This year's version of the Burger King team in the PBA gained headlines when point guard Wynne Arboleda assaulted a fan during a game. That, however, has not been an isolated incident as the team has evolved into the modern version of Robert Jaworski's Ginebra teams of the 80s and 90s. Coach Yeng Guiao has Burger King playing rough ball that borders, or perhaps has crossed the border, into dirty play. And for teams that do play that way, they only do so if they have the blessing, if not the direction to do so from the coach. While it is possible for individual players to be dirty players, a team will not gain that reputation if it is not by design. Just like the Jaworski's Ginebra teams, the dirty play is not limited to one player, but rather is the way the team plays in general. Jaworski had Rudy Distrito, Joey Loyzaga, Dante Gonzalgo, as well as himself leading the mayhem. Guiao relies on (or relied on) Arboleda, Mark Yee, and Beau Belga. The rest of the players, while not being dirty players, play tough ball and would be more than willing to give a hard foul to avoid an easy basket by the opponents.
At this point, Burger King has the coaching philosophy (Guiao) and the goons to try to be Jaworski's Ginebra of modern times. Unfortunately though, they have not yet achieved the popularity nor the basketball success (championships) of the team they are mirroring. Let's wait and see if they can be a champion team playing tough ball, or if they are merely Guiao's Goons who inflict pain but can't win.
