No love for Amores

Here we go again. John Amores has escalated his violent tendencies and has spilled over from fisticuffs on-court to armed attempted murder of rival Lee Cacalda off it. All told, this would be the fifth such incident of his brand of vigilante justice in the sport. But this crime takes the cake.

First, he allegedly participated in a game outside of the PBA, a breach of contract if proven. Secondly, he was betting on the said game. Third, he was carrying around a firearm. Fourth, he stalked and attempted to shoot his opponent. With nowhere to go and his options few, Amores and his brother surrendered to the authorities. Perhaps he realized that he is safer behind bars rather than at the receiving end of his own kind of violence.

Oftentimes, anger is a result inability or lack of capacity to control one’s environment. We generally lash out in protest of the way things are that we do not agree with. But often, we are able to outgrow tantrum-throwing behavior in early adulthood. This is apparently not the case with Amores.

There is also a sense of overblown machismo in many of these cases. The aggressive nature of many contact sports may lead one to try to continue asserting dominance over others outside the rules or the confines of the games themselves. These are not the kinds of people who would hug each other after a boxing match. No, they would carry the grudge and use it as fuel for their uncontrolled rage.

In the US and other countries, professional athletes are trained how to handle interviews, politics and violence. They are also protected by the system instituted by their professional leagues. It is very rare for a professional athlete like an NBA player to be subjected to the criminal justice system. There is a protective cordon around them, to make sure that scandal stays contained. Several NBA superstars have documented cases ranging from assault to drug possession to speeding, cases which all went away. Unfortunately for former NCAA Sportsmanship awardee Amores, he is on his own.

At this point, incarceration will take the place of counseling. In the age of mental health awareness and post-traumatic stress disorder, professional help has been neglected for the disgraced cager. Without guidance, he will have to look deep inside to realize what triggers his outbursts. There is no room for it in a civilized society.

Thank God he didn’t kill anyone.