Passion’s back in PBA

In case you haven’t noticed, the passion’s back in a big way in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and fans couldn’t be happier.

Players are diving for loose balls. They’re scrambling for possession. They’re protesting bad calls–within reasonable limits, of course. Bodies are getting banged up and bruised. Coaches are ranting and raving–don’t expect them to sit quiet in the heat of the moment. Basketball is, after all, an emotional game.

Sure, there’s a flaw in the All-Filipino Cup format in that records in the double round eliminations aren ‘t carried over to the quarterfinals, leaving the door open for some no-bearing games down the stretch. But the word is most coaches like the idea of the extended eliminations because it allows for more time to build team chemistry.

Besides, the flaw doesn’t seem to deter the players from going all out with the kind of passion that the PBA has stamped as its trademark since the Crispa-Toyota glory years. That’s because there are limited playing jobs available and so many hopefuls waiting for a chance to hook up. In economic terms, the supply far exceeds the demand. Players are fighting to keep their jobs game in, game out–realizing hungry players are out there, just waiting for the opportunity to show they’re better.

After the double round eliminations, only one team from the two five-team groups will bow out. That will leave four survivors in each group to play in the single-round quarterfinals where a team plays three games, one against each team in its group.

As it’s turning out, the race to finish out of the cellar in both groups will likely go down to the wire. Alaska appears to be a cinch to qualify in its group but San Miguel Beer, FedEx, Sta. Lucia Realty, and Purefoods are in hot contention, too. Barangay Ginebra is skidding in the other group. Still, the Kings aren’t out of it yet although the struggle to survive will be extremely arduous considering Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Talk ‘N’ Text, and Shell are their groupmates.

To keep the fervor burning in the PBA, here are 10 suggestions:

• Control the Ts. Referees shouldn’t be too whistle-happy. They should let players and coaches express their emotions spontaneously. Don’t rob them of their freedom of expression. This shouldn’t be taken to mean that referees will tolerate verbal abuse or excessive display of displeasure. Referees should understand that players and coaches, like themselves, are human, too.

• Don’t be too laid-back. Coaches use different styles and approaches to fire up their players. It doesn’t pay to be too laid-back because players might translate the passiveness into a lack of urgency. Sometimes, coaches even invite the T as a tactic to wake up their slumbering players.

• Go to war. No quarters taken, no quarters given. The focus should be every game is an all-out war. No prisoners. So much is at stake–bonuses, the chance to advance to the next level of competition, a bigger contract in the future. Players must realize they’ve got so much to lose if they don’t put out.

• Forget friendships. In a game, there are no friends, only foes. Respect your opponents but don’t hold back. You’re friends off the court but on it, you’re the most bitter enemies. Nothing personal. Business is business. Players are professional athletes. It’s all in the line of work.

• Let go incidental contact. Referees shouldn’t call ticky-tack fouls. Basketball is a contact sport so expect a lot of physicality in the way it’s played. If no player is put at an advantage or disadvantage as a result of contact, referees should just swallow their whistles and let the players play the game. If the referees are too much in control, the players lose their fire.

• Fight for the ball like your life depends on it. That’s the devil-may-care attitude. Every possession is precious, regardless of the score. If the ball is loose, dive for it with reckless abandon. Don’t just watch it bounce away. A player should seize every opportunity to show what he can do for his team. A lackadaisical attitude won’t do.

• Open communication lines. Referees shouldn’t act like they’re God’s gifts to the game. Obviously, they’re the guys in charge of keeping things in order but they’re not demigods. They should learn to communicate with players and coaches–even during the game–to preserve the flow and beauty of the game. They shouldn’t just turn their backs on players and coaches who want to say something. If you ignore, it may trigger a sense of frustration and a curb on intensity. Of course, if referees hear something that shouldn’t be said, that calls for a reaction, too.

• Don’t be afraid to show emotion. If you’re a player, it’s expected for you to show emotion during a game. Express yourself. If you hit a basket, thump your chest. If you get a call your way, look up to the ceiling and raise your hands. If you score on a good pass, point your finger at your feeder to acknowledge the assist. Let it all hang out. Drama makes the game more exciting.

• Get the fans involved. Players shouldn’t detach themselves from the crowd. Fans inject an extra dose of energy for players who feed off of it. The noisier the fans, the more exciting the atmosphere. Players shouldn’t be embarrassed to cup their ears as if to prompt the fans to get loud.

• Hard work pays off. It’s all about playing your guts out. It’s all about intensity, aggressiveness, and energy. It’s all about passion. When you commit to playing your best, it means you’ll do everything within your power to go flat out for a win. That’s the kind of commitment that brings out the fire in your belly.

The passion is back in the PBA. Let it burn.

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