It's all about Japanese yen

IF I were in their shoes, I'd do the same thing. Everyone, especially those with families, have no choice but to play for pay. This is the problem of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the East Asia Super League (EASL) today. The pandemic, not allowing the PBA to open for almost two years, opened the floodgates to think of their future and they saw none here. We closed down while the Japanese pro league entertained their inactive and bored following and saw another window for Filipino basketball hungry fans to watch their superstars in action from faraway shores. While in contrast, we really had nothing to offer then. While the NBA continued with their money-making league, as well as the USA NCAA, we were still in the dark while this column kept blowing our horn to resume the action, but the IATF kept their eyes and ears closed pretending to be as Popish as Caesar's wife in the guise of protecting our sports loving people in what later on turned out to be one of the worst in responding to the Covid crisis, as per the World Health Organization. Leaving the players no choice but to think of greener pastures, not only to keep in shape for two years of limbo, but most of all, for the Japanese yen of it. The PBA has no one to blame. Money talks in almost whatever sport or anywhere these days. Especially if I was single and thinking of my future, where else would I go? Wanna stop the exodus? Tell the EASL to allow only homegrown players to play. No imports, which I doubt. Unless the PBA franchisees offer a higher note, be it in yen, peso, won, or dollar, stop blaming the hoopsters. Okay, guys?

Don't you get tired of losing?