HOLLYWOOD—It's a bridge too far to label Floyd Mayweather a racist. He may be jealous, may be envious of the widening popularity gap between he and Manny Pacquiao, but he doesn't harbor any hatred for any or all Filipinos including Pacman.
The “60 Minutes” crew from CBS has been following Manny for a profile to air in September. Jay Leno's Tonight Show (NBC) is sending a crew to Dallas to shoot in and around Pacman's March 13 title defense against Joshua Clottey and, so as not to be left out, ABC will air a “Good Morning America” piece on the Pinoy Idol on the fight date.
Not to mention how Crooner Manny is becoming a regular on the Jimmy Kimmel late night talkfest.
The media interest goes beyond boxing, as Pacman is the only active athlete I know of right now who is running for a high political office in his homeland.
I don't think there was any discriminatory intent regarding the Pinoy reporters who went to Thursday's thiird and final leg of the Mayweather-Mosley media tour. It does not seem crystal clear that Mayweather spurned all Filipino media as a group.
Maybe he just didn't feel like speaking on Pacquiao because ESPN's Mike Wilbon, at his prosecutorial best, could not get a single word about Manny to fall from Floyd's lips on Wednesday, either.
The odd thing about Mayweather's churlish behavior is that he started babbling to AOL Fanhouse's Lem Satterfiield when Lem The Gem did not even ask him anything about Manny at the media event in Washington.
What does seem clear is that everything Mayweather does outside the ring is like WWE, professional wrestling as entertainment and not an actual sport.
No less than his former promoter, Bob Arum, thinks Mayweather's antics are scripted carefully.
“I think they are,” Arum said. “Mayweather is not exciting in the ring so I think Al Haymon (Mayweather's boss) made the decision to seek out controversy outside the boxing ring. I think all these crazy things that Floyd does, including throwing out $100 bills in nightclubs, are designed for public attention.
"He makes for boring fights but tries to be exciting away from the ring."
Switching gears, happy 50th birthday to Coach Freddie Roach. Manny, Arum and friends are hosting a private shindig for the occasion.
Roach is a complete boxaholic, toiling 10-12 hours every day but Sunday at his thriving Wild Card Gym.
I asked him what he does on Sundays.
“I go to a movie, get a box of popcorn and enjoy that. I just saw Avatar.”
As far as his health, Roach said the prestigious Cleveland Clinic just gave him high grades despite his Parkinson's Disease
Many happy returns, Coach.
And Manny happy returns, Coach.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
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