Azkals fever

For a basketball crazy nation, introducing another kind of sport seems an uphill climb. Its like getting an elephant through the eye of a needle. We don't have the height. The most important and necessary attribute in the field of basketball. We are always dwarfed by our opponents in the hard court, more so, if they are Europeans and Americans. To compensate for our weakness, we focus on speed and quickness. Who never knows his highness Michael Jordan or the trigger man, Allan Caidic, our local hard court hero. Basketball has been embedded in our culture.

Years back, we were captured by the Brazilian beauties and their leaping abilities in the volleyball court. The women' grand pr ix held in the country awakened the Filipinos love for the sport. The thundering spikes of the ladies, somehow pierced into the hearts of us all, wondering where did these angels find their strength. But the fever has dwindled down gradually and vanished into thin air for good.

Then came the Pacman fever. Boxer turned congressman became the new sports icon of our country. The world seems to halt every time Manny climbs up the ring. In fact, no recorded crime and other related incidence of violence coupled all of his fights. Pacman fever reunites our diversified citizenry. And the fever goes on.

Lately, a new fever contaminated the whole nation, the Azkals fever. Football, an unknown sport for most of us, became part of our daily menu. Filipinos learned to love the sport. The team receives tremendous support from the ordinary , the middle class and from affluent families. Donors flooded too. The players, mostly Fil-foreigners, became instant celebrities and brand endorsers. The fever had really penetrated the industry.

I hope their prominence will not cloud the very reason why they are called Azkals.

Otherwise, they will be like dogs we see roaming in our streets, barking at the wrong tree, because the tree doesn't listen at all.