I do not blame anyone for being under immense pressure because we all wanted to win a gold medal in the Asian Games, specifically in men’s basketball.
And for the last 61 years, the Philippines’ basketball association has been doing its efforts to achieve that. And they did it!
Our media friends covering the Asian Games in Hangzhou have been doing their best too in dispatching stories and I could not blame them for taking special interest in men’s basketball, because basketball is our No.1 sport. As you can see, even our political leaders play basketball with a passion, like Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who I can see on social media still has that mean three-point shot.
For sure, you can always remember our sports leaders saying something like, “Matalo na sa lahat, huwag lang sa basketball”.
Our love for basketball is so immense that anywhere you go, there is always a basketball court. After sun drying the corn or palay in a far-flung barangay, the kids would readily help their parents gather their staple food, place it inside the sacks for packaging, transport it by “kariton” to their stock room, quickly sweep the cemented floor, which are usually shiny and a bit slippery, in order for them to play basketball.
And believe it or don’t, in the far-flung barangays, our children even play basketball, barefooted. And if you look at them, they are the happiest kids you can find.
In almost all fiestas, I could not recall that there are no basketball games as part of the festivities.
In the 1990’s, the late coach Arthur “Tura” Sumalinog of the Holy Cross of Davao College Crusaders would inform me to come with them because they have an out-of-town tournament to join.
And you will be amazed on how people in those small towns look forward to the tournament, kay naay mga taga Davao mo dula. Oh boy, oh boy, I can still remember all those lady fans wildly cheering for the good looking Crusaders.
So it is not a wonder that we are so stressed when our basketball team competes abroad. And what a joy we had when the Gilas Pilipinas under coach Tim Cone did it after 61 years. Coach Tim Cone was so pressured for the first time in his entire life because of the high expectations of our countrymen. Can you just imagine that pressure? Maayo na lang, wala gyud ma heart attack.
If you are fully aware or not, the Asian Games is actually still going on. This time it is our Para Athletes competing.
However, this is the time of Under Pressure to No Pressure, at all.
Why?
Because we do not have high expectations for our basketball squad to win a gold medal.
Good for our hearts!
But, we still wish our Para Athletes like Henry Lopez of chess all the best and hopefully, they will bring medals for our country.
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