(Each week, From the Fifty Peso Seats has a weekly edition of shorts, compilations of interesting but short posts of developments and trivia about the sporting world.)
2009 is now part of the history books, so I figured I would celebrate the new year by speaking out.
Living the Dream
By now, everyone has read, watched and debated the still-in-negotiations Manny Pacquiao - Floyd Mayweather fight, and everyone has formed opinions about it. Most citizens of the world have surmised that this is now Pacquiao's fault, as his insistence to refuse random blood testing seems to be the only sticking point to making the fight happen. The way I see it, that's just, as the English say, bollocks. As much as Mayweather has the right to demand a blood test no professional fighter has ever been asked to do, Pacquiao has every right to refuse it too. Yes, the blood to be taken is minimal, but at best it is still a minor distraction to Pacquiao's pre-fight routine. I believe greatly in the importance of mental prepartions and doing or undergoing something unusual is no way to prepare for a fight.
On a personal standpoint, I would love for Pacquiao to keep up in refusing blood testing. Why will it again be the Filipino who will accommodate to a foreigner's request? Manny is the pound for pound king. This is one of the few times a Pinoy can call the shots and it would be disappointing if the world's most well-known Filipino accedes to foreigners demands as many have done over our history.
Do They Still Make 5th Place Trophies?
Do I live in Planet Zog or something? Reading all the write-ups about Team Philippines' performance in the SEA Games, I do not sense the outrage or disappointment in anyone's tone. In fact, some writers listed this year's fifth place performance as an "improvement." Now, it is an improvement from 2007's 6th place debacle, but my goodness. Who should ever be happy about fifth place, except countries who have never reached fifth. The Philippines used to battle for the top three spots in the overall medal tally in every SEA Games and now we have been reduced to celebrating fifth? This can only mean two things. This could mean that everyone has given up on our athletes and sports programs or it's a "white wash" style propaganda unleashed by the Philippine Olympic Committee. If we are going to be happy placing 5th in the SEA Games, we might as well not participate. I have met a lot of our national athletes. I know we can do better than fifth and we should be disappointed with anything less than a top three finish.
Even a Broken Clock Tells the Right Time Twice
It is no secret that I believe the Philippine Bowling Congress is in deep dudu because of certain characters and their boneheaded decisions, but as the sub title suggests, they got something right this time. Word is, the PBC has hired Jun Trasporto, a Filipino with Canadian citizenship, as the new head coach of its national team. Jun is one of the bowling world's top 100 coaches and is certified, both in coaching by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and ball drilling by the International Bowling Pro Shops and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) . In fact, he is proficient enough in drilling that he is a ball drilling instructor and a co-author of the drilling manual the IBPSIA uses. We had a chance to hire him three years ago, but he was soon snatched up by Korea, who proceeded to win big in the 2006 Men's World Championships and Asian Games and then later by Qatar who also won big two years ago. He will undoubtedly bring a lot of innovations and technical proficiency our bowling national team has never seen or heard of before, and if they listen (that's a big if, though) it can only mean good things. I mean, I've been coaching for 10 years and I'm also a silver-certified coach, but I learn something new every time I talk to him. The PBC can "tell the right time" a second time by letting Jun take over our youth program as well.
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