The SteakLib presents "HUNGRY"

This is the pilot episode of SteakLib's new show, "HUNGRY". Enjoy!

Philippine Azkals vs Malaysia Tigers

Jason Sabio and Phil Younghusband

One of the best things about being able to attend press conferences (well, besides meeting the players J) is meeting and talking to the media especially the photographers. I just started getting into photography for less than a year now and being able to talk to the professionals really makes me want to learn more and maybe be like them in the future. Maybe J

I never really thought of going into media or even simply photography. I already had a specific idea on what I want to do in the future – to take up architecture in UP and at the same time teach children. I enjoy studying architecture and being around with kids but when I first experienced how it is to be part of this kind of events, probably I can add this in my list of goals.

Neil Etheridge

Denis Wolf

I don’t know if I can even get a chance to experience this in my other subjects, probably not. Thanks sir for giving us a chance like this which I hope will not be the last! (Hehehe! J)

I felt more comfortable this time in talking to the media men. Minsan feeling close na nga ako eh K Anyway… There were definitely more people now compared to the Kia Rio Cup last January. It did not really matter during the press conference but handling them during the game itself is quite chaotic.

We were asked to give out the bibs for the photographers. We had to make sure that they surrender a valid I.D. in exchange for the bib. The media protocol is stricter now. Sobrang nakakatakot magkamali (example, hindi nagsuot ng bib) kasi palalabasin ka immediately. Nevertheless, I think no one was sent out. The photographers followed the instructions to them.

Rick Olivares, Aimee Nepomuceno, Kring Lacson, Icko de Guzman, JP Manahan

Migo Salvador, Me, Arlet Coronado

Aimee, Icko, Kring

Migo, Me, Arlet

Aimee, Brosi Gonzales, Migo

Me, Arlet, Kring, Rick Olivares

Yes, there are a number of perks being in the media room: you get to talk and bond with the media men constantly updating their Twitter pages about the game. I was able to personally meet Mr. Anton Sheker, a photographer. I actually sent a message to him before about his camera and what lenses he uses during football games. I introduced myself then we talked about his cameras. He is a really nice guy! Thank you for the information sir! Hehe J I was also able to talk to Mr. Ken Koo, another photographer. I have seen his photos from the UAAP volleyball and Azkals’ games. WHAT.AN.EXPERIENCE. I felt like I had a free photography class in less than 8 hours. Haha. And I was able to meet Sir Francis Respicio, JP Manahan, Icko de Guzman and Roy Afable again (sana hindi pa ito ang huli J). I am more than willing to do this again Sir! :)

Sir Rick, sorry for being too makulit the whole time :| Hehehe :)

-- Meg Rementina :)

Here we go again.. AZKALS VS MALAYSIA!!!!! by Miguel Salvador

Here we go again! I am at another Azkals game where this time we are against Malaysia. Since this was my second time being here at Rizal Memorial Stadium, I already had my experiences of before that made me not expect too much about the glamor of being behind the scenes. But this time around, this experience was more fun than the game between Azkals and Icheon. Not only was the game better but the things happening in the Media Room was more exciting than my previous experience.

 

Sir Rick like a boss greeting the team

With sir Rick with us, we had more opportunities to see the players. He got us so close to them that we could almost hear them breathing...well of course I'm over exaggerating.  But it was a funny experience since i was with 4 other female classmates who got into their fan girl modes. The video above was one of the videos i took to show how close we were to them and this time around, i got star struck. This time, i knew more about the players and I wasn't as naive as before.

Photoboothing while idle

Still Photoboothing for fun! :P

This experience was more fun because there were more things for us to do. It may be a little more than the last time but i felt like i had more purpose this time around. This time around, not only were we tasked with registering the media people, we also had to ask the photographers to surrender their ID's to be given a bib with special powers that allows one to do more in the stadium than those who don't have it. I honestly don't know what the bib is for but i am assuming that it's to allow the photographers to come closer to the fields and such. During my past experience, we had more idle time because there were less people. Now, we just had enough time to have fun and do the work we were supposed to do because there was more people from the press to keep us busy. And once again, the media people were hilarious and made the whole work we have a lot lighter. Its really too bad i could not remember all their names but they will always be in my heart (there's like that?! hahaha!) Meeting a lot more people, and this time people who were top honchos in the press con area, was really intimidating. In the media room, there was a mixture of Filipinos, Malaysians, and Americans which made it feel like we were in the United Nations.

On the first half of the game, the Media Room was bursting with life already because of the goal made by Denis Wolf. I wanted to watch but my hunger was growling more than my interest for the game. But it was amazing to watch the writers in the media room jump for joy at first then dive into their laptops to create their articles.During at this time, what was actually happening was me and two of my classmates ate dinner while the other two went to watch the game with free tickets that was given to us.

There was a lot of people!

On the second half of the game, it was our turn to watch. I was really excited to because this would be my first time watching a live game of soccer. If you look closely in the picture, you could see me....just kidding. It was an exhilarating 2nd half. The ball kept going back and forth teams and there was a lot of attempted shots that kept giving us mini heart attacks. There were 2 instances that i could not forget in the 2nd half: one amazing attempt to shoot a goal by a player i forgot who and the amazing block of Neil Etheridge.

I really hate it that i forgot who made the shot but it was amazing because it was my first time to see a half somersault kick. What made it amazing was that i wasn't expecting a kick like that to happen because it was crowded and everyone was defended well. The other exciting moment was Neil Etheridge blocking, for me, an almost impossible shot. The ball was just an arm's length away and he was able to puch it out of its course in the nick of time. I was screaming like a fanboy who's been watching soccer forever. But ofcourse, the game ended with a tie and for me it was still a great game.

Malaysia Team Coach and player with sir Rick

Back in the Media Room, the Press Conference was ready to start and last minute reminders were being given. HUGE cameras were already set up and the place was getting warm because it was crowded with people. This was when i thought to myself that THIS was more like a press conference. You could feel the photographers eyes burning through the lenses of their cameras and writers scribbling in their notebooks. And as soon as the Malaysian Coach entered, everyone fell silent and the questions began.

Dennis Wolf, Coach Weiss, Sir Rick Olivares, Neil Etheridge , Jason Sabio

As the Azkals team came dripping in one by one (and as I collect the bibs dripping with sweat), the press showed more interest to question this team than the other. Actually, this also happened before against Korea and made me quite puzzled. Shouldn't we ask as much questions to the other team as well as our team? Well it may just be me who's complaining. There was a lot of good questions thrown in for the team and there was a couple of bad ones.

Once before i learned that there was such a thing as bad questions to ask during a press conference. During this press conference, i experienced, witnessed, and heard the most "wtf" question for a team. I suddenly understood what a stupid question was. The question basically asks the coach if the change of players during the last part of the game made a huge effect on the game to being a draw. Not only was my mouth open but my chinky eyes grew wide and felt embarrassed. The coach's reaction wasn't fun to hear to because you could hear the thunder in his voice (while on the other side of the table, Etheridge and Sabio was laughing and making fun of the situation. Kind of like when a little boy teases a younger sibling for being scolded! "NYE NYE!")

This experience has been a really great one. Compared to my last experience, there was more action, drama and suspense in this one. On a serious note, the very important things i should remember if i ever pursue journalism is research and critical thinking. Whatever branch of journalism it would be, research and critical thinking is what you need to truly flesh out the needed information needed to come out. Not doing so would be a huge waste of time and time for a journalist is of the essence and their careers are bound by time. On a lighter note, i did learn that there will always be time for fun even at the most serious of times (thank you Etheridge and other reporters and photographers for teaching me this).

As a last "field trip" for journalism class, i would have to admit this a great one. *not crying that this is the last*

Awww!

Azkals vs. Icheon by Miguel Salvador

It was after classes and I was rushing to go the the MRT to go to Rizal Memorial Stadium. In the back of my head as i traveled, all I could think about was the many star athletes I would get to see up close when I get to the stadium (and the many sweaty people I'm trying to avoid in the cramped up MRT). I was so proud and thankful to have an opportunity like this (thanks Sir Rick) that I kept bragging to my parents that I would get to watch an Azkals game live. My mom got so jealous and said i should bring her with me to the game.

Arriving at the stadium, my hair was rising because you could really tell that this was a big deal event with all the security guards around that looked like huge boulders on steroids. Even entry was hard. But as I got in, and met up with my classmates, and was briefed on the things we could do, and the limitations we had, it was then that i realized that we weren't here for sight seeing but to work and experience what it was like to manage a press con.

Our job was simple, to register the media and photographers who would go to the game. It was fine, but to be honest, it was boring. It was a job that could be done by 2-3 people and there was 5 of us. Everything in the Media Room was slow as well. People would come and go and would sometimes ask us about things we have no idea about. Later on as there were more and more people coming in, and more and more questions were being asked, it was getting more difficult for us because we started sounding like idiots who kept on saying sorry for not knowing what to say or do. This was, for me, the most frustrating part about not being completely briefed or at least being given more information on where to point whoever to answer their questions. As Christopher Lao said several times, "I should have been informed!" The briefing was also kind of a flop for me because most of the media people were late. I just hope they were able to know what they needed to know.

What was disappointing also was that not all the players were present on this game. I, myself, am not a fan of soccer nor the azkals and the only people I really knew in the team were the Younghusbands and Etheridge because of the hype they got on TV. So it was really a downer that the players here were kind of unknown.  But in the media room, you could hear reporters and media people talking about the players. It was here that I really got some information so that I wouldn't look like a total noob. Plus, interacting with these media people was hilarious because they cracked jokes and was totally friendly. It was the kind of ambiance that where it might be fun to be friends with all the people there.

The most exciting part was when i actually started watching the game. At first i was bored to tears because as i said, i really am not into soccer/football. As soon as the Koreans scored, i started dozing off. 70+min later, i started watching and Angeles scored all of a sudden! It was a total rush of adrenaline! I WAS HAVING FUN! From that moment till the end, i watched it till the kick out ended. It was sad that we lost but to experience this for the first time was great.

Icheon Player and Coach

The game ended, there we were rushing to ready the Media Room to ready the press conference. I was excited because i imagined this to be just like the ones in the movies where there were many reporters trying to ask a lot of questions. Once again, reality exceeded expectations because there was barely any media people in the room. The room was barely filled with the reporters. I just thought to myself that maybe the Filipinos were just late (as usual). The Korean couch with their team member entered and there was barely any questions asked.

Angeles and Coach Michael Weiss

When Angeles and Coach Weiss came into the media room, the place got more intense and more questions were asked to the seemingly shy Angeles. Coach Weiss on the other hand sounded very strong and seemed like a bad person to mess with.

As a whole, I was kind of okay with the experience. No doubt i learned something new about Press Conferences, soccer, football and the press. But what interested me was what Sir Icko was doing. I really would want to see what sir Icko or what sir Rick does in these press conferences. Them running around, checking if everything is going well is something i would want to witness first hand. I feel like the rush of blood of managing the entire thing is a more interesting experience. Someday, I hope I would get to experience or witness what sir Icko is doing. (Konting parinig lang! haha!) Or maybe I'm interested in what they are doing because i haven't seen them do exactly what they are doing. The mystery is so compelling! Till next time!

-Migo Salvador