In a press conference on Wednesday, Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin criticized individuals in the UAAP who, according to him, exert pressure on referees by making baseless statements.
Following Ateneo’s 80-74 win against the UE Red Warriors, Baldwin expressed that such remarks against game officials had a negative impact, causing distraction.
“I think there was a lot of nonsense in the media and being spoken by other people in the UAAP coming into this game, and I think it certainly affected and distracted the referees,” the veteran coach said. “I really felt for the refs today. I think they were under an inordinate amount of pressure, and I believe they did a really good job under that pressure.”
“Nonetheless, that’s not why we have referees in the game of basketball; it’s not to put them under that kind of pressure that they were put under today,” he added.
Baldwin refrained from mentioning specific names, but his remarks followed Adamson head coach Nash Racela’s recent criticism of officiating during the Falcons’ game against the Blue Eagles. Racela later issued an apology to the UAAP Commissioner’s Office to avoid suspension.
“I know the UAAP doesn’t need me to speak for it, but I’m going to anyway. On behalf of the UAAP, I’m embarrassed for some of the people in our family of this UAAP exerting the kind of pressure that they did on the referees and the Commissioner’s Office,” Baldwin continued.
“I think it’s shameful; I think you all know exactly what I mean, and I think we need to put it behind us, move forward as quickly as possible, and get back to doing what is right for the game of basketball,” the 65-year-old coach added.
The former Gilas Pilipinas head coach cautioned that anyone engaging in actions detrimental to the game of basketball would promptly become his foremost adversary.
The post Tab Baldwin takes jabs at those exerting pressure on referees first appeared on Fastbreak.
0 comments: