Here we go again.
After a loss, specially to our archivals, immediately, a FIESTA of comments, suggestions, criticisms, walk outs before the game ends, coach looks like a grade schooler, systems need change, bring back the Adamson coach, bring back the UST coach, looking forward to next season, and let’s go to the bonfire, pare, is upon us.
Descending from the heavens (wherever theirs is), is the second coming of Mbala, one article was titled. Once they were complaining about dominant imports and how to get rid of them (as in Mbala’s case), they have one now, so all is still on the western front. I wouldn’t be surprised that they make him MVP this season, something they didn’t even consider for Mbala.
C’mon.
It’s the same story (with different castings), over and over and over again, season after season after season. Tiring (even for the Eveready Bunny), isn’t it?
First of all, without sounding like I jumped shipped, congratulations to Ateneo. They did what they were supposed to do. Ok. Enough of that. This is our site. And this is my article.
But I would rather reserve my biggest CONGRATULATIONS to OUR TEAM. If by any chance, you didn’t like that effort the team made in this game, SWITCH TEAMS. JUMP SHIP. ENROLL ELSEWHERE. Harsh tone? YOU BET!!!!!
Excellence is our goal, they say. Anything less is unacceptable. So we clamor. Change the coach. Change the system. Who was the dumkoff who decided on a 13 man roster? Off with his head. BRING BACK ELVIS FROM THE DEAD.
Guys, you can’t you focus on these first?:
Kib Montalbo playing despite a broken finger, diving, and winning out on loose ball situations. Aljun Melecio running on fumes trying to will our team back in the game. Brandon Bates holding his own against the second coming (he came again?). Aljun Melecio going back to the gym after the game, with his father, to do some shooting practice and bond with him. Encho Serrano trying his darnest to bring out his high school high flying act, failing most times, but trying again, and again, and again.
Are we so focused on winning that we forget to focus on the process of developing a kid, not just in sports, but overall as a person, a valuable person, in society? Are we just walking out on them with two minutes to go, surmising the game was lost, we couldn’t beat Ateneo, so, let’s beat the traffic instead?
Well let’s focus a little on the game first. Ateneo, and their coaching staff, were not geniuses in this game. They came out with a strategy and it worked. That’s all. Putting Kouame on Baltazar, and Navarro on Santillan. That’s it.
Remember, we don’t have an import. So their import guarded our best local guy. We did the same to Desiderio of UP didn’t we? Put Mbala on him and he couldn’t score.
Anything else? Our turnovers? Yes. Half of them were forced on us, but half of them were of our own mistakes. Did we have the shots to win this game? Yes we did. A LOT of open shots. Missed. So? That’s basketball. You win because you make them, you lose because you miss them. Did we make the effort defensively? YES WE DID. But the still made their shots. So, they won.
So how do we end this? Criticize the coach? The 13 man roster? The system? The players? The management? What? Tell me and I’ll write it. I may not agree with it but I can always use quotation marks.
Guys, I also was a student athlete representing our school, training on Saturdays and Sundays even. I’ve been working for more than three decades now since I graduated from our illustrious school. I’ve had my share of ups and downs, highs and lows, during my career. I know what I’m talking about here. That’s why I titled the article as such.
Who are we? Really. Again, I don’t know about any of you, I know about some of you, but I know myself. So I can only speak for myself.
Who am I? LASALYANO AKO!!!! No matter what obstacles get in my way, I will always make an effort to overcome them. Win against them. Beat them.
It’s the same with our team. They will come back. The will overcome. They will beat them. For some you fair weatherers, though, you can do what you do best. Just beat the traffic. Let’s see if you can win that battle. Good luck.
Animo!!!!!