Creamline proves me right
WELL, I guess I can crow a bit now, after all, Creamline just proved me right.
Last year, I did a piece on the team explaining from my point if view why they keep on winning and I emphasized not the skills side but more on the attitude, more so that most PVL teams are at par with one another when it comes to talents.
And what spells the difference is the team chemistry and the supreme confidence of Creamline players on themselves, their teammates, coaches, and the system, the belief that they can beat any tean in the league while maintaining respect for their opponents.
Prior to the start of this All Filipino conference, I also made a bold prediction that Creamline will again enter the finals but I was not sure who their opponents would be.
Last Sunday night, I went with my son to Smart Arneta Coliseum to watch Game 2 of the best of 3 championship series, Creamline against Choco Mucho, with Creamline ahead 1-0 and in a position to wrap up everything that night.
I described the match up as something between two teams, one trying to maintain its dynasty and legend in the league, the other team wishing to start writing its own winning history, and credit goes to Choco Mucho for finally beating Creamline in the preliminary round for the first time ever.
As I said, I was among the more than 23,000 screaming fans at hand for Game 2, with a lot more outside not being able to join the SRO crowd already inside, and just before the start of the game, I uploaded my own prediction saying I had the feeling I will not have to reserve a night for Game 3.
Actually, if the number of fans inside will be the main factor, Creamline would have been the winner already, there were more of them than Choco Mucho fans, but then the game was up to the players on the court, not on the fabs in the stands.
So even after losing sets 1 and 3 to Choco Mucho, I still believed Creamline will take it in the end, that when all the chips are in, the championship experience and poise of its players will prevail.
Now you know what happened, the game extended to set 5 and Creamline for me thrives on this kind of pressure, I could not say the same for their opponents.
And this is why I feel I can crow a bit as I called it right, Creamline added another title to its collection of 7 championships and won its 4th straight All Filipino.
I stayed for awhile after all the confetti had fallen to the floor as fans waited for the formal awarding ceremonies, I was at the waiting area near the dug outs where the players from Creamline, , Choco Mucho, and Petro Gazz were also waiting.
If the on court action was emotional, no quarters asked, none given, it was very different where I was, players from the opposing teams were hugging each other, acting as best of friends and a lot if them are, and this is one big reason why I like women’s volleyball , the only sport now that I would go out of my way to watch.
My congratulations and thanks to Creamline.
By the way, I also had a chance to chat with Japan-based Jaja Santiago, here now on vacation up to May 21 to visit her family and husband Taka Minowa , who in turn is based here as he is involved with Akari and Nxled teams in the PVL.
Yes, we just might see Jaja in the Paris Olympics suiting up for the Japanese national women’s team as she already decided before that she will take the offer of Japanese citizenship, the only way she can realize her dream of playing in the Olympics.
According to Jaja, her naturalization papers are being fast tracked presently and she is already training with the national team.
Sad to think that we lost her to Japan, where she has been playing for s8x years already and has made her mark , but still, I am happy that she will see her dream come true.
Knowing too that whatever happens, Jaja is a Filipina at heart and will remain one forever, and seeing her playing in Paris this year will still make me feel proud of her.
Too bad I did not get the chance to get an update from PVL President Ricky Palou about the league’s plans in forming the national team for the forthcoming AVC Cup we are hosting here.
But I will one of these days.
