HEART, SOUL, SPORTS
Egos, personalities—recipe for disaster
By Tommy Manotoc
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:51:00 01/07/2009
Filed Under: Golf, Golf club mauling incident, Basketball, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
Happy New Year! Today I start my weekly piece with the Philippine Daily Inquirer to share with readers my thoughts on certain issues around sports.
I may write about some things that may offend people, but let me assure you that my criticisms will be constructive.
I will call things as I see them—no more, no less—as I will write topics in sports that are close to my heart and are in my soul.
* * *
The sad event that happened recently at Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City is not uncommon: a member feeling piqued after thinking that his rights in the club were trampled on.
A day after Christmas, members belonging to two groups came to blows at the tee house next to hole No. 5 because of a misunderstanding over the most sacred rule of the game: etiquette.
The groups clashed in the tee house, and later on in the clubhouse, on the very narrow corridor leading to the men’s locker room.
Incidents such as these are the nightmares of every golf club. Egos fly high especially on the golf course where members of the club have to get along.
With the game becoming so popular, all sorts of personalities and egos enter the premises of the club on any given day, quite a potent recipe for disaster, if not handled properly.
Looking deeper, could we have missed the point when we read the stories on the incident recently?
It may not be necessary to find out who was at fault between the two camps.
Separating the two parties after the initial encounter at the tee house and making certain that their paths did not cross within the club’s premises throughout the rest of the day could have been one of the initial and immediate actions taken.
In hindsight, this could have prevented the incident from escalating.
Here’s hoping that a peaceful settlement will be reached for the sake of peace and harmony—things that this wonderful game can bring.
* * *
A few weeks ago, the knockout game between Purefoods and Air21 ended horribly in favor of Air21.
Superstar James Yap and assistant coach Koy Banal almost came to blows on the bench, putting some sidelight to the fact that the Giants failed to come up with the high level of game that fans expected of them for a hyped-up, knockout encounter.
From a former coach’s point of view, its intensity did not merit the importance of the game.
In the final analysis, it is the PBA which has something to reflect on.
Perhaps the basketball season may be too long drawn, lasting all the way till Christmas time.
Games where stakes are high could be scheduled for after the holiday rush.
This will give players time to be with their families during the season, instead of laboring it out on the court.
Giving their 100 percent at this time of the year and after a 12-month-long season may just be too much to ask of the players.
Maybe the officials can consider scheduling exhibition games, or even the All Star games, during this time to be in tune with the festive season.
* * *
The knockout game between Air21 and San Miguel Beer ended in a similarly lopsided fashion, though the intensity displayed by the losing Express was commendable.
That match being a no-tomorrow affair, I would have allowed my more experienced players—who have been together for a longer time—the opportunity to see if they could turn the game around.
On the other hand, the SMB coaching staff really prepared well and the players performed their game plan to perfection.
Send comments by e-mail to tommymanotoc@yahoo.com.
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