Let's wait for part IV

So much have been said, written, posted, twitted, etc. about the controversial win of Manny Pacquiao over Juan Manuel Marquez last weekend.

I am one of those who think that Marquez should have won that fight, but no matter how much those who think otherwise would howl in protest, the outcome would not change.

Now that a fourth meeting looms between the two fighters, those who are not even experts in boxing should just stop ranting about who should have won or whether Pacman was the clear winner of the bout.

Let’s move on and not follow the example of leaders, who can’t stop blaming the previous ones for their failures.

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If you don’t know yet, the 26th Southeast Asian Games is now in full swing in Indonesia.

The event, which is held every two years, is the regional sporting championship, which the Philippines last hosted in 2005.Cebu was then one of the satellite hosts as Manila was the main host city.

The Philippine football team has been seeing action since early this month, several days before the official start of the competition last Friday.

The reason why the tournament starts early is so that the organizers can schedule the games to finish by the last day of the competition.

The Philippine team has had a dismal performance losing three and winning only one game.

After losing against Vietnam and Timor Leste, the Philippines bounced back against Laos, but then lost again to Myanmar to kiss all hopes of making it to the next round goodbye.

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Countries send their under-23 (years old) team to the SEA Games and the Philippines has a relatively young team that many of them are still going to be eligible to play in the next edition of the SEA Games in 2013.

Even the sportscasters seem to be apologizing on behalf of the Philippine football team as they keep on repeating the fact that many can still play in 2013.

While we have very lofty ambitions in football with the Azkals making many Filipinos believe, let us also come to terms with reality.If we want to become among the best in the international level, let us start with the regional level first.

Before we even dream of the World Cup, let us put our efforts together for a good performance in the SEA Games and other regional tournaments.If we can’t do it in these competitions, then we have to forget the bigger international stage.

I am not saying we should give up.We just need to put a little more focus on what is being done.

Somebody I met noticed that I was wearing an Azkals shirt and he said “that team is overrated.”

I told him that the team has never been overrated.It has just been a marketing success.Step two is to make it a team that can do better in the international events.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to those who turned a year older last Monday like Ivonnie Beltran-Dumadag, Bobby Amor, Minchu Rebaya-Decena, Ronnie Quisido, and my mistah Edgardo Ripcord Abenina, Jr.

The same goes to those who celebrated yesterday like Alvic Josol, Charisse Ramirez-Pinkerton, Isolde Amante, and Joy Siguan.

Today’s greetings go to Manuel ‘Bunny’ Pages, Rianne Tecson, Salome Herrera-Villaruel, Hannay Jayne Wong, and Valeriano ‘Chikoy’ Tomol III.

More power to all of you!