INQUIRER Sports

SAYING That the Philippine Basketball Association has a ?responsibility to the fans more than entertaining (them),? the Talk ?N Text squad Saturday justified its recent walkout while blasting the league for its stagnant state in officiating.

?There is always a price to pay for what is right. I am sure Alaska and the PBA have benefited from it, too,? said TNT board representative Ricky Vargas in a statement sent to the Inquirer through text.

?We hope that this sacrifice does not go in vain,? he said, referring to the Tropang Texters? walkout in Game 4 of its quarterfinal series with Barangay Ginebra in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.
The walkout with still a minute left in the first quarter drew a fine of more than P1.2 million.

?Even a death penalty is not a deterrent for those who stand on strong principle and values of integrity and fair play.?

Vargas? statement was in reaction to an Inquirer report that quoted Alaska owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu as saying that an upgraded P10 million fine on teams that walk out in future games ?is a bargain if you can endure the embarrassment.?

In a separate phone interview Friday night, Vargas had asked what the league has done to improve officiating, which he described ?as the symptom of a problem that has been there for the longest time.?

Usually soft-spoken, Vargas said that the league has spent so much money on a lot of things but has held back in spending for a solid referees? training program that could finally make the league global.

?What we have (as technical officials) are recycled experts who hide behind the so-called judgment call,? he said. ?Every time there is a blunder, they say it?s a judgment call.

?But what has the league done to improve the judgment of our referees?? Vargas asked.

Vargas even went as far as suggesting that the league drop its pool of referees and put the job up for bidding at the start of each season or conference, like what the UAAP and the NCAA have been doing.

?The public and the teams deserve to watch a game that is not only well-played, but more importantly, officiated well,? Vargas said.