Highway to Happy

It was what's written in the stars versus the biggest and strongest team. No need to mention which prevailed over which. It was decided yesterday: The Ateneo Blue Eagles were proclaimed 2008 UAAP champions.

Analyzing the season was pretty easy.

Ateneo was destined to win. It was their time and they deserve every minute of their earned glory. Earned. That's actually the magic word.

The Blue Eagles did not rely on fate and luck, alone. They worked hard. Trained hard. And they came out as the strongest team in the league. So what could you do to beat a dominating team destined to win a championship?

Nothing.

It's not up to you. It's up to them.

All season long, we witnessed an Ateneo vs. Ateneo bout. Yes, they were up against themselves. It was playing well against playing poorly. When they played well, no team could stop them. When they were having a bad day, that's the time the other teams get the chance. And after 17 well- fought games, only FEU was able to beat them- once.

There were a number of crucial elements stitched altogether that helped Ateneo claim the crown. But if i were to choose one, it would have to be this:

They were MEN playing with a MISSION.

No guessing games. No pep talks. No defining moments.

No measuring. No quantifying.

When the season started, the only had one business in mind: win the championship. All the rest, they accomplished before they came out and began crushing teams.

They prepared well; they believed firmly. So when they face the team with probably the most number of championship experiences, they didn't choke. They didn't take a step back. They finished what they've started. The buzzer sounded. The game clock froze. And seconds after that, Chris Tiu was already making the sweetest kiss in his Collegiate career: a kiss on the trophy, which he, and the rest of his team, worked extremely hard for.

La Salle lost to a better team, definitely. But i don't want to make excuses.

La Salle lost.

Ateneo won.

Last year was our time.

This year, it was Destiny vs. Domination, Ateneo vs. Ateneo. La Salle and the other 6 teams weren't even part of the equation.

This year is for Ateneo.

Next year is up for grabs.

# posted by Liana : 12:29 AM