Sports Eye
Unfinished Mangaldan cagefest finals
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
A UNIQUE cagefest was conceptualized in my town Mangaldan. This is for the aging people (40 years old and above) and the tourney was called “First Sarag Mi Ni Inter-Barangay Basketball Tournament” initiated and organized by the self-important Mangaldan sports consultant PJ Samson.
When the concept eventually was eventually held, basketball adherents applauded the project that gave aging people who love basketball so much the chance to play. I was one of them. Yes, I was one of the players of the Pitaki Boyz team of my first child Jazy representing my village Buenlag. It was a good start, the elimination round, quarterfinals and up to the semis sans big complaints by the coaches against the referees. Well, there were some but minor, the common in cage skirmishes.
But “expect the unexpected” as the saying goes. The first game of the finals that barangay Guilig won was held without any incident. But the second game of the best-of-three championship series has not taken place to this time. Reason? The tourney was discontinued for reasons nobody seems to know but the rumor is the finals were called off for an indefinite period because of financial constraint. It has been almost a month and still nothing heard about the second match, also for the battle for third place between my Buenlag team against Poblacion. This has irked the coaches of the four teams especially the team of barangay Guilig that is confident it will sweep the series to notch the title. At stake for the champion team is P10,000, P7,000 for 2nd placer, and P5,000 for the 3rd placer. A trophy will be given each winner.
According to my source who spoke on condition of anonymity somebody already spent the money but declined to name the fellow. One day I bumped into municipal consultant Dr. Jing Torralba and told him about the dilemma of the teams and he was surprised thinking that the league was already finished. Well, it wasn’t.
If it will really be discontinued, then for sure the image of our hizzoner Bona will be tarnished, again, since it was organized by Mr. Samson, the alter ego of the mayor in sports activities. Her reputation is at stake being the mother of the town. But I believe Mayor Bona is not aware about this gaffe because I don’t believe she would let it happen especially now that election is just around the corner. Meanwhile, nobody knows but Samson and Torralba if the tourney will continue. One thing for sure, if this tourney will definitely be discontinued, it will be another black eye for the administration of my town.
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It’s sad to hear the shocking and unexpected news that my cumpadre and former barangay captain of Bonuan Gueset Angel Gumarang had resigned as LNU sports consultant after giving the institution four collegiate championships in his five years as head coach of LNU Dukes in the province PRISAA and UCAAP games. He also gave the school the first runner-up plum in the National is PRISAA Games, a record for Pangasinan. According to Gumarang, there were offers from other schools for him to steer their teams but he politely turned them down to concentrate on taking good care of his very sick mother. He added that he wants to take a breather from any sports activities this year and promised to come back with a bang next year. His former boss and close friend Atty. Gonzalo Duque accepted his resignation with a heavy heart. Yes, what LNU lost will be a gain for another school if he accepts the offer.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. MATTHEW 10: 39-40
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