No big 20 but it's Crispa on top at the wind up (Dec. 19-26, 1980)

Vic Villafranca of the Sports Weekly Magazine with his take on the Crispa's victory in the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference championship series also marred by Toyota management's firing of coach Fort Acuna.

No big 20 but it's Crispa on top at the wind up

ON THE LINE 

By Vic Villafranca

Sports Weekly Magazine 

Dec 19-26, 1980

Nine-thirty Thursday evening, December 11 was supposed to have been the time when the clock was to toll midnight for the Crispa Redmanizers in their mind-blowing bid to win their fourth PBA All-Filipino championship on the wings of an unprecendented 20-game sweep.

But in the night of shocks, both on the hardcourt and away from it, the Redmanizers saw their awesome winning streak snapped at 19 by the Toyota ballclub that lost its coach, Fort Acuna, at halftime only to make up for that loss with a resurgence in its old fighting heart to win, 97 to 94, and send the best of five playoffs to Game 4.

Column: 8th title for Redmanizers (Dec. 15, 1980)

Bulletin Today sports editor Lito Fernandez with a look back at the 1980 PBA season that ended with Crispa’s triumph in the All-Filipino Conference.

8th title for Redmanizers

NEUTRAL CORNER
By Lito P. Fernandez

Bulletin Today

Published Sunday Dec. 15, 1980

By winning the 1980 Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino title, the Crispa Redmanizers took their eighth PBA crown, increasing their overall lead to two over the Toyota Tamaraws who have won six PBA championships.

Only three other teams, including one foreign squad, have won titles in the country’s play-for-pay loop, which started in 1975 and has held 18 conferences since.

Game 94: Crispa 105, Toyota 91 (Dec. 13, 1980)

Crispa delivered the knockout blow on Toyota to win the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference crown after winning their best-of-five finals series, 3-1.

Crispa beats Toyota, bags All-Filipino title

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Sunday Dec. 14, 1980

Crispa cast off the frustration of not completing a 20-game sweep last night and played with vengeful fury to knock out Toyota, 105-91, and to capture its fourth Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino championship before some 25,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Redmanizers tried to blow the Tamaraws off the court with a 24-point lead and then fought off the spectre of defeat that struck them in the third game of the best-of-five title series to win pulling away.

Silverio backs firing of Acuna (Dec. 13, 1980)

Delta Motors Corporation President Ricardo Silverio backed the firing at halftime of Fort Acuna as Toyota coach during the third game of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference championship series against Crispa.

Silverio backs firing of Acuna

By Lito Fernandez

Bulletin Today

Published Sunday Dec. 14, 1980

“If I was there, I would have kicked him in the ass.”

Thus said Ricardo C. Silverio, president of the Delta Motor Corp., yesterday in support of the decision to fire Fortunato Acuna as coach of the Toyota Tamaraws.

Acuna, a former Tamaraw himself, was fired by Pablo Carlos, Jr., Toyota team manager and vice president of the same firm, during the halftime of the Toyota-Crispa game last Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum.

In a press statement last Friday, Carlos said he was forced to fire Acuna because “he ignored me three times” during the first half of the game when he (Carlos) asked Acuna why he was not using Jaworski.

Dalupan: The boys now know where they are (Dec. 12, 1980)

The pressure is off as far as coach Baby Dalupan is concerned after Crispa’s bid for a 20-game sweep of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference was derailed by Toyota in Game 3.

Crispa plays revived Toyota team tonight

Bulletin Today

Published Saturday Dec. 13, 1980

Defending champion Crispa, humbled but still sharp, tries to wind up unfinished business today when it takes on suddenly alive Toyota in the fourth game of their best-of-five series for the PBA All-Filipino championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

With the burden of the 20-game sweep lifted off their like a deadweight, the Redmanizers can now play without much pressure and end it all when they collide with the Tamaraws at 7:30 p.m.

Toyota, at the cost of firing its coach before some 20,000 fans, sprang back to life by coming from behind to win the third game, 97-94, and extend the series.

Why Carlos fired Acuna (Dec. 12, 1980)

Toyota team manager Pablo Carlos, Jr. released a statement about his decision to fire Fort Acuna during halftime of Game 3.

Why Carlos fired Acuna

Bulletin Today

Published Saturday Dec. 13, 1980

Following is the statement of Pablo P. Carlos Jr., Toyota team manager.

It was with great reluctance that I had to fire Fort Acuna. However, I believe the public interest is over and above personal interests. Hundreds and thousands of people go to the stadium and watch on television to see Robert Jaworski play. Benching Jaworski is certainly cheating the public, depriving them of the opportunity to watch one of the country’s best players in action. When Acuna refused to listen to me, I was left with no choice but to do what I did.

Jaworski: We've proven our point (Dec. 12, 1980)

Robert Jaworski shared his sentiments on the firing of coach Fort Acuna during halftime of Toyota’s win over Crispa in Game 3 of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino championship series.

We’ve proven our point, says Big J

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Saturday Dec. 13, 1980

“By winning over Crispa, we have proven our point.”

Thus, declared Robert Jaworski, the Toyota team captain who is in the center of the Philippine Basketball Association’s most intriguing and beguiling development since Crispa attempted and failed to complete a 20-game sweep of the All-Filipino Conference.

Jaworski was the reason that led to the firing of Toyota coach Fort Acuna which in turn was perhaps the motivating factor that fired up the Tamaraws to stop the Redmanizers’ winning streak at 19.

The 33-year-old superstar did not specifically saw that Acuna’s firing moved the team to play its best, “but we have proven our point.”

Acuna lashes at Jaworski (Dec. 12, 1980)

Fort Acuna took shots at Robert Jaworski after he was fired as Toyota coach during halftime of Game 3 of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino championship series against Crispa.

Acuna lashes at Jaworski

‘He’s immature and insecure’

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Saturday Dec. 13, 1980

Fortunato Acuna, fired from his post as coach of the country’s leading ball clubs, yesterday, labelled Robert Jaworski as “immature and insecure” who could not accept the fact that he, indeed, was the coach of the Toyota Tamaraws.

Meeting the press less than 24 hours after he got his walking papers from Toyota team manager Pablo Carlos, Jr., Acuna said Jaworski sowed the seeds of demoralization in the Toyota camp and deliberately ignored game instructions to the detriment of the team.

“I believe he is immature and insecure,” Acuna said of the Toyota star who was the PBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1978 when Acuna was still playing guard for the Tamaraws.

Game 93: Toyota 97, Crispa 94 (Dec. 11, 1980)

Toyota denied Crispa an unprecedented 20-game sweep of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference after coach Fort Acuna was fired at halftime of Game 3 for benching Robert Jaworski in the first half.

Toyota stops Crispa, 97 to 94

20-game sweep goes pffft; Acuna fired midway in game

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Friday Dec. 12, 1980

Toyota sprang back to life at the cost of firing its coach in the middle of the game last night and robbed Crispa of a monumental 20-game sweep with a stunning 97-94 victory that extended the All-Filipino championship series at the Araneta Coliseum.

The leadership crisis that plagued Toyota for some time now broke into the open when Fortunato Acuna was given his walking papers after the first half in a move that as unprecedented as the sweep Crispa was setting its eyes on, adding a new twist to this emotional-filled playoffs.

For some 20,000 fans, it was like watching a gripping, drama played on and off the court with actors acting real life roles.

Game 92: Crispa 122, Toyota 102 (Dec. 9, 1980)

Crispa moved one win from taking the 1980 PBA All-Filipino title via a 20-game sweep after pummeling a demoralized Toyota side in Game 2.

Crispa a game away from 20-game sweep

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Dec. 10, 1980

Crispa was again at its deadliest last night as the Redmanizers continued their mastery of the Toyota Tamaraws with an easy 122-102 win that moved the defending PBA All-Filipino champions within a game of completing an unprecedented 20-game sweep.

The victory, Crispa’s 19th straight, gave the Redmanizers a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five championship series. It was also Crispa’s fifth straight win over Toyota in this conference and it gave the Redmanizers a 49-43 edge in their continuing rivalry.

Robert Jaworski, dragging his injured foot, played his hearts out, but none of his teammates displayed the same fire as the Redmanizers virtually toyed with the Tamaraws.

Game 91: Crispa 108, Toyota 101 (Dec. 7, 1980)

Crispa capitalized on the absence of Francis Arnaiz to beat Toyota in the opener of their 1980 PBA All-Filipino championship series and move two wins shy of completing an unprecedented 20-game sweep.

Crispa repulses Toyota, 108-101

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Monday Dec. 8, 1980

Crispa moved closer to its date with basketball history with an epic 108-101 win over Toyota before the biggest crowd this season in the opener of their best-of-five series for the PBA All-Filipino championship at the Araneta Coliseum.

It was the hardest game the Redmanizers passed through in the tournament as they worked hard for every point in the face of a tenacious and well-planned Toyota defense.

Game 90: Crispa 143, Toyota 114 (Dec. 2, 1980)

Crispa continued its unbeaten run in the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference, this time beating Toyota in the semifinals behind 45 points from Freddie Hubalde.

Redmanizers crush Tamaraws, 143-114

By Bert Eljera

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday Dec. 3, 1980

Defending champion Crispa, displaying devastating form, crushed Toyota last night, 143-114, to virtually capture the first finals berth in the PBA All-Filipino conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

It was the 16th straight win for the Redmanizers and it came the easy way as they practically toyed with the outclassed Tamaraws in a manner that stunned some 12,000 fans.

The Redmanizers are now only four games short of a 20-game sweep.