If you guys think I am trying to upset unofficial Manny Pacquiao priest Marlon Boef you are certifiably crazy.
It?s not the Westchester County, New York, Pinoy Padre that I am really worried about ticking off.
But, at this later stage of my so called life, I don?t need the padre sending in a bad report on me to his Big Bossman Up There. You know, who I am talking about.
Yeah, Him with a capital ?H.?
I?m shooting now for purgatory instead of the sweltering hot place run by the guy carrying the pitchfork. You know the place whose name begins with a capital ?H.?
So, I want to make it clear I was merely joshing when I told some of my tablemates at the Boxing Writers Association of Dinner Friday night, with Megamanny and the lovely Jinkee seated nearby at Big Boss Arum’s table, that the friendly priest had issued a pricelss quotation on what I think is the inevitable 2010 showdown bout between Pacman and undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr.
I could see the tabloid headline in my mind.
PACQUIAO?S PINOY PRIEST SAYS: MAYWEATHER DOESN?T HAVE A PRAYER!
Of course, like so many things, I completely made it up.
To the credit of Fr. Boef, who I met in San Antonio at a Pacman bout a few years back, laughed heartily when I said I would attribute that one-liner to him.
He even promised not to phone The Vatican on me.
I was going to say I think The Pope is dope but that could be misinterpreted and make me lose that purgatory waiting list spot.
As he always does, Fr. Boef reminded me that, in his prefight prayer, Manny prays mightily that no one gets badly hurt when he fights.
“That is what is most important to Manny,” Fr. Boef said. “He doesn’t pray for his own glory or his personal victory. He leaves that in God’s capable hands but he does emphasize that hopes no one is hurt.”
I then made the Good Padre laugh with the oldie about the priest sitting at ringside.
Two fighters are in their corners just before the bell rings. One boxer makes the Sign of the Cross as he goes to center ring.
Spectator turns to the priest and says, ?Father, does that help??
Priest says, ?Only if he can fight, my son, only if he can fight.?
Fr. Boef was also laughing and joking with Arum who called the priest “a wonderful guy.”
Brothers Alan and Jay Wartski joked, upon meeting the padre, that they would like to put their favorite rabbi into the Pacquiao mix. Rabbi Shea Hecht has even been associated with Don King in charitable causes.
“Think of it as double coverage for Manny. I bet Arum would favor that,” Alan said.
“Bob knows you’re never a loser when you wear a mezzuzah,” Jay said.
Arum and the Wartskis are, of course, Jewish.
Now if I can just find a Protestant minister. or a boxing minded Buddhist. Or maybe a Muslim cleric. Let’s keep mixing it up.
I wonder if Rev. George Foreman can join our ecumenical group.
