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Tuesday, February 14, 2006
there's a guest writer today, peep this article about "Pac Man's" influence over the motherland... -agentCB posted on 2/14/2006 12:51:00 PM by agentCB
GROUNDHOG DAY posted on 2/02/2006 10:36:00 PM by agentCB
MANNY MANIA
by: Giselle P Kasilag
The roads were empty. The malls were abandoned. Those few who did venture outside were in a hurry to get home. For the 20 million people fighting for space in cramped Metro Manila, seeing the city's overflowing streets quiet is practically unimaginable.
But on January 22, Filipino boxer Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao accomplished the unthinkable, he kept not only Manila but most of this country's 80 million people indoors on a Sunday morning and afternoon. From the time television coverage began with preliminaries at 9am, up until he delivered the final blow of the main event that felled Mexican fighter and arch rival Erik Morales in a rematch at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, this long- divided nation was united in prayer for his victory.
Even hours after the 10th-round technical knock out in the WBC International Super Featherweight title fight, fans were still glued to their TV sets, devouring every detail during lengthy post-game analysis.
Pac Man is a hero. In a country battered and bruised by poverty, rebellion and corruption he is hailed as The People's Champ, Ang Pambansang Kamao Ng Pilipinas (The National Fist of the Philippines). During those 10 rounds, he became more influential than the church, keeping the staunchly Catholic population away from mass. He was even more powerful than the government. According
to the Philippine National Police, no crime was reported from 9am to 3pm that day. Even the communist New People's Army took a break from trying to overthrow the government, letting it be known that they monitored the fight from their respective hideouts.
For a country desperate to escape its reality as the sick man of Southeast Asia, he became the national drug of choice. For a moment, people believed that the nation was united. It was mass hallucination.
Then the first gentleman Miguel Arroyo barged into the ring immediately after the fight, cellphone in hand, saying his wife, President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, was on the other end. The bubble burst. Politics as usual interrupted that brief moment of euphoria.
So why is Pacquiao so beloved among Filipinos? Anyone who has seen a local action film would immediately understand the appeal. His journey from small-town boxer to world-class fighter mirrors many of the characteristics that have made such movie personalities as former president Joseph Estrada and former presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr wildly popular.
Pacquiao's life is the stuff that Filipino films are made of.
He comes from a poor family struggling to make ends meet. He is rough around the edges but generally fair in his dealings. As a youngster, he could hold his own in a fist fight, which earned him the respect of his peers. The possibility of earning a living through boxing occurred to him but his mother forbade him to enter the ring. At 12 years old, he ran away from home and lived off pool hustling. When he turned 16, he began his boxing career as a junior flyweight.
It was not easy. He would come home bloody and bruised. But just like the quintessential action movie hero, he never gave up. In fact, he would almost always win. He eventually reunited with his mother and became a devoted son. He even found a partner who looked like an action hero's wife, a beautiful mixed-blood woman who patiently stood by his side through every contest.
When his first match against Morales took place on March 19, 2005, the country was in political crisis. Allegations of election fraud, graft and corruption against Arroyo and her family were coming to light. People were starved of good news. Because Pacquiao had defeated Marco Antonio Barerra, who previously defeated Morales, he was confident he would prevail.
Though he had the psychological advantage, people still viewed Pacquiao as the underdog. Physically, Morales was taller with a longer reach. He was also good looking which left Pacquiao seeming rather plain and small beside him. But the Filipino promised to exploit the Mexican's weaknesses and entered the ring certain he'd bag the fight within the first five rounds.
That was the proverbial pride before the fall. After 12 rounds, the judges decided in favor of Morales. It was a close call and the result was humbling. He fought hard and many Filipinos felt the decision should have been a draw, if not an outright victory for Pacquiao. Even those with no interest in boxing were sympathetic.
This defeat set the stage for Manny mania 10 months later. Rather than locking himself away, he bravely faced the media, apologized to his countrymen on national television for his defeat and promised to do better in the rematch.
His honesty and remorse struck a chord. While the guilty here never apologize for anything and deny everything, here was a young man with little education from a poor community who was far more honorable than the highly- educated suits who dominated the political scene.
He dealt with victory and defeat in the same manner. He smiled easily, thanked his patrons repeatedly, greeted his wife and mother on TV, and offered everything to God. He even put his face to an ad for a laundry detergent that paid tribute to ordinary Filipinos earning a clean and decent living. Di baling madugo basta malinis ang laban (Never mind the blood so long as the fight is clean), the ad said.
By the time the next bout was set, most Filipinos viewed it as a grudge match. Any taxi driver or market vendor would tell you with certainty that Pacquiao was cheated, even if few could tell the difference between a jab and a hook.
We Filipinos love underdogs. We are underdogs. The never-say-die attitude Pacquiao displayed during the first fight resonated deeply. If only for that, many felt that he deserved the win. The nation's hero was wronged and the country rallied behind him under the banner of righteous anger.
Come rematch time, Pacquiao was again the underdog and conducted himself with such humility that people were even more warmed to him. He promised a good, clean fight and never uttered a negative word against Morales - a refreshing change from the daily slanging matches and accusations between congress and the Arroyo government. He asked the public to pray for his safety and his victory. He promised not to offer any excuses should he lose. According to Pacquiao, he was as prepared as he could ever be. If Morales wins, it would only be because he was the better fighter.
When Pacquiao finally entered the ring he was a walking billboard. On his forehead was a bandana advertising No Fear, the clothing company that has been supporting him for several years. His white shorts were filled with logos from different companies that provided financial support. He had more ads on his body than a souvenir program at a pop concert.
While the look was crass, even this endeared him to fans. Pacquiao personally pitched the ad space to his patrons, advising them that their logos would be displayed more prominently on the back of the shorts because he would not fall down. Pacquiao was willing to work for everything he got whether inside or outside the ring. He raised five million pesos (HK$745,000) from his shorts alone.
On stepping inside, Pacquiao knelt for a quick prayer. The gesture was sincere. A devout Catholic, he also had his shorts, shoes and gloves blessed with holy water the day before. He made the sign of the cross before and after every round.
The victory was sweet. Pacquiao was the first boxer to make "El Terrible" Morales, who has held three world titles, fall to his knees inside the ring. It was made even sweeter in that Morales had boasted the day before that he never felt a punch during their previous bout. Without doubt, the Mexican felt the blows this time. Successive punches robbed him of his good looks and left him with a grotesquely bloated face.
As jubilation swept across the nation, Arroyo's presence was a rude intrusion of reality. Facing allegations that he is involved in illegal gambling syndicates, the first gentleman has been in self- imposed exile in the United States. He stepped inside the ring to congratulate Pacquiao, along with a host of congressmen, senators and other officials who came to see the fight. One local talk show host could not help but ask, "Did the congress move to Las Vegas."
Further jeering erupted back in Manila when the cameras focused on Arroyo after he handed a cell phone to Pacquiao. "Hello Manny?" was all it took for the public to realize that it was the president on the other end of the line. The all-too-familiar voice sounded uncomfortably like the infamous "Hello Garci?" wiretapped conversations that purport to prove the president guilty of fixing the last round of national elections.
This political presence in Las Vegas was the one sour note in this otherwise agreeable story. Pacquiao admitted spending US$40,000 (HK$312,000) on tickets for family, friends and politicians, saying it was only right for him to give back after receiving so many blessings. While his fans lauded the generosity, the politicians' tickets did not escape the wrath of local columnists. If they were true patrons, why were these politicians relying on Pacquiao for tickets? Answers, as expected, were not forthcoming.
Many Filipino boxers end their careers in poverty due to mismanagement of funds. They spend freely on their entourages and hangers-on and lose everything. In Pacquiao's case, several homes and a fleet of cars are only a few of his recently acquired assets. But he also says that he will establish a boxing school, a move that could safeguard his legacy in the way that such projects keep alive the Filipino boxing legend of Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, a great champion of the 1950s and 60s.
Two weeks after the fight, the fixation has yet to wane. Newspapers continue to devote page after page to the fight and its fallout. His return to his hometown of General Santos City in Mindanao was a mass celebration. His mother, children, and friends have all been interviewed and local film stars lined up to offer congratulatory messages. Never mind insurgency, coup rumors and the rest, Pacquiao's photo still occupies the newspapers.
In hindsight, the pressure placed on him was almost too cruel for anyone to bear alone. Neither an elected official nor a government employee, the hopes and dreams of an entire nation rested on his shoulders. But carry it well, he did.
We thank him for those brief moments when the nation stood united, if only for 10 rounds.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
so it turns out the official groundhog for groundhog's day is predicting more winter weather for six more weeks. um i don't think the groundhog works up here in seattle, then again who knows cuz it always rains.
it's been a while since i've been on here. been busy living life and working. music is still in the picture too, but in the background for now, as i still get settled in my job, etc.
life in the northwest is good. even though we survived 27 consecutive days of rain, i don't seem to mind. it does get kinda repetitive though. getting my money's worth on them windshield wipers.
haven't been taking the bus lately, i'm doing a hiphop class at a middle school up here now. so i've been driving this whole week. getting used to that shit. not good. i wish they had that subway done already. i'd still have 2 drive to get to that school though. oh well.
seattle's pretty much into seahawk fever up here. i still however claim my niners to the death. if anyone gives me shit, all i say is "5 rings, bitch." those were the days.
