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I MUST have last spoken with NCAA Commissioner Jun
Bernardino during the loop’s finals in the 2006 season, a
successful one in his debut in the
position. A picture of us together is featured in A Time to Roar,
the story of how the title was won by San Beda. He was there every
game. We would chat.
Now, he is gone. The good ones
are going.
He helped in the yearly effort to
pick the San Beda Sports Hall of Famers by chairing the panel
choosing the awardees.
The last thing I read about him
was his reservation on linking the PBA with gaming or gambling, if
you will. But now, it is not only that the Pinoy would bet on
anything that moves. Even the religious are at it. It may really be
Genesis 19, Sodom and Gomorrah. But then again the Gospel of last
Sunday was about casting the first stone.
I myself am for legalized
gambling, within reason. But, there is no place one can turn to now
in Metro Manila without bumping into some casino. It is said of
chick-boys that after a night out, no matter which direction he
would face, he would be going home. That is how I now feel about
casinos which appeal to the baser devils of our nature. The end
justifies the means?
Jun B. might have been in the San
Beda versus UST game in Ninoy Aquino last month on Edsa Day but
gad, demented-dementiaed me cannot now be certain.
My being a certified masamang
damo may give me confidence that my number would not seen be up.
Still, when the Good Lord calls, you go. I can move to reconsider
but the odds are very long indeed.
One who has also left to go to
that undiscovered place from which no one returns was Bob Woolmer,
Pakistani cricket team coach. He was strangled to death two weekends
ago after his powerful team was beaten in the cricket World Cup in
Jamaica—just the day before, by Ireland. A stunning result,
it is said to be one of the greatest upsets in the game’s history.
Back home, in Multan, mobs called
for the heads of Bob and the Pakistani captain, a native of that
city. Was it an angry fan as his widow theorizes? Others are less
kind, and suggest game-fixing. Others say it might have to do with
his corruption exposé in two books written with others due to come
out soon.
Team captain Inzaman-ul Haq
stepped down following the shocking loss. That is something we
don’t see hereabouts. (Indeed, when we became No. 1 in corruption
as perceived in the region, I was concerned that many would claim
credit and step forward to receive the Regional Corruption Cup.)
I have to admire astig Frankie
Lim for taking over from title- winning coach Koy Banal. It is
tabla-talo for him. A repeat is always difficult anywhere. That is
the dilemma of Frank. If we win, ho-hum, if we lose, kasi si Frank.
For the sake of San Beda, we will
cheer on Frankie, another fellow Bedan who played on championship
teams. He is really in a very tight spot. We thank Koy for the
memories. But if that last shot of PCU had gone in, I might have a
hard time helping preventing his own strangulation.
There might have been
accusations. But, pray tell, if you will fix a game, who will you
approach, the team owner, coach, star player or the ref? We have to
be sure of our premises.
It may be like banning spouses
from working together with justices in the office. They will
continue to be spouses anyway. I just wonder whether it was the
magistrates who had lobbied so boring wife could be subbed by sweet
young thing, who would even be a better fixer. And honest couples,
stigmatized, will now struggle all the more to keep the economic
foundation of honesty.
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