Yeng’s ‘charitable side’

My original query to fiery multititled coach Yeng Guiao concerned the ongoing PBA best-of-seven semifinal series where the Powerade Tigers lead his favored Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 2-1. But after reading a newspaper article that said Yeng had paid the PBA close to a million pesos in fines, basically for losing his temper in court, shouting invectives at the referee and stuff like that, I decided to change my question. I asked Yeng instead to declare the total amount he has paid the PBA from the time he became head coach of Red Bull. A million pesos, or anything close to that, is a huge sum. * * * Yeng replied faster than I expected. He said he has lost track of how much he has paid in fines. “All I know is that I’ve sent several children of PBA players to school. (Di ko na alam. Basta madami na akong napaaral na anak ng mga PBA players.)” The fines imposed on PBA coaches and players for various misdemeanors automatically go to the Players Trust Fund, which provides educational scholarship to the players and their children. * * * A check with the PBA accounting unit revealed that Yeng has paid a total of P713,700 in fines since 2002, when he became head coach of Red Bull. Very recently, he was slapped by commissioner Chito Salud a total of P80,000—P50,000 for cursing at a referee and 30,000 for speaking negatively about the PBA to the media. Yeng was summoned by the commissioner to his office where they had what was described as a “good talk.” Yeng told the commissioner he was just speaking his mind to the media. * * * The revised one-game daily schedule seems to have positive results. For one, the less popular PBA teams are getting better exposure. Consequently, the fans are getting to know their players and the product they represent better. PBA media bureau head Willie Marcial said that based on feedbacks, Salud is inclined to continue the same scheduling scheme. In addition to popularizing the “other” teams, the new scheme has resulted in a slightly stronger box office. * * * Needless to say, Salud is accomplishing his objective, which he said will “put the spotlight on the two semifinal matchups separately and independently of the other.”

* * * If 2011 didn’t turn out to be too bright and rosy for Nonito Donaire Jr.’s boxing career, 2012 looks better. Perhaps the only Filipino boxer capable of following in Manny Pacquiao’s footsteps, Nonito is determined to make up for lost time, and the first step he took is climb up to a higher weight division. Nonito is scheduled to fight Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. of Argentina for the WBO super bantamweight title on Feb. 4 at the Alamodome in Texas. If Nonito triumphs, next in line is a bout with Vazquez’s conqueror Jorge Arce. And after that Tosjiaki Nashioka. In effect, Nonito will be moving up from super bantamweight to featherweight to super featherweight, By the time Nonito fully accomplishes his goal, he will have six titles in six weight divisions. Just like Oscar De La Hoya.