Gilas, Azkals and PacMan

So near but yet so far. That sums up the Gilas’ mission to qualify for an Olympic basketball slot to London in 2012. If you had seen the game against Korea, turnovers and missed free throws, four to be exact in the final minutes, sealed the Gilas fate.   There were serious lapses within this period and it was not remedied accordingly.

Had we beaten Korea, we could have gone on to the next but much tougher stage, together with Jordan for the final Olympic qualifiers where three remaining slots are available to complete the 12-team Olympic basketball tournament.

Although we failed in our quest, the run was a good one despite the obvious size disadvantage. We improved from our previous FIBA Asia Championships finish (8th in 2009) and this time moved up to the medal round. Likewise, after this year’s zone championships, our world ranking improved several notches, from #53 to #45.

Next target for the Gilas will be the 2013 FIBA Asia Championships where the top three qualifies for the FIBA Worlds come 2014. We could be hosting the 2013 edition. The Wuhan delegation, excluding the PBA reinforcements, will only have Chris Tiu and Marcus Douthit remaining. The rest were all drafted in the first round of the recent PBA Draft.

Coach Rajko Toroman or whoever will be taking over the Gilas will be starting from scratch.   Hopefully, the Gilas will have a taller and better unit assembled.

Yup, we did well at Wuhan but some quarters expected so much more from our basketball team. The fourth place finish was met with sarcasm. Let’s be realistic and be content with what’s on the table. It will take several more years before we can go toe to toe with China and the rest of Asia’s basketball heavyweights.

From basketball, we go to football. The Azkals are in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and will play Hong Kong at 4:30pm today in the FIFA-sanctioned four-team 2nd Long Teng Cup. The tournament is composed of the same four teams (PHL, HK, Macau and Chinese Taipei) that made up the inaugural edition last year.

Our current FIFA world ranking at #166 is dependent on how well we fare in this tournament. The Azkals haven’t played in FIFA-sanctioned games since that July meeting versus Kuwait in Manila. Hopefully, we will also make good in Taiwan and improve on our FIFA rank.

As per reports, the Azkals seeing action this time is a stronger team composed of veterans, new additions and some members of the U-23 team. How strong they really are still remains to be seen and their game versus defending Long Teng Cup champion Hong Kong this afternoon will be our gauge.

Our dogs of war still has an abundance of players with foreign-sounding names which, up to this moment still doesn’t sit well among pseudo-nationalistic individuals and groups.   Like the Gilas, our national football team need to tap these foreign-based athletes for the simple reason that their training and skill levels are quite superior compared to our locally bred jocks.

We cheer for the Gilas. We cheer for the Azkals. For them to play organized tournaments, they depend on sanctioned schedules given by their respective sports organizational body. 

These guys play for flag and country and yes, they get sponsors, some perks and monetary allowances. They play for recognition, for improvement in world rankings and maybe for some monetary considerations. They play for honor.   They get bruised, battered, injured and vulnerable to riotous and violent spectators. These guys play team sports. And yes, they tend to be ‘showbiz’.

We cheer for PacMan.   We thank him when he fights because within the period that he exchanges fists with his opponent, a phenomenon of biblical proportion happens in our country – zero crime rate.

PacMan is a prize fighter. He won’t fight if he thinks the pot money can’t blind him. He won’t fight if promoters can’t offer him what he wants. In this November fight, Cong. PacMan will get at least $25 million, win or lose. Sponsors fight for space on his boxing trunks.

Sure, PacMan fights for flag and country also but it’s more on personal fame and glory. Getting battered is an understatement and often he has his face rearranged. For several million dollars, and if you can handle it, why not? With his total earnings to date, he can finance a major uprising in Somalia.

PacMan has all the honors the boxing world can offer. Outside of boxing, he is to be addressed as “Honorable”.   Showbiz? He has some TV shows, a band and endorses several products. He has a battalion of security personnel that even his wife and mother can’t penetrate.

PacMan is a full-blooded Filipino. The Azkals and the Gilas (except Douthit) have members with mixed parentage. They all play for flag and country and they bring honor and pride to an otherwise underachieving nation. There might be disparities in their earnings, disparities in their looks, but nonetheless we cheer for them when they do battle.

We can never replicate what they’re doing. Let’s all cut the negative bullcrap every time we think they performed below expectations. They gave their all, they gave their best. Only, their best is not good enough for some of us.

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