Please, no SI cover for Manny

In the Bio channel documentary on Manny Pacquiao, it’s mentioned that the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound champion has appeared on the cover of several international magazines like Time and Sports Illustrated. I’ve read Pacquiao’s cover story on Time but unless I missed it, I don’t think he’s ever graced the cover of Sports Illustrated – thank goodness.

Pacquiao is a favorite cover boy of The Ring Magazine and has appeared on the cover of many other boxing publications like Boxing News, Boxing Digest and Boxing Monthly. But Sports Illustrated? I don’t think so and if you’re superstitious, you won’t wish it for Pacquiao.

Since its first issue in 1954, the weekly Sports Illustrated magazine has gained a dubious reputation as the jinx of cover boys. You often read of athletes whose careers took a tumble after coming out on the cover of the magazine. Is coming out on the cover a kiss of death? Does it equal bad luck? Or is it a myth?

In the PBA, there’s also a lingering notion that a player who gets an award such as Best Import is jinxed in his next game. The same thing goes for a team that is cited like in B-Meg’s case a week ago when after receiving championship rings for capturing the last Philippine Cup, the Llamados were swamped by Barangay Ginebra in a 93-82 decision.

Sports Illustrated’s first issue had Milwaukee baseball player Eddie Mathews on the cover. After he was featured, Milwaukee lost and snapped a nine-game winning streak. Then, Mathews broke his hand and sat out seven games. In 1969, golfer Lee Trevino was on the cover in a US Open preview. Alas, the defending champion failed to make the cut on the first day of competition. Last January, Kentucky cager John Wall (later to become the NBA’s first overall draft pick) was on the cover and a week later, the unbeaten Wildcats lost to South Carolina with the hotshot guard outplayed by Devan Downey.

Here’s something recent. In the Oct. 11 issue, Tampa Bay pitcher David Price was on the cover of the magazine’s baseball playoffs issue. In the first game of the American League Division Series, Price was raked for nine hits, including two homers, and gave up four earned runs as Tampa Bay lost a 5-1 decision to Texas. Worse, in Game 5 of the series, Price was back on the mound and the Rangers ended Tampa Bay’s season with another 5-1 romp. Was Price jinxed for appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated?

From my recollection and going over my subscription copies, Pacquiao has never been on a Sports Illustrated cover. There was a “major, major” article on the Filipino icon written by Pablo Torre published in the Dec. 8, 2008, issue entitled “Political Punch.” It was a four-pager with five photographs, including a full-page shot of Pacquiao working out. Honestly, I think Pacquiao deserves more recognition from Sports Illustrated than just an inside story.

But if the magazine is planning on a Pacquiao cover splash, let’s hope it doesn’t come out before a big fight. Let Pacquiao beat up Antonio Margarito and claim his eighth world title in eight divisions on Nov. 13 then Sports Illustrated can do a cover story – not before, please.

By the way, if you haven’t seen Pacquiao’s documentary on the Bio channel, make sure you catch it on the next airing. It makes you proud to be a Filipino. Pacquiao is one in a million, maybe, in several millions and we’re lucky someone like him has emerged to captivate the world in our lifetime.