I THINK there’s an imperative need to pursue it. As in a bill certified urgent by the President: It needs to be passed without delay.
What’s it all about, Alfie?
I’d petition the court to have Calvin Abueva’s moniker changed from “The Beast” to “The Best.”
This early in his resurrection, I think he’s earned it. Almost.
In his very first game alone following a league-decreed lifetime ban for roguish behavior both on and off the court, Abueva immediately discarded his cloak of wickedness.
For the first time in 16 months, he played from rough to tough.
There’s such a world of a difference between rough and tough.
You are rough when you go for the hoop coupled with the intent to hurt the one that crosses your path. Like shooting with elbows flying, fists cocked, knees knocking down defenders, a foot sticking into a groin, if not a crotch.
That is not basketball but “basketbrawl.”
You are tough when you play with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul—but minus the intent to hurt, maim.
That is basketball and not “basket-bull.”
Here’s the deal, as told to a neighbor of mine: If, in Abueva’s Phoenix-like rise from the ashes, he’d change his ways from rough to royal, he gets to be rechristened from beast to best. Nix a court order.
On Monday this week, Abueva did just that.
He didn’t only play basketball clean as a sheet, he also played his best without being beastly anymore.
Result? He ended up the best not only for his team but for the night as well.
His double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds more than helped his team, Phoenix, to steal a come-from-behind 114-110 victory over NLEX.
It must have felt like Abueva was in Cloud 9.
For the first time in his controversy-ridden career, he was not someone who got away with crime but someone who bailed out his beleaguered team with his heroic rescue job—a la Superman, if not Batman, or Spider-Man.
OK, it was just one game. And this is only the eliminations of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. We still have a long way to go.
Can the well-behaved Abueva, in his career restart, be as well-behaved in the days to come?
There will always be cynics, the villainous kind, wanting to burst the sudden, but beautiful, Abueva bubble of goodness. The devil rests not from victim-hunting, like the deep blue sea. Up to Calvin to put his demons under check.
The best from the beast is just begun?
THAT’S IT For placing third in the tough US LPGA Open last weekend, Bianca Pagdanganan, 22, has put the Philippines back on the world golf stage. Watch out for her as already, Bianca’s established herself as the longest hitter on the Tour with her average drive of 310 yards in seven starts. That almost equals the distance of most of the world’s top male pros!
1 comment
Boss Al, musta na po? JRGA po…Summer of ’98 OJT sa Inquirer Sports. Your writing prowess never fails to impress. The Beast was superb in that game although his efforts were not enough to get the W for the Fuel Masters.
Wish I could continuously follow your articles po.