Pagkatalo tinanggap na ni Pacquiao
Nap Miranda is a typical sports dad. He attends all the basketball games of his three sons, aside from attending to his growing business of supplying office equipment in major cities like Mandaluyong. He is also an icon of sorts, portraying the loving, supportive husband and father on the longest-running series of laundry soap ads on Philippine television.
Fourteen years ago, Nap, a teammate of former PBA Rookie of the Year Boybits
In 1995, Nap found himself taking grainy video of two-year old Sep trying to shoot hoops, tucking the ball under his left arm as he walked around. Soon, the younger Miranda started playing in earnest, to the utmost pride of his family.
“Sep has always had fighting spirit,” Nap says. “We taught him not to focus on what made him different, but to look at what made him special.”
Like his father before him, Sep became a San Beda College Red Cub, and under coach Britt Reroma, blossomed into one of the best grade school centers in the country, even developing into an outstanding shot-blocker, an impressive feat in itself.
After Sep graduated, the family wondered if it wouldn’t be time for a change of scenery, and they decided to try their luck elsewhere. Sep tried out for and was accepted by another school known for its basketball competence; if not for its recruiting practices. The major adjustment would come off the court, since Sep did not take grade 7, and started out at a disadvantage.
“At first, it was hard, because I was catching up,” Sep admitted. “But I just worked harder and my grades got better.”
There was also a lot of pressure on Sep, since he was essentially blazing a path for his younger brothers, who are now 11 and nine years old. But Sep has always pulled through.
In his first high school season, the one-armed wonder pulled down crucial rebounds and sank critical free throws to salvage a must-win semifinal game – ironically, against San Beda – to help give his new school a championship. Just two months ago, his new coach gave glowing remarks in an interview that appeared on a high-rating television news program.
However, in the last few weeks, some internal political currents have changed the direction of this young player’s life.
He spent the last three months trying out for the team that would join a major junior tournament. A little over the week before the final line-up was announced, two children of alumni joined the tryouts. They were picked. Sep was not.
“The boy was heart-broken, and also felt hurt,” Nap revealed. “And, not because he’s my son, but his stats are good, and his grades are better than some of those players picked. Some of the other players even have failing grades, but are still playing.”
Nap surmises that the selection was influenced by the fact that the other boys’ parents were alumni of that school, while he isn’t one. He also recalls that Sep was not recruited, but tried out.
“I’ve also heard that some parents make contributions to the school, so that may have influenced the selection of their children,” Nap adds. “I don’t think it’s fair that they said all these things about how hard-working and skilled Sep is, and then cut him in favor of other kids. I have nothing against the other players, but I think Sep earned his slot on the team.”
Now, the family has decided to go back to the Red Lions. Sep has been welcomed back to San Beda with open arms, and is back in the school’s trademark red and white, eager to work harder on his game and prove his former school wrong. His younger brothers will follow suit.
Early in life, Sep Miranda has learned that, even in school sports, it’s not always a question of skill and hard work, but connections and influence. You don’t always get what you work for, because someone else will find a shortcut.
What a sad lesson that is for a teen-ager.
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