Air 21 coach Franz Pumaren ‘insulted’ by late timeout from Barako Bull’s Rajko Toroman

Air 21 coach Franz Pumaren was in a fiery mood right after his team lost to Barako Bull on Sunday.

The target of Pumaren’s wrath: Barako Bull consultant Rajko Toroman, who called a timeout with his team comfortably ahead by nine points with 25 second left in the game.

“I just told him that what he did is like insulting us. You don’t do that here in our culture,” said Pumaren.

“Up by nine with 25 seconds you’re going to call a time out? What is he trying to prove? He’s been saying he loves the Philippines so much then you should know the culture here,” said Pumaren.

“You don’t do that here. Even in the NBA you don’t do that.”

But Toroman was befuddled by Pumaren’s reaction.

“I didn’t want to insult anybody. The time out was called because I was thinking they will foul us and I wanted Michael Singletary to receive the ball,” said Toroman after the game.



“I didn’t want to insult the other guys. I’ve always showed respect to the other coaches, other players. This is the first time in my 25 years of my career that somebody is complaining about my behavior. I really don’t understand that.”

Pumaren, however, said that local coaches on Barako Bull should have oriented Toroman.

“What’s disappointing, you had Filipinos as assistants. They should have at least told them that,” explained Pumaren.

Toroman said he was just doing his job.

“If I am on their place I would foul and try to do something else in the last 25 seconds. That’s my way of thinking,” said Toroman.

Pumaren added that Toroman’s action would also draw the ire of other local coaches.

“Buti nga I’m quite like an angel. I bet you if he did that to Tim Cone, to Yeng Guiao or even Norman Black, I don’t think they would appreciate what he did,” said Pumaren.

“That’s one thing when you’re coaching. I don’t think you have to be in the Philippines just to follow that culture. Even in other countries, you don’t do that.”

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/air-21-coach-franz-pumaren-insulted-by-late-timeout-from-barako-bulls-rajko-toroman