Rice-powered RP duo ready for World Cup of Pool battle

Rice-powered RP duo ready for World Cup of Pool battle

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau 10/08/2008 10:26 PM

Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo are physically and mentally ready for their first match in the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands on Thursday.

And their secret weapon, as revealed to ABS-CBN, is rice.

“Ginagawa naming preparation? Kumain kami ng kanin at me ulam,” Bustamante told the ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.

Even if they are billeted in a three-star hotel in Rotterdam with room service, Bustamante and Orcollo prefer to eat Pinoy food which must include steamed rice all the time.

Thanks to Bustamante’s friend in The Netherlands, Pinoy businessman Ronald Gavino, the two now have in their hotel room a rice cooker, a 10-kilo bag of Pandan rice, a microwave, canned goods and home-cooked Filipino dishes given by compatriots.

The two Pinoy pool players said that since they are still jetlagged and are still adjusting to the six-hour time difference between Holland and the Philippines, they find themselves waking up in ungodly hours and starving.

Since room service is only until midnight, a stock of Pinoy food in their room certainly becomes invaluable in keeping them in good form.

After all, food certainly helps for better concentration and boosts performance.

With their first match this Thursday, the two Pinoys would only need luck to breeze through the games now that they have already prepared fully for this tournament.

Both say that although they are confident, they remain just hopeful that they will reach the finals.

There’s one emotional glitch, though.

Bustamante told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau about feeling slighted by the organizers.

He complained that he and Orcollo are not in the publicity photos for this tournament. However, Dutch players Niels Feijen and Nick van den Berg, which are ranked below them, are always on the posters.

Bustamante and Orcollo are seeded number two in the tournament.

“Alam mo ang hinanakit namin dito eh wala kami sa litrato. Kasi nagchampion na kami ni pareng Efren dito. Parati silang [Dutch players] nasa litrato eh hindi naman sila nananalo,” Bustamante said.

It was pointed out to Bustamante that during last year’s tournament, the posters carried his photo with partner Efren "Bata" Reyes, together with the Dutch players.

“Eh nandun nga kami, pero hindi pa naman sila nananalo eh nandun pa rin sila,” Bustamante said.

Bustamante and Reyes reached the quarter finals last year.

On Tuesday, the strong Dutch contenders lost 3-8 to the Belgian underdogs, Noel Bruynooghe and Serge Das.

Loui Galicia, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
as of 10/09/2008 12:32 AM

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/10/08/08/rice-powered-rp-duo-ready-world-cup-pool-battle