CHICAGO - When Calvin Abueva was suspended indefinitely by the PBA last June 2019, I was among those who supported him.
Although I believed his banishment was merited, I also consistently argued that the 16-month exile encroached on his right to earn a living.
READ Tenorio reveals what sideline exchange with Abueva was all about
You see, I like Calvin, a high-energy guy and a rambunctious soul whose bravado can positively impact a team.
But what he did last Sunday left a lot to be desired, a reckless act which straddled the line that divides rough and dirty play.
With Magnolia up 78-64 at the 9:28 mark of the fourth quarter, forward Zavier Lucero went up for what appeared to be an easy lay-up from the right side of the rim.
EXCESSIVE FORCE.
All of a sudden, Abueva emerges in the picture, and here’s what happened next as described by the RPN-TV broadcasters who called the Converge-Magnolia tiff.
“Boom! Elbow to the face,” said the play-by-play announcer. “Both players are down,” the color commentator added.
It was ugly. There was no play on the ball. It was, in my eyes, a mugging of a defenseless player who was airborne.
Amazingly, the refs only assessed Abueva with a Flagrant One when it should have been an F2.
Clear as day, the contact was unnecessary and wickedly excessive.
I am all in favor of physical play, a little pushing and shoving is okay.
BUT A BLOW TO THE HEAD IS UNACCEPTABLE.
And if the league wants to send a message that player-safety remains a priority, it needs to review the Abueva foul on Lucero and tack on more disciplinary sanctions, if warranted.
Multiple sources told me that Lucero may have suffered a concussion.
Abueva, I was told, called to apologize to his former teammate. But I’m not sure Lucero could hear anything when his ears are ringing.
Some MMA action in the PBA is a huge black eye for the league.
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