Sporting Chance

In 1996, Cebu sportswriter Homer Sayson went to the US to cover an arnis event. He never came back. The decision to make a living abroad didn't come easy. Homer left behind his wife Quia, then three months pregnant, and their 3-year-old son Lawrence.

The future wasn't clear for Homer but he seized the opportunity of a lifetime. When his visa expired after six months, Homer luckily found a benefactor who petitioned for an extension.

In Cebu, Homer was assistant sports editor of The Freeman and also worked for Councilor Rico Holganza. His combined salary was P27,000 a month - hardly enough to pay the bills, considering he took care of two brothers and a sister, too.

It was difficult to find work as a journalist in the US so Homer embarked on a new career. He took a crash course in nursing and after obtaining a certification, began offering his services to wealthy old folks in a private capacity. The job brought Homer to New York, Chicago, Florida and finally, Phoenix where he now lives.

Curiously, Homer earned a political science degree at Colegio de San Jose Recoletos. His grandfather was a lawyer and former city auditor. His father was a decorated police officer.

Homer hasn't seen his second child, a daughter named Faith who's now three years old. His heart bleeds when he speaks to his wife, 24, on the phone. He misses her so much it hurts. Last April, they celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary from distant shores.

"Now I know what it's like to be an overseas worker," said Homer who occasionally calls to share sports news, especially on the National Basketball Association (NBA). "It's a big sacrifice to be away from your loved ones. But it's their future that keeps me going. I live a lonely life in Phoenix. I miss my family most on Christmas Day. How I wish I could see my son's face again."

From his paycheck, Homer remits about P60,000 a month to his family. He pays for his sister's tuition at Cebu Doctors College and is saving to build a modest home in Cebu this year. His green card is being processed but Homer said he may just decide to come back once the house he's saving for is finished.

Homer, 31, has been an NBA fan since he was 10. He joined The Freeman as a sportswriter when he was 25. When he left for the US, Homer stopped writing but continued reading up on sports -- which is his passion. After a long absence from media, Homer made a comeback as a sports columnist for Sun Star-Cebu recently. His column, "Second Overtime," comes out every Tuesday and Saturday and is e-mailed from Phoenix.

The other day, Homer phoned to confirm the rumor that Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson refused to enter the Lakers dugout at halftime of Game 4 in the Phoenix series. The Suns won on a blowout.

"Jackson was disgusted," reported Homer. "Instead of going to the dugout, he joined Danny Ainge and his family in the arena. Danny joined TNT as a broadcaster after quitting as Phoenix coach. In the dressing room, I heard Ron Harper told his teammates if they were the (Chicago) Bulls of the (Michael) Jordan era, they would kill the Suns by at least 20 points every game. The Lakers lack the killer's instinct that the Bulls had when they smelled blood."

Homer said this year's NBA champion will come from the West and it will be either Portland or the Lakers. "The Blazers match up well against L.A.," continued Homer. "They've got Sabonis, Pippen, Grant, Wallace, Smith, Stoudamire, Schrempf and Wells. That's as deep as you can get. The Lakers shouldn't take Portland lightly. They could get upset. Harper, Green, and Horry are experienced playoff players but Shaq and Kobe aren't."

In the controversial Game 3 of the New York-Miami series, Homer said the Knicks didn't protest the counting of Anthony Carter's decisive shot which bounced in from an angle behind the basket. Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Supervisor of Officials Romy Guevara and PBA referee Benjie Chua, who watched the contest on TV, said the shot should've been nullified.

But Homer explained that the reason why the NBA nullifies a shot coming from behind the board is that it's indefensible. Carter faced the basket and was on the run when he threw up the high-arching, off-balance shot which angled from the baseline and appeared to come from behind the board. Theoretically, the shot was defensible. The key to counting the shot, said Homer, was Carter facing the basket. That's why the Knicks didn't bother filing a protest.

Homer said Utah's ouster was a sad ending to Jeff Hornacek's career. Hornacek, a CPA, never thought he'd play 15 years in the NBA when he turned pro. He's hanging up his sneakers without ever playing for a title team. Karl Malone and John Stockton may be back for another season but unless coach Jerry Sloan infuses fresh blood to resuscitate the Jazz' aging lineup, they'll continue to be frustrated in the twilight of their long careers.

As for Allen Iverson, Homer said he's still mourning the murder of a good friend who was shot in a gang-related incident. He noted that the NBA recently used a picture of Iverson, without his tattoos, to market the league in brochures and billboards but got flak for it. Apparently, Iverson's tattoos were erased to project a wholesome image for the campaign. Critics, however, accused the NBA of false advertising because it portrayed Iverson not as the real Iverson but as a cosmeticized Iverson, according to Homer.