Alex Pagulayan, aka The Lion, Opted Out of The SEA Games!
Billiards sensation Alex Pagulayan, aka The Lion, has opted out of the coming SEA Games in Thailand because of differences with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), the sports organization in charge of choosing members of the RP Team to the biennial games. The country's billiards greats, i.e., Efren "Bata" Reyes, aka The Magician, and Francisco "Django" Bustamante, are also out of the Team.
Alex Pagulayan, who won the 8-ball singles, 9-ball doubles with Dennis Orcollo and team snooker with Joven Alba and Leonardo Andam, announced his decision in a bid to preempt the BSCP. The BSCP is reportedly not keen on having The Lion on the RP team anymore because of his post-game antics in the early legs of the Guinness 9-ball Asian Tour.
On a personal note, I honestly feel that Pagulayan, a former world pool champion, would have been a strong medal contender in 8-ball and 9-ball events. I've seen him in action countless times and the Lion reminds me of one of the best known pool players in the United States, Minnesota Fats. You see, Alex is a great billiards player AND a great entertainer. Everybody seems to have a good time with his superb shot-making skills, his jokes and antics, well, excluding his opponents, who, more often than not, are always on the losing end of matches whenever they play Alex. Yes, Alex Pagulayan's antics have gotten on the the nerves of some BSCP members, but it is no excuse to exclude him from the RP Team. The Lion is not just one of the most colorful and talented mainstays in the Philippines, HE IS definitely one of the strongest contenders in any tour! He is the most winningest pool player in the last SEA Games for crying out loud!
And I'll give you another thing to think about and ponder on: Why do you think Efren Reyes and Django Bustamante opted out as well? I'll give you one good guess: POLITICS! I had a talk with Django a couple of days ago at the AMF-Puyat SuperBowl, home of the Makati Square Billiards Association billiards club. Our talk revolved around their decision not to play for the RP Team this year. My good friend cited only one reason for the decision, i.e., PULITIKA. POLITICS. Pool players never liked politics. Nobody does! Politics is an excuse designed to cover up inefficiencies. In any sport. In any organization. And I kid you not!
*Did you enjoy the post? Did you find it interesting?
You know what to do :)
16 comments:
Politics... the culprit behind every organization's downfall.
Why are they excluding the Philippine's best players? Are they mad or what? I hope their intentions are good, like probably giving others the chance to shine, but others could still shine even if Alex, efren and django stayed!
Politics + jealousy and pride is eating up what used to be great minds. What's next? Maybe we should stop calling it a "sports" org. They are not "Sport" people after all.
To Alex, Efren and Django I think you guys are the best players ever graced the RP team and among the world pool champions.
Very well said, kabayan! I loved your take on it! Indeed, politics never does an organization any good...none whatsoever! And I kid you not!
.
I completely agree with Alex Pagulayn, Efren Reyes, & Fransisco Bustamante, and you!! politics in sports and any organisation stinks like 3 day old fish!!!
Pare, nakapasa ako sa exam! salamat sa suporta!
@La Head Shot:
You got that right, my friend. Indeed, politics is an excuse to cover ineffiencies in an organization. Foreign or domestic, whether it involves local or international players. And I kid you not!
.
@George Estregan:
CONGRATULATIONS BRO! I never doubted you, not one bit! O, saan ka pa? Atenean just like me! Cough cough cough! And I kid you not!
Love you pare! Do good in school...AM VERY PROUD OF YOU BRO!
.
Nevertheless there's politics everywhere in sports I'm still confident that other Filipino cue artists can still win the gold medal in the Bangkok SEA Games. This country has countless of talented billiards player.
Right you are bro! Di na siguro maiiwasan yang politics. Indeed, the Philippines has a deep pool with regards to the sport. Sana ako rin kabilang dun! :)
.
Oo nga, bket di ka sumali sa mga tournaments para u will represent our country sa mga international events like the SEA Games. I know you have the skill and talent needed to be a gold medalist. i kid u not :)
Oh gosh. Politics in sports too. Aren't the sportmen competing to bring honour to the country? When the best players are excluded from participating in major competitions, it may give the other players more exposure but it is not the best strategy.
@Kegler:
I wish I could bro. But there are other concerns that I need to attend to. Playing billiards professionally is a full-time job. Wish I could do it someday.
.
You got that right, EastCoast. Django said it all in just one word. I know these guys, they do not like politics, not one bit. They are so pissed of with it. Where was BSCP when they were just starting out? It was Puyat who had the vision to sponsor these guys right from the start, not the BSCP. And i kid you not!
.
AnitoKid-Hey there buddy! I am learning a TON about billiards through your site! This is a great resource! I had no idea that there was politics in billiards, but it makes sense. Politics has infiltrated every other great sport! Great post my friend! Take care and have a great weekend!
Politics can make or break a nation. It is unfortunate that we are at the wrong end of the spectrum. Once politics starts to mix with the equation, disaster happens. During the last International Sports events, it is evident that politicians outnumber the athletes. No wonder our country is deprived of that elusive gold medal. How can we win if we send politicians to the Olympics?
@Barrett: Glad you like the site, my friend! i guess I'm just lucky to know some of the Philippines' billiards greats to write something about the state of the sport.
.
You got that right, Sam! I, too, wonder why the politicians outnumber our athletes in every meet! They made such competitions a reason for them (officials) to go out out the country as part of their perks. Tsk.
.
Post a Comment