WELL, another year in sports is behind us now and like most of you, I think it?s been a great year.
The obituary has been written on 2010, but the ink is still fresh on the many limitless possibilities for 2011. It?s the new year in sports, after all.
Here?s the 10 things we?d like to see in sports this year.
1. The long-awaited match between world boxing champions Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
This is what we all want — Pacquiao vs. Mayweather . And the Gods of sports couldn?t make a better story this year than put the world?s two greatest fighters of this generation in the boxing ring for 12 rounds of non-stop action. Pacquiao, bless his heart, doesn?t need Mayweather to keep his reputation as the world?s greatest boxer anymore. But the brutal world of prizefighting needs a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight to keep the sport alive.
2. Gold rush in the 26th Southeast Asian Games.
A gold rush is what local sports need and need so badly this year . After the debacle in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, local sports need to save face. And what a better way to do it than a long-overdue gold harvest in the 26th SEA Games scheduled Nov. 11-25 in Palembang, Indonesia? If they can do it in Palembang, we can all forget about Guangzhou. But then again?
3. The Smart-supported Philippine basketball team plays well this year and earns berth to the 2012 London Olympics.
Of course, it won?t happen. But we can dream, can?t we?
4. A super GM status and ELO 2700 rating for Wesley So.
There?s no doubt in mind that the extremely-talented but still young Wesley So will achieve these remarkable feats in his career but the entire Barangay Wesley would like to see him join the elite super GM list and breach the ELO 2700 mark early this year.
With no less than NCFP president Prospero ?Butch? Pichay supporting him, the 17-year-old Filipino champion is set to campaign in several strong international tournaments to pursue this ambitious bid this year. His legion of fans couldn?t wait for the day.
5. New sports idols in billiards, bowling, swimming, tennis and track and field.
For decades, we?ve all heard a lot about the heroics of Efren ?Bata? Reyes, Paeng Nepomuceno, Eric Buhain, Nathaniel ?Tac? Padilla, Cecil Mamiit and Lydia de Vega-Mercado., Everybody loves a hero, but isn?t it about time that our over-staying but under-achieving sports leaders give us new heroes to cheer and love this year.
6. A sequel to the Philippine Azkals? fairy tale story.
All right, the glass slipper didn?t fit and there was no happy ending in this fairy tale.
But even after losing twice to host Indonesia in the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup, the Philippine Azkals won the hearts of a lot of football fans all in this side of the world with their gutsy, never-say-die performance. And surely, the football world would like to see more of Phil Younghusband and the rest of the Azkals continue to make fairy tales this year. A good story deserves a sequel.
7. More thrilling, action-packed games that will lure the fans back to the PBA.
In the not-so-distant past, fans trooped to the Big Dome to watch top-notch basketball games as only the PBA, the first and only play-for-pay league in Asia, can provide. It?s a bit different nowadays. The lines are longer in Sarah Geronimo concerts and the Vic Sotto blockbuster movie at the nearby Gateway Malls. In the past, there were too many exciting games. Now, there don?t seem to be enough. Let?s hope new PBA commissioner Chito Salud will be able to put a little fun back in the game.
8. Filipino-first policy in the UAAP and the NCAA.
The more, the merrier? Right? Yes, but not in the UAAP and the NCAA where more and more foreign players from as far as Cameroon are now being brought in by top universities and colleges to bolster their chances of winning the coveted trophy.
Whatever happened to the Filipino-first policy?
9. The ?Barrelling Big J?, Robert Jaworski returns.
Let?s face it, Jaworski remains as the country?s most popular basketball player long after his retirement. His name even went into the language when someone refers to one tightly guarding the other. Basketball and Jaworski are synonymous. And with the popularity of basketball on the decline, who would you call to bring back the fans but the Big J himself? A coaching assignment with one of the PBA teams will be one of the fascinations of 2011.
10. Genuine unity in basketball, cycling, equestrian and football.
MVP or Graham Lim? Abraham ?Bambol? Tolentino or Philip Juico? Carissa Coscoluella or Peping Cojuangco? Mariano ?Nonong? Araneta or Jose Mari Martinez? The list could go on and on. This year, it?s about time that we put a stop on this endless power struggle and give due recognition to people who truly deserve to lead the sports.
OK, dear. That’s some of the “I’d like …” for 2011. Your turn now. What would you like to see in sports in 2011?
* * *
A blessed New Year to all.
* * *
For comments and suggestions, email to edandaya2003 @yahoo.com
