The torrid zone that was ASCOM Field failed to faze seven eager football teams that trooped to Fort Bonifacio last Sunday for one thing, and one thing only, the Adobo Cup. It was football fever, literally. Six months too early from its regular November schedule, this special Adobo Cup featured agencies Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines, DM9JaymeSyfu, JWT Manila, Ogilvy & Mather and Publicis Manila, as well as Balls TV of ABS-CBN.
Its impressive inclusion of media and increased number of sponsors aside, the novelty of this Adobo Cup is for its humble cause: goodwill and donations for the homeless World Cup team and Army kids.
“Unlike last year where it was all fun, this edition will allow us to give back to the community. The different teams won’t just be going at each other, (the event) will also be a day where we collect football donations for the homeless world cup team and the army kids so that they may play the sport with decent equipment,” said Caloy Sambrano, DM9JaymeSyfu team captain in a previous interview.
The Adobo Cup is one of a kind. From a small group in 2007, to five agency teams with five players each in 2008. Just a year later, the Adobo Cup in 2009 boasted seven teams with double the number of players, and subs to spare. While it featured a mixed-agency team in 2008, the growing interest in football had agencies fielding their own players along with a few draftees.
Taking a month to plan, what greeted players, spectators and pep squads was the obvious expansion of the event, and its well-oiled machine. “All team captains met regularly, laying ground rules that included procedure on drafts. All draftees were listed and ranked, as well as the teams. A lower-ranked team had first choice of drafts,” revealed Sambrano, explaining how Ebong Joson, a freelance voice talent ended up playing for Publicis Manila. Joson played for DM9JaymeSyfu in Adobo Cup 2009, and walked away with the Golden Boot award.
Furthermore, only one draft at a time will be allowed to play. “That’s important because that is one of our objectives. We really want the agencies to develop their own players,” Sambrano added.
From meager beginnings, to media broadcast material, this Adobo Cup featured the debut of Balls TV team featuring ABS-CBN VP Miguel Mercado, into the league. A former adman with Publicis and J. Romero, Mercado’s Blue Team featured Marielle Benitez, a midfielder for the Philippine national football team. With Benitez making two goals, and Mercado’s tenacity in lifting the team’s spirits from their first game loss, the Blue Balls team were terriers on the pitch.
The matches had their spills, thrills and kills. Ace Saatchi & Saatchi’s Tonypet Sarmiento limped his way at the sidelines, the injured captain shouting imperative tactics, thus earning the nickname Michael Ballack. (Ballack is the captain of the German national team who got injured prior to the World Cup and cannot play.)
At one point of the JWT match against BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines, the entire team started shrieking to mark the entry of ECD Dave Ferrer into the pitch. “I was just chatting away at the sidelines, then I was told to play, and they started shrieking,” an embarrassed Ferrer shared at half-time. Nonetheless, the ECD played a rather fine match.
One of the highlights of the day was the second-half of the Publicis Manila versus JWT Manila game, both agencies fielding an all-female team.
Though high in spirits and keen on sportsmanship, the competitiveness that is the nature of the game—as it is to the trade—whirred in the sweaty, sticky air. Their match with Balls TV so tight, the tension so thick, Merlee Jayme Chief Creative Officer of DM9JaymeSyfu remarked, “This is enough to cause a heart attack.” And that was not even their final match yet.
Missing out on the last four by a narrow margin, Mercado’s Balls Team made way for Publicis Manila, BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines, Ace Saatchi & Saatchi and DM9JaymeSyfu.
“I am not happy with the turnout because we were eliminated,” Mercado said, poker-faced, but half in jest. “But, I am very happy with how football is fast gaining ground. This is why we do it. We have to continue this drive. It has gotten to the point where I can play football every night, whether outdoors, or futsal. Even my kids play football all the time,” he continued.
Fast gaining ground may just be the best description to the game of football in the Metro. The sponsorship of adidas alone may be testament to that. “We didn’t ask them for any money. We just asked them to provide the balls, and they did. All six of those balls will be donated to the cause,” said Angel Guerrero, adobo magazine editor-in-chief.
The final game between Publicis Manila and DM9JaymeSyfu was truly worth the watch, so even were the teams strike-for-strike and pass-for-pass. For Publicis Manila, it took long-range goals from Ebong Joson to breach DM9JaymeSyfu’s brilliant defense by Sambrano and goalkeeping by Eswin Casimero. Likewise, it was female keeper Leona “Mackay” Bedonia’s prescience that kept off the sneak attacks by DM9JaymeSyfu’s fleet-footed Number 14, EJ Galang.
In the end, Publicis Manila prevailed with a closely fought 2-1 victory. Marielle Benitez of Balls Channel was named Best Midfielder, and Caloy Sambrano named Best Defender. Best Goalkeeper was Gabby Tripon from Ace Saatchi & Saatchi.
“With all the shouting I did, I’ve put my source of income, at least for this week, in jeopardy. But awesome day!,” said Ebong Joson, whose seven goals, two of which he delivered during the final match, won him the Golden Boot for the second time in a row. Now with a pair, Joson can very well strut his stuff.
The Adobo Cup 2010 is presented by Balls Channel, adidas, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Nestea and VitaQuaker.
