DAYS after Marc Pingris buried the hatchet with estranged friends at the PBA Motoclub, it seems recent comments have opened old wounds.
This after former PBA player Joseph Yeo, a regular at PBA Motoclub, claimed in a video circulating on social media that ex-TNT star Ranidel de Ocampo deserves a place among the PBA's 50 Greatest Players more than Pingris.
“[Kung] ako (ang masusunod) dapat mauna pa si Ranidel kaysa kay Marc Pingris (sa 50 Greatest Players),” said Yeo in the video. “Si Marc Pingris, never nag-average ng double digits sa buong buhay nya,” he continued.
INSIDE STORY on how the new Greatest Players were chosen
Yeo’s statement ignited a firestorm of comments from fans, especially after the selection of 10 new additions to the PBA's Greatest Players sparked fresh debates among fans on who deserved their places and who don't.
De Ocampo didn't make the list while Pingris made it as part of the 40 Greatest during the PBA's 40th anniversary in 2015.
The 43-year old nine-time PBA champion admitted he didn't appreciate the comment, but insisted he didn't take the comment personally or harbored ill feelings toward Yeo or any member of the PBA Motoclub because of it.
"Kung papanaw n'ya yon, sa kanya na 'yon," said the former Magnolia star in a wide-ranging interview in this writer's No Cooking Show podcast. "Di lang si Joseph Yeo, or kung sino man. May kanya-kanyang opinion tayo."
However, the former Gilas Piliipinas hero admitted getting in touch not only with Yeo but also with PBA Motoclub mainstays Rico Maierhofer and Jayjay Helterbrand to clear the air about the comments.
Pingris admitted he had a falling out with former teammates at the PBA Motoclub years ago that prompted him to stay away.
"Nagkatampuhan talaga kami nung magkakakampi kami [kaya] umalis ako, hanggang sa masisira na ang friendship namin," he said. "Pero in fairness kay Rico, di sya nag-iba. si Jayjay nag-reach out rin. Ako na lang talaga ang umiwas."
Pingris said questions about the selections for the PBA 50 Greatest Players are inevitable, suggesting that the PBA should come up with selection guidelines in the future to avoid controversies of this nature
On comparisons with De Ocampo, Pingris said: "Offensive player talaga s'ya, may depensa rin. Ako naka-focus talaga sa defense. Doon ako magaling. Kung [posisyon mo] 1, 2, 3, 4 to 5, nadedepensahan ko lahat 'yon.
"May pagkakataon na kaya ko naman umiskor," he continued. "Lahat ng award ko, pinaghirapan ko 'yon. Pero alam mo, deserve rin ni Ranidel. It depends lang talaga kung ano impact mo sa team.
"It's not about magaling ka umiskor. It's about 'yung ambag mo sa team."
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