Is the Philippines' Olympic Dream Realistic?

[pinoyballer]

SBP targets playing in London Olympics
By Nick Giongco and Tito Talao

Returning to the Olympic Games is foremost on the agenda of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) following the reelection of telecommunications executive Manny V. Pangilinan as president during its national congress yesterday at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

"The SBP should be geared towards making the 2012 London Olympics," said Pangilinan after being voted to the top post by the 25-man board. "That is our main target."

"We should send our best players if we hope to fulfill our dream of playing in the Olympics," Pangilinan said.

"Even the United States does it. Why should we do less? We owe it to our countrymen to send only the best." ~~

What the SBP doesn't say is that this Olympic goal is virtually impossible. Why? Because there's one slot open for all of Asia! Does the SBP think they can unseat China (or even Iran)? There are only two ways this goal could be attained:

1. Naturalize a dominating center AND hire a foreign coach.
   
2. Iran and China make a good showing in the 2008 Olympics by beating a few respectable teams from Europe, North America, and South America. This is the only way that two slots would be opened for Asia.

[manu_bol]

SBP targets playing in London Olympics
By Nick Giongco and Tito Talao

Returning to the Olympic Games is foremost on the agenda of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) following the reelection of telecommunications executive Manny V. Pangilinan as president during its national congress yesterday at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

"The SBP should be geared towards making the 2012 London Olympics," said Pangilinan after being voted to the top post by the 25-man board. "That is our main target."

"We should send our best players if we hope to fulfill our dream of playing in the Olympics," Pangilinan said.

"Even the United States does it. Why should we do less? We owe it to our countrymen to send only the best." ~~

What the SBP doesn't say is that this Olympic goal is virtually impossible. Why? Because there's one slot open for all of Asia! Does the SBP think they can unseat China (or even Iran)? There are only two ways this goal could be attained:

1. Naturalize a dominating center AND hire a foreign coach.
   
2. Iran and China make a good showing in the 2008 Olympics by beating a few respectable teams from Europe, North America, and South America. This is the only way that two slots would be opened for Asia.

is the 1 slot for asia a sure thing for 2012?

maybe they might just maintain 2 slots for asia starting this year.

fiba WC permited 2-3 teams for asia

[pinoyballer]

is the 1 slot for asia a sure thing for 2012?

maybe they might just maintain 2 slots for asia starting this year.

I think it's possible, but only if China and Iran make a good showing this year.

fiba WC permited 2-3 teams for asia

The FIBA World Championship has 24 teams, compared with the Olympics' 12 teams.

[ctongco]

Very realistic.

The last time we played Iran was in the Asian championships where we lost in a close game. Which means we can beat them. More than foreign coaches or naturalized players, we need good prepration. Unlike 2007 when we were scrambling to get the NT back together after the suspension was lifted.

[jrb0yd]

this is possible, but yeah its more highly possible if another slot will be given to asia come the 2012 olympics. but right now we should start preparing. all we need to do is to recall back chot reyes and his crew. remember back in 2004, we had a 4-year program aimed a qualifying at this year's olympics but it was interrupted because of the suspension. this time, it has too be done once again! everyone must cooperate especially the pba!!! just take it from mr. mvp

"The SBP should be geared towards making the 2012 London Olympics," said Pangilinan after being voted to the top post by the 25-man board. "That is our main target."

"We should send our best players if we hope to fulfill our dream of playing in the Olympics," Pangilinan said.

"Even the United States does it. Why should we do less? We owe it to our countrymen to send only the best."

[dreamwalker]

Anybody knows someone in the SBP ? just wondering if they're still going to push through with the naturalization process of a 7-foot rebounding devil aside from the fact that Philippine immigration law states and requires a 10-year residency rule, a 5-year residency when he/she marries a local and by presidential proclamation like what happened to Ronnie Nathanielz during the Marcos administration ?

This law, I think is passe according to our changing times, almost all countries have shorter residency laws, why can't we ? Jus soli (right of soil/birthright citizenship) can also be a good idea, if only politicians can make themseves useful just for once.

And going back to the topic, I believe the Philippines going back to the olympics is not that far fetched but being back to olympics is not just to represent our country but being able to compete with the world's best.

And we still need to naturalize a 7-foot rebounding matter on how ? I don't really know with regards to our naturalization law as I previously mentioned above.

If SBP can find ways to facilitate the naturalization process (if possible) then we're going back to the olympics not just to participate but to kick some butts, make us worthy and back in the world basketball map.

I honestly believe, we can belong to the top 15 basketball nations of the world if we can only get a good 7-foot (or more) rebounding monster, with a good foreign coach, a lot of preparations and a lot of funding, we might get that chance.

[ankle breaker]

why not look for a filipino scientist who can make a formula that can alter genes so that a certain individual can grow more than his usual height. i think it's much more quicker and easier than seeking a 7'0" person to be naturalized.

[interxavierxxx]

RP team setup up for review
By: Gerry Ramos
BAP-SBP chief Manny Pangilinan
THE new leadership of the BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Inc (BAP-SBP) will clarify with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) about the pro league’s impending plan not to lend players anymore for national cause.

Telecommunication mogul Manny V. Pangilinan, fresh from receiving a new four-year mandate from the association’s Board of Trustees following the first ever BAP-SBP Inc. National Congress Thursday, vowed to take up the matter once he gets to sit down with PBA commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios.

A few weeks ago, Barrios bared he’s set to propose before the PBA Board a plan that would no longer allow its players from joining the RP men’s national team.

Other than disrupting the calendar of the league, the PBA commissioner admitted that the absence of superstar players on loan to the national squad always resulted into poor ticket sales and gate attendance.

Besides, Barrios pointed out that recent national teams comprised by an all-pro roster have not done well in major international competitions, adding it would be better if the BAP-SBP Inc. starts to form, train and take care of its own pool of players primarily intended for the RP squad.

Pangilinan is on the same page with Barrios on that standpoint, stressing “we have to create a program and not only rely on coughing of players every year.”

But he said the BAP-SBP Inc. at this time needs every help it can get from Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league, which the chairman of both Smart Communications and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company referred to as one with the best players at the moment.

“Well, we can’t deny the fact that the PBA has the best talent at this point, so we have to include them in the equation,” Pangilinan added.

The president of the country’s sole govern-ing body for basketball said he’ll try to clear up the proposal with Barrios, pointing out that the PBA is among the major stakeholders within the BAP-SBP Inc.

“There’s an avenue to discuss that, the PBA being a member of BAP-SBP Inc.,” he said. “But in fairness to the PBA, it has always been very cooperative.”

Pangilinan owns the Talk ‘N Text team in the PBA, while BAP-SBP Inc. vice-chairman Ricky Vargas is the franchise’s representative to the league Board.

The two, along with Barrios and Red Bull’s Tony Chua represent the professional sector in the 25-man BAP-SBP Inc. Board of Trustees.

Except for the silver medal finish achieved by the first ever all-PBA RP squad during the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, no other pro-reinforced national team figured prominently in major international tournaments.

The San Miguel-backed RP five of coach Chot Reyes failed to secure a berth in the Beijing Games when it finished ninth place in the FIBA-Asia Olympic qualifying tournament last year in Tokushima, Japan.

Meanwhile, the breakaway group of the BAP-SBP Inc. yesterday withdrew the complaint for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) it filed at the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 aimed at preventing the leadership of Pangilinan from holding its National Congress the other day.

Former Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) secretary-general Graham Lim and Red Dumuk appeared at the sala of Judge Aida Layug Friday morning and informed the court that they were withdrawing the group’s earlier complaint for a TRO.

As a result, the judge told that the BAP-SBP Inc. no longer has to file a motion to dismiss.

See what I mean? The decision has not been made yet.

[dreamwalker]

Yup, it's still 50/50 and the commissioner barely admitted that the PBA is losing a lot of revenues due to the absence of superstar players on loan to the national squad always resulted into poor ticket sales and gate attendance.

We just need to wait for the final word.

And who knows, with the best minds in basketball, they can figure it out something and probably come up with a good settlement for all parties involved for the sake of Philippine basketball.

[GB3934]

Basketball is the only team sport where one person can make a dramatic difference on the outcome of a game and literally and figuratively carry a team to a championship. There are only 5 players on the floor and while I'm all for team basketball, crisp passing, high percentage shots and team defense the reality is that a a great player combined with good role players and a great coach can do great things. So it is definitely a possibility in the future the RP NT can compete in the Olympics. Of course the challenge is identifying and developing that super talent and partner with a great coach. It might be difficult and take time but not impossible.

[pinoyballer]

BAP-SBP plans stronger RP fives
By Jasmine W. Payo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 06/13/2008

A MORE STREAMLINED NATIONAL program will be among the priorities of the BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Inc. as it seeks to send a team to the 2012 London Olympics.

“One of the goals is to create a program that no longer just picks a team every year—we have to begin to stay away from that system,” said Noli Eala, shortly after his appointment on Thursday as new BAP-SBP executive director.

“I think what the PBA will need is a program where they know exactly what the SBP wants, rather than the SBP just knocking on their door at any given time. That’s disrupting their whole operation.

“The national team is part of the immediate goals. It’s something that we will look at, not just in terms of developing [the squad] but also in terms of coordinating with stakeholders.”

“The PBA has the best talent at this point, so definitely they have to be in the equation until such time we find a suitable program for the national team,” said Eala.

Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, who was given a fresh four-year term as president in Thursday’s BAP-SBP National Congress at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, said the professional players will continue to play an integral part of the national program.

“I think the country should, as a matter of national obligation, send its best players to try to qualify in the Olympics,” said Pangilinan. “I don’t think we should send anybody less. Even the US, many years ago, insisted on sending their amateurs. And now they’re sending their NBA players. So why would we go any less from what the other countries are doing.”

[dreamwalker]

why not look for a filipino scientist who can make a formula that can alter genes so that a certain individual can grow more than his usual height. i think it's much more quicker and easier than seeking a 7'0" person to be naturalized.

Well, we just need to be realistic about it besides we can't discount the sensitivity on religious issues that woud be raised by the catholic church and the good to nothing so called moralists.

[rensquared]

Very realistic.

The last time we played Iran was in the Asian championships where we lost in a close game. Which means we can beat them. More than foreign coaches or naturalized players, we need good prepration. Unlike 2007 when we were scrambling to get the NT back together after the suspension was lifted.

In that case, they should prepare now... Start training... Only problem is, who will play???

[ros]

Only the PBA will determine what is next for the RP team, as we observe the actions of the PBA commish and the other members of the board they are not keened in an all PBA RP team in the future. And I say this is foolish, what is their purpose as a member of the SBP? Backing out of their obligation might be good for now, financially, but it could later backfire on them especially if the national program does not bear good results.

People and fans will wonder in the future what is PBA doing, hiding in their own shelves and abandoning their obligation. They have the players, the tools, all they have to do is cooperate especially now that we have the right leaders in basketball (SBP).

We should have a silent protest that the PBA should lend its players after all what does P mean in PBA if they're not doing service to the Filipino people.

[jrb0yd]

BAP-SBP plans stronger RP fives
By Jasmine W. Payo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 06/13/2008

A MORE STREAMLINED NATIONAL program will be among the priorities of the BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Inc. as it seeks to send a team to the 2012 London Olympics.

“One of the goals is to create a program that no longer just picks a team every year—we have to begin to stay away from that system,” said Noli Eala, shortly after his appointment on Thursday as new BAP-SBP executive director.

“I think what the PBA will need is a program where they know exactly what the SBP wants, rather than the SBP just knocking on their door at any given time. That’s disrupting their whole operation.

“The national team is part of the immediate goals. It’s something that we will look at, not just in terms of developing [the squad] but also in terms of coordinating with stakeholders.”

“The PBA has the best talent at this point, so definitely they have to be in the equation until such time we find a suitable program for the national team,” said Eala.

Business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, who was given a fresh four-year term as president in Thursday’s BAP-SBP National Congress at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, said the professional players will continue to play an integral part of the national program.

“I think the country should, as a matter of national obligation, send its best players to try to qualify in the Olympics,” said Pangilinan. “I don’t think we should send anybody less. Even the US, many years ago, insisted on sending their amateurs. And now they’re sending their NBA players. So why would we go any less from what the other countries are doing.”

yeah this is what i'm talking about! i see this coming... eala and mr mvp would do everything to help our basketball... i think barrios just made that stupid suggestion because he doesn't have any clue on what eala did during his time as the pba commissioner. he doesn't know the reason why pba changed its calendar, he doesn't know the wasted 4-year program bet. pba and bap, the fiba suspension, etc... well how would he know all of these when he's been away for pba and basketball for a long long time! mr. mvp, eala and chot should start giving basketball lectures to this old guy! pba has no reason to say no!