I have been willing to write this entry for quite some time, but I always fail to do so. But after that heart-wrenching defeat by the UP Fighting Maroons against the UE Red Warriors earlier today, I decided to finally write it. I won't be talking about my support for the Maroons (I think I already did that in an earlier post), but rather, I'll talk about something else. However, do remember that I haven't done much research about the topic, something that I would really want to do given more ample time. If any of you would like to chime in or help, that would be very much welcome. Then, I shall make a more comprehensive post. If there are any mistakes, or misconceptions, feel free to bring it up in the comments. But for now, I would write this with what I know (granted, it may very well be not a hundred percent accurate). I just don't want to lose the idea that is in my mind right now.
Enough of that, what exactly are you going to be talking about?
I said this in a tweet a couple of weeks ago, and I think it captures perfectly what I would be talking about in this post. "The fact that UP is the only public school among the UAAP schools should never be understated." You most likely already know that, though it is not something that would be lingering in one's mind all the time. It is a fact that carries with it a lot of implications.
So what does it mean for UP?
The first thing that comes to my mind is this: Resources. Being a public institution, UP has a much more limited budget. And with these limitations, of course, the university would prioritize education first. Then what about donations and support from the UP Alumni? Again, being a public institution, things are much trickier with UP. There would be a lot more red tape, biding, and the like. As an example, the UP Gym Annex, opened just last summer, was in construction for more or less a decade if I am not mistaken. There had been delays due to funds, or the lack thereof, among other things. Before this new basketball court, the UP MBT had been training in a court where the roof leeks when there is rain, where the dimensions are not exactly up to regulation, a court where there are no shot clocks, a basketball court where at times you must avoid volleyballs from the spikes of the UP Volleyball teams, a basketball court which is filled with the loud sounds of the drums from the UP Pep Squad and drummers.
Equipment wouldn't be a different story. If I got it right, those too should undergo public bidding. For example, I just couldn't go to the UP CHK, hand them a check, and tell them to buy a new set of basketballs. Likewise, if there is a need for new equipment, even with sufficient fund, they just can't go waltzing in the nearest sports shops and buy. Again, public bidding is a process they must go through. Doesn't sound much, but it is.
And finally, there is the matter of recruiting. Let's not kid around here, when it comes to recruiting, the only thing UP has on the competition is the quality of education that they could and would provide. I think it has been an open secret already for years that the other UAAP schools, aside from scholarships, also gives out allowances. At some instances, there are even "signing bonuses". There had even been rumors that some collegiate hoops stars have "allowances" that rival the salaries of the PBA players. Some are even said to have received cars as a "signing bonus". But even if we go conservative and say their allowance monthly is more or less in the P15,000-P20,000 range, that is still a significant thing. How much were your monthly allowance back in college (or right now if you are still studying?) Given the choice of (1) Getting free education, having free lodging, AND allowance monthly, studying in a quality school, and playing the game you love versus (2) Studying in the premier university, having free education (or at least at a discounted rate), and playing the game you love, which would you choose? This is not to mention that if you are thinking of having a professional career in playing basketball, the other schools might also be a better choice.
I wouldn't go into detail how difficult it is to be, not just a student athlete, but a (as I would like to call them) iskolar-athletes. I had numerous classmates that are varsity members, and trust me, they work on their studies as hard as any UP student I know. No special treatments. None at all.
Okay, but that sounds very generalized. UP does very well in other sports, like football, swimming, and the like. Doesn't that invalidate your argument?
No, I don't think it does. It is true that what I stated mostly only applies to the UP MBT. But why is it so?
Note that the following is not based on cold hard facts, but I could argue that what I would be writing is not ridiculous and actually makes sense.
The reason why it mostly applies only to basketball is this:
ADVERTISING.
Let us set some facts first. The fact is, UP wouldn't run out of applicants. Tens of thousands of students apply for the UPCAT every year. And every year, thousands get admitted and enter UP. And even in the off chance that the number of UP students dwindle down to a fraction of what it is now, UP would still exist. The university is here to provide and give quality education to those that would qualify for it.
On the other hand, the other UAAP schools, being private schools, need to have students enrolling in them. Unlike UP which most students already know about, some students may only know of these other UAAP schools by name. They therefore need to essential advertise and sell their schools to these students. They need to have enrollees.
So why are these significant?
Quickly, what is the most seen and famous UAAP sport? It is basketball no doubt. While some schools (like UST and FEU) excel in most competitions, it could be seen that basketball receives most of the attention. Since basketball is the most seen UAAP sport, these schools are using it to make themselves more known. Sure, a regular student most likely wouldn't choose a school base on its basketball varsity team alone, but, in my mind, it has an effect. Be it subconscious or not, there is an effect. They make the school more familiar, more fun, more desirable.
Don't believe me? What competition following basketball is most famous? Arguably it is volleyball, and there has been increased attention from ALL teams in that sport. What's one more famous UAAP event? It is certainly the cheer dance competition. What was once essentially a three team competition between UP, UST, and FEU has now become more balanced. We've seen improved performances, costumes, sets from all teams. We've seen other teams crack the top 3. All these focus given to the CDC is because it is an excellent avenue to advertise.
So in the end, what do you want to imply?
I guess, what I wanted to say is this: In general, UP is not lacking, the other schools are just giving much more.
The assumption is this: The other schools give more effort to those "well exposed" competitions, but in the other competitions, their efforts are at par with that of UP. Therefore, in those other competitions, there is more of a balanced playing field, and UP generally does well in those sports.
In short, in basketball, UP is at a inherent disadvantage because the other schools see basketball as more than just an athletic competition.
This is not an excuse, or a "get out of jail for free" card. These are not the only reasons as to why the UP Basketball program is lagging behind its peers. And these doesn't give them justification to not improve the program. In fact, there are a lot of areas to improve at.
What this is a contextualization of the situation. Looking at it at more than one point of view. Recognizing that the UP Basketball program does not just suck because it sucks, but because there are more reasons behind it. Context is a beautiful thing, as it gives you a more complete view of the situation. In such a context, how then do you view the basketball program of UP?
Not an excuse, but context.
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