Basketball food for thought

If you know anyone who either played for Ali’i Blue Haus or watched from the bleachers during this past Saturday’s 2016 Island-Wide Men’s Basketball League Championship, feel free to spit in their face (on second thought, no—it’s a felony) and express your anger at how they blemished and embarrassed Filipinos island-wide and offended the rest of this community. What a setback for all Filipinos here. The players and spectators were neither of championship stock nor people acting as adults in America! Not to shake the hands of the opposing team in friendship and congratulations; nor the hands of each referee and table official for a hard job well done; nor the coaches to shake hands in appreciation but, instead, for all to walk out without even accepting your trophies wasn’t a noble “statement” of any kind. But it was a clear indication of poor sportsmanship, gross immaturity, and disrespect to your host state and country. It is not allowed on the elementary school playgrounds of American and there’s no place for it on the basketball courts of Saipan.

So let’s review a few of the basics: The first whistle and toss of the ball denotes the start of play. It does not indicate the start of spectator complaints and cursing. If you were paying attention, you’d have noticed that the opposing team’s spectators across the court—spouses, parents, and children—were not behaving badly like you. In the U.S., this game is played under the FIBA international rules of basketball. This applies to all of the CNMI and every game played on every public court. Not your make-believe rules! The rules of basketball are like the rules of international boxing—the participants learn them first. The rules are like the boxing ring: You won’t see Manny Pacguiao urging his opponent to join him outside the ring (rules) to box nor does he straddle the ring (rules) when fighting. The team’s coach, in this instance, has probably never even read the FIBA rules nor owns a copy of them to reference. Knucklehead!

You’re (those present Saturday evening) are not stupid but you are ignorant. I’m ignorant of how to perform any type of heart surgery. But if I was pressed to perform heart surgery, you can be damn sure that I would study hard! Ignorance is not your problem. Your problem is that you’re unwilling to learn (prove me wrong over the next 12 months).

The game of basketball pivots on three issues: (1) Knowledge of the FIBA international rules of basketball then volunteering to follow them (professional boxers recommit to the rules of boxing at the beginning of every match), (2) developing and improving the necessary personal skills, and (3) learning to play as a team. You’ve failed in the first—both players and spectators alike. You’ve been coasting with regards to your individual skill levels. And “play as a team”?—many of you still think that basketball is an individual sport like track & field or swimming. In fact, it is a team sport not the individual efforts of five people wearing the same jersey.

What’s the “job” of a spectator? It is only to watch. But if you are a team supporter, then your job is to encourage and congratulate good play of both the teams’ efforts and those efforts of specific players on your team. When an individual on your team violates the rules, this is when you close your mouth and let the referees do their job. If you want to say something negative, then by all means, do so after the game has ended and unload on your team. The other team’s coach will look after his own team. No sense your meddling there when you’re having difficulty managing yourselves and your team. As for the refs: The only words they should ever hear from you are “thank you.”

By the way: Faking that you’ve been the target of a foul (flopping) ended in elementary school in America. Get your drama on TV. Don’t bring it to the court. If you have to drink before you play, you don’t deserve to be allowed on the courts here. Stay away—you only invite trouble. And Blue Haus: You’re wrong in supporting this team and in rewarding them by paying for their beer, even after the game. Find another team to sponsor that reflects positively on the game of basketball and you/your business. And let me remind Saturday’s players and spectators of something that you do know: Gambling on a basketball game in America is illegal. And throwing a game, buddy, is in poor form not to mention illegal as well no matter how much money you made.

You’re described as “efficient but not effective.” Congratulations! You know how to bounce a ball! Everyone would have more fun if you learned the rules, developed the skills, played as a team, and, spectators, you did your part, your “job.”

But it looks like you won’t have the chance in this league during the coming year. That’s the word on the grapevine. You’ve had all season to learn these lessons but have chosen not to…for years. Do you think this nonsense goes unnoticed? Do you think that other’s patience and tolerance goes on forever? Not when you’re unteachable. You are an embarrassment to your people.

This letter doesn’t warrant a reply. Save it for another time. But it does call for an official apology from your team and those representing your spectators to the opposing team, the referees, the table officials, and NMSA staff. And it calls for a promise to these same people that you will never behave in this way again if and when you’re ever allowed to return to the court. You’ve tried to be cleaver in the past. Maybe it’s time to learn to be wise.

Gary Liddle
Via email