There’s a better cause than mine – Baldwin
SAMAHANG Basketbol k b l ng Pilipinas (SBP) program director and former Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin told t the Ateneo de Manila University ( AdMU) community that there was a much better cause to finance than his fine from the Philippine P Basketball Association (PBA).
Although it was neither his intention to belittle the PBA nor underestimate the capabilities of local coaches, he was nevertheless penalized for sharing candid opinions on Tiebreaker Vodcasts’ “Coaches Unfiltered,” hosted by Charles Tiu, Paolo Layug and Anton Altamirano.
After the PBA slapped him with a P75,000-fine and a three-game suspension last week in spite of his public apology for alleged “comments detrimental to the league,” the Blue Eagles head coach received offers from stakeholders of the Ateneo community to shoulder his penalty.
But the 62-year-old head coach simply said no to the offer, saying the AdMU could allocate the fund for a better cause.
“I certainly don’t expect anybody to step forward and, you know, take care of my responsibilities,” Baldwin told TheManilaTimes in a phone interview on Wednesday evening. “And you know, it’s, as I said, very humbling when there’s somebody [who] offered to do that. But I just said that it is much better if that mone y … i f they want to give that money… then, it is much better that they do that for something that’s really important.”
Baldwin, who has been residing for the country for the last seven years, added he was surprised that the media found out there was an offer from Atenean businessmen to finance his disciplinary fee.
“That’s correct. I mean, I don’t know… how does it become a story? And I am not overly comfortable with it being a story. But somebody asked me a question, and I answered it. So, there’s no need for anybody to try to pay my fine. I got that fine all by myself,” he stated flatly.
Baldwin refused to say anything more on the matter and pointed out that there was a bigger cause that deserved more attention and financing.
“Obviously, it’s the fight against [the] pandemic, and Ateneo has been the leading voice in doing that. So, I just encouraged the people to support it. If they just wish to support something, I would like them to support, you know, our frontliners, who are fighting Covid-19,” he said.
Baldwin, who steered New Zealand to the 2004 Olympics and is presently also an assistant coach of TNT KaTropa in the PBA, concluded the interview by thanking avid basketball supporter and former SBP president Manny V. Pangilinan for his support.