EDITORIAL: PACLAND HAS CHANGED AND EVOLVED
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Sep 2011
It has been eight years since we conceptualized and created the original mannypacquiao.ph website, later popularly known as Pacland, to make home to a few ragtag Filipino boxing fanatics who supported the boxing campaign of the then unknown Filipino fighter who was going to fight the legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera on Nov. 15, 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao's stunning 11th round TKO victory over Barrera had set into motion the Manny Pacquiao bandwagon that has kept on running and running at full speed where it affects the psyche of an entire country, the sport of boxing on a world-wide scale and sports fans in general.
The Pacland online community had grown by leaps and bounds and was in the forefront during the Filipino-Mexican 'online wars' in 2004 to 2008 when Pacquiao tore through the best Mexico had to offer and was there in full force every time Manny fought in the higher weight classes.
In May, 2005, Pacquiao met me personally in Cebu for the first time where he thanked me for the work we've done to support him. Pacquiao later also wrote a regular column at PhilBoxing.com, my other boxing website.
With PhilBoxing.com bringing the other Filipino boxers to the forefront, the Pacland online community, which has roughly 60,000 registered members to date contributing to a 35,000 daily unique visits, was also there to support or criticize every Filipino boxer's attempt for glory. Other than boxing, Pacland has stoked the fire of being simply a Filipino and sometimes has been a rallying force for other Filipinos who garner world recognition in the fields of sports, music and the arts. Basically, Pacland has become a place where Filipino pride is being celebrated on a daily, even hourly basis.
Pacland is now PinoyGreats.com.
The change has been effected for two reasons. First, Pacland has evolved into a broader community where other Filipino endeavors in the world scene, not just in boxing, are now being followed and discussed with a real sense of nationalism and Filipino pride. The old Pacland was created to cover only boxing but PinoyGreats.com will cover all bases – sports news and discussions in football, basketball, billiards, chess, etc. will have their own sections. Politics, music and entertainment and world breaking news will also be covered. We have the initial page for now; the other sections will be added shortly. A searchable list of prominent Filipino personalities who have contributed positively to the country will also be created to hopefully educate and inspire fellow Filipinos, especially those who have been away from their country of birth or origin for long periods of time.
The second reason is Timothy James Sladeck. Sladeck, who has a shady past, is now brandishing his 'official' sword and has appointed himself as the defender of the 'Manny Pacquiao' brand. First, he tried to take over Pacland by trying to negotiate with me a partnership deal which was more like threats and harassment. After failing that, he had been trying to shut down Pacland by threatening me. He has been threatening to issue a cease and desist order anytime, the last one only a few hours ago.
Manny personally asked me to help Tim on the official website when I visited him in his apartment in Los Angeles last May. After talking a few times with Tim however, I knew it would be impossible for me to work with him. I'm not sure if Manny knew Tim's style of dealing with other people but knowing Manny's soft heart, I tend to believe that Manny allowing Tim to create an 'official website' was just a favor to a friend.
Anyway, mannypacquiao.ph has been dropped for the two reasons above and to satisfy Sladeck who sees it as his site's most formidable competitor.
But Pacland and the Pacland spirit are here to stay.
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Sep 2011
It has been eight years since we conceptualized and created the original mannypacquiao.ph website, later popularly known as Pacland, to make home to a few ragtag Filipino boxing fanatics who supported the boxing campaign of the then unknown Filipino fighter who was going to fight the legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera on Nov. 15, 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao's stunning 11th round TKO victory over Barrera had set into motion the Manny Pacquiao bandwagon that has kept on running and running at full speed where it affects the psyche of an entire country, the sport of boxing on a world-wide scale and sports fans in general.
The Pacland online community had grown by leaps and bounds and was in the forefront during the Filipino-Mexican 'online wars' in 2004 to 2008 when Pacquiao tore through the best Mexico had to offer and was there in full force every time Manny fought in the higher weight classes.
In May, 2005, Pacquiao met me personally in Cebu for the first time where he thanked me for the work we've done to support him. Pacquiao later also wrote a regular column at PhilBoxing.com, my other boxing website.
With PhilBoxing.com bringing the other Filipino boxers to the forefront, the Pacland online community, which has roughly 60,000 registered members to date contributing to a 35,000 daily unique visits, was also there to support or criticize every Filipino boxer's attempt for glory. Other than boxing, Pacland has stoked the fire of being simply a Filipino and sometimes has been a rallying force for other Filipinos who garner world recognition in the fields of sports, music and the arts. Basically, Pacland has become a place where Filipino pride is being celebrated on a daily, even hourly basis.
Pacland is now PinoyGreats.com.
The change has been effected for two reasons. First, Pacland has evolved into a broader community where other Filipino endeavors in the world scene, not just in boxing, are now being followed and discussed with a real sense of nationalism and Filipino pride. The old Pacland was created to cover only boxing but PinoyGreats.com will cover all bases – sports news and discussions in football, basketball, billiards, chess, etc. will have their own sections. Politics, music and entertainment and world breaking news will also be covered. We have the initial page for now; the other sections will be added shortly. A searchable list of prominent Filipino personalities who have contributed positively to the country will also be created to hopefully educate and inspire fellow Filipinos, especially those who have been away from their country of birth or origin for long periods of time.
The second reason is Timothy James Sladeck. Sladeck, who has a shady past, is now brandishing his 'official' sword and has appointed himself as the defender of the 'Manny Pacquiao' brand. First, he tried to take over Pacland by trying to negotiate with me a partnership deal which was more like threats and harassment. After failing that, he had been trying to shut down Pacland by threatening me. He has been threatening to issue a cease and desist order anytime, the last one only a few hours ago.
Manny personally asked me to help Tim on the official website when I visited him in his apartment in Los Angeles last May. After talking a few times with Tim however, I knew it would be impossible for me to work with him. I'm not sure if Manny knew Tim's style of dealing with other people but knowing Manny's soft heart, I tend to believe that Manny allowing Tim to create an 'official website' was just a favor to a friend.
Anyway, mannypacquiao.ph has been dropped for the two reasons above and to satisfy Sladeck who sees it as his site's most formidable competitor.
But Pacland and the Pacland spirit are here to stay.
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