Salud's turn

January 1988

They're rejoicing in the PBA office. The long-awaited appointment of Atty. Rudy Salud as league commissioner is just waiting to be formalized. Salud's elevation from deputy commissioner to the top post was agreed upon by members of the PBA Board of Governors during a caucus at the Manila Polo Club last Monday.

The appointment is expected to be formalized during the scheduled governor's meeting on January 21.

A busy tenure awaits Salud, said to be the brains behind most of the key moves in the pro league since he joined it as legal counsel during Leo Prieto's commissionership.

But while Salud has been instrumental in helping the PBA weather its crisis and controversies like player fights, gambling, outrageous officiating and other assorted ills, he is now faced by one spectre: decimation of teams.

Reduced down to six in the last season, there are fresh fears that the PBA will have to scratch bottom to maintain the same cast for his season. Reason: Tanduay, as we go to press, was a doubtful re-entry this year. In fact, Renato Reyes, Tanduay representative in the Board of Governors, failed to make it to the caucus last Monday.

A knowledgeable PBA source said that, at this point, Tanduay's participation is "just 50-50," As this developed, PBA bigwigs who had pinned their hopes on the participation of Purefoods, to maintain a balanced cast this year, have started to lose hope.

Purefoods, an eager prospective participant last year, has suddenly started playing hard to get.

The question now is: Can the PBA prosper with a five-team cast in case Tanduay pulls out? If not, how would the PBA leadership sail through this major dilmma?

The PBA board, during the said caucus, had set to pass on to Salud the task of eradicating gambling and suspected game-fixing in the league.

Many more challenges await Salud. But being a tested trouble-shooter. Salud is favored to pass the tests with flying colors.

Lots of works, adjustments still needed
November 1990

That unexpected silver finish by the PBA sports heroes in the 11th Asiad in Beijing, Commissioner Rudy Salud believes, "is a very good start considering the short time of preparation, the abrupt reverting to amateur rules, the 'thin' air, and the frosty weather in China."
He is indeed very proud of the men. "What the country feels for the nationals was reflected in ULTRA's simple welcome ceremonies for the returning players."
Aware of the crescendo of a public clamor to send to international basketball competitions an all-pro team because they bring home results, Salud is willing to reschedule conferences around the tournaments dates.
Stresses the PBA honcho: "Either that, or we'll set up a semi-permanent national pool as soon as possible. But we'll have to address this in a total manner. We're talking of a long range program that is result-oriented."
Salud continues: "We don't dream of making it to the Olympics. Our goal is the Asian Games. It's more realistic. We aim to beat Japan, Korea and China. What obsesses us is how to regain supremacy in basketball. But let's do it one step at the time."
He adds: "We can't send again a pickup team assembled in only two weeks. We'll have to maintain a national pool for selective participation only, Meaning, IOC-sanctioned tournaments only. We can't be sending national teams yearly. We might jeopardize the economic value of the PBA. A number of people have jobs because of the PBA.
But the lawyer rues: We're getting a lean crowd presently. We were afraid of this. If the Chinese clobbered us, we thought we discouraged the habitues from coming to the ULTRA. Although it's not the only factor. We have to consider the economy and peace and order situation also. People will naturally buy basic needs first before a PBA ticket in times like this.
"But going back to the national pool," he says, "we won't punish the guys by keeping them there forever. We'll manage the pool in such a way that there is a regular player turnover. We've done the ground work. This is no haphazard job. We're looking down the road because this involves total commitment. Those in the pool can't have half a mind on the national pool, the other half somewhere else. This is total immersion. Call it a compromise between the amateur and the pro ranks. The sports program will be a lot of adjustments, a lot of works, but it will take Philippine basketball where it should be. Right on top of the Asiatics."


My take,

Sadly, Atty.Rudy Salud's long-range plan two decades ago was never fulfilled, what with the BAP conflict, Politics, etc. basketball glory has remain as it is to this day, just a dream.