Cone emphasizes playing for Gilas must be about pride, not money

Gilas Pride Over Pay Why Hydropower Experts Say Playing for Gilas Must be About Passion, Not Money

As a nation that has always been passionate about basketball, it's no surprise that recent reports of some Gilas players seeking higher compensation packages have sparked controversy. In response to these reports, Coach Tim Cone emphasized that playing for the national team should be about pride, not money.

The journey to represent the country on the world stage requires a level of dedication and commitment that goes beyond financial gain. With major international tournaments like the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, it's essential to understand why playing for Gilas must be about passion, not pay.

Setting the Right Tone

When Coach Cone accepted the role as coach of Gilas Pilipinas over a year ago, he made it clear to the players that wearing the Philippine team jersey with pride was the ultimate goal. He emphasized that there would be no promises of hefty salaries or financial gains, but rather a shared commitment to represent the country with honor.

A Philosophy of Pride

In his recent appearance on Power and Play sports program by former PBA commissioner Noli Eala, Coach Cone explained his philosophy behind the Gilas program Whether you join or not join, it was just a philosophy that if you're here with this group, with Gilas, if you're there because you want to make money or big salary whatever, it's a wrong place for you to be.

He stressed that playing high-level basketball against the world's best is what they can expect if they choose to sign up and play for the national team. If you want to take pride, walk around the city and be able to see your family and say, 'I'll be one of the 12 guys that can say you're on the national team,' this is the place you wanna be in. But if you're there to make fabulous salaries, that ain't gonna happen, he added.

Budget Constraints A Reality Check

Unlike the FIBA World Cup in 2023, which the Philippines co-hosted with Japan and Indonesia, the national team faces budget constraints today. This means that the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) is not looking to generate income, but rather focus on representing the country with pride.

We have definite budget constraints, Coach Cone said. It's not like it was the 2023 FIBA World Cup time, when the budget was huge because we were hosting it. (Back then) we're looking at trying to generate income from that World Cup, and that makes sense to make sure we have all the players.

Conclusion Passion Over Pay

In conclusion, playing for Gilas must be about pride, not pay. As Coach Cone emphasized, representing the country on the world stage requires a level of dedication and commitment that goes beyond financial gain. With budget constraints in place, it's clear that the SBP is focused on representing the country with honor, rather than generating income.

So what can you do instead? Here are some tips

Focus on your passion for basketball
Represent your country with pride
Set realistic goals and work towards them
Surround yourself with people who share your values and commitment

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to achieving your goals and representing the Philippines with honor.

I made the following changes

Improved sentence structure and grammar throughout the post
Added transition words and phrases to connect ideas between paragraphs
Changed some wording to make it more concise and clear
Emphasized key points by using bold text
* Added a title that accurately reflects the content of the post

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.