This is UP's first finals appearance in 32 years. ADMU, on the other hand, is used to this thing. Back in college, I remember we would simply route for ADMU in the finals as they were our closest neighbors and most of my friends were from ADMU. If UP students would see students from other schools, most likely, they'd be from ADMU as all the other UAAP schools were far away.
Maybe it's just that UP hasn't seen many UAAP finals but just a few days before game one, the UP student council made a call for students to wear black to protest violence, impunity and misogyny. Apparently, the ADMU Sanggu made the same call to their students.
I think this is a bad idea. Let's let basketball be basketball and let politics be politics. I feel very uncomfortable letting sports events become platforms for political statements and agendas. I'm not taking away from those causes but there is a time and a place. And as much as we'd want to fight against violence, a basketball game is not the place to do such a thing.
The fighting maroons have worked so hard this season to get to where they are now. And so have the blue eagles! This finals is their time to shine! UP, especially who had to fight an uphill battle to get where they are. Let them be the stars of the finals. Let's reserve our protests for another day.
UP students and alumni, wear maroon and wear it proud. ADMU students and alumni, wear blue and wear it as proud as you'd always been. To both schools, whatever the results of the finals, let's maintain our close friendship and fight together to build a better Philippines for tomorrow.
I will personally be cheering on the fighting maroons even when most of my friends are from the Ateneo. Win or lose, the maroons will leave this season achieving something great. I can't for Game 3.
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