DELTA PINEDA RUES PBA UNFAIR TRADES, LACK OF PARITY, DWINDLING ATTENDANCE

CHICAGO - In winning his reelection bid as governor of Pampanga last May 2022, Dennis "Delta" Piineda garnered 668,757 votes.

But in a twisted irony, Pineda can't get one vote from the 12-man PBA board that would allow him to sit as the team governor of  Converge.

At age 49, Pineda thought he had seen everything in life. Until this travesty smacked him in the face like a thick piece of two-by-four wood.

READ: PBA chair to meet Converge owner over Delta impasse

For the first time since this squabble wrinkled the sports pages, Pineda spoke in length about the issue last Thursday night.

"I will support whatever decision the board makes," he told me in a telephone interview, his voice fading with frustration.

Even then, his natural instinct as a leader prevailed.

"I still believe the PBA is a good league. I hope mahahanap nila ang solusyon sa mga mga issues tungkol sa fan attendance, unfair trades at kakulangan ng competitive balance," he said.

SAME OLD SONG

This isn't an echo chamber. Governor Pineda is singing a familiar refrain regarding the same problems the fans have been crying about for years, pleas that have fallen in deaf, unsympathetic ears.

A coach and huge fan of the sport, it is Pineda's fondest wish to see the PBA rediscover its previous glory where fans are excited and in the dark as to who wins the title.

He cited the current NBA Finals where the Miami Heat, the No. 8 seed in the East who had to go through two play-n tournament games, is now playing for the crown against the Denver Nuggets.

PHOTO: Spin.ph / PBA Images

Such a scenario will always remain a dream in the PBA where lowly teams such as Blackwater and Terrafirma have zero chance of rising from the abyss. 

In the PBA, it seems, semifinals slots over the last 16 conferences are perpetually reserved for Ginebra, TNT and San Miguel, with Magnolia or Meralco usually fighting for the last spot.

Along with Rain or Shine and unyielding coach Yeng Guiao, Converge could have spiced up the competition significantly, what with its willingness to spend on talent and the brilliance of head coach Aldin Ayo.

Not anymore, not when the ownership group is seriously considering selling the franchise they bought from Alaska.

GRACE AND GRATITUDE

Considering the stiff arm he just received and the discourtesy of not being told why exactly he is being denied entry other than that vague b.s. about being "apolitical," Pineda is taking his lumps like a man.

But his show of grace and gratitude should not be mistaken for contentment or happiness.

For all the resources he could have marshalled and the vibrant new ideas he could have brought to the PBA, denying Pineda a seat on the board was a mistake.

But the league is too stubborn to admit it.

Run by men of a particular age, the PBA is simply unwilling to march with the changing of the times.

Even if a miracle is hatched and the PBA reverses its course, I don't think it matters at this point.

Once the heart is broken and the mind is wounded, no relationship can find the stability and warmth it needs to last the years.  

How sad. 

2023-06-04T06:07:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd