JENNIFER Rosales, she with the exotic looks that can sweep men off their feet and a swing that can elicit ohhs and ahhs from the gallery, made us all proud. Manny Pacquiao dropped his occasional spoiled brat-mentality long enough to soothe the downtrodden’s spirits with his blazing fists.
J-Ro, a fashionista, and Pacman, a brawler, were undoubtedly the year’s best Pinoy athletes.
Ahead of Pacquiao’s Las Vegas clash with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, Rosales put the country on the map of international sports, winning by one stroke the Chick-Fil-A Charity Championship in Stockbridge, Georgia.
In winning her maiden Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour event, Rosales fattened her bank account by $240,000 (about P13.4 million).
Rising star
She kept her magnificent climb, even leading in the United States Open in July by three shots with one round to go.
The Filipina wonder eventually finished fourth behind eventual winner, American Meg Mallon, in South Hadley, Massachusetts but her reputation as a rising international star in golf has been affirmed.
The merry month of May looked complete when the confident Pacquiao traded punches with the 30-year-old Barerra for the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association featherweight titles at a sold-out match at the MGM Grand Hotel.
Clearly, the superman from General Santos landed the more decisive punches to the delight of 10,000 fans, including Filipino immigrants who waved the country’s tri-colors.
The power in Pacquiao’s fists decked the Mexican hero thrice on the first round. But when the verdict after the 12-round slugfest was announced, the crowd was stunned.
It was a draw. And Pacquiao became a king without an empire.
Tarnished reputation
His reputation tarnished by his nocturnal habits and his conflict with his handlers, Pacquiao still ended 2004 with a bang against a Thai patsy named 3K Battery.
In a clash dubbed as Yanig sa Taguig, Pacquiao demolished Battery in the fourth round at the Fort. Naturally, blood-hungry fans jubilated at the sight of Pacquiao’s foe lying flat on the canvas.
But the fact remains: Pacquiao will not become the next Gabriel “Flash” Elorde without a legitimate world crown.
This means the local hero, known for his generosity to the poor, must beat Marquez or repeat against Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales’ conqueror, to start his reign.
J-Ro and Pacquiao’s respective journeys highlighted a year also spiced up by De la Salle University’s and Philippine Christian University’s triumphs in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and National College Athletic Association cage wars; Dottie Ardina and Miguel Tabuena’s victories in the US Kids World Championship in Williamsburg, Virginia; Henry Dagmil’s historic long jump in the National Open Track and Field Invitational at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum; and Alex Pagulayan’s World Pool triumph.
Unsportsmanlike
Bickering among various sports agencies, however, continues. Selfishness among sports leaders translates into lack of preparation for the country’s so-called elite athletes.
As the likes of Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia hit giant sporting strides, the country sinks deeper into oblivion.
The BAP had its regular set of critics but bounced back when it signed a historic memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) regarding the sending of a national team to the Asian Basketball Conference.
Barangay Ginebra dumped coach Allan Caidic and Siot Tanquincen promptly rescued the Kings who beat the Red Bull in the PBA Fiesta Conference finals in July.
Jittery start
Viva Mineral Water-FEU (Far Eastern University) and Hapee Toothpaste won a Philippine Basketball League title each as the league recovered from early jitters following Chino Trinidad’s announcement that he was quitting. He didn’t and it was back to normal in the league, known as breeding ground of future basketball heroes.
Local tennis received a boost from the successful Subic Bay International Tennis Center Tennis Academy, amateur boxing continued to struggle, swimming sank but badminton reached every nook and cranny of the Philippines. Football hasn’t regained lost glory.
August was forgettable as the country’s premier athletes failed to bring home a medal from the Athens Olympics.
Taekwondo jins Mary Antoinette Rivero and Donald Geisler fought gallantly and archer Jasmin Figueroa showed great promise. But the boxers, tipped as probable medalists, flopped against superior opposition. Romeo Brin, Chris Camat, Harry Ta?amor and Violito Payla flunked the tests.
It’s back to the drawing boards for Pinoy sports leaders.
The Philippine Sports Commission under Eric Buhain got hit by allegations of corruption. Peping Cojuangco replaced Cito Dayrit as chief of the Philippine Olympic Committee and the country races against time and tries to overcome money issues as it prepares to host the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.
A bomb was dropped in November when PBA poster boy Alvin Patrimonio announced his retirement after 16 colorful years.
Nicknamed the Captain, Patrimonio was feted in short but meaningful ceremonies Dec. 22 at the Araneta Coliseum. It was the day the multitude accompanied actor Fernando Poe, Jr. to his final resting place. Patrimonio’s no. 16 jersey was retired. He tied Ramon Fernandez’s record of four Most Valuable Player awards. He also won six championships.
Fil-shams’ exit
A month earlier, this basketball-crazy nation was rocked with the Department of Justice’s decision to deport so-called Fil-sham (allegedly non-Filipino) players, headed by man-mountain Asi Taulava.
The PBA worried about rating but the public, fed up with falsehoods and inequalities, generally supported the decision.
In the Battle of the Courts, Platinum badminton Interclub also produced a winner in The Zone, which beat Premier City.
Despite wonderful publicity, the Manila Marathon, for the second straight year, was chaotic and badly managed.
In a situation reminiscent of the Athens Olympics Marathon, eventual winner Allan Ballester had to hurdle an over-eager competitor to breast the tape first in “bruising” fashion.
The country got battered by man-made and natural disasters and December saw the RP Blu Girls finish a fighting 5th in the Asian Softball Championship. Japan over over Taipei.
Talk N’ Text, Bgy. Ginebra and Shell appear to have the edge in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup, which will treat the fans to a game on Christmas day.
Franz Pumaren confirmed he’s going to be back as the La Salle Archers coach in next year’s UAAP championships. This, of course, spells trouble for the Eagles and the rest of the pretenders.
