Mourinho Effect

His team suddenly becomes larger and more powerful because of their high-profile manager. Opponents shudder everytime this man opens his mouth. He can cut the opposition into pieces. He breaks their hearts even before the game is started. He can also delight the media with his verbal circus. After every victory, he gives credit to his team. He is Jose Mourinho.

Inter had been Italy’s champ for many years now but they have not really made an impact in Europe. The last time they held a trophy was in 1965. Then came Jose Mourinho in 2008. As everyone knew, he was tasked to get the elusive European trophy, aside from bagging the domestic title. He was unsuccessful in his first try in 2009. But for this season, his team slew giants. Chelsea, CSKA Moscow and Barcelona were waylaid.

I watched the second leg of the semis against Barcelona. They played with only 10 men but they protected the goal with their lives. They seemed to literally park the bus in front of goal. But defense is not only their strategy. They beat Barca with 3 goals to one when the Spanish club visited Milan for the first leg.

Mourinho’s motivational skills and psychological war games were so effective, that when you look at his team minus him, you would wonder how they get past Chelsea and Barcelona. I call this the Mourinho effect – the strength of the football team is multiplied because of the Manager. You should look at the 2004 Porto and 2005-2007 Chelsea to confirm that.

Proud Germans

Bayern Munich has a history of greatness. In fact, its record of 22 league titles is unmatched in the Bundesliga. The team also has won the European title 4 times, the last time in 2001. They also finished as runner-up thrice.

Though many thought that they will stumble at the quarterfinals, the Germans outdid themselves and beat Manchester United. The Red Devils were favorite to win that match to arrange a possible rematch against Barcelona at the finals. But the fighting heart of Arjen Robben spoiled the fun, as he sent home a goal that surprised the United keeper, and broke the hearts of the home team and the fans. The Germans will not be easy for the Italians.

Inter vs Bayern Results Prediction

Bayern will be without Franck Ribery while Inter will miss the services of Thiago Motta. By this time, both Mourinho and Van Gaal must be done with their homework. Robben will once again flash his brilliance in the field – something to the envy of Mourinho. But Milito and Eto’o will produce for the Nerrazzuri. The Mourinho effect will once again be on display. Inter 2, Bayern 1.

Watch live Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich online video streaming here. The link will be provided on match day.

But while waiting for D-day, here’s a video clip on how Inter dismantled Barcelona in Milan.

Update:

Diego Milito scored two goals for Inter as they win their historic treble and first Champions league trophy since 1965.

Related posts:

1. Barcelona vs Inter Milan 2010 Champions League Semi-finals
2. Sports, Blogging and Online Video Streaming

I know I’ll be sleepless again tonight. This is a match between my favorite football manager Jose Mourinho, and my favorite club in Spain, Barcelona. Italy’s best vs Spain’s best. Mourinho manages Inter Milan after a stint in England coaching Chelsea. His Italian club, though dominating the domestic league for years, hasn’t performed well in Europe. That might change tonight if Inter can hold on to their lead.

Barcelona, on the other hand, is the defending champion both in Spain and in Europe. They have the magnificent Lionel Messi, the best soccer player in the world today. Though he was a non-factor in the trip to Milan, the Argentinian is tipped to bring damage to the visitors tonight. Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry are also expected to contribute goals. A 2-goal down is already a big margin that is difficult to overhaul. Much more if it is against a side that has Mourinho as the coach.

For Inter, they have the ever reliable Milito, Sneijder and Eto’o. But it’s not the offense that will matter tonight, it’s the defense. They have to contain Messi. They have to park the bus in front of the goal if necessary. They have to die defending just to achieve their dream of going to the Bernabeu for the Finals.

Some say that this is already the Champions League finals, and that whoever wins the Barcelona vs Inter clash will be the champ. That is absolutely unfair to Bayern Munich, who shocked Lyon, 4-0 in aggregate. I must admit though that, after watching Bayern demolish Manchester United, I felt the Germans are on their way to their first ever finals since 2001.

For the fans, you can watch Barcelona vs Inter Milan live streaming for free at this link. I will also be scanning for other links later. Surely, this is a match that football fans should not miss. For official updates, you can check the UEFA (www.uefa.com) site.

Who do you think will win this match? As for me, I’d like Jose Mourinho to win again.

Final Barcelona vs Inter Milan results

Barcelona scored 1-0 at Camp Nou. But it wasn’t enough to oust Inter who leads 3-2 in aggregate. Jose Mourinho’s side progressed to the Finals and will meet Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu.

Related posts:

1. Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich: 2010 Champions League Finals
2. Sports, Blogging and Online Video Streaming

Clottey’s Defense

Clottey stood in front of Manny with his arms covering his lowered head and a large chunk of his body. It seemed that his pants were raised a bit, exposing only a smaller portion of his hard body. The defense was so tight that even bullets from a Gatling gun couldn’t get through. He arms must be as hard as iron, because no matter how Manny bombarded it with jabs and power punches, it won’t let down.

It wasn’t cowardice on Joshua’s side, as he was not backing out. He was just absorbing the shocks brought about by Pacquiao’s fists. “I really did not feel much of his power” he said in an interview after the fight. “But it is his speed that I’m wary of”.

From the looks of it, it was like Clottey’s aim was not to win but to remain standing at the end of twelve rounds. Remember that the last few great fighters Manny fought had been knocked down. Some even, he stamped their boxing retirement papers. At the end of the day, Clottey can gallantly claim that Manny had not knocked him out. It would be his selling point in the future.

Clottey’s Offense

Clottey connected a few strong punches. He could have outpointed Manny on a few rounds had he thrown a lot of those. His trainer, Lenny de Jesus, urged him to take his chances. They knew that they can only beat Pacquiao through a knockout. But he just hid in his shell.

Pacquiao’s Speed

Pacquiao was relentless in his barrage of punches directed towards the wall of Clottey. A punch connected every time Clottey opened up. It flew from different angles, directed at different parts of the Ghanaian’s open spaces.

Pacquiao’s excellent fitness was evident. He has the same speed from round 1 to round 12 showing no sign of fatigue. I believe that he can still go for another 12 rounds if only to bring Clottey down.

According to statistics gathered by Compubox, Manny threw a total of 1,231 punches as compared to Clottey 399. Percentage-wise, Pacquiao landed 20% while Clottey landed 27%. As to power punches, Pacquiao threw 682 of them connecting 34%. These are career-high records for Manny.

Boring Fight

I knew we expected a lot from Manny. He didn’t fail us though. He even tired to make us all laugh. It was the other side of the equation that didn’t give us all the boxing we deserve. Or maybe we should blame Bob Arum for putting up an opponent who’s not entertaining enough, and who’s not boxing enough. It should have been a brawl, and not like a game of chess.

Other Matters

If any of you tried to search online for results, analysis or live video streaming and ended up getting frustrated because the first few pages of Google search gave you sites that are either annoying or confusing, blame SEO. Or shall we say the ugly side of it. The legit sites and better-written articles were nowhere near the top pages you know. And it’s now time that they learn it.

Photo credits: LA times

Related posts:

1. Oscar De La Hoya vs Manny Pacquiao: Fight Results Predictions
2. Pacquiao vs Diaz Fight Results
3. Pacquiao vs Diaz Boxing Fight: A Blogging Brawl

I know that a lot will search for the round by round analysis right after the fight. If you chance upon here, take note though that this post is a work of fiction. So what if the fight will only last two rounds like the Hatton thing? Nah, my prediction is for the two fighters to last the distance.

Pacquiao vs Cotto Results: Round-by-Round

Pre-fight: Cotto enters the ring as the crowd cheers. He tries to let out a smile, waves at the crowd, and makes a sign of the cross. He bounces around hoping to get back all the confidence that had left him since the fight with Margarito. But he fails to hide in his eyes the fears of losing this one match.

Pacquiao then enters the ring. Instead of cheers, a deafening silence meets him. In one section, obviously Filipinos, a man shouts, “Go, Manny!” As if that was the sign they are waiting for, the crowd is now on its feet, and cheers the loudest of them all. Manny waves and looks very confident. But it is quite obvious that he keeps scratching his head. A person at back also notices it and shouts, “May kuto yata si Manny” (Manny might have lice). A group of people at the front, whom they say are congressmen from the Philippines, burst into laughter. Cotto’s cornermen shake their heads, not knowing what the statement means.

Round 1: Cotto’s reach advantage is evident as he lands a few good body shots. Pacquaio answers with his own head shots. The two mostly dances around sizing each other. Two and three-punches combination of Cotto hits the air. But the annoying head scratching of the Filipino fighters becomes more obvious. Then a left hook lands clean on Pacquiao’s body. Cotto 10-9.

Round 2: Pacquiao and Cotto engage each other with heavy blows. But none appears hit, or badly hurt. Is this fight for real? The referee scratches his hair. In the last ten seconds, a straight punch coming from the right hits Cotto’s head. Pacquiao 10-9.

Round 3: Roach start giving instructions to Pacquiao. “Hit his face” he shouts. Action is brewing again as the two exchange blows. The crowd cheers loudly. A left jab lands clean on Cotto’s face, but an uppercut staggers the Filipino. Cotto 10-9.

Round 4: There’s that head scratching again. Cotto tries some assault to the face, but Manny’s too quick and avoids those punches. A seven-punch combination staggers the Puerto Rican. Manny attempts the finishing kill hook but the bell rings and saves Cotto. Pacquiao 10-8.

Round 5: Cotto recovers and hits Pacquiao’ head. Right hand by Cotto. Pacquiao counters with his right. Cotto 10-9.

Round 6: This is already beyond Roach’s prediction of a round 2 knock-out. So far, no one is down. The two are back on close range encounters. Heads clash and put a gash on Cotto’s right brow. Doctor examines, but gives his go immediately. Pacquiao 10-9.

At halftime, this blogger’s imaginary scorecard reveals a 57-56 score in favor for the Filipino.

Round 7: Roach pours something on Pacquiao’s hair. With a towel, he wipes away the bubbles. Pacquiao returns to the ring dancing his way, fakes and lands a strong punch on Cotto’s body. Cotto counters but his fist slips when it hit Pacquiao’s hair. Pacquiao changes his stance from the usual southpaw. A strong right hook sends Cotto crawling in the canvass. The crowd cheers, and chants Pacquiao’s name. Cotto beats the count. The bell saves him too. Pacquiao 10-8.

Round 8: The cheers become louder. Pacquiao’s confidence is oozing as he throws punches left and right. Cotto is on the defensive but survives the round. In fact, he wins the round with his counters, even leaving a cut just below Pacquiao’s eyes. Cotto 10-9.

Round 9: Cotto picks up his pace and lands some clean shots. He misses a hook but parries a lot of punches from his opponent. Cotto 10-9.

Round 10: Both fighters have cuts. Cotto slips but it does not count. The screen replays the slip. A large number of people in front are seen scratching their heads. Pacquiao ends the round with a three punch combination on Cotto’s face, which the latter fails to parry. Pacquiao 10-9.

Round 11: Pacquiao opens with a body shot. His stamina is amazing up to this point. Cotto’s fitness is excellent too despite the brawl that would leave other weaker fighters panting for air. Pacquiao remains the aggressor but an uppercut from Cotto plus a straight to the chin downed Pacquiao. The crowd stands in unison. The Filipino is now sitting on his pants and looks at Roach. He scratches his head again and curses, “Pest*ng kuto”. He stands up, but the referee is counting. Cotto is definitely back on this fight. Cotto 10-8.

Round 12: Pacquiao recovers and throws an incredible number of punches. They bump heads again but no cuts this time. Cotto is on the defensive, patiently waiting for an opening. But there was no more time. The crowd cheers as the boxers shake hands and hug after the bell sound. Pacquiao still scratches his head. Pacquiao 10-9

My unofficial score is 113-112 in favor of Pacquiao. But I listened intently as the referee announces the official scores: Judge 1 – 115-113 Pacquiao. Judge 2 – 115-113 Cotto. Judge 3 – 114-114. It’s a draw. Unbelievable fight!

Post-fight: Roach scratches his head while giving his thoughts on the decision. He believes his fighter should have won the fight. Pacquiao, on the other hand, was all smiles. He waves on camera and manages to slip a political statement, “Sa aking mga kababayan, wag nyo po akong kalimutan sa eleksyon ngayong Mayo. Manny Pacquiao po, para sa kongreso!” (To my countrymen, please do not forget me this coming May elections. Manny Pacquiao for Congress!)

Cotto’s corner also believes they had the fight on their hands. But they are not upset either. One thing is very noticeable in Cotto after the announcement; he is now scratching his head more often.

p.s. I have written in my sports’ blog Pacquiao vs Cotto fight results prediction. But I have this feeling that Roach may be right.

ACTUAL RESULT:

Pacquiao punished Cotto and knocked him out in the 12th round. 7th world title in seven weight categories, the first in history, is now in Manny’s hands. Congrats to Manny Pacquiao!

Pacquiao vs Cotto Results

Related posts:

1. Pacquiao VS De La Hoya: Blog Round-Up
2. Afterthoughts on Pacquiao vs Clottey Fight
3. Oscar De La Hoya vs Manny Pacquiao: Fight Results Predictions

Then our friend, Bloggista, in one of our eating and drinking sessions, mentioned that sports blogging is a very profitable niche. “Well, good!” I said. And so I applied what I learned about SEO, keyword-sniping and link-building from my other blogs. The strategy worked and the cents began to flow into my adsense account. In some days, I get 200¢ or better. That made me smile a bit.

I also checked my standing in the search engines. In certain long-tail keyword searches, I got the no.1 or 2 positions. But in the shorter keywords, I was either in the second page, or in the bottom of the first page. The sites that targeted the online video searchers got the better positions. And that would also mean better traffic and better earnings for their site owners. Is it something to envy?

Skimming through their sites made me wonder what in the world are they doing. See free online video here, see free live streaming there. Of course, it’s chasing pay per click money, just like what I’m doing, but in a different strategy. Though I am tempted to follow suit, seeing that it is very common nowadays, the inner me says, “NO!” Even the keyword hijacking intention is difficult for me to do.

Ok, so I just lost an opportunity of earning more. But so be it. Blogging, for me, would still be about putting into writing ones thoughts and ideas about a certain topic, and posting these in his site. If one makes announcements and refers to sites that offer unauthorized free video streaming, would that constitute indirect online piracy?

By the way, where can I watch the Barcelona vs Chelsea game live?

Update: With guerilla blogging in mind, I tried out this one: Pacquiao vs Hatton Live Video Stream Online. Let’s see how my rhyme goes as against that of Floyd Mayweather Sr.

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2. Serious Blogging
3. Lightning-Quick Visits and Other Web Traffic

Selaplana.com – “.. if we will look at the advantages of the Golden Boy like his height, weight, reach and experience, I think, Manny has the higher percentage of losing this game.”

Though the blog owner was rooting for Pacquiao in his previous fights, he dreamt of a De La Hoya victory.

For Manny Pacquiao

Puncher’s Chance – “But I agree with the boxing experts– this is a mismatch. Somebody
should have told Oscar De La Hoya that he’d be better off fighting Margarito instead.”

This is one brave prediction from a blogger who grew up in the same city where Pacquiao was born.

The Official Results: Pacquiao TKOs De La Hoya

I watched the fight live on the big screen at Hyatt Manila. We were comfortably seated at the front row so I had a clear view of everything. From round 1 to round 8, we saw how De La Hoya got punished with furious and lightning-quick blows from Pacquiao. I could feel his pain when a straight left lands on his nose. Manny was even giving Oscar some breathing space when the latter was cornered in the ropes. I thought Oscar would be knocked down in the 9th.

Pacquiao TKOs De La Hoya at the end of the 8th round. Oscar’s corner gave up. Oscar did not exactly give a fight. He was like posing for a pictorial. Too bad he got his face brutally disfigured. Was Manny just too good or was it Oscar’s lack of preparation?

Even in the past fights of De La Hoya, I was never his fan. I cheered for his every opponent, even the lame ones. I think he lost to Ike Quartey and Pernell Whitaker many years ago. I couldn’t believe why such a slow boxer became famous and owned plenty of championship belts. And I couldn’t believe the experts for saying that Oscar will whip Manny in this encounter. Shame on them!

They say that it was a mismatch. Some even feared for Manny’s life in this fight. But now we know and understand that it was indeed a mismatch. Not in size or in the stats. Not even on the number of titles held. It was a mismatch in terms of real skills and of spirit. Manny deserves the win and the title as the Best Boxer of The Century (if ever there will be one).

Here are some related posts from other pinoy bloggers:

1. Third World Geek – The Dream Match : Manny Pacquiao Wins Against Oscar De La Hoya
2. Bloggista – Pacquiao vs De La Hoya Fight Results: Manny Pacquiao Went to the Gym
3. Jpsimbulan – Pacquiao-Dela Hoya Fight Result: Pacquiao Won via TKO
4. Promdiliving – Pacquiao Defeats De la Hoya by TKO
5. Marhgil Macuha – Pacquiao – De La Hoya Is A Mismatch! Pacquiao Wins!

Will it be Pacquiao vs Hatton in 2009?

Related posts:

1. Oscar De La Hoya vs Manny Pacquiao: Fight Results Predictions
2. Pacquiao vs Diaz Fight Results
3. Pacquiao vs Cotto Firepower Results: Round-by-Round

UPDATE: Pacquiao won via TKO at the end of round8. It was such a mismatch, contradicting the predictions of many boxing experts. I was shocked to see De La Hoya moving so slow, making an easy target of the strong punches of the Pacman.

I’m sure the sports scribes and even the lowliest of fans already had some sort of predictions and analysis forming in their minds. So, who do you think will win this fight? What is your fight results prediction?

Oscar Beats Manny

By sheer size alone, Oscar has the advantage. 5’10” vs 5’6”, and a reach advantage of 6 inches. Ricardo Lois has this to say in his open letter posted at boxingconfidential.com:

“Let me make one more thing clear as a whistle. Manny Pacquiao will lose December 6. He does not have the size, defense, or power to stop a much bigger man. The moment De La Hoya lands a left hook to the head (brain), or a straight right hand, the dynamics of the bout will change and Manny will go down.

I will also make it clear that this fight is a complete joke and there is no true tension and it lacks as a display of competition.”

“No way Pacquiao can win,” boxing legend Thomas Hearns said, adding that the fight could be over for the Filipino in four or five rounds.

Even the forumers (boxing fans or not) at Istorya.net, a leading forum in the Visayas and Mindanao, predicted a Dela Hoya win. Their poll shows 55% are predicting an Oscar victory.

Of course, these predictions won’t sit well with diehard Pacman fans. But plenty can live with it, hoping that Manny will still be in one piece after the beating.

Manny Defeats Oscar

Many Pinoy fans hope and pray for Manny to win despite not being confident of the outcome. I, too, hope he’d take the lights out of the Golden Boy. Perhaps with a lucky punch or probably a left hook or an uppercut that would deform more than Oscar’s hairstyle. A David downing Goliath is very much possible.

Speed is the key, they say of Pacquiao’s edge over De La Hoya. Can you down a big man with speed alone? I don’t think so. But Manny has the power in his punches, and the prayers of his mother and perhaps a good percentage of the Filipino nation. Hope is all we are left right now.

A victory for Manny is actually good for the Filipinos. It means that he will keep on boxing, fighting guys like Hatton, Marquez, and perhaps a De La Hoya rematch, bringing more glory for the country. (Let’s forget about money just this time). It also means that he will also stay away for politics for a while, considered by many as a suicide for his career.

Related posts:

1. Pacquiao VS De La Hoya: Blog Round-Up
2. Pacquiao vs Diaz Fight Results
3. Afterthoughts on Pacquiao vs Clottey Fight