THE CURRENT situation in the Philippine Olympic Committee evokes visions of a one-on-one basketball matchup in my mind.
The protagonists: presidential aspirant Go Teng Kok versus reelectionist Peping Cojuangco Jr.
GTK on the offensive, attempting to take a shot from the high percentage area, Cojuangco on the defensive, guarding him like a leech, doing everything to stop him from making an attempt, keeping him from getting anywhere near the shaded lane.
The referees in this game are Ricky Palou of Ateneo, Victorico Chaves and Bro. Bernie Oca of La Salle, the members of the POC Comelec. The result of the match will depend on the calls they make.
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At this stage, GTK is neither disqualified nor eligible to run as POC president, according to Ricky Palou.
“All he needs to do is ensure that the POC receives a copy of the Supreme Court ruling and we will approve his candidacy,” Palou said.
Now I don’t know what GTK is waiting for. An NSA head told me yesterday that he saw with his own two eyes the original and xeroxed copies of the said documents (nullifying an earlier POC decision declaring GTK as persona non grata) in GTK’s possession.
POC first vice president Manny Lopez is confident that this matter will be tackled fairly, as far as Palou and Bro. Oca are concerned.
“Brother Bernie and Ricky Palou will not succumb to the political maneuverings of Peping lackey Concoy Chavez. The POC charter may be vague on election rules, but these rules cannot be circumvented,” the reelectionist from the opposition group said.
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With PBA D-League three-time titlist NLEX losing seven of its key players to the PBA draft this year, you’d think that head coach Boyet Fernandez would be hard-pressed to put together a team just as competitive as the last one or the first two.
To the opponents’ dismay, however, this year’s Road Warriors seem to look even more formidable than any of the first three lineups.
Observes Boyet’s fellow coach in the D-League who recently scouted the Road Warriors: “The holdovers got better, the new recruits led by former Blue Eagles Nico Salva and 7-footer Greg Slaughter provide depth in all five positions. With Slaughter alternating at center with NCAA MVP Ian Sangalang, the NLEX frontline has been tremendously fortified.”
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PBA Commissioner Chito Salud said every avid PBA fan should own one.
The commissioner was referring to the PBA on AKTV app for Android Smartphones which provides updates on practically everything about the PBA, even while a game is ongoing.
“For example, if you want to know the score, or any other stat of an actual game in real time, all you have to do is press a button in your android,” explained Salud. “We’re bringing the action of the country’s premiere cage league closer to millions of Filipinos with this mobile app, which was created by Smart and Sports5. It’s a must for all PBA aficionados.”
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TV5 executive VP/COO Bobby Barreiro said their primary aim when they created this app is to provide fans with the best content for every game, “while connecting them with each other. Pinoys love to watch PBA games. They want to see the scores of the players, the stats of their favorite teams. Fans from all over the world will now be able to gain access to live information, game alerts, and live status updates from their favorite PBA personalities.”
According to Mitch Padua, Smart head for Internet Products, the PBA on AKTV mobile app is now available via free download on the Google Play online store and soon on the Apple App Store.