Willie Marcial dropped a huge bomb when he indefinitely
suspended Calvin Abueva for two unruly incidents made in two consecutive games.
Obviously, the Terrence Jones clothesline is the graver
offense because his actions could have affected a player’s livelihood. Anything
you do above a person’s neck should be meted with serious consequences
especially when the person does this in blindsiding fashion. Sure, Jones could
have intentionally clobbered Abueva’s crotch in the moments that led to the
attack but the mere fact that Abueva was able to do such action and dance like
there’s no tomorrow right after pretty much meant that the groin hit isn’t as
he perceived.
But man, this day and age, considering how controversial his
off-court life is, Abueva shouldn’t have done what he did to Maika Rivera. First
of all, we have laws prohibiting violence against women. Of course, Bobby Ray
Parks’s girlfriend was heckling Abueva but she is a fan and he was caught doing
the gesture on live television. Also, he is a repeat offender. In the Australia
game, we were more disappointed on Jayson Castro than this guy. In his last two
seasons, Abueva has been fined for flashing a dirty finger three times. Maika
Rivera could have faced a real-life lawsuit if Abueva wanted and was deeply
affected by it but like in what he did to Jones, his decision turned for the
worse.
And it’s not like people are giving him sympathy. Fans think
his suspension was long overdue, he needs to get his life in check first, he
has lost all sense of professionalism, he thinks he is too big for the league,
and then there are some who thinks he is better off playing in the MPBL.
But what team would want him if you think about it? Macmac
Cardona is no saint but I have yet to hear an incident with him as the center
of attention. In fact, Cardona helped the San Juan Knights capture an MPBL title. Okay sure, Abueva is overqualified for the MPBL but he is also
going to represent a particular municipality.
If you are a politician in line for re-election, would you
want your mayoral campaign to be represented by whatever on-court scandal he
could ensue?
Now I can’t physically psycho-analyze Abueva because he
might hurt me (just like most keyboard commenting warriors) but The Beast, like
most Filipinos, have this “heat of the moment” mentality. Obviously, Abueva
knows what’s right and what’s wrong but for some reason, he gives his all for
the present with little regard of the future. Right off the bat, Abueva wanted
to throw Terrence Jones out from the start of the Phoenix-TNT match and with
the game out of hand, he tried one last ditch effort to incite a riot. He barrelled
his way towards Jones’ body and this gave Jones the opportunity to allegedly strike
rock his nuts.
But even with his tactics, he STILL was not able to force
Jones out.
And now he has to hold his pro ball game for the foreseeable
future.
Abueva is already 31 years old and with his antics, I doubt
if he’ll get to join the other Gilas Pilipinas bets in other tourneys other than
the All-Star Tournaments.
But he could have just derailed whatever momentum the
Phoenix Fuel Masters have at the moment. We have yet to forget that since
becoming the league’s ninth franchise dating back to 1999, this genealogy has
yet to win a title. They started as the Tanduay Rhum Masters, then became the
FedEx/Air21 Express, then became the Barako Bull Energy Boosters, and now they
are the Phoenix Fuel Masters. Apart from their championship-less lineage, we
have yet to erase the stigma of the team as conduits.
How can they erase this stigma if they are going to play the
rest of the season without Abueva?
Abueva plays like an enforcer but indeed he isn’t. Instead
of the guy entrusted to take out the import whatever means necessary, he is the
one Phoenix needs to protect.
Abueva needs to understand he is a former triple-double
magnet that during his rookie season almost won the Most Valuable Player award
and not some role player who just wants to hurt people.
Or throw the occasional dirty finger.
Or do a lewd gesture.
Or whatever.
END
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