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  • Basketball is not for Filipinos

    Do you believe this crap?

    Basketball is not for Filipinos


    By Manolo Iñigo
    Inquirer
    Last updated 05:25am (Mla time) 07/18/2006

    Published on page A22 of the July 18, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

    THE STIRRING victories of Filipino jungolfers Dottie Ardina, Cyna Rodriguez and Mia Legaspi in last week’s Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego, California, and the euphoria over the just-ended FIFA World Cup in Germany should open the eyes of sports officials to encourage the development of non-basketball sports where height is not an advantage.

    I have no quarrel with the fact that basketball is the country’s No. 1 sport, but sports officials should be reminded that the importance they are giving to the dash-and-dribble game has become too exaggerated. In fact, even the legendary Carlos Loyzaga, the greatest Filipino basketball player of all time, once noted that in the Philippines basketball has top priority over the other sports. “This is wrong,” said Mr. Loyzaga, who is now based in Australia, “because there are other sporting disciplines where the Filipino athletes can excel.”

    Basketball is simply not the sport for Filipinos. Take the 2006 William Jones Cup in Taiwan, for example. Even though sports officials formed a well-funded Philippine team composed mostly of PBA players and a few pro-bound college stars, SMC-Pilipinas still failed to make the round of four after losing four games in five starts during the qualifying series. It’s a pity because in the past the Philippines was always assured of making an impact and, in most cases, bringing home a medal from a regional tournament of this level.

    Many say that the huge budget earmarked for the national cage team would have been spent more wisely if it was used to promote and develop non-basketball sports like golf, football, tennis, boxing, bowling, billiards and chess, to cite a few.

    In the mid-1980s, then jungolfers Ramon Brobio and Carito Villaroman put the Philippines on the world map when they won the World Junior Golf Championships. Frankie Miñoza, Dorothy Delasin and Jennifer Rosales also did the country proud by making their presence felt on the international golf scene. In football, Filipinos can perform better because of their speed and raw courage. As retired Col. Julian Malonso, a former Philippine Olympic Committee president, said: “Basketball is not the sport for the Filipinos because height counts much. We should concentrate more on football mainly because the ball is on the ground.”

    The late Felicisimo “Mighty Mite” Ampon, the first Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year in 1950, was the toast of the tennis world during his prime; Gabriel “Flash” Elorde was pro boxing’s hero before Manny Pacquiao, while Olympic silver medal winners Anthony Villanueva and Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco were the country’s top simonpures. Paeng Nepomuceno gave us our proudest moments in tenpin bowling, winning a record four World Cup titles; simple and humble Efren “Bata” Reyes is the planet’s “greatest billiards player” while Eugene Torre, Asia’s first grandmaster, and, most recently, Mark Paragua, are the brightest stars in the world of chess.

    The Philippines was unable to participate in three international basketball tournaments last year, including the Asian Basketball Confederation championship and the RP-hosted 23rd Southeast Asian Games after the country was suspended by FIBA, the international basketball federation. FIBA banned the country after the Philippine Olympic Committee expelled the Basketball Association of the Philippines. Now both the POC headed by Jose “Peping” Cojuangco and the BAP led by Joey Lina are racing against time to convince FIBA honchos to lift the suspension so that the Philippines may again compete in the Asian Games set in Doha, Qatar, on Dec. 1-15.

  • #2
    Well, basketball shouldn't be the only sport to be given focus, but Filipinos CAN definitely play basketball. I don't think this guy even knows what he is talking about.
    Last edited by jramoyo; 07-18-2006, 08:08 AM.
    Jarinx Basketball @BuzzerBeater.com
    http://www.buzzerbeater.com/team/107143/overview.aspx

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    • #3
      Are you really serious? Filipinos definitely can play basketball. All we had to do is send the very best player in our country. Always think positive and we can conquer what ever it is.
      PHILIPPINES can conquer you all..

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      • #4
        the writer's just got tired of RP team set backs in international basketball... he's just sayin that we should fpcus more on boring sports.... and forget basketball!!!!
        You've got to have it to win it

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        • #5
          okay i am not here to generalize in any way nor insult my ethnic background as a filipino, but this guy is just pissing crap out of his cock. 2nd what i dont understand is that ive seemed to notice that when situations such as defeat and strings of embarassments that hinder success, filipinos (ones that ive known) tend to cave in and have this mentally of "oh well it happened, cant do anything about it, let god and the catholic church be our saviors and take pity on us" type of crap. i just cant understand this mentality and way of thinking. to me basketball players whether serious or for recreation level be better putting there hardest and better not live that court without either bleeding or throwing up. maybe its just me and my idea of "fall down 7 times, get up 8 times". this guy seriously needs to go and vent his frustration on something else.
          "A nationality that easily feels wronged is an insecure one, and one that will be difficult to progress."-Anonymous

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          • #6
            A lot of people think Chinese height is the reason they excel in basketball. In my opinion China improved there skill not just grown taller. Height is not might, but an advantage just like being small and quick has its own advantage. Remember Korea beaten China in Asian Games 2002(I still feel the anguish on that event) despite lacking in height. The reason we are losing ground in basketball just like USA, we don’t have a long term and grassroots plan for our national team. Hopefully this time we learned our lesson and we also should concentrate on improving our skills to adapt in international competition. In the last Jones Cup most of our opponents beat us by great shooting from the outside.

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            • #7
              Filipinos Love basketball that’s the reason we devote our resources to it. Don’t blame basketball fans in supporting this sport, there’s nothing wrong about loving basketball. Which is much better to put our resources to, something the nation loves or something we excel on? If we can do both then that’s great. If I'm going to invest on a huge amount on something, I’ll rather be on something that I LOVE. Just like picking your course on college, you chose the one you're dreaming of since you’re a kid than want other thinks it’s the best. Many said that basketball is unintelligent choice of sport for Filipinos coz of our lack in size. If that’s true then China should be the best in the world because they can put 5 7footers in the court.

              I believe Filipinos Love Basketball coz we love to watch underdogs win a game. We Love Ginebra coming from behind to win and display the “Never say die" attitude. We Love to see Johnny A make a shot against M. Aquino. If there is one sport we are greatly underdogs (coz of our height) it will be basketball and the great thing about it we can excel. How we love to see our NT go up against China and beat them, how we love to see the entire world who undermanned us, marveled on our superiority in this sport.

              I do agree that we should fund and be more active in other sports, but don’t blame our LOVE for basketball for the other sports woes. Taking the Passion away from the millions of Basketball Loving Filipinos, you need more resources than the entire world can provide. We play basketball not by height but by heart.

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              • #8
                Let's all just wait for Japeth!
                You've got to have it to win it

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                • #9
                  He is right by saying we should also concentrate with other sports. But he's wrong by saying we must forget basketball.

                  Does he expect filipinos to like Golf? Larong mayaman yan eh. (game for the rich people). Besides, how will filipinos play the game when you need hectares of land to field in at 5 or more players playing the game while in basketball, you just need a ball (any kind of ball, even tennis balls been used by pinoys to play games) and something that can be used as a basket (can be a pail or a trashcan).
                  Please visit -->THE IGNORED GENIUS

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                  • #10
                    Manolo Iñigo is a senile old man who is a jolog masquerading as a sports columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He doesnt know what he's talking about...i pity this old man really
                    <--- science always wins over bullshit --->

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                    • #11
                      poor old man iñigo! i read his article and he really doesn't know what he's talking about... im so sick of these bullshit columns he's writing... poor old man!

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                      • #12
                        We have the players to play this game. Unfortunately in my opinion we are developing them in a wrong way.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Airmaxone View Post
                          We have the players to play this game. Unfortunately in my opinion we are developing them in a wrong way.
                          Too much influence by the NBA. We try to be like NBA players but we can't because we are not tall or athletic enough.
                          Originally posted by gideon
                          Not sure why all on here got salty when the Serbian coach said Gilas lacked any real quality. I mean isn't that glaringly obvious.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by judasmartel View Post
                            Too much influence by the NBA. We try to be like NBA players but we can't because we are not tall or athletic enough.

                            They're getting taller,bigger and more athletic,I like the NBA style in the pros,if not the public will get bored with too plain basketball and they will stop supporting the game.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by ARMIR View Post
                              They're getting taller,bigger and more athletic,I like the NBA style in the pros,if not the public will get bored with too plain basketball and they will stop supporting the game.
                              Can't we just combine Pinoy-style larong kanto with European type of discipline in the PBA? No, we don't need teams to exclusively play Euro ball (we can't), teams should just be more disciplined and accurate in making their plays while still maintaining the trademark larong kanto Pinoy style basketball.

                              Also, our local coaches are still too invested on positions! About time we promote positionless basketball in the PBA. If a bigman can play decent PG, bring the ball up the floor, and make long-range shots regularly, let them! If a guard can post up underneath and rebound like a bigman, let them! Huwag masyadong ikulong sa positions. It will stunt their development as players.

                              In the end, it comes down to how we develop our players at the grassroots. If the tallest kid in your team has guard skills and wants to play guard, let him play guard! There are a lot of plays in FIBA and the NBA that do not require a dominant center at all. A 6-5 kid who can play PG, bring the ball up the court, shoot 3s, and get rebounds in a tournament consisting of sub 6-footers is a nightmare for all other teams! I hope our local coaches in the grassroots realize this!
                              Originally posted by gideon
                              Not sure why all on here got salty when the Serbian coach said Gilas lacked any real quality. I mean isn't that glaringly obvious.

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