Pacquiao due early tomorrow

MEMBERS   of  the  media assigned to   cover  the arrival in Manila of  Manny Pacquiao are  right  now wracking  their  brains thinking of  how  they   can  drag   themselves out  of   bed   at   an  unholy  hour   to  catch  his press   conference   at  the  airport.

The press conference  has   been scheduled tomorrow at  5 a.m. at the VIP Lounge of  Naia 2.  It means Pacquiao and  his  entourage will  be  proceeding  straight  to   the presscon after alighting  from   the   plane.

To   be  able   to  make it  to   the  airport  on  or  before the  break  of  dawn  on Tuesday, colleagues   are  thinking  of  drinking Monday  night  away.  No  more  sleeping,   they  said, to  be sure  they make  it to  their  assignment on  time.

From   the  airport  after the presscon,  a  motorcade will follow.

“Starting point of  the  motorcade   is Makati going to the  Manila Hotel,” said Solar  Entertainment’s Mitch Gatdula.

“Request for accreditation may be submitted to  Solar by texting  the reporter’s name and publication   to  0917-5505727 or through [email protected] not later than 12 noon today.”

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Knowing  the   way Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s  mind   works,   it may  take   another six  years   before   a  rematch  between him  and  Pacquiao  is  staged. By  that  time, Mayweather  will  be  in  his mid-forties  and Pacquiao  not  too far  behind.

Pacquiao’s  American orthopedic  surgeon   from Los Angeles  said  it  will take  more   than  a year  before  he  could    get  back  to  the  ring.

The   right  shoulder  will  be  immobilized    for  many   months and   he has    been prohibited  by  his  doctor   from  performing  any  stressful move  or  activity   such as playing  basketball   while   the  tears are in the process of healing.

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Although  the new  PBA   commissioner   will  be  announced  this  Thursday, no  one can  hazard   a guess   who   it    would  be

There   are four candidates  left—Chito Narvasa, Rickie Santos, Vince Hizon and Jay Adalem.  They were interviewed  separately by the PBA  board  last April 30.

“That’s  the last  time I  heard   from  the PBA,”   said    the  candidate most likely to  be  chosen.  “I  really  don’t  know   where I   stand.”

None  of  the  other candidates   probably  has  heard  from  the  PBA  either. Outgoing  commissioner Chito Salud  and  media bureau chief Willie  Marcial were  expected   to   return yesterday from Las Vegas,  where   they   cheered  for the  KIA playing coach.