CALL me odd but for one who writes for a newspaper that sometimes devotes an entire page to the NBA playoffs, I don’t like basketball.
I never did and, this close to 30, I don’t think I’ll ever develop a taste for it.
I blame people’s general fanaticism for basketball for our country’s rather skewed sports program and I’ll even go as far as blame basketball for why we’ve never gotten a gold in the Olympics.
I’d blame basketball for the slump in the GDP, the national cash flow deficit, the economic crisis, measles and chickenpox if I could.
Consider, for example, how four is the average number of government-built basketball courts per barangay (more if we count half courts and hoops in the backyard) in a country where 5-feet-6-inches is the average male person’s height.
In comparison, how much has government spent for development sports like eskrima, one that is supposedly endemic to the Philippines, or precision shooting, where height isn’t a factor?
Forget sports. More public funds go to the construction of basketball courts than to development projects like Internet access for barangays.
Forget the Internet, even. In some barangays, the allocation for the construction and maintenance of basketball and multi-purpose gyms (which are themselves only covered basketball courts) is larger than appropriations for daycare centers.
But Thursday night found me at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex, watching the Cebu leg of the “Bad Boy Tour” – an exhibition match between NBA Legends and the San Miguel All-Stars.
It was my first “live” basketball game and my reasons for going were twofold: the tickets were given free and I had wanted to see Dennis Rodman.
Not that I’m a fan, or anything. I was simply curious.
The game drew basketball fans near and far. And, judging from the near head splitting roar when player “91” was called, everybody had one thing in mind: see the guy they call The Worm up close and in-your-face personal.
The Worm, though, wasn't being cooperative. The 44-year old ex-Bull didn’t shake hands nor allowed photo ops during, before and after the game.
Fans had waited for him at the Mandaue City Hall when he and the other Legends gave Mayor Teddy Ouano a courtesy call Wednesday morning but he swooped past them.
He ignored the crowed entirely during the game although the antics that have become associated with him were, to the crowd, inherently entertaining.
After the game, he walked past fans that came to watch and who’d waited for him until the game ended.
Thus, should I count myself lucky for an encounter with the bad boy of basketball there in seat number 16, just behind the baseline and between ABS CBN reporter Naomi King and The Freeman photographer Cyril Camporedondo?
It was the first few minutes of the second quarter when Legends guard Kareem Reid drove to the basket after a turnover but missed the shot, causing a loose ball that Rodman dove after.
The ball, as if some stroke of divine comedy, landed in my hands and Rodman, in all his lean and mean, 6-foot-7-inch, 230-pound, multi-tattooed black splendor, crash-landing on top of my head, throwing me and Cyril down unto the floor before crashing into Naomi.
Serves me right.
Now I blame basketball for one more thing: a concussion.
for publication Sun.Star Cebu, 05/01/06
 |  The ball, as if some stroke of divine comedy, landed in my hands and Rodman, in all his lean and mean, 6-foot-7-inch, 230-pound, multi-tattooed black splendor, crash landing on top of my head, throwing me and Cyril down unto the floor before crashing into Naomi.  OMG!!! he's that tall?! i dont stand even a slightest chance of being seen when with him... but then again, maybe he'd make me even more visible.hehe!
anyweiz, i could just imagine the scenario!haha... so, how does it feel, sir karl?? |
 | i love watching the NBA karlon...can you spare me? o:) |
 | kung naa tickets, akong pasa nimo. ingon ana ka ka lakas nako ren. :) |
| nus-a pa kaha noh? o:)...thanks neway |
| blond, aren't you rooting for the mavs? |
| a miami fan in texas? amazing. |
| okay ra...layo lang.bwahahahahahaha o:) |
| ako miami!!! mavs are underdogs no more..they whipped the heat...game 3 was hard-earned for the heat! i want shaq's heat!!! wahhhhhhhhh... |
 | please dont mention shaq. he supposed to be in WWW not NBA. |
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