Team Pilipinas Basketball

[CELTS]

As I recall, the 3 Americans were really recruited to bring the RP back to its basketball glory days. Unfortunately, Chip has some issues with regards to his eligibility thus was not able to play for the country in the ABC championship. But he did play in the Jones Cup, a tournament they joined to prepare the team for the ABC to which the RP won the title over USA.

 

Sad to say, a lot of countries have seen the loop hole of having naturalized players in their team. This could be the reason why the basketball governing body has decided to allow only 1 naturalized player. Come to think of it, it would be an irony having Team Philippines as the champion but the players that were responsible for the victory were Americans or of other nationalities. Depending on one's principle, would you be happy on such victory?

 

In the case of Fil Am players, for me I see them also as Americans masquerading as Filipinos. Its a source of livelihood for these guys and deep inside them they still considered themselves as Americans than pinoy. Just look at those FilAms playing in the PBA, how many have stayed long after their career is over? Where are they now?

 

I agree with catsumhoto. This practice is also seem in other sports just like swimming & tennis to name a few. I recall in particular one swimmer who failed to qualify for the US team for the Olympics and here she is swimming for the Philippines just to achieve her dream. If these FilAms really have the country in their hearts, they should have volunteered to play for the country above anything else.

[Guest megalodon]

As I recall, the 3 Americans were really recruited to bring the RP back to its basketball glory days. Unfortunately, Chip has some issues with regards to his eligibility thus was not able to play for the country in the ABC championship. But he did play in the Jones Cup, a tournament they joined to prepare the team for the ABC to which the RP won the title over USA.

 

Sad to say, a lot of countries have seen the loop hole of having naturalized players in their team. This could be the reason why the basketball governing body has decided to allow only 1 naturalized player. Come to think of it, it would be an irony having Team Philippines as the champion but the players that were responsible for the victory were Americans or of other nationalities. Depending on one's principle, would you be happy on such victory?

 

In the case of Fil Am players, for me I see them also as Americans masquerading as Filipinos. Its a source of livelihood for these guys and deep inside them they still considered themselves as Americans than pinoy. Just look at those FilAms playing in the PBA, how many have stayed long after their career is over? Where are they now?

 

I agree with catsumhoto. This practice is also seem in other sports just like swimming & tennis to name a few. I recall in particular one swimmer who failed to qualify for the US team for the Olympics and here she is swimming for the Philippines just to achieve her dream. If these FilAms really have the country in their hearts, they should have volunteered to play for the country above anything else.

The Americans didn't raise a howl when they won the Olympic gold with a Nigerian on their team so did the Russians when they won the FIBA-Europe in 2007 with the help of an American. So if you ask me, yes I'd still be happy. You do what you have to do to get ahead coz waiting for something good to happen and staying passive is an exercise in futility.

[CELTS]

The Americans didn't raise a howl when they won the Olympic gold with a Nigerian on their team so did the Russians when they won the FIBA-Europe in 2007 with the help of an American. So if you ask me, yes I'd still be happy. You do what you have to do to get ahead coz waiting for something good to happen and staying passive is an exercise in futility.

 

The Americans and the Russians did not raise a howl and so didn't we when we took home the ABC title in the 80's.

 

During the NCC days a naturalized player only needs to comply with the residencyto be able to play as a naturalized player. One is allowed to field in as many naturalized player that have complied with the residency status. Such the case, it is not impossible say a RP team composed 12 Americans that were naturalized to be Filipinos. Well, we could be happy because we achieved the goal but will it make one proud that the FILIPINOS are on top of the basketball world? We could also turn the tide and say we are still the best in the region and China comes with Americans parading as Chinese to defeat team RP. How would you feel? I guess there will always be 2 sides of a coin. Some will say the end justify the means. The purist/idealist will frown on this idea.

 

In the current era, I guess there is less to be debated upon as there is now a limit on the use of Naturalized player. As I've said, could this be the reason for the "abuse" in the use of naturalized players to gain victory?

 

On the side, Hakeem was not naturalized with the intent of playing him for DREAM TEAM USA. In fact, I believe USA would have still won without him there. As for the case of JR Hiddens, i came about an article saying that the main resaon why he got naturalized was because his team CSKA Moscow would wanted to circumvent a league ruling regarding the number of allowed foreign players on its roster. Ofcourse, to fast track the processing, he was offer to play for the national team. But again this is after FIBA have set the 1 naturalized player policy already.

[Guest megalodon]

If China naturalized an American/s and beat us (they could beat us without an American), I'll accept it as it is. I mean the Chinese just used their right to naturalize so I won't make it a big deal. Do you think the basketball associations of FIBA member countries would give a damn about what purists feel? I don't think so. What they would care about are the Ws but would so within the rules. I mean there are other countries that cheat to win. For example, some countries would fake a naturalized player's documents just to win. Don't get me wrong coz I'm not espousing cheating to win. My point is RP basketball should do what it has to do to win as long as it follows FIBA rules.

[catsumhoto]

the thing is we have been using fil ams/fil foreigner/fil sham for the past how many fiba asia and even in the PBA.. did we improve our game? did the filipino as a basketball nation mature? yeah use them but as a stop gap measure.... not as a regular program to enhance our standing in asia. And if you look at them they're not as tall as expected. we have players of that size also here... they're not as if they are 7' tall or something.... thats why some filipino are losing interest in the PBA. You develope a sport thru long term program.... and really harnessing the best players.... a perfect example is san sebastian victory over san beda... san beda has an import yet the stag toil very hard to reach their status now.... thats hard work for you not a quick fix by hiring a foreign player to do the job u are suppose to do.... we should learn to respect ourselves first before we expect people to respect us... those fil foreigner are like mercinery after a career in the PBA they are nowhere to be found.. thats why they should give NORMAN BLACK, ALEX COMPTON, honorary award for sticking it out here after their career in PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL.

[Guest megalodon]

The reasons why we have been losing in international tourneys are the following:

1. Lack of preparation

 

2. Adjustment to FIBA rules since our pros are used to PBA rules

 

3. Lack of chemistry since after a particular tournament, that national team of pros get disabanded and we all know that this practice of forming an all-pro team has failed us many times

 

Smart-Gilas was formed to address these reasons. Diba sabi mo dapat long-term? Smart-Gilas was built for the long term.

[CELTS]

the 3 factors cited are valid reasons. unfortunately i believe it boils down to the manpower requirement. first to be considered is to see if we have the right players to excell in basketball. this will include the height/physique as well as the talent. after having the players then that's the time we consider other factors such as preparation, cohesiveness as well as familiarity with the rules.

[Guest megalodon]

I believe Coach Toroman chose the right personnel for Smart-Gilas. He isn't a FIBA champion coach for nothing.

[dencio]

the thing is we have been using fil ams/fil foreigner/fil sham for the past how many fiba asia and even in the PBA.. did we improve our game? did the filipino as a basketball nation mature? yeah use them but as a stop gap measure.... not as a regular program to enhance our standing in asia. And if you look at them they're not as tall as expected. we have players of that size also here... they're not as if they are 7' tall or something.... thats why some filipino are losing interest in the PBA. You develope a sport thru long term program.... and really harnessing the best players.... a perfect example is san sebastian victory over san beda... san beda has an import yet the stag toil very hard to reach their status now.... thats hard work for you not a quick fix by hiring a foreign player to do the job u are suppose to do.... we should learn to respect ourselves first before we expect people to respect us... those fil foreigner are like mercinery after a career in the PBA they are nowhere to be found.. thats why they should give NORMAN BLACK, ALEX COMPTON, honorary award for sticking it out here after their career in PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL.

 

Sandali lang hindi ba ikaw din ang nagsu-suggest na we are 4-5 Fil-foreigners away from competing? Ano ba talaga ang stand mo? To use them or not to use them?

 

Para sa yo, ano ba ang tamang approach?

[CELTS]

i don't know. call me a pessimist but are you saying that these players we have now are better than the chinese? short of saying if Giles would be the best player of this team, can he be at par talent wise with the Yao and Yi of China?

 

my take here is that while Toroman maybe a good coach, his choice of personel is limited to what is available to him. as such what he has now is the right personnel given the limitations. at the end of the day it still boils down to the players winning the games and executing the battle plan of a great coach. if these guys are overmatched in term of talent, even a good coach can't win it for them.

 

as an example, red is a great coach during his time they dominated the 60's but it is also because they have great players to compliment and execute his game plan. i suppose that should he be alive and coach this day, it will be difficult for him to make a team like the thunder a champion based on the players they have now.

[dencio]

I believe Coach Toroman chose the right personnel for Smart-Gilas. He isn't a FIBA champion coach for nothing.

 

Dito bro Mega eh magkakasundo tayo. Sa tingin ko ito ang "best and brightest" young players na natin.

[CELTS]

i don't know. call me a pessimist but are you saying that these players we have now are better than the chinese? short of saying if Giles would be the best player of this team, can he be at par talent wise with the Yao and Yi of China?

 

my take here is that while Toroman maybe a good coach, his choice of personel is limited to what is available to him. as such what he has now is the right personnel given the limitations. at the end of the day it still boils down to the players winning the games and executing the battle plan of a great coach. if these guys are overmatched in term of talent, even a good coach can't win it for them.

 

as an example, red is a great coach during his time they dominated the 60's but it is also because they have great players to compliment and execute his game plan. i suppose that should he be alive and coach this day, it will be difficult for him to make a team like the thunder a champion based on the players they have now.

 

 

all am saying here is that given that these are the best young prospects we have, how confident are we to say we can beat the best asian teams in 2-3 years time to qualify for the lone olympic slot alloted to asia?

[hopia_mani_papkorn]

I believe Coach Toroman chose the right personnel for Smart-Gilas. He isn't a FIBA champion coach for nothing.

 

---

Coach Toroman's resume will say it all ... A winner ... who believes in his system ...

 

For taking this job, I already salute him .. What we should do is let us see them play ... If they are still the same "whipping" boys after a year .. Then I say .. Philippine Basketball is done .. forget it .. But if we could see some kind of improvement .. then .. let them go on ...

 

The NCC was a great team .. Dennis Still and Jeff Moore if they stayed here would probably be teaching the younger players how to properly defend the ball .. while Chip Engelland .. would be teaching us some shooting skill .. like what he is doing now for a team in the NBA ...

 

Hector Calma was regarded as one of the great guards in Asia .. Samboy Lim's aerial acrobatics are cheered .. Yves Dignadice's defense was a nightmare for opponents ... Elmer Reyes sidestep was unstoppable ... and Allan Caidic's shooting .. a deadly work of art ... some of the memorable names that the program developed ...

[Guest megalodon]

I'm not saying that the players we have now are better than the Chinese. What I'm saying is Coach T chose the best amateur talents we have that are available. Let's just wait and see what they can do coz it seems to me you're judging them yet they haven't competed in a tournament yet for us to gauge if they're really lemons. This is the same team that clobbered Powerade by 30 plus points under amateur rules. Let's just wait and see when they play in a tournament like the Asian Games and judge them from there. Their PBA sojourn doesn't really count since it is played under pro rules while Smart-Gilas is trained for FIBA rules. By the way, I like your nick since fave team ko yan. Hehe.

[peithe]

I'm not saying that the players we have now are better than the Chinese. What I'm saying is Coach T chose the best amateur talents we have that are available. Let's just wait and see what they can do coz it seems to me you're judging them yet they haven't competed in a tournament yet for us to gauge if they're really lemons. This is the same team that clobbered Powerade by 30 plus points under amateur rules. Let's just wait and see when they play in a tournament like the Asian Games and judge them from there. Their PBA sojourn doesn't really count since it is played under pro rules while Smart-Gilas is trained for FIBA rules. By the way, I like your nick since fave team ko yan. Hehe.

 

 

"words of wisdom" coming from a guy that thinks the same way before ... hindi ba ikaw na rin ang nagsabi dapat PBA players ang ipadala sa International tourneys. Bakit bumaliktad ka ata? Dahil ba natalo nila ang Powerade team?