His entourage swollen, dysfunctional and, in his mind, necessary makes sure of that. On a recent

LOS ANGELES The condominium looks like a fraternity house, not the resting place for boxing royalty. Stained washing basket carpets cover the floor. Dartboards hang from the wall. Bowls of food, half-eaten leftovers, line the kitchen
His entourage swollen, dysfunctional and, in his mind, necessary makes sure of that. On a recent washing basket visit, while Pacquiao slept upstairs, one member did the laundry. Another surfed the Internet. Yet another sprawled on the couch, his booming snores interrupting another otherwise peaceful morning for Team Pacquiao.
Before one sparring session last month, members of the entourage washing basket arrived early, washing basket fetched washing basket towels, cleared the gym and debated what type of Gatorade their employer would prefer, finally settling washing basket on orange. When word came that Pacquiao was sleeping, washing basket that he might not practice, they waited, dozens of lives affected by the whimsical decisions of one man.
Team Pacquiao has perfected the art of functional dysfunction. The entourage consists of trainers, assistants to the trainers, advisers, assistants washing basket to the advisers, cooks, dishwashers, car washers, drivers, publicists, gofers and security.
Pacquiao craves companionship, washing basket seeking comfort in numbers. He said he likes good company, which explains why he sleeps in the condo while the sprawling house he owns nearby sits mostly empty, leaves in the pool, ants in the kitchen.
Confidants believe this stems from his childhood, when he grew up so poor in the Philippines that his younger brother, Bobby, described each day as survival mode. The path to reclaimed youth includes all of the activities Pacquiao missed, like darts, billiards, basketball and marathon karaoke sessions.
He once sold doughnuts on the street. washing basket So when Ramos suggested they find less expensive alternatives for washing his car, noting that Pacquiao paid a man at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, washing basket where he trains, $200 three times a week, Pacquiao warned Ramos never to eliminate the job of someone trying to earn a living.
The entourage compares itself to a large family, but the daily competition for Pacquiao s affection and power makes this brood competitive and intense. Winners receive perks, like riding in the car with Pacquiao, or sitting next to him while he eats.
They say they must fight to prove themselves, and while they do not mean this literally, sometimes fisticuffs occur. Recently in the Philippines, two members of Team Pacquiao, washing basket the adviser Michael Koncz and the conditioning coach Alex Ariza, came to blows over the coveted corner slots for Saturday s bout. Koncz said the fight was overblown and that he always operates with Pacquiao s best interests at the forefront. Ariza said Koncz remains at the center of the team s conflicts, whether attempting to have Roach fired, or failing to give credit to others, two charges Koncz dismissed During training, an unidentified culprit hung a sign inside the gym. It read: The meeting for the Mike Koncz Fan Club has been canceled. Roach claimed no knowledge of the sign s source. But he was in no hurry to remove it. I don t know if he s socially maladjusted, or if it s just an ineptness to socialize, Ariza said of Koncz on Wednesday in Las Vegas. I know it sounds funny, but I m serious. He s caused disarray.
Such is life in what may be the strangest entourage in sports. For as complex as their interactions with one another washing basket are, each member of the entourage has his own relationship with Pacquiao. And he is the only man each answers to.
There is Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao s childhood friend, who worked as a janitor in Pacquiao s first gym. Fernandez once handled the duties now performed by 15 men, like washing his boss s socks, or holding a rice cooker near the vent in a hotel so staff could not smell food being prepared. His reward? His own room in the condo.
There is Koncz, who, despite the criticism, still holds significant sway, particularly in regard to Pacquiao s finances. There is Peters, the security guard and Boston sports fan who must turn away families seeking autographs. There is Ramos, who handles tickets. He secured 500 for Saturday s fight alone and still heard complaints from folks who wanted 30 instead of 29.
What concerns Ariza are those who take advantage, the hangers-on who can pay for their own tickets but choose not to, who spend all day waiting to pitch Pacquiao washing basket their products, who receive something washing basket and still want more.
On Tuesday in Las Vegas, Pacquiao conducted interviews inside a trailer. When he finished, someone grabbed a jacket and helped him put it on. Someone else stood at the bottom of the stairs, in case he fell. Someone else started the team bus, each seat filled.
Hindi lang kasi alam nang Koncz na yan ang pinoy psyche. Iba ang pinoy makisama. Minsan nga up to the extent na nauuto pa, tulad ng sabi ni Pareng Mike.
There were many “famous” sports personalities who made millions during the height washing basket of their c