‘Rebellious’ Boybits tells young players: Put the team ahead of yourself

Boybits Victoria talks to #SportsIQ.

The many-time PBA champion addressed one of the more controversial stretches of his career by admitting to being at fault, before giving advice to players on the importance of keeping one’s ego in check.

“I was really the one destroying the chemistry of the team,” Victoria told Sports IQ, the Inquirer’s live omni-platform sports talk show.

Boybits was referring to the part of his career where he forced Pop Cola to trade him because he wasn’t getting along with coach Norman Black.

“Coming from RFM, those were low days of my career. Around 1996 to 1997, coach Norman and I weren’t getting along. I was a rebel,” he said.

Now wiser, with barely visible pepper streaks marking the side of his hair, Victoria, who analyzes PBA games on radio, urges young players not to fall into being too self-absorbed.

“They should really think more about the team than themselves,” he said, adding that players should take care of their money and save up for retirement.

The former PBA Rookie of the Year has enough tided over from his career and augments his savings by working as a sales head for Victoria Sports Center, the country’s biggest one-stop shop for athletes.

“It has facilities for almost every sport, basketball, volleyball, futsal, fencing, you name it. It’s all there,” he added.

Victoria’s rebellious ways forced the trade, but it turned out to be a blessing. He was shipped to a loaded San Miguel squad, where he was no longer the star or even a starter.

Victoria played backup to Olsen Racela at the point.

He recalled coach Jong Uichico calling him one early morning and said: “‘We got you because we believe you can help San Miguel dominate. This is your job, this is your role. I followed their instructions and never regretted anything.”

He also remembered being blown away by coach Ron Jacobs in his first practice with the team.

“We in the second unit were watching from the sidelines and I was messing around with Mike Mustre. Coach Ron was at the farthest end of the court and later on, approached me and told me exactly what I was saying. I don’t know if he’s a lip-reader or a magician, but he told me, ‘you better listen to Jong.’ Starting then, I no longer messed around.”

Watching the live broadcast through Inquirer’s social media platforms, Uichico was all praise for Victoria.

“Boybits is one of the best starting point guards the PBA has produced. With his ego cast aside, he accepted his role as Olsen’s dependable back up and played the role superbly. He was instrumental in the Beermen’s championships.”