GLOBALPORT Batang Pier team owner Mikee Romero wants import Walter Sharpe out.
Just hours after a photo of Sharpe sleeping in a parking lot of a popular bar in Pasig City appeared on Spin.ph, the young businessman-sportsman said Sharpe has embarrassed the team and his actions will not be tolerated.
“My decision at this point, I cannot tolerate it,” an obviously irked Romero said. “It gives the wrong impression … hindi maganda eh."
Sharpe, who had played just two games for the Batang Pier since replacing Justin Williams, has long been suffering from narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that causes frequent sleep attacks.
But a source who furnished Spin.ph the picture said Sharpe was indeed drunk and the photo was taken around 3 a.m. on Monday in the parking lot of the City Golf driving range along Julia Vargas in Pasig.
Romero declared that as members of a prestigious basketball organization like the PBA, team owners must “police their ranks for the sake of the league's integrity."
“Hindi lang yung pangalan ng team namin ang pino-protektahan ko dito, yung integridad ng liga,” added Romero.
The Sultan 900 Incorporated head bared that his coaching staff and management met Monday night to discuss the case, but stressed that he has already made up his mind.
“I still have to respect the coaching staff and management. Pero most probably ayaw ko na, I will ask them to remove him (Sharpe),” the team owner said.
“Mas okay pa sa akin na lumarong all-Filipino sa Sabado kaysa hayaan ko na parang tino-tolerate yung ganun. We have to send a strong signal."
Romero said he had wanted to give Sharpe a second chance after a lackluster performance in a loss to Alaska where he finished with just two points and five rebounds in 20 foul-plagued minutes.
But that has changed after the photo nightmare, he added.
“Yung laro niya, bibigyan ko pa sana siya ng isang chance (to redeem himself), pero sa nangyaring ito … nakakahiya!”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
