It’s UAAP Basketball Season once again. And unlike all of the previous years of a third of my life, I’m now unable to watch any game in the Philippines. Yeah. Japan is quite far from Araneta Coliseum… so unlike before, when I was still in QC, all it took was to go to Katipunan LRT2 station and have around 24Php [which is only around 60JPY!] (to go to and fro) plus the very precious Upper A or B ticket in my pocket.

Now, a day before the game, all I could do is dream about the ambiance… the feel of being there. I played the cheers in my mind. Will the Babble this year live up to its name being “the ONLY 6th Man a basketball team can ever have”? I imagined all the glorious moments, be it a win or a game lost… Oh how I remember-oh-so-clearly: Gec Chia’s shining moment. Larry’s block on Mac Mac. Not once, but twice! LA’s step-back shot from beyond the arc against Adamson. Doug Kramer’s finish off a Macky pass in the last second of Game 1 Finals against UST. Chris Tiu’s super lucky shot(s)… killing almost every team in the last seconds of any game. And oh—the crowd. The crowd that I was once, twice, thrice—oh-many-a-time—with.

I have had too many an experience in watching Ateneo games. Championships. Those against the really strong teams in the season. Those NU types of games who only the fanatics attend to—the old alumni, the family members, some Ateneo High afternoon class cutters, and us. And of course, those against La Salle. The story of how difficult it is to get a decent ticket in any UAAP game against La Salle has long been discussed in previous blogs of other people, so I won’t dwell on that. But, oh well, everybody who hasn’t experienced being “there” can never explain the feeling. The thrill. The dum-dum-dum feeling. The gigil. Umph! The joy. The tears. The song. The television doesn’t show it all. No. It’s never the same.

But what have I to do? Here: NO Araneta. NO Studio 23. NO basketball peer to cheer with.

But Alas! Around 2 hours before the said game time (2PM PH Time, Sunday, 08.07.06), I discovered now.abs-cbn.com’s News-On-Demand. Wow! How could I forget!?! So many Ateneo fans out there all these years, no? I’m not alone.

Credit Card. Yeah, it’s only 4.something USDs.

But I opted to avail the 3-month 12.something USDs subscription.

Mas Sulit!

Watched the game.

Alone though.

Oh my, how nostalgic it was.

How happy and sad could I get.

Just imagine. The first basketball game I ever watched in Japan since April: Ateneo vs La Salle. First game of Ateneo in the season. Through Lappy. And Ateneo won. 79-73. Thanks to Chris Tiu!

My! I didn’t know what to do after watching the game. Actually, since it was quite choppy, I had to run to the computer area to get a better signal. I haven’t really watched the whole 4th quarter. Just that part that mattered. Last 30+ seconds. La Salle ball, Ateneo up by 3. A perfect stop would do it. It did. A Yuri steal, once again, after a charity made. And that did it.

Oh my!

How proudly I sang the “Song for Mary” alone in the computer area lobby.

Oh my!

How I missed my UAAP companion(s).

Oh my!

It was supposed to be a happy day. It was supposed to be a “pumping up” day. It was supposed to be a night to celebrate.

But instead, I cried.

Ang emo kasi ni Eng eh. Di na na-satisfy sa panonood.

I just realized, that the main reason I enjoyed each and every Ateneo game before was that: I always shared that same moment with somebody. And it’s the meaty and feeling-pro discussion afterwards that completes the day. The raves and rants. Who do we love more? Who do we continue to hate? What should coach have done? What could the players not have done? What could have happened if?

Basketball is a people’s game. In Araneta, you are one big community (or family) against that other clan. In Ateneo, through that big screen, you are a family (eating Pizza Hut c/o Sir Greg). When you watch it alone, when you discuss it with yourself alone, it drives you crazy.

And this is my outlet.

Bow.

^_^

So sorry for blowing it all out here.

I’m happy now.