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[spongklong]

Former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Eddie Griffin died last week when his sport utility vehicle collided with a freight train in a fiery crash, the Harris County medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

Investigators used dental records to identify Griffin, 25, who began his tumultuous pro career with the Houston Rockets in 2001. He was waived by the Timberwolves in March.

The five-year veteran, who was the No. 7 pick in the 2001 NBA draft, had battled alcohol problems since coming out of Seton Hall. Griffin was suspended by the league for five games in January for violating its anti-drug program.

Houston police said in a report that the driver of the SUV ignored a railroad warning and went through a barrier before striking the moving train about 1:30 a.m. Friday.

The driver's body was badly burned and there was no identification.

"I was able this afternoon to get some dental records from the one dentist he had gone to see in Houston, and they were able to use that apparently to positively identify him,'' said Derek S. Hollingsworth, an attorney who has represented Griffin in criminal cases.

Hollingsworth said he spoke with Griffin's mother, who was devastated by the news.

Griffin had a series of suspensions, court dates and missed practices during his first two years in the NBA with Houston and New Jersey. He spent time in the Betty Ford Center for alcohol treatment in 2003-04.

Hollingsworth said he found Griffin to be kind and gentle - behavior inconsistent with how the player was described in police reports.

"He had a problem with alcohol, and I think that was a medication for him, and I think that led to a lot of issues,'' Hollingsworth said.

Griffin, who played forward and center, signed with the Timberwolves as a free agent before the 2004 season. He showed enough promise as a shot-blocker and rebounder to be signed to an extension, but was waived in March after playing in just 13 games last season with the Wolves.

The Wolves put his locker right next to star Kevin Garnett, hoping the former MVP could help straighten Griffin out.

Griffin put up some big numbers on occasion with the Wolves, but continued to get into trouble off the court. He pleaded guilty last season to inattentive driving after he hit a parked car while out late one night in Minneapolis.

[cholo11]

Former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Eddie Griffin died last week when his sport utility vehicle collided with a freight train in a fiery crash, the Harris County medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

Investigators used dental records to identify Griffin, 25, who began his tumultuous pro career with the Houston Rockets in 2001. He was waived by the Timberwolves in March.

The five-year veteran, who was the No. 7 pick in the 2001 NBA draft, had battled alcohol problems since coming out of Seton Hall. Griffin was suspended by the league for five games in January for violating its anti-drug program.

Houston police said in a report that the driver of the SUV ignored a railroad warning and went through a barrier before striking the moving train about 1:30 a.m. Friday.

The driver's body was badly burned and there was no identification.

"I was able this afternoon to get some dental records from the one dentist he had gone to see in Houston, and they were able to use that apparently to positively identify him,'' said Derek S. Hollingsworth, an attorney who has represented Griffin in criminal cases.

Hollingsworth said he spoke with Griffin's mother, who was devastated by the news.

Griffin had a series of suspensions, court dates and missed practices during his first two years in the NBA with Houston and New Jersey. He spent time in the Betty Ford Center for alcohol treatment in 2003-04.

Hollingsworth said he found Griffin to be kind and gentle - behavior inconsistent with how the player was described in police reports.

"He had a problem with alcohol, and I think that was a medication for him, and I think that led to a lot of issues,'' Hollingsworth said.

Griffin, who played forward and center, signed with the Timberwolves as a free agent before the 2004 season. He showed enough promise as a shot-blocker and rebounder to be signed to an extension, but was waived in March after playing in just 13 games last season with the Wolves.

The Wolves put his locker right next to star Kevin Garnett, hoping the former MVP could help straighten Griffin out.

Griffin put up some big numbers on occasion with the Wolves, but continued to get into trouble off the court. He pleaded guilty last season to inattentive driving after he hit a parked car while out late one night in Minneapolis.

Wild!!!!

[Darfur]

s RP quintet of jones cup... isa lang masasabi ko: nakakabuwisit panoorin ang working attitude ng mga players. they have all the talents kaso alang disiplina. panalo na e natalo pa. Buwiset!mag piko n lang kau mga hunghang!

[spongklong]

MANILA, Philippines — More than 11,000 kilometres from home, fans were chanting his name, and Kobe Bryant was loving it.

No controversy. No tough questions. In the basketball-loving Philippines, no one was going to ruffle the feathers of a charismatic icon visiting to promote the sport, encourage kids to pursue their dreams and maybe sell a few pairs of his new line of shoes.

"I love Manila," a beaming Bryant told a crowd that started gathering at 6 a.m. outside a store in Manila, nine hours before he appeared. "The energy here is off the charts."

Bryant, fresh off a gold medal at the FIBA Americas championship, kicked off his five-stop Asian tour Wednesday.

A lot has happened to Bryant since his first trip to Manila a decade ago — three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and a rape case that was eventually dismissed but left many wondering if he would ever successfully polish the tarnish off his star.

The Manila public provided the answer. He was even touted as a role model for children, a tag that he didn't try to avoid.

"The important thing to remember when people talk about role models, they assume role models are perfect," Bryant said. "Nobody's perfect."

The key, he said, is not to duplicate mistakes, and to try to give back to the community with charity and efforts to spread the sport.

Bryant was still basking in the success of the U.S. basketball team, which earned favourable comparisons with the first two "Dream Teams" put together after professionals were allowed to compete at the Olympics.

"When you have an opportunity to play for your country, it's even more special," he said. "The whole country gets behind you."

Asked who he would choose to surround himself with if he were Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Bryant said: "Can I assume I'm Bill Gates, too? All of the USA basketball team."

Bryant said he has taken off 20 pounds since the end of the NBA season, partly by paying attention to his diet for the first time.

"My primary focus this summer was defence," he said. "I had to guard smaller, quicker players. I wanted to get back some of the agility I had in 2000," without losing strength.

What has he been eating?

"Grass," Bryant joked, before saying he had to give up fast food and some of his decadent favourites — apple pie with ice cream, chocolate cake and sugar cookies.

"I can feel the results already," he said.

The Nike store, in Manila's Fort Bonifacio area, was festooned with a poster promoting Bryant's new shoe, the Kobe II.

At 7,000 pesos (about C$160), the shoes represent about six weeks' pay for the average Filipino. But the mostly middle- to upper-class crowd waved his jerseys and raised the old model shoe when he came out of the store. Arms went up as one, cellphones snapping photos.

Construction workers at two adjacent buildings stopped what they were doing and gathered on the roofs or clung to scaffolding as supervisors tried to get them back on the job.

Bryant, who later gave a basketball clinic, laughed as the crowd chanted his name, then "MVP."

He appeared to be most touched when children of a school that is getting a new basketball court, donated by Nike, gave him a framed collection of crayon drawings they had done of him.

"Keep your dreams alive," Bryant said. "Keep going after it."

[Chupau is BACK!!]

Laro naman tayo ng Saturday para mabanat nanaman ung mga buto.

[spongklong]

Laro naman tayo ng Saturday para mabanat nanaman ung mga buto.

di pa sure sched ko saturday. San  ba pwede possible mag laro ?

[Chupau is BACK!!]

As usual ABAC lang naman ang alam ko pag laruan dito sa bangkok,,, ung mga ibang boys kaya alam kung san pa tayo pede mag laro...

[joe D dried mango]

depende yan kung yun normal na basketball lang.hahahaahha

[Master J]

Preng Spong, anong team ba ngayon ang malakas sa liga ninyo?

[Chupau is BACK!!]

Manong J linawin mo ,, malakas saan?? lam mo naman [ag dating sa ganyan kailangan specific tayo,,,hahahahahahaha

Malakas sa inuman, sa babae, sa kantyawan, etc.....

[Master J]

Manong J linawin mo ,, malakas saan?? lam mo naman [ag dating sa ganyan kailangan specific tayo,,,hahahahahahaha

Malakas sa inuman, sa babae, sa kantyawan, etc.....

Wahahahaha sa basketball court pre. Pre, kuha mo txt ko? Sa Sabado punta kayo sa party natin. Pakisabi na lang kina Scrubnurse

[spongklong]

tama ka preng chupao, basta team namin ang malakas ( sex appeal ). pero sa liga ang nag champion eh ung Harrows. ung mga players eh mga dating students nito.  maraming malakas na Thai team ngayon.

[Master J]

Ayos yan pre. So dapat kailangan pala double time ang practice para sa basketball court. Kasi yung sex appeal andiyan na he he he

[Master J]

Preng Jerome, ano na ang update sa basketball? Balitaan mo naman kami. Ung dinig ko lang kayo pa rin ang malakas. Kami malakas din sa inom

[spongklong]

Pre, parang sa 2nd week yata ang start ng liga. alam ko eh all filipino ngayon. Pre, di lang kami malakas sa inom pati narin sa kain. meron ba tayong team ngayon?

[Master J]

Pre, oo nga pala malakas din kaming kumain. Pre, hinidi ko ata makita mobile number mo sa phone ko. Paki PM nga uli pre, please. Na miss ko na boses mo eh.

Team? Nagtatry na magbuo pre, pero nawala na kasi mga bida namin. I am sure narinig mo na yun. Pero, for the love of the game we will do our best na makaapak uli sa court. Hindi yung court na ano ha... 55555

[spongklong]

sana nga pre makasali ulit SP basketball team para lalong mas masaya.

[Master J]

Sana magdilang anghel ka pareng Sponklong. He he he

[spongklong]

Excited na ko sa liga, after 2 years magkakalaro ulit ako ng all filipino.  mas masaya

[Master J]

Ngayon lang ba magkakaroon ng all Fil uli pre?