By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The report was not apt. It said the Iraqi journalist who hurled two shoes at US President George W. Bush missed his target.

The Iraqi assailant certainly did not fail.

Bush had to duck the rockets, coming in the form of size-10 footwear, and avoided being slammed in the face.

But that sharp, dramatic move by Bush, closely resembling the main pad of Manny Pacquiao’s golden defense against Oscar de la Hoya in their Dream Match, did not totally save the American president.

The shoes did not hit the mark, thanks to the Pacquiao moves.

Nevertheless, Bush ended up slurred and shamed.

* * *

Bush did not get it in the face.

But he was aptly insulted.

In fact, Bush had to immediately lie to himself. He put up a straight face next, telling the media, “I didn’t feel the least threatened.”

Bush added he “didn’t know what the guy’s cause is?”

* * *

Of course, the entire world all along knew it.

“This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq,” shouted television correspondent Muntadar Al-Zeidi, the assailant who was immediately detained.

Of course, the entire world also saw how Bush’s image had been wrecked by his bloody sins in Iraq.

That explosive one-liner by Al-Zeidi, coupled with that dramatic protest kick, could well go down as the sharpest reportage on the Iraq War done by a native.

* * *

Listen, please.

Unlike De la Hoya against Pacquiao a week back, Bush did not appear puffed and often paralyzed.

Sorry but, just like De la Hoya, Bush would be exiting the main stage with a broken legacy, no thanks to the fiery correspondent who was instantly hailed as a national hero by celebrating Iraqis.

In De La Hoya’s case, the culprit was himself.

* * *

De la Hoya sinned in making false pre-fight claims.

It’s like this: As results would bare it, De la Hoya made a dishonest report on his exact worth in the run-up to the Pacquiao fight.

It has also become clear that two De la Hoyas prepared and fought Pacquiao.

There was Oscar the Golden Boy of the sport.

There was also Oscar the most successful salesman of prizefighting.

* * *

Pacquiao, indeed, proved to be a unique, insurmountable foe.

How Pacquiao succeeded in using De la Hoya as a springboard in his monumental leap to complete greatness — the finest boxer on the planet today — was caused by two major factors.

First, Pacquiao — a fierce, fearsome slasher — metamorphosed into a dream unbeatable warrior once he had succeeded in bringing enviable defense into the ring.

A bigger factor was the thick mask De La Hoya put on in noisily advertising the vigor he allegedly rediscovered in returning to the welterweight world.

* * *

It was a very painful process.

De la Hoya lied to himself in order to sell what could be his farewell package.

Unfortunately, he also ended taking countless fans for a ride.

Yes, Oscar also took boxing with him to the hospital after the one-sided match.

In Bush’s case, he did try to crack a joke to mask a shaken countenance.

De la Hoya, for his part, ended up a big joke.

* * *

(POSCRIPT: From boxing specialist Hermie Rivera in California:

Manny Pacquiao’s thorough drubbing of the once golden Oscar de la Hoya has brought out a tremendous outpouring of acceptance from a grateful nation.

But a loser who dropped a bundle at the casino is caterwauling on De la Hoya’s loss, prescribing a visit to a veterinarian instead of a medical doctor for quitting like a dog on his stool.

Poor Oscar. Maybe he should consider seeking aid from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals before plunging anew into what Jimmy Cannon calls the “red light district of sports since the fight racket’s rotten beginnings.”