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Just shut up, and allow everyone to dream

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Photo Credit: Inquirer.net

September 4, 2016 2:47 AM

I was already sleeping at 1:30 AM dreaming of a bonfire in Katipunan. Beer would be flowing while the rest of the Blue Eagles would tirelessly sign autographs. Fans would celebrate and shout "ONE BIG FIGHT!!!" Then there I would be in the corner, documenting everything that was happening with a smile on my face.  

One hour later, I wake up and realize that it was all just a dream. 

I try to go back to sleep, but to no avail. It's weird. The girlfriend's sound asleep. The brother isn't snoring, and he smells rather good this time around. My alarm clocks are off, it is the weekend after all. So why can't I sleep?

I listen a bit closer, and I start to hear the drums. 

"ONE BIG FIGHT!" one side shouts.

"Go USTe!!!" the other says. 

Oh crap. It's that time of the year again. It's the UAAP season. Sleepless nights like these? It's going to be nothing new for someone who's going to be writing about the league. In fact, it's going to be something I have to get used to. It's that time of the year again. Which also means,

it's that time of the year again I'm bombarded with questions related to the UAAP.

"Who's going to win this season?"

"Ano chance ng Ateneo na manalo?"

But among all of the questions, I've been asked, one stands out.
"Sino magrurunner up kalaban ang La Salle?"

It's an easy story to lean onto. La Salle dominated the preseason, coming out of the Filoil Flying V Tournament unscathed. Unscathed is an adjective that downplays their dominance. They were flat-out destroying every team they were up against. They made a Tab Baldwin led Ateneo Blue Eagles look like a Grade School Team. A Nash Racela led FEU Tamaraws squad looked like inter-barangay defending champions rather than UAAP defending champions. La Salle just looked like it was going to run through every team to capture championship number 9 for Taft. 

I'll be honest. As the UAAP season slowly approached, my mindset was, "No matter what happens, La Salle has got this." That's coming from an Atenean, by the way. So any time an Atenean says that La Salle has got this? Then La Salle does indeed got this. The worst of it?

I wasn't the only Atenean saying that this season is La Salle's to lose.

My friends were saying it. Some professors have hinted at La Salle's dominance. It was the easy and safe choice to make. To sweep or not to sweep for La Salle? That was the story that you could easily lean towards. 

However, as the UAAP season approached, my perception started to change, thanks to some heart to heart conversations with some players from different schools. This wasn't going to be a La Salle romp. In fact, this was going to be a very entertaining season. This was a season where teams would dare to dream and aim for a championship. 

Why aim for a championship when you have Jeron Teng and the rest of the La Salle Green Archers to stand in front of you? There are few answers to this question, but my answer to this is simple:

Everyone starts at 0-0 when Season 79 starts.

Filoil won't matter anymore. The Ben Mbalas of the world will simply be reverted to becoming key players rather than the God figures we have made them to be with the way that we have talked about them. Everyone starts at zero. 

When everyone starts at zero, everyone is given the equal opportunity to dream. Everyone is given the equal opportunity to win the championship.

It's scary to dream in times like these. There isn't any stability. There's always the possibility of failing and falling to the trap of the "La Salle's going to win anyway with all of their talent so why dream?" question. 

But dream anyway. It's in our dreams where we find the strength to push harder and harder each day.

This isn't going to be the La Salle Championship Tour. This is going to be UAAP Season 79: Dare to Dream. All eight teams will dare to dream for a championship, no matter the odds that are stacked against them. 

September 4, 2016 3:18 AM

Took me 30 minutes to write that, huh. Well, I'm not sleepy yet. 

There are still so much thoughts running inside my head. It isn't just the drums anymore. There's burritos, politics and Michael Jackson (not even joking) running inside my head. Oh look, a running burrito. Didn't know that's possible.

But as I listen ever closely, what stands out are the drums. It isn't just limited to the alma mater of the girlfriend and I. I suddenly hear the voices from Morayta, San Marcelino and Diliman. I hear eight voices dreaming, shouting towards the championship which they ever so desire.

Meh who am I kidding. I guess I'll just try to go to sleep, and follow my dream of a bonfire in Katipunan. That's nice. I just have to sleep to follow my dream. I hope it comes true though. 

See you in a couple of hours, UAAP Season 79. We'll surely dare to dream. 
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