Pacmania, Part 2

Now that we can all breathe easy since Manny Pacquiao truly rules the Pinoy planet, we can also look back with pride at the last few weeks of home-and-away triumphs on the sporting scene.

First, there was Roni Alcano’s excellent victory at the locally hosted World Pool Championship, bringing to fruition the hopes and dreams of countless billiards players and aficionados for a countryman to bag the crown right here at "the spiritual home of the game."

Initially, we may have slumped into despair when the relatively unknown Alcano upended our very own Numero Uno, "The Magician" Efren "Bata" Reyes, globally acknowledged as the greatest pool player ever. Who was this upstart, we asked with concern. Was he just a spoiler?

I watched that match on TV and saw how Ronato Alcano was so cool and collected in beating Bata, his well-composed soft breaks wreaking gentle efficacy if not exactly havoc. When we learned, however, that he had nearly been booted out of the qualifying round with two straight defeats, and had only made it to the Round of 64 via luck’s very own backdoor, we weren’t ready to concede that whoever eliminated Bata Reyes, especially at that early going that featured short races, would be ready to make it all the way.

I’ve always thought that once Reyes gets to a finals match with a protracted race-to-17 duel, the less luck would play in such a contest. Talent would out in the long run. In fact I don’t think anyone in the world can beat Bata in any race to 15 game points or higher.

Thankfully, Alcano proved our fears wrong, trundling out one heralded contender after another, including a pair of Taiwanese who were last year’s losing finalist and champ. By the time he faced former champ Ralf Souquet in the finals, we more or less sensed that the only remaining hometown boy was about to fulfill his destiny, and make all his countrymen very happy.

True enough, Roni did it, joining our pantheon of sports heroes who are world-beaters. And he did it in grand style, too, racing away early and continuing to pad his lead the way he had performed in earlier rounds. He maintained his calm, cool and collected demeanor, showing no emotion at all until he honorably signaled to the crowd to stop cheering his opponent’s mistakes and bad luck, and finally, upon pocketing the last 8-ball, whereupon he raised his cue stick with both arms, almost sheepishly, in signal triumph.

Kudos to Yen Makabenta, the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) chairman, and official host and organizer Raya Sports & Events president, for putting it all together. Undaunted by the usual spate of pessimism, and clearly a believer in the Field of Dreams principle that if you build it, they will come, Yen gave it his all, and pulled off a big one for country and personal pool table.

Probably unbeknownst to many, Yen has always been one of our most excellent prose writers, and is as much of a fastidious, dedicated organizer and administrator. That he successfully gave Philippine tourism and sports a welcome shot in the arm shows how this ever-nattily-attired chap, no slouch with a cue stick either, can pocket his intentions with vision and finesse.

Now ESPN watchers the world over know all about the Philippine Plaza’s, er, Sofitel Philippines’, excellent buffet tables, the Manila skyline, etc., and how we can lay out pool tables with utter charm and hospitality.

Still in competition (at least until two days ago, as of this writing) at the Asean Football Championship’s final qualifying tourney is our national football team, beefed up by Fil-Brit brothers and honed as they’ve never been in ages.

After a sorry first-game loss to Laos, we’ve gone ahead to beat Timor Leste (by a mile) and Cambodia, and only have to register another win, against Brunei, to mark the first time in the post-war era that our booters win three consecutive international games, and more importantly, gain qualification for January’s eight-team tournament proper of the Asean Football Federation.

The crucial game at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City would have been played (last Monday afternoon) when this comes out, so we can only cross our toes that our nationals achieve the milestone. It may just serve as that much-needed jumpstart to get our football running apace with the rest of the region. A tough go, that, but it can be done, with determined corporate support and perchance more global Pinoys joining future selections.

Speaking of twinkletoes, if dance sport’s a sport, as it must be, yet another Pinoy, Fil-Am Cheryl Burke, just made it two in a row in ruling a reality dance show contest in Los Angeles last week, this time with NFL legend and former Superbowl MVP Emmitt Smith as her celebrity partner.

Now the 22-year-old Cheryl, whose mom hails from Nueva Ecija, has been billed by a judge of the Dancing with the Stars ABC-TV program as an MVP herself, for "Most Valuable Partner." Last year, she also won the trophy, with partner Drew Lachey of "98 Degrees." She helped Emmitt gain confidence throughout the contest, and the duo won the judges’ nod in the final dance-off with perfect scores for the samba and mambo before coming away a point shy of perfect with the freestyle.

American football icon Emmitt Smith is understandably grateful for his partner’s inspiration, as well as the Filipino-American vote. Now maybe he can translate that debt of gratitude into a visit here to help beef up our footballers.

Oops, wait, wrong sport. Well, maybe at least he can inspire them to mold that champion’s heart, and to always put their best foot forward. I’ve always believed that once we improve our game, the rest of Asia might yet see a tropical version of samba soccer.

Now back to Pacquiao. At this point in his career I believe Manny the Pacman has already surpassed both Pancho Villa and Gabriel "Flash" Elorde in the estimation of his people. For one, TV coverage, whether live or delayed, brings his fights to so many more witnesses.

We can still envision Pacman ruling the roost in his superfeatherweight class, which we used to call junior lightweight, Flash Elorde’s division. Marco Barrera must be palpitating right now over a projected return match early next year, as mandated.

And after Barrera, there doesn’t seem to be anyone looming in the horizon. Soon enough, however, some other hungry Latino or Thailander or Japanese could come up to challenge Manny. We can only hope that he will know when to leave the game, at his prime and peak, and not wait until he can’t win political office anymore.

But on that score, not yet, Manny, not yet. No, not even in ManiLA. Homecoming motorcades are fine, for the crowds in the streets, but partnering with an Ali, albeit it sounds just right for a ring careerist, isn’t the way to go just now. The endorsements might just dry up. And the People’s Champ might also fall from the vaunted perch once the prestige is tainted by images of ballot boxes. A more glorious type of boxing is what you’re good and great at, so keep to that, while the going’s good and great.