The Ateneo Bonfire Incident.

The recent UAAP season 72 has been controversial. Aside from having the archrival, La Salle and Ateneo, compete for the men’s senior basketball crown, there were also issues regarding why the green archers didn’t get their trophy during the awarding and that the last game was said to be “Luto” by some Lasallians and green archers’ fans. (Just for the record: The green archer team were in the locker room during the awarding and nobody did mind to call them to get their award- that’s according to Coach Franz Pumaren.) After the game, I thought it would all be over. Except for the rivalry of the two colors, of course, it would always be there to light up the “friendly competition” of both schools. So okay. They won, we’ve lost.

BUT. It didn’t end there. Just recently, hot issue (I mean literally “hot”) came up smoking in the internet, through the blogs, multiply and even forum sites of some Lasallians and Ateneans.  I’m pertaining to the bonfire event in Katipunan. I know that it was a celebration for the Ateneo community for winning the championship after all the hardwork of the team (including the investment of MVP to have their training in LA with some of the best basketball gurus). However, I think it was a foul and below the belt to put the name of some of the green archers, the coach, the staffs and even some of our brothers on their bonfire woods. I also heard that some also burned green shirts. Duh! What for? You’ve already won the championship. If ever they’ve lost I would understand why they acted that way. Just like what my friend have said “Putek! Foul yun!”. Proofs and evidences are all over the net. And here are some of the pics. (credits to Carmel)

I know that some of our players are arrogant but they don’t deserve it especially our brothers. As far as I can remember we never celebrated championship that way. We don’t put names of other players on our bonfire woods and burn blue shirts. For us, the way we celebrate championships were all food, dance, picture taking and concert.

Sorry if ever I offended anybody here in my post but I was just hurt and offended by this act. I know Ateneo is a good school and have produced some respectable personalities. I’m not generalizing the Ateneo community but whoever did this it was really unethical and really below the belt. It was not funny at all. It had offended the Lasallian community especially the students. Huh. Sorry. Really sorry. I don’t know how to end this post so let me end this way. Quoting another Lasallian- “You’ve got the crown, We’ve got the respect!”