Seething hate
When NCAA host Letran lost back-to-back games to Perpetual and Arellano, the foreign-student athlete hate issue once again was put into the spotlight. What’s the connection to Letran? Well, they perpetuated a move to ban imports, citing unfair play for those who cannot afford to bring in foreign recruits, but they lost to a team that has two (Perpetual) while the other had two Fil-foreigners in tow (Arellano). And now, I hear the cries of their “supportive” fans from the walls of Intramuros.
To be honest, having foreign student-athletes wasn’t a big issue. Until San Beda College ramped it up and started winning. That’s when the O.P.’s started clamoring parity. Yikes! Come to think of it, they had William Johnson, whom no one even remembers because he was that good. Did people complain when Perpetual had Vladimir Joe? Or for that matter, when San Sebastian suited up Clark Moore in the waning years of their five-peat? Yeah, you did not hear anything, from anyone. Only when San Beda cashed in on a recruit named Samuel Ekwe and had a Sudan Daniel and Ola Adeogun lined up after him did they cry afoul.
That is what’s confusing. It’s okay for them to have foreign student-athletes as long as they are not winning titles? Because in SSC-R’s case, Moore wasn’t very productive and was a lame duck. Just because the Red Lions took the time to develop their foreign student-athletes and started winning left and right, you spotlight them and call it unfair? And now, with Arellano having lucked into a game-changing baller in James Forrester, supporters of the Knights across social media outlets were crying foul. “Ban imports!” they say. “Let’s play fair!” another said. What’s unfair with him being a Fil-foreigner and Arellano acquiring his services to study and play for them? Thing is, Arellano took the time and effort to recruit him, gave him a place to study, and a team where he can put his talents into practice. What’s wrong with that? Just because he doused that furious Knights rally with a booming triple means Arellano is not playing fairly. Wait, is Olotu a pure Filipino? There you go.
Arellano’s James Patrick Forrester makes a tough drive to the basket versus Letran’s Kevin Kent Racal during their NCAA game last Saturday at The Arena in San Juan. Photo by The STAR's Joey Mendoza
And now that Perpetual has magically transformed into a fighting team with Femi Babayemi down the middle and Omorogbe filling the wings, it raises again the question: If – and it’s a big IF – the Altas barge into the Final Four, will their recruitment of Babayemi and Omorogbe be scrutinized as well by the fans and school officials of the participating members? I do not think so. Why? Well, the hosts’ record of 16 titles will remain intact and would not be scratched, assuming the Red Lions do not win it all. So that puts us in a quandary. It’s okay to have foreign student-athletes as long as they don’t dominate the competition but raise a hackle if they help their team bring in championship after championship, threatening a league record? Seriously? Should I even hope for a well-written answer by some smart “basketball” fan?
Imagine, let’s take it into the real world, but still connected to the issue at hand. Overseas Filipino workers are technically imported workers. We supply the globe with workers. Companies, and even private individuals, import laborers from us. What if the locals in the country where an OFW is destined at cries afoul that our OFW is stealing away job opportunites from them and wants them banned? I’m pretty sure each and every Filipino would cry out “Racist!” or “Unfair!” Such hypocrites we are when we are doing the exact same thing to these foreign student-athletes, who by virtue of enrolling at their academic institution of choice gain the same rights and privileges that a local student receives.
It’s high time people get educated. It’s high time to stop complaining and try to improve your own game, which the Knights are doing and which their fans are disregarding, always putting the blame, and the hate, on foreign student-athletes who play their hearts out to give their school a win. But again, I am not hoping that they would learn. It seems the Filipino mindset is set in stone already. Pour the hate when you lose, arrogance on a win. Come to think of it, Letran coach Louie Alas hasn’t been complaining about foreign student-athletes. May his school and their supporters follow, but I’m betting my meager salary they won’t.
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