2011: A Year of Voices and Choices

December 29, 2011

From the Column “A View From Taft”

BUSINESS WORLD (December 29, 2011)

 

2011:  A Year of Voices and Choices

 

By Rene F. Concepcion

 

We look back, as per tradition, on another year past to list the year’s top stories.  2011 was the year of the Arab Spring, Japan tsunami, and just this month, the end of the Iraq War.  Bin Laden was killed, Steve Job died, but William and Kate got married.  Locally, we always had P-Noy in the news, Pacman, past president GMA, and the love life of Piolo.  Typhoon Sendong was yet another tragedy of poor prevention affecting mostly those in poverty.

 

Time Magazine chose the collective “Protester” as the 2011 Person of the Year.  But it started with one person.  He was a 26 year old street-vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi of Tunisia.  By now we know his story:  he felt shame when a policewoman slapped him after confiscating his produce cart.  It was dignity, more than his fruit stand that he lost.  When denied attention despite his complaints, he returned to the government building and set himself on fire.  Bouazizi’s images went viral.  Soon after, Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali lost his throne after 23 years.  To date, toppling of tyrants and major uprisings has happened in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, and Oman.  The voice of the protester was finally heard.  It was deafening, with thundering echoes.

 

These yearly reviews have always been a personal favorite of mine.  Risking being callous, I usually turn to the back pages first where sports and entertainment would be.  What was the year’s best film?  Should Novak Djokovic be Sportsman of the Year?  I know these questions carry less weight in a larger picture where most pictures were of people occupying Wall Street, town squares, evacuation centers, and food lines.  Yet there is one sports story that was my 2011 favorite, so I will give it additional press here in the Philippines since it happened in America.

 

Patrick Witt, the star quarterback of Yale University, faced a tough choice.  The Harvard-Yale football game was scheduled the same day as his Rhodes scholarship interview, which could not be moved.  Should he play in his final Harvard-Yale game or go to the interview?  He chose to play.  Harvard destroyed Yale 45-7.  An additional plot line to this story was that Witt’s Yale football coach, Tom Williams, was discovered to have lied that, he too, was once a Rhodes finalist, and Williams even claimed he was with the San Francisco 49ers.  Both the Rhodes organization and the 49ers have no record of Williams. Williams has since resigned.  Witt will await his fate in the NFL Draft.

 

I made a very informal survey of what would you do if you were Witt, and hopefully, you are asking yourself too.  My survey resulted in a 50-50 split.  Those who said they’ll play gave the reason they didn’t want to let the team down.  Those who chose the interview said that teammates would understand since earning a Rhodes scholarship and getting an Oxford University degree would be very prestigious and a true lift-up in a young person’s career.  Is this a decision that could topple dictators, or perhaps save hundreds from natural disasters?  Yes, because it is a choice between self versus selfless. 

 

I would have chosen to play.  But I cannot blatantly claim those who won’t play are selfish.  Maybe a Rhodes scholarship and two years at Oxford could lead to career opportunities or discoveries that would be for the benefit of many versus the benefit of one.  Yet there is something heroic in a choice to be with your band of brothers.  Sadly, some of those I surveyed said they don’t care much for sports so it was a no-brainer choice, go for the Rhodes.

 

I admit a sense of hypocrisy in my grandiose magnanimity.  Even if I always espouse team and team work, I’ve had dislike for some teammates.  Even though I love the Philippines, there’s always a negative remark from me about Filipinos.  I donated a large package of medicines for Typhoon Sendong, yet I kept a bottle of ibuprofen, thinking I might need it.  And I don’t think I’ll ever set myself on fire.  Worst of all, my opinions when I write focus so much on I am right. 

 

Okay, maybe it’s time to slide back and review happier highlights of 2011.  Detroit car makers, the Big Three, had a comeback year. Kenneth Branagh turned Thor into Henry V.  Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls won the NBA MVP and his acceptance speech is proof for those who don’t care much for sports, should, because true sports men and women, have great minds too.  Besides, Derrick Rose was happy to have his picture taken with my nephew.  Finally, and you must forgive me, but my happiest highlight would have to be about me – I finished a full Iron-distance triathlon a few weeks ago.  Contrary to general impression, triathlon is a team sport.

 

Have a great new year!

 

Rene F. Concepcion is the head coach of the current UAAP champion De La Salle University varsity swimming team.  Comments can be sent to rene.concepcion(at)dlsu.edu.ph