CHICAGO - While ingloriously exiting the PBA Philippine Cup last Saturday, NLEX took the same path that doomed Magnolia.
Like the chicken peddlers, the Road Warriors clung to the top of the elimination round standings before squandering a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
It's not "introvoys" level of failure, but a flat tire nonetheless.
READ Rain or Shine denies Bolick, NLEX to complete PH Cup semis cast
Unlike the Hotshots, though, the Road Warriors haven't been pelted with contempt and derision in that cesspool that is social media.
Several factors explain the discrepancy, foremost of which is that Magnolia is an iteration of the Purefoods franchise that has been in the PBA since 1988 while NLEX was founded only in 2014.
Ergo, the Hotshots have a bigger fan base with each angry faithful owning his own microphone and pumping up their frustrations to ear-aching decibels on Facebook and Twitter.
TRUE CONTENDER.
Led by Zavier Lucero, and aided by veterans such as Paul Lee plus newcomer William Navarro, whose rise to superstardom is an inevitability, the Hotshots were real championship hopefuls.
NLEX, meanwhile, didn't command the same contender credibility. When you think of MVP Group teams in the PBA, TNT and Meralco quickly come to mind while a brief brain pause ensues while trying to think of the Road Warriors.
So why is NLEX coach Jong Uichico not in the hot seat while Chito Victolero is being crucified as though he just killed Santa Claus?
Uiciho is an elder statesman whose credentials include nine PBA coaching titles and a stint with Gilas Pilipinas. Nobody second-guesses his style or system, which was why coaching was never mentioned in the NLEX tragedy.
To me, the Road Warriors' debacle was a referendum on whether Robert Bolick is a Batman or a Robin, an alpha or a beta.
HERE ARE THE FACTS, YOU MAKE THE CALL.
In back-to-back losses to Rain or Shine, Bolick had a combined 49 points and 11 rebounds. Unfortunately, he had as many turnovers as assists (7), a bad omen for a point guard.
Bolick dominated - some would say hogged - the ball by shooting a combined 49 of the Road Warriors' 175 field-goal attempts. When a player engineers 28 percent of the offense, he better deliver.
Bolick didn't.
The former Gilas soldier hit just 17-of-49 from the field (34 percent) including 3-of-10 from 4 (33 percent) and 2-of-9 from 3 (22.2 percent).
The fan narrative at NLEX is that it needs more star-caliber players to help Bolick while over at Magnolia, a coaching change is demanded.
Obviously, one issue is spicier than the other.
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.
