Hound Dog

“Hound Dog” is arguably one of greatest hits of Elvis Presley in 1956 that sold 10 million.  In a previous column, my “kumpare” Relly Mercado mentioned that hound dogs have become the runner’s best enemies. As I wrote the last time around, runners and cyclists are  the victims of dogs, especially the “askals”( stray dogs).  To recall, a runner in Iloilo was nearing the finish line when a dog darted from nowhere and bit his leg, denying him a third place finish. A triathlete fell from his bike when a dog suddenly appeared in his path.  How do we stop these dog attacks? Some would say use mace or shoot the dog.  But Pat Kara, a Connecticut dog warden for 18 years says, mace gives you only 60 seconds to go away.  Well, here are some tips in dealing with those hounds from hell.

Don’t try to outrun the dog unless you’re Usian Bolt.

Don’t look the dog directly in the eyes, he’ll take that as a challenge and will become more aggressive.

Never turn your back on the dog.  If he starts to circle you, pivot slowly so that you’re always facing him.

Finally tell the dog “sit” or “go home”

Toss any accessible object (stick, watch or hankie) away from you and the dog.  If this doesn’t distract him, don’t try again.

Don’t make any quick or threatening motions.  Stand still, slowly raise your arms and put your arms on your chest.

If the dog charges, don’t panic.  Fold up your arms in front of your face, turn sideways to make a smaller target and if the dog is little, raise one knee to block him but don’t kick.

If the dog bites you, see a doctor immediately.  Locate and notify the owner and report the incident to your nearest police outpost or barangay.  In Baguio City, dogs are behaved and cautious for they know they could end up as ”Asozena” or “caldereta”.as Elvis  would sing “You never caught arabbit and you ain’t no friend of mine”.

Did you know?

MARIA SHARAPOVA is another Russian “pantasya ng bayan” just like Anna Kournikova, who was given her first tennis racquet at four and attended a clinic run by Martina Navratilova at aged six.  Sharapova has had a string of boyfriends including Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine, basketball player Sasha Vujacic  and fellow tennis player Grigor Dimitrov.

EVANDER HOLYFIELD has enjoyed a spectacular career in boxing, defeating the likes of heavyweight legends George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe and Mike Tyson.  The “Real Deal” was  also a hit with the ladies.   Holyfield has sired eleven children with six different women.  His favorite song is “Just The Way You Are” by Barry White.

MUHAMMAD ALI proving that his upset victory the previous year was no fluke, dropped Sonny Liston in the first round of their heavyweight title rematch in Lewiston, Maine in May 1965.  A lot of fans missed the knockout (“ang uban pasulod palang ug wala pa kalingkod”), prompting suspicion that Liston tooka dive.  But after subsequent scrutiny of the fight film, it was established that Ali’s phantom punch” was indeedreal.  A lot of people didn’t know and that in the first fight, Ali(then knownas Cassius Clay) nearly quit before the fifth round because a caustic applied to Liston’s  cut had gotten into his eyes and nearly  blinded him.  And still unknown to a lot of spectators, Liston tore a tendon in his left biceps and refused to come out in the seventh round.  After his second defeat to Ali, Liston never fought for the title again.

SHAQ O’NEAL together with Kobe Bryant denied Vlade Divac and the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 Western  Conference finals.  The Kings believed “gisurambaw sila sa mga referees” in Game 6 which the Lakers won 106-102.  The Kings were called for  27 fouls in the fourth quarter and the Lakers, for just nine.  The Lakers won Game Seven to win the conference title.  Bad blood followed between the two teams.  In 2003, a brawl occurred between Laker Rick Fox and the Kings’ Doug Christie.  A few months later Shaq called the Sacramento team, “Queens” and questioned the inclusionof the Kings’ Mike Bibby, whom he called cub scout, to the 2004 Olympic team.  A few nights after Shaq scored his 20,000 career points at Arco Arena,someone from courtside, grabbed the ball which had been set aside as a memento for Shaq and write on it “Shaq you’re an asshole”.  No one noticed until after the game but Shaq suspects it was someone from the Kings who defaced his keepsake.  “Maayo lang wa masakpan ni Shaq ang nisuwat, dako raba kaayo siya”.

FRANK SINATRAwatched the Muhammad Ali- Joe Frazier heavyweight Championship on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square  Garden.  Sinatra did not pay the $ 150 ringside seat since he was  on assignment as a Life Magazine photographer.  One of Sinatra’s shots was used as the cover of the next issue of Life.  Movie actor Cliff Robertson did commentary for the television feed.  Sinatra is a boxing fan because his father Martin, used to be a part-time boxer who fought under the Irish pseudonym Marty O’Brien.