Who Let the Dogs Out?

Can I just say that I have a newfound respect for football players? I never thought that the sport can be so physically exhausting as well as mentally demanding. I never realized how hard it is to chase a ball using anything but your hands in a very large court with 10 other guys trying to block you, push you to the ground and break your bones.

At least basketball players have polished floors, these guys have the cold and sometimes even wet soil as their playground.

The Philippine Football Team aptly named the "Azkals" consists of a mixed breed of Filipino's and Fil-Europeans.  Below is the story behind their name:

"Why Azkals? An askal is a Filipino term for any dog with no pedigree, no breed, no class. The askal is usually astray, unsupported and survives by feeding on whatever provision it can find. The Filipino national football team can relate to this mongrel, they have almost no support from a government thats suppose to support them, they are underdogs not just only to the world but even in their own region, South East Asia."

It was my first time to watch an entire game and I can say that I found it exciting.  Not to mention that my heart rate goes high and my palms sweat everytime I see my favorite player go down.  Congratulations to the Azkals for winning the first leg of their game against Mongolia.

Congratulations to the Bacolod crowd for cheering for our team and for having a world class football field. Let us keep the football fever alive!