You want a seat at the B-Suite?

January 24, 2022 | 9:45 pm

Corporations, especially publicly listed corporations (PLCs), are constantly on the lookout for individuals who can be invited or recruited to become Board members. With the push towards good corporate governance, there is no question that having competent individuals sitting as Board members, more so if they are independent and external directors, can bring valuable experience and provide value to a company through its different growth stages. One of the first questions an aspiring or even current director may ask, “How can I claim a seat in the B-Suite of a company?”

To respond to this question, the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), as part of its Board Directorship Development Program, organized a webinar on this topic last November. I actually had the privilege of moderating the panel composed of Alex Genil, CEO of ZMG Ward Howell, who assists clients in selecting suitable candidates; Chiqui Escareal-Go, CEO of Mansmith & Fielders, who has a strong anthropology and sociology background; and Edwin Villanueva, an experienced director of several companies. Allow me to share some of my key takeaways from the discussions.

WHAT ARE COMPANIES LOOKING FOR IN DIRECTOR CANDIDATES?
Ideal directorship qualities involve a combination of good technical, personal, and social traits. Candidates, through their knowledge, expertise, and experience, are expected to add value to any Board that will invite them — and these can be in the form of unique talents and skills. Industry and functional experience is key. And in today’s environment, specific competencies, such as fintech, data analytics, digital transformation, IT security and cybersecurity, and organizational transformation, are now more in demand. Of course, aspiring directors should be equipped with such governance skills as compliance, risk, fraud, among others.

One’s network, connections, and influence are likewise important. Without disregarding the technical skills, there is some truth in the saying that “it’s not only what you know but also who you know.” Having a strong network will be valuable to the organization in accessing resources through the directors’ contacts, promoting the company and its interests, and enhancing its reputation. I must add a word of caution on being politically connected, as this can sometimes be a disadvantage. It is important to bear in mind that as a director, you are representing the company — and not yourself.

On personal traits, the candidate should demonstrate independent thinking or what I sometimes describe as “independent” directors who are ready to challenge management’s decisions and recommendations and are willing to ask the difficult questions that others may not ask — of course, always with respect. With the varied challenges that companies are facing today, creativity and “out of the box” thinking will be helpful in providing solutions to such challenges. Values, such as integrity, will play a critical role in the director’s decision making, such as in “conflict of interest” situations.

HOW DOES ONE ACQUIRE THESE DESIRABLE QUALITIES?
Here’s my advice:

• Aim for a Board directorship as part of your career plan.

• Assess your directorship qualities and identify any gaps you should address.

• Continue enhancing your skills and acquiring new skills, as these days, changes are happening at a faster speed.

• Make each job an opportunity to build your skills and expertise, supplemented by training.

• Build and expand your networks: business, professional, social, and civic — as these will be useful sources of referrals.

• Develop a unique personal brand, be it a competence, or an advocacy.

• Publish articles, speak on your expertise and advocacies, and engage in similar activities which will make you visible and “top of mind.”

HOW CAN I GET IN AND ‘TAKE A DIP’ IN THE TALENT/CANDIDATE POOL?
Certain situations, like trends and developments, have strongly influenced companies to seek candidates for their Board. In line with their long-term plans, and in anticipation of future gaps due to retirement, and possible changes in business models, some companies are crafting board succession plans to develop a pipeline of directors. With the increasing consciousness for board diversity — not only in gender, age, skills, as well as other dimensions of diversity — more and more, companies are considering candidates to improve their diversity metrices, coupled with the pressure from regulators, funders, and other stakeholders for sustainable corporate practices.

Assuming you have built your credentials, the next challenge is to land in the shortlist of potential candidates. Here are some practical tips for your consideration:

• Prepare and update your resume. You must highlight your key qualities and competencies, tailor-fitted to the company seeking candidates.

• Keep track of potential vacancies, especially for PLCs and industries, where regulators have set term limits for independent directors.

• Apply for director openings that you may become aware of.

• Tap the network you have built for referrals.

The road to success in claiming that seat at the B-Suite requires and entails a lot of work and preparation — but becoming a Director is just a part of the journey. Claiming that seat means that you also carry a tremendous responsibility to make a difference.

Keep all of these “tips” in mind, work hard, stay the course, and be a valuable and significant voice in that Board.

This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or MAP.

Ma. Aurora “Boots” D. Geotina-Garcia is a member of the MAP ESG Committee, and the MAP Diversity & Inclusion Committee. She is vice-chair and president of ICD and president of Mageo Consulting, Inc., a corporate advisory services firm.

map@map.org.ph

magg@mageo.net

map.org.ph

Inflation forecasting is a truly dismal science

January 24, 2022 | 9:44 pm

FOR CLOSE to 40 years, the US and much of the world were blessed with low inflation. No longer. Depending on whom you believe, the dramatic price and wage spike of the last few months is either a flash in the pan or the beginning of something more ominous. Both sides in this debate speak with confidence about what will happen next. But the history of inflation forecasting suggests that humility is in order.

Every oracle relies on a different set of tools to predict the future. In antiquity, animal entrails — ideally, the liver of a sacrificed sheep — would be scrutinized for clues of things to come. In the postwar US, professional economists seeking to predict inflation opted for something a little less sanguinary: the Phillips Curve, named for the economist William Phillips.

The new approach had many advantages, and sparing sheep was the least of them. The Phillips Curve posited a predictable inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation: If unemployment went up, inflation went down, and vice versa. This relationship between the two variables permitted economists to weigh the implications of policy decisions as well as predict future inflation rates.

In time, economists developed different versions of the Phillips Curve model. Most revolved around an ideal baseline rate of unemployment. Go above this sweet spot, and inflation would fall; go below it, and inflation would rise. This rate was dubbed the Non-Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment, shortened to the unlovely acronym Nairu.

In the 1970s, Milton Friedman and other economists attacked the theoretical assumptions that animated the model, arguing that it would fail to hold up over longer time horizons. But the curve remained the crystal ball of choice for forecasters hoping to figure out where inflation was headed in the short term.

The new consensus was neatly captured by the economist Alan Blinder. In 1997, he wrote that “the empirical Phillips curve has worked amazingly well for decades,” and counseled its continued use by policymakers.

Some economists began questioning Blinder’s claim. In 2001, two economists at the University of California at Los Angeles — Andrew Atkeson and Lee Ohanian — published a paper based on an experiment that compared the predictive prowess of the Phillips Curve to a model that was simple to the point of parody: forecasting next year’s inflation by averaging the previous four quarters’ rates. In other words, next year’s inflation will be the same as the previous year’s. That’s it.

“We establish this naive forecast as our benchmark,” they explained, “not because we think that it is the best forecast of inflation available, but rather because we think that any inflation forecasting model based on some hypothesized economic relationship cannot be considered a useful guide for policy if its forecasts are no more accurate than such a simple atheoretical forecast.”

Atkeson and Ohanian pitted their model against two different variations of the Phillips Curve as well as the Federal Reserve’s internal forecasting metrics. The result? The naive model held its own against all contenders, equaling, and in some cases, besting the sophisticated, multivariable forecasting models beloved by economists.

Subsequent studies largely corroborated these findings, but added some important caveats. Researchers such as James Stock and Mark Watson found in 2008 that the accuracy of forecasts rooted in Phillips Curve models improved when the unemployment rate deviated significantly from the Nairu, and faltered when the rate approached the ideal.

But it’s worth recalling that these temporary improvements in forecasting power were relative to a “model” that a child could have invented. (What will inflation be next year? Same as last year!)

This point was made even more pungently by a subsequent study by the economists Marie Diron and Benoit Mojon, who came up with their own, equally interesting thought experiment. Their comparative “model” was even simpler: take a central bank’s inflation target and then use that number as a consistent prediction for inflation every single year.

In the US, the unofficial target number was 2%. Diron and Mojon’s construction therefore predicted 2% inflation, year in and year out. They did the same thing with other countries. Guess what? They managed to beat the complex multivariable models for one long stretch running from 1995 to 2007. Not bad.

For those who continue to cling to the hope that inflation is predictable, there is another method a bit more reminiscent of those oracular sheep: simply ask what the rest of the herd thinks will happen. In other words, question ordinary people (or professional forecasters) about their expectations for inflation and average the answers.

This approach, a landmark study from 2007 showed, delivers better results than any of the standard forecasting models. In this particular inquiry, the also-rans included the Phillips Curve as well as predictive methods that take signals from the bond markets — namely, data about the structure of debt.

That inflation expectations are reliable is understandable. If you believe prices will rise, you will act in ways that could insure this comes true. Put differently, inflation expectations are as much blueprints for action as they are predictions. They’re self-fulfilling.

A more recent study corroborated these results, showing that inflation expectations of both ordinary consumers and professional forecasters generally topped other methods in a decade-by-decade matchup going back to the 1960s. Still, in two of those decades, modified versions of Atkeson and Ohanian’s “model” managed to come out on top.

If asking other people what they think will happen is the best approach, surely the professional forecasters have the edge, yes? Even here, the evidence is contradictory. While the professionals have a better track record over the very long term, there is an embarrassingly long stretch of time, 1984 to 2006, where average Americans narrowly edged out the professionals.

Let that sink in for a moment. Ordinary Americans — significant numbers of whom believe in haunted houses (42% or 58%, depending on the poll); devil possession (41%); the lost city of Atlantis (57%); and astrology (30%) — consistently outperform Federal Reserve economists, bond market professionals and, in many years, professional economic forecasters.

It’s something to keep in mind next time a trained economist tells you about a model showing that inflation will rise, fall, or stay the same. In truth, the collective wisdom of people who have never heard of the Phillips Curve is likely to provide a better guide to what lies ahead.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Major power companies, the Indonesia coal export ban, and the PCCI election

January 24, 2022 | 9:43 pm

Most power generation companies (gencos) — those that own big power plants and ensure we have 24/7 electricity except when there are major technical problems or natural calamities — also suffered major declines in revenues and net income in 2020’s lockdown and pandemic.

TOP ENERGY COMPANIES
I checked the BusinessWorld Top 1,000 Corporations report, and saw that the biggest energy companies in the Philippines are Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) with P266 billion gross revenue in 2020 (ranked #1 in the Top 1,000), followed by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) with P49.25B (ranked #36). But for this piece, I focus on gencos. I will tackle the distribution utilities (DUs) like Meralco, retail electricity suppliers, and NGCP in a future column.

The biggest gencos in the country are owned by San Miguel Corp. (SMC), followed by the Lopez Group/First Gen, then the Aboitiz Group. Some companies here did not have data for 2019 so I just extrapolated the numbers from the percent change in the 2020 data.

One notable trend is the big net income in 2020 of two SMC companies despite a decline in gross revenues and the COVID-19 lockdown. The same for two First Gen companies. The Ayala power company saw a big net income in 2020. These may be windfall income from high and expensive feed-in tariff (FIT) as these two conglomerates have big wind farms that are FIT-recipients.

Two companies of the Aboitiz group experienced net losses and low net income, with TeaM companies suffering a huge drop in net income (see Table).

INDONESIA’S TEMPORARY COAL EXPORT BAN
Meanwhile, notice these recent articles and stories in BusinessWorld:

1. “Power struggles” by Romeo Bernardo, Opinion page (Jan. 23),

2. “Indonesia assures PHL on coal supply” (Jan. 23),

3. “ERC assures power will be sufficient during election” (Jan. 23),

4. “Spot market trading resumes for Visayas grid except Bohol” (Jan. 19),

5. “Diversified power needed in response to unpredictable coal supply — PCCI” (Jan. 18).

All these reports except #4 are related. In his Opinion piece, Romy observed that, “Indonesia supplies over 95% of the Philippine’s coal imports. Coal-based plants, which comprise 44% of the power sector’s dependable capacity in 2020 and close to 60% of power generation, rely mainly on Indonesian coal… the closest alternative, Australian coal, costs more because of the higher quality, and is not even a perfect substitute, i.e., the plants were not designed to run on it.”

Partly because of this, scenarios of yellow-red alerts during the May election and vote validations are being considered, and this will have some political implications.

Good thing that Indonesia will prioritize the Philippines when it resumes its coal exports, according to Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez. Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy perhaps over-reacted when state power firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara announced “critically low” coal inventory held by domestic power plants, raising the risk of power outages.

This column showed that Indonesia still has a high coal Reserves/Production (R/P) ratio in 2020 of 62 years, meaning that if we assume its coal production (domestic use + exports) will continue yearly, the estimated coal reserves will run out or be depleted in 62 years. For other countries, the coal R/P ratio in 2020 are: Vietnam, 69 years; India, 145 years; Australia, 315 years; and the US, 514 years. See https://www.bworldonline.com/europes-blackout-economics-and-the-philippines-path-to-brownouts/ (Dec. 27, 2021).

VISAYAS BLACKOUT DUE TO TYPHOON AND MERALCO SUPPORT
Report number 4 is related to Typhoon Rai (local name: Odette) which on Dec. 16 last year hit northern Mindanao and many Visayan islands and provinces — southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros, even southern Iloilo. The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) in the Visayas was suspended for one month due to power oversupply as demand was curtailed by knocked out distribution posts and cables.

Bohol and Cebu were particularly badly hit, and Meralco sent dozens of engineers, linemen, and support personnel, also vehicles, heavy equipment, and gensets for power restoration efforts in some parts of the province. See “Cebu coops extol Meralco for assisting the province” (Tribune, Jan. 6).

While there is an oversupply of power in Cebu, Bohol is power deficit because it relies mainly on geothermal power “imported” from Leyte plus its own diesel gensets run by NPC. Bohol should have its own coal plants like its neighbor Cebu to be more self-reliant in power generation.

PCCI ENERGY POSITION, RECENT ELECTION
Report #5 quotes new Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President George Barcelon as saying that PCCI highlights the need for more transmission lines and the upgrading of existing facilities, adding that “While variable renewable energy resources could be rapidly deployed in certain areas, coal is still critical to fuel the country’s economy because it is the most stable source of energy.” Good observation.

On another note, my friend and fellow BusinessWorld columnist Andrew Masigan, in his Philippine Star column, wrote a scathing attack on the PCCI election held on Dec. 3 where Mr. Barcelon was elected as the organization’s new President for 2022-2023. He wrote, “It’s a shame that such an embarrassing row has besmirched the reputation of the prestigious PCCI. It just proves that the organization needs new blood to re-institute professionalism and greater participation among members.” (“Dirty politics mars the PCCI,” Andrew J. Masigan, Philippine Star, Jan. 19).

I understand the need to have young blood in the PCCI leadership, but whatever reforms in the election procedures and other rules should have been discussed, agreed on, and instituted early in the two-year term (2020-2021) of the past President and not rushed at the last few months of his term. So the result of the election should be respected. When proposed late reforms like banning a past President from running again for the same position are not agreed on early on, then the ban should not apply.

PCCI is the biggest business organization in the country. Its leadership position on energy realism and not alarmism is important because its advise to the government has strong weight and value.

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

US orders diplomats’ families to leave Ukraine, mulls troops

January 24, 2022 | 9:35 pm

Ukraine’s biggest national flag on the country’s highest flagpole and the giant ‘Motherland’ monument are seen at a compound of the World War II museum in Kyiv, Ukraine, Dec. 16, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. — REUTERS/VALENTYN OGIRENKO

WASHINGTON/LONDON — The US State Department announced Sunday it was ordering diplomats’ family members to leave Ukraine, as US President Joseph R. Biden weighed options for boosting America’s military assets in Eastern Europe to counter a buildup of Russian troops.

The order, which also allowed US diplomats stationed at the embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to leave voluntarily, was one of the clearest signs yet that American officials are bracing for an aggressive Russian move in the region.

“Military action by Russia could come at any time,” the US Embassy said in a statement. Officials “will not be in a position to evacuate American citizens in such a contingency, so US citizens currently present in Ukraine should plan accordingly,” it added.

Tensions in Ukraine have been increasing for months after the Kremlin massed some 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, a dramatic buildup the West says is preparation for a war to prevent Ukraine from ever joining the NATO Western security alliance.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied planning to invade, but the Russian military already tore off a chunk of Ukrainian territory when it seized Crimea and backed separatist forces who took control of large parts of eastern Ukraine eight years ago.

The State Department’s announcement comes a day after British authorities said they had information the Russian government was considering a former Ukrainian lawmaker as a potential candidate to head a pro-Russian leadership in Kyiv.

The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the British allegation as “disinformation,” accusing NATO of “escalating tensions” over Ukraine.

TROOPS AND SANCTIONS
Mr. Biden has begun considering options for boosting America’s military assets in the region, senior administration officials said, after meeting with top national security aides at his Camp David retreat on Saturday.

The New York Times said Mr. Biden was mulling plans to send 1,000 to 5,000 troops to Eastern European countries, with the possibility of increasing the number should tensions flare further.

A senior administration official declined to confirm the numbers on Sunday but said “we are developing plans and we are consulting with allies to determine options moving forward.”

The United States has sent military assistance to Ukraine but has so far held back from sending American personnel.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has rebuffed calls to immediately impose economic sanctions on Russia, saying on Sunday that doing so would undercut the West’s ability to deter potential Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Mr. Blinken was due to meet virtually with members of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday.

As US troop deployments were discussed, a separate senior administration official said US economic penalties on Russia would have far-reaching consequences should it drive any further into Ukraine.

The United States would use the Foreign Direct Product Rule to restrict the export to Russia of products incorporating microelectronics based on US equipment, software or technology.

Britain has also promised stiff sanctions, with British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab telling the UK’s Sky News there would be “very serious consequences if Russia takes this move to try and invade.”

British officials say they have information the Russian government was considering former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevhen Murayev as a potential candidate to head a pro-Russian government in Kyiv.

Mr. Murayev poured cold water on the notion.

“This morning I already read in all the news publications this conspiracy theory: absolutely unproven, absolutely unfounded,” Mr. Murayev told Reuters in a video call, adding he was considering legal action.

He denied having any contact with Russian intelligence officers and dismissed the idea that he could be in league with the Kremlin as “stupid,” given he was placed under Russian sanctions in 2018. — Reuters

Beijing tests shoppers buying fever drugs to root out COVID

January 24, 2022 | 9:34 pm

CHINA’s capital is requiring anyone who buys commonly available anti-fever medicine to undergo COVID-19 testing, as authorities try to root out undetected virus infections without locking down the country’s most important city and host of next week’s Winter Olympics.

Beijing residents who purchase antipyretics, antivirals and drugs that target coughs and sore throats will get an alert on the mobile app China uses for contact tracing and which is frequently checked to allow entry to public venues. The buyer will then need to take a COVID test within 72 hours or face movement restrictions, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission said on Sunday.

Officials are imposing increasingly stringent requirements as they try to contain simultaneous flareups of two variants that have hit the city ahead of the Winter Olympic Games. Though China has locked down smaller cities like Xi’an over similar flareups, it has less space for such escalation in Beijing, home to its political and cultural elite and where international dignitaries and athletes are now arriving for the sporting event.

How the highly transmissible variant seeped into the capital despite China’s stringent COVID-Zero controls is still unknown: after initially suspecting that infection started from contaminated international mail, China’s National Health Commission said over the weekend there’s insufficient evidence of transmission through non-frozen goods.

Frozen products are at the center of Beijing’s other outbreak — that of the Delta variant — that’s affected workers at a cold-storage facility, their families and people who have dined alongside them. Beijing’s government has ordered mandatory testing for the 2 million residents of Fengtai district, where most of the infected live and work, while other residential compounds across the city have asked people to get tested due to the detection of infections or close contacts.

There are no reports of people getting infected from frozen goods. Still, the population remains wary after authorities repeatedly pointed the finger at a range of items from overseas. Local media in the city of Yuzhou — also grappling with a Delta outbreak — reported farmers have had difficulty selling garlic sprouts and health workers are now swabbing the plants to test for the virus.

More than 70 Olympic participants have tested positive for coronavirus. Athletes, their entourage and other games-related staff will move between hotels and venues in a “closed-loop” system that cuts off contact with the rest of the city.

China is also urging caution ahead of the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday that starts Jan. 31, and typically sees millions of people to travel home to see their families. Beijing’s municipal government has requested the city’s 20 million residents to refrain from traveling to other parts of the country ahead of the event.

On Monday, China reported a total of 23 domestic COVID infections, with most detected in Beijing. The nearby city of Tianjin had just one new infection while Xi’an hasn’t reported a case for three days following a lockdown. — Bloomberg

4^th COVID vaccine shot raises resistance to serious illness for over-60s

January 24, 2022 | 9:34 pm

JERUSALEM — A fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine given to people over 60 in Israel made them three times more resistant to serious illness than thrice-vaccinated people in the same age group, Israel’s Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry also said the fourth dose, or second booster, made people over 60 twice as resistant to infection than those in the age group who received three shots of the vaccine.

A preliminary study published by Israel’s Sheba medical center last Monday found that the fourth shot increases antibodies to even higher levels than the third but “probably” not to the point that it could completely fend off the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Israel began offering a fourth dose of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine to people over 60 earlier this month as Omicron swept the country.

The ministry said on Sunday the study it conducted with several major Israeli universities and the Sheba center compared 400,000 people over 60 who received the second booster with 600,000 people in the age group who were given a third shot more than four months ago.

As elsewhere, Israel has seen COVID-19 cases spiral due to Omicron. But it has logged no deaths from the variant. — Reuters

Rafael Nadal survives epic opening set tie-breaker to defeat Adrian Mannarino

January 24, 2022 | 9:25 pm

MELBOURNE — Rafael “Rafa” Nadal survived a mammoth first-set tie-breaker before going on to beat fellow lefty Adrian Mannarino (7-6(14), 6-2, 6-2) and reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Sunday, remaining on course for a men’s record 21^st Grand Slam title.

Nadal and the Frenchman traded blows from the baseline during an engrossing 30-point tie-breaker lasting almost half an hour. The opening set lasted one hour and 21 minutes.

“The first set was very, very emotional,” sixth seed Nadal, who saved four set points during the tie-breaker, said at Rod Laver Arena.

“Anything could have happened there. I was a little bit lucky at the end.

“Everybody knows how mentally (tough) this game is. It was a tough one and after that crazy first set, I think it was so important the break at the beginning of the second set.”

Mannarino had lost both his previous meetings against Nadal and came into the contest after a demanding third-round victory over Russian Aslan Karatsev in a match that lasted four hours and 39 minutes.

After the energy-sapping first set under the blazing afternoon sun at Melbourne Park’s main showcourt, the 69^th-ranked Frenchman wilted as Nadal went on to seal the win with an ace on his first match point.

Nadal’s last defeat by another left-hander in a contested match came in 2017 against Denis Shapovalov, who will be his next opponent after the Canadian saw off German third seed Alexander Zverev in straight sets.

“After that match, I said he’s going to be a potential multi-Grand Slam winner,” Nadal said of the 22-year-old. “And I still think that if he’s able to keep improving, he will be a multi-Grand Slam winner.

“He has a lot of amazing things in his game, and his results say that. When he’s playing well, it’s very difficult to stop him.”

The only former champion left in the men’s draw, 2009 winner Nadal is tied on 20 majors with injured Roger Federer and nine-times Melbourne Park winner Novak Djokovic, who was deported before the tournament began.

A second title at Melbourne Park would not only break the three-way tie at the top of men’s tennis but also make Nadal just the second man after Djokovic to win each of the four Grand Slams twice since the sport became professional in 1968.

But his lead-up to the hardcourt major has been far from ideal. The 35-year-old returned to the Tour after spending four months on the sidelines due to a long-standing foot problem and also contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) last month.

“I am enjoying the fact that I am here and I am enjoying the fact that I am again in a quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, something that’s very special for me,” he said. — Reuters

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs outlast Josh Allen-led Bills in overtime thriller

January 24, 2022 | 9:25 pm

Rams edge Bucs on late field goal

PATRICK Mahomes passed for 378 yards and rushed for 69 Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs advanced to their fourth straight American Football Conference (AFC) championship game, outlasting the Buffalo Bills 42-36 in overtime in a divisional round matchup at Kansas City, MO.

Mahomes completed an 8-yard touchdown (TD) pass to Travis Kelce on the first possession of overtime, which prevented the Bills from ever getting a chance in the extra session in an epic showdown for what could be a special rivalry for years to come.

“With that coaching staff and the players they have,” said Mahomes, “there’s going to be a lot of battles. I’m glad we got this one. We’re going to try to keep it rolling. We’ve got a good team coming in next week.”

Kansas City, the No. 2 seed, claimed its 11^th win in 12 games but will host the AFC championship game next Sunday against the one opponent that beat the Chiefs during that stretch, the Cincinnati Bengals.

All of the AFC championship appearances on the Chiefs’ run (since Mahomes became their starter) have been at home, with the last two resulting in Super Bowl berths.

“Guys didn’t flinch,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “They showed trust in themselves.”

The teams each scored twice inside the final two minutes of regulation, generating 25 points during that span. Kansas City forced overtime on a 49-yard field goal by Harrison Butker as time expired.

Before that, Bills quarterback Josh Allen fired touchdown strikes of 27 and 19 yards to Gabriel Davis, the last coming with 13 seconds remaining.

Mahomes responded by hitting Tyreek Hill with a 64-yard touchdown. Later, when he took over with 13 seconds left, he hit Hill for 19 yards and Kelce for 25 to improbably set up Butker.

“Every time he (Mahomes) comes in the huddle, he says, ‘Let’s be great,’ and it’s not corny when he says it,” Reid said.

Bills coach Sean McDermott termed the performance a “tremendous effort by Josh,” who connected with Davis for four touchdowns, while finishing with 329 yards passing and 68 yards rushing. Davis caught eight passes for 201 yards.

Buffalo saw its five-game winning streak end, suffering a postseason loss for the second straight year in Kansas City.

“Josh played his ass off,” Mahomes said. “This was a great game between two great football teams and at the end of the day, Tyreek and Travis made plays to win the game.”

Mahomes finished 33 of 44, with three touchdowns and 11 strikes to Hill for 150 yards.

Kelce added 96 yards on eight catches.

Allen engineered a 75-yard march in 75 seconds, firing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Davis with 37 seconds remaining to forge a 14-14 half time tie. Buffalo also scored on its first drive, converting two fourth downs, including a 1-yard touchdown rush by Devin Singletary.

Mahomes engineered touchdown drives of 11 and 12 plays in the first half. He rushed for 49 yards on the first series, including an 8-yard score, and found Byron Pringle for a 2-yard TD pass with 1:52 remaining.

For the half, Mahomes totaled 163 yards and Allen 158, with no turnovers.

A 50-yard field-goal attempt by Butker sailed wide right at the half time buzzer.

RAMS EDGE BUCS
Meanwhile, Matt Gay converted a 30-yard field goal on Sunday as time expired, giving the Los Angeles Rams a 30-27 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football Conference (NFC) divisional playoffs in Tampa, FL.

The Rams advance to the conference title game against the rival San Francisco 49ers next Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake. The 49ers have beaten the Rams six straight times.

A win in the NFC final would enable Los Angeles to become the second straight franchise to play a home game in the Super Bowl.

Gay’s game-winning kick Sunday was set up when Matthew Stafford, who completed 28 of 38 passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns, found Cooper Kupp for a 44-yard gain to the Buccaneers’ 12-yard line. The play capped a nine-catch, 183-yard day for Kupp.

“Steal somebody’s soul,” Stafford said of leading the game-winning drive. “You get to reach in there and take it from them. That’s a whole lot of fun.” — Reuters

SEAG-bound volleyball team will come from PVL — PNVF chief Suzara

January 24, 2022 | 9:24 pm

THE Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) is sending its best team to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) slated for May 12-23 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

PNVF president Tats Suzara on Monday said the squad they are sending will now all come from the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) as the college players who trained with the SEA Games-bound team most of last year could no longer join because of conflict of schedule.

The biennial meet will run smack into the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) where Kamille Cal, Michaela Belen and Ivy Lacsina of National University, Eya Laure, Imee Hernandez and Bernadette Pepito of University of Santo Tomas and Faith Nisperos of Ateneo are suiting up.

“No UAAP players in SEA Games lineup,” said Mr. Suzara. “Mostly, if not all, will be PVL players for the SEA Games team.”

Mr. Suzara did not mention the replacements, but there is a chance that players like Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado from Creamline, Kat Tolentino of Choco Mucho, Kath Arado, Jasmine Nabor of Chery Tiggo and Kath Arado of PLDT could be among those reportedly being eyed for inclusion.

“We are still in a meeting now with the national team commission,” said Mr. Suzara.

Among the current members of the Philippine team are Kalei Mau, Abi Marano, Kim Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron and Dawn Macandili of F2 Logistics, Jaja Santiago, Dindin Santiago and Mylene Paat of Chery Tiggo, Deanna Wong of Choco Mucho and Jema Galanza of Creamline.

Warriors win vs Jazz after tense final minutes

January 24, 2022 | 9:22 pm

stephen-curry — STEPHEN Curry (30) guarded by Jazz Mike Conley. — REUTERS

KEVON Looney’s three-point play with 1:48 remaining gave Golden State a five-point lead and the Warriors survived a late flurry by the Utah Jazz to hold on for a 94-92 victory on Sunday night in San Francisco.

After getting Utah within two on a 3-pointer with 32.8 seconds remaining, Bojan Bogdanović couldn’t duplicate the success on a 27-footer with 1.8 seconds left.

Royce O’Neal got his hand on the rebound solidly enough for a tip-in attempt, but it rolled off the rim, allowing the Warriors to beat the Jazz for the second straight time this season.

After leading by 13 with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter, the Warriors not only had their entire lead disappear in the next seven minutes, but saw the Jazz go up 86-83 at the end of a 20-4 run.

Jordan Poole gave Golden State the lead for good at 91-89 on a jumper with 3:55 to go, which was the game’s last scoring before Looney turned an offensive rebound into a follow shot and a key three-point play more than two minutes later.

There were only six points scored — three by each team — in the final 3:55, with Utah playing without Donovan Mitchell, who missed a third straight game due to a concussion, and the Warriors without Klay Thompson, who was a late scratch with soreness in his surgically repaired knee.

Poole paced the Warriors with 20 points on a night when Stephen Curry shot just 1-for-13 on 3-pointers and finished with 13 points.

Andrew Wiggins (14 points), Otto Porter, Jr. (13), Damion Lee (12) and Looney (10) also scored in double figures for the Warriors, who won their second straight.

Porter found time for a team-high eight rebounds and Curry for a game-high six assists. The Warriors won despite shooting just 13-for-42 on 3-pointers.

Bogdanović had a team-high 21 points for the Jazz, who lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.

Rudy Gobert had a 12 points and 18 rebounds for Utah, while Rudy Gay added 16 points and Joe Ingles 10.

The Warriors outshot the Jazz 43.4% to 38.3%. — Reuters

Liverpool edges closer to City, Chelsea back to winning ways

January 24, 2022 | 9:21 pm

LONDON — Liverpool took advantage of Manchester City’s dropped points with a 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday, taking a small bite out of City’s commanding lead of the Premier League.

It was far from vintage form for Liverpool who led 2-0 after a dominant first half but needed a late penalty by Fabinho to quell a stirring Palace fightback at Selhurst Park.

Third-placed Chelsea got back to winning ways with a 2-0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge with an exquisite strike by Hakim Ziyech setting them on their way to a first victory in five league games.

Manchester City were denied a 13^th successive league win on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at Southampton and now lead Liverpool by nine points having played a game more.

Chelsea is 10 behind City but have played a game more.

Arsenal missed an opportunity to move into the top four as they drew 0-0 at home to bottom club Burnley.

Leicester City drew 1-1 at home to Brighton and Hove Albion — Danny Welbeck’s late equalizer earning ninth-placed Brighton a 12^th draw of the season.

Goals by Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put Liverpool in charge at Selhurst Park.

But Palace grew in belief after the break and when Odsonne Edouard tapped in after 55 minutes they looked capable of salvaging something until a controversial late penalty awarded when Diogo Jota collided with Palace keeper Vicente Guaita.

“A big three points today for us, really big,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said, although he played down the significance of the win in the title race.

“The distance is too far to talk about it but we don’t have to. We just need to win football matches. Each Premier League game is difficult like we saw today,” Klopp said.

Chelsea recorded a third win this month against Tottenham, including two in the League Cup semifinal, to get back on track after a worrying slump in league form.

They were far too good for the visitors but had to wait until Ziyech’s superb curled effort two minutes after the restart to go ahead. Thiago Silva made it 2-0 shortly after and Chelsea could have won by more.

Harry Kane did have a first-half goal disallowed for Tottenham but they surrendered their unbeaten league record under Antonio Conte in rather tame fashion.

“We were working extremely hard for it and it was a tough match,” said Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who was celebrating one year in charge of the club. “The effort was outstanding and it was a deserved win.

“It is so hard to create chances against them but we were relentless and kept on believing.”

While Tottenham has slipped to seventh with 36 points, they have games in hand over all the teams battling for fourth spot.

Arsenal edged above them on goal difference but were disappointing as they could find now way past Burnley.

“To win this match, you need to have a different level of quality,” said manager Mikel Arteta, whose side were booed off at the end and have endured a disappointing January.

The Premier League now takes a two-week winter break with the focus switching to the transfer window that closes on Jan. 31. Action resumes on Feb. 5. — Reuters

Hudson Swafford breaks from pack late to win The American Express

January 24, 2022 | 9:21 pm

HUDSON Swafford went eagle-birdie at the 16^th and 17^th holes to cap a busy final round and win The American Express on Sunday in La Quinta, CA.

Swafford’s eagle, nine birdies and three bogeys added up to an 8-under 64 that catapulted him to victory after starting the day three strokes off the leaders. At 23-under 265, Swafford beat Tom Hoge (68 Sunday) by two shots.

Brian Harman also shot a 64 earlier in the day to set the clubhouse lead at 20 under. He tied for third with Lanto Griffin (67) and Lee Hodges (70).

It marks the third Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour win of Swafford’s career, and the second to come at the PGA West Stadium Course. Swafford won this event in 2017 when it was called the CareerBuilder Challenge.

“This was definitely a special one,” Swafford said. “A third win, and about a month ago my father passed away and his birthday was this week, so I know he was following and watching and to get it done, it was awesome.”

Swafford, Harman and Italy’s Francesco Molinari were tied for the lead at 20 under — with five others one shot back — when Swafford played No. 16, a par 5. He had 198 yards to the flag for his second shot and got a 7-iron to nestle up 8 feet from the hole.

“I knew if I missed it a little bit it was going to come up just short, just where you wanted to be, and if I hit it good and hit it solid, then I was going to have a really good chance at eagle,” Swafford said. “It was one of the best 7-irons I’ve ever hit.”

He sank the short eagle putt to take the solo lead, then made a 19-foot birdie putt from the fringe at the par-3 17^th to move out of reach for good.

Hoge came up shy of earning his first win on tour but still played well. He had five birdies against one bogey, with four of his birdies coming on the back nine.

“It was nice to make a few putts coming in on, what was it, 12 and 17 was a nice one to make,” Hoge said. “So I’ll take some positives going forward and hopefully keep playing well next week at Torrey (Pines).”

Harman sank eight birdies and avoided carding a bogey for his 64.

“It’s been kind of a trying year,” Harman said. “I had a really bad fall, kind of banged my thumb up last year and didn’t play as well as I wanted to in the fall, didn’t play good and I’ve been working real hard at home and it’s been going alright. It’s just nice to come out and play some good golf. It’s been awhile since I’ve played some good golf.”

Molinari (68), Will Zalatoris (67) and Denny McCarthy (67) tied for sixth at 19 under. Patrick Cantlay, who opened the tournament with a 62, settled for ninth at 18 under after shooting 68 on Sunday.

Hodges and Frenchman Paul Barjon shared the 54-hole lead, but Hodges posted a quiet 70 and Barjon fell out of contention with a 1-over 73. Barjon landed alone in 10^th at 17 under.

The entire field played the Stadium Course for the final round after playing one round each at La Quinta Country Club, the PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course and the Stadium Course over the first three days. — Reuters

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