THERE was a commotion inside Marikina Sports Center, venue of the PCBL games, after Wednesday’s Game 2 of the best-of-three final series between Jumbo Plastic and Mighty Sports.
Jumbo Plastic escaped with an 89-87 win to force Friday’s rubber match and the winning team had settled inside its locker room.
Suddenly, people inside Jumbo’s dugout heard the door being pounded hard. Whoever it was demanded that the door be opened immediately.
When the door remained closed, Mighty’s Nigerian import Bright Akhuetie gathered all his might and kicked the door. It opened slightly, but the players inside immediately pushed it shut and locked it.
Bright shouted some more, pounded and tried to kick the door open again, but he failed. He walked away but not after uttering a few cuss words. Security personnel and PCBL officials accompanied him to Mighty’s dugout.
The vein in the import’s neck was still bulging as he related to his coach Mike Fermin, that he was surprised, almost to the point of shock, when one of the players of Jumbo poked his butt. The act is against his religion in Nigeria, Akhuetie said.
It’s not clear how the issue was resolved, but somebody must have explained to Akhuetie that here in the Philippines, the act is usually done among friends, all in the spirit of fun.
No one ever found out who the culprit was. Therefore no penalty or fine was imposed. The lesson: Choose the butt you’re poking.
Jumbo eventually won the title.
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Summarizing his performance as representative of the lone district of Sarangani, Manny Pacquiao spent more time outside the Batasan than inside in the two terms (six years) he had served as congressman.
According to reports, majority of Pacquiao’s staff agree with his decision to skip the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
While Pacquiao has decided to skip the Olympics, he hasn’t said anything about retirement. Does this mean that he’s still entertaining thoughts of fighting again if the price is right?
Most people think that Top Rank chief Bob Arum is against his ward’s participation in the Olympics because there’s no money involved in it.
Arum is first and foremost a shrewd businessman.
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Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) president Ricky Vargas said he respects Pacquiao’s decision and wishes him well in his work in the Senate.
“He will be most welcome to come to Rio to cheer our boxers bidding to win the country’s first Olympic gold,” Vargas said.