INSIDE SPORTS: THE SON ALSO RISES
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 09 Mar 2013
Chito Salud.
By a strange if not meaningful coincidence, the longest-running media organization in the Philippines, the Philippine Sportswriters Association, named Atty. Chito Salud, current PBA Commissioner as the ?Executive of the Year? on the same day we marked the second death anniversary of his father and our beloved friend, the eminent lawyer, sportsman and quintessential Filipino, Rodrigo ?Rudy? Salud.
Chito Salud may be cut from the same cloth but in many respects he is his own man, determined to create a name for himself on his own and not by reflection of his late father?s own glorious achievements in many positions of consequence in sports and in business.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with that. While Chito, like the rest of his brothers and sisters remember Rudy with deep love and affection and respect him for what he achieved and the road he traversed, there is an emerging pattern among the generation of today wherein they wish to tread their own path in their own particular fashion.
On occasions they shun if not dislike comparisons because as someone once said, comparisons are often odious.
Rudy Salud?s achievements were anchored in a different era where fundamental values and patterns of belief and behavior were vastly different. Respect for one, was earned not cultivated in some questionable manner. Recognition came on the basis of achievements or success measured against standards of excellence that have, sad to say, been eroded with the passing of the summers.
This is in no way meant to diminish the luster of Chito Salud?s award or the sound basis on which the Philippine Sportswriters Association based its recognition. For, after all, former PBA chairman and current Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Ricky Vargas was bestowed a similar honor some two years ago and like Chito Salud, richly deserved the accolade.
There is perhaps one principle that Chito may wish to take from his late father?s manual and that is, awards must be accepted with utter humility and even with a sense of shortcomings and serve as the driving force to do so much better in the years ahead because that is indeed the challenge that such awards bestow on recipients.
Being named PSA ?Executive of the Year? should not be considered a validation of all that he?s done but rather a time to reflect upon what could be done better.
We are sure ? if not quite honestly hopeful - that Chito Salud may cut his own path through the jungles of his immediate surroundings and a national society where values have sadly diminished and the fundamental philosophy that guided his late father ? integrity is non-negotiable ? has come under increasing assault whether it be in the decision-making process in the boardrooms or even on such a seemingly simple issue of officiating on the hardcourt.
Unquestionably, Rudy Salud is a man who stood on the mountain-top of respect and affection. Chito may have some ways to climb but given the bloodline of his late father and the strong if not fierce Catholic faith and caring of his mother Pampin, it shouldn?t be too difficult of a climb and the PSA award should serve not as a burden but as a challenge.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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