SO you think San Miguel has debunked conspiracy theorists’ claims that the PBA Philippine Cup Finals was “scripted” after it finished off Barangay Ginebra in five games in a best-of-seven series that not a few people insisted would go the distance?
Hardly.
Days after top-seeded San Miguel completed its hat-trick of all-Filipino titles, two Beermen stars still can't believe that not a few people were actually under the belief that someone behind the scenes was pulling the strings in the playoff between the two sister teams.
“How can you script that?” SMB point guard Chris Ross began in a chat with reporters after the team’s fans’ day at Robinsons Magnolia on Wednesday. “We're all out there playing hard and sacrificing our bodies. There's no one telling us to do this and do that. We’re going out there to win.”
That SMB and Ginebra are two of three teams (the other is Star) owned and controlled by San Miguel Corp. make no difference with the way the finals was played, said Ross.
“Even though it's a sister team, we're out there playing like we hated each other and that's how it's supposed to be,” the Fil-Am guard said. “It’s great competition between two great teams, (and) two great coaches.”
The back-to-back all-Filipino conference Finals MVP feels somewhat offended that some people would believe otherwise.
“It's just unfortunate that some people think it's scripted,” Ross said. “It kind of takes away from the hard work that we put in throughout the conference.”
Fellow SMB starter Arwind Santos granted everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion on the issue.
“Yung mga ganun kasi na pananaw na tao na scripted yung finals, ako kasi, kapag binanggtit natin yung respetuhan sa isa't-isa, respetuhin natin kung ano yung iniisip ng iba,” Santos said. “Hindi naman natin handle yun, ‘di ba?”
But the former league MVP echoed Ross’s sentiments.
“Ako ang masasabi ko, mahirap (i-script) eh,” Santos said. “Kahit sabihin mo sa magkakapatid, pag sinabi ng tatay na, 'Oh sige, kung sino mataas ang grade, bibigyan ko ng P500,' minsan pepersonalin mo yung kapatid mo eh kasi gusto mo makuha yung P500.
"Ganun din sa’min, magkakaibigan kami, same company kami, pero walang bigayan.”
“Malabo yun,” he continued. “Hindi mangyayari sa'min yun, kasi karangalan ang pinagtatalunan, ang pinagsasakripisyuhan dito. At history, ‘di ba, masarap pa rin na maku-kwento mo sa anak mo na kami yung champion nung ganito, kami nakagawa ng ganito. Mahirap kung ibibigay mo yun para sa’kin.”