Basketball and politics

The euphoria over the epic win of Gilas Pilipinas has not ebbed. The victory is quite significant in sports, given that the team redeemed itself from the humbling defeat in the FIBA World Cup and the not-so-appreciated coaching of Chot Reyes.

In the Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, Gilas Pilipinas won by the skin of their teeth over the vaunted host team and went on to deal with Jordan to harvest a prized gold medallion for every Gilas player. For basketball enthusiasts, coaching matters most, and the accolades naturally included Tim Cone, the current coach.

That's for the team. For the country that went through a drought of that elusive gold, the men's basketball crown in Asia is regained after six decades of struggle.

But let us not forget our other athletes who gave us gold medals. Ernest John Obiena, the world's No. 2-ranked pole vaulter, came home with the first gold for the Philippines. He arrived in his country to harvest P10 million more in cash awards. That makes him the ace gold miner in sports.

And then the pretty Meggie Ochoa snatched the second gold for the Philippines in Jiujitsu. Her teammate Annie Ramirez won the 3rd gold for the country in another jiujitsu category.

What is next for Gilas Pilipinas? After it beat China, the team won a slot in the 2024 Olympics Qualifying Tournament.

Basketball and politics are the top favorite pastimes of Filipinos. The noise and the euphoria over the Philippines winning gold in the Hangzhou Asian Games can only be equaled by politicians' penchant to demean their adversaries years before elections.

The target is VP Inday Sara Duterte, perceived as the front-runner in the presidential derby in 2028.

Destined to be big losers, the opposition, including the communist legal front partylist members of Congress, appear to be cavorting with the ruling party from which a probable presidential contender will come.

It is apparent that this early, there is a cleavage within the party, which is heading to an irreparable split. This is, of course, a personal perception given the well-coordinated attacks on VP Sara.

In a way, this premature political plot is good for the Vice President. For one thing, she now knows her adversaries this early, and, most importantly, it unmasks the politicians who will not stop embracing terrorist groups to enhance their political stock.

VP Sara should guard her back, for there are elements with insidious motives.

Who would ever think that in their desperate moves, even a traffic policeman had the gumption to blame the VP for the traffic snarl in Quezon City while she was in Butuan City, in faraway Mindanao?

Whoever "persuaded" the cop to become a tool for brazen black propaganda should be exposed. His senior officer came to his rescue by saying there was nothing political about the incident. Now, do not give us that crap.

In basketball, as well as in politics, some play dirty, and some for the money.