Splotches

I just read again how a popular boxer would give away thousands of US dollars on a whim. He conducts a Biggest Loser challenge whenever he has a fight. The challengers are his trainers, hangers-on, and groupies. Every one can join!

Just imagine, on his last fight, the winner went home richer by $23,000! Yes, the pocket money was that huge!

Under the rules, participants were given 20 days to shed off 15 percent of their body weight with no use of any weight-reducing drugs. Those who make it gets $3,000 each and the “biggest loser” comes home with an extra $20,000.

Crazy!

If I had that much money, I would start investing it for my kids’ future. And mine when the effects of being boxed start showing.

• Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao won over Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton in the epic Battle of East and West that was held in Las Vegas. The Pacman knocked down the Briton on the second round of the scheduled 12 round fight. It took The Hitman quite a few minutes to regain his wits.

• Hollywood celebrities watched the fight at the MGM Grand. Jack Nicholson, Mariah Carey with her husband, Nick Cannon, Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Mark Walhberg, The UFC Fighter Batista and others. Mark Walhberg is a big fan of Pacman’s trainer, Freddie Roach.

• There was a big to-do over the way Martin Nievera sang the country’s national anthem, Lupang Hinirang. He sang it in a different tune and had this big “birit” at the end of the song. A congressman is even contemplating of suing him for it. Ha-ha-ha!

• And did I mention that General Santos City fans were shocked when Pacquiao was introduced as hailing from Saranggani Province?

• Pacquiao is now being hailed as the greatest fighter of all time, next only to Muhammad Ali. What a great honor!

• Unfortunately, he officially announced in CNN that he is seriously considering running for Congressman of Saranggani Province.

UPDATED: Ateneo wins the 2008 UAAP Senior Basketball Series!!!

My dad and my brother are big fans of college basketball. My brother is a college freshman so that’s understandable. Pro basketball here in the Philippines is not that exciting anymore so all basketball aficionados turned to college basketball.

UAAP and NCAA are the collegiate basketball organizations here in the Philippines. UAAP is the more popular of the two and the one where my alma mater, University of Sto. Tomas (UST) is a member of.

Right now, the championship best-of-3 series between La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University is on going, with the latter leading the series 0-1.

You cannot imagine the capacity crowd in Araneta Coliseum where the series is being held. Thousands of fans of both teams are in attendance. Game 2 is being played with Ateneo leading by as much as 20 points. I smell an Ateneo victory!