UV: No. 1 underdog

I TOLD University of Southern Philippines Foundation coach Eleazer Toledo that I’d hope he won’t be feeling well when his team will face the University of the Visayas in their last game.

You see, a week before, coach Elying said he wasn’t feeling well and his team blanked the University of San Carlos (USC), 2-0, and I thought his illness would be a portent for the UV game.

I was outside the venue during the first game and when the stadium erupted early, the coaches I was with knew USPF has taken the lead. Why? Because UV rarely has a crowd in the stands.

So I was pleasantly surprised to learn that UV fought back against USPF, 2-1, and advanced to the finals for the first time in 13 years. Aside from that, it’s also the first time that UV finishes the elimination round at no. 1 with 14 points.

However, this Sunday, No. 1 or not, they are going to be the underdog and I hope the UV admin will realize that and come out in full strength to support the Green Booters. I hope too that Samsam Gullas, the ever vocal UV Green Lancers supporter, can also find time to cheer for the school’s football team.

If this were basketball, UV would be this year’s USJ-R, the team that topped the elims but was perceived by some as the underdog because they took on the two-time defending champion in the finals. In the UV football team’s case, it will be facing the three-time champion USC, who has all the experience in finals matches.

The rankings don’t count really when it comes to the finals and, as I told coach Allan Medalla of USC, the Golden Booters may have the experience but what counts in UV’s favor is its hunger.

Thirteen years since its last triumph? That makes a team hungry.

Besides, for a team of its pedigree and experience, the USC Warriors, at times, haven’t been playing like champions. They will miss four players in the finals too because of silly yellow cards that could have been avoided had the players kept their composure. Three of those fouls were committed right in front of the fourth official.

One of my favorite gestures a coach uses to reprimand a player is when he points to his head, and in the past few games—unlike its first three matches—coach Allan had been pointing to his head too many times.

USC won its first match against UV, 1-0, but lost its second by the same score. They dominated both games and its supporters were also louder. This Nov 18 at 2 p.m., I hope the crowd support will be even.

By the way, I learned something strange about UV football. A couple of former players have difficulty finishing their studies because they were assessed thousands of pesos in “balance” by the previous coach.

Why an athletic scholar incurs a balance is beyond me. The father of the player told me of the problem since his son only has a year left to finish his degree.

“Ambot gi-unsa to, wala ko kasabot,” he said. “Unsa ra gud sweldo sa tanod, di ta ka bayad.”

I told him to approach Samsam Gullas since the young congressman is big on UV athletes finishing their degrees. Samsam has promised to look into it and I hope a solution can be found.

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