From Mick Deles (courtside reporter of the de la salle
green archers):

Green Sees Red
SPY BIZ By S.A. Maguire
The Philippine Star 10/04/2005

A lot of people have noticed that the Green Archers
haven't been humble in victory and haven't been
gracious in defeat either. In their second game with
Ateneo, Archer Ryan Arana's Jezebelic belly-dancing
rubbed salt on the Blue Eagle's wounds. In whose harem
did he learn to gyrate like that anyway? In the third
game, Coach Franz Pumaren unnecessarily called a
time-out with just a few seconds left to display his
winning team to the fans. And in the first finals game
last Thursday, a nationwide audience saw La Salle
assistant team manager Manny Salgado's infamous
"batok" on Arwind Santos. FEU coach Bert Flores then
chased Salgado who ran like a frightened cat. Our La
Salle Greenhills Spy-Ring disclosed that Salgado is
from HS Class '78. In their drive to be champions
again, the Green Archers and staff may have forgotten
the basics of sportsmanship. Because of this, many
have started to root for an FEU victory according to
TV surveys taken over the weekend. It's clearly a case
of the greens seeing red then turning purple.
Naturally, this has made the Eagles fly high and away
from their blues enjoying every minute of their
rival's biggest faux pas.


MY REACTION (Mick Deles):

This is harsh but sadly is just one of the many
articles being written about the DLSU Archers after
the “incident” last Thursday. In
yesterday's STAR (October 4), Dong Puno likewise gave
his piece on the whole Salgado issue, implying that
Sir Manny wasn't sincere with his apology and saying
that Joseph Yeo was the only one seen trash talking on
video. He based everything on the short video clip
that was being played and replayed by the various news
programs but if he was actually at the venue, watching
the game, then he'd know that Arwind is not a
saint..he was actually given a warning by the refs for
taunting.



This is the moment that everyone has been waiting for,
especially the Ateneans. They lost to us three times
this season, a very painful loss for those from the
blue side. They could not say anything about those
games because we beat them bad, now this issue gives
them a chance to get back at us. Sadly they are
taking a very human error and blowing it up into
monstrous proportions making it seem as if only
someone from La Salle could commit such a mistake.
What people are failing to realise is that by judging
and condemning us they are no better, they are falling
into the same trap. Our mistake was a physical action,
their weapon of choice are words. “Let he who is
without sin cast the first stone” - we
acknowledged our mistake, we acknowledge our faults.
We are only human but for some odd reason they are
forgetting that so are they - human beings capable
of making the same mistakes. The shame is now on them
for casting stones with equally sinful hands.



P.S. The implication of such columns is that Coach
Franz, being the head coach of the Archers is
responsible for the "unethical" behaviour of the
team...hmmm....



On Ryan’s dance: Boys will be boys! This is
college basketball where emotions inevitably run high.
We are forgetting that teams in this league are
comprised of teenagers who are still at the prime of
their lives trying to enjoy their youth. Many of
these columnists and critics – be they alumni or
not are parents with their own adolescent children,
they of all people should understand teenagers who are
at this stage of their lives. Sure it may have been
wrong to some extent, but Ryan was just trying to
enjoy the game. These guys work their butts off
everyday, the least we can give them is enough space
to be young men. Even coach said this after the game,
boys will be boys although he knew that it wasn't the
best thing to do but he acknowledged that this is the
UAAP where antics like this are all a part of the
emotional journey of a college league such as this.
For those who are unaware, Arwind did a little dance
too during Game 1 of the Finals, I don't see anyone
making a big deal out of it. Sure, he was just "doing
a ryan" to piss us off but do you see anyone whining
about it from our side? No, because we let them be,
they are just young boys after all.



On Coach Franz: I have the deepest respect for Coach
Franz because despite what everyone says, in spite of
all the nasty talk that goes on about him he never
allows this to faze him. What many don't see or hear
is what goes on during practices, in the dugout and
even in the huddles when Coach is with his boys alone
without the prying eyes of the media or nosey
columnists. He is a doting father to these 14 young
men and he teaches them to be tough because of people
like Maguire who have nothing better to do but rejoice
in the wrongs of others. Coach knows what everyone
says about him and his team and he uses this as his
fuel to deliver. In my two years as their courtside
never have I heard him say anything to his team that
would make them think that they are the best, never
was there a time that I felt that he was making his
team believe that they were invincible and therefore
should boast when they win or appear bitter in defeat.
He has done nothing but bring out the best in his
boys year after year, game after game. He has trained
them to play with heart. He has trained them to play
with undying passion. All he has ever wanted from his
boys is for them to play what they are capable of
playing…he just wants them to shine as they
should. Where is the crime in that? To all those
out there who claim to know how the Archers are
trained just shut-up because you know nothing.



"Naturally, this has made the Eagles fly high and away
from their blues enjoying every minute of their
rival's biggest faux pas" - Where is the honor in
this? Where is the honor in savoring every minute of
someone else's mistake? Where is the honor in basking
in the satisfaction of knowing that your arch rivals
are being laughed at, hated and condemned? What kind
of sick person will forget his/her blues at the
expense of someone else's misery? Who is being
ungracious in defeat now??!!!


>>ANIMO LA SALLE!!<<