http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/july1208/sports_dm.htm

Yap accepts PBA board decision

Crossover by Dondon Monterverde

Throughout his career, Purefoods ace guard James Yap has
consistently considered among the elite players of the PBA. Not only
are his statistics impressive, but his demeanor on the court has won
the hearts of many fans. He is quiet and cool and simply lets his
deadeye shooting do the talking for him. But it's not always as easy
as the 2006 MVP makes it look. In a physically demanding game like
basketball, it's always possible that during the heat of the game,
tempers can flare. Especially when a temperamental player displays
unsportsmanlike conduct. Not pleased with the way the 6'3 Purefoods
pla­yer Jondan Salvador tried to back him down du­ring the last play,
Talk `N Text's 6'9 import, Terrence Leather, got in his face and
threw the ball at him as they were being separated by cooler heads.
Leather and Salvador had been going at it during the course of the
game, but this was the final straw.

Yap reacted instantly to seeing the foul tempered import throw the
ball at his comrade. "The moment I did it, I knew I was wrong," said
the mild mannered Yap. In his outrage of Leather's treatment to his
teammate, Yap unleashed a kick that grazed the side of the former
South Florida standout. "With the way he was treating the other
players, Leather was wrong. My mistake was stooping down to his
level instead of being the better man," admitted Yap.

Leather has been a menace since he arrived here in the country. He
is perhaps one of the most ill-tempered imports ever to have played
in the PBA. The ex-South Florida standout had already been
sanctioned for an earlier on-court outburst. In his short stint in
the PBA, he has also had near off-court fights with Air21's Homer
Se, and Ginebra's Chris Alexander and Alex Crisano. Yet, despite all
his warnings and sanctions, Leather still has to be dealt with by
his team on a day-to-day basis. No one knows what might set this
behemoth off.

But, by no means does Leather's boorish behavior excuse Yap's
actions.

But the difference between them is, with this experience, Yap seems
to have learned from his mistakes, and is man enough to admit when
he is wrong. James has accepted the PBA's fine on him with grace and
dignity.

"They're just implementing what they believe is fair. They expected
more from me because of my status here in the league, and I let them
down. I just have to do my best to be a good role model, especially
to the youth," said Yap.

To his fans, Yap left a heartfelt message, "I made a wrong decision
that should never be imi­tated by anyone, especially my young fans.
Basketball is a game of honor and discipline. The worst thing you
could do is lose your composure on the court, regardless of the
circumstan­ces. I apologize to all my fans, to my teammates, the PBA
Board, as well as to Terrence Leather and the whole Talk `N Text
team. I have no excuse for my actions, but I will make sure it'll ne­
ver happen again."

Since the Pacers-Pistons "Rumble in the Palace" brawl occurred,
professional basketball leagues around the world have been cracking
down on aggressive beha­vior by its players. The PBA has shown it
will not tolerate unsportsmanlike conduct on the floor.

We're all human, and make mistakes. Let us hope Yap, Leather, and
all the other players involved in the unfortunate melee will learn
from this, and move on.

_________

http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20080712129616.html

Purefoods' Yap apologizes to fans

Former MVP James Yap of Purefoods yesterday apologized to his fans
for his unsportsmanlike behavior, saying he regretted kicking
Talk 'N Text import Terrance Leather from behind during their game
Wednesday that sparked a bench-emptying incident in the Smart-PBA
Fiesta Cup wildcard knockout phase at the Ynares gym in Antipolo.

"Alam ko na pangit talaga tingnan," Yap, the 2006 PBA Most Valuable
Player (MVP), told the Bulletin in a phone interview.

The 6-foot-10 Leather went after Yap, who scampered towards the
Purefoods bench to escape Leather's fury.

"Nalungkot ako kasi naiisip ko `yung stature ko sa liga, gusto ko
maging role model. Pero tao lang naman ako gaya ng iba. Ang naiisip
ko at that time i-defend `yung teammate ko (Jondan
Salvador).""Pangit talaga ang nangyari, hopefully hindi na maulit,"
Yap said.

The fight started when Leather fouled Salvador, who shoved the ball
to the import.

Leather retaliated by throwing the ball back to Salvador's face.

Yap, who was behind the TNT import, kicked him in the leg.

Several players from both teams, including those on the bench,
started pushing and cursing each other.

Leather was later ejected from the game while six others were given
technical fouls.

Eight players were fined a total amount of P244,400 as an offshoot
of the near-riot.

Before play resumed, Yap went to the Phone Pals bench and apologized
to some TNT players and officials, including coach Chot Reyes. —
Waylon Galvez
___________

http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20080712129617.html

Purefoods coach says

Leather got a slap on wrist

By WAYLON GALVEZ

Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio yesterday said he was disappointed
that Talk 'N Text import Terrance Leather was not suspended and got
away with a mere slap on the wrist.

Citing Leather's history of hostile behavior, Gregorio said the
P62,400 fine was not enough.

Gregorio recalled that PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios upgraded the
flagrant foul one committed by James Yap against Sta. Lucia's Joseph
Yeo to FF2 during the Philippine Cup Finals, resulting in the
suspension of his star forward.

"I am confused," he said. "Is the action of James Yap during the
Finals graver than the pattern of abuse and destruction done by
Leather?"

Gregorio said Leather has been involved in several altercations on
and off the court, but has escaped suspension.

In one instance, Leather engaged Air21 forward Homer Se in a heated
verbal exchange at the Astrodome car park in Pasay City, according
to Gregorio.

Gregorio said Leather was also caught on video, punching Kerby
Raymundo of Purefoods on the ribcage.

"(But it was) downgraded as mere "kadyot" by the commissioner," he
said.

Following a 100-89 defeat at the hands of Barangay Ginebra, Leather
again had a spat with fellow import Chris Alexander and Fil-Am Alex
Crisano at the Araneta Coliseum dugout.

Gregorio also cited the P5,000 fine slapped against Leather for
removing his jersey on the way to the locker room after being thrown
out due to two technical fouls.

The decision not to suspend Leather, however, did not come as a
surprise for the outspoken Purefoods mentor.

"I somewhat anticipated that," Gregorio told the Bulletin.

What surprised Gregorio were the hefty fines slapped on his five
players and three other TNT players, including Leather.

They were fined a combined P244,400 by the Commissioner's Office.

Ace guard James Yap, who kicked Leather from behind, was fined
P50,000, P40,000 for retaliating without being the object of
instigator and an additional P10,000 for throwing the ball.

Kerby Raymundo was also penalized P30,000 (P20,000 for rushing to
the court and P10,000 for throwing a towel at TNT's Renren Ritualo),
while Enrico Villanueva was fined P33,000 (P20,000 for entering the
court, P8,000 for fighting stance and P5,000 for the Flagrant Foul 1
he committed on Leather in the second period).

Also fined were Rob Sanz (P28,000 for rushing to the court and
P8,000 for fighting stance) and Jondan Salvador (P1,000 technical
foul).

Leather actually had the biggest penalty of P62,400, P40,000 for
throwing the ball on Salvador, P20,000 for fighting stance when he
chased Yap and an additional P2,400 for two technical fouls that
resulted to his ejection.

Two other Phone Pals were fined P20,000 each, Kalani Ferreria and
Gilbert Lao, for entering to the court.

Barrios justified his action, citing the league's guidelines in
giving out fines and suspensions.
__________

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports4_july12_2008

Teams to raise issue on suspensions
By Rey Joble

MEMBERS of the board of the Philippine Basketball Association will
seek clarification from commissioner Sonny Barrios regarding the
handing out of suspension to players.

This came on the heels of the near free-for-all incident in the Talk
N Text and Purefoods game, where a total of P244,400 fines were
assessed on eight players. No suspension was given to anyone,
thereby raising questions among other board members.

Purefoods board governor Rene Pardo and Alaska Milk board
representative Joaqui Trillo will seek clarification from Barrios
during Monday's board meeting on when or when not to suspend a
player.

"I believe we have raised these questions before when James Yap was
suspended in Game 5 of the best-of-seven finals against Sta. Lucia,"
Pardo told Standard Today. "Nakakainis lang kasi talaga dahil you
don't know when to suspend a player. Siguro mas maganda yata binato
na lang ng bola ni James si Joseph Yeo, he would have been spared of
a suspension and we could have won the championship."

Yap's suspension cost Purefoods the game in the fifth match of the
series and eventually the title against Sta. Lucia, 4-3.

Trillo, whose import Randy Holcomb was also given a one-game
suspension in the tournament, has agreed to raise the issue on
Barrios.
_________

http://www.malaya.com.ph/jul12/spor2.htm

Encarnado takes Barrios
to task over 'sloppy' officiating

BY NOLI CORTEZ

WHILE agreeing with Commissioner Sonny Barrios' decision not to slap
what should have been an automatic suspension on Talk N Text import
Terrence Leather, Sta. Lucia board representative Buddy Encarnado
yesterday said the scuffle that marked last Wednesday's match
between the Phone Pals and Purefoods Giants could have been avoided
had the referees been on top of the situation.

"The issue is not Leather. Rather, it is officiating, because the
situation could have been prevented had the referees been consistent
in making their calls. Instead, they dilly-dallied, resulting in the
emotional outburst," Encarnado said a day after Barrios slapped a
total fine of P244,000 on the players involved in the scuffle at the
Ynares Center in Antipolo.

"In short, the issue was due to the total neglect of the game
officials. Leather was incidental. Sa kanya lang napunta ang gulo.
Na-prevent sana and sitwasyon if the officials put order. Instead,
they allowed all the (trash) talking, bumping," Encarnado added.

Encarnado also took a shot at Barrios, who slapped a season-high
P65,000 fine on the Realtors' former import, Wesley Wilson, for
figuring in a similar ugly incident in Sta. Lucia's game against Red
Bull last May 7.

The Bulls were unassailably ahead 89-65 with 3:45 left in the game
they would win handily win 105-78 when Wilson gave a hard bump on a
streaking Jojo Duncil.

Red Bull import Adam Parada, who was trailing the play, saw what
happened and shoved Wilson, prompting the latter to respond with a
stiff arm to Parada's face.

The two then adopted a fighting stance, actions that were deemed
fighting fouls by game officials, and were promptly ejected.

Wilson was slapped a maximum fine of P60,000 for the fighting foul
and P5,000 for his flagrant foul on Duncil. Parada was also slapped
a P20,000 fine.

"Kumbaga, parang traffic violation lang ang ginawa ni Wilson at ang
kay Leather aggravated assault at public scandal pa. And yet, mas
malaki pa rin 'yung ke Wilson," Encarnado said.

Barrios, however, begged to disagree.

"Aside from the throwing of the ball and sipa ni James, wala nang
physical contact na nangyari sa Purefoods-Talk N Text game. Unlike
du'n sa kaso nila Wilson na fighting fouls ang violations ng mga
protagonists," he pointed out.

He agreed, however, with Encarnado, saying the referees could have
done a better job of establishing control in the game.

"We have to be extra vigilant and I am meeting with my staff to
address such concerns, including security, to prevent any untoward
incident from happening," Barrios said.

Encarnado welcomed the non-suspension of Leather, pointing out there
should be no excuses whether his team wins or loses.

"We are asking for no quarters and we will give none," he said.

Explaining his decision not to suspend Leather and the rest of the
players involved in the scuffle, Barrios said he gave extra leeway
to the erring players because the incident did not escalate into
something far more dramatic.

"We could have given them stiffer penalties, but we instead opted to
give them wider latitude, considering the situation could have gone
all the way," Barrios told Malaya yesterday.

"In short, tiningnan naming mabuti kung saan ilulugar ang mga
parusa," he added.

Barrios himself handed down the penalties for the various offenses
committed by the players, which included leaving the bench to rush
on court, throwing the ball and adopting fighting stances that
usually entail fines and as much as three-day suspensions.

He also stressed the penalties were not a mere "slap on the wrist"
since the total fines were the biggest yet since he assumed office
last January.

"We chose the maximum fines to send out the message sa mga players
na sa susunod, suspension na ang kasunod niyan,'" he stressed.

Hardest struck was Leather who was slapped the biggest fine of
P62,400. He, however, played last night as the Phone Pals battled
the Realtors in the final knockout stage of the 2008 Smart PBA
Fiesta Cup wildcard play at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Reserves Kalani Ferreria and Gilbert Lao were fined P20,000 each for
leaving the TNT bench and rushing to the court during the commotion.

Five Purefoods players, led by James Yap, were also hit hard with
penalties. Yap drew the biggest fine (P50,000) among the Giants for
kicking Leather.

The Phone Pals knocked out the Giants 98-83 last Wednesday but
finished the game without Leather, who was ejected after sparking a
bench-clearing incident with TNT comfortably ahead 79-63 and 9:38
left to play.