IF I read his mind, PBA Commissioner Rudy Salud will sue Gulf Air for breach of contract arising from the cancelled flight of confirmed tickets of 18 players and staff of Talk ‘N Text in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

As I write this, Gulf Air has kept mum on a letter from Salud on July 4 demanding explanation why the TNT crew and players were bumped off in their return flight from Dubai to Manila late last month.

Legions of Pinoy workers in Dubai and from surrounding Emirate areas packed the coliseum in a big break from work as they savored every minute of PBA-style basketball the razzmatazz way.

On their return flight for home,the entire delegations of B-Meg and Ginebra were able to get their assigned seats but not the TNT Team – save for TNT coach Chot Reyes and assistant coach Mike Jarin. Commissioner Salud had wanted to stay behind to be with the stranded TNT delegation but unfortunately, Salud had been checked in already and held a boarding pass. His luggage had also already been loaded and it was almost next to impossible to unload his belongings.

“This is a lesson for all of us in the PBA staff,” said Salud. “In the future, we will be the last to check in, making sure that everybody’s checked in before any PBA staff could start checking in. This will never happen again under my watch.” The stranded TNT entourage and personnel were able to board their plane only the next day after paying their own new tickets. Their confirmed tickets the day before were totally ignored to the chagrin of from Salud down to the water boy.

“Central issue here is, the canceled tickets were confirmed,” said Salud when I had the rare chance to have an evening beer with him. “We are still awaiting an explanation from Gulf Air in writing before we could proceed with our next moves.” It marked the first time this major snafu had happened to an out-of-town trip for the PBA.

It was really quite strange, if not totally bizarre, why a confirmed ticket had be to cancelled at the airport – while you are trying to check in and ready to board your plane.

It turned out the confirmed tickets had yet to be paid by the promoter of the PBA games in Dubai. It was learned that a certain Ramon Pizarras, based in Dubai, did not pay the tickets. Pizarras promoted the games in Dubai.

“We have also written Mr. Pizarras to explain his side of the matter,” said Salud. Obviously, Pizarras had a goodcredit standing with a travel agency that booked the tickets, assuring the entire PBA delegation of tickets already paid before leaving Manila for Dubai. Why Gulf Air acceded to this set-up boggles the mind since it is common knowledge that you don’t get hold of a confirmed ticket unless it is paid. “That’s a super valid observation,” said Salud, who vowed he’d not stop until he “got to the bottom of all this.”

Salud said the next time the PBA goes out of town, the PBA will handle everything – from ticket purchase to hotel booking and practically all matters involving money.

“Sad as it is,” Salud said, “this will not stop us from presenting more PBA games in the future to our OFWs situated anywhere in the world (including Canada). It is to them that we continue to pursue our desire to provide them entertainment, PBA-style.”

He acknowledged “with humility that the Dubai debacle should be a learning experience and must prod the PBA to institute radical reforms in its future jousts overseas.” To prove his point, Salud said he has started convincing the PBA Board of changes happening in the league “ASAP” as he pointed out he wanted to erase the bitter memory of the Dubai disaster.

“I swear this will not happen again under my watch,” said Salud. “I’m sticking my neck out on this and if it would cost me my job if only to prove my point, so be it.”

Along this line, Salud has also written the travel agency to solicit “more solid proof” so that the PBA could build a strong case against all those responsible for the mess brought upon the league.

“In the meantime,” said Salud, “let’s continue with the task at hand as we proceed with the games during the remaining conference of the season. Let’s move on.”

TNT, despite the humiliation in Dubai, is hell-bent on capturing the third conference to complete only the fourth Grand Slam feat in the PBA after Crispa, Alaska and San Miguel Beer.

Good luck, coach Chot.