MANILA, Philippines?This March 15 we recall the birthday of the late Smokin? Joe Cantada whose dying wish almost two decades ago was not to be forgotten.
That would be really hard to do with a man that large in the physical and figurative sense.
When American news anchorman Walter Cronkite retired from the CBS Nightly News, his successor Dan Rather succinctly said that he was only succeeding Cronkite and not replacing him.
We who followed Joe have also only succeeded him and still stand behind his very large shadow.
To this day, fans who saw him in boxing, cycling and later on in the PBA, still hear his booming voice and his wily use of the English language.
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The shadow is not something we fret about. Instead we are proud to have worked with the man and to have been blessed by his mentoring and friendship.
Together with Pinggoy Pengson, Joe was senior anchorman for the Vintage PBA coverage in the 1980s.
He nurtured and tortured us with his impish humor that older brothers heap on younger siblings.
He allowed Ed Picson, Bill Velasco, Butch Maniego, Chino Trinidad and me to use his unique phraseology and coached us on working the camera.
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Joe was very private with few people who know how to reach him by phone.
But he could warm up easily among colleagues, like when the production team would go out on Thursday nights (the PBA had games on Thursdays then) to Faces or to someone?s birthday.
And he could easily wax hot teasing Romy Kintanar, Joaqui Trillo and Andy Jao over something outrageously funny or inane.
As an older brother, he stepped in quickly to nip the inevitable differences that creative and passionate individuals have when they are tossed into tense situations.
When some of us-then-young-ones seemed to be getting gung-ho and inconsiderate of the older team members, Joe led by example and refused to get involved in back-stabbing and name-calling.
He would talk with both sides and find a way to make us work together again as if there was no problem to begin with.
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Joe also taught us to be generous with the microphone, to allow our on-air colleagues to strut their stuff.
Vintage top man Bobong Velez liked that quality in Joe and saw it as perfect for the changes he wanted to make in the way basketball was covered.
Joe let Joaqui?s natural charm, Andy?s incisive analysis and Quinito Henson?s abundant research and knowledge shine on television.
So many others who worked with Joe in boxing like Recah Trinidad, Manny Pi?ol and Al Mendoza will agree that their forays into broadcasting were made a lot easier with Joe as anchorman.
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Today, I often ?hear? Joe in the big sports events we host.
I am sure he would be thrilled to cover Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas and would use everything in his arsenal of phrases to honor the Pacman.
I speculate now, but he would probably have said in that rich baritone, ?Manny Pacquiao has unleashed the most lethal of left hooks, wreaking havoc not only on his opponent?s face but on his pride as well. The devastation may be irreparable.?
Very few can mix personality, talent and voice in one smoking package.
That?s why we still hear him today and use the lessons the incomparable Joe Cantada taught us.
