Butch

Last year, I wrote about the changing of the guards at the Philippine Sports Commission.  I dubbed my column “New Cook, New Menu!”.  I was then talking about the new composition of the PSC and that after election the current board will have to go since it was co-terminus with the administration.  It was in the term of Pnoy  that the Philippines suffered its worst showing in the Southeast (SEA) Games.  In the Myanmar Games, the Philippines wound up seventh place (almost near the cellar).  While last year it  “improved” to sixth place behind countries like Singapore, Vietnam and  Malaysia.  I got myself in hot water criticizing our performance and the useless holding of events like the National Open or the Palarong Pambansa when in the end we field in Fil-Ams.  Can’t bonafide Filipinos win just like our Gintong Alay products Lydia de Vega, Elma Muros and Isidro Del Prado,  who competed  in tougher events like the Asian Games where powerhouse Japan , China, India and Korea  were  present.  With the  advent of our new  President Digong Duterte, change is indeed expected in Philippine Sports.  I’m glad my good friend William “Butch” Ramirez accepted the task to improve our performances in international competitions, as incoming chairman of the sports body.  Butch is no stranger to sports having been there before.  He was a commissioner in 2000 and became  chairman in 2005, the year our country won the overall title in the SEA Games, our only win so far.  Butch used to be Ateneo de Davao sports director  and is the brother of former PBA player Jay Ramirez.  Butch was also instrumental in the staging of the first-ever Masters Athletics Championship here in Cebu which I organized and directed.  We are now in the middle of negotiations  to stage the 2019 SEA Games in Manila.  If we get to hold the event, will lighting strike twice?  Welcome Butch, I believe you’re just the cook we wanted.  Please cook the championship in 2019.  The commissioners selected were also impressive, Mon Fernandez, Arnold Agustin, Fatima Kiram and my good friend and fellow journalist Charles Maxey.

Elvis fever

I took a quick trip to Manila over the weekend to arrange my incoming sports and gig events.  First stop was at Douglas Masuda’s place in Makati City.  Douglas is the Elvis of Japan and father of jujitsu world champion Maybelline Masuda and her sister Michelle.  Douglas invited me to perform at the RJ Bistro  in Dusit, Thani Hotel Makati City during the Elvis Night in August.  Also performing are the Elvises if Singapore, Italy, Greece and of course, Philippines.  And oh yes, the Bisdak Elvis, yours truly will also be around.  Douglas also invited me  to watch that evening the mixed Martial Arts Tournament at the  Smart Araneta Coliseum between Erokhin and Odoms but I have to go to a wake of my cousin –in-law.

Did you know?

Oscar-winning movie actor Bruce Dern, then a 20-year old runner with the University of Pennsylvania two-mile relay team, was suspended by his coach Ken Doherty because of Dern’s refusal to shave his sideburns, said to be influenced by Elvis look and style.  Dern also starred in movie “ The Long Mile”.

•Muhamad Ali  Who recently died enjoyed a warm friendship with Elvis who gave the boxing champion a fake-jewel encrusted robe before Ali’s fight against Joe Bugner.

•Don Budge Was the first tennis player to ever win the grand slam (all for major tournaments in one year) in 1938.

•Alfred Hajos 13 years old, won two of the first four swimming events at the 1896 Athens Olympics in the Bay of Zeas, rough 55-degree water.