Two can play at that game

Just the other day it was announced that long-time Team MVP affiliate/ Gilas Pilipinas reinforcement Marcus Douthit was going to suit up for Blackwater Elite in lieu of the injured Chris Charles in the newly-opened PBA Commissioner's Cup.

How easy it was to acquire Douthit's services, who has gone on media to openly admit that he's not in game shape, is not the issue here. It's the team he plays for, and the uniforms that they've suddenly gone on to wear this conference that's a bit bothersome.

You may call us out for counting our chickens before they hatch here, but those blue and yellow colors do not exactly fit the "BLACKWater Elite" mold now does it? They wore black, white and red last conference, much like their product colors, so where on earth did this yellow and blue print come from?

Did Team MVP finally do it?

After first trying to get on a level playing field against Team SMC, which owns three PBA teams (Team MVP now has TNT, Meralco and NLEX in its fold), have they also gone out of their way to finance a dreaded "farm team" by way of the newcomers, the Elite?

This. Is. Awesome.

For one, it creates a sort of misguided "balance" in the league since it counter's Team SMC's Barako Bull ties (okay, so they also seem to have GlobalPort in the payroll). As a professional player, they'll be okay with the situation a bit as long as they are able to provide for their families. For fans, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. For Team MVP, it gives them more high draft picks that almost, always go the Team SMC route.

And the thing that we love about it... the future high picks, should they go to the Elite, will now be on loan to the Gilas Pilipinas men's national basketball program with no drama or politicking.

What are the chances, should Team SMC get a Ray Ray Parks, Jr. or Kiefer Ravena, that they will be on loan to Gilas? Seriously. If a former PBA MVP in Arwind Santos, 7"0 Greg Slaughter, Marcio Lassiter and a James Yap were left off the table, what more a couple of rookies who are bound by their initial PBA contracts and are not just going to simply bite the hand that feeds them?

Again, nothing's confirmed yet outside of the Douthit signing and the weird pahiyang jersey colors.

But boy oh boy. What's next? The refs start wearing Team SMC/MVP colors too?