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A follow-up on SMB’s mockery of Filipino bball fans

I’m just your ordinary Filipino basketball fan. And yup, I still watch the “crucial” PBA games (sudden death, games 7’s etc.) from time to time although sa TV na lang if wala ng ibang mapanood.

I just can’t help but vent my sentiments because I’m still one of the few (if meron pa nga) “morons” who still nurtures the (impossible?) dream that the RP basketball team can still win in Asian tournaments, with China’s and S.Korea’s A-teams participating. And I’m just saddened how our San Miguel League stunts the growth of our Filipino players by bunching all those potential and established superstars. How can our quality players continue to develop if they just end up competing in a moro moro against obviously inferior teams? And by just going through the motions of competing for their paycheck?

I know we have our equally incompetent basketball governing bodies tasked to take care of international competitions (but that’s another matter altogether). Needless to say, the best talents in the land are in the San Miguel League. And it’s a pity to see their potential go to waste because instead of genuinely competing among themselves and bringing out the best in everyone, they just end up subbing for each other and be content with 10-15minute playing time. I know it’s a professional/commercial league so I guess we can’t do anything about it if SMC wants to get Arwind for Bono, Eman & Calaguio, no matter how ridiculous it may sound.

Nakaka-insulto lang kasi and maybe there are other Filipino basketball fans who feel the same way. To see the level of competition in the PBA deteriorate is as heartbreaking as seeing Olsen Racela miss those two freethrows at the ‘02 Asiad all over again. The only difference is the former is being done on purpose while the latter was just sheer breaks of the game.

Anyway, sana mag-Game 7 para mas dagdag kita sa gate receipts and ads sa TV coverage; at incidentally na lang to expose the players to even greater pressure and see how they respond to clutch situations. At least kahit sa game 7, makapanood man lang tayo ng totoong laro. =)

http://hoops.blink.ph/2009/07/14/and-the-rich-get-richer-arwind-santos-to-smb/#comment-121567

My comment on an article re: Bono,Eman,Calaguio for Arwind Santos

The PBA should just be renamed as San Miguel Corp. Invitational Tournament. This “league” is just making a mockery of the fans’ interest and affection (not to mention their pockets).

Notice how teams would end up bunched up all together after the elimination rounds; practically every team has a fighting chance to make it to the next round (equal marketing exposure). And notice that even if the SMC teams have superior line ups, they don’t end up all together in the semis, a maximum of two SMC teams just qualify for the semis at any given tournament. Of course, they all belong to one “association”; that’s why non-SMC teams are allowed to have their share of semis exposure just the same. What happens is that the SMC teams are just rotating on who will advance on to the latter rounds from tournament to tournament.

Why did fan interest dwindle through the years? Two things: 1) League predictability of teams being bunched up every after the elimination rounds (league parity? looks like league charade if you ask me) and 2) Players (especially the marquee ones) just playing through the motions of a basketball game.

At the end of the day, it’s just a commercial league. As long as every participating team have had their share of market exposure, that’s all that matters. The sarsuela of “quality” games make that possible. It’s not unusual to see your powerhouse team beaten by a ragtag team. And it’s not surprising anymore how a Don Camaso can be traded for a Rico Villanueva. Just like in the NBA, in the PBA / San Miguel Invitational, it’s where “amazing” moro moro happens.

http://hoops.blink.ph/2009/07/14/and-the-rich-get-richer-arwind-santos-to-smb/#comment-121567

PBA MVP’s

After Jayjay Helterbrand clinched the season MVP award yesterday at the Leo Awards, let’s take a look at the list of PBA MVP’s through the years. Note that neither ADMU nor DLSU has produced an MVP awardee since the PBA’s inception back in 1975. So, if you’re looking for a REALLY fierce collegiate rivalry, ADMU vs. DLSU is for you. But if you’re looking for franchise players and future MVP’s, it might help if you look somewhere else. =)