AS VIEWERS inside the SM Cinema 3 rejoiced after Manny Pacquiao was officially declared winner by TKO over Mexican Erik Morales last Sunday, my mind drifted to Smart Communication’s Manny V. Pangilinan who had sponsored the Pacquiao fights ever since I could remember.
Only the night before, MVP was in the throes of depression, his vaunted Talk and Text balllclub eliminated by the up and coming Air 21 Express from the semifinal round of the PBA SanMig Fiesta Cup.
What hurt most was the fact that the ouster was not a fluke. Air 21 had beaten TNT thrice in five games.
Since he took over the Moro Lorenzo franchise some years back, MVP has spared no effort nor expense to make his team highly competitive, a reason why the Phone Pals’ below par performance was a big letdown.
I wondered though, if the Pacquiao victory had somewhat obliterated the previous night’s heartbreaker.
* * *
“Absolutely!” was MVP’s cheerful text reply.
“Pacquiao’s victory was simply magnificent, a superb display of pure Filipino talent on the world stage. It assuaged the pain of the TNT ouster, which was disappointing to say the least,” he said.
MVP watched the fight from his PLDT office in Makati. He took the first flight to Hong Kong the following day, feeling a lot more lighthearted since Saturday night.
Meanwhile, PBA vice chairman Ricky Vargas made a silent wish which only I could hear for now.
”I wish every player in our team could have the heart and spirit of Manny Pacquiao,” Ricky said.
* * *
I was expecting to bump into Tanduay president/COO Wilson Young at SM Cinema 3 which was reserved by Solar Sports for VIPs and the media, but I didn’t see him.
Tanduay being a major sponsor of the fight, I figured Wilson might have flown to Las Vegas to watch the fight live.
When I got in touch with him the following day though, I found out that he was just here in Manila and had monitored the match from his home.
“Delayed yung coverage on television but friends from as far as Europe, America and China kept me updated. They also thanked Tanduay for sponsoring this epic bout. Sabi nga nung isa, huwag daw akong mag-worry dahil talo ng rum ang tequila. Tama nga siya,” Wilson said.
* * *
In his bout with Thai boxer 3K Battery which was held at The Fort in Taguig City, I remember seeing a Red Bull logo tattooed on Pacquiao’s left upper arm, the same arm that knocked out the Thai opponent in the fourth round, if I’m not mistaken.
This tattoo was missing in his last two fights. Curious, I called Photokina’s Raffy Casyao to ask if Manny had undergone a skin graft to erase the tattoo, probably to give way to a new sponsor.
According to Raffy, that was not a permanent tattoo. It was just Henna. ”Pero kahit hindi permanent yung arm logo, Manny remains a regular Red Bull drinker, kaya nga we sent him a big pack in Las Vegas.”
* * *
Raffy’s boss George Chua, couldn’t be more thrilled with the latest Pacquiao triumph. “Even before the fight, I felt deep down in my heart that Manny would win. The few times we met in the office, I could tell dugong champion siya because of his positive attitude, principles and fear of God. Manny is a true winner, kaya kahit sino ang bumangga, GIBA! My congratulations to the country’s greatest source of pride,” George said.
* * *
HOOPVINE: Harbour Centre owner Mikee Romero, who watched the Pacquiao-Morales fight at SM Cinema 3 with his grandpa Miguel Lagman, who raised him, his uncle and his father-in-law, declared Jan. 22 “National Pacquiao Day”… Boxing fan Teddy Reynoso said “Supacman has more impact than ‘Super Pacman’”…. Is this for real? The POC has taken a hands-off stance on the restructuring of the BAP, to get the Philippines back in the good graces of the FIBA. Sounds too good to be true but BAP president Joey Lina said it’s for real.
