INQUIRER Sports

THAT WAS A GREAT TRIPLE from downtown the House committee on games and amusements scored after it offered to help the PBA following that third successive assault by a professional player on a ringside viewer.

The big basket did not come right before the buzzer, but it’s bound to be a winner.

Before that, Rep. Amado Bagatsing, he with the gray, priestly girth, had expressed alarm.

* * *

Bagatsing, games and amusements committee chair, said they had no choice but to move.

Otherwise, he could be accused of doing nothing.

Imagine a seasoned solon that’s often mistaken for a bishop doing nothing to stop evil.

The Manila congressman was right.

* * *

That was the holy thing to do after those godless incidents.

In fact, it was hard to deny the devil had dropped by the playing venue during those senseless incidents.

The crazy attack that led to the season-long banishment of burly Wynne Arboleda also showed the helplessness of authorities in stamping brutality.

* * *

For the record, the PBA did something after the first two attacks.

Penalties were promptly meted out.

But after the third and most cruel assault by Arboleda, the PBA Commissioner was forced to resort to the ultimate.

He slapped Arboleda with a no-pay season-long suspension.

* * *

Commissioner Sonny Barrios then threatened future offenders with a lifetime ban from the pro league.

Meanwhile, the chair of the PBA Board, Lito Alvarez, also vowed to come up with a new set of guidelines to protect players and fans alike.

“It will be an all-encompassing code of conduct,” Alvarez announced.

* * *

Bagatsing next highlighted their concern by offering to pass legislation in support of the PBA.

He promised to craft guidelines “for the better understanding of all concerned.”

Of course, it would’ve gone a long way if, say, Bagatsing and his committee also bothered to call back Arboleda.

You know, to ask him what could’ve possibly prevented him from exploding.

* * *

It’s like this: Based on Arboleda’s subsequent apology and admission, it would appear that he was not himself when he jumped up and tore at the noisy victim.

Of course, all those concerned were doing their best.

But wouldn’t an exorcism—as in the case of the “possessed” attacker-be the right solution to the monumental mess?

* * *

“No, not exactly, all they need is prevent the outburst,” advised lawyer-sportsman Rudy Salud, easily the most successful PBA commissioner after the late Leo Prieto.

But how do they do it?

“They should give players the right to call a timeout to inform or complain with the referee about particular fans whose abuse they could no longer bear,” Salud explained.

* * *

What else?

“The league can pick it from there, it could assign security people who could approach and pacify the heckler,” Salud continued. “They could also take measures against abusive fans, like banning them from the games.”

But isn’t that also a form of exorcism?

“They also call this common sense.”

Happy Halloween!