Taking a bash

Bashing seems to be a favorite pastime among us. It goes with our crab mentality.

We like to criticize for the sake of criticizing. It’s almost in our nature to try to denigrate someone who’s on top. We don’t like looking up because we’re more comfortable looking down.

Maybe, that’s why we’re in such a rut. We’re too busy pulling each other down that we’ve forgotten how to get ahead. We’re so consumed in digging up dirt that we’ve ignored the bright side of things. Life is what you make it and for those of us who prefer to wallow in the muck than bask in the sunshine, misery will be our fate.

The case of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Noli Eala comes to mind.

The fashionable thing to do these days is to blame Eala for the problems that are plaguing the PBA. He’s such a convenient target–or scapegoat–because he’s new on the job, still a little wet behind the ears and a bit cautious in taking his first steps as Jun Bernardino’s successor.

When the PBA’s drug problems surfaced, Eala was thrust into an uncomfortable situation. All he ever wanted was to clean up the PBA’s ranks. He worked out a system where the testing procedure couldn’t be disputed. But when test results showed some players were positive, team owners gnawed at Eala for suspending the violators.

Detractors castigated Eala for destroying the reputation of players who tested positive. He was lambasted because it was unthinkable for some players to test positive and easier to accuse the PBA of foisting an unreliable procedure.

Then came the Fil-Sham controversy. Again, Eala was blamed for allowing the situation to get out of control. Five Fil-foreigners are up for deportation. Three more are under suspicion for allegedly faking the papers that led to their confirmation as Filipino citizens. Unfortunately, politicians are grandstanding to hog the limelight in this celebrated brouhaha at the PBA’s expense.

To stem the tide, Eala is taking a proactive position and convening a five-man panel to look into the papers of not only the eight in question but all 26 Fil-foreigners now playing in the league. He’s got two months, max, to submit a thorough report to the Board of Governors to once and for all, settle the boiling issue.

What about the All-Filipino Cup format? Red Bull fans said it was unfair to the Barako that posted a 14-4 record in the eliminations only to be ousted in the quarterfinals. How could that be Eala’s fault since the Board approved the format and coaches were aware of the probabilities before the start of the conference?

And the recent Talk ‘N’ Text-Red Bull farce to beat the quotient system also couldn’t be blamed on Eala. The Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) suffered a similar ignominy in 1993 and the book was thrown at the culprits–the teams that played to lose in order to avoid falling in the same bracket as China. The organizers were never blamed for it.

The lack of quality international competition in the Invitational Championships was another sin pinned on Eala. But not too many fans knew that it was extremely difficult to bring in foreign teams because of the SARS scare and the specter of terrorism. The Blu Stars of Lebanon backed out. Crack Japanese and Korean squads backed out, too.

Eala could’ve entertained Bill Bayno and Darryl Dawkins who offered to fly in selections but he wanted the PBA teams to learn from European and Asian players instead of the usual Americans. Who would’ve thought that the highly touted Yugoslavians had an agenda of their own in coming here? The Koreans were babes in the woods and the Chinese apologized for their lack of cohesiveness, with two key players out of the lineup after they were elevated to the national pool.

Rather than throw stones at Eala, critics should applaud the revival of the Invitational tournament after 19 years. This season’s Invitationals also marked the first time since 1982 a foreign team played in the PBA.

As expected, Eala took it on the chin for some lapses in officiating in the All-Filipino Cup. Par for the course. But why did he purge the referees’ ranks on the recommendation of a visitor Darrel Garretson, critics wondered. On the other hand, why not? Garretson, the long-time former National Basketball Association supervisor of officials, knows enough about the business to figure out who qualifies as an arbiter. He was here a month to evaluate and monitor the abilities of the officiating staff. Garretson had no blinders, no biases and no favorites. He did his job with only the league’s best interests in mind.

Technical director Perry Martinez has instituted several procedures to improve the level of officiating. So far, so good. Why is it now that the officiating has been above par, there is no pat on Eala’s back? Not that he cares for it, really.

This is a year of transition for the PBA and Eala is steering the ship through turbulent waters. He’s looking to thresh out the kinks and problems this season so the league gets a fresh start in 2004. He’s biting the bullet–hard–and it’s not easy to do.

I’ve known Eala for years, back when he was a TV broadcaster for the PBA. He’s a tireless worker. His love for the game is unquestioned. He’s sacrificed a lot for the league–he gave up his lawyering, his broadcasting. Money’s not a concern for Eala who’s independently wealthy and he could’ve lived a comfortable life without inheriting the headaches of piloting a troubled ship.

What makes Eala a good bet to survive the rigors of intrigue and innuendo is he never backs down from a fight. Taking a bash is part of his baptism of fire. He likes a good challenge. The chances are in the end, he’ll come out on top and the PBA will be the better for it.