I DISAGREE. Manny Pacquiao was not being arrogant when he played for Kia Sorento on Sunday in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Occasion was the opening of the PBA?s 40th season. Kia Sorento was pitted against fellow league newcomer Blackwater Elite.
And, as Kia player-coach, Pacquiao had all the rights in the world to act out his dual role to the hilt.
But it happens that Pacquiao is also a professional boxer. And it happens, too, that he has a fight on Nov. 23. Get the drift?
Pacquiao?how many times has it been said?is a boxer more than a basketball player.
As a boxer, he is the best. Isn?t he the only eight-division world champion this globe has ever known?
But as a basketball player, he might not even match up against the most famous benchwarmer in your inter-barangay league.
But how come he still made it to the PBA, the No. 1 factory for the best cagers in the land?
Kia knows Pacquiao cannot play basketball PBA style and yet, it drafted the lefty this year so that at 35 years of age, Pacquiao became the oldest ever rookie in the 40-year history of the league.
Kia also knows that Pacquiao cannot coach and yet, it made him Kia coach as well.
If you continue to question those Kia decisions, you are as hopeless as Binay mired in the rut of seemingly hopelessness.
Know what? I can also be a coach-player because, not to brag, I own?as I said a while back?29 trophies, and counting, as a basketball champion coach. Does Kia care?
I guess, not because I do not own even a single world boxing crown. And that?s where the difference lies. And me being a perennial realist, I fret not. Never.
So that when Chris Algierie accused Pacquiao of arrogance because Pacquiao played for Kia for 6 minutes and 46 seconds on Sunday (Kia won 80-66), I came to PacMan?s rescue.
He was just being reckless, careless. Never arrogant.
Pacquiao absorbing injury while playing for Kia could cancel his fight against Algierie, yes, but then, isn?t risk-taking part of life? By playing, Pacquiao stood to lose $20 million as against Algierie?s $2 million. Arrogance?
The truth is, Pacquiao played not for Kia but for his fans. If just for that, he deserves applause.
