The year that was

Cebu - 2008 will be remembered as a trying and troubled year, the highlight being the huge economic crisis stateside and the eventual collapse of large financial institutions. The fold-up of some local banks here put the misery in the merry of Christmas.

A good number of people in Liloan changed Santa’s ho-ho-ho to hu-hu-hu when PCRB, operating since 1967, decided to have a permanent holiday beginning December 9. Just last Monday, another bank in Subangdaku, Mandaue City, did the same. At the rate these financial institutions here and abroad are closing, only two banks might remain open - the Blood Bank and the Sperm Bank. Eventually, these two banks would likely merge and be called The Bloody F****ng Bank. Agaay!

2008 saw the renewal of the classic rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. We all know what happened to that rivalry and I had a broken heart. Fast forward to today and it looks like LeBron James and his Cavaliers are intent on crashing the party this June. Never had LeBron got a solid backup like this time and it shows.

The Celtics are considering of adding Stephon Marbury to their lineup. They are in the process of exploring contract options. The malcontent that is Marbury could actually be a good fit for them, if management could just have a good look inside his head and pick out the bug making his brain murky.

As of this writing, the purple and gold has overtaken both teams for the best record in the league. I hope the Lakers will go all the way this time. Watch out for Portland’s Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez.

Football, or soccer, if you wish, saw some big names retiring from the sport. The most beautiful game will miss dearly Oliver Kahn, FIFA’s 3-time Goalkeeper of the Year awardee. The hulking German played for his country 86 times and helped in giving Germany the 1996 UEFA Euro Championships. Kahn was awarded the Golden Ball at 2002 FIFA Korea/Japan World Cup, where they finished runners up to Brazil.

Spain’s Santiago Canizares also retired. Most remembered as Kahn’s adversary in the 2001 Champions League Final, Canizares and his Valencia team lost to Kahn’s Bayern side in a penalty shoot-out. Brazil’s Romario also hung his boots after a 20-year career. The striker had 1994 as his best year when within that period, he helped Brazil win the FIFA World Cup in the USA and awarded with the Golden Ball. Also, he helped Barcelona get the Spanish League title and was eventually voted FIFA World Player of the Year.

France’s Lilian Thuram also ended his glittering career after successful stints with Juventus and Barcelona. The first American named to a FIFA World Cup All-Star team announced his retirement also. Affectionately known as Captain America, Claudio Reyna played for Bolton, Sunderland and Manchester City. He led the USA to the quarter finals at the Korea/Japan WC, losing to eventual finalist Germany.

2008 saw Manny Pacquiao’s total domination in his chosen sport. No need to elaborate, the Pacman brought glory to the un-glorious state of this country run by Gloria and her glory-be’s. I just could not stand seeing all those political figures atop the ring after every Pacman victory and to state the obvious, be eventually ignored by the ring announcer. After his princess, he now has a queen. And of all the names, it’s no wonder Nanay Dionesia mistook her new apo’s name for a bed in her room. I couldn’t wait for May to come and see Ricky Hatton’s boasts battered black and blue. Will Floyd Mayweather Jr. unretire and fight Pacman?

Speaking of coming back from retirement, the Tour de France will again be exciting with the return of Lance Armstrong. Dear rivals Floyd Landis and Levi Leipheimer will surely pedal more furiously this time. Do we see also the return of Jan Ulrich this year?

So we have a new year and resolutions are again aplenty. The least we could do is to try to do some those we plan to resolve. To those who got gym memberships, remember to actually use them, not the outfits.

E-mail me at [email protected]. – THE FREEMAN