NBA FINALS: PACQUIAO, PINOY SPORTS PERSONALITIES ROOT FOR WARRIORS
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 02 Jun 2015
The entire nation of Israel is throwing its support to the Cleveland Cavaliers in their coming championship playoff date with the Golden State Warriors for all the NBA marbles which begins Thursday (Friday in Manila) in Oakland, CA.
This, no less than Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a message to Cavs coach David Blatt which says: "All of Israel is behind the Cavaliers."
The Israeli official's message is understandable for reason that Blatt, a highly-respected basketball mentor, is famous to have carried Israel's Maccabi TelAviv team to the Euroleague Championship last year.
Coach Steve Kerr's Golden State Warriors are not lacking in international support though. The entire Filipino community in California, particularly in the Bay Area, is definitely extending its all out support to the team it embraces as their own like the full-bloodied Caifornians do.
Count millions of U.S.-based Filipinos sprinkled in all parts of the land of sweet and honey, including the State of Ohio, as well as those in nearby Canada and it will show that, indeed, the Warriors can match, if not surpass, the international support LeBron James and teammates stand to get in their quest for their first ever NBA crown.
A survey conducted by philboxing.com, Reyfort Group of Publishing in Vancouver, Philippine Digest of Los Angeles and Asian fights Scene of Singapore, among Filipino sportsmen, and Filipinos back home, are hoping that the Warriors win back the NBA championship the Bay Area dribblers held 40 years ago.
World eight-division boxing champion and four lineal belt-owner Manny Pacquiao, basketball legend Robert "Sonny" Jaworski, businessman-sportsman Manny V. Panglilinan, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco and POC vice president Joey Romasanta, were all one in choosing the Oakland-based cagers to prevail in their best-of-sevens title series with the Cavs.
Of those surveyed, only Meralco coach Norman Black confessed he's for the Cavs. "The reason is because I'm from the East coast (Baltimore)."
"For the simple reason that Golden State represents an area where the most number of Filipinos in America live, I want the Warriors to win the series and crown themselves the NBA champions," Pacquiao said in answer to the question as to who he prefers to emerge triumphant.
"Pilipinong-Pilipino ang dating ng Warriors, especially (reigning NBA MVP Steve) Curry," Pacquiao assessed. "Wala siyang kayabang-yabang, simpleng-simple lang kahit na siya ang tinanghal na season MVP of the world's biggest pro-league."
Pacquiao reminisced when Curry visited him weeks before his last fight with undefeated American Floyd Mayweaher while training in Los Angeles where the spitfire point-guard obliged to having his photo taken with basketball-playing sons Jimwell and Michael.
"I appreciae that gesture. Napakabait niya. Parang Pilipino talaga," he said with amusement. "Binigyan pa nga niya ako ng playing uniform niya."
"I go with Golden State," Jaworski, the "Big J" or "Jawo" to fans, said. "This in spite of LeBron James who is with the Cavs. And his visible improvement on maturity."
"Yes! Stephen Curry and the whole Golden State group, when healthy, can win it," Jaworski exclaimed. "Golden State has, definitely, risen to unthinkable heights, filling the blanks of factors and elements necessary for a team to succeed."
"Me? Warriors," telecommunications tycoon Pangilinan, owner of three clubs in the local pro-league PBA, said. "San francisco is one of my favorie cities. "
"Kay Curry ako," was POC president Cjuangco's brief reply. "Sayang, I was not able to watch the second half of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals (in reference to the game where Golden State clinched the right to meet the Cavs for the title)."
Romasanta, basketball greats Atoy Co and Jimmy Mariano, Philippine Sports Commission executive director, Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Arellano University president Peter Cayco and Manila City Hall Engineer Robert Evangelista all echoed the setiments expressed by their peers, especially on Curry.
"Curry's brand of play approximates that of Filipinos," Co, mainstay of the legendary Crispa during his playing days, said.
"At 6-foot-3, maliit siya compared to other American players. But he makes up for his shortcomings with his speed and dribbling wizardry. Ganyan tayong mga Pilipino, di ba?"
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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