First-day blues

A vehicular accident almost spoiled the first day of 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero as new chair of the Philippine Basketball Association.

Romero and his son, Santi, were on their way to the planning session of the PBA board of governors last Friday where he was to formally assume the position of chair at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul, South Korea, when the taxi they were in was hit by a car trying to beat the red light in an intersection.

The GlobalPort team owner said he saw it coming. His first instinct was to hug his son to protect him from harm. Father and son were not injured.

Romero admitted he was traumatized because of the incident and vowed to stop taking cabs while abroad.

“ I must remember to take a limousine whenever abroad,” said Romero.

Also at the Seoul board meeting of the PBA, two governors were questioning over breakfast the recent deal of Mahindra’s core players—KG Canaleta, Aldrech Ramos, Paolo Taha and Bradwyn Guinto— to other teams.

While the other teams are reinforcing their lineups, Mahindra was crippling theirs, noted the two governors. Surprisingly, the Enforcers managed to finish a respectable fifth in the Governors’ Cup.

But now that it has already dealt Canaleta, Ramos, Taha and Guinto away, their future in the coming Philippine Cup that opens on Nov. 20 has turned bleak.

This is in big contrast to Blackwater, which recruited seven fresh players including top pick Mac Belo and No. 1 regular pick Raphael Banal.

The other five are Tristan Perez, Ronjay Buenafe, Raymond Aguilar, Ronald Pascual and James Forrester.

According to Blackwater team manager Johnson Martinez, their new players would be enough to bring them to a respected position this coming conference.

The governors were also dismayed that the Mahindra key players were picked up by already strong teams who could afford them.

One governor suggested PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa should intervene before the competitive balance of the league is compromised.