30 March 2012

Chieffy: Air Force is the Ginebra of UFL

By Alder Almo



When Chieffy Caligdong scores, fans roar in approval. When Mark Caguioa scores, three fourths of the Big Dome goes wild.

Caligdong can zigzag his way to the goal the way Caguioa slashes to the basket.

The Philippine Azkals co-captain and Air Force midfielder pictures himself as "The Spark" in football.

"Si Mark (Caguioa), ‘pag gustong umiskor dire-diretso yan. Parang ako, ganun din sa field," said Caligdong, a self-confessed Brgy. Ginebra, when he appeared in the PBA AKTV Center last night.

Caligdong actually rooted for Purefoods before when his childhood idol Alvin Patrimonio was still playing. He also roots for James Yap since they are both Ilonggos (James hails from Escalante while Chieffy comes from Barotac Nuevo) and represented Western Visayas in the Palarong Pambansa together.

But Caligdong got bitten by Brgy. Ginebra's never-say-die bug. He first captured the imagination of a basketball-crazy nation when he scored a nutmeg goal against Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers in Panaad Stadium last year.

Just like Caguioa, Caligdong has a flair for drama. His charisma mirrors that of Caguioa and it spilled over to his team in the United Football League (UFL).

"Ang Phil. Air Force parang Ginebra yan. Never-say-die kami at crowd favorite dahil pure homegrown kami at walang import," Caligdong said.




If PBA has the Manila Classico – Brgy. Ginebra-Bmeg – rivalry, the UFL is slowly shaping up its own in Phil. Air Force and Loyola Meralco Sparks.

"May rivalry na rin kaming nabuo sa UFL with Loyola. Bukas, siguradong gusto nilang bumawi sa pagkatalo nila sa Finals," Caligdong said.

The comparison is not far-fetched.

Just like B-Meg, which has the tag as the glamour team in the PBA, Loyola has that aura too with Phil and James Younghusband leading the team.

On the other side is Air Force, whose homegrown tag has the "masa" appeal.

The Airmen defeated the Sparks in a heated championship battle in the last UFL Cup. Expect another playoff atmosphere when they meet for the first time since that emotional game.

Caligdong, however, is doubtful to play in today's much awaited rematch due to a back injury he sustained last week in the Airmen's 3-5 loss to Global.

"Sana makalaro ako bukas. Depende pa kung makakuha ako ng clearance from our medical staff," Caligdong told philstar.com.

It will be a big blow to the defending champions if Caligdong can't play as the squad is currently mired in the middle of the pack while Loyola is on top of the heap.

But just like his favorite team that won despite Caguioa getting injured midway, Caligdong is hoping that their own Manila Classico match today against the Sparks will end in their favor despite the odds stacked against them.

"Never say die," Caligdong said.

philstar

17 comments:

  1. Zig Zag ba kamo? Ulol. Ang banban mo mag dribble at lagi naagawan. Banban.

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    1. "NEVER SAY DIE" KAYA PALA KAHIT HAWAK NA NI PAOLO PASCUAL ANG BOLA, SINIPA MO PA...MUKHA TULOY ANG TINAMAAN...PALUSOT MO LANG YANG, KUNWARI BACK INJURY MO AT"NEVER SAY DIE" MO...UMAYOS KA NGLARO SA UFL...

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    2. Hoy mga kurimaw, manahimik kayo! Umiskor muna kayo ng goal para sa Pilipinas bago kayo magsalita ng ganyan sa kapwa nyo. Ang kakapal ng mga mukha nyo! Wala kayong alam kung hindi magsalita ng masama sa kapwa nyo. Mga punyeta kayo!

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    3. iiskor ako madali lang yan. eh si caligdong? sa pag bwakaw at aksidente lang nakakascore yan. kung wala magagaling na kakampi niya nasa kangkungan pa rin tayo at hindi niyo makikilala ang football team natin at walang UFL mga gago

      buksan niyo mata niya. hindi magaling si caligdong. nakakabanas pagmumukha niyan

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    4. tama ka diyan. hindi magaling si caligdong. madaling maagawan, mabagal, out of position palagi, swapang sa bola, hambog pa.

      baket ba lagi siyang pinagbibida ng media?

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    5. "baket ba lagi siyang pinagbibida ng media?"

      Very true! Maybe because he's the vice-captain and one of only a few homegrown regulars in the national team. However I think that's a load of BS. Fact is Caligdong is shyte! Overrated as hell!! And then he salutes during the national anthem like he's some tough guy or whatever. lol!! He should be dropped and be stripped of the vice-captaincy!

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    6. Sir he salutes kasi he's a soldier, not only him but also Gener, Araneta, margarse and Sacapaño. SOP yun ng mga sundalo kapag Lupang Hinirang is being played.

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    7. I don't care if he's a soldier or not! I still say its BS!

      Answer this then.... why didn't he salute during the national anthem ever since he made his international debut in 2004? He only started saluting starting in 2011 AFTER the national team became a household name/team. From there, the other military players started doing it because Caligdong was doing it! It shows he's gotten big headed to say the least! He's shyte to begin with, naging big headed pa!!

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    8. Answer to you...correct he should have done it then but for the record, even if games aren't being televised, they still salute.

      I don't care if he's a soldier or not! I still say its BS! --> You're the BS...not just a BS but a bigger one!

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  2. mali mali naman itong writer na ito..hindi sila parehong Ilongo ni James yap..parehas silang Negrenses dahil ang Escalante ay Cebuano ang salita..Hindi Ilongo...Mr. Alder Almo kung di mo alam..mag research ka muna hah..

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  3. El classico ng Pilipinas = Philippine Air Force Phoenix at Loyola Meralco

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  4. Taga Escalante, Negros Occidental nga si James Yap pero sa Huasiong (Iloilo Central Commercial High School) nag-aral ng High School. Kaya fluent din yun mag Ilonggo.

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  5. kung local ang ang nagkamali panay puna ng iba...bwakaw, lampa, etc...pero kung foreign breed ok lang...what an A-hole.....kayo na lang apply kayo sa national team baka nga mas magaling kaya.....ika nga inggit lang kayo kasi noknokan kayo ng lampa sa laro ng football hehehehehe.....

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  6. Hoy mga panget! manahimik nalang kayo at tumulong nalang kayo sa grassroots natin kesa magdadadakdak kayo ng kung anu-anong basura sa kapwa nyo. mga panget na nga kayo, pinapapanget nyo pa mga budhi nyo! mga bwiset!

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  7. ULOL mga fans kami kaya me karapatan kami magsalita, kung di dahil sa amin baka natutulog pa rin ang Azkal sa kangkungan

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