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NBA star James returns to jersey No. 23 in Russell tribute
LeBron James will switch his jersey number from 6 to 23 for his 21st NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers announced. The move, confirmed Saturday night on social media by the Lakers, is a tribute to the late NBA legend Bill Russell, whose jersey No. 6 was retired last year after his death, James's agent Rich Paul told ESPN. Players who were wearing 6, like James, were allowed to continue wearing the number. James did so for the 2022-23 campaign in honor of Russell, an 11-time NBA champion and five-time NBA Most Valuable Player, but has decided to show his respect this season by picking another number. It's the fourth NBA number change for James, who returns to 23, which he wore to start his career and at stops throughout his two decades in the league. James wore 23 in high school and when he first played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. When he left the Cavs for the Miami Heat in 2010, he changed to 6 as the Heat had retired 23 as a tribute to NBA legend Michael Jordan. In 2014, when James returned to the Cavaliers, he switched back to 23 and kept that number until 2021, when he went back to 6 so new Lakers teammate Anthony Davis could have 23, a number Davis ultimately did not take. James, who was wearing 6 when he set the all-time NBA scoring record last season, announced on Wednesday that he would play in the NBA for a 21st season. The four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP turns 39 in December and has said he would like to play in the NBA alongside his son Bronny James, who is set to be drafted next year. The post NBA star James returns to jersey No. 23 in Russell tribute appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Timberwolves hold off Nuggets to stay alive, Warriors edge Kings
Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, including a three-point dagger with 11.5 seconds left, as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 114-108 in overtime Sunday to stay alive in the NBA playoffs. Western Conference top seeds Denver, led by 43 points from reigning two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, closed regulation on a 12-0 run to force overtime. But they were out-scored 18-12 in the extra session at the Target Center in Minneapolis as the Timberwolves pulled within 3-1 in the series. Minnesota still face a daunting task -- no NBA team has come back from 3-0 down to win a best-of-seven series. "See you in Denver, we're going back," said Edwards, whose 16 third-quarter points keyed a Timberwolves charge that carried them to a 12-point lead midway through the fourth. Mike Conley added 19 points for Minnesota. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 17 points with 11 rebounds and Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 15 rebounds as the Timberwolves withstood another big night from Jokic. The Serbian star matched his playoff scoring high and added 11 rebounds and six assists. The teams swapped the lead four times in overtime, but Nuggets coach Michael Malone said too many defensive lapses in the extra session doomed his team. "You hold them to 16 points in the fourth quarter, then (they have) 18 in five minutes," Malone said. "That's the hardest thing to stomach about this game is that when the game was on the line, we were unwilling and unable to get the necessary stops." 'Sloppy' Curry It was the second Western Conference thriller of the day, after the Golden State Warriors held off a ferocious fourth-quarter fightback from the Sacramento Kings to secure a 126-125 victory that leveled their series at two games apiece. Harrison Barnes almost snatched victory for Sacramento at the buzzer, but his long-range effort bounced off the rim to leave the NBA champions celebrating. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 32 points -- and breathed a sigh of relief after two uncharacteristic blunders in a frenetic finale at the Chase Center. Curry missed a wide-open three-pointer with his team-leading 126-121 with less than a minute remaining. He then erroneously called a timeout when the Warriors had none left, earning a technical foul and allowing Sacramento's Malik Monk to make it a four-point game with a free throw. De'Aaron Fox's three-pointer pulled Sacramento within 126-125 and Curry missed another floater to give the Kings a final chance. "It was kind of sloppy not knowing how many timeouts we had left, and a couple of dagger shots didn't go in -- but we did what we needed to do defensively in those last 10 seconds," a relieved Curry said. Klay Thompson added 26 points and Jordan Poole had 22. Draymond Green, back from suspension, scored 12 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists off the bench to help the Warriors withstand a 38-point performance from Fox. Knicks, Celtics close in In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics moved within a victory of advancing, the Knicks beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-93 and the Celtics downing Atlanta 129-121 to each take 3-1 series leads. Jalen Brunson drained five three-pointers on the way to 29 points for the Knicks, who again electrified Madison Square Garden. With just one win from three more games the Knicks can advance past the first round for the first time since 2013. Darius Garland led Cleveland with 23 points but Donovan Mitchell scored just 11 -- only two in the second half. The Cavs will try to extend the series when they host game five on Wednesday. The Celtics can wrap up their series at home on Tuesday after bouncing back from a disappointing game-three defeat with a convincing victory in Atlanta. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 31 points apiece for the Celtics, each delivering a dunk in the final minute as the Celtics thwarted the Hawks' final rally bid. Hawks star Trae Young finished with a game-high 35 points and handed out 14 assists. But Boston stepped up their defensive intensity and had an answer for every Atlanta run, never trailing after the first quarter. Brown got off to a slow start, making just one of his first seven shots. Then he got rid of the protective mask he's worn since suffering a facial fracture in February and made 11 of 15. "Maybe it was all in my head," Brown said. "I took it off and started to turn things around a little bit." The post Timberwolves hold off Nuggets to stay alive, Warriors edge Kings appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Warriors down Kings to level series; Knicks and Celtics on brink
Stephen Curry scored 32 points as the Golden State Warriors held off a ferocious fourth-quarter fightback from the Sacramento Kings to secure a series-leveling 126-125 victory in the NBA playoffs on Sunday. Harrison Barnes almost snatched victory for Sacramento on the buzzer, but his long-range effort bounced off the rim to leave the NBA champions celebrating a result that leaves them tied at 2-2 in the best-of-seven series after dropping games one and two. In the East, meanwhile, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics moved within a victory of advancing, the Knicks beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-93 and the Celtics downing Atlanta 129-121 to each take 3-1 series leads. Curry breathed a sigh of relief after two uncharacteristic blunders in a frenetic finale at the Chase Center. The Warriors talisman missed a wide-open three-pointer with his team-leading 126-121 with less than a minute remaining. Curry compounded that rare miss by erroneously calling a time-out when the Warriors had none left, earning a technical foul and allowing Sacramento's Malik Monk to make it a four-point game with a free throw. A superb De’Aaron Fox three-pointer from 28 feet then left Sacramento within one at 126-125, and when Curry missed another floater, the Kings had a chance to win it only to see Barnes's late effort bounce out. "I ain't gonna lie, I thought it was the smartest play in the world," Curry said of his timeout call after a failed challenge had cost the Warriors their last time out. "I looked over at the bench and everybody was shaking their head. "But we did what we needed to do defensively in those last 10 seconds," a relieved Curry said. "We've protected home court, and now we move on." Barnes's late miss was the final act of a thrilling battle between the Western Conference rivals that saw the lead change hands no fewer than 19 times as momentum ebbed and flowed throughout. Golden State looked to have turned the screw decisively in the third quarter, outscoring the Kings 37-23 to start the fourth with a 10-point advantage. Sacramento, however, came surging back with a 7-0 run to start the final quarter and only a handful of points separated the two teams in the waning seconds. Curry led the Warriors' scoring with 32 points while Klay Thompson added 26, including four three-pointers, and Jordan Poole had 22. Andrew Wiggins added 18 points while Draymond Green, returning after suspension, had 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists off the bench. Fox produced a dazzling performance for Sacramento with 38 points while Keegan Murray added 23 and Monk 16. The Kings host game five on Wednesday. In New York, Jalen Brunson drained five three-pointers on the way to 29 points for the Knicks, who again electrified Madison Square Garden. With just one win from three more games the Knicks can advance past the first round for the first time since 2013. New York led by as many as 15 on the way to a nine-point halftime lead. A big third quarter saw the Cavs sneak into a narrow lead before a sustained Knicks rally in the fourth. Brunson was one of four players in double figures with R.J. Barrett providing offensive support with 26 points. Darius Garland led Cleveland 23 points but Donovan Mitchell had a game to forget after finishing with just 11 points -- only two in the second half. The Cavs will try to extend the series when they host game five on Wednesday. The Celtics can wrap up their series at home on Tuesday after bouncing back from a disappointing game-three defeat with a convincing victory in Atlanta. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 31 points apiece for the Celtics, each delivering a dunk in the final minute as the Celtics thwarted the Hawks' final rally bid. Hawks star Trae Young finished with a game-high 35 points and handed out 14 assists. But Boston stepped up their defensive intensity and had an answer for every Atlanta run, never trailing after the first quarter. The post Warriors down Kings to level series; Knicks and Celtics on brink appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves, Knicks dominate Cavs
The Denver Nuggets, fueled by a Nikola Jokic triple-double, beat Minnesota 120-111 on Friday to take a 3-0 stranglehold on their NBA Western Conference playoff series as the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks notched big home wins. The Knicks had Madison Square Garden rocking with a dominant 99-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers that put New York up 2-1. The Hawks clawed back to 2-1 after dropping the first two games against the Celtics in Boston with a 130-122 triumph. Atlanta crucially avoided falling into a 3-0 hole -- a deficit no NBA team has ever recovered from to win a best-of-seven series. And that's exactly where Western Conference top seeds Denver have the Timberwolves after two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic's seventh career playoff triple-double. Jokic scored 20 points with 11 rebounds and 12 assists, and when he was limited by foul trouble in the third quarter his teammates kept the pressure on. Michael Porter Jr scored 25 points to lead six Nuggets players in double figures and Denver's reserves out-scored the Timberwolves bench 29-10. They kept the Timberwolves at bay despite a sparkling 36 points from Anthony Edwards, whose three-pointer early in the third pulled Minnesota within three points. They were down by five with less than five minutes remaining, but couldn't break through. Jokic, who led the league with 29 triple-doubles in the regular season, said he knows they'll be even more determined on Sunday to prevent a sweep on their home floor. "We know they're going to go even more aggressive in two days," Jokic said. "So we just need to keep our composure and we know what to expect." In New York, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and RJ Barrett added 19 for the Knicks, who rebounded from a humbling game two defeat in Cleveland. The Knicks' suffocating defense contributed to a dismal night for Cleveland's Darius Garland, who missed 17 of his 21 shot attempts on the way to 10 points. Donovan Mitchell scored 22 to lead the Cavs, who became the first team this season to be held under 80 points in an NBA game. To top it off, Garland -- who scored 32 points in the Cavs' win on Tuesday -- needed treatment on his left ankle in the second half after stepping on a courtside photographer's foot. The game was the first playoff contest at Madison Square Garden in two years and the "chaos" that New York native and Cavs star Mitchell predicted materialized. Both teams made sloppy starts in the raucous atmosphere, but the Knicks steadied to take a 13-point halftime lead that they pushed to as many as 27. "This was great," said Brunson, but he warned that the Cavs would punch back in game four on Sunday. "You want to carry it over, but at the same time we've got to be focused, we've got to be ready to go." In Atlanta, Trae Young scored 32 points and Dejounte Murray added 25 as the hot-shooting Hawks clawed back into their series against the Celtics. Young shook off two sub-par performances with a stellar display, connecting on 12 of 22 shots from the field with six rebounds and nine assists. "Our whole team was making plays all night and it was up to me to go make the right one," Young said. "It's not only to score, sometimes it's to get everybody involved." He also produced a pair of blocks as the Hawks out-hustled the second-seeded Celtics -- who fell to Golden State in the NBA Finals last year. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Boston. Marcus Smart added 24 and Jaylen Brown had 15 for the Celtics, who drained 21 three-pointers but were out-rebounded 48-29. Smart said there was no secret to the Hawks' advantage on the boards, which led to their 23-9 edge in second-chance points. "It's just a matter of will," Smart said, "and they wanted it more tonight." Tatum still had a chance to tie it with 58.1 seconds left but his three-point attempt bounced off the rim and the Hawks pulled away. "I've got to play better," said a dejected Tatum, who said he made too many untimely turnovers and poor decisions. "This one tonight is on me." Atlanta will try to level the series when they host game four on Sunday. The post Nuggets take 3-0 lead over Timberwolves, Knicks dominate Cavs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Celtics dominate Hawks, Cavs rout Knicks to square series
Jayson Tatum starred as the Boston Celtics took a 2-0 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA playoffs on Tuesday, while Darius Garland delivered a 32-point gem in Cleveland's series-leveling rout of the New York Knicks. Tatum finished with 29 points as the second-seeded Celtics overcame a slow start to dominate the seventh-seeded Hawks for a 119-106 victory at Boston's TD Garden. "Playoffs are all about adjustments, trying to move on from game-to-game, seeing what you can do better -- and I think we played better," Tatum said after the win. "We want to be peaking at this time of year. Everybody's healthy, playing the right way, playing really well -- but we've got another level we can go to hopefully." Atlanta jumped out to a 22-11 lead in the first quarter before Boston's offense clicked to give the Celtics a 28-25 lead heading into the second quarter. Once in front, the Celtics never relinquished the advantage, opening up a 61-49 half-time lead and extending that to 20 points midway through the third quarter as Boston's defense shut down Atlanta's scoring. Atlanta rallied to get within eight points of the Celtics in the fourth quarter, but Boston never looked like squandering their lead down the stretch and pulled away convincingly to ensure they will take a 2-0 advantage into game three in Atlanta on Friday. Tatum finished with 29 points including five three-pointers, while Derrick White provided offensive support with 26 points and Jaylen Brown added 18 points. Dejounte Murray led Atlanta's scorers with 29 points while Trae Young finished with 24. "They won, we lost -- we've just got to be better," Atlanta playmaker Young said after the defeat. Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference playoffs on Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers roared back into their best-of-seven series with the Knicks to score a 107-90 win Beaten 101-97 in game one on Saturday, the Cavaliers bounced back in spectacular fashion to score a blowout victory. Cleveland opened up a 25-22 first quarter lead and never looked back, outscoring Cleveland 34-17 in the second quarter to take a decisive grip on the contest. New York failed to get within 15 points of the Cavs throughout the second half, as Cleveland powered on to lead by as many as 29 midway through the fourth quarter. Cleveland point guard Garland produced a sparkling display with 32 points -- 26 of them in a devastating first-half scoring burst. Caris LeVert added 24 off the bench while Donovan Mitchell added 17 points with 13 assists. The Knicks offense meanwhile failed to fire, with the team's 90-point total their second lowest tally of the season. Julius Randle finished with 22 points while Jalen Brunson added 20. Game three of the series takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York on Friday. The post Celtics dominate Hawks, Cavs rout Knicks to square series appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lakers blow out Curry, Warriors; Giannis,Bucks outlast LA Clippers
Phoenix 118, Minnesota 99 New York 109, Detroit 90 Miami 109, Atlanta 99 Charlotte 127, Sacramento 126 Memphis 133, Houston 84 Boston 111, Washington 110 LA Lakers 117, Golden State 91 Milwaukee 105, LA Clippers 100 LOS ANGELES (AFP) – LeBron James scored 19 points and had plenty of time to sit back and enjoy […].....»»
Heat oust depleted Bucks to reach NBA East finals; Lakers down Rockets, up 2-1
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Five of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA Playoffs on September 8, 2020 at The Field House in Orlando, Florida. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP) MIAMI (AFP) — The Miami Heat punched their ticket to the NBA Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, beating top-seeded Milwaukee 103-94 as injured Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo watched from the bench. Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic finished with 17 points apiece as six Heat players scored in double figures and Miami completed a 4-1 series victory in a bruising encounter against the league’s top defensive team. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points. Antetokounmpo — tipped to scoop a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award this season — aggravated his sprained right ankle in the first half of the Bucks’ game-four overtime victory over the Heat. The Bucks declared him inactive less than an hour before tipoff on Tuesday. The loss of Antetokounmpo, who averaged career highs of 29.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game this season, was a huge blow for the Bucks, as they tried to do what no NBA team has done before: come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game playoff series. It’s the second straight campaign that the Bucks built the best regular-season record only to come up short in the playoffs. In 2019 they fell to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. The fifth-seeded Heat will face either the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors for a place in the NBA Finals. The Celtics lead their series against the defending NBA champion Raptors three games to two. Butler, who added 10 rebounds and six assists and was a perfect eight-for-eight from the foul line, said the Heat’s impressive 8-1 record so far in the playoffs means nothing now. “All of that is behind us now,” he said. “We’ll wait and see who we get out of Toronto and Boston and then we’ll lock in on that. “But it’s zero-zero now, we’ve got eight more to get.” The Heat trailed 28-19 after a chaotic first quarter in which they committed six turnovers leading to nine Bucks points. They trailed by as many as 13 in the first period, but settled down in the second, out-scoring the Bucks 33-18 to take a 52-46 lead into halftime. But Milwaukee, with Middleton leading the way, refused to go away. After going scoreless for more than six minutes in the third period the Bucks put together an 8-0 run to pull within five points. Trailing 73-65 going into the final period, the Bucks trimmed the deficit to four multiple times, but the Heat’s depth finally proved too much. “Obviously they missed their MVP,” Butler said. “But we knew we were going to have to get one out of the mud and I think this was the one.” Antetokounmpo said he felt “lost” as he was unable to contribute. “Mentally it was a battle, but at the end of the day you’ve got to trust your teammates and that’s what I decided to do,” he said after the Bucks medical staff persuaded him not to risk further injury by playing. LeBron leads Lakers LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, drives the ball against Ben McLemore #16 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (AFP) In Western Conference action, LeBron James scored 36 points and Anthony Davis added 26 as the Los Angeles Lakers powered to the finish in a 112-102 victory over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers grabbed a 2-1 series lead and James notched an NBA record 162nd career playoff win. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teams,” said James, who won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teammates and some great coaches.” James Harden scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists and Russell Westbrook added 30 points for Houston in a back and forth battle that saw 16 lead changes. The Lakers’ reserves scored 42 points, with Houston’s only points off the bench the 16 of Jeff Green. Rajon Rondo, who scored 21 off the bench for Los Angeles, hit back-to-back three-pointers and came up with a steal and layup as the Lakers surged ahead with a 17-5 scoring run to start the fourth quarter. After putting up 64 points in the first half Houston scored just 38 in the second and the Lakers posted their second straight win of the series. There was a frightening moment in the fourth quarter, as Robert Covington and Davis collided as Davis rose for a rebound. Davis’s elbow appeared to hit Covington in head and he left the court holding a bloodied towel to his face, while Davis was hurting from Covington’s elbow in his side......»»
Dean Wade scores 20 in fourth, Cavs rally to stun Celtics and end winning streak
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dean Wade Scores 20 Points in Fourth Quarter to Stun Boston Celtics 105-104 In a surprising turn of events, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled.....»»
Ex-New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick Bids Farewell in Letter
Title: Bill Belichick Thanks Patriots Fans for Unwavering Support in Full-Page Ad Word Count: 305 Boston, MA – Former New England Patriots head coach, Bill.....»»
Michelle Dee begins trip home, bids farewell to Anntonia Porsild after Philippines-Thailand Top 5 mix-up
Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Dee is now en route back to the Philippines where dozens of fans are expected to give her a warm homecoming......»»
Leadership Lessons from Kobe and LeBron for Small Business Success
The NBA is back, at last, and along with it, new storylines which delve into the world of locker room chemistry and leadership from each team’s respective superstars and candidates. Let’s have a look at how two of NBA’s greatest superstars, the late Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, take on leadership roles and their approach […].....»»
Colombian politicians, family, bid farewell to Botero before public homage
Colombia's lawmakers bade a final farewell Friday to renowned artist Fernando Botero who died aged 91 last week, and whose body was flown from Europe to Bogota for a week-long homage. Botero's coffin, the yellow, blue, and red Colombian flag draped over it, lay in state in the wreath-filled legislative chamber as a choir and orchestra performed and the presidential guard stood on attention. Known for his voluptuous depictions of people and animals using different media, Colombia's most famous artist died in Monaco, where he lived, on September 15 after developing pneumonia. "We are overwhelmed, moved, and deeply grateful for the expressions of affection, recognition, and gratitude shown to my father," said Lina Botero, the artist's daughter who attended the solemn ceremony along with other family members. "Bringing my father back to his homeland one last time, so that Colombians can say goodbye to him, was one of our greatest wishes,” she added. Ivan Name, president of the Congress, praised Botero as a "universal Colombian." The artist "stopped the world for an instant... he did it with a brush and with his hands when he managed to paint a different world, a world that reflected the reality of his country but also contained the secret keys to the human spirit," said Name. Members of the public came to pay their respects, with retired scientist Mercedes Rojas saying she would remember Botero's "representation of daily life in Colombia," and 56-year-old artist and painter Santiago Soto telling AFP that Botero's work is "immortal." The artist's body will rest until Sunday in a congressional chamber accessible to the public, in the heart of the historic center of Bogota. On Monday, the remains will be transferred to his hometown of Medellin in the northwest, where several events have been planned to honor him. Botero will then be cremated and his ashes taken to the small Italian village of Pietrasanta, to be interred next to his wife, the Greek artist Sophia Vari, who died in May. Botero -- dubbed the "Picasso of Latin America" -- was a passionate and tireless artist, with an oeuvre of more than 3,000 paintings and 300 sculptures. His creations of oversized and slightly surreal forms have been auctioned for up to $4.3 million at prestigious galleries in cities such as New York or London. Medellin declared a week of mourning for Botero. His daughter had told reporters her father had continued painting until the end despite a battle with Parkinson's disease which made it hard for him to walk or communicate. The post Colombian politicians, family, bid farewell to Botero before public homage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taylor Swift announces film of massive ‘Eras’ tour
Didn't score tickets for Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour? Never fear -- the culturally defining juggernaut will hit movie theaters with a concert film released on 13 October. "The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I'm overjoyed to tell you that it'll be coming to the big screen soon," Swift said on social media Thursday. "Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing, and dancing encouraged." The giant AMC movie chain is vowing that each of its theaters across the United States will play the film at least four times a day on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tickets are on sale now. The company said it had upgraded its website and ticketing services to "handle more than five times the largest influx of ticket-buying traffic the Company has ever experienced before." "But AMC is also aware that no ticketing system in history seems to have been able to accommodate the soaring demand from Taylor Swift fans," the statement added, warning that customers may experience delays and outages. Earlier this year botched sales for Swift's wildly popular tour wreaked havoc, prompting a congressional hearing over Ticketmaster's purported anti-competitive practices. And while "Eras" tickets reached thousands of dollars, fans will be able to nab movie viewings at $19.89 for adults, $13.13 for children and seniors, plus tax. As of Thursday morning, the website for AMC showed that opening weekend tickets in the New York area was already close to selling out. A few hours after Swift's announcement, the release of Universal's sequel to the horror classic "The Exorcist" was pushed up a week to avoid clashing with the concert film. "Look what you made me do. The Exorcist: Believer moves to 10/6/23 #TaylorWins," producer Jason Blum posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The 33-year-old Swift wrapped the North American leg of her global tour with four shows in Mexico and will pick back up in Argentina in November, with plans to tour into the end of 2024. With 146 total stadium dates, it is expected she will set the record for the first billion-dollar tour, with trade publication Pollstar estimating she's selling some $14 million in tickets per show. Swift's team does not report box office numbers. The current record-holder is Elton John, whose "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, which began in 2018, ultimately made $939 million. The post Taylor Swift announces film of massive ‘Eras’ tour appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tony Bennett, last of classic American crooners, dead at 96
Tony Bennett, the last in a generation of classic American crooners whose ceaselessly cheery spirit bridged generations to make him a hitmaker across seven decades, died Friday in New York. He was 96. Raised in an era when big bands defined US pop music, Bennett achieved an improbable second act when he started winning over young audiences in the 1990s -- not by reinventing himself but by demonstrating his sheer joy in belting out the standards. And then at age 88, Bennett, in 2014 became the oldest person ever to reach number one on the US album sales chart through a collection of duets with Lady Gaga -- who became his friend and touring companion but only one of a long list of younger stars who rushed to work with the singing great. Bennett's publicist, Sylvia Weiner, announced his death. Likened since the start of his career to Frank Sinatra, Bennett first tried to distance himself but eventually followed much of the same path as other crooners of yore -- singing in nightclubs, on television, and for movies, although his attempts to act ended quickly. His gift proved to be his stage presence. With a welcoming smile and dapper suit, he sang with gusto and a smooth vibrato in a strong, clearly enunciated voice, which he kept in shape through training from the operatic Bel Canto tradition. Starting with his recording of the film song "Because of You" in 1951, Bennett sang dozens of hits including "Rags to Riches," "Stranger in Paradise" and, in what would become his signature tune, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," which landed him two of his career's 19 Grammy Awards. But the British Invasion led by The Beatles initially took a toll on the singer, whose music suddenly sounded quaint and antiquated. He nearly died of a cocaine overdose in 1979 before sobering up and eventually reviving his career. "When rap came along, or disco, whatever the new fashion was at the moment, I didn't try to find something that would fit whatever the style was of the whole music scene," Bennett told the British culture magazine Clash. "I just stayed myself and sang sincerely and tried to just stay honest with myself -- never compromising, just doing the best songs that I could think of for the public. "And luckily it just paid off." Singing as hardscrabble youth Tony Bennett -- his stage name came after advice from showbiz A-lister Bob Hope -- was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in the Astoria neighborhood of New York's Queens borough. His father was a struggling grocer who immigrated from southern Italy's Calabria region, to which his mother also traced her ancestry. He showed early promise as an entertainer, singing at age nine next to legendary New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia when he ceremonially opened the city's Triborough Bridge, now known as the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. But his father's death at age 10, at a time when the United States was still struggling to exit the Great Depression, led him to leave school and earn money through jobs including singing at Italian restaurants and caricature painting, which remained a lifelong side career. During World War II, Bennett was drafted into the 63rd Infantry Division and was sent to France and Germany. But he was demoted after cursing out an officer from the South who objected to Bennett dining with an African American friend in the then racially segregated army. As punishment, Bennett spent his tour of duty digging out bodies and shipping them. But after the Allied victory, Bennett found an unexpected break into music as he waited with fellow troops in Wiesbaden, Germany to return home. With the city's opera house still intact, a US Army band performed a weekly show to be broadcast on military radio across Germany. Taken on as the band's librarian, Bennett was quickly impressed with his voice and was made one of four vocalists. "During this period in the army, I enjoyed the most musical freedom I've ever had in my life," Bennett later wrote in his autobiography, "The Good Life." "I could sing whatever I wanted, and there was no one around to tell me any different," he wrote. Outspoken against racism and war When he returned to the United States, he took formal singing lessons through the GI Bill, which covered educational expenses for returning troops. His experiences made Bennett a lifelong liberal. He became especially enraged in the 1950s when he played in Miami with jazz pioneer Duke Ellington, who was not allowed to attend a press party due to segregation at the hotel. In a then risky move for a popular entertainer, he accepted an invitation from singer Harry Belafonte to join civil rights icon Martin Luther King in the 1965 march from Selma, Alabama in support of equal voting rights for African Americans. He later wrote in his memoir that the hostility of the white state troopers reminded him of Nazi Germany. He was also an outspoken opponent of war, at times raising controversy. "The first time I saw a dead German, that's when I became a pacifist," he told popular radio host Howard Stern days after the 11 September 2001 attacks. Late in life, still cool Bennett was married three times and had four children including Antonia Bennett, who has followed his path as a singer of pop and jazz standards. But his son Danny Bennett was most instrumental in his father's career, aggressively courting MTV and other players in the pop world as a manager for his father. By the early 1990s, Bennett -- his style and look little changed from the 1960s, except for more gray hair -- was appearing in music videos on MTV and singing warm-up at concerts by alternative rock giants such as Smashing Pumpkins and Porno for Pyros. Proof that Bennett was back came in 1993 when he presented a prize at the MTV Video Music Awards alongside the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who hailed his cool factor and playfully sang part of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." His career only kept building and a decade later, he released three successful albums of duets. On one of them, "Body and Soul," he sang with Amy Winehouse in her last recording before she died in 2011 at age 27. He marked his 90th birthday with a star-studded concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall, which was turned into a television special and album. The title was taken from a song popularized by Bennett: "The Best Is Yet to Come." Bennett toured the United States and Europe into his final decade, playing his last public performance before the coronavirus pandemic halted touring in New Jersey on 11 March 2020. Soon after, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. He had kept his condition quiet for years. Upon turning 95, Bennett played two more birthday concerts, again at Radio City Music Hall, with Lady Gaga -- shows billed as his farewell to New York. He then canceled the remainder of his 2021 tour dates on "doctors' orders." "And let the music play as long as there's a song to sing / And I will stay younger than spring," he crooned during the first of his farewell shows, in a rendition of his ballad "This Is All I Ask." "You've been a good audience," Bennett said prior to his encore. "I love this audience." The post Tony Bennett, last of classic American crooners, dead at 96 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kai Sotto suffered back pains in Orlando’s loss to Boston
Kai Sotto suffered back pains as he only played in the first half in Orlando Magic's 77-94 loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada Sundau morning (Manila time). For eight minutes, Sotto was scoreless after going 0-of-3 from the field and grabbed two rebounds, one assist, one block and one turnover as the Magic lost all five games in the Summer League. Sotto, 21, never played in the second half and left the arena with a back support straped onto him. Vincent Valerio Bodon led Boston with 13 points. Robert Baker II scored 15 points for the Magic. The post Kai Sotto suffered back pains in Orlando’s loss to Boston appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Culture wars put American companies on the defensive
Boycotting a beer, attacking products celebrating the LGBTQ community, and criticizing shareholders for promoting diversity: In the face of growing criticism from conservatives, American companies are backtracking on progressive corporate initiatives. For Bud Light beer, it was a partnership with a transgender influencer that triggered the ire of right-wing consumers, and calls for a boycott. Typically, such a protest has little impact, but this time in-store sales have seen a slump, with Bud Light even losing its position as the best-selling beer in the United States to Modelo Especial in recent weeks, according to Bump Williams Consulting. Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bud Light's parent company, quickly launched a marketing counteroffensive with a more typically patriotic ad featuring American landscapes, followed on Wednesday by a campaign highlighting its employees. The Target discount retailer, for its part, chose to withdraw certain items marketed for Pride Month due to threats against employees. And at annual shareholder meetings, the number of resolutions opposing companies' inclusion of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria -- particularly on diversity -- has more than doubled in the past three years, according to the Sustainable Investment Institute (SII). - Reaction to Trump - While such resolutions usually garner very few votes, they are nevertheless having an impact. Larry Fink, the head of asset manager BlackRock, which has promoted sustainable investments in recent years, recently told a conference in Colorado that he has stopped using the term "ESG" because it has become too politicized. This new vigilance extends to the world of sport: after some players voiced reluctance over wearing rainbow symbols, the National Hockey League decided that teams should no longer wear special jerseys supporting LGBTQ rights because they had become a "distraction." "The tension of navigating between groups of people that think very, very differently has always been there," said Alison Taylor, a specialist in corporate ethics at New York University. But the situation has changed as political life has become increasingly polarized, she added. Corporations "got involved in controversial questions in 2017-2018, when there was a lot of organized resistance to Trump -- this seemed like a really good way to attract young people and generate shareholder value," she said. While the prospect of affecting real change on issues like abortion and gun control no longer seems possible in the political arena, young people have come to believe they can bring pressure to bear via business, according to Taylor. - Lobbyists at work - Unlike their elders, for whom political involvement boils down to the ballot box or party donations, younger people "are more inclined to bring their politics into how you invest, into how you shop, even into your office," said David Webber, a specialist in investor activism at Boston University. The sharp reactions to some company initiatives have been amplified by political leaders including Florida governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, who targeted Disney over some of its progressive positions. And DeSantis is not alone. "Conservative organizations," financed in part by companies in the oil and gas sector, "started a campaign to pass legislation in different states to target ESG practices," Webber said. So far, the results have been mixed. "Some companies may, at least, back away from some of the rhetoric on ESG. But we've seen very little serious reallocation of assets," he said. Driven by customers, shareholders and employees, companies have no choice "but to be involved in some political issues," Daniel Korschun, a marketing specialist at Drexel University, told AFP. However, "people really start to react negatively when they feel like they're being pushed too far," as was the case in the Bud Light controversy, he added. "There's a very delicate balance between advocating and pushing too hard," he said. In response, "many managers are pulling back for the moment until they can figure out this new terrain that they're in," he added. jum-da/nro/tjj © Agence France-Presse The post Culture wars put American companies on the defensive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
All five on Titanic sub dead after ‘catastrophic’ implosion
All five people aboard a submersible missing near the wreck of the Titanic died -- likely in an instant -- after their vessel suffered what the US Coast Guard said Thursday was a "catastrophic implosion" in the ocean depths. The somber announcement ended a multinational search-and-rescue operation that captivated the world since the tiny tourist craft went missing in the North Atlantic four days ago. Rear Admiral John Mauger told reporters in Boston that analysis showed debris found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the bow of the Titanic, was consistent with the implosion of the sub's pressure chamber. "On behalf of the United States Coast Guard and the entire unified command, I offer my deepest condolences to the families," Mauger said. On board were British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani-British tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, and Stockton Rush, CEO of the sub's operator OceanGate Expeditions. OceanGate said its "hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time." "These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans," it said in a statement. The Coast Guard announced earlier Thursday that an underwater robot had discovered a "debris field" in the search area. 'Unforgiving environment' Authorities said they later learned the pieces included the sub's tail cone and front and back ends of its pressure hull. Mauger said the Coast Guard could not be sure when or why the vessel imploded and declined to be drawn on whether remains of the men would be retrieved. "This is an incredibly unforgiving environment down there on the seafloor," he said. The process of demobilizing personnel and vessels from the scene would soon begin, but unmanned robots would continue operations on the seabed for now, Mauger added. "We'll collect as much information as we can," he said. The US military originally detected the likely implosion of the craft on secret underwater sound monitoring devices shortly after it went missing on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. "The US Navy conducted an analysis of acoustic data and detected an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion in the general vicinity of where the Titan submersible was operating when communications were lost," an unnamed senior Navy official told the Journal. The small sub named Titan disappeared on Sunday as it descended to the Titanic, which sits more than two miles (nearly four kilometers) below the ocean's surface and 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. OceanGate Expeditions charged $250,000 for a seat on the sub. In a 2018 lawsuit, its former director of marine operations raised concerns about the "experimental and untested design" of Titan. Harding was a billionaire and keen explorer with three Guinness Records to his name, while the Dawoods belonged to one of Pakistan's richest families. Nargeolet was nicknamed "Mr Titanic" for his frequent dives at the site. Harding's family paid tribute to the aviation tycoon in a statement, saying he was a "passionate explorer" as well as a "loving husband and a dedicated father to his two sons." "What he achieved in his lifetime was truly remarkable and if we can take any small consolation from this tragedy, it's that we lost him doing what he loved," the family said. The Dawoods' loved ones also expressed their "profound grief" at their loss in a brief statement. The British and Pakistani governments expressed their "deepest condolences" to all the men's families. Titanic's lure The 21-foot (6.5-meter) Titan had been due to resurface seven hours after beginning its descent at 8:00 am on Sunday. But the craft lost communication with its mothership less than two hours in. Ships and planes from the US and Canadian coast guards, as well as a robot sent from France, scoured 10,000 square miles (around 20,000 square kilometers) of surface water -- roughly the size of the US state of Massachusetts -- for the vessel. The search honed in on areas where underwater banging noises were detected late Tuesday and Wednesday. But Mauger said that ultimately the sounds did not appear to have any relation to the site of the debris. The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in 1912 during its maiden voyage from England to New York with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. More than 1,500 people died. It was found in 1985 and remains a lure for nautical experts and underwater tourists. The pressure at that depth as measured in atmospheres is 400 times what it is at sea level. Marine scientist and oceanographer David Mearns, who specializes in deep water search and recovery operations, said earlier the debris discovery indicated a rapid breakup of the submersible. "The only saving grace about that is that it would have been immediate, literally in milliseconds, and the men would have had no idea what was happening," Mearns, who was friends with two of those onboard, told Sky News. The post All five on Titanic sub dead after ‘catastrophic’ implosion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rescue teams search for missing submersible near Titanic wreck
Rescue teams raced against time on Tuesday in their search for a tourist submersible that went missing near the wreck of the Titanic with five people on board. One of the passengers has been identified as British businessman Hamish Harding, whose aviation firm had posted on social media about his expedition. Prominent Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, who is vice-chairman of the conglomerate Engro, and his son Suleman were also on board, a family statement said. The 21-foot (6.5-meter) craft, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, began its descent to the wreck on Sunday but lost contact with the surface less than two hours later, according to authorities. "As of now, contact has been lost with their submersible craft and there is limited information available," the Dawood family statement said. "We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety," it added. The US Coast Guard had launched two planes to survey the remote area in the North Atlantic, while its Canadian counterparts had sent a plane and a ship. Time is a critical factor. The vessel has a range of 96 hours for the crew of five, and US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger said Monday afternoon that he believed it still had 70 or more hours of oxygen remaining. "It is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area, but we are deploying all available assets to make sure that we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board," Mauger told reporters in Boston on Monday. But with no reported sightings of the vessel or communication signals throughout the day, the US Coast Guard halted its flights for the day. It said search operations through the night would be led by the US National Guard and the mission's operator. The Coast Guard added that searches by Canadian aircraft, which were using buoys to scan underneath the surface, would continue on Tuesday morning. An OceanGate Expeditions spokesperson told AFP in a statement late Monday that "for some time, we have been unable to establish communications with one of our submersible exploration vehicles which is currently visiting the wreck site of the Titanic." "Our entire focus is on the wellbeing of the crew and every step possible is being taken to bring the five crew members back safely." The company uses a submersible named Titan for its dives to the Titanic wreck, with seats priced at $250,000, according to its website. Harding, a 58-year-old aviator, space tourist and chairman of Action Aviation, had posted Sunday on his Instagram account that he was proud to join OceanGate's Titanic mission. "Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023," he wrote. Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a veteran diver and expert on the Titanic wreck, was also part of the Titan crew, Harding said in his post. "The team on the sub has a couple of legendary explorers, some of which have done over 30 dives to the RMS Titanic since the 1980s including PH Nargeolet," the post says. Action Aviation posted Sunday on Twitter that "the sub had a successful launch and Hamish is currently diving," and included several photographs of Harding and mission staff on the surface. - 'Clock is ticking' - The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in 1912 during its maiden voyage from England to New York with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. More than 1,500 people died. The wreckage is in two main pieces 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, some 13,000 feet underwater. It was found in 1985 and remains a source of fascination and a lure for nautical experts and underwater tourists. Without having studied the craft itself, Alistair Greig, professor of marine engineering at University College London, suggested two possible theories based on images of the vessel published by the press. He said if it had an electrical or communications problem, it could have surfaced and remained floating, "waiting to be found." "Another scenario is the pressure hull was compromised -– a leak," he said in a statement. "Then the prognosis is not good." While the submersible may still be intact during its dive, "there are very few vessels" able to go to the depth to which the Titan might have traveled. "The clock is ticking, and any submariner/submersible deep divers know how unforgiving the Abyssal domain is: going undersea is as, if not more, challenging than going into space from an engineering perspective," said University of Adelaide associate professor Eric Fusil in a statement. iba/nro/mlm/des/dhw/sco © Agence France-Presse Add to cart Print Download Share this document The post Rescue teams search for missing submersible near Titanic wreck appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jaime Ponce de Leon — Art world’s man of the hour
To say that Jaime de Leon gave us his most prized treasure by sharing his “Hymen, Oh Hymenee” by Juan Luna would be an understatement. Jaime has not only made legions of art lovers happy and ecstatic; what he has achieved, by allowing the exhibition of this missing masterpiece, the holy grail of Philippine art, is an earthshaking development — one that, as it were, had ignited an intense movement of the “tectonic plate” of Philippine cultural heritage. [caption id="attachment_145553" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photographs courtesy of leon gallery | ‘Hymen, oh Hyménée,’ in its finest details, manifests Juan Lu-na’s genius as an artist.[/caption] What had been missing for more than a century finally found its way home, right at the renowned Ayala Museum, thanks to Jaime, the trailblazing founder of the game-changing Leon Gallery, which has been responsible for the change of hands of the most valuable masterpieces of our renowned artists from the Spanish times, through antebellum Philippines and the postwar years, all the way to the new millennium. [caption id="attachment_145552" align="aligncenter" width="525"] JAIME de Leon, NCCA chairman Ino Manalo and Ayala Museum’s senior director Mariles Gustilo.[/caption] His discovery of Luna’s most sought-after painting in a royal house in Europe is a story that will be told through the coming generations of art lovers, enthusiasts, collectors and scholars. Just a few days ago, I visited Jaime in Leon Gallery, and art gallery and auction house that he founded in 2013. He shared with me his life story and how he had stumbled upon a new epicenter around which would revolve the life that he had wanted for himself. Jaime was still pursuing his business management degree in Silliman University when he was elected as the chairman of the barangay located right along the main boulevard of Dumaguete City. Realizing that politics was “not cut for me, I thought that I had bigger dreams. It’s like a fish that you put on a pond. It would only grow up to that size. I wanted to go to the big city. I wanted to live in the ocean and allow myself to be bigger. So, I moved to Manila.” In the big city, he started out as a real estate salesman, one of those guys who gave away brochures at the mall. But he would not last long, as he explored other possibilities. He next spent a year in Malaysia where he worked at the office of a construction firm. “It was a time for discovering myself,” he says. “I also learned how to be truly independent, away from the support of one’s family and home. It was an eye opener for me. After a year, when I got back to the Philippines, I thought, ‘Oh my God. What would I make of my life? I didn’t know which direction to take.” He then decided on taking up interior design at the Philippine School of Interior Design. While he admitted to not being good at drawing, he grew up appreciating “the nice things and antiques in my grandmother’ home.” In time, he was designing for clients. “Of course, when you decorate houses, you put paintings on the walls and you advise your clients and tell them this doesn’t go here. And the client would tell you that since they did not need them anymore, could I find a buyer for them? I ended up selling for clients. From those initial transactions, I started my business. In 2010, I opened a small gallery in Corinthian Plaza. So, I put everything there that I was selling from the houses of people who didn’t want them anymore because they were transferring to smaller houses or they were leaving the country. And she asked me if I was interested to help them liquidate the collection of an insurance company. “So, I said, why don’t I just broker them if all they wanted was to liquidate the art works? That would be easier. I told myself I could probably just borrow money to buy everything and I could just sell them. “But she pointed out that the mandate of their corporation required an auction. And I had zero knowledge about auctions. So, I said, ‘What can I do? I cannot lose this.’ I mean, I had nothing to lose, so should just do it. I told them, ‘I’ll do it.’” Jaime next called Cid Reyes, the art expert and critic. “And he agreed. I had to call all my friends to help. I didn’t have the resources to hire, so it was all request. And so we did our first auction in January 2013. We auctioned everything, all 54 lots.” “The rest,” Jaime said, “is history. I started to acquire my knowledge by going to Christie’s in New York to study the courses they offered. I went to London and studied Art Law. I went to the University of Arts London (UAL). Just to get the feel and just to be able to learn as much as I can. At least I would have more knowledge because I didn’t have any background in art in school. It was his knowledge, along with his network of friends, that would lead him to more breaks. One friend who would make a big difference in his life was Dr. Teyet Pascual, in his time one of the foremost collectors of the country’s masters. It was also with this friendship that his quest for the holy grail of Philippine art would be inspired until it became a lifelong longing to find it. The following is a continuation of my interview with Jaime. Daily Tribune: What is the most important for someone to succeed in the auction business? Jaime Ponce de Leon (JPDL): You know, reputation is the most important in this business. When we were starting, it was difficult to get the trust of these old families. And you know how guarded these old families are. And here comes a new kid on the block, how can he be trusted with our most prized possessions. So, I had to build trust slowly and slowly, brick by brick. DT: Have there been issues and challenges? JPDL: Definitely. When you’re in this business, sometimes you also make mistakes. These happen when things are deemed to be not it was meant to be what it is. Any dealer who says he has not gotten through that is a liar. These things happen. But for as long as you don’t do things knowingly, you know what I mean? I mean, if you don’t do such things knowingly, the world excuses people who are honest. And I think that is essential. DT: How do you go about finding all these treasures? JPDL: You know what? It’s probably through my gut and my grit. And I tend to have the personality of someone with a thick face. Not that I would just knock at anybody’s house, but I am not shy to speak to people, to introduce myself to people. Biggest finds DT: What has been your biggest find? JPDL: Well, in terms of find, of course this Luna. DT: Well, aside from this, can you mention some names? JPDL: Well, of course, in 2015, I was able to find this cachet of Zobels that people never thought existed. I found it in Boston, somewhere in New England. I remember very well there was a party at one of the galleries and I saw Paulino Que and I saw Ken Esguerra and told them, ‘Guys, I have discovered 83 pieces of Fernando Zobel.’ Sabi nila, ‘No, impossible. How come we don’t know anything about it?’ DT: Where exactly did you find it? JPDL: In an attic. The Pfeufer collection. The collector was the guardian of Fernando Zobel in Harvard and in Rhode Island. And when I found this in the attic, I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was already two years in the business. So, I auctioned them one by one. So, it was another white glove sale. Because at that time we made the world record for the most expensive Zobel. At that time, it was just P30 to 35 million in 2015. [caption id="attachment_145551" align="aligncenter" width="525"] at Harvard Business School where Jaime is pursuing his graduate studies.[/caption] So, we were selling fantastic pieces that no one could believe it was found. I mean, how can you find in one attic 80-plus pieces of Fernando Zobel, right? So, we did that. And over the years, of course, this and that. That I would find. DT: Tell me about the Magsaysay-Hos and the others. JPDL: Almost the same. The best ones are also found abroad. The last one was a world record. We sold it for P84 to P85 million. The Jim and Reed Pfeufer collection. So, this is the one I found in New England. The Joya that we sold here, P112 million. The Joya of Josie Baldovino. I’ll tell you a story. Mrs. Baldovino, the sister of Jose Joya, and I were always close. In this business, it’s all about trust. Once you establish the trust with your client, I think you’re already one step ahead. So, Mrs. Baldovino comes to me and tells me that she was already old. She felt she was nearing her run. So, she said, “Jaime, I trust you.” So, she sent me her piece. Her beautiful piece. I went to India, I had a trip and I got a call from her, “Jaime, you know, this collector came to me and offered me P50 million for my Joya.” Of course, that amount was life-changing, It was P50 million. I told Mrs. Baldovino, “Ma’am you know, I truly respect your decision on this. It’s really up to you.” She said, “Jaime, what should I do? This is already P50 million right in front of me.” We already had it with us, so I said, “Ma’am, we will do all our best to make it sell well. But please, I will not hold you to it. I will not get in the way of your decision to sell it for P50 million. But we will do everything we can to make this sell well. Just trust us.” So, finally, she called me back, “Okay, I’ll leave my trust to you. I will leave the piece.” So, three weeks after, the auction happened. And it became the highest painting ever sold in the Philippines. It was P112 million. DT: She must have been very happy. JPDL She was able to build a building in Fairview. A beautiful building, and she was so thankful. Of course, the stars aligned, the blessings were there. DT: What is your advice to anyone who wants to invest in the arts? Which artists should they buy? JPDL: You know what, a lot of them. But, you know, my advice? First, it’s never a good thing when you buy something immediately for investment purposes. When you buy something, buy first something you like. (Enjoy it). If the price goes up, (that’s a) bonus. If it doesn’t, then you enjoy the piece. ‘Taste changes’ DT: Why are some artists expensive, and why do art works of the same artist vary in peso value? JPDL: You know, art has so many factors involved. So much variables involved. There is a conglomeration of things on why an artist becomes successful. They’re all good. But it’s dependent on certain factors. Like, mister something bought the work. People see it. People feel that he’s a good artist because mister something bought the work. He’s exhibited by the right gallery. He’s exhibited in a museum, in a fair. You know, all these, once all these variables conglomerate together, and then, viola. DT: Why do some collections sell fast and some stay with you up to the next auction? JPDL: Well, sometimes there are things that really don’t sell. I mean, probably because of the prices that we put are high. Taste changes. I’ll give you an example. Manansala was very popular in the 1980s. And everybody, all these women, they all wanted to undress themselves in front of Manansala and get themselves painted. But now, it’s no longer the taste of today. People don’t buy nudes. People don’t have themselves painted in the nude. Many people are born again. They’re not allowed to put nudes on their walls. All these reasons. So, taste changes. And it’s a cycle. Editor’s note: The Leon Gallery Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2023 takes place today June 17, 2023 starting at 2:00 PM, featuring art works from the collections of Manila’s society doyens, Zita Fernandez Feliciano and Delly Tambunting Ongsiakio The post Jaime Ponce de Leon — Art world’s man of the hour appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NBA: Celtics sense chance to turn the heat on Miami
No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA playoffs but after their win at the Miami Heat on Tuesday, the Boston Celtics clearly sense a chance of history. The Heat, now 3-1 up in the series, still only need one more win to progress to the NBA Finals against […] The post NBA: Celtics sense chance to turn the heat on Miami appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»