Who’s BulSU’s PACMAN???

By Yanagi Kaze

Zero Crime rate, cease fire in Mindanao, super light traffic , WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING IN THE PHILIPPINES? It’s a miracle! (Cue: “Walang himala! Nasa puso natin ang himala!) Kidding aside, you do wonder what’s happening, don’t you? Geez, it is People’s Champ Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao‘s fight in the boxing ring! It’s another victorious fight for our “Pambansang Kamao”! This makes me really wonder. Why don’t BulSU have a PACMAN? Is it because of the facilities? The athletes? The trainers? Let us find out.

Not Only Boxing But Also Mixed Martial Arts and Cycling

As I hunt answers for my questions, I come across the fact that there are two more sports which are not in the tall list of sports here Bulacan State University. These are Mixed Martial Arts, and Cycling. These two sports are often seen on our televisions. Have you ever watched the Olympics or the Ultimate Fighting Champion?

Mixed martial arts (MMA), according to the ever reliable Wikipedia, is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, from a mixture of martial arts traditions and non-traditions, to be used in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground.

While Wikipedia defines cycling as the use of bicycles as a means of transport, a form of recreation, or a sport. It is done on roads and paths, across open country or even over snow and ice (icebiking). This sport can be performed with unicycles (unicycling), tricycles (tricycling), quadracycles (quadracycling), and other similar wheeled human-powered vehicles (HPVs).

I better find out why these three sports are not in the long list of sports in BulSU.

Jab, Cross, Hook, Uppercut

“Let’s get ready to rumble!”

The famous proclamation before a boxing combat begins. It’s a combat sports wherein two adversaries fist fight. Technically, the boxers are of the similar weight. They must wear gloves since boxing involves dynamic and repetitive punches.

COPERS (College of Physical Education and Recreational Sports) said that ten years ago the academe has entries for boxing in the SCUAA (State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association). Eventually, it pops off because there were no entries for boxing, not only in BulSU but also with other colleges and universities. During those times, the training ground and facilities for aspiring Pacman were rented outside the school. Because there were no officials to train the would-be boxers, the University hired professional trainers to train the athletes. “Kung walang entries sa SCUAA, ‘di maisasali yung event.”

When I roam around the campus to ask the why there is no boxing in BulSU and if they are in favor to have it in the school, here are what some answered.

Mr. Leonardo Banaag, trainer of Athletics women said that the University is not ready to add boxing in the list. He is in favor to have boxing in BulSU. He said, “We have the World Champion, Pacman kaya pwedeng magkaroon. Di pwedeng mawala yan,”

“Meron kasing sakitan dun kahit may sportsmanship pa”, said Joyce Gulamin, A FUTZAL player, “di ako pabor magkaron kasi ayaw ko ng sakitan”

“Sign of violence kasi yun. Ok lang na magkaroon baka may students na gusting matuto saka form na rin ng self defence yun”— Karla Ylaine De Leon, a 3^rd Year Architecture student.

“Masyadong delikado at violent yung sport. Saka sa tingin ko di pa ready ang athletes para sa ganun. Pero ok lang na magkaganon kasi baka may mga students na gusting matuto”— Marc Angelo Malina, BSCE

FUTZAL trainer for women division, Mr. Dennis Gosuico thinks that boxing is bloody. “Kahit na naka suot pa ng safety gears, sabog pa rin ang mukha ng mga athletes gaya nga ng nakikita natin sa Olympics.” He’s not in favor to that kind of sports

BMX Racing, Cycle Speedway, Mountain Biking, Track Cycling

Have you ever tried watching the Tour de France or maybe the Olympics? Do you know the sport played in these two big events? It’s cycling of course! In the Olympics, cycling is classified into four different events: BMX Racing, Cycle Speedway, Mountain Biking, Track Cycling. While the Tour de France is divided into three stages: Mass-start stages, Individual time trials and Team time trial.

Compared to other outdoor sports like soccer and baseball I find watching cycling really boring unless you’ll see some action like a biker colliding in a MERALCO post or hitting a tall and big Narra tree. Honestly, I’ll just watch it when I want to sleep.

Personally, I like biking only for recreational purposes when I’m the one who is biking. I wonder how other reacts if cycling will be part of the tall list of sports in BulSU.

“Kailangan pang magdala ng students ng bike saka usually maaga ginagawa yun tipong di pa sumisikat ang araw,” said Martin Lance Dizon a BS MEE student.

Aaron Degaños, a volleyball player, said, “Ang cycling kailangan ng malaking pondo at mahabang oras ng practice.”He is in favor to have the sports in the school.

FUTZAL/Basketball player Karla Rubio said, “Walng pondo saka mahirap mag hanap ng player at practice area.”She’s in favor to have this sport in BulSU. “Oo kasi usual yung mga sports natin para maiba naman.”

Mr. Dennis Gosuico thinks that it’s ok to have cycling in BulSU. “Pwede bakit hindi pero parang mahirap i-develop kasi yung training gagawin sa highway tapos mga students ang hawak mo kay delikado rin,” he quoted.

Sprawl-and-brawl, Clinch fighting, Ground-and-pound, Lay-and-pray

MMA bridges the gap between boxing and pro-wrestling. With martial arts like karate, judo, boxing, kickboxing, sumo, jujutsu, taekwondo mixed in one exciting match inside an octagonal ring, MMA will undeniably take your breath away.

Though media always gives a picture of MMA as an extremely dangerous sport, promoters add rules to make the sport safer. Such rules are: no kicking and kneeing the head of a grounded opponent, no stomping of a grounded opponent, no holding of shorts or gloves of the opponent, no hitting downwards with the point of the elbow, no spitting at the opponent and etc.

Straight from the shoulder, I’m not into this kind of gladiatorial-like sport. Its extremity is beyond what I expect. Anyway, how about others, what do they think with MMA?

Mr. Carlito Ramos, the coach for chess girls said that mixed martial arts were far too expensive and dangerous. Also these sports need a highly skilled instructor. “di safe for students,” he said.

Romel Tubig, Jr. a first year BS MEE student said, “Yung training kasi ng ganyan years ang ginugugol di lang per semester saka araw-araw di lang once a week. Hindi ako pabor magkaganun dito saka pag yung ang PE mo dapat Scholar Athlete ka na rin.”

“’Di afford ng BulSU. Saka yung ganyang sport for professionals talaga. Yung mixed martial arts naman scripted lan din. Di ako pabor na magkaganyan sa BulSU kasi kulang na nga amg funds para sa athletes magdadagdag pa.”—Anonymous

Aaron Degaños, a volleyball player, said, “Ang mixed martial arts kasi masyadong harmful saka deadly. Pabor naman akong magka MMA ditto sa BulSU basta sagot ng school ang mangyayari sa mga students”.

“Masyadong delikado at extreme yung sports saka yung space and equipment. Bakit madami ba ang pondo ng school?” -- Girlie Maglanque, BSBA

“Ang problem diyan is yung facilities. Sa mixed martial arts yung set up ng rings. May athlete bang sasali saka parang wala naming magandang maidudulot yun, parang palakasan lang. Sa kasalukuyan di ako pabor magkaganoon kasi classrooms nga wala facilities pa kaya?”— Stephen Angelo Enriquez, BSED 1-F

DEAD END

Every sport has its risks. Even sports like chess. You might find a patient in an asylum who has gone mad because he loses in a chess match. Boxing, MMA, and cycling has a greater risk because it involves physical, mental and emotional aspect of a person. One might die because of these or maybe a lifetime injury.

But even if it has risks, it is also beneficial. Once person is engage in these kinds of sports, he eventually becomes physically fit. Plus the perks of being the champion in boxing or mixed martial arts or cycling. Imagine the bliss of winning!

At this point of time I think BulSU is not yet ready for these kinds of sports. But just like when you are engaged in a sport, BulSU can be “physically fit” for these sports. BulSU just need a good “trainer”.

Anyway, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”