SACRAMENTO — Filipino-Americans can choose from three main courses on the sports menu next month.
The NCAA March Madness — where a Cinderella from among America?s college basketball teams might make it to the Big Dance yet again — is on free TV.
The Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rematch from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas costs $49.95 on pay-per-view (PPV).
Philippine Basketball Association Legends Tour tickets range from $20-$40 apiece.
With America on the cusp of a recession, it won?t be easy for the sports spectators among us to shell out hard-earned dough to enjoy Manny fight for flag, country and the Almighty Buck on March 15th.
Or watch former players — who in their prime starred for Asia?s first professional basketball league — skirmish for charity.
These aging hulks will huff, puff and most likely drag their feet to the point of a heart attack in support of a ?benevolent? cause.
The legends — either in their own minds or in the minds of once-adoring fans — will be at a stadium nearest us for two weekends in a row in March.
But if extra dollars are available on those play dates, we suppose Pacquiao?s PPV bout becomes the more attractive choice for those with a limited entertainment budget.
Not because a group can easily chip in for the cost of watching Manny tangle with Marquez up close on pay TV while enjoying a Budweiser or two.
It?s because in our opinion, the PBA road show in California has not been marketed right.
Here in the state capital for example, the legends are barely on the Pinoy?s radar screen — a month before the tour is to spread nostalgia among old fogies and their families on March 9th.
The supposed venue is Arco Arena — home of the NBA?s Sacramento Kings.
But a phone call to arena box office operators reveals that they don?t see the PBA tour on the schedule yet. Neither is the event listed on Arco?s calendar of events.
And why Arco where parking alone costs working stiffs like us at least $10?
This corner is not exactly thrilled with basketball because of its harmful effects on the other Olympic sports in the Philippines.
But since the former cagers — either based in the US of A or imported from Manila will play for a cause — scholarships for deserving students and medical-dental missions in the homeland — we are urging people to go see the PBA Legends Tour.
Besides, Rey Santos, a tireless officer of the tour?s sponsor, PBA Legends USA Foundation — is a kababayan from Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija who happens to be husband to a cousin of my late mom?s.
However, the organizers must exert every effort to ratchet up the awareness level of the legends among Pinoys in the Vallejo-Fairfield-Sacramento area.
Rey says flyers will be distributed in Filipino food stores, churches, community centers, etc. in those three cities soon. We say more marketing and advertising other than word of mouth needs to be done and fast.
The tour featuring Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz, Bernie Fabiosa, Philip Cezar Manny Paner, Bogs Adornado, Danny Florencio, Estoy Estrada, Abe King, and other names with instant recall among diehards is scheduled to play on:
Saturday, March 8 at Logan High School in Union City; Sunday, March 9 at Arco Arena in Sacramento; Saturday, March 15 at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson; and Sunday, March 16 at the San Diego State University in San Diego.
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Our long time paisano, durable sports scribe Eddie Alinea, e-mailed about the dangers lurking for Pacquiao on the Ides of March. But Eddie says since the Saturday evening bout in Vegas is happening on Sunday morning March 16 in Manila, the date augurs well for Manny. Eddie reminds that on March 16, 1960 during the inauguration of the Araneta Coliseum, Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde knocked out Harold Gomes to win the world junior lightweight crown. The late, great Elorde, frequently described by sportswriters as the Philippines? greatest athlete, successfully defended the title 10 times in seven years.
