Abueva quit being ‘The Beast’

ONE player’s identify was kept secret, the other proudly revealed for public impact. That’s how the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) closed out its weekend diary. No debate there.

The PBA hid the player’s identity obviously to protect him from public shaming. He might be avoided like the leper in the olden times— as filthy as garbage to be even looked at.

These days, to even be su sp ect ed , rumored if you will, of having con t r act ed the COVID19 would seem like a death sentence already.

In its update on Monday, the PBA said the player in question had tested negative both on RT-PCR and antigen “but will remain in quarantine as a precautionary measure.”

Good job, Commissioner Willie.

Fragile is the PBA bubble like a dried twig as was humbly written here so that the tiniest hint of infection must be dealt with as quickly as Wyatt Earp draws his pistol in a gun duel.

Confidently, the PBA said: “The PBA bubble remains intact, and has not been breached.

Nevertheless, we urge all participants to be extra cautious and strictly follow the protocols set for them inside the bubble.”

As always, vigilance is the cure because most often, over confidence is the culprit.

To all those in the bubble, never ever let your guard down as the enemy, as invisible as the “thief of the night,” is yet practically invincible since the vaccine for it remains uncompleted.

Now to Calvin Abueva, the publicly identified Fuel Master now allowed to restart his career in the bubble (was he uncaged Monday night?), will he reform, drop, his beastly ways— fi nal l y?

He should.

His lifetime ban for both on-court and offcourt roughness lifted after 16 months, Abueva’s Phoenix-like rise from the ashes of his own stupidity must be used as a model for role transformation. Otherwise, seeing the efforts to show him the right path going down the drain could cause his own bornagain bubble to burst.

C’mon, Calvin, stop being a jerk.

With your talent packed inside that powerladen 6-foot-3 frame, you could be a certified league legend in the making.

Do it and, before you know it, I might even rechristen you from “The Beast” to “The Best.”

Cross my heart.