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Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Captain Beckham
By Romy SabaldanDavao Beat
FOOTBALL is no lullaby sport.
The same thing can be said of boxing. Although, a dance inside the ring can put you to sleep with a jarring left-right to the jaw. Especially so if the rapid-fire combination comes from a southpaw like Manny Pacquiao.
About 90 percent of the games require players to be tall, hefty and strong.
The sturdy, solidly built young boys go for the goal in football. Most parents encourage their young boys to play glamorous basketball. Like football, it is also a game requiring high endurance.
So does boxing. The only thing separating these three most popular sports worldwide is the kind of intense physical beating a pugilist can get, win or lose. The reason why even Manny Pacquiao, who is now richer by the millions, is set on leading his two young boys to a future away from his game of brawn and muscle.
Another thing different. Football can be played rain or shine. While Compostela Valley was declared a calamity area because of a number of landslides brought about by heavy rains, its team to the Coke Go-For-Goal took this year's championship (2-1) with a little help from the same monsoon rains that devastated the fields back home. The rains had spoiled the scientific play of the previous All-Mindanao champion Dipolog City.
Under the sun, minus the pool of rainwater and mud, Dipolog delivered the first shutout of the game (3-0) against the ComVal team. That game had afforded me an interview with the Dipolog coach from England. The English are known world-class football players and teaches some of the best coaching technique in this field.
The nearest I can get to the great english football player called Captain Beckham was interviewing someone of his kind: Dipolog City coach Reginald Dukes. His presence gave certain international flavor to the DFA-managed tournament.
He did well in scoring the first point, but what happened next?
"Well, if we had played on a dry field, we would have beaten that team 5-0. But we were playing on a swamp and we tried to play football and it just doesn't suit our team," he said.
"They were a little bit fortunate, they tried hard, they worked hard, all credit to their team. What more can I say, we have already beaten that team 3-0 in the very first game. I still think we are the best team here."
(December 30, 2003 issue)
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