By Merv Moore
Sports & Media Director
The Bohol Coconuts website welcomed more than 17,000 unique visitors from 33 countries in May. A new site record. A little baseball club planted on a remote Philippine island had become a brand that spanned six continents without asking permission.
And where was I? Stuck in Texas waiting on a passport renewal that was missing in action. I was angry and confused. Then my wife Lerma — who sees things clearer than I ever could — looked at me and issued a challenge.
“If you can build a little baseball club in the Philippines into a brand that people all over the world took notice of, just build another brand while you’re in Texas.”
It is a challenge that I gladly accept. I’ve dedicated over a year of my life and countless hours building the Coconuts brand. That dream is delayed, but I will not let it die.
I have been a free agent my entire life — in Switzerland, Brunei, Bhutan, Nepal, and now the Philippines — always on my own terms, always betting on myself. That’s who I am. That’s not going to change.
So on July 1st, I will debut a new brand. A venture that involves my other lifelong passion, the Dallas Cowboys. A new engine built entirely from scratch. A sports website, a voice, and a platform that will generate the fuel the Bohol Coconuts need. No more pitch decks. No more Zoom calls. No more leaning on anyone but myself.
I honestly believe that if you don’t live for something, you die for nothing. Every kid deserves a chance to dream. Every kid needs hope. I want my final chapter to mean something.
The untapped talent that resides on Bohol Island is simply incredible. I’ve seen those kids. I’ve looked into their faces. That’s the fuel that keeps me going. That’s the engine that won’t shut off.
I was excited to become a part-time writer, to work behind the scenes and promote the Coconuts. But life changes plans. I am an introvert by nature, an old sports writer with one final story left to tell.
My new sports website will need 35,000 monthly visitors to fund the Coconuts mission. My goal is 50,000. Is that ambitious? Yes. But so was coaching the Swiss national team. So was flying to Bhutan during a pandemic.
Baseball has always been a game of adjustments. So is life. I tried to do things the traditional way. Now, I will do things my way. My new brand will be the main sponsor of the Bohol Coconuts. The only question now is how fast can I build it.
