IN just a matter of hours since Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin slammed people in the UAAP family who he said were exerting 'pressure on the referees and on the Commissioner’s Office,' Adamson's Nash Racela was quick to weigh in on the matter.
WATCH:
When asked about Baldwin's comments, in which no names were explicitly mentioned, Racela admitted he was surprised to hear the gist of the Ateneo coach's rant.
The Adamson coach, however, made it clear that he hasn't read nor heard Baldwin's comments in full prior to his postgame press conference.
READ: Tab hits out at those 'exerting pressure on refs and UAAP'
"Coach Tab (Baldwin) is a good friend of mine. We were together in Talk ’N Text, we were together sa Gilas nu’ng nasa Spain kami when he was the consultant. I was under Coach Tab when he coached Gilas nu’ng 2016, 2017 ata," said Racela.
"Nag-gogolf kami niyan. Coach Tab is a good friend of mine. I’m surprised, no? Hindi ko nabasa eh ('yung comments niya), pero with what you’re saying, I’m surprised that he made that statement," he added.
Racela went on to share his views on the general dynamics between coaches and referees, where he acknowledged how refereeing per se is 'really hard' and 'challenging.'
"Refereeing is really hard, no. It’s very challenging. But as coaches, kami, we will do our part in reminding them and challenging them to perform at a high level. ‘Yun lang naman ang ano namin ‘di ba because we work, we do our part studying. And aside from us, again, it’s also the players," Racela explained.
But amid such developments involving Racela and the Falcons, the Adamson mentor left some parting jabs and stated how he continues to be a friend to all and an enemy to none.
"I’ll be happy with people who speak out if there are things that are wrong, okay. I’ll commend them if they stay here and they (speak out).
"Kahit na nakikinabang sila, ah? Nakinabang ka na pero mali pa rin (kami). But I’m friends to everyone," Racela said with tongue-in-cheek.
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