Fiba-Asia 2013 Phils v. Korea 2013 – That Winning Feeling

It’s hard to write about a game such as last night’s due to the sheer variety and depth of emotions that come with its recollection. For the most part I was calm, primarily due to the fact I don’t buy in to the ‘laban’ and ‘puso’ shtick. My love for my country has nothing to do with basketball and even less on the outcome of a game. I love my country and (deserving) fellow Filipinos, and I’m pretty much sure the the players of Gilas do as well. This is default and non – negotiable, so the idea of it indirectly being questioned every time I read ‘puso’, as if to say we do not have heart if we do not win offends me. If we lose a game we may not be as skilled, as tall, as fluid or whatever, but it’s certainly not because we lack heart. If anything we might have too much heart. Let’s talk basketball tangibles – shooting, assists, defense, and the like. But don’t talk to me about not having heart. Never ever doubt heart.

Whew. Ok moving on:

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FIBA-Asia Aftermath

I’ll get right to the gist of the matter.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record and mentioning what everyone knows already, Professional Sports and playing for a National Team just doesn’t work. For example: As if to emphasize my point, fresh this morning as I wrote this, Yahoo reports that the Dallas Mavericks is not allowing Dirk Nowitzki to play for the Euro League. Notwithstanding both parties’ cordial reaction re the matter, the fact still remains a player’s two loyalties, playing for country whilst making a living playing as a pro is akin to having cake and attempting to eat it too.

You can’t make a living as a pro and then drop everything to play for free for the National Team and expect everyone (ie. your bosses) to be happy about it. You just can’t.

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