LET'S SUPPORT OUR SEA GAMES ATHLETES
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Nov 2011
Jose Cojuangco.
We have had our fair share of differences in the past with Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia especially on the manner in which the Philippine Dragon Boat World Champions were treated and the utter lack of due process in the sham resolution that ousted athletics chief Go Teng Kok from POC membership.
But that is behind us now as our athletes ? both men and women ?strive to bring our country honor and glory in the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia next week even as the football competition kicked off on Thursday with the Azkals Under 23 squad putting on a disappointing performance in losing to Vietnam by 3 goals to 1.
As we prepare to compete against the regions powerhouse squads like Indonesia and Thailand, which becomes even more difficult with the introduction of sports that only the hosts know to play with any level of competitiveness thereby giving them a huge and unfair advantage , we need to rally around out athletes and even our officials in the hope that they would be able to deliver on the predictions made.
The common thread that runs through the predictions which appear to us based more on hope than on substance, is that the Philippines will finish second, dutifully conceding the top spot to our Indonesian hosts. We do not wish to take issue with the figure of Chairman Garcia of a possible 70 gold medals or anybody else, certainly not at this time.
Rather, we would fervently wish that they are right and that our athletes live up to their expectations because we are guided, as always, by the fundamental commitment to support our individual athletes and our teams who carry the burden of translating hopes into reality. While the games are on we need to support our athletes to the hilt, accepting what victories they earn with pride moderated by humility.
We should also accept defeats ? and there may be quite a few disappointing setbacks ? with grace rather than anguish and refrain from ripping anybody apart - whether it be athlete or official - until the task is over and they come home.
Filipino sports fans will be privileged to watch extensive television coverage of the SEA Games by the long-established ABS-CBN network and the newest and surely most aggressive entity in sports on television ? ABC 5?s free -to-air sports channel AKTV IBC Channel 13. This is great for the competitive dimension of the coverage and provides sometimes picky viewers with a choice.
In fact, it began with the Azkals ? Vietnam match on Thursday and while the video was basically the same and it will be in many instances as the two networks hook-up with a common feed, the commentators will make the difference and this is where, together with the creativity of presentation, the audience can make its own valued judgment.
This early we?d like to request that commentators minimize if not refrain from criticizing our players, the coach?s tactics and pontificating on what should be done from the comfort of the commentators booth in Manila, far removed from the actual scene of the action. Such an attitude would be terribly unfair.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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