A chance to shine

Yes, the 23rd edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) is unfolding this Sunday, and while the enthusiasm of sports officials and athletes is a positive aspect, several side issues linger and unless adequately addressed, loom as another source of a black eye for the country.

Bringing some of the events outside Metro Manila, specifically to the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Tagaytay, Angeles and Olongapo, and to Los Banos in Laguna, augurs well for the tourism aspect of the SEAG.  Though largely due to aging if not inadequate facilities in the capital city, the multi-city arrangement would allow more Filipinos to rally behind local bets.  

A handful of crack US-trained athletes gamely flew over for the chance to represent the country in the biennial meet, even as homegrown talents – never mind if some are well past their prime – are likewise bent on putting up a good showing despite the perennial issue of inadequate or belated support notwithstanding.

As a people, we can help boost our country’s campaign by rallying behind our athletes, while at the same time being gracious and efficient hosts and games organizers to the over 6,000 athletes and officials from 10 other participating South East Asian countries. 

Organizers vowed to whip up a storm in the opening rites at the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park, with a lady official even stressing that what the country lacks in modern facilities, it will make up for with Filipino hospitality, charm, warmth, and a genuine festive atmosphere.   

A victory by our athletes is a victory of the Filipino spirit; a successful staging of the games (read: adherence to world class standards in staging international sports meets and minimal glitches and inconveniences to guests) is a well-needed boost for the country’s sagging image before the international stage.

It is just my fervent hope that shortly after the 23rd SEAG, sports officials would finally work for the betterment of Philippine sports in general and not resort to finger pointing and playing the blame game that has sadly become more of a tradition after a debacle.

Enough of the squabbles

The Philippines used to be a sports powerhouse not only in South East Asia but the entire Asia, with Pinoy bets sharing the limelight with Japanese rivals while our next-door neighbors watched in envy and ate our dust. 

Not anymore. From being Asia’s sports powerhouse, Team Philippines in previous SEAGs has been left behind by Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, and has had to battle Vietnam and Singapore for better medal tallies. Are we next going to battle Laos, Cambodia or East Timor for second to the last place?

The preoccupation of many so-called sports aficionados and officials to politicking, greed, and arrogance in power is one very visible culprit of the decline of Philippine sports.

Apart from the well-publicized squabble in basketball and more recently, in cycling, even the preparation for the SEA games was rocked with squabbles right from the start. For instance, two top executives tasked with organizing and putting the Manila SEAG together reportedly ran into each other over a reported turf war, resulting in the eventual exit of one of the parties. Oh yes, both are former politicians!

Sigh! Politicians can throw mud at each other in their own soiled world, but please spare sports from politics, and leave it to the hands of those who really care for sports development.

Bereft of new talents

Romeo Brin is a decent amateur boxer who has brought pride and honor to the country during his many exploits in international competition. Although he failed to land a gold medal in the Olympics, he is one of the craftiest and skilled boxers in his weight division in Asia.

By amateur boxing standards, Brin at 32 is no spring chicken. Boxers today, both amateur and professional often shine in their late teens and early 20s. Yet Brin is still trying to make an impression in could be his last international appearance in the SEA games.

I salute Brin’s talent and contribution to Philippine sports, but what I’m driving at is the failure of our sports program to recruit, train, and develop a new crop of young boxers to improve on the achievements of the likes of Brin.

Thousands of immensely talented but raw youngsters are out there sweating it out in boxing gyms or even in the streets. If the grassroots development program for sports is in place, as claimed by so-called sports leaders who have been clinging to their positions despite mediocre track record in sports development, why are we sending a 32-year old boxer? Lack of available talent? Nah. Something else is missing. 

Brin will be joined by fellow veteran internationalist and track legend Elma Muros, who is entered in the 4x100meter relay. Muros is also in her mid 30s and granted that she is in top form for the SEAG, logic dictates that younger and better trained and funded rivals are several strides ahead, even before the race starts.     

The country will have around 740 athletes for the 2005 SEAG; who knows how many more recycled but lesser known entries made it to the list. Obviously, a no-nonsense (no-frills, no-politics, no-squabbles) grassroots training and talent identification program is long overdue. 

More questionable hitches

One more disturbing news is the persistent issue of late deliveries of sports equipment, the quality of which is suspect. 

In one water-based sport, the equipment required and requested by the sport’s association was delivered only recently, denying the athletes a chance to get used to the equipment. What’s worse, upon delivery, it was found out that the equipment was actually a clone and not the original product of the specified European manufacturer. Coaches and athletes alike are wary since the buoyancy of the equipment is greatly compromised.

Some P13 million worth of cycling equipment, for example, had just been delivered for the cycling team. Would it not have been more advantageous for our riders to receive the expensive bikes months before?

Can we do it?

Malacañang seems confident that Team Philippines will bag the overall title by lording it over the medal tally at the end of the games on Dec. 5. We hope and pray that this will be achieved and that eventually it would spur all genuine sports leaders sans vested interests to form a united front to resuscitate Philippine sports before it is too late.

Vows to do so have been made many times in the past, but now there is no turning back lest we be left further behind by Thailand and Malaysia, and end up scraping the bottom of the barrel. Vietnam and Singapore are fast emerging as sports powers in the region, while Thailand and Indonesia have already bagged Olympic gold medals. Meantime, we are still awaiting an honest to goodness rebuilding process. Hopefully, we can salvage a semblance of respect in the international stage by giving a good account of ourselves in the Manila SEAG. Hopefully, by urgently addressing concerns and apprehensions raised by the sporting community, we can finally move forward. Can we do it?

Cebu catches poker fever

Golfers in Cebu City have a new diversion to make a slow day more exciting. After a round of golf, they gather around a green felt covered table and play the latest craze — Texas Hold’em. Non-wager poker tournaments have become regular fare and are held now more often than golf tournaments with the high-handicappers feeling that they have better chances of winning the prizes at stake over the table than on the golf course. During the Ad Congress at Cebu, I met and had drinks with some members of the group, namely Dr. Edwin Ray Medalle, Alfonso "Ponsoy" Canizares of the popular Baseline Restaurant (regular site of poker tournaments), Victor Yuvallos of TEC Industries (furniture manufacturer and exporter) and fellow columnist Bobit Avila. After months of searching for an appropriate name, they finally got one approved by SEC: Cebu Series of Poker, Inc. With the group now more formally organized, bigger and more exciting tournaments are being planned. Watch poker mania reach fever pitch in Cebu, and not only among golfers. At the Ad Congress itself, the poker tournament organized by Solar Sports, although just a new addition to the line up of games, was well-attended, proof of its popularity and general acceptance as an exciting mind game. Those interested to know the goings-on in the poker gaming circle and details about non-wager poker tournaments may visit www.PokerClubofthePhilippines.com for details.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 4th Floor, 156 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected] or at [email protected]. If you wish to view the previous columns, you may visit my website at http://bizlinks.linkedge.biz.