CHICAGO - The heist is now complete.
A scandalous, lopsided trade that was transported by a Dyip to nowhere was officially blessed by the PBA today.
Four days after receiving the paperwork, as outrage continued to boil over social media, the PBA allowed CJ Perez to flee the losing prison of Terrafirma for the grand slam paradise of San Miguel.
Congrats to CJ.
And my deepest condolences to fairness.
What I considered to be a first-class league just did a very third world country thing. It allowed the rich to get richer at the expense of the poor.
No statement was issued to explain the verdict. Which isn't a surprise considering that even the esteemed firm of Accralaw cannot defend this miscarriage of equity.
To reiterate, Terrafirma just handed over a Rookie of the Year winner and a Mythical Team member, who averaged a league-best 24.8 points per last conference, to San Miguel for three disposable players and two draft picks.
As if to placate a growing mass of infuriated fans, the five-man trade committee that signed off on the deal attempted a sandpaper job to smoothen Terrafirma's hollow package by throwing in a 2022 first-round pick.
Sorry, but this laughably lame addendum does not remove the stench. It's like lighting a scented candle to a busted open septic tank.
The Beermen are a powerhouse team that is unlikely to be in the lottery in 2022, which means their selection that year would be worth no more than a bag of half-eaten chips.
And even if it were a No. 1 pick, there is historic evidence to show that Terrafirma has the unique talent to misuse and squander assets.
If this plodding Dyip really intended to run more smoothly, they should have just kept their hybrid engine in Perez and rebuilt around him by adding compatible, complimentary parts through the draft or via more sensible trades.
WE ARRIVE INSTEAD AT A PLACE WHERE THE CONSPIRACIES DEEPEN.
Ignoring the "listen to the fans" plea from revered coach Yeng Guiao, commissioner Willie Marcial's minions chose to genuflect in the altar of San Miguel, a move that is sure to lend credibility to countless aggrieved fans' notion that the PBA is allegedly an SMC league.
The fans are threatening a boycott and the call to action doesn't bother the PBA one bit.
Wanna know why?
Because suckers are born every minute.
As for Kume Marcial, he fumbled an opportunity to stop the steal and perhaps rewrite his legacy of crisis.
But who can blame the man?
Sometimes, keeping a cushy, high-paying job is a more practical option than wielding the pride of having freedom and real power in the workplace.
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