South of 50

I suppose it would be appropriate that the day of my birth falls at the end of the Christmas season, the Feast of the Epiphany. As the revelry subsides and we tally the health and financial cost of too much celebrating, it is also a time for introspection, and more importantly, gratitude. Whatever has happened before is history. What lies ahead is undiscovered. That leaves us with now, and each other. To paraphrase Richard Bach, if you took away space, all we would have is here; if you took away time, all we would have is now.

This being a column in the sports section, it is inescapable that I express my gratitude to the very existence of sports, which will forever be linked to the greatest gifts my mother Lirio bestowed upon me. Having been scrawny and in the grips of migraines, scoliosis, asthma and flat feet, I was given a path by my mother to never be a victim to that kind of frailty again. She showed me I could turn a weakness into a strength, physically and intellectually. Sport saved my life, and I’ve done my utmost simply to give back and pay it forward, as creatively as possible. The past few days of health issues have brought that memory back to light.

Turning 49 carries more gravity and urgency for me, since it is a reminder of how we never know how the game of our lives will end. My dear friend Joe Cantada died of cancer at 49, having set the bar for living life to the fullest for most of us. My colleague Butch Maniego passed away from various illnesses at 50 after having worked with me for 22 years. But the rearview mirror also affords a great view of the winding road behind, and the breathtaking milestones that each of us can claim as the distinct mark we leave behind, no matter what anyone says.

I am truly privileged to have been part of this world, where regular people constantly strive to become extraordinary. If a pushcart vendor can become a professional basketball league MVP and a tricycle driver can win a SEA Games gold medal in a little-known sport like lawn bowls, who am I to complain about the hand I’ve been dealt? Though my job requires me to be objective, privately I am in awe of these people I have been fortunate to be around, and to call many of them friend. Finding a way to win is the most thrilling accomplishment in human existence.

The one thing that has changed is that I now have the perspective of history, the long view, so to speak. We can credibly compare what has been done before or done somewhere else with our own setting. Since 1986, I have had a courtside seat to how the NBA, PBA, PBL, MBA, UAAP, NCAA, D-League and other leagues have evolved or come and gone. I have seen coaches forge wills of iron, trainers hammer nodies into steel, and doctors patch up warriors stronger than they were before. After having witnessed the Olympic Games, 10 Southeast Asian Games, hundreds of world title fights and the growth of sports as diverse as sport stacking, dancesport and rugby and many others, all I can say is that I still have the best job in the world.

My job has taken me all over the world, and led me to try things that have never been done before. It has taken my hand and guided me to do events, conduct classes, create workshops, coach, teach, play and become a better father and more patient and forgiving friend. Believe me it comes in handy, especially when you’ve packed on the mileage we do in our profession. 

I often ask myself what people will say (or have the courage to say) when this writer finally pens his last piece. It will definitely be colorful, with a sprinkling of unprintables, for sure. Much of what has been accomplished in almost 30 years will likely be unearthed when people seek out who was the first to do what. There are the obvious accomplishments, like the first Broadcast Sports News Agency of the Year Award in 1989, the first all-Filipino sports website in 2000, and the first international sports documentary entirely produced by Filipinos which aired in 2013. But much has been left in silence after it’s been done, which is the way it should be. After all, it wasn’t done to brag, but to prove that it could be done so others can break down barriers to what was previously thought impossible.

Then again, what other people think has not really been that important to me. First of all, if they aren’t responsible for my financial well-being or my ability to nourish and entertain myself or my family, then their opinion is of no consequence. As I’ve learned, people project what they want to project, and assume what they want to assume, and are either too obstinate or too embarrassed to correct their views once they’ve been proven wrong. I’ve been called many unrepeatable things throughout my career, and for the most part, people have been wrong. I don’t make it a habit to trumpet the good work I’ve done; that’s between me and God, who keeps a perfect accounting of everything. The only righteous thing I’ve done regularly for over two decades that I talk about is donating blood, because talking about it increases awareness, and might even save my own life someday.

One change the Internet has brought about though, is an avenue for more voices to be heard. Many of my younger colleagues have found opportunities for work where there used to be none, and I am happy for them. But we have to tread cautiously. Having an opinion doesn’t mean you must inflict it on others. I’ve stopped reading comment and discussion pages where venomous opinions as spewed by those who don’t have the conviction to put their names and faces next to their words. I do that for a living, and like all my fellow journalists, we attach our names and faces to what we say.

So what’s left on the south side of 50? Two sons graduating from college, my first theatrical appearance in 25 years (and first musical), a first book and a second international sports documentary to begin with. And many more avenues to explore. The excitement never ends, thank God.

Like I said, best job in the world.