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Sports bits
Palaro unveils May 18
The Philippine Sports Commission announced the staging of
the 2003 Palarong Pambansa, moving it two weeks behind its
original schedule which is on May 18-25, still in its original
venue of Tubod, Lanao Del Norte.
PSC Chairman Eric Buhain, in consultation with the parties
concerned: the Department of Education, Armed Forces of the
Philippines, Philippine National Police and the provincial
government of the host province, requested full cooperation
for the success of the staging of the meet.
The announcement came after the PSC were mum on the issue
following attacks by the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front
in Lanao Del Norte that saw a handful of civilians killed
prompting the authorities to postpone the Palaro's original
May 4 opening.
Widened PBA drug test urged
For an all-out drive against drug users, mandatory,
and not mere random, drug test on all active players
in the PBA were urged by different sectors following
back-to-back scandal in less than a week's time.
This was suggested after Ginebra's Alex Crisano tested positive
for the banned substance shabu, barely a week after Batang
Red Bull star Jimwell Torion also admitted having sniffed
the dreaded substance during a night out in Cebu. Both
players have been slapped indefinite suspensions. Prior to
that, Talk N' Test slotman Asi Taulava and San Miguel's Dorian
Pena were tested positive for marijuana and were smacked
with two-game suspensions.
According to PBA Commissionner Noli Eala, he admits that
he had carefully studied the suggestion of a total drug test
but added he would resort to it only if what they are doing
fails to address the problem.
The PBA, through the Department of Health, is currently testing
four of the eight specimens taken from players each playing
day. Eala, though vowing wider drug testing in the league,
has maintained that the main weapon against rampant drug
use is proper education.
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Asian 9-Ball Tour: Hong Kong Leg Postponed
Due to the health concerns surrounding the SARS outbreak,
ESPN STAR Sports postponed the third leg of the San Miguel
Asian 9-Ball Tour in Hong Kong, originally scheduled to take
place on May 3 and May 4.
Organized by ESS's Event Managment Group, the tour features
Asia's top players including our very own - the likes of Efren
Reyes, Django Bustamante, Warren Kiamco, Lee Van Corteza,
Antonio Lining and Dennis Orcollo. The top ten finishers
will obtain entry into the World Professional Pool Championships
which takes place this year in Cardiff, Wales in July.
The San Miguel Asian 9-Ball tour is the only pool competition
in Asia which allows players to garner points to qualify for
the World Pool Championships, which is anticipated by
many to make Asia its venue in 2004. The tour
will also form the basis for the annual ranking of the top
players in Asia.
Inaugural leg winner held in Singapore, March 15-16, 2003,
was the deadly Yang Ching Shun of Chinese Taipei, besting
Warren Kiamco, 11-7. The Vietnam leg slated April 12-13
was also postponed due to the SARS virus. There is no
announcement yet of the new schedule of the deferred events.
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Sports Illustrated names "101 Most Influential Minorities
in Sports"
In a special report, the premiere sports magazine Sports
Illustrated has presented a list of 101 African-Americans,
Latinos, Asians and Native Americans that have risen to power
in the field of sports. According to the magazine,
these men and women are re-shaping the sports industry and opening
doors for others to follow.
Number one on the list is Robert Johnson, the founder of
Black Entertainment Television and the first African-American
billionaire, who was awarded NBA's newest expansion franchise,
the New Orleans Hornets, making him the first majority African-American
franchise owner in any major sport and giving him the kind
of clout in team and league boardrooms that no African-American
has ever had.
Tiger Woods is number two while Serena Williams is third
on the list while her big sis, Venus could only manage 40th.
Michael Jordan is fourth on the list. Other recognizable
names on the scroll are Yao Ming at 7th, Shaquille O'Neal
at 13th, boxing promoter Don King at 15th, Kobe Bryant at
18th. The Pistons' President and former player, Joe Dumars is
27th.
Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is 44th, while his
friend Isiah Thomas is 52nd. The Sixers’
Allen Iverson is 48th, Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is 54th
while the Rangers' shortstop Alex Rodriguez is 62nd. Boxers
Lennox Lewis and Roy Jones Jr, are 69th and 70th, respectively,
while former basketball player Charles Barkley is 75th.
Sportscasters Bryant Gumbel (HBO) and Stuart Scott (ESPN Sportscenter),
are 80th and 81st.
The list is published 35 years after the SI released the
groundbreaking series, The Black Athlete, a special report
on the brewing issues of race and sports. *
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