Don’t do it, Manny

When I first learned about Manny Pacquiao’s announcement that he had made a deal with new PBA expansion team KIA Motors to be its “playing” coach, I thought it was a spoof from April Fools’ Day. Except that I read it from the Washington Post on May 9, a day after he made such an announcement. Actually, he had already hinted about this move a few days after his victory over erstwhile-undefeated American boxer Timothy Bradley on April 12.

I thought he made a huge mistake when he ran for Congress. It took a lot of his focus away from what made him a sports icon. But okay, I suppose he is doing a great job of helping the people of Sarangani Province, although it did affect his boxing career somehow.

But after pursuing careers as politician, TV host, recording artist and pastor among others, this new ambition of his is just absolutely ridiculous.

For him to play in the PBA is surely preposterous. For him to coach in the PBA is just as ludicrous. And for him to do both? Outrageous!

It’s even more absurd than Floyd Mayweather Jr. fighting UFC Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey in an MMA match as some camps suggested.

Let’s go through the facts and have a reality check.

Unless the league allows the three expansion teams – KIA, NLEX and Blackwater – to have “direct hires,” Pacquiao's plan will never see the light of day. This means that as a rookie, he needs to go through the Rookie Draft, where any team can pick him. Manny claims that a “playing coach” is an exception to this rule. I’m pretty sure it’s not because nobody ever thought that a rookie player would ever coach a PBA team.

Now assuming the league grants KIA a direct hire and the new squad uses this concession to get Pacquiao as a player, let’s have another reality check.

First, is the 5’6” tall 35-year old Pacman skilled enough to play in the PBA? Definitely not. I have no doubt that he can average 20 points in a pick-up or inter-town game. He is fast and certainly has the stamina that would outlast any PBA player. He will probably make three out of ten treys when left wide open. Four at best. But come on. In an actual PBA game, he won’t be treated like an icon or legend. He will be treated like a PBA player. Maybe the opposing team will intentionally leave him open to shoot. But in a serious game, Manny will be a liability to his team on the floor.

Second, what if he gets injured? Basketball is an injury-prone sport, maybe even more than boxing. And most of the injuries sustained here are accidental. In boxing, any fighter that is being seriously hurt can be saved by a stoppage, either by the referee or by his own corner. But in basketball, players often don’t see these injuries coming. Should the Pambansang Kamao risk his incomparable boxing career to a basketball injury?

Third, how will KIA’s practices look like with Pacquiao struggling to cope up with the various basketball drills? This will have a heavy toll on the team’s competitiveness and preparedness.

RELATED: Pacman to the PBA: Really good for Team KIA, really bad for Pacquiao

Now let’s say KIA just hires him as head coach. How will he fare as a basketball tactician?

Manny said he has enough basketball knowledge to coach in the PBA because of his experience as player-coach in his MP Gen San team in the former Liga Pilipinas. First of all, the two leagues are far apart in terms of competition. I should know. I was once a head coach in Liga Pilipinas and before that, an assistant coach in the PBA.

Liga Pilipinas was a very competitive league with talented players and coaches. But the PBA is obviously at a different level. Besides, Manny had the luxury of knowing his MP players/teammates pretty well as most of them are homegrown talents from his hometown. It won’t be the same in the PBA where the expansion team will need to build the roster from scratch.

I’m sure being a huge basketball aficionado, Pacquiao knows his basketball well. But I’m also sure he does not know enough to prepare for games, or make the necessary strategic adjustments during games. Sure he can hire assistant coaches to guide him. Reports said that he plans to get Global Port deputy Glenn Capacio and KL Dragons mentor Ariel Vanguardia as assistants. But would it not look silly if in every time out, somebody else maps out plans on the drawing board instead of him?

Now, let’s not even talk about Manny doing both jobs of playing and coaching at the same time. Let’s instead talk about what impact it could have in the league.

Do PBA fans really want to see Manny play in a basketball game? Sure, but only in an exhibition game! Just like they would want to see Robert Jaworski play one more game.

A marketing ploy? Any positive result would be short-lived. Maybe the first few games would bring in some excitement in the league. But when the fans realize that the Pacman can neither play nor coach, the hype will eventually die a natural death. And then what?

I strongly believe however that PBA Commissioner Chito Salud and the PBA Board of Governors won’t allow it. The PBA, Asia’s first professional hoops league, doesn’t need such a publicity stunt. It doesn’t need a Pacquiao or any celebrity for that matter to attract more following by suiting up as a player. It has set new records in gate sales and TV viewership this year. It is popular enough.

The PBA has arguably the best talents in Asia. And it has the best fans – fans that understand the game. They would appreciate an All-Star game occasionally. But even when the Rajko Toroman-led Smart Gilas team played with the NBA’s biggest stars (Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose among others) in a friendly match here in 2011, the crowd began to cheer for the young National squad when it started to make a run late in the game. They appreciate quality, even in an all-star game.

I am a huge Pacquiao fan. I hardly missed any of his fights. It is because of this admiration that I wish that Manny would just stick to conquering even greater heights in boxing. The eight-division champion with an outstanding record of 56-5-2 (38 knockouts) still has a case for being the best boxer of all time. I hope he concentrates on achieving this feat instead.

Pursuing a career in the PBA will make a mockery of the league, of the sport of basketball, and especially of Manny Pacquiao himself.

Our national hero deserves better than being the subject of ridicule and lampoon by the entire sporting world.

The only thing worse than Pacquiao being a PBA player/coach is for him to run for President of the country.

Don’t do it, Manny.

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.