If Manny Pacquiao applied for a golf and or country club membership in the United States and was rejected, the howling from Pacland would be intense.
All kinds of allegations as to racial/ethnic discrimination would be being hurled about with abandon.
Yet the Pinoy Idol just got snubbed for membership by the grand poobahs at the Manila Golf Club and Manila Polo Club and the story has been relegated to a few lines here and there in the Filipino press.
Clearly, this is prejudice based on pedigree.
Either that, or you must be very rich AND have won world ring titles in nine weight divisions before you can qualify for the privilege of membership.
Now, look, we can all understand that a private social club or association can accept or reject any prospective member.
This was perhaps best summed up by two witticisms by the great comedian, Groucho Marx.
?I refuse to join any club which would have me as a member,? Groucho once cracked.
On another occasion, his young daughter was rejected by a swanky Beverly Hills country club which she wanted to join to use their lavish swimming pool.
That club has a firm ?No Jews? policy.
Instead of getting mad, Groucho lampooned the club?s idiotic discrimination in a letter to the head of the chichi country club.
In the letter Groucho pointed out his progeny was ?only half Jewish, so I am wondering if she can go into your pool up to her neck.?
In Pacquiao?s case, despite all the accolades he?s won and all the glory he?s brought to his nation through his rags to riches saga and his humble, God fearing manner, the bucks up boys at the golf club did not want ?his kind? on the oligarchical premises.
I see this as a real kick in the ass given Pacquiao?s stature, including his Congressional position, but these uber wealthy jerks are getting away with their snobbery.
I mean, there are reasons not to want Pacman as a member, including his huge entourage and necessary security personnel that accompany him around his homeland.
Not to mention that I don?t think Manny knows the difference between a sandwich and a sand wedge.
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But, as far as I can see, no reasons have been stated.
At least one guy is rightfully steamed, according to my friend, esteemed and veteran columnist Recah Trinidad.
Trinidad, father of TV sports maven Chino Trinidad, recently ran this brief item on the Philippine Daily Inquirer website:
?(DOUBLE BOGEY: Golf godfather Louie Reyes has this to say about the controversial vote that deprived national treasure Manny Pacquiao of membership in an exclusive country club: ?Rod Feliciano and I are pissed. Manila Golf Club and Manila Polo Club rejected the membership of Manny Pacquiao. Damned elitists. Manny earned his fortune without stealing from the Filipino and brought pride and glory for Pinoys. How many members of the club can claim the same? How idiotic. They deserve to be censured.?)?
I couldn?t concur more with Sir Louie and Sir Rod.
Those fat cats who rejected Pacman, the county?s greatest sporting hero, are nothing but a bunch of divotheads.
There, I?ve said it.
Maybe they think that someone with Pacquiao?s social beginnings should be cleaning their pool and manicuring their greens.
Maybe he could even caddy for 18 holes.
And maybe Manny can use the mental reminder, you?re not one of them now and you will never be.
Pugilist to president? It could happen but these blockheads are either members of the Lucky Gene Pool Club or avaricious business types who may have exploited the poor, huddled masses en route to their riches.
They can?t comprehend the beauty of the Pacquiao story.
Don?t worry, Manny, I can take you on subway up to The Bronx and we can hack it up at ancient public course, Van Cortlandt.
Baseball immortal Babe Ruth used to play there. So did the comedic geniuses known as The Three Stooges.
It sounds like the real stooges now play at the well-manicured Manila Golf Club.
They can have it. As the saying goes, even money can’t buy class.
