Killing Me Softly With His Song

Today’s Philippine Daily Inquirer ran this headline from its ‘Pacquiao Files’:  “Pacquiao mulls singing anthem in next bout“.

Hmmm, isn’t that like killing his opponent, whoever he will be, even before Round 1?

“Reacting to the brouhaha caused by Martin Nievera’s rendition of the national anthem in Pacquiao’s fight against Ricky Hatton last May 3,” the Inquirer said, “the boxing champ had a good laugh at the suggestion that he himself should sing the national anthem.”

Pacquiao, an aspiring singer who already had released two albums, said, “Pwede naman siguro ‘yun, sa susunod ako kumanta…”  By the way, when Pacquiao’s hands are not wrapped in boxing gloves landing with surgical precision on some opponent’s glass chin on an equal opportunity basis, his fingers can do some artistry on his guitar.

Actually, Pacquiao maintained that he saw nothing wrong with Nievara’s rendition. “Sa tingin ko walang mali,” he said. He also said those who slammed Nievera’s rendition were “pumapapel lang. Yung mga yun, sumasakay lang para makilala. Parang mga KSP [kulang sa pansin].”

The Inquirer also noted that other singers have signified their intention to sing the national anthem at one of Pacquiao’s fights. They are teen sensation Charice Pempengco and former Miss Saigon star Lea Salonga.

Well, now, should Pacquiao ever get serious about flirting with history by being the first ever to sing “Lupang Hinirang” at his next fight, I can’t begin to imagine his next opponent making two-time Grammy Award winner Roberta Flack his least fav singer:

Charice vs. Gregg Patton (Press-Enterprise)

Charice at LA Dodgers Home Opener 4/13/09

About the only sour note on Charice leading the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener on April 13, 2009, came from this sports columnist of The Press-Enterprise (a Riverside County and San Bernardino County tabloid), Gregg Patton, who wrote:

“First a Dodger Stadium record crowd shows up, a 16-year-old waif belts out one of the biggest national anthems you’ll ever hear, a stealth bomber flies over, and then the Dodgers annihilate their traditional enemy from San Francisco, 11-1.”

Waif? Was Patton even listening to the intros or did he have Dodger hotdogs stuck on both ears during this part of the event? Then Patton went on to characterize Dodger catcher Russell Martin’s remarks as a JOKE:

“(The anthem) was better than the game,” joked catcher Russell Martin of singer Charice’s pregame home run, before adding, “We hit, pitched, played defense …”

Was Russell Martin really joking when he said that?  Patton didn’t say anything about Manager Joe Torre’s adoring comment for Charice’s rendition.

Before the Internet Age, it would have been easy to see how easy it would be for columnist Gregg Patton to gloss over the identity, personal background, or caliber of Charice vis-a-vis what she was asked to perform.  But now, with Google, Yahoo, YouTube (particularly YouTube) and a host of other Internet search engines that can easily bring almost any information at his fingertips, Patton, in this instance, shoots his foot from the hip and easily makes himself appear like a fossilized antediluvian cretin.

If Patton was sore that a Filipina singing phenom and established international diva at the tender age of 16 was asked to lead the singing of the national anthem at a major U.S. sports event instead of a local talent (of which there are many), then he should take his beef with the Los Angeles Dodgers management, or Major League Baseball.  Don’t take it on Charice.  You learned way back in Psychology 101 how displaced aggression can get you in trouble, didn’t you, Mr. Patton?

If you wish to say or write something directly to Gregg Patton regarding his unflattering account of CHARICE‘s participation in the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener, here’s how to reach him:

(951) 368-9597 or

gpatton@PE.com

Charice Super! Dodgers 11, Giants 1

Of the April 13, 2009, Los Angeles Dodgers home opener, Los Angeles Times sportswriter Dylan Hernandez had this front page account:

“What was the single greatest memory the Dodgers created for the record crowd that witnessed their home opener?

The headfirst slide into third base in the sixth inning that made Orlando Hudson the first Dodger to hit for the cycle in 39 years? The seven dominant innings thrown by Chad Billingsley in his first home opener? The first two home runs of the season for Andre Ethier? The ceremonial first pitch thrown out by Vin Scully and caught by Manager Joe Torre? Teenage singer Charice’s breathtaking rendition of the national anthem?

Monday was one of those days when everything went right for the Dodgers, as they dismantled the San Francisco Giants, 11-1, in front of what the club said was a crowd of 57,099 fans — the greatest single-game attendance for any baseball game played in Dodger Stadium’s 47-year history.”

Los Angeles Times columnist T. J. Simmers mentioned the reaction of the Dodgers’ catcher and manager:

“It was the best national anthem rendition I have ever heard, better than the game,” Russell Martin says later of 16-year-old Charice, “tears in my eyes when she really gets going,” Manager Joe Torre says.

At a major sports event when the locals were passed over in favor of a 16-year-old Filipina to do the honors of leading the singing of The Star-Spangled Banner, need we say more?