INQUIRER Sports

HIS TOYOTA SUV had smashed into the concrete barrier near the Metrowalk on Meralco Avenue in Pasig City, but Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia was lucky to escape with minor injuries, his beautiful face practically unscathed.

According to Rain or Shine team manager Boy Lapid, all Garcia sustained was a swollen knee. The car absorbed the impact of the crash.

“Caloy and I were together almost all day last Monday, the day of the accident,” Boy related. “It had been a long day for the team. After the All Saints’ Day weekend, the boys (Elasto Painters) had several important things to catch up on.

“We heard mass in the morning, ate lunch together, had a meeting, conducted our regular workout, had coffee after.”

I’m not sure I got the sequence of activities correctly, but it sounded like the Painters indeed had quite a handful last Monday.

“The accident wasn’t Caloy’s fault—the concrete barrier didn’t give way to Caloy’s car,” Boy joked when asked how the accident happened.

The incident was reported in the early-morning news Wednesday, but I didn’t pay too much attention because I was cooking breakfast.

* * *

I should have asked Boy if Caloy was driving under the influence.

But even if he was, I couldn’t blame him. For sure, he must be getting worried about the team’s lackluster performance. The Elasto Painters have not won a single game since the new PBA season opened on Oct. 11.

They have lost four games so far.

When I asked team owner Raymond Yu why this was so, he said the team needed more time to jell.

Boy echoed Yu. He said they were going through a period of adjustment because they had seven new players in the team.

* * *

Some of the PBA habitués, however, offer a different analysis.

“Perhaps the opponents have studied the moves of their vital cogs, Gabe Norwood and Sol Mercado, and have devised strategies to neutralize them,” one of them said.

“Perhaps not,” said another PBA regular. “I think Coach Caloy is getting distracted by the referees. He’s always complaining to them, his attention is constantly on them.”

I tried to get a short interview with Caloy yesterday, but I couldn’t get through. He was probably gearing up for yesterday’s game against San Miguel Beer, which sported a 2-2 record.

* * *

Speaking of referees, is it true that eight of them were silently sacked by the PBA recently, as reported by a veteran scribe?

PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial said the figure in the report was double the actual number.

“And I wouldn’t use the word ‘sacked.’ One of them, Joey Caluncaguin, underwent knee surgery and after he had recovered, he could no longer keep pace with the other referees. On the other hand, the contracts of the three others—Mario Montiel, Robert Ting and Vincent Ledda—were no longer renewed for varying reasons. There were only four, Willie said.

According to Willie, even with four referees out, there are still 20 referees to run the games.

The PBA has set up a referees’ academy and are now accepting applicants for training.

“The applicant preferably should be a former basketball player, between the ages 25 and 35. At the very least, he should have a good understanding of the game. Of course, it goes without saying that he must be physically fit,” said Willie.

Interested parties may drop by the PBA office on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, next to Eastwood in Libis, to fill up an application form.