This is my Fair Play column for SunStar Cebu’s April 19 edition.
RENDELL Senining’s reputation has been left in tatters and his career options have been severely limited because of his actions at the free throw line that went viral.
Senining, whose character has been vouched by his former college coach, blamed his actions on frustation, while admitting, in hindsight, that what he did disrespected the game.
I believe him because I once did something as petulant as his now infamous free throw attempt.
Thankfully, it was before social media. It was high school football and in practice matches, I was the designated guy to stop quickly taken free kicks so my job was to put my foot on the ball in every deadball situation. Yeah, opposing teams in practice matches cooperated but not during the actual game. I got pushed, shoved and got warned by the refs that in the next deadball situation, I grabbed the ball, faced the opposing team and sat on it. Boy, did I find myself in the sideline in the next minute.
It was petulant. Borne out of frustration because of something I hadn’t encountered before.
So yeah, I believe him when he said his actions weren’t part of a plan to fix the result. And besides, if you want to fix a result between Teams A and B, why bother getting both teams invovled, shouldn’t logic dictate that you only need one team?
Unfortunately, he is going to take a hit but one thing that goes for him is his character. And based on those who know him, they stand by his character. So I hope, one day down the line, he can still pursue his hoops dreams.
As for the issue of game-fixing, I think it’s time for those who know and for those who talk about it in whispers to come out.
I mean, it’s obvious. If you have people saying that the Games and Amusement Board should look into the real people behind the Vis-Min Cup, then that’s humble-bragging that they know something that they are not willing to share. Jeez, and I thought the folks behind the Vis-Min Cup were the people who’ve been sharing photos of their meetings months back.
If we want to fix the game-fixing issue, we have to have this conversation and not just in whispers.
Perhaps it’s just a coincidence but I’m glad the prosecutor’s office has decided to file charges against those involved in the MPBL game-fixing issue. To discourage game-fixing, people have to know that there’s a certainty of you being punished should you decide to fix matches.
Insult Senining as you will, but I don’t think that will solve the issue. You’ll be barking at the wrong tree and I’ll sit on the ball, look at you and dare you to prove me wrong.