Al S. Mendoza
All write
YOU think PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios did something spectacular when he fined Talk ‘N Text more than P1 million?
I don’t think so.
All he did was to enforce the rules.
You walk out of a game, you suffer the consequences.
That’s what TNT did in its Game 4 date against Ginebra San Miguel on Feb. 5.
In the PBA, no one commits a crime and walks away from it scot-free.
Thus, TNT’s penalty was P500,000 in favor of Ginebra.
On top of that, Barrios also slapped TNT another P500,000 to be given to the Players’ Educational Trust Fund for the benefit of the players and their dependents.
TNT likewise forfeited its share of P200,000 to P250,000 from the Game 4 proceeds. The amount will be shared by the 9 member-clubs of the league.
“There are established rules and procedures to properly ventilate a team’s disagreement with officiating so that the fans do not become innocent and unwilling victims of a
team’s protest over calls,” Barrios said.
TNT walked out after Ranidel de Ocampo received a flagrant foul against Ronald Tubid. Ginebra was ahead, 27-20, with only a minute left in the first quarter.
The walkout allowed Ginebra to even the best-of-five series at 2-2 after being down, 0-2.
In Game 5, TNT played without heart and spunk and Ginebra easily won, 113-100, to secure a semifinal seat against Alaska in the ongoing KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.
I don’t know if TNT coach Chot Reyes showed remorse with his decision to order the walkout—a decision supported, obviously, by TNT’s top brass.
Reports said Ricky Vargas, TNT team manager, initially backed up Chot’s walkout call?
Another item said MVP, the tycoon-owner of TNT, also supported Chot’s stand?
Oh, well, if those are true, that’s teamwork at work.
Right or wrong, you stand by your man.
Live or die by your lieutenant’s stand.
Sink or swim together.
Of course, there’s wisdom behind this dictum, especially if seen from the standpoint of whether a principle is compromised or not.
It was obvious the walkout was to uphold Chot’s belief that refereeing in Game 4 was suspect.
Most of the time, a principle is costly.
But among principled men, money is nothing.
(alsol47@yahoo.com)