On the Sorsogon Bubble and Professional Student Athletes

Bubble popped.
(Photo by: Rappler.com)

If you are reading this, that means you are alive and well, going through the motions of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic and the now six-month quarantine that has befallen our country. Just being alive, waking up to the voices of our loved ones, seeing their faces either in person or online, that's all that matters. If you have lost someone, my heartfelt condolences to you. 

I had a follower/ friend on @kilikilishot who succumbed to the disease. I just cannot recall his username at the moment ( Rest in Power @kotsleo ), but I was able to exchange a message or two with his loved one. I hope and pray that you are all doing well and safe. 

That's me, Angel V., the author, talking to all of you, with no BS. 

So for the longest time, specially when this blog shot up to fame thanks to a few popular readers retweeting and sharing (and some PBA names), I've shied away from discussing things that I'm not privy to or as well-researched of. For one, I've left the college basket-talk to better men and women-- those from Humblebola, Tiebreaker Times, Salascout, and the rest. Though some of them do sound more like a certain school's sports mouth piece as they mostly cover in-house. 

But recent events (and the lack of anything PBA) have led me to this piece, about my Alma Mater-- The University of Santo Tomas, and its Men's Basketball Team. Just in case you were preoccuppied with other things (as you should), the UST MBT all went to participate in a "Sorsogon Bubble" under the direction of head coach Aldin Ayo. 

His rules, his team, his hometown. 

So, what went wrong with the Bubble? 

One, any sports activity involving several individuals was not allowed at the time under the Quarantine rules. So that's one mistake. Second, high profile players (namely former UAAP HS MVP CJ Cansino) started to leak information about it and rightfully, wanted to go home. Third, there were health concerns raised by another player which were allegedly unreported/ unattended to. 

Well, today, we all know that Cansino was able to leave the bubble and IMMEDIATELY sign with the UP Fighting Maroons. Like, IMMEDIATELY. Sure, he went on record to say all the right things, but not before he posted screen shots (re: resibo) of private conversations among players and their families about the bubble. Almost as if to justify his actions. He deleted it. Case closed. After Cansino, others followed-- star Rhenz Abando, Brent Paraiso and Ira Bataller all went to NCAA champion Letran while reigning UAAP Rookie of the Year Mark Nonoy is off to DLSU. 

For his actions, Ayo was indefinitely suspended by the UAAP board. The jury's still out on UST, but for the time being it doesn't seem like the MBT is going to be suspended anytime soon.

If you're asking this writer if Ayo and the Bubble was wrong, I'd be quick to say yes. Because simply put: it was law. There were no sanctions, or governing bodies overseeing it, but it was what the government said: stay home, stay safe, no games, no masses, no nothing.

If you're asking if what the players did, Cansino et. al., was wrong, I'd say no.

Cansino, as captain, and the HS MVP who was the cornerstone of the rebuild alongside Ayo after the disastrous Sablan Era, had every right to go and say-- hey, we're practicing here, when we shouldn't, and we should all go home. I'LL GO HOME.

What he did after, signing up with UP as soon as he got to Metro Manila, was done in bad taste-- but what other option did he have? He spilled the beans, popped the bubble, burned bridges with Ayo, so he's definitely not going to suit up. He or his handlers probably saw the merits of the Bubble-gate, and expected ramifications to fall down on the UST MBT. So they got him out of there quick. Can't risk sitting out a year. Ditto with Abando, Nonoy and the rest.

Not when you can play for another team-- right away.

And there you have it. The "Professional" Student Athlete. Ideally, should the UST MBT be suspended, these kids could have chosen to stay put, enjoy their scholarships and come back stronger next year.

But that's too big of an 'ask.' What if the team gets suspended indefinitely? What if the MBT gets banned? Would you stay on board a sinking ship when the captain and his first mate already left for one reason or another?

No. 

Because there are perks to being a student-athlete, specially in UAAP/NCAA basketball. It's why, all of a sudden, you are hearing these high profile players having "sports agents." Years ago, all they had were scouts, a friend/ relative of a coach who saw them play somewhere, and if they're lucky, a showbiz/ modelling gig to go with it.

But player agents for college students?

Let's just say, these agents don't work for free. And you'd be a bit naive if you think that students could afford their services.

Hopefully, they let their players play to the hilt and put winning instead of greener pastures/ professional offers, first.