Alphabet War & Values

The already rotten mess that we have gotten ourselves into has turned for the worse and seems to be going down even further. It's a virtual war of the alphabets with the media as the battlegrounds.

First it was the BAP against the POC. After ousting the BAP, the POC recognized the PBF. But the FIBA didn't accept the PBF and continues to recognize the BAP. You still with me? All the while, the PBA has managed an RP team that has seen action in three tournaments abroad. And while the BAP and POC-PBF continued to hit the sports pages with its calls to be recognized and attacks against each other, in comes the PBA demanding that everything be settled once and for all.

The POC didn't like it and lashed back at the PBA which in turn also branded the PBA's reply as "uncalled for." And all these are going on as we prepare for the SEAG where the RP team can't play since we're suspended by the FIBA.

You still with me, right? Good for you because I certainly am going nuts having to go through all these letters. And we haven't even heard from the GAB, PSC and OP (Office of the President)! Sakto na uy! Libog na kaayo! I'm just glad that somehow, the AFP, PNP and MMDA haven't gotten involved. Who knows? Maybe even the RAM, YOU and YOUNG will also want a piece of the headlines.

Can you just imagine what would happen if the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, WBF and OPBF pushed their weight around just for fun?

We may all laugh at what's happening right now, but the presence of all these alphabets isn't turning out to be good for the country's basketball scene. Many alphabet groups mean splintered groups of basketball people. Many alphabet groups reflect division and disunity. Many alphabet groups mean different agenda and objectives. Many alphabet groups mean the absence of a common ground. Many groups mean different groups with plastic and superficial definitions of what how they interpret the term "for the love of basketball, for the love of the sport."

It's rather ironic how the present situation actually mirrors the socio-political situation in which we find ourselves today as a country.

While both sides of the coin profess that they're doing everything for the love of the country, deep down inside, we know this isn't true. They're acting more for ulterior, personal and self-seeking motives.

Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales hit it right in the head when he said that what we have is a problem of values. It's not the political or economic system that's out of order. It's the way the country has played the game of politics. The sense of values of our leaders and the opposition is tarnished and twisted. Can they all honestly claim to be truly and genuinely acting for the interest of the nation? Or for themselves?

There's a sorry lack of true love for the country that is selfless, generous and outpouring. There's an absence of the true spirit of service that we should all have for one another. Service for others. How many of our leaders actually take this to heart? And the opposition?

The sadder part is that when you get this kind of spirit in sports, everything goes kaboom, watak, sabog.

The POC has its own agenda and so do the BAP, PBF and PBA. The big question is which group or groups are acting genuinely to be of service to the country?

Many solutions have been proposed to solve the problem that has brought the country's basketball situation to its lowest state in the history of the sport. But the very first thing that we must all correct are the not the technical issues of mergers, truce talks and striking a common ground.

What we all need is a refresher course on values. We need everyone to forget themselves and instead, think of the others, think about the country. Since this is a sport that we love most, we need develop a pass first before shoot mentality.

Is this possible? Can we actually get our basketball leaders united?

First things first. Let's fix our values and principles first before even talking about getting our acts together.

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Time-out: Happy birthday to Joel Tan! >>> Congrats to the PortsideBadmintonPlazateam for winning the Cebuleg of the Battleof the Courts. On to Manilafor the national finals! >>> You can reach me at [email protected].