The 2017 Brewskies
by rick olivares
It’s the end of 2017 as we know
it and I feel fine.
Yes, thus sang Michael Stipe and
2017 but the quote of the year – for me – is former Memphis Grizzlies coach
David Fizdale’s post-game rant following a loss to the San Antonio Spurs last
April.
Fizdale, who I had to the good
fortune to interview on a couple of occasions prior to his appointment over at
Memphis, took shots at the disparity of the calls and free throws that
ultimately led to the loss. Fizdale concluded his post-game rant by saying,
“Take that for data” then banging the table with his fist.
That quote has since become the
stuff of memes and even folks doing their own version of it.
Yet, Fizdale spake the truth!
And our traditional year-end
awards called “the Brewskies” for dubious achievements, quotes, or results in
sports will all be for data in this 2017.
To wit:
Adalaide Byrd must have watched another fight.
The boxing match between Gennady
Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez saw a controversial draw not because it was such
but the way judge Adalaide Byrd scored the fight, 118-110, for Alvarez. One
judge had it 115-113 for Golovkin while the other submitted an even 11-114
score. Mysteriously, Byrd scored five rounds for Alvarez that the other two
judges gave to Golovkin. Byrd was lambasted online while boxing officials and
was asked to explain her scoring. She has since stepped down from officiating
major boxing matches.
It’s déjà vu all over again for Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquiao lost another
fight. No, I am not surprised that his record in recent years has been less
than stellar. The man has been stubborn trying to defeat Father Time while
trying to multi-task when he is horrible at it. But make no mistake, I do not
think he lost that fight to Jeff Horn that cost him the World Boxing
Organization belt.
In a fight where Pacman was
expected to walk all over his Australian foe, Manny left Brisbane having been
snakebit for the second time in his career (the first was against Timothy
Bradley in 2012 where the Filipino lost via split decision.
Manny threw 573 punches and
landed 182 (32%) while Horn only landed 92 of 625 punches thrown for 15%. While
volume isn’t indicative of a win (just look at football where dominance of
possession and shots at the goal doesn’t guarantee a win), most if not
practically all boxing analysts saw a Pacquiao win.
But all three judges gave the
fight to Horn. Some decried this as a hometown decision. Whatever it is… take
that for data!
What were you watching Ovidiu Hategan?
Speaking of football… this is
proof positive of bad officiating and data – in a reversal sort of way of what
Fizdale was ranting about.
During the first game of a
two-legged World Cup qualification match (for the 2018 World Cup) between
Switzerland and Northern Ireland, the Swiss pounded Northern Ireland’s goal
with 33 attempts but were unable to find the back of the net. Shockingly, the
Swiss were awarded a 34th attempt when Hategan, the match official,
whistled a penalty (in the 58th minute) where he adjudged Correy
Evans for a handball when he turned his back to a Xherdan Shaqiri volley. It
was a phantom call. No one watching the match whether live in Belfast or on
television saw a penalty.
Ricardo Rodriguez slotted home
the spot kick for a controversial, 1-nil win. In the next leg, both figured in
a scoreless draw. Switzerland advanced while Northern Ireland went home.
Yep. Thirty-three attempts and
nothing to show for until that call?
Take that for data?
Hmm. Maybe it should be for the
referees.
And on that note, I will leave
you with Game 3 of the recently concluded UAAP Men’s Basketball finals where
the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles emerged triumphant over arch rival De La
Salle.
All season long, the UAAP
referees blew so many contentious calls. Yet come Game Three, it was close to
being perfect (well, they were still some bad calls but generally they zebras
allowed the players to play). The common view was “kaya naman pala maayos yung
tawag” in reference to the officiating.
Yep.
So let me end by offering this
year’s truckload of Brewskies – dubious sports achievements – to data and the
refs.
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