The Iranian basketball coach has raised a ruckus over the “unli naturalized player” rules at the Asian Games (ASIAD).
Apparently, he believes that Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine national team, has crossed some nebulous line of Filipino-ness.
In response, Gilas team patriarch Manny V. Pagilinan said the team’s naturalized citizens are very Filipino “sa isip, puso, diwa at gawa” (in mind, heart, spirit and actions) .
Not only do they excel in the Philippines’ top favorite sport, but they’ve also mastered the fine art of ordering “unli rice” at Mang Inasal, the ultimate barometer of Filipino identity.
It seems basketball prowess and voracious rice consumption are now prerequisites for citizenship in the Philippines. No Filipino will argue against that!
Well, well, well, it seems that international diplomacy has taken an unexpected twist in the South China Sea. Who would have thought that a basketball game could throw a wrench into those pesky territorial disputes? In the red corner, we have China, the mighty host of the 2023 Asian Games. In the blue corner, the Philippines, armed with nothing but a ball and some serious dribbling skills.
In a stunning turn of events, Gilas Pilipinas has taken down the giants of Asia, leaving China red-faced and possibly reevaluating its military strategy in the South China Sea. It appears that basketball diplomacy has triumphed over traditional diplomatic channels. Perhaps we should replace the United Nations with a global basketball league?
So, as the territorial disputes continue to simmer, it’s clear that the real showdown is happening on the court. Who needs diplomats when you have slam dunks and three-pointers to settle international conflicts? Let’s hope these nations can put away their basketballs and pick up some sensible negotiation tactics before
BEIJING, China (The Adobo Chronicles, Beijing Bureau) -Host China is still in shock after a humiliating loss to Gilas Pilipinas at the 2023 Asian Games.
The Filipino underdogs miraculously clawed their way back from a massive deficit to defeat the Chinese team 77-76. Credit goes to Gilas coach Tim Cone masterfully shuffling players as needed in the last 1 1/2 minutes of the game, with China leading by 7 points.
Now, China is crying “Lutong Macau,” a popular Filipino idiom which means something was rigged. (It is believed that the idiom’s beginnings were in reference to Chinese restaurant cooking where ingredients are prepared or cooked in advance.)
But the Chinese crying foul seems out of place since they are using an expression that makes fun of no other than themselves. Shouldn’t they have used a generic or Chinese idiom in their sour-graping?
The Adobo Chronicles 
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