Let Manny be Manny

June 23, 1:49 PMIndianapolis Fight Sports ExaminerDennis "dSource" Guillermo

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Congressman Manny Pacquiao? (AP Photo)

READ MY JUNE MAILBAG! "D's NUTS"

Manny Pacquiao’s place in boxing history is safely reserved in the sport’s Hall of Fame. His place in Philippine history however is far from being defined.

Other than debating whether he should fight Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez or Floyd Mayweather Jr next, the talk that surrounds the highest paid and the best boxer in the planet right now is centered on his political aspirations in his home country, the Philippines. The significance of this is that for Pacquiao to be able to serve his constituents when he does end up getting elected is that he would have to walk away from the game.

The Pacman is trying to be a congressman- so bad that he has gone as far as running in Saranggani, his wife’s home province in next year’s elections after losing in the 2007 elections for the same position in the first district of Cotabato. That’s how serious Pacquiao is about entering politics. He is willing to walk away from the money and the fame and as Pacquiao recently told the people of Saranggani and reported by GMANews.TV when he recently donated a fire truck and an ambulance to their district,

“Itong mga kamao ko na ginamit ko pang-knockout sa mga kalaban sa boxing, gagamitin ko para makatulong sa inyo,"

(translation)

“These same hands I use to knock my opponents out in boxing; I will use to help all of you.”

What’s the debate here? I am not clueless when it comes to the nuisances and what goes behind Philippine politics as I had my share of experiences helping in campaigns and being around politicians back when I was still living in my old stomping grounds. It truly is a dirty and cutthroat game. But then again, so is boxing!

A lot of people have expressed their concerns for Manny saying that he will just taint his reputation by diving in the dirty game of Philippine politics. That’s natural. Manny has been a great ambassador and source of inspiration for his countrymen and hearing or reading negative things about him might prove heartbreaking for his legions of followers. Those sentiments, I can definitely empathize with.

With that said however, I am not one to advise Pacquiao to abandon his plans to run in the upcoming elections. Pacquiao has long stated that he meant to retire soon anyway and enjoy the fruits of his labor and spend more time with his family. The man is free to do whatever he desires and if he’s smart enough to have gotten to the point where he is now then I trust that he’s smart enough to know what he wants and the best way to get it.

I guess a lot of people fail to give due credit to the intelligence of Manny Pacquiao. Perhaps people dismiss boxing as a grunt sport that only needs repetitive training and conditioning and the practice of hurting and avoiding getting hurt. Whatever it is, for some reason, people just seem to always underestimate Manny Pacquiao.

Don’t be mistaken, the Pacman is a smart man. He may have legions of advisers but he will not get to this point of global recognition if he was an idiot. Perhaps most disapprove of his allegiances and friends but it’s those same friends that have helped get him to where he is now. Granted there are indeed plenty of sharks and snakes as he himself said in a documentary about Team Pacquiao prior to his fight against Hatton,

“I have good friends, not so good friends and really not good friends. I have all kinds of friends!”

The thing that struck me when Manny said that is the fact that he said it with a smile like it was nothing to him that some people around him are truly there to just use him while they can and that he has everything under control regardless of the ones that just try to leech off him. Perhaps there's some use to "friends in need" because they will do anything indeed. I am not in any form or way condoning "freeloaders" but hey, its Manny's life and it seems that all his choices has led him to the top, so why question that?

And how can anybody assume Pacquiao will not do well in whatever he endeavors? If anything, Pacquiao has been the vessel of every average person’s dreams that inspire the belief “anything is possible”. For one, if Pacquiao does indeed become a politician, that’s one politician you can be more secured in saying who wouldn’t be corrupt. Let’s be real, there’s a lot of corrupt and shady politicians in the Philippines, some may even be hanging around Pacquiao, but the body of work, the foundations, donations, hand-outs, time, money and everything else Pacquiao has shared freely and from his heart for me is enough gauge to have faith that the guy really intends well to any region he intends to serve. We are talking about a guy who made the same money as LeBron freaking James for crying out loud. If Pacquiao wanted the money, he can stay in boxing and make a ton of it even if he chose to retire. The money alone made through his name by third-parties whom Pacquiao tolerate, is enough for him to double that 40 mil he just made in ’08. All I’m saying is that if Pacquiao was truly about the money, he wouldn’t be acting like the way he’s been acting.

Nobody is perfect, and I know Pacquiao has his share of questionable decisions but in Philippine politics, you are talking about who can really give the best service. Pacquiao said in a report by Jonathan Perez of GMANews.TV, 

“Kung satisfied ako siguro sa ginagawa nila ‘di na ako tatakbo dahil masaya ako. Susuportahan ko na lang sila," and added “Nakita ko naman na kulang talaga. In how many years, wala silang naitulong sa mga tao,"

(translation)

“If I’m satisfied with what they are doing, I wouldn’t have to run because I’m happy. I’ll just support them. But I’ve seen it’s not enough. In how many years, they really haven’t helped the people.”

Truth be told, Pacquiao is facing a political dynasty, and as politics in the Philippines goes, dynasties are hard to unseat like Jordan and the Bulls in the nineties. With that said, you have to admire that Pacquiao wants to try, and just like the way he labors in boxing, he maintains that he is doing it for the people.

Win or lose you have to give the guy a try or at least allow him to.

After all, people in the Philippines have been crying for change. They’ve been looking for somebody to break the trend. Honestly if there were a lot of good people in politics, then why is the situation back in the Philippines so bane? When you ask for a hero, you have to allow him to try and save you. I am not saying he will be successful but the fact that one man intends well and would go against the grain and risk everything to just at the least spark some positive change- man, tell me why anybody would want to discourage that?

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Manny Pacquiao : Chronicling the Past 10 years of Boxing's Best

PART 1 - "Introduction"

PART 2  - "The Exodus"

PART 3  - "Defining Moment"

PART 4  - "The Republica Strikes Back 1"

PART 5 - "The Republica Strikes Back 2" 

PART 6 - "Picking up the Pieces"

PART 7 - "Confirmation"

PART 8 - "Thrilla back in Manila"

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