Read up.

Going over the Blue Eagle Bulletins by Rick Olivares, I have grown to love the team more as I read to see what happens when the players are not on the court and to hear what I don't hear the players say on the court when I watch live or on TV. I have quoted an excerpt of his article regarding our first loss to La Salle this season.

Here are some of the other excerpts that I loved as well. Read them and tell me why I shouldn't be proud to be Atenean. Much better than that, stop reading this blog entry, read the full bulletins and watch the videos that come with them:

From Blue Eagles Bulletin #16: Live and let die (Step-ladder game against UST):

...Ateneo coach Norman Black before the game. “No doubt it was doubly disappointing because we didn’t get the job done also against La Salle. Now it’s a long, hard road, but I figure we have a lot of fight left in us. We’d like nothing more than another crack at moving on.”

As the Blue Eagles retreated to their locker room to change into their game uniforms, one of the Araneta Coliseum ushers had this to say, “Mas magaling yung players ng UST, pero sa puso, [mas magaling ang] Ateneo talaga (UST’s players are good, but when it comes to playing with passion, Ateneo’s players are better).”

Eric Salamat: “We’re sorry we lost the second seed, but we’ve got another chance. We’re going to give that one big fight. Now it’s La Salle.”

And ever the classy coach, Jarencio, paid tribute to Ateneo after the game. “Never i-underestimate ang pusong Atenista (Never underestimate the heart of an Atenean).”

From Blue Eagles Bulletin #17: Cliffhanger (Sept.27 game against DLSU):

Before the start of the game in the Upper A section of the coliseum’s southside, a group in blue and white held up high a sign that drew much derision and catcalls from their opposites in green who were just an arm’s length away.

“We beat you twice and we’ll do it again.”

We’re about to find out. Here we go again and I’ll see you on Sunday.

From Final Blue Eagles Bulletin: Remember the Titans:

There was some hope in the air when Baclao hit a bail out trey to cut down the lead 62-60, but the gallant Blue Eagles who refused to go away, who were frustrated time and again by spotty officiating, and who were tired from a grueling uphill climb dating back to the rubber match to determine the second seed, simply exhausted its endgame magic.

The season where we overachieved and dared to dream was over 65-60 to La Salle.

As the team faced the blue gallery for the singing of the alma mater hymn for the last time in this UAAP basketball season, I felt the tears burn my eyes. I held them back last year as the last person left in an abandoned Araneta Coliseum refusing to go home with the lights almost out. Last night I let a couple trail down. It isn’t even losing to La Salle. I think I’m beyond that. It’s the manner in which they lost -- robbed of an opportunity to play on even terms. But they went down fighting and sometimes that’s all you can ever ask.

If you look at my pre-season preview of the team, I thought well our chances and penciled them for a final four berth. I liked them then and I sure like them now.

So if you come across a fellow Atenean who is grieving like you and me, tell him or her, chin up because there’s good reason to believe.

Animo Ateneo!