Who is Manny Pacquiao?
This question plagues GQ staff writer and correspondent Andrew Corsello and now it can plague you. In a tell-all profile of Manny and his entourage Corsello reveals the tangled web of politics, stealing, lies and downright weirdness surrounding the greatest lightweight fighter on earth.
Not to say Corsello’s picture of Manning is all bad either. He points out Pacman’s human elements in sometimes humorous ways but the overall tone of the piece: reverence. Awe even. Corsello’s oft-repeated phase: “Because he is Pacquiao” becomes a worshipful chorus by the end of the article.
In many ways the article is as scattered and splintered as Manny’s own life. It flits between the author’s rambling musings, snapshots of a dominating Manny Pacquiao in the ring, an epic tale about meeting the boxer, Pacquiao’s rags to riches story, insane glimpses of the boxer’s entourage and quotes from boxing’s greatest commentators. I will leave you with one of the articles’ random stories:
“Sometimes, the way things happen with Manny, it’s like, parables,” Ramos says. “Here’s one: At the last training camp there were about thirty of us there. Now, one of my jobs is to lower the overall costs of living. So we go to this Thai restaurant next to [Roach's gym]. Our bill there was between $500 and $700 every day. So I said, ‘Manny, why don’t we buy some food from the local Philippine restaurant and have it delivered to your apartment? It’ll only cost about $150.’ Manny took me by the shoulders and in front of everybody said, ‘Don’t ever mess with another man’s livelihood. Now let us enjoy their food.’ “
