If there is one thing I really love to do, it is watching sports. Blogging about it make me realize a favorite fantasy - being a sports writer. When I started this blog last May, I have some doubts if I could sustain the effort - my love of sports carried me the past six months or so. And I guess 2009 won't be any different.

Here is my eight best sport watching moments of 2008.

1. UAAP Season 71 Basketball Games, Final Four and Finals
2. Manny Pacquiao's sensational obliteration of Oscar De La Hoya
3. Tiger Woods making a long birdie putt on 3rd Round of 2008 US Open Golf Championships
4. Roger Federer's semifinal win over Novak Djokovic at the 2008 US Open Tennis Championships
5. The Olympic Basketball Gold medal match between Team USA and Spain
6. Baranggay Ginebra Gin Kings capturing another PBA Title
7. Day 2 of the 2008 Ryder Cup
8. Watching mixed martial arts for the first time with UFC 92 The Ultimate 2008

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Rashad Evans and Frank Mir both delivered ultimate performances and came out on top of UFC 92 The Ultimate 2008.

The undefeated Rashad Evans captured the Light Heavyweight Championship belt after subduing Forrest Griffin in Round 3 of their main event match.He sneaked in a vicious right punch while Griffin is pinned down on the mat that allowed him to pummel the defending champ with more punches.

Frank Mir, meanwhile, displayed an array of attacks to take away the Interim Heavyweight Championship belt from his MMA hero, Antonio Minotauro Nogueira who he inflicted with a first ever MMA career loss via stoppage.

After a fairly even two rounds, Evans got a big break in the third when he caught a legkick attempt by Griffin and turn the match into the mat. Grappling in the mound ensued before Evans landed a vicious right that hurt and opened up Griffin and pummeled him with more rights and left that prompted Referee Steve Mazzagatti to stop the fight 2:26 of Round 3.

In the co-main event, Frank Mir displayed a variety of attacks and total confidence en route to dominating the Minotauro Nogueira. Mir knocked down Nogueira twice in the first round. He exuded total confidence, even laying off Nogueira who was down on the canvass at one point. Mir finally landed the killer blow on the second round to give Nogueira his first ever KO defeat. Mir was emotional after he was proclaimed the winner and gave the fans some word of inspiration.

UFC 92 The Ulimate has indeed lived up to its hype as all fights ended via stoppage. A great year- end treat to Filipino MMA fans and the whole world.

Cheick Congo started things off with a vicious pounding of Mostapha Al Turk winning by TKO in 4:37 of the first round.

Next, Rampage Jackson avenged his two previous defeats against Wanderlei Silva by knocking out his nemesis cold with a thundering left hook to the jaw 3:21 of Round 1.

CB Dolloway appeared hurt but came back to repeat over Mike Massenzio whom he beat in Junior College. He was able to get a full mound over Massenzio and Mike uncharacteristically gave away his back which Dolloway took advantage to pound him to win by TKO 3:04 secs of Round 1.

Other winners include Pat Barry over Dan Evenson by TKO 2:36 of Round 1(Heavywieght), Matt Hamill over Reese Andy by TKO 2:19 of Round 2(Light Heavyweight) and Antoni Hardonk over Matt Wessel 2:09 of Round 2 (Heavyweight).

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It's Christmas Day and the San Antonio Spurs played the perfect Scrooge to the Phoenix Suns and their fans as the Spurs presented another dagger to their collective hearts, beating the Suns on Roger Mason's three at the buzzer, 91 - 90.

I caught the game on TV with the Suns jumping to a 11 - 0 start. There was a noticeable bounce on Shaq as he seem to be his old self. I really enjoyed Shaq and Tim Duncan going at each other like in their past and Shaq getting the better of it. The half ended with the Suns up by six, 45 - 39.

In the third, the Spurs once again employed the hack-a-shaq to the boos of the Phoenix crowd but Shaq made some of the free throws and the Suns stayed on top 76 - 71.

The Spurs turned the game into the grind-out defensive game that they mastered.

Shaq ties it at 84 all after a soft foul was called on Duncan with under five minutes left in the game. Duncan then took the ball away from Shaq for a Parker lay in. On the ensuing play, Shaq was able to get the fifth foul on Duncan. But Parkers connects on a jumper for an 88 - 84 Spurs lead.

But the Suns were not done yet. Richardson connects on an open corner three and Nash makes the technical free throw called against Parker to tie it at 88 the that set up the wild finish.

The Spurs defense trapped Nash on the corner forcing him to call the Suns last timeout with 7.7 seconds left. On the next play, Amare makes a great pass on a cutting Grant Hill on the baseline to take the lead 90 - 88 with only 4.3 ticks left in the game.

Coach Poppovich brought in his 3 point shooters including Roger Mason and let Parker create on the final possession. With Grant Hill all over him, Parker dished out to Mason on the corner for the game winner.

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Two-time MVP Steve Nash took the game into his hands in the endgame to help the Phoenix Suns overcome the challenge of the Denver Nuggets, 108 - 101.

Nash scored eight crucial points including two treys in the waning seconds to put the game away.

Denver hung tough despite getting a sub par performance from Carmelo Anthony as Chauncey Billups, JR Smith, Nene and Kenyon Martin took the cudgels in his stead.

After a tight first half, Phoenix took control on third quarter behind the superb quarterbacking of Nash. But the Nuggets closed out the period strong to keep the game close, only down by three.

It was see-saw battle in the fourth, decided only when Nash took over the offense and the Suns controlled Denver scorers and secured the boards.

FAN Fare:
Just saw the Suns play for only the third time and only now did I see some semblance of the Phoenix Suns I came to love for the past three seasons. Nash is constant, I think what's needed is for Amare to give more effort on defense and Shaq maintain his conditioning and improve his free throw shooting. That I think can guarantee them reaching the playoffs.

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The MVP, the most valuable Portland player, Brandon Roy played a career game to lead the Portland Trail Blazers show the visiting Phoenix Suns the door, 124- 119 at the Rose Garden.

2007 Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy scored a career high 52 points on 14 of 27 shooting as the Portland Trailblazers stopped its 11 game losing streak to the Phoenix Suns.

In a pretty much exciting game featuring my two favorite teams, I really did not care who is going to win.

The second unit of the Suns, particularly Matt Barnes were able to lift the Suns in the first half. But the night obviously belongs to Roy as no Suns were able to stop him. He even scored 15 straight points in the third quarter.

Nash tried to rally the team in the fourth. The last time on two free throws to give the lead to Phoenix 119-117 with a little less than two minutes to go.

Aldridge ties the game with a buzzer beating shot before Roy connects on his last three to give the lead to Portland 122-199.

Nash failed to tie it up again on a missed three and Roy finally sealed the win on two free throws, 124 -119.

Fan notes:

I was glad to see the Suns and Trailblazers especially Nash, Stoudemire, Shaq, Fernandez and Oden. Maybe I missed it but I did not see Nicolas Batoun on the floor.

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Manny Pacquiao is now the greatest Filipino boxer of all time after he pummeled De La Hoya into submission after 8th rounds of superb boxing display.

Despite the Golden Boy's advantage in size and reach, Pacquiao proved to the world that he is truly the pound-for-pound champ.

Congratulations Manny! Next in line is Hatton.

Go Team Pacquiao!

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