We talk about politics.
We talk about movie personalities.
Now, we will talk about basketball.
Almost all Filipinos, including and especially Pampanguenos love basketball.
We love Carlos Loyzaga, the great difference.
We love Ramon Fernandez, El Presidente
We love Robert Jaworski, the living legend.
We love Allan Caidic, the Pistols
We love Alvin Patrimonio’s heroics on the hard court.
It’s no wonder that we admire Jordan Clarkson, the Naturalized player of Gilas. The sixth man of the NBA is the first man of the Gilas Team. Clarkson is now a national hero after leading the Philippine team in a ramp against Saudi Arabia.
The triumph is a much needed boast after our stunning defeat in SEA Games to lowly Indonesia. The loss to Lebanon is added salt to our injured pride. The Chinese are the “Wall” that prevents us from getting the gold in Asian basketball. South Korea is a familiar nemesis.
In the Philippine Basketball today, Pampanguenos are proud to claim Jayson Castro (Bacolor); Japeth Aguilar (Sasmuan); Ian Sangalang (Lubao); Arwind Santos (Lubao) as “ours”. Earlier Ato Agustin, (San Fernando) a product of University of Assumption was a Most Valuable Player.
Yeng Guiao (Magalang) is a national coach. Manny Pangilinan (Apalit) is the owner of three leading bell clubs – Talk and Text, Meralco and NLEX.
The mixed emotions of the crowd to coach Chot Reyes is understandable. We were still feeling the loss to Indonesia and Lebanon successively whom he coached. We were disappointed. Good, the Gilas became triumphant against Saudi otherwise many would have wanted Chot to be axed.
We are crazy about politics. We are crazier about movie stars. We are craziest about Basketball.