job done. It needs to be coupled with a high basketball I.Q.

Dragons' Flame Barely A Spark Heading Into The Playoffs

On 15 January 2011, the Westsports KL Dragons lost to the Brunei Barracudas 87 - 73, and thus squandered a golden opportunity to finish the regular season in 2nd place and secure home court advantage in the first round of the ABL Championship Playoffs. Instead, the Dragons will limp into post-season play behind the AirAsia Phillipine Patriots, who won their final regular season game against SatiraMuda Britama 74 - 71.

The playoff seedings are as follows:

1. Chang Thailand Slammers


2. AirAsia Phillipine Patriots


3. Westsports KL Dragons


4. Singapore Slingers

The Dragons will face the Patriots on their home court for game 1 in a best of 3 series on Sunday, 23 January 2011. Fan advantage then swings back to the Dragons on Wednesday, 26 January 2011. If there is a 3rd game, the teams will head back to the Philippines for the conclusion.

The Patriots have 3 satisfying factors to boost their confidence. One, they snatched back what was taken from them a week ago by the Dragons; 2nd place. Two, they ended the season on a winning note, while the Dragons faltered. Three, the Patriots swept the Dragons in the first round of the playoffs last season. It's like having three aces in your hands.

Granted the Patriots will be facing a more improved Dragons squad, than they did last year. But I'm sure they still have to be feeling very good about their chances of making it back to the finals. The Dragons will need to convincingly win game 1 in the Philippines to turn the Patriots' smile upside down and swing momentum their way. The odds don't favor the Dragons in any other scenario.

Barilla and Hannibal

Patriots Get Burnt By The Dragons

On Saturday, 9 January 2011, the Westsports KL Dragons regained their poise, after defensively stumbling last Wednesday against the Singapore Slingers to beat the AirAsia Phillipine Patriots on the road 92 - 74. After a closely contested first half, the Dragons took control of the game in the 3rd period. At which point they never looked back until the final buzzer. What a difference a few days makes compared to the Dragons' last game against the Slingers, who they lost against, after crumbling on defense in the 4th period. But the Dragons redeemed themselves by snatching 2nd place in the league from the Patriots by virtue of their win over the Patriots tonight.

Next, the Dragons will face the Brunei Barracudas on Saturday at the Brunei Indoor Stadium. Another win on the road would provide the team with momentum and confidence heading into post-season play; not to mention home court advantage in the early stages.

I hate Doing Cardio Exercise

Because I'm in the fitness industry, people might think I enjoy all aspects of training; not. I hate doing cardiovascular training. Repetitive moments over long periods of time bore me to tears.

I have a 20-minute tolerance level for using any cardio machine, no matter how many bells and whistles a manufacture supplies it with. Jogging is my least favorite exercise of all. Although I have done it, I have never felt the runner's high some people claim to get from the activity.

I need constant change while I'm exercising, or else I become disinterested with the task very quickly. I often pair groups of cardiovascular exercises together, so that I'm not doing any particular movement for longer than I can stand. Here is a routine I devised specifically for myself to improve my boxing, which involves alternating between walking on the treadmill and jumping rope.

Warm Up
walking on the treadmill - 5-minutes, 5.5 mph, incline 3 (I keep the treadmill running at this speed and grade throughout intervals 1 - 9)

interval 1
jump rope - 300 speed skips, last 10 reps (double turn)
treadmill - walk recovery for 1-minute

interval 2
jump rope - 300 speed skips, last 10 reps (double turn)
treadmill - walk recovery for 1-minute

interval 3
jump rope - 300 speed skips, last 10 reps (double turn)
treadmill - walk recovery for 1-minute

interval 4
jump rope - 300 speed skips, last 10 reps (double turn)
treadmill - walk recovery for 1-minute

interval 5
jump rope - 300 speed skips, last 10 reps (double turn)
treadmill - walk recovery for 1-minute

interval 6
treadmill - lateral shuffle and jab, right foot forward (1-minute)
treadmill - walk recovery 30 seconds

interval 7
treadmill - lateral shuffle and jab, left foot forward (1-minute)
treadmill - walk recovery 30 seconds

interval 8
treadmill - walk backwards (1-minute)
treadmill - walk recovery 30 seconds

interval 9
treadmill - freestyle shadow boxing combined with freestyle footwork (5-minutes) high risk!
treadmill - walk recovery 5 - 10 minutes

interval 10 (optional)
5 x 3-minute rounds on heavy bag, 30 seconds rest between rounds
or
5 x 3-minute rounds shadowboxing with 2.5 lb weights, 30 seconds rest between rounds


Disclaimer:
As I previously stated, I designed this exercise routine specifically for myself. The exercises and training variables reflect my own personal goals and fitness level. I am not advocating that any persons should follow this regiment in part or in whole. This post is merely a written description of my thought process on how I perform my cardiovascular training.

Dear ABL (ASEAN Basketball League),

After almost 2 complete seasons, we the fans are exhausted from hollering at the referees regarding their poor officiating. Please fire the person responsible for hiring the incompetent stripped shirt zebras with immediate effect, along with all those under his/her supervision. The system needs to be rebooted to cleanse the virus. Clue from 'Tron' can provide any technical support that may be needed, as he has expert experience in dealing with system malfunctions.

Slingers Beat The Dragons In The Final Stretch of The Game

On Wednesday, 5 January, 2011, the Singapore Slingers bested the Westsports KL Dragons 93 - 90. The Dragons lead the Slingers 82 - 69 at the 7:25 mark in the 4th period. But from that point, the Slingers outscored the Dragons 24 - 8. What was a 13-point Dragons' advantage evaporated into a 3-point deficit. The Dragons had an opportunity to tie the game with 18 ticks left on the clock, but Patrick Jan Manlawe Cabahug's off-balance 3-point attempt hit the front of the iron. The ball was then rebounded by the Slingers to preserve their victory.

'Melt-down' best describes the Dragons' performance in the final 7 minutes of the game. They failed to execute a list's worth of basic fundamental basketball skills:

NOT

1. Boxing out rebounders,



2. Challenging guards at the point of attack,



3. Getting back to set up fast-break defense,



4. Rebounding after missed shots,



5. Spacing the floor to set up passing lanes and scoring opportunities,



6. Maintaining defensive assignments.
   

These errors were effectively like bullets that the Slingers used to slay the Dragons. But that is not to say that the Slingers were given the victory; they earned it by capitalizing on the Dragons' mistakes. I'm a Dragons fan, but the team didn't afford itself any plausible excuses for committing grade-school mishaps that each member of the squad should be well beyond doing at this stage of their career. Okay, I'm willing to forgive scoring dry-spells. If the team is getting good looks at the basket, but the ball is just not falling; then it's fine. Not hustling on defense, not boxing out, and not crashing the boards for second offensive chances is the same as not giving a damn. In which case, the Dragons deserved to lose.

On a bright note Justin Leith, the replacement for Alex Hartman, recorded a double-double; 11 rebounds and 31 points. A very good debut. He should have no problems making friends in KL, if he plays as well for the remainder of the season.

Cabahug rained in 25 points from downtown, and Nakeia Miller had 21 rebounds to pair with his 17 points. However Miller could have finished with 30 points, had he cashed in on more of his scoring opportunities. Then I probably wouldn't be on this verbal tirade.

Next Sunday, 9 January, 2011, the Dragons play the AirAsia Philippine Patriots at Ynares Sports Arena. The Dragons need to regroup and decide on what note they would like their season to end.

Breath Deep

To begin January 1, 2011 on a different note, I decided to perform 10 rounds of heavy bag training wearing a respirator mask.

I actually wanted to do it with a gas mask, but it's close to impossible to find one in Malaysia. Maybe a friend of mine can bring me one back on his return from Australia. I'm sure the land-down-under has to have something in the air that needs to be avoided.

The basic premise for training with a respirator mask (which might seem like an idiotic thing to do) is to provide cardiopulmonary resistance. It's like weightlifting for your lungs. Taking full deep breaths through a mask forces all the thoracic muscles involved during a breathing cycle to work harder (30% increase in effort); thereby cardiopulmonary efficiency is improved over a period of time. With proper progression, I should be able to maintain my stamina in the ring longer and be more relax during heavy exchanges.

Ultimate goal, spar round 12 with the same amount of energy and gusto as I have in round 1!

Strictly Business, Never Personal

Alex Hartman (center)

Last week there was a disenchanted outcry from Malaysian basketball fans, when rumors surfaced that Alex Hartman had been released by the KL Dragons basketball squad. The following statement posted by the Dragons' organization on their twitter account confirmed the supposition:

"It was a very tough executive decision to release Alex Hartman as he has been a great asset to the team this season..." Yakub Hussaini, Westports KL Dragons General Manager December 28, 2010 at 7:52pm

Alex Hartman was undeniably well liked amongst Dragons' fans. Casts of supporters expressed their disappointment by leaving comments in defense of Hartman on the KL Dragons' facebook page and twitter account following the team's decision to part with Hartman. Fans are baffled as to why this move has taken place so late in the season. More importantly, they want to know why they are being forced to say good-bye to someone they like.

I have no verified insight as to why Hartman was released, maybe it's because his stats have steadily declined since his third start of the season. But unlike other Dragons' fans, I'm not shocked or bothered by the decision either. I come from the United States where it is well understood that assets (in this case players) are traded, released, or put into play based on their viability. Malaysian basketball fans need to come to grips with the fact that professional sports is a business. Alliances between athletes and the sport organizations that employ them are based on profitability and performance. Despite being a fan favorite, if a player, coach, or even a general manager of any professional team is not meeting the expectations of the owner(s), or the team's senior executive management, one should have no doubt that he/her will be shown the exit.

Perhaps this is a hard lesson for Malaysians to swallow, because the KL Dragons basketball team (only in its second year of existence) is one of only a few professional sports teams in Malaysia. The country's present sports system largely consists of national teams. Favorite sons and daughters on these government sponsored squads usually get to enjoy a long tenor afforded by the ample amount of leniency that is given to national athletes for fallacy and redemption. Not the case in professional sports, there is no tolerance for lengthy periods of erroneous judgement or performance, when thousands into the millions of dollars are at stake.

So Malaysian fans of the KL Dragons, I would advise you not to get use to the idea of any particular Dragons' player being with the team for years to come. Also know that a player's exit is not always the result of a management decision, but instead it is the choice of the athlete. Let me point out a likely scenario that could succeed the Dragons' post play. Possibly Nakeia Miller, who has played exceptionally well for the Dragons, could leave the team at the end of the season for an organization that will pay him more money. If this event were to occur, remember Malaysia not to take it personal; it's strictly business.