As I sit here preparing to watch the MPBL games scheduled for Monday, June 9th at Paco Arena in Manila, I can't help but reflect on how far the beautiful game has come. The matchups between Pangasinan and Marikina at 4 p.m., GenSan against Muntinlupa at 6 p.m., and Manila versus Ilagan Isabela at 8 p.m. represent just the latest chapter in soccer's incredible journey—a journey that spans thousands of years and countless cultures. What fascinates me most about soccer isn't just the modern game we see today, but the rich tapestry of historical developments that brought us here. The evolution from ancient ball games to the structured sport we know today tells a story of human civilization itself.

My personal fascination with soccer's origins began during my graduate studies in sports history, where I discovered that ball games resembling soccer date back over 3,000 years. The earliest evidence comes from ancient China during the Han Dynasty around 206 BCE, where a game called "cuju" involved kicking a leather ball through a small opening. What's remarkable is that cuju wasn't just recreational—it served as military training, with historians estimating that nearly 45,000 soldiers participated in these games annually. Meanwhile, halfway across the world, Mesoamerican cultures were developing their own ball games with rubber balls, a material Europeans wouldn't encounter for centuries. I've always found it incredible how different civilizations independently arrived at similar concepts of kicking games, suggesting something fundamentally human about the desire to propel objects with our feet.

The medieval period saw soccer take a wilder, more chaotic form in Europe. Between the 9th and 16th centuries, entire villages would participate in "mob football" matches that could last for days. These games had few rules and were often played between neighboring towns with goals sometimes miles apart. I remember reading accounts of games involving 500 players per side—imagine the chaos! What strikes me about this period is how the game reflected societal structures: it was often played during festivals, served as a pressure valve for community tensions, and occasionally got banned by authorities who saw it as disruptive. King Edward II prohibited football in 1314, calling it "a game which creates great noise in the city." I can't help but smile thinking how this unregulated ancestor of modern soccer would shock today's organized leagues.

The transformation into modern soccer began in 19th century England, and this is where my personal admiration for the sport's standardization really kicks in. Public schools developed their own rules, leading to the historic moment in 1863 when the Football Association was formed. This established the fundamental principle that distinguished soccer from rugby: the prohibition of handling the ball. The spread of British imperialism carried the game globally, with South America adopting it with particular passion. Argentina formed its first football club in 1867, just four years after the FA's creation. What I find most compelling about this era is how quickly the game professionalized—by 1888, England had established the world's first football league with 12 teams, and player salaries averaged about £3 per week, equivalent to roughly £380 today.

When I look at modern soccer, I see both continuity and revolution. The establishment of FIFA in 1904 created global governance, leading to the first World Cup in 1930 with just 13 teams—a far cry from today's 32-team format. Television transformed the sport commercially, with the English Premier League's first TV deal in 1992 worth £304 million over five years. Today, that seems almost quaint compared to current global broadcasting rights valued at approximately $30 billion. The technological advancements—from VAR to goal-line technology—represent what I consider both necessary evolution and sometimes excessive intervention. Personally, I miss the raw unpredictability of earlier eras, though I acknowledge technology has brought more fairness.

Which brings me back to the MPBL games happening this Monday. When I watch Pangasinan face Marikina, then GenSan take on Muntinlupa, and finally Manila battle Ilagan Isabela, I'm not just seeing six teams compete—I'm witnessing the living legacy of millennia of development. The Paco Arena in Manila becomes another link in the chain connecting ancient Chinese cuju players, medieval English villagers, and Victorian gentlemen who codified the rules. What continues to amaze me is how this simple concept—kicking a ball—has maintained its essential appeal while evolving into a global phenomenon. The passion I'll see in those MPBL games echoes the same excitement that has surrounded soccer-like games for centuries. As much as the sport has changed with technology and commercialization, its core remains the same: the beautiful, simple joy of the game that has captivated humans across cultures and centuries. That's why, despite all the changes, I believe soccer will continue to be the world's game for generations to come.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.