Friday, July 4, 2008

Ateneo La Salle on Sunday One thing I hope both sides can agree on

That this article about their teams is dumb. Or at least they must have some chimp editing Yahoo Philippines Sports. This is THE rivalry in Filipino sports. There is no #2 on a national level. There is a quote down there about Chris Tiu looking forward to meeting their arch rival. What else was he going to say"actually when you leave I am going to the corner and hurl everything including the Taco Bell I had last Tuesday out of anxiety". You will have no business lacing up sneakers in Ateneo if you don't take a game against La Salle like your life depended on it. Why not just point out that the sun is hot and yellow?

Anyway the previous example was just the opening act. A writer should have some command of 1) grammar 2) vocabulary. There are other things like tracking a story, covering your bases etc. But knowing what words mean is crucial to getting your point across in your story. Look at this quote from the story below.

"as he visits both teams in their respective dugouts"

What do you notice? Did the big game suddenly change sports and venues? A quick check is in order on the definition of a dugout.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dugout

1. a boat made by hollowing out a log.
2. Baseball. a roofed structure enclosed on three sides and with the fourth side open and facing the playing field, usually with the floor below ground level, where the players sit when not on the field.
3. a rough shelter or dwelling formed by an excavation in the ground, in the face of a bank, in the side of a hill, etc., esp. one used by soldiers.


[Origin: 1715–25, Americanism; n. use of v. phrase dug out]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

It took me five seconds to research that. Let's take a look at a couple of dugouts.

You notice something funny about dugouts in the concept of a basketball article? That they are outdoors? The presence of grass? That people in them are below ground level? That to make room for a dugout in a field you have to dig out the ground and having done that you can then place the benches there hence the name dugout. I bet nobody on either team has been to a real dugout in any kind of athletic capacity.

We have a writer trying to be too fancy that the words "locker room" are beneath him or her. We have a sports editor that does not know the difference. Then again what do you expect? Article is from the Philippine Star. A fine publication that proudly presents fine sober citizens like Celine Lopez, DJ Montano and Tim Yap. For more on those guys please refer to this . People responsible for gaffes like this have at least proved one thing: whatever Star gives you, it isn't journalism.

Ed

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20080702/tsp-ateneo-la-salle-arenas-a960e73.html

Agent Zero to grace Ateneo-La Salle duel

Philippine Star - Wednesday, July 2

Already a surefire hit with their deep-seated rivalry, the Ateneo-La Salle showdown on Sunday gets an extra push with NBA star Gilbert Arenas making a special appearance at the Araneta Coliseum.

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An adidas endorser, Arenas will share some insights on his experiences in basketball and brotherhood as he visits both teams in their respective dugouts. Both the Green Archers and the Blue Eagles are adidas-supported teams.

"Ateneo-La Salle matches have always been the most celebrated games in the history of the UAAP. Theirs is the greatest rivalry in the league that never fails to bring alumni and basketball fans alike. We are committed to supporting both teams, so we are bringing one of the world's best NBA players to inspire and motivate them in their games," said adidas managing director Joey Singian.

As partner, adidas has the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell Ateneo and La Salle branded apparel. Moreover, players of both schools will be sporting adidas-made uniforms and shoes during their UAAP games.

"We are looking forward to meeting Arenas," said Ateneo team captain Chris Tiu, who remains confident of his team's chances against the Archers.

"We have been working so hard training for the past weeks. We believe we can win. We believe in each other, and we play as a team," said Tiu.

But the Archers have vowed to dish out their best and foil their rivals' bid to thwart their back-to-back title drive with a roster that includes co-captains JV Casio, Rico Maierhofer and PJ Walsham. - /Philstar

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