Local athletes need not put a sock in it

There is something subtle about Moses Golola that makes him blend seamlessly into any environment. Early this past week the kick-boxer appeared on NTV’s premier sports show, the Press Box.
Unfailingly loud and brash, he was the antithesis of a fish out of water. And this was not just because he had just scored a commanding victory over Umar Semata. We’ve seen Golola still prove a vivacious force even in the wake of a seemingly stinging defeat.
That’s what makes him unique. Golola is the clearest expression of a larger-than-life character. As appealing and impossible as it seems, what has helped him is neither his well-toned body nor punishing hours spent in the gym.
Make no mistake, the two are at once dazzlingly formidable and impossibly grandiose. But Golola’s mouth remains unparalleled even then.
Golola talks a good talk, and this has undoubtedly helped him stitch together a brand. He, of course, keeps coming up with the goods in the ring. Some say most of his feats have been through a mixture of tenacity and good fortune. Semata for instance accused Golola of not sticking to the K-1 kickboxing form book during last Sunday’s bout.
The contestations notwithstanding, what hasn’t been in question is the impact of Golola’s mouth. It has made him relevant while winning him legions of admirers. Talk has increasingly become a vital cog in the machine of the modern-day sports personality. Verbal jabs not only secure psychological advantages, but also help shine a bright spotlight on that that’s being talked about.
You cannot create a brand by putting a sock in it. You have to blow your own trumpet while belittling your adversaries. This is something that up and coming sports personalities in Uganda can learn from Golola. Talk is anything but cheap!