Sunday with Pacquiao

Like many Filipinos who have no access to a live coverage of Many Pacquiao’s fight with Oscar de la Hoya, I resigned myself to watching the TV replay, much delayed, and with a slew of ads.

At least I didn’t need to wait for the announcement of the final result over radio or TV. Because of internet access, and thanks to ESPN Sports, I could  follow the action through a blow-by-blow text commentary.

Most sportswriters’ predictions have been overwhelmingly in favor of an Oscar dela Hoya win, by TKO in the late rounds. Their main argument is that a good bigger man will always beat a good smaller man.

Despite rooting in my heart for Manny Pacquiao, my head tended to buy their logical argument. I must confess that even into the opening rounds of the bout, I maintained a “Gramscian” framework – pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

As I followed the blow-by-blow commentary in the early rounds, without benefit of the images, I felt quite anxious, especially when the sportswriter commented that Oscar looked really big and Manny looked like a small boy. I worried that Oscar’s  powerful left hook would find its target at some point.

But by the fourth round, the comments about Pacquiao’s hand speed and de la Hoya’s ineffectual punches reduced my fears. Nervousness was replaced by growing hope, but also puzzlement. Why was de la Hoya getting so outclassed?

Even as Manny’s punches piled up points in his favor, and my head joined my heart in believing that he was winning, I retained a ritual caution, saying aloud to no one in particular: “Manny should be careful. De la Hoya can still land a knock out punch.”

The end came suddenly. Angge rushed from listening to the radio and announced: “De la Hoya’s corner threw in the towel!”

Over a late lunch, Girlie’s younger brother Paul who had been following another running text commentary, shared my surprise at how easily Manny Pacquiao beat Oscar de la Hoya. “We were all heavily influenced by the media hype about de la Hoya,” he said.

It would seem so.

The media hype about Manny Pacquiao has been used by the DepEd to promote its ALS or Alternative Learning Systems. Sec. Jesli Lapuz attributed the increase in out of school youth ALS enrolees to their projection of Manny Pacquiao as an ALS passer.

I have to end this blog.

I just got tragic news by text. Marky Cielo, a rising talent of GMA 7, has died of pancreatitis (bangungot), at the young age of 20. Marky is the son of Bobby Cielo, one of the senior partners of the Education for Life Foundation. He is crying unconsolably. Please pray for Marky, his family and friends.

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