THE November chill is creeping up on us, all set to morph into Christmas sooner than we expect.

But chill is definitely not the word for what’s popping in the sports scene during this last quarter of the year. Everything is toasty, hot or sizzling. And this week we’ve decided to train our sights on the hottest topics and the most intriguing scenarios that are roasting and popping right before our eyes.

Still Hot

1. The Wynne Arboleda Issue. After 20 days, a whopping fine, a season-long suspension for the errant Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player, and pages and pages of printed and online comments on the Alain Katigbak-mauling incident during the Burger King-Smart Gilas game, this issue just refuses to die. More recently, Congress called all concerned to a House investigation into sports violence. Suggestions for Burger King to donate what should be Arboleda’s forfeited salary to the Ondoy flood victims have been made. Even more recently, the Games and Amusements Board is mulling the revocation of Arboleda’s license—also as an aftermath of that one tragic, impetuous action on October 16. Have we heard the last of this morality play? We don’t think so.

2. The PBA and the Gilas Issue. Does the PBA really want Gilas to play in the pro league? Is the PBA jealous of Gilas? Those questions were raised when PBA commish Sonny Barrios said all past and future Gilas games in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup would have no bearing. He explained that was the better option over banning non-Filipino CJ Giles from the team’s remaining games. Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director and former PBA commish Noli Eala reacted to the decision this way: “It’s their way of telling us subtly that they don’t want us to play in the PBA.” The same queasy feeling about Gilas exists among some PBA teams, reports say. “Look at how easily the Talk ‘N Text (TNT) team routed Smart Gilas on Wednesday,” a team exec reportedly said, implying that Gilas purposely played so-so against TNT, which has the same corporate backer. No love lost, really. Burger King coach Yeng Guiao had been earlier accused by Eala and Gilas coach Rajko Toroman of playing “dirty” against the young Gilas players.

HOT-HOT-HOT!

1. Sports Scribes Playing Basketball. Andy Vergara, Eric Uy, Jim Guiao Punzalan and Cedelf Tupas of the Inquirer; Joey Villar of the Star; Francis Santiago and Jonas Terrado of the Bulletin; Julius Manicad of the Tribune, Jelly Musico of the Philippine News Agency; Karlo Sarcamos of Philippine Gazette; Josef Ramos of the Times and Reuben Terrado and Joel Orellana of the BusinessMirror have turned the tables on their queries. They are now basketball stars, making their hot moves and emulating their idols in a league of their own—the DDB/PDEA Interbeat Basketball Tournament. They won the title last in 1997, but who cares? They’re having fun and can’t write about it anyway. Or else, how can they play? Hahaha! More power, dudes!

2. National Basketball Association (NBA) Second Week. Some issues have been sizzlers lately, to wit:

a. Shaquille O’Neal finally showing up to play, adding a season-high 21to LBJ’s 27 to beat the Wizards for their sixth-straight win at home.

b. The Nuggets showing unbelievable strength in the West—unbeaten so far, thanks to strong bench play.

c. The Celtics lording it over the East and the rest of the league (5-0), with defense and a superb second division as their main ammo.

d. Steve Nash and The Phoenix Suns getting their real groove back. “They just needed to get rid of O’Neal to get good again,” a Suns fan says.

e. Kobe Bryant continuing to lift the Lakers, scoring 31 on their first road game in overtime.

f. Rajon Rondo’s new five-year contract and his on-court and off-court run-in with Chris Paul during the Boston-New Orleans game.

g. Dirk Nowitzki’s “monster games.”

h. Allen Iverson’s outspoken complaint on the Grizzlies’ bench: “I had no problems [with my hamstring], I had a problem with my butt sitting on that bench so long.” (A rap song, an ode to A.I. called “My Butt Hurts,” was immediately composed and sung by a group on the Chris Vernon Show, a sports talk radio show.)

3. Alaska’s Amazing PBA Conference. Tim Cone has dared compare his current team to the one he led to a Grand Slam in 1996. If all goes right, Alaska could win the KFC-PBA “All Filipino”. Like the NBA, the PBA is only just a week ahead of the global league in its new run. But the signs are very encouraging for Tim Cone’s Aces, whose first and second teams are performing exactly to expectations. Right now they are the only unbeaten team in the nine-team league. (Make that 10 if we include Gilas.) The Aces are hot milk, indeed!

4. The World Series. Now there’s a Game Six. And who knows, maybe a Game Seven. Here are some reasons this series is so hot : 1. History. Only three other times in World Series history (1999, 1974 and 1962) has a defending champ (Phillies) faced an opponent (Yankees) that won at least 100 games during the season . 2. Stars. The New York Yankees may have Alex Rodriguez, but the Philadelphia Phillies have Chase Utley, a red-hot, power-hitting second baseman who knocked five home runs in one game—surpassing Babe Ruth’s record and tying Reggie Jackson’s total, set in 1977—the biggest ever in the game. 3. Drama. If you can’t see it yet, you should.

Can’t you feel the heat already?