Manny Pacquiao, last time I checked, is a grown ass man.
He doesn?t need your, mine or anyone else?s permission if he wants to go fishing.
Or if he wants to spend some off-duty time with his family.
I?m not thrilled that Megamanny won?t appear iu Manhattan to accept his Fighter of the Year Award at the Boxing Writers annual dinner but I am OK with it.
Some in the Filipino media are citing ?a backlash? by US media against Pacman for his decision to skip the dinner.
What backlash? Your world and my world is not going to come crashing down if Coach Freddie Roach or even agent Michael Koncz accept Pacman?s honor on his behalf.
It happens often at the Academy Awards, doesn?t it? You know, ?accepting the award for Joe Schmoe is Harry Fosheem??
I can understand Bob Arum being peeved because he wanted to have his pet sitting next to him at Madison Square Garden for the Clottey-Cotto show.
Nearing age 80, the elderly promoter basks in the warm glow of Pacman?s miraculous ring achievements and he?s certainly entitled to do that. Arum seems to be in robut health but, given his age, it?s likely that Manny is his last superstar, his final Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
Believe me, the BWAA Dinner virtually sells out every year and not one fight scribe or fan will cancel because Pacman isn?t there. This is a night for boxing people, for fight fans and it wasn?t 100 percent centered around Pacman although I guess you could describe him as ?the entr?e? on the night?s menu.
The best way to handle this little curveball would be to have Koncz introduce Roach. Coach Roach can then accept his Trainer of the Year Award and then stay at the podium to take Manny?s hardware.
Who better to rap about Pacquiao?s destruction of De La Hoya and Hatton than the engineer who drove the train, the guy who boldly stated that Oscar?s trigger was broken and could only misfire?
Roach will go down easier than a cold San Miguel on a sweltering night, trust me. He?s Irish American, you know, and he?s not only kissed the fabled Blarney Stone, some say he swallowed it whole. Who not named Mayweather doesn’t like Freddie?
Is Manny skipping the BWAA comparable to LeBron James bolting Orlando without congratulating the Magic and eschewing the postgame press conference?
I don?t think so because this is merely a social function, not part of Manny?s job description.
You might say, when it comes to his profession, Manny gave at the offfice.
But NBA boss David Stern did fine King James a whopping $25,000.
So, as a lifelong BWAA member and former VP, I hereby fine Manny.
If he stiffs us, if he skips the dinner, then Pacquiao must pay.
That will be $25, Manny, cash or check.
I will personally take the money and donate it to the Widow of the Uknown Soldier, don’t you worry.
Let the fine reflect the crime, a petty misdemeanor.
I am sure the balut are biting right now in Sarangani.
Birds, including balut, got to fly. Pacquiao he doesn’t have to fly to New York..
He’s a grown ass man.
Maybe, next year, we’ll make him give two speeches.
