I have always admired Franz Pumaren even through he played for La Salle and is now its head coach. I believe that as long as he is the Coach of the Green Archers, La Salle will always be competitive and win a championship at least every three years. That was why I got excited when I heard that he was chosen as the Coach of the Nokia RP Youth Team. I think we got the best Coach for the job. Unfortunately, the controversy began when he went home to Coach for the DLSU vs Ateneo game last September 6, 2008. SBP Executive Director Noli Eala hit the nail in the coffin when he said that
“Regardless of what’s the situation back home, he (Pumaren) had the morale obligation to stay with the team. I don’t agree with what he did and I think it’s a ground for the organization to re-evaluate his commitment to the team,” said SBP executive director Noli Eala.
“I don’t want to second guess him but I’m sure he knew the commitment, he knew the schedule. It’s his moral obligation to be with the team until the end of the battle,” Eala added
Then Franz retorts that he came home so that Coach Jack can have more time with his father. Well, if Coach Jack wanted to have more time with his dad then why was he there in the DLSU game? For me, whatever the reason with which Coach Franz came home is somewhat an error in judgment. I myself would want him to coach DLSU against Ateneo for he is definitely La Salle Basketball. The sad thing is, I believe that the issue will be something that the Green Archers will use as a rallying point for the championship. Remember last year, saying that they were vindicated with the championship?!? The Junior Archers most probably, since it was not their mistake to field an ineligible player.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I just want to say that it was an error in judgment for Coach Franz to come home period. I commend Quinito Henson for speaking out loud and for Bill Velasco for airing the side of Franz.
I just hope that we reevaluate our priorities, sportsmen are role models too and what has happened will always be a point of reference in the future. I just hope that there was a lesson learned in this whole shenanigan.
