Choosing a Leader for SBP

Bleacher Talk

Nov 12, 2006

Choosing a Leader for SBP

For awhile, it was all good news for Philippine basketball family. It looked like the estranged members of the family were all committed to get the family back as one, after having another one of those usual in-fighting among family members. But just like serious family troubles, the main issues that have kept the basketball family into two sides refuse to go away.

And so we’re all back to square one. Just as the formation of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) had overcome the rough roads of the initial stage of its conception, it now looks like there are even tougher roads up ahead, complete with uphill climbs, winding roads and terrible weather slowing everything down, with a serious threat of stalling the momentum completely.

The family is so close, yet so far in finalizing what could be the biggest moment in Philippine basketball history, with only one more thing stalling us. Who is to lead the new united basketball family?

But what went wrong? Why can’t the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB) seem to get that final stamp that will seal all the unification thrusts and establish the SBP as the NSA for basketball? The irony of it all was that both sides agreed to set their differences aside and pursue the unity path, with the FIBA’s top brass as witnesses (at the recent FIBA Congress in Japan).

At this point, it might be useless to talk about the major disagreements that have hounded both sides of the conflict. These have been present ever since the BAP has managed the sport in the country and it has gotten to become a never ending story.

The crucial task that needs to be done asap is to identify the issues and real reasons why the BAP and PB refuse to work together. It surely isn’t going to be an easy task but unless it’s done, we’ll be stuck with the same problem forever. I guess another way to look at the problem may be to ask why both sides are so hot and keen at controlling the future SBP. A similar question that has bothered me for a long time now is why there seems to be so much interest in controlling a sport’s NSA. If you look at other NSA’s, you can’t help but notice how they too, encounter problems related to leadership, control and management. Very much in the sports pages this year have been the internal problems of the NSA’s of football and softball. The fight for NSA leadership and/or the heavy load of criticism against existing leaders from opponents in these NSA’s has gotten to be very intense. With the way these “sportsmen” vie for leadership spots of their sport, it leads one to conclude that there must be something behind this post that makes one thirst for it.

And so I ask: What is the x-factor that makes the top spot of an NSA so desirable?

One of the most common roots of many family squabbles is money. Could it be the same in this case? How much money, or is there money that goes along with being chosen to lead an NSA? If it isn’t money, why does someone spend so much of his precious time and money to lead an NSA? Or is he truly doing this for the pure love of the sport? If we were a member of an NSA and had voting powers, what kind of leader would we want to elect to the top post?

The squabble for the top post of the SBP has the BAP and PB split down the line with the BAP’s newly chosen President, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, wanting to be the SBP’s President. This is the latest twist ever since it all looked like Manny Pangilinan was the acceptable choice of both sides to become the SBP’s big boss. While all the backroom transactions and meetings are taking place as to who should lead the family, we’re now getting a clearer picture of the kind of leaders both sides would like to have. The positive side out of all this is that by just choosing a leader, we’re slowly but surely getting to know the character and personality of both sides. More importantly, we should also have an idea of what kind of leader they would become if and when elected to the top post. And yes, there will always be the good guy and the bad guy: one with pure intentions and the other, questionable.

So what will it be? If the members of the SBP Board really think about it in the same way that the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals pray when they elect a new Pope, it should be a no-brainer.

*** Time-out: 46 days to Christmas! >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.