When will we ever learn?
Credit to Author: MONICO O. PUENTEVELLA| Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2019 16:12:54 +0000
Before I start my column for this week, maybe some of you have been wondering what I’m doing here every Monday. Several years ago, while I was still doing my duty as commissioner with the Philippine Sports Commission for more than six years, appointed by then-President Fidel Ramos and later on reappointed by former President Erap, one day, I bumped into my former high school teacher in La Salle Bacolod, the late Bro. Andrew Gonzales, who was then-president of the Manila Bulletin and asked me if I would be interested to do a weekly column. Anything under the sun and possibly, more on my line of work in Philippine sports. It revived my love for writing, and mostly on issues of the day, political, sports, music, etc. One day, I decided to sit down and wrote my thoughts and frustrations on the fate of Gilas, recently. So here I am. Never did it occur to me that I would be doing this again at this stage in my life. But as some of you would say, “what the heck.” Why not? Just do it.
Familiarization
Our national boxer Eumir Marcial won a silver medal in the World Cup, our Olympic Weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz won two bronzes in the IWF World Championships last week in Pattaya, Thailand and what are we all discussing now? The SEA Games-bound national basketball team formed by our popular American coach Tim Cone. Initially, I feel this team is stronger than the one we sent to the recent World Cup In China. Or maybe, after that disastrous performance, any other team formed at this time would look good just as well. That’s how bad it was. Just as I wrote in my first article, “It’s the preparation, stupid,” our friend Coach Tim Cone accepted this job knowing it can’t get worse. Nothing to lose, everything to gain. Why? He’s right. Since there’s no time left, he’s formed a team that has played together for years, combining San Miguel and Ginebra players under one roof. And that’s no mean feat cause he works for the bosses of these two popular and fighting champion teams. Amb. Danding Cojuangco and Ramon Ang. Add the three from TNT namely, Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario, and Roger Pogoy and what do we have? The combined and united effort of the three giants in local basketball, including MVP June Mar Fajardo. And in fairness to him, this is what was lacking with our friend Coach Yeng Guiao’s unprepared team formula.
Fearless forecast?
Hands down champion! You can all tell me that our Southeast Asian brothers have all progressed tremendously in basketball the last few years. I believe that too. More naturalized and skillful players for Indonesia, Thailand, etc. Well, maybe. But I’ve seen them all too. Since that time, nobody was inside the basketball courts cheering during the SEA Games in other countries since no one could even get close to the RP five. Kami-kami lang sa gym. Bleachers were always empty. Even host countries did not give importance to our national sport. Its always been football and athletics on their minds. Forget basketball. That’s the Philippine’s private property. Well, the last basketball finals two years ago in Kuala Lumpur saw quite an improvement for Thailand vs Gilas. As usual, I was one of the cheer leaders that night. Even Malaysia and Indonesia are learning now too. But facing our newly formed team is something else. This is a POWERHOUSE dude. But since the SEA Games is the lowest form of competition for basketball and other sports in Asia, I have only one wish — that Coach Tim could have included a maximum of four young guys to start and continue the right program of Gilas from here on. Guys like Cj Perez, Robert Bolick, and Kobe Paras, et al to start the exposure of the next and upcoming generation after our declining international performance. This is what our young athletes need. International exposure and experience. I won’t mention names but there are guys who made it to the top 12 that has been playing for years now and only good for the PBA. But I guess for coach Tim Cone, “there’s no substitute for victory.” No matter how much the others have improved with naturalized players, we’ll have the gold medal guys. At least for basketball. Believe me.
Now let us talk about the Olympics
Our Río Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz won two bronzes in the recent IWF World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand last week but these medals are equivalent to a silver medal in the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics. Two Chinese lifters won gold and silver ahead of Hidilyn but only one Chinese lifter will be allowed to represent China in the Tokyo Olympics in the 55-kilogram category. Only one. In Rio, Hidilyn won in the 53kg division but this has been changed for the Tokyo Olympics mid next year by the IWF Board. As well as other categories. And all Olympic qualifiers will have to undergo six qualifying events and Hidilyn has finished her third event so far. Next up is the SEA Games late this year, the IWF World Cup In Rome in January next year, and the Asian Championships in Kazakhstan in April. That’s the last stop then the real battle ends in Tokyo. And my foreign friends who are experts in this Olympic sport and have a good eye, told Hidilyn and me after the event in Pattaya that she has a good chance for the Gold this time around. Even against the reigning Chinese world champion.This is why Hidilyn will be going back again to Taipei soon for training under her personal Chinese coach Gao and come back home one week before the SEA Games starts. No let up for the next seven months.
This is what’s wrong with our sports program. Get them out. We keep training our athletes here and keep believing they’re good enough when they go and compete abroad. Same with our basketball team. We all enjoy watching the PBA games and keep thinking they’re good enough and we are the best in Asia. Then we face the World and everything crumbles down. In our face, up close and personal.