Alyssa Valdez is bigger than a superstar

No wonder she’s  called the Nora Aunor of Philippine volleyball.

Alyssa Valdez of   the Ateneo Lady Eagles is not only  extremely talented, according to the Inquirer’s Jasmine W. Payo who covers   the volleyball beat,  she also strongly appeals to the masses.

“The back-to-back UAAP MVP who led  her team to back-to-back championships   also has that easygoing charm about her. She’s definitely a superstar!” said Payo.

To Lolit Navarro, who’s a rabid fan of volleyball and of Filipino beauty, Valdez is bigger than a superstar.

“Do you know that this Lady Eagle   can’t stay inside the court to watch a game without fans flocking around her for photos and autograph. When she  leaves the venue after each game, she has to be escorted by security men.  Otherwise   she’s likely to get mobbed,”  said Navarro, an AB Psychology student.

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The short note came from Chino Trinidad of GMA 7.

It read: “Tita Beth, the Joe Ward who’s coaching the UP Fighting Maroons in the Filsports Basketball Association (FBA) is not the same Joe Ward of Ginebra who is now an evangelical pastor in the United States.”

Trinidad said they are just namesakes.

“UP’s Joe Ward was a former trainer-conditioner of San Miguel Corp. He was   forced to take a leave of absence, though, after he suffered a stroke. Apparently, he  has recovered and has volunteered to help get the Fighting Maroons in shape.”

Officially, Ward has been conducting practice sessions for the Maroons, since no one has been officially named to replace head coach Rey Madrid.

A recent FBA press release mistakenly labeled the Fighting Maroons coach in the FBA as “Jumping Joe Ward,” a monicker for the former Ginebra import.

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HOOPVINE: It was a do-or-die game   for San Miguel Beer against Talk ‘N Text  last Wednesday, and the mother of Arwind Santos who was watching on ringside got so tensed her blood pressure rose to dangerous levels and she collapsed. She bled from the nose and was   taken to a hospital … Santos said it  was a case of simple hypertension, “but she’s okay now, although she is still under  close observation … Who is  Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Pia Wurtzbach really dating? One TV station said it’s P-Noy, another said it’s Philippine Azkals’ Phil Younghusband, the  former boyfriend of actress Angel Locsin? Could be both, you know.