The Final Score: Why is Manny Pacquiao in the PBA? Because he's Manny Pacquiao!

Manny Pacquiao wanted to coach in the PBA, a fraternity which includes Grand Slam coaches Tim Cone, Baby Dalupan, Norman Black and Tommy Manotoc, because he’s Manny Pacquiao.

 

Manny Pacquiao wanted to play in the PBA, to join the active ranks that once included four-time Most Valuable Player winners Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio, because he’s Manny Pacquiao.

 

He wanted to coach a team.

 

But he also wanted to play.

 

Why not? Manny Pacquiao wanted to raise the ante.

 

He wanted to coach and play at the same time, to be a PBA playing-coach just like Robert Jaworski and Norman Black, because he’s Manny Pacquiao.

 

M to the P.

 

The über-renaissance man.

 

MP yo!

 

We’re all bewildered now, left looking at one another, exchanging raised eyebrows or knowing grins, seeking for a hold on what can’t be held, because he’s MP.

 

We’re stunned, ambivalent or upset or a confusing combination of all three because he’s MP.

 

O sige na nga, game, let’s debate on this, wait, wait, sandali lang muna, puwede huwag na lang because he’s MP.

 

We try to understand that he missed the PBA Draft Combine because he’s MP.

 

We try to even harder to understand that he missed the PBA Rookie Draft - his first PBA Rookie Draft as a head coach and first and only PBA Rookie Draft as a player (malay natin, he might decide to challenge this notion too) – because he’s MP.

 

Attendance?! We talkin’ ‘bout attendance?!

 

Anyways, he drafted himself, like a boss of all bosses, because he’s MP.

 

His PBA team might lose many games because he’s MP.

 

He might be absent during many games because he’s MP.

 

Note that I wrote might instead of will because he’s MP.

 

When the PBA season starts, when he begins his career as playing coach, some will laugh because he’s MP.

 

I took no pleasure in writing that previous sentence because he’s MP.

 

Maybe Manny Pacquiao’s basketball highlights will end up on ESPN SportsCenter in the United States because he’s MP.

 

This is, perhaps, the best-case scenario.

 

Or…

 

Maybe Manny Pacquiao’s hardcourt folly will end up on Shaqtin’ a Fool, sana naman hindi ‘to mangyari, because he’s MP.

 

People will look disapprovingly at the people who will laugh because he’s MP.

 

People will look disapprovingly at the people who will look disapprovingly at the people who will laugh because he’s MP.

 

Who knows? He might want to play for the Azkals next year because he’s MP.

 

Pacquiao with the ambitious bicycle kick…oooooooohhhh….oooooohhhh….it goes through the hands of the keeper…goooooaaaaaalllllll!!!! Ma-nny!!! Ma-nny!!! Ma-nny!!! Goooooaaaaalllll!!!!!

 

Back to basketball.

 

I’m excited for Ginebra vs Kia because it will feature Emman Monfort versus Manny Pacquiao – Emman versus Emmanuel. The match-up suddenly gained otherworldly relevance because he’s MP.

 

Good luck Emman. Mag-train ka na din sa Baguio.

 

Mommy Dionisia will watch PBA games at courtside, and basketball fans will gravitate towards Mommy D for sure, because he’s MP.

 

And because she’s Mommy D.

 

Mommy Dionisia will also place a courtside hex - the hex Timothy Bradley knows all too well, the hex that launched a thousand memes - on enforcers like Beau Belga to protect MP because he’s MP.

 

What if Mommy D asks, “Eh paano si Floyd Mayweather?” Don’t worry Mommy D. Mayweather will never play professional basketball. He’s not MP.

 

So we brace ourselves. The Pacquiaos are coming. Basketball, I hope you’re ready.

 

Ano ang gagawin natin? 

 

Ano ang gagawin niya? 

 

We’ve reached the sports equivalent of a moral crisis. You still want to give MP the chance, no matter how insanely inexplicably irrational it might seem, to prove that he can coach, that he can play, that he won’t prove critics wrong as soon he starts dribbling the ball in his very first game, as soon as he attempts to diagram a basketball play on his very first try. 

 

Ginusto niya yan. 

 

Ginusto nila yan. 

 

The risk, however, is real. This could end up being a yearlong face-palm moment. My shoulders just dropped all the way to my waist. Because he’s MP, he should know that. YouTube forgives no one.

 

But since MP wanted to coach, he should coach. Even if he has to coach against, gasp, Tim Cone. Mas maganda if MP holds the whiteboard and screams at the refs and stands on that sideline like he belongs.

 

If MP wanted to play, he should play. Even if he has to guard, gasp, Jayson Castro. Mas maganda if MP asks for the ball and guards man-to-man and plays like he deserved to be here all along.

 

I-todo mo na MP! 

 

Because he has been granted the chance. Everything’s official now. The discourse has changed. We can no longer ask, “Should he or shouldn’t he join the PBA?” He’s already in. Tapos na. Now we wait for the season to start. Now we wait for the actual games. Now we wait for things to get real.

 

Because, to be fair, miracles can happen.

 

Because, to be true to what we hold dear in sports, dreams do come true.

 

I know what you’re thinking. Please stop looking at me that way. We can shake our heads as much as we want. It won’t change anything. He’s officially a playing-coach. Therefore, he should officially be given a chance. Because that choice wasn’t ours to make. Because that’s what he wanted. Because he’s Manny Pacquiao. — JST, GMA News