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 mitchgatdula@solarentertainmentcorp.com 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.