Officiating is never easy and boy, is that an understatement. I tried it one time and sucked at it. Never again. Having said that, does that make me a more sympathetic person toward the zebras? In a way, but not necessarily so because the men who blow the whistles do it for a living and have done so for years. Is there room for error?

Definitely. I expect them to blow some but sometimes, I can’t seem to believe that most people saw it one way when they didn’t get the call right. In fact, I always thought that many of the calls went against my home blues team and it has deprived them of a legit shot to win a title or even advance in seasons past. There were times I railed at it and there were times when I thought that my team played bad, pure and simple.

This year the scrutiny on University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball officiating and its whistle blowers, Nabro, has been all the more intense. While I think that the calls are still the same as in seasons past—meaning it isn’t good—the reason it’s all the more under a microscope is that some teams that were the beneficiaries of calls before aren’t getting it this year. And I’d also say it is because of the manner in which the league commissioner has chosen to go about his duties in a more confrontational manner such as the incidents with staff of Adamson, Ateneo and University of Santo Tomas, to name a few.

On the other hand, it has become a convenient excuse to blame others for their troubles. So I decided to ask Nabro for their side (take note that I said their side, not anyone else’s because we’ve just about read about the others’ everywhere) in going about their job. I left out general discussions on why calls went this way because that was left on the basketball court, and I didn’t want to misquote anybody.

Suspend your belief and disbelief for the next few minutes. Just read it with an open mind then you can curse, offer your eyeglasses to them like that guy from La Salle did on Saturday, or pay them off if you think that’s what’s right for you. (The following is a transcript of the sentiments of six Nabro referees who will remain anonymous).

Mga ex-players kami. O kaya mga frustrated basketball players. Hindi lang pang-referee ang trabaho namin. ‘Yung iba sa amin pulis, fireman, overseas [foreign] worker, negosyante o architect. Pero lahat kami propesyonal kung sa ayaw niyong maniwala.

Bakit kami nagre-referee?

Kasi enjoy din kami sa basketball. Hangga’t maaari gusto namin mag-officiate ng magandang game. ‘Yung perfect game. Iba rin ‘yung magandang laro na kasama kami. ‘Yun ang high namin na kahit paano bahagi kami ng magandang laro. Pero hindi nga rin naman kami perpekto. Nagkakamali din kami. Hindi excuse ‘yun pero pinapanood namin ‘yung mga laro at ‘yung mga tapes ng bawat laro. We look at our mistakes. We talk and try to make sure that we get better. Mayroon kaming mga taripa na sinusundan.

Mahirap din ’yung trabaho dahil wala kang panalo. Kahit ’yung nanalong team sisisihin ka sa mga tawag.

 Tanong nga ng misis ko, bakit gusto ko ‘yung ganitong propesyon, eh puro batikos naman kami? ‘Pag nagkamali, pati anak namin nagtatanong, “Pa, bakit ganun, eh wala naman foul?”

Pinagsasabihan kami. You have to make quick decisions all the time. Pero base sa mga taripa ng officiating guidelines namin, meron kaming tinitignan na hindi alam ng mga nanonood. Mahirap din para sa kanila kasi pagdating sa iskwela, tinutukso sila na benta raw papa nila. Kahit sa dyaryo walang pahinga sa mga batikos. Naririnig namin ‘yung mga mura at insulto pero trained kami na hindi magpakita ng emosyon o reaksyon. Paminsan-minsan nag re-react kami pero kailangan hangga’t maari ‘wag kasi makaka-apekto ng laro. Kapag nagkamali kami, hindi namin agad nakakalimutan. Ilang araw din bago mawala sa isipan namin. ‘Nung na-garahe ’yung isang kasama namin gawa ng laro ng FEU at La Salle, siyempre apektado kami. At ‘yung second-round game ng Ateneo at NU, ayun, naka-garahe na ’yung dalawang ref sa laro na ‘yun dahil sa failure to control the game [the match was way physical with a lot of trash talking]. So we also have our fears. Parang natatakot kami mag-second guess sa mga tawag namin.

Mismo nga NBA [National Basketball Association] o [Philippine Basketball Association] PBA; kahit [Philippine basketball League] PBL hindi rin perfect ‘yung mga tawag. Mahirap din. But someone has to do the job, ika nga. Nakapanood na ba kayo ng laro—kahit saan, anumang liga—na walang nagpropotesta sa tawag? ‘Yung Olympics nga sobrang daming no-call. Masyado lang mainit kasi lahat gusto manalo at maraming team kasi may chance umabot ng Final Four this year.

Mga bayarin daw kami?

Subukan kaya nila magpunta sa mga bahay namin. Tignan din nila mga player nila. Matagal na kami sa basketbol. Marami kaming napupuna pero tahimik lang kami. Kasi maaring hindi naman ‘ganun talaga ‘yung pangyayari di ba? So, sa amin na lang ‘yun. Minsan lang kami magpalitan ng obserbasyon ng mga ‘to. Tignan mo minsan ‘yung tira, porma, galaw, o kilos. ‘Yung iba dyan araw-araw nag-eensayo pero ganyan ang laro. Bakit hindi nila tanungin ‘yung mga players nila?

‘Yung mga reaksyon ng mga coach? Oo, nagrereklamo sila pero, at the same time, tactic nila yan. Para ma-technical o kaya kunin ‘yung suporta ng crowd nila.

Nagpapatapon ‘yung iba tulad ng isa. Bakit kasi lahat ay nagawa niya na para sa koponan niya tapos ayaw pa rin mag-responde. ‘Yung isa tatakbo sa court, kunwari aawat pero at the same time may sinasabi tungkol sa player ng kalaban nilang team.  May mga taripa kaming sinusundan tungkol sa laro. ‘Yun ang sinusundan namin.

Touch returns

FLUSHING MEADOWS, New York—With Tropical Storm Hanna bearing down, Roger Federer regained his mastery of tennis Saturday to earn his fifth-consecutive trip to the US Open final and silence talk about his impending downfall—at least temporarily.

Paralympic Games fires off

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Rain or Shine staring at a better season

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Both believe the franchise, a perennial tail-ender the past four conferences, now has the tools to compete against the league’s elite.

Amateur basketball godfather Romero is new PBL chairman

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Two-in-a-row for State University Pep Squad

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No Go, no problem, says Dayrit’s camp

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Carabeo, Lao shock vets to win World Cup qualifier

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Bleachers’ Brew: The other side

Officiating is never easy and boy, is that an understatement. I tried it one time and sucked at it. Never again. Having said that, does that make me a more sympathetic person toward the zebras? In a way, but not necessarily so because the men who blow the whistles do it for a living and have done so for years. Is there room for error?