BCAP pursues case versus Woolpert

Stung by the issuance of an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) for Talk ‘N’ Text coach Paul Woolpert, Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) president Chito Narvasa said yesterday he is not giving up the fight to ship out the American.

The BCAP, through lawyer Gilbert Santos, sent a letter to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) objecting to the issuance last Oct. 24. In reply, DOLE National Capital Region director Alex Maraan assured Santos the agency "will act expeditiously and judiciously on your much-awaited opposition and we won’t be constrained to cancel the AEP if the merits of your opposition should warrant such an option."

Narvasa said the BCAP will pursue the case to protect the livelihood of Filipino coaches. It’s nothing personal against the management of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) franchise, he clarified.

"Talk ‘N’ Text never bothered to consider hiring a Filipino coach when (Bill) Bayno left," noted Narvasa. "Shouldn’t the procedure be to exhaust all options locally before hiring a foreigner? It’s unfair to the Talk ‘N’ Text players to adjust to another American coach in the middle of the season. Hilo na sila. Some of them want to prove themselves in the All-Filipino tournament because their contracts are expiring. But bringing in a coach who doesn’t know the players and doesn’t know the PBA style of play is unfair to the players."

Narvasa said the BCAP has no objection to a foreigner coaching the national team. "We didn’t oppose the decision to appoint Ron Jacobs as our national coach," explained Narvasa, "because the job isn’t permanent. Besides, the international arena is different. We can learn from a foreign coach under those circumstances. It’s different if you hire a foreign coach in the PBA. It robs a local coach of the opportunity to make a living."

Narvasa said Talk ‘N’ Text’s experience with Woolpert’s predecessor Bill Bayno is an indication that there is no loyalty among American hires. "They don’t care for the PBA," he said. "Bayno came here, got his money, and left even before his contract expired. He openly criticized the PBA and its officials. He showed no respect for our referees. He was slapped record fines. That’s what we get for hiring an American who has no love for our league."

And Woolpert–is he another Bayno?

Believe it or not, Woolpert could be worse than the former University of Nevada at Las Vegas coach.

Writer Stu Whitney of the Sioux Falls, Idaho, newspaper Argus Leader said: "It’s been a smackdown season for Woolpert who has been slapped with 11 technicals, including a pair of ejections, while also smashing a clipboard to pieces and leaving locker rooms littered with twisted metal folding chairs. He has feuded openly with opposing players and berated his own team to the point where starting guards Darren McLinton and Ray Weathers refused to suit up and were banished from Sioux Falls. Much of Woolpert’s wrath has been directed towards referees whose performance has been suspect even by Continental Basketball Association (CBA) standards. But even he admits that turning down the volume might lead to more victories."

Woolpert has shown little loyalty to the CBA teams he has coached. He started at Yakima, moved to Sioux Falls, returned to Yakima, went back to Sioux Falls and had just agreed to coach Yakima again when the Talk ‘N’ Text offer came.

"I’ve always felt a closeless with the people in Yakima and am thrilled to return to the county," said Woolpert on his second comeback to the club called the Sun Kings. "If I could be in any CBA city, it would be in Yakima. It’s close to home for me, Seattle. I’ve got a lot of friends and family in Yakima. It’s a good place to live. I really like the area and love the people. It is very important to show the fans and the rest of the community that I am not just a part-time resident. I have a stake in the Yakima Valley just like anyone else who lives there." But a few weeks later, he left Yakima for the PBA. Woolpert’s sense of loyalty is clearly subordinate to his sense of banking.

Before the 2000 CBA season, Woolpert took Yakima to a college tour and didn’t spare the varsity players his display of arrogance. In a game against Gonzaga University, he picked up two technicals and was ejected with 4:04 left. Yakima lost a 103-86 decision.

Woolpert, for his part, justified his tantrums by expressing a passion for the game. "I have a lot of passion for what I do," he once said. "I don’t get up in the morning and say I have to go to the gym today. I say I get to. That makes me a pretty lucky guy. I get to hang around a lot with world-class athletes and that’s not something a lot of people get to do everyday."

The youngest of five children, Woolpert never coached in any capacity in the National Basketball Association (NBA) although he has caddied for pro mentors like George Karl, Bernie Bickerstaff, and Mo McHone.

His brother Phil, Jr. is a high school girls varsity coach. His sister Lorrie was a final cut on the 1976 US Olympic women’s hoop squad and coached four years for a high school girls team. He has two other sisters, Mary and Theresa.

Woolpert’s father Phil, Sr. coached nine years at the University of San Francisco and compiled a 154-78 record, including a streak of 60 straight wins. With Hall of Famers Bill Russell and K Jones in the lineup, Woolpert piloted San Francisco to NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956. When he retired from basketball, Woolpert became a school bus driver in Sequim, Washington. He died of cancer in 1997.

Woolpert, who is divorced from his wife Crystal and has a 10-year-old daughter Naomi, led the Sun Kings to the CBA title in 2000. Among his players were ex-imports Rosell Ellis, Silas Mills, and Kevin Holland.

The PBA came to Woolpert’s attention early this year when two of his Sioux Falls players Muntrelle Dobbins and Leonard White defected to play here. Still, he led the Skyforce to a 33-23 record, including a streak of 10 straight wins. At the end of the season, Woolpert found himself back in Yakima but before the start of the next CBA campaign, he, too, defected despite earlier pledging allegiance to the Sun Kings.

In the PBA, will Woolpert be as defiant as Bayno? Will he be as disloyal and disrespectful? Narvasa said he couldn’t care less if Woolpert acts like an angel. His beef is Woolpert’s presence takes away a job from a Filipino and the BCAP won’t take it sitting down.