New cooks, new menu

When President Noy Aquino steps down next year,his appointed officials including those in sports, will likewise bid “Sayonara”. This is because there tenure is co-terminus with that of the president.  So there will definitely new tenants in the sports body, new cooks, new menu? As in past experiences, the new appointees have their own  training program and maybe their own “people”.  So it’s back to square one.  Can’t we have a sustained sports program like Japan and other Asian countries embarking on say, the Asian Games?  Just the other week, former PSC executive director Lucring Calo who is now chairman of the Leyte Sports Academy based in Tacloban City and funded by Gov. Dominic Petilla, blew into town.  We discussed the current state of our sports program and how we have dipped so low.  Well, Lucring is proud of their training program in Leyte which he supervises religiously.  Being in the restaurant business, I’m a firm believer that many cooks spoil the broth.  Look at our resto Casa Ilongga, it’s been around for 35 years and counting. If we could just adopt the way a resto is being run to sports development, meaning carry over the traditional menu,  “I’m sure we will improve our performace. “Murag gigutom ko da, sige man gud ka isturya ug pagka-on” said Lyle Larida who’s in “ Cloud Nine” after Team Visayas won the Milo Little Olympics in Laguna.

Milo Olympics

Speaking of the Milo Little Olympics, I would like to congratulate Team Visayas for winning this year’s edition of the competition and what’s more sweeter than doing it on our rival’s turf. It was the closest of margins with the Visayas winning by just 2.5 points to frustrate NCR.  I’ve always said that the Visayans are the best athletes in the country.  Sometimes I get the ire of other regions but  when we talk it is always  backed by  facts.   So I’m more nationalistic or call me regionalistic.  It’s more sweeter if you develop your own.

Elvis “Karate King”

From King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley maybe called “karate king”.  Just look at his moves during concerts, those are “katas”, Elvis fell in love with martial arts especially karate, when  he was drafted by the U.S Army and sent to Germany in 1958.  German Shotokan stylist Juergen Seydel, first  trained him and later on with Tetsugo Murakami of Japan.  Elvis refined his studies in America under Ed Parker, father of American kempo and Henry Slomanski who awarded Elvis his first black belt.  Elvis went to earn his eight black belt certificate from Master Kang Rhee in 1874.  Rhee is a Korean Sa-Ryu-Tae Kwon do grandmaster.  He also learned non-chaku from Filipino Dan Inosanto.  Priscilla, Elvis’ wife, took private lessons with Chuck Norris who even went to Las Vegas to watch Elvis perform.  Elvis opened his own martial arts school called the Memphis Tennessee Karate Institute where Bill Wallace was the chief instructor.

Did you know?

• Nascar pioneer Tim Flock raced nine times with a monkey named Jocko Flocko in his car.  During a 1953 race, Jocko got loose and Flock had to make a pit stop, causing him to lose the lead and finish second.

• Volleyball was originally called “mintonette”.  But the name was later changed due to the way players volleyed the ball back and forth.

• Coby Orr is the youngest known golfer to make a hole-in-one.  The five year-old used a five-iron to  ace a 103-yard hole on a San Antonio course in 1975.

NOTES: Birthday greetings to Mayor Mike Rama who is celebrating his special day tomorrow.  Here’s hoping more birthdays to come. Also Happy Birthday to Mc Donald’s Evonie Fontanilla who is also celebrating her big day tomorrow.