Tough questions demand tough answers

Who says we don't answer email, YM, text, facebook chat, or the garden variety phone call? Here are a few answers to some stuff that you wanted to know that doesn't concern sex.

Q: Why didn’t Ryan Buenafe, Nico Salva, and Justin Chua play for the RP Youth Team?
A: One, they were told by this man that they should instead go play for this team in Taft and that they would have to skip the UAAP Season. The moment the man told Buenafe that then he decided that he thought the man was full of… ah, not in this PG-rated site -- so he decided to play for the college team that recruited him the most. Salva was told by a top team official that it was his decision whether he wanted to suit up or not. We all know what he chose.

Q: We read your column on NABRO. So what’s up with them?
A: It’s like this. For the last couple of years, some teams objected to them continuing to officiate the UAAP games but some powerful members said, “Basta, kami NABRO.”

Who are these schools? Well, for starters… there’s DLSU, FEU, and UP. All with ties to the ref’s org. The father of a former player for La Salle used to help them out and this org (started by a former sports editor) would even officiate MILO Best and SBP games. The current head of NABRO is a PE instructor at FEU. As for the host school? They chose NABRO and one of their officials is a part of their org in some way. NOW DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY. JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS AN ALUM OR IS CONNECTED TO A SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE BIASED FOR OR PREJUDICED AGAINST CERTAIN THINGS. IT'S JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE. THESE WERE PUT IN PLACE BEFORE ALL THIS CAME TO PASS.

The funny thing is that its these same schools that are crying foul now over NABRO. When they were scored for this during a board meeting tahimik lang sila. Perhaps save for UP, eh, didn't they win some titles under the refs' watch?

Q: Will the SBP do anything about having the three brothers in the National Team? The former Exec Director showed an appalling lack of foresight and even smarts.
A: No comment on how it was handled previously, but good question. I’m meeting them next week and I’ll make it a point to ask them. I’ll give you the no bullshit answer then.

Q: What's coming up in your Business Mirror columns?
A: Well, there's the Part 2 of Norman Black (Hill Street Black & Blues) that I'm thinking should be for next Monday and there's something on college basketball that should come out maybe not as a column. And something real offbeat that I can't mention for now.

And I have two stories coming out in the new Loyola School Bulletin: The Blue Season and one about JSEC. For ateneo.edu, the Cheer Dance Competition. You have no clue what these people do. Props to them. In Maxim, the NBA 2008-09 Season Preview. Te tough thing about that preview is that it was written two weeks ago. There are going to be some changes I'm sure by the time the league gets underway in late October.

Q: Is it true that Ateneo will not host next year's UAAP?
A: Yes. There will be a lot of activities during the Sesquicentennial and the UAAP will be a tough handle. So it goes back to FEU. We're supposed to handle the 2011 UAAP but it also coincides with DLSU's -- or is it UST; I'm confused now -- anniv and they're asking for permission to host that year. Ateneo is inclined (but this is not official yet kasi matagal pa naman) to give it after all hindi nga madali mag-host. And contrary to some how quarters view things, nawawala yung sense of brotherhood because the competition has been fierce and at times out of hand. So if you ask me, when do we host? It's either 2010 or 2012.