"Why do Filipinos play basketball?"
For the longest time, my answer to that question was "Because they love basketball. And unfortunately, you cannot choose what you fall in love with."
I should have known better. Love is not just an emotion. Love is not just about making a complicated, twisting layup despite the outstretched arms of taller, stronger opponents. Love is a decision. Sometimes love is about catching a pinpoint pass off a well-executed screen and roll and nailing a three-pointer over the outstretched arms of taller, stronger opponents.
"Why don't Filipinos play football?"
For the longest time, my answer to that question was "Because they love basketball. And unfortunately, you cannot choose what you fall in love with."
Now, I know better. We should play football not just because we would more naturally excel in the sport. We should play football because the level of commitment, desire, and solidarity involved in playing good football is precisely the level of commitment, desire, and solidarity that Filipinos should invest in all things Filipino.
Filipinos have always excelled in sports which celebrate individual skill. This is representative of the many skilled, heroic Filipino workers who labor in relative loneliness worldwide. It's about time that we exert more effort in playing sports which celebrate teamwork and camaraderie. Because when Filipinos direct their individual passions to a cause larger than themselves, they can move mountains. Or win football games.
Congratulations, Azkals! Thank you for introducing a new kind of Filipino heroism to the world. Football? Yes, the Filipino can!
About Me
- John-D Borra
- Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
- "Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labour by which all things live...Christianity satisfies suddenly and perfectly man's ancestral instinct for being the right way up; satisfies it supremely in this; that by its creed joy becomes something gigantic and sadness something special and small." I celebrate life. Do you?
4 comments:
Hi. I saw your blog over at PhilMug and I couldn't help but comment. I share the same sentiments. I was more of a basketball fan before but I recently fell in love with football after the 2010 World Cup. And seeing the Azkals play, I really believe that there's so potential for the Philippine Football team to win if only they'd get enough support financially and morally.
If it is not too much to ask, I was wondering if you could answer a survey I made regarding Filipino bloggers. This is for my thesis and answering will only take you a couple of minutes.
http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-survey.php?surveyID=HLEKII_31745bbc
Confidentiality will be of utmost priority. Answering my survey will be very much appreciated. Thanks! :)
Thanks melovesflying! I answered your survey. :)
Very well written John-D..
I'm really excited about the football prospects that we have ahead of us. 2011 will surely be an interesting year for Philippine sports, especially football.
We do have an advantage because of the number of Fil-Foreigners we have playing in Europe, our ASEAN neighbors do not have this advantage..
We'll see how it goes =)
Thanks Glen! Hopefully, we can push through with football this Sunday. We can talk about hope in Philippine football in more detail after the game. :)
Post a Comment