I wrote my very first #ulog post yesterday about buying a couple of FIBA basketball tickets because i sensed that something spectacular will happen, and history have been witnessed not only by us who went to the arena, but also the WHOLE WORLD! This is very unfortunate for our country's world basketball campaign.
No racist remarks intended for this post.
People are constantly arguing about the viral, epic but so disappointing incident last night between the Gilas Pilipinas and the Australian Boomers. But as a Pilipinas basketball fan reading and watching these netizen's remarks (majority are FALSE), i just wanted to share some facts about what really happened. This might settle down anger, jealousy and racism that may be existing in your hearts and brain against the Filipinos, the Australians, or both of them right now. I must know, because i was there in the arena when it happened.
My observation in the incident, trust me or not, i was actually there and was STANDING NEAREST TO THE BRAWL AREA!
My first impression in the arena and both teams
When we arrived the Philippine arena in Bulacan a couple of hours before the game, i was confused to where i'll be seating because i saw the Aussie Boomers warming-up in the home's side. But thanks to my common sense, i saw the Filipino coaching staff sitting on the Boomer's side and i knew that i'll be seating in the right place. I don't know if these squads are just being mistaken or either of the teams did that on purpose, then they went to their respective sides for the game minutes later, i saw number 12 player (found it was Daniel Kickert later) pushing our players not only once. I must know because i was the one booing them in support of our guys (6th man's role by nature).I noticed that things are heating up just before the game and in that moment i felt like this match will be more interesting to watch. I'm not writing a one-sided opinion. There will be a fair breakdown as we go further.
So let's start my #ulog for the day. Peace be with you all!
What is the root cause of the incident? And who to blame?
The Filipino side
According to ESPN Philippines, before the game, the Australian players have been provoking since they saw each other the first time and the Boomer's staff removed the FIBA-approved decals and stickers in the arena, including the PH sponsor's (PLDT) logos. They ripped them off without any consent or notice to the event organizers.
Is it a big deal?
The Philippine team don't earn money from representing the country and the sponsors are the only guys who pays the players a price for their participation, travels and garments so it's important for them not to remove those sponsor's decals. Also during their warm-ups, both squads are sharing the same basketball court. Each team gets a half of the court. Filipino players then complain to the Australian players because they push the Pinoys away whenever they step over the half court line and then the pushing and confrontations happened before the start of the game.
Actual video of the decal/stickers problem.
The Physicality of both teams
I've been watching the FIBA since i was a kid. The basketball style in the PBA is more physical than FIBA and that's why the Philippine team have struggled in the FIBA rules in many years before the Gilas program had started. RR Pogoy from the PH team's bench started this pace of the highly physical game as the Boomers are leading with 31 points in the middle of the 3rd quarter. He just commited a frustrated flagrant foul to Goulding because allegedly he was trashtalking in the game especially when a PH player shoots a free throw, he hit Goulding chest-to-chest in which the referees may just call it a flagrant foul or at least unsportsmanlike foul (will be resulting a punishment against PH such as Free throw plus ball possession for the Aussies to put the dagger on the Philippine's side). Flagrant fouls are always being committed in every league in the world.
But things got worse when the Australian squad reacted differently and have shocked everyone. Goulding did flopped from the chest bump of Pogoy. He turned his head over like he was being uppercut and went to the floor just to get the foul. And i believe Kickert read it wrong and he did something very stupid in any sport, he threw a solid right elbow in the face of PH's Pogoy like he's on an MMA match which ignited the nasty basketBrawl, resulting the bench on the Philippines to be cleared, and "THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET DOWN!" The rest was history.
The Australian side
The decal stickers on the floor was being removed by the Australian's staff because they find them slippery. And on the day of the game during warm-ups a Filipino player tried to step over the half court line and tried to trip off Daniel Kicker's foot and he just retaliated and pushed them. And during the game, the Boomers played good basketball with exceptional defense and shooting against the Philippines. They are winning the game fair, setting up good plays, BLOWING-OUT the bad-shaped Philippine team in their own house and they go frustrated and decided to change their game bringing out physical bench players hoping to demoralize their opponents, playing a sticky a PBA style of play, cheap shots being thrown to the Boomers on the floor without the referee seeing. Of course, Australian basketball retaliated with the same.
Australian basketball, to be fair, was being known to have a physicality on their plays in general. And this fact is proven by these Australian NBA players like Luc Longley, Andrew Bogut, Aaron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Ben Simmons which have the similarity of being highly physical players. These guys are tough so expect them to retaliate when you engage a highly physical ball game with the Boomers. Kickert admitted that he blinked an eye over this scenario.
The one's to blame
The one who tells the story is always the good guy. Who did it first and who are the bad guys aren't that important to be argued about. Both of them did wrong and everyone knows that. There are governing bodies that will give them consequences of what they've done.
I feel bad for Nathan Sobey
I think that Nathan Sobey was the poorest guy on the Australian side. Not sure if he's involved in the trash talking because he isn't the main target of the PH side at first but he received the worst Philippine team assault. It happened when he tried to go near Chris Goulding to possibly help but we didn't anticipate that someone from the bench will throw a chair in his back and punch him right in the jaw. We all thought the fight was over in that point until someone knocked him down and all of us are like "OMG I hope my Aussie neighbors won't be unfriending me for this!" That was so disgraceful and a very shameful act from one of our boys, but i just couldn't judge them for who they are just because of this incident.
Why do we have to stop judging these guys?
I value brotherhood so i just cannot judge these boys easily. I play basketball as well so i must know what they feel. These players treat each other like brothers, they sacrificed their time away from their families and the only one's left with them in their daily routine are their team. And these guys started from rags, they've been living with the sport, which is also their passion and did the grind really hard to the point that they are representing their respective country. What they did that time was very wrong but it is understandable in my opinion. Just imagine if your real brother being beaten in front of you i'm sure you won't be ignoring that one and pretend to be classy. And also, think of me beating an Australian citizen inside the Australian territory, do you think i wouldn't be asskicked? In that moment if i were about to wear their shoes, i would either forget the possible consequences ahead.
GOULDING was protected well!
I hate it when Australian media reporting false facts. The Australian netizens are furious about their guy Goulding being floored and being stomped, kicked, and punched by approximately 12 Filipinos, but the security personnel was there with former Chicago Bull's Luc Longley and PH reserve player Troy Rike was there and pushing those men away from Goulding not to make the beating worse to the bloody point. I was pissed reading the AU headlines especially which says whole team beating Goulding and only Luc Longley helped him and saved his life. But i saw what happened. FAKE NEWS and biased reporting is the one to blame in this one which elevated anger to people in Australia, burning the bridges with some of the Filipinos and Australians over the world.
The fans were amazing
I just can't accept the fact that the crowd in the arena are being blamed by people on the internet. The fans were actually amazing except for the those 3 persons who threw their plastic water bottles (didn't reach the court though) No one left their seats during and after the commotion because they respect the sport and the officiating of FIBA. The brawl happened just inside the playing court, involving just the staff, officials, and the teams. Don't believe the headlines much. Trust me on this one.
The crowd chanting even after the incident are just part of their support to their team and they are just entertaining themselves. They know how bad the situation is and what is happening. These guys actually have better attitude as i am. If one of those players are my relatives or brothers, i'll go try to kick some enemy's asses too because i value brotherhood.. But these people aren't so evil as i am. They embraced the Australian fans after, they apologized to the whole team, and never crossed the line. These are God's people, also the best basketball fans in the world.
This video of mine (sorry for the quality) was the funny aftermath of the incident. A very rare 2 vs 5 game in basketball history. Another unforgettable experience. My ticket was worth it! :-)
Please leave your comments below, i would like to hear from you. Educate me if i'm wrong but let's promote peace. God bless us all!