BAP-SBP Split in Cebu?
Bleacher Talk
June 24, 2007
BAP-SBP Split in Cebu?
I’ll ask this up front and hope our sports leaders can give me a straight answer. Is there a split between the Basketball Association of the Philippines regional chapter and the BAP-SBP?
I ask this because I’m concerned. After attending the unity meeting that saw the birth of the united BAP-SBP in Manila earlier in the year, I was all high hopes that Cebu would play a major role as one of the leading regional basketball hubs of the country. I was thus expecting to see unified activities that would bring all our local basketball leaders together and on the same page. But is this happening?
What got me worried were the separate announcements of two upcoming tournaments. The first is the Talk ’N Text SBP-BAP MVBA Invitational Basketball Tournament that kicks off today, while the other is the BAP Danao City Mayor’s Cup on June 29. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great that Cebu will be awakened from a quiet basketball summer with the holding of these tournaments. In fact, this is good for Cebu.
My concern is with the way these events are being branded. It seems like the holding of both tournaments isn’t coming from a unified Cebu Basketball family. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there are a few signs that don’t speak well of a united front. For starters, why do both have to carry different tournament prefixes, with emphasis on the group with which they’re identified? Why is the MVBA tournament tagged with SBP-BAP? Can’t we call it the Talk ‘N Txt MVBA Invitational and do away with the SBP-BAP? Why is the Danao tournament called the “BAP” tournament? Can’t we just call it the Danao City Mayor’s Cup? Sorry for all the questions, but can’t we just act as one family?
But I’ve always been an optimist and a positive thinker, and there is some good news that should be mentioned as these are opportunities where the Cebu Basketball family can get together as one. For one, we have in our midst the presence of sports leaders who are willing to stand up to keep Cebu Basketball alive and kicking. Yayoy Alcoseba will always be there to represent the MVBA. Corporate executive Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy Jr. and lawyer-sportsman Baldomero Estenzo bring with them the collegiate teams of the CESAFI. Jack Huang is also there as part of the Cebu-flavored Dazz team in the PBL (albeit in Manila). And most recently, businessman Lorenzo “Chao” Sy was appointed as the BAP-7 Director. I’m still confused when it comes to determining BAP’s role in the mix of the unified BAP-SBP, but let’s discuss that later.
The latest positive development from the Talk ’N Text SBP-BAP MVBA Invitational Basketball Tournament is that BAP-7 Director Lorenzo “Chao” Sy is bringing in the Hotel Fortuna team to replace Arthro Kontra Arthritis which pulled out from the tournament. Sy, a sportsman who has been involved in basketball and boxing in the past, is the same person organizing the BAP Danao City Mayor’s Cup tournament. I’m just hoping that this development is an indicator of more good things to come. I’m sure Sy can work well with other sports leaders even if he’s identified with the BAP “wing” of Graham Lim.
It has also been reported that Sy has asked the CESAFI for their consent to let their teams play in the BAP Danao City Mayor’s Cup tournament. This came at the heels of reports that CESAFI teams will need the approval of the CESAFI board if they are join other tournaments. If the CESAFI sees the need for a pre-season tournament, then maybe this could be it. Can they work with the BAP on this, or better yet, can they somehow ignore the BAP tag that goes along with the tournament’s name?
While I still have questions and doubts on Graham Lim’s motives behind organizing and moving the BAP as if it were still separate from the BAP-SBP, I’m hopeful that Sy will be able to work beyond these and move for whatever is good for Cebu. I still feel that there shouldn’t be a BAP working on its own. The local basketball family should work as one group under the unified BAP-SBP. After all, wasn’t this unity supposed to get rid of the problems brought about by the previous BAP management?
But what steps have our local leaders taken to work as a united front under the umbrella of the BAP-SBP? It has been around five months since the launch of the BAP-SBP, but that was for Manila. What about Cebu? Where are we now on this path to unity? Was the recent visit of BAP-SBP Executive Director (and one-time Cebu resident) Pato Gregorio instrumental in bringing Cebu’s leaders together? Will his visit to Cebu on Thursday mean the start of anything big for Cebu?
And so I ask again. Is there a split between the BAP-SBP and the BAP here in Cebu?
***
Time-out: Happy birthday to our publisher Sir Nito Jabat! May St. John the Baptist “wet” you and The Freeman with blessings galore! >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com
June 24, 2007
BAP-SBP Split in Cebu?
I’ll ask this up front and hope our sports leaders can give me a straight answer. Is there a split between the Basketball Association of the Philippines regional chapter and the BAP-SBP?
I ask this because I’m concerned. After attending the unity meeting that saw the birth of the united BAP-SBP in Manila earlier in the year, I was all high hopes that Cebu would play a major role as one of the leading regional basketball hubs of the country. I was thus expecting to see unified activities that would bring all our local basketball leaders together and on the same page. But is this happening?
What got me worried were the separate announcements of two upcoming tournaments. The first is the Talk ’N Text SBP-BAP MVBA Invitational Basketball Tournament that kicks off today, while the other is the BAP Danao City Mayor’s Cup on June 29. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great that Cebu will be awakened from a quiet basketball summer with the holding of these tournaments. In fact, this is good for Cebu.
My concern is with the way these events are being branded. It seems like the holding of both tournaments isn’t coming from a unified Cebu Basketball family. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there are a few signs that don’t speak well of a united front. For starters, why do both have to carry different tournament prefixes, with emphasis on the group with which they’re identified? Why is the MVBA tournament tagged with SBP-BAP? Can’t we call it the Talk ‘N Txt MVBA Invitational and do away with the SBP-BAP? Why is the Danao tournament called the “BAP” tournament? Can’t we just call it the Danao City Mayor’s Cup? Sorry for all the questions, but can’t we just act as one family?
But I’ve always been an optimist and a positive thinker, and there is some good news that should be mentioned as these are opportunities where the Cebu Basketball family can get together as one. For one, we have in our midst the presence of sports leaders who are willing to stand up to keep Cebu Basketball alive and kicking. Yayoy Alcoseba will always be there to represent the MVBA. Corporate executive Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy Jr. and lawyer-sportsman Baldomero Estenzo bring with them the collegiate teams of the CESAFI. Jack Huang is also there as part of the Cebu-flavored Dazz team in the PBL (albeit in Manila). And most recently, businessman Lorenzo “Chao” Sy was appointed as the BAP-7 Director. I’m still confused when it comes to determining BAP’s role in the mix of the unified BAP-SBP, but let’s discuss that later.
The latest positive development from the Talk ’N Text SBP-BAP MVBA Invitational Basketball Tournament is that BAP-7 Director Lorenzo “Chao” Sy is bringing in the Hotel Fortuna team to replace Arthro Kontra Arthritis which pulled out from the tournament. Sy, a sportsman who has been involved in basketball and boxing in the past, is the same person organizing the BAP Danao City Mayor’s Cup tournament. I’m just hoping that this development is an indicator of more good things to come. I’m sure Sy can work well with other sports leaders even if he’s identified with the BAP “wing” of Graham Lim.
It has also been reported that Sy has asked the CESAFI for their consent to let their teams play in the BAP Danao City Mayor’s Cup tournament. This came at the heels of reports that CESAFI teams will need the approval of the CESAFI board if they are join other tournaments. If the CESAFI sees the need for a pre-season tournament, then maybe this could be it. Can they work with the BAP on this, or better yet, can they somehow ignore the BAP tag that goes along with the tournament’s name?
While I still have questions and doubts on Graham Lim’s motives behind organizing and moving the BAP as if it were still separate from the BAP-SBP, I’m hopeful that Sy will be able to work beyond these and move for whatever is good for Cebu. I still feel that there shouldn’t be a BAP working on its own. The local basketball family should work as one group under the unified BAP-SBP. After all, wasn’t this unity supposed to get rid of the problems brought about by the previous BAP management?
But what steps have our local leaders taken to work as a united front under the umbrella of the BAP-SBP? It has been around five months since the launch of the BAP-SBP, but that was for Manila. What about Cebu? Where are we now on this path to unity? Was the recent visit of BAP-SBP Executive Director (and one-time Cebu resident) Pato Gregorio instrumental in bringing Cebu’s leaders together? Will his visit to Cebu on Thursday mean the start of anything big for Cebu?
And so I ask again. Is there a split between the BAP-SBP and the BAP here in Cebu?
***
Time-out: Happy birthday to our publisher Sir Nito Jabat! May St. John the Baptist “wet” you and The Freeman with blessings galore! >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com
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