A couple of questions now beg for instant answers after Manny Pacquiao, sluggish and an easy target in a previous sparring session, recovered his old fire and was next branded Devil Wind by one avid admirer.

OK, there was quiet celebration at Freddie Roach?s famous Wild Card Gym on Saturday as Pacquiao thrilled select spectators to a blinding display of his arsenal.

Based on Dr. Ed de la Vega?s account, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Pacquiao, who once likened himself to a storm (from the Pacific), has metamorphosed into an unstoppable raging bull.

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Now to the questions:

1) Does Freddie Roach still believe in his earlier claim that Oscar de la Hoya ?can no longer pull the trigger??

2) Was Roach praying or making a prediction when he made that lowly assessment of De la Hoya?

You bet nobody could be more thrilled than Roach after Pacquiao came back sensationally from what his trusted trainer called their worst day of the year in the gym.

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Roach himself explained that Pacquiao had a sleepless night before figuring in that nightmare of a workout last Thursday.

Roach also admitted Pacquiao was visibly bothered by the supplements being pumped into his system.

Pacquiao?s body did react meanly to the vitamins and assorted supplements.

But we have to believe Roach that it took Pacquiao no time to adjust to the additives following that bothersome night in bed.

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OK, Roach sounded cocksure about the wasted condition of De La Hoya when he likened the Golden Boy to a rusty, useless toy gun.

However, you don?t need an analytical mind to sense that, honestly, the heavy preparations Pacquiao is being made to undertake are not commensurate to the feebleness Roach had announced about De La Hoya.

Team Pacquiao may not have exactly resorted to superficial means, but the load of work and additives they have been using in gearing up against De la Hoya could also be described as frantic.

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No, this is not to say Pacquiao has been resorting to the unnecessary.

He will definitely enter the ring Dec. 6 in superb form.

A tested hardworker, Pacquiao will carry into the fight all the weapons he would need?and maybe more.

However, it?s odd how his trainer is slowly but surely trying to turn the Pacman into a Superman.

Has Roach started to see a new, different De La Hoya lately?

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We can?t blame Freddie Roach for resorting to unnatural measures.

He?s just making sure that Pacquiao won?t be lacking in anything come fight time.

Of course, there?s the likelihood they?ve been loading up on all possible offensive weapons while partly overlooking the strict demands for no-nonsense defense.

A stronger possibility is that Roach has become unsure if the foe whom Pacquiao will meet at the MGM Grand early next month is still the same shaky, wasted pistolero he had been loudly branded to be.