RSS
Home
Why I've got love, respect for Cotto, Pacquiao, PR, Philippines
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Top Rank (Chris Farina) Photo
Michael Marley’s Overrated, Underrated Re Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao
Part One of Two Parts
MICHAEL MARLEY'S FIREPOWER FIGHT WEEK LINKS:
Oscar De La Hoya diagnosed: he has Pinoy Envy as to Pacquiao
Pacman stays humble: Thank God for fame, wealth, everything
Eric Estrada backs fellow Boricua Cotto but what of 'Filaricans?'
Hospitable Bob: Arum welcomes Mayweather, Mosley to Media Center
LAS VEGAS--I’m probably like most of you solid citizens out there. I am just too busy to hate or to exchange racial, ethnic or homophobic invective in the unfortunately turned uttermost “comments” section below articles on this web site.
Life’s too short for such wasted energy and sophomore name-calling. Unfortunately, it’s become a part of every big fight. Maybe it could be stopped or filetered if the posters weren't anonymous, I don't know. I will leave that solution to the technical experts.
I am, plainly speaking, rooting for Manny Pacquiao to win for several reasons, the chief of which is his is a story bigger than the sometimes thimble world of boxing. Not to mention that he truly seems to be a humble and giving person who admits to being awed by the growing Magnitude of Being Manny.
Besides, the myth of journalistic objectivity is just that, a myth like the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.
Pacman puts bread on the Marley family table. Pacman drives the page views. Pacman is a phenomenon. Pacman helps pay for growing collection of bicycles. (I am learning to ride like Floyd Mayweather Jr.
I am as pro Pacquiao as Ring magazine is pro de la Hoya, pro Golden Boy Promotions. I try not be the house organist in Manny's band but I suppose sometimes I am.
So call me pro Pacquiao every day and twice on Sunday as I could care less. I’ve also grown fond of the Filipino people in general and I am awed by their magnificent love for their Pinoy Idol. Hopefully I will get my White Gorilla self to Pacland soon.
But being for Manny doesn’t make me anti Miguel I’m No Angel Cotto. It doesn’t make me anti Boricua.
I covered Hall Of Famer Bazooka Gomez. I wrote about Wilfred Benitez. I wrote about Esteban De Jesus and “Snake Man” Alfredo Escalera. I was in Bayamon that rain drenched night when Alexis Arguello defeated Escalera and I remember how graciously “Isla Encanta” while mourning their man’s bitter defeat treated the winner from Nicaragua.
When I was a kid in Boston, it was a great thrill to see lightweight champ Carlos Ortiz in a non title bout at the Boston Garden.
I was friendly with good guy and ex-light heavyweight ruler Jose “Chegui” Torres.
In fact, I once lived a month or so in Bayamon and went to winter baseball games there. Other than the traffic, I don't know what there is not to like about Puerto Rico. The lilting call of the coqui, the Phosphorecent Bay, El Yunque, Old San Juan and the beaches...what more could you ask for?
Former champion and automatic Hall Of Famer Winky Wright fights "Contender" tough guy Grady Brewer in PR on Dec. 11 and I plan on being there.
While toiling for Don King, I watched the amazing ascendancy of icon Felix “Tito” Trinidad but I first knew his father, Don Felix, as a sparmate for DeJesus, who fought Roberto Duran twice.
So I can silently root for Pacquiao and not root against Cotto.
There’s no cheering in the press section, you see, so I maintain radio silence as to my preference.
Pacquiao and Cotto, two great fighters from two great homelands.
A great fight is almost a certainty.
I will toast the winner and the loser because I can see no real loser here.
Oscar against Mayweather was billed as "the fight to save boxing" but isn't that a better tag for this great matchup of two guys in their primes?
May the best Man-ny win.
Part 2 to follow, what is overrated, what is underrated as to Cotto-Pacman.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Related Articles:
Comments
