Marooned

The fight is clearly out of the UP Maroons. The team knew that for all their bumper crop of froshes and sophs, nothing was going to be easy in Season 70. Before the start of the past season, the team's former coach Joe Lipa, told them that they were not expected to romp away with the basketball crown. If they did, then good and well. But if not, it was to gain experience in time for the State University's centennial year in 2008 where they hoped that the addition of a few more recruits would make them really competitive.

No one expected a winless season. It was painful to step on the floor and get blown off it from the opening whistle. Now that Da Nose is no longer around, the team is in limbo. The recruits who were reported to be headed towards Diliman are gone (if they were ever indeed going to State U which our sources contradict). The holdovers are in limbo. Some are thinking of transferring. One will sit out the season whatever happens and play with the RP Youth Team.

After the end of the campaign, each and every person was asked to vote by school officials on whether their legendary coach should stay or go. The players swear it was a unanimous vote for Da Nose. But the Dean of Human Kinetics Hercules Callanta says no one sided with the grizzled coach. "Well, binoto ko siya," said Mark Lopez, one of the three FEU-FERN refugees. "Buong team bumoto para sa kanya. Alam naman namin yung vision niya. Pero kung yung iba ay nag-vote na removal, hindi pa rin unanimous na tulad ng sinasabi ng iba kasi ako I know I voted for Coach Joe."

So what happens now? Does anyone still care?

"Mahirap na magsalita," revealed another player who refused to be identified. "Pero meron nagiisip na lumipat ng ibang NCAA o UAAP school at isa na pinagiisipan na bumalik sa totoong alma mater niya. Pero hindi pa sure lahat 'yan. Kung mag-support na lang kasi eh di sana hindi ganito nangyari. Ilan buwan na lang, UP na ang host."