BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Gilas will play in the Jones Cup


Gilas will play in the Jones Cup
by rick olivares

Amid reports or speculation that Gilas Pilipinas might not defend its William Jones Cup title in Taiwan this July (6-14), a conversation with team manager Butch Antonio indicated that the national team will indeed participate in the regional basketball tournament.

“The Chinese Taipei Basketball Association sent a second invitation for the tournament and we have every intention of complying,” said Antonio in a phone conversation yesterday afternoon. “We cannot just reject the invitation or do something that will be construed as a snob. That is for the politicians and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to work on. We on the other hand will look to our preparations for the upcoming FIBA tournament.”

“We (Gilas) started practicing two days ago with an eye on our calendar that involves the training camp in Lithuania (June 2-16) and possible matches lined up with the Japan Basketball Association and the Jones Cup.”

Antonio admitted that while there are concerns over the team’s safety given the reported physical threats on Filipinos working in the island state after the death of a Taiwanese fisherman at the hands of the Philippine Coast Guard in overlapping ocean economic zones last May 9, he sees no reason for the organizers of the basketball tournament will not come up with the proper security measures.

In the days after the death of the Taiwanese fisherman, a Taipei legislator, Cheng Chih-Lung called for the suspension of all Taiwan-Philippines sporting events including the William Jones Cup. Antonio, however, debunked the report by pointing out that tournament officials have asked the Philippines for confirmation about their participation.

“Right now,” pointed out Antonio. “We’re focused on basketball and not anything else.”

 National team head coach Chot Reyes on his part said that, "As far as I know, we have not been uninvited. But security concerns aside what will not make us participate is if any of the governments say that we should not play."


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I tried to get SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios to respond to this but got no reply. Will try to get more info!

Posted by Rick Olivares

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 25, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    After the Luneta Hostage Incident, the general consensus of the (silent) majority was, "everyone, calm down, mourn, and let's see what we can do to move forward" (at least, that's what my Chinese boss from Hong Kong says). I am expecting most Taiwanese to think the same, and I hope the Philippine government is aware of that too, and lets Gilas play in the Jones Cup.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 28, 2013 at 7:38 AM

    so will the Philippines play or not?

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  3. Rick OlivaresMay 28, 2013 at 9:49 AM

    Not anymore. We just got uninvited.

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  4. AbbyMay 28, 2013 at 10:51 AM

    I was shocked to hear the news! I thought it was a douchey move on the part of Taiwan, anyways I'm sure our team will find other means to prep for the upcoming 2013 FIBA Asia. It's just unfortunate to not be given the opportunity to try and defend the title..

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