The start of the new year
is always the best time to hope, since there is a ton of time to get
things done. The start of 2011, then, is where I will post the 11
things I hope will happen in the sports world in 2011. Pleas enote that
I used the word HOPE and not WISH, so I cannot put "Peping Cojuanco
resigns from POC as one of the 11, since it's impossible" I've also
ranked the 11 based on my level of desire to see it happen and on each
item's feasibility. Read part one here on this link.
The problem with the players' union and the team owners looms large as both sides expect a lock out. In reality, both sides have to be honest and consider the other side's points. As much as team owners keep harping on how much they lose, a lot can be done to tighten belts and cut costs without affecting player salaries. Exercising caution in signing mid-tier players and some cuts in scouting and office costs will do wonders for a team. I mean, owners may be losing money because of sky-rocketing salaries, but who's to blame for offering Joe Johnson USD 120 million and Amir Johnson over USD 50 million anyway? Meanwhile, players can also help owners out by playing more consistently, not just on contract years to help convince owners to shell out the cash. Acting more responsibly helps too. It's hard to convince owners to increase salaries on players who have fist fights on a plane over a card game, who come in late because their I-Phone 4 alarm didn't go off or who don't come into practice and then offer no explanation. In the end, both sides will want to keep the audience happy so throw pride and the lock out out the window.
I love the Philippine Basketball Association and I constantly defend it against NBA fans who keep claiming the PBA is dead. That's why I hope that the PBA handles its business properly as it is currently in a mess. First, they have to find a permanent media partner to cover their games. They may have to swallow their pride on this one and give ABS CBN a long term contract the PBA scoffed at years before. If ABS could elevate the UAAP into a prime product despite the low level of basketball displayed in a lot of the UAAP games, think what the media giant could do for the best pro players in the land. Second, the PBA needs to finalize their D League. The D-League will be a good venue for raw players to hone their skills and less talented players will be wasting away on PBA benches. The PBA needs to get that league up and running soon. Lastly, the PBA needs to support the Smart Gilas program. Whether they want to lend its players to Gilas or not, the PBA needs to be clear about their role. They don't help things when they sometimes intimate their desire to help the national team but then propose no new concrete measure to help. If they want to lend players to Gilas, they should lend them for the entire year. If they don't, then they need to publicly and unequivocally support Gilas and its program. Finally, if they plan on letting Gilas play in the Commissioner's Cup, they should feature foreign amateur referees to give Gilas a good feel for international calls. PBA refs simply call too many fouls. If the PBA can handle these issues hounding them, I will be a happy man.
The Philippine Football Team caused quite a stir by entering the semi-finals of AFF Suzuki Cup. The feat, which included a win against powerhouse Vietnam, created a wave of interest in football unseen in recent years. While I am not a rabid (or should I say drooling?) fans like a lot of our Filipinas out there, I do respect them for what they have done. I will then show them proper respect by expecting more from them. They have three major tournaments this year, including qualifying for the World Cup. It really is my fervent hope that the Suzuki Cup was not a fluke and that now, with the moral support of a desperate nation, a new German coach and the financial support of Manny Pangilinan and an international football grant, the Azkals will produce even better results. I hope for more tangible victories like goals and actual wins and less moral victories like keeping the games close.
For all the talk about finding the "next" Manny Pacquiao, I find that there is a lack of talk about the "current" Nonito Donaire. The "Filipino Flash" is one heck of a fighter, slick, heady, stylish and deceptively strong, very much unlike any other Filipino fighter in history. His only problem is he's wasting away his life since other big name fighters have been avoiding him since he absolutely crushed Vic Darchinyan. This year, he finally gets Fernando Montiel in a big title fight, and I hope for his victory, not only so he can get his second world title, but also so he can get more shots at big fights. Donaire is an ever improving big game fighter who is extremely proud of his Filipino heritage. The world needs to see this man fight.
The bold decision to create an actual national basketball team that trains all year round has not sat well with casual basketball fans who fancy themselves as experts, believing only PBA players can match up with Asia's best. Despite performing great strides that even foreign basketball coaches have noticed, Gilas' 6th place finish in the 2010 Asian Games has provided more fuel to the critics' fire. I do believe in the program and I think that while some of the best players are indeed in the PBA, only Gilas can provide a true working solution to our basketball problem. As much as the PBA players are good, none of them will be able to train year-round and very few of them can survive the hard-core training Gilas coach Rajko Toroman runs on his players. I've seen GIlas train under Toroman and PBA stars like Willie Miller, James Yap and Joe de Vance will all die horrible deaths if they have to run, cut and defend every minute they are on the floor, like Gilas players do. Youngsters like Mac Baracael, Chris Tiu and Marcio Lassiter, by virtue of their physique and stamina are better suited for the international game and I hope that big wins in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup and the FIBA Asia Tournament will show critics that.
pics courtesy of gmanews.tv, reuters, pabolfc.blogspot.com, blogs.orlandosentinel.com
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