WILFRED Uytengsu has worn many hats over the years, from national swimmer to Alaska top executive to its president and later chairman, from triathlon pioneer and organizer to PBA team owner and later the league's very own chairman.
In the PBA, Uytengsu has evolved from a maverick owner who spoke his mind on critical issues to the PBA's own conscience - a breath of fresh air in a league that has seen its board of governors act more like an old boys club.
That was especially true over the past two decades when dubious trades and wanton violations of league rules on salary cap and the rookie draft have turned off fans, leaving the PBA at a precipice in the middle of a pandemic.
Not a few times, Uytengsu, ever so outspoken, tried to give the league and its top officials a wake-up call with real talk. Those words resonate to this day as Uytengsu's team walks away from the league at the end of a fabled 35-year campaign.
As the proud Alaska organization winds up its farewell season in a league where it won 14 championships including a grand slam, let's look back on some of the occasions when its proud owner spoke up then stuck to his guns.
The PBA should've listened.
Uytengsu on lopsided trades and salary cap violations
Back in 2019, when Uytengsu was honored by the PBA Press Corps with a Lifetime Achievement Award, he delivered a speech that hit out at questionable trades which left then Aces coach Alex Compton to rue: 'Kawawa ang liga.'
The scathing speech, by the way, was delivered with with most of the PBA board members in attendance since they were to receive the Executives of the Year award later in the night.
Part of his speech read:
“I can tell you that we always respected the league and honor the game by not participating in these tactics. I believe that we have a greater responsibility than just winning games and that is to set an example to the next generation how to do things the right way.
“Over the years, we and the PBA have been challenged with certain controversies that could and should have been mitigated, circumstances that led to an unlevel playing field. This started with the Fil-sham debacle," he said.
“In more recent years, we’ve seen dubious trades that create an even more unlevel playing field, creating further disparity in the league. This, coupled with under-reported salary caps, only separated the teams further and further apart."
"Fans today are smart enough to see through this and one only has to scour though the internet and the sports blogs as well as online editions of our major dailies to read what they really think. And they vote to not necessarily come to our games lives or perhaps watch it on TV.
“Of course, I was very pleased that we won our first title [in 1991] but I also understood that winning at all cost was not the right way."
Uytengsu on the controversial Kia-SMB trade
The Alaska owner had all guns blazing after the Beermen landed the No. 1 pick in the draft, which they used select Fil-German big man Christian Standhardinger. It should be noted that after that trade, the PBA revised its rules to bar the trading on the top pick in the rookie draft.
Here was what Uytengsu had to say:
"The purpose of the draft is to strengthen the weaker teams. However, what we have seen lately is these weaker teams end up selling their top draft picks because if you look at who is being traded in return, it clearly doesn’t make basketball sense for the weaker teams, unless there is other consideration."
Ouch.
Uytengsu on 'ridiculous' PBA decision to lift Renaldo Balkman ban
The Alaska team owner was clearly unhappy when the Commissioner's Office lifted the ban on the import, enabling him to play for San Miguel, just years after an ugly on-court fight saw him try to choke teammate Arwind Santos during a game.
"The commissioner's decision to overturn the lifetime ban on Balkman is ridiculous. What good are sentences if they are simply overturned because the erring party 'apologized?"
"What consideration went into such decision?"
Uytengsu on the PBA rehiring a fired employee
Back in 2016, the PBA board, voting 10-1, reinstated its marketing head, just weeks after it found out she submitted 'spurious documents' when she applied for the position, explaining the decision was due to "humanitarian reasons and exemplary performance."
The only opposing vote, you guessed it, was Alaska.
"I think that we took the moral high ground, because if we look at the severity of the offense, it speaks poorly of the PBA as a professional organization that we hire someone when they have committed that activity of falsification of documents.
"I mean, what now? When you're negotiating documents on behalf of the league, and we have this kind of behavior, it's disappointing."
Uytengsu on the lack of a level playing field
And on the same day he announced that Alaska was saying goodbye to the league, Uytengsu had a parting shot to the organization. It was a good one, no doubt.
"I think in order for the league to continue to be healthy, you need to see a level playing field. I think that’s important.
“I hope we’ve done everything we can do as a franchise, as an independent team to set the example. I know times are difficult for each team. Times are difficult for the league.
“But I hope that everyone comes together to talk, think league first, and that the league continues to be successful."
Down to the bitter end, Uytengsu was thinking league.
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