YOU have to admire what the University of Southern Philippines Foundation has done in college football this season. Ranked fourth with three games to go in the season, USPF climbed all the way to the second spot to earn a shot at defending champion University of San Carlos.
A 2-0 win over the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), and a 1-0 win over the University of the Visayas--a first round game that was postponed--saw USPF dislodge USJ-R from second, and now the only team not to have won a Cesafi title will get another chance.
Last year, USPF’s admin came in full force to watch the team and I hope the same will happen this year. The many time bridesmaids of collegiate football, who also finished second to USC last year. I think of all the coaches in the Cesafi football, Eleazer Toledo has the most runner-up finishes and I know that’s a record he’d really love to get rid of.
Will USC repeat or will USPF finally win its first crown? We will know today at 2 p.m. So, don’t miss it. Good luck to both teams.
USC VS DBTC. There was an interesting tidbit in the USC vs. DBTC match in the City Olympics, which the Bosconians won. One parent from USC said a DBTC player elbowed a USC defender, taunted coach Edwin Arganza and then gloated when he scored.
I asked Ray Calo of DBTC and he said that while acknowledging the elbow—the player was corrected in the second half—there was no taunting. The player said the USC coach told his players, “Birahi na,”--and the targetted player said “Ayaw ana coach.”
The same instruction was given and the player said, “Kung mag-rambol diri coach, ikaw ako una daganon.” He scored a goal and celebrated in front of the USC coach in response to the instruction.
These two teams will meet in more tournaments and I think it’s about time this underlying tension between the two will be addressed. Those scenes, coupled with USC’s belief that officials are against them are a perfect recipe for disaster.
What’s the solution? Perhaps a dialogue between calm-minded representatives from both teams and perhaps, too, no more, “Birahi na,” instructions.
DBTC is a part of many rivalries—against Ateneo and Springdale—but it is only with USC that you can sense some tension.