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BY LUIS BUENAFLOR JR.
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Wednesday. September 20, 2017
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FERDINAND Marcos, Diego Maradona and Dennis Rodman – three singular individuals from three different disciplines: politics, football and basketball. At first glance they all seem worlds apart yet they all have something or perhaps a couple of things in common.
Seems weird but you’ll be surprised at their common denominator and that’s what we’re going to talk about.
But first things first for the uninitiated, let’s get to know them. From that free online encyclopedia:
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos (Sept. 11, 1917 – Sept. 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician and lawyer who served as President (1965-1986) and Prime Minister (1978-1981) of the Republic of the Philippines. He is a polarizing historical figure in both the Philippines and the world. Marcos established an authoritarian regime that came under criticism for corruption and for its suppression of democratic processes and dictatorial nature. On the other hand, he achieved accomplishments most notably in infrastructure.
Diego Armando Maradona (born Oct. 30, 1960) is an Argentine retired professional footballer. He has served as a manager and coach at other clubs as well as the national team of Argentina. Many in the sport, including football writers, players, and fans, regard Maradona as the greatest football player of all time. He was joint FIFA Player of the 20th Century with Pelé.
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. He was nicknamed “The Worm” and was known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities.
And it’s getting curiouser and curiouser aside from the fact that all three belong to the male specie. Moi is pretty sure you’re wondering what in the world do these three seemingly different individuals have in common.
For starters, all three are not your average “clean wholesome family entertainment type.” Take for instance Dennis Rodman; the average Filipino basketball fan know him more for his antics off and on the basketball court i.e. the body piercings, tattoos, multi-colored hair, high-profile relationships with Madonna and Carmen Electra just to name a few.
Dennis Rodman projects and lives the original “bad boy” image. He not only looks it but lives it. In short, he is not lovable and has probably more share of haters than people who love him.
Diego Maradona, for the average Filipino football fan, is the epitome of the “bad boy” of the football world. Like Dennis Rodman, his antics off on and off the football pitch are quite well known. He is a substance abuser and his favorite poison is cocaine. Together with his alcohol abuse, they’re probably as popular as his exploits on the football pitch.
His infamous exploits do not exactly endear him to the average football fan. His share of haters most probably equal the share of his loyal fans.
And Ferdinand Marcos, moi need not elaborate. Thanks to the “yellow ribbon” propaganda machine which succeeded in painting him as evil, the average Filipino probably hates him.
So there you go, all three have this in common: a lot of people hate them.
Love them or hate them, all three are successful in their fields, from politics to football and basketball.
Let’s start with Dennis Rodman;
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2011
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5-time NBA Champion: 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998
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2-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1990, 1991
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IBM Award: 1992
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8-time NBA All-Defensive Selection
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First Team: 1989-93, 1995, 1996
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Second Team: 1994
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2-time All-NBA Third Team: 1992, 1995
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Ranked #48 on the 2009 revision of SLAM Magazine’s Top 50 Players of All-time
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Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017
If that’s not a successful career in professional basketball, then what is?
Then we have the achievements of footballer Diego Maradona;
- 1978 – 1980 – Named top goal-scorer of the Metropolitan League with Argentinos Juniors
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1979 – Named South American Player of the Year
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1979 – 1980 – Named “Olimpia de gold” as the best Argentine sportsman of the year (Círculo de Periodistad Deportivos)
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1979 – 1981 – Won “The Golden Ball” as the best soccer player of the year by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
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1983 – Won Spanish King’s Cup with Barcelona
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1986 – Became World Champion with the Argentinian National Team
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1986 – Named “Olimpia de plata” as the best Argentine soccer player of the year (Círculo de Periodistad Deportivos)
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1986 – Won “The Golden Ball” as the best soccer player of the World Cup (FIFA)
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1987, 1990 – Won Italian League Crown with Naples team
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1988 – Was top goal-scorer of the Italian Major League with Naples team
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1989 – Won European Soccer Union Cup with Naples
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1993 – Named “Olimpia de plata” as the best Argentine soccer player of century (Círculo de Periodistad Deportivos)
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1999 – Named “Olimpia de plata” as the best Argentine sportsman of the century (Círculo de Periodistad Deportivos)
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2000 – Won FIFA Internet voting for best soccer player of the century
And perhaps his greatest achievement, Diego Maradona led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup. If you are a footballer or a fan, winning the World Cup is the epitome of your career as a professional footballer.
And finally, Ferdinand Marcos as moi said before, let’s not elaborate but let’s just enumerate some of his greatest achievements: The Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center, National Kidney Institute, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International Convention Center, the San Juanico Bridge.
To this day these infrastructures built during the Marcos presidency are still used by the people and are still in world-class condition.
There’s no denying it; Marcos built more infrastructure which benefited the natives of these islands compared to all the presidents after him, more particularly the Aquinos.
The people of Argentina worship Diego Maradona as a deity while the rest of the soccer world hates him. The fans of the 5-time NBA Champion Chicago Bulls love Dennis Rodman while the rest of the NBA hate him.
The people of the Ilocos Region love Ferdinand Marcos while the devotees to the cult of the yellow ribbon hate him.
If you hate that the birthday of Marcos is a holiday in the Ilocos Region, then just don’t go there. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
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