Horns in the CESAFI

The Japeth Aguilar drama has finally come to an end as both sides have recently come to terms. According to reports, the 6-10 Aguilar signed a 1-year, P1.8 million contract with Burger King instead of the original 3-year 8 point something million pesos. He will be playing for a year with the BK Whoopers, after which, he will be traded to the Talk and Text franchise which would allow him to play for the Smart Gilas national team handled by Rajko Toroman.

This won’t become a problem as Manny Pangilinan owns Talk and Text and bankrolls the Gilas. Aguilar should be happy by now. In the first place, he was the one who complicated things since the beginning. We all know the story. He thought maybe because he has a high basketball pedigree and is admittedly a rare talent, he can do what he likes and make a mockery of the system.

The lesson here - you can’t hit two birds with one stone all the time. And whether you’re oozing with talent or just above average, you don’t mess with an institution like the PBA or any organization for that matter. He should have gotten Ronnie Nathanielz as agent earlier.

And talking about messing with institutions, we now have four pseudo-stars whose heads have started to swell in the men’s CESAFI basketball. Basin nagtuo ni sila nga they are the same caliber as Aguilar. This came after the wake of the CESAFI volleyball controversy, which I think still has wise guys from the erring camp thinking that what they did was above board.

Let’s put it this way. We all make mistakes, our overworked brains, if we do have any, sometimes misfires and defy sanity. But we put someone up there to put some order, who we think is less illogical than us and have him or her command and wield power over us, minions.

Every once in a while, there could be lapses in judgement but that’s one of the perks of being on top. We live in a cruel and unfair world and whether we like it or not, there are always people who rule above and beyond.

The CESAFI has Felix Tiukinhoy as commissioner, meaning he is the almighty in the school-based league. Unless our twisted minds think otherwise, within the bounds and limits of the CESAFI rules, by-laws and whatever, Tiukinhoy reigns supreme. His decisions could be fair, harsh or biased. The bottomline is, unless the president of the world or the one true God up above steps in, Tiukinhoy is almost always hawod. Pag commissioner sa mo. Magbuot mo?

Going back to the four collegiate basketball players whose names are not worth mentioning, they have not only maligned the name of their schools, the reputation of their coaches, the stature of the CESAFI and their future playing careers, if they have any left, but also gave a bad imprint on the psyche of the Cebuano athlete as a whole.

Their stupidly selfish ego-trips prejudiced not only their teams and schools with the consequences of their actions but also the public who have given precious time to witness this disappointing stunt. There was that idiotic crap from one specie where he claimed of sore hip hence he can’t do the slam dunk contest, but otherwise warmed up for the exhibition games with some fancy dunks. That’s not only an insult to the CESAFI but a challenge to Tiukinhoy. He was practically inviting harsh sanctions. I say the five game suspension is too light for the pricks. Ban them from the league for a year and let them play in Lanipga or Banakon. Are these people really that sikat already?

First it was volleyball, now its basketball. Is there something in Commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy that makes him attractive to insubordination? Horns are growing in the CESAFI, it is time cut them.

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