CHICAGO - Blackwater head coach Ariel Vanguardia had a gripe, a very legitimate one.
Last Sunday, while playing against San Miguel Beer, his team was whistled with so many fouls some of his players were so dazed they looked like they needed to see an ear doctor.
In that 110-107 overtime defeat, the Bossing were charged with 33 fouls against the Beermen's 18. As a result, San Miguel took 43 free throws while Blackwater only had 11.
Hoping to get 50-50 calls all the time is unrealistic. But 43-11 on free throws and 33-18 on fouls is traumatic.
[Vanguardia summoned for complaint against officiating]
Naturally, Vanguardia was upset. What coach wouldn't be when he saw a supposedly harmless, innocent whistle become an instrument of bias that ruined his team's mighty effort.
"If you can see the stats, 43 free throws against 11. That's really hard to win. But it's part of growing up (And) we are just trusting the process," a dismayed Vanguardia told reporters.
"We played good enough to win and I'm just so sad for the guys, who sacrificed so hard and they didn't get the win because we didn't get much respect since we're a team that's still earning it."
Vanguardia's statements were not malicious nor accusatory, referencing only facts while thinking out loud a theory about the fate that befell his beloved Bossing.
IT WAS A CRY FOR FAIRNESS.
Unfortunately, the PBA, fickle and insecure as usual, mistook it as a scream of dissent.
And that was why Vanguardia found himself summoned to the Commissioner's Office yesterday for what I was told was the equivalent of a verbal spanking.
Really?
So why was NorthPort head coach Pido Jarencio, who actually made physical contact toward Vanguardia in an unrelated game, not summoned for what was arguably a more egregious offense?
What I'm seeing here is that a hint of violence got a greasy slap on the wrist with a minimal fine while a few words aired out of understandable frustration drew the ire of the commissioner, who may or may not impose a penalty on coach Ariel.
Which leads me to ask: Are independent teams such as Blackwater treated differently than Northport, which also masquerades as independent but allegedly has strong ties with the SMC group?
THIS IS WHY SOME FANS ARE ALWAYS LEERY WITH THE PBA.
"Well, baby ng PBA ang SMC teams," SPIN.ph reader Edwin Hilario said on Twitter.
True or not, this is a sentiment many others embrace and the PBA can scrub some of the doubt by listening to and not reprimanding those who have the gumption to stand up to what they believe is inequality.
Don't penalize Vanguardia, Kume Marcial.
Summon the refs instead and have them explain Sunday's officiating travesty.
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