PBA Controversy: Meralco Superstar is the DIRTIEST PBA player TODAY?

 The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is known for its intense and physical style of play. Among the players who exemplify this style, Cliff Hodge, a player for the Meralco Bolts, stands out. His physicality on the court has led to several altercations, sparking debates about whether he is the most physical player in the PBA today.

In a recent game against San Miguel, Hodge was involved in an altercation with rookie Kyt Jimenez. Hodge hit Jimenez with an elbow to the face, resulting in a blowout fracture in Jimenez’s eye socket. The injury has sidelined Jimenez indefinitely.

The incident became controversial when the referee failed to call a foul on the play. The PBA later suspended the referee, stating that an offensive foul should have been called, which could have been reviewed for possible upgrading to a flagrant foul infraction.

This is not the first time Hodge has been involved in physical altercations during games. In one notable incident, Hodge hit Kevin Alas in the face during a game against NLEX. In another incident during the Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal series against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Hodge committed a close-fisted foul against Raymond Almazan.

When comparing Hodge to other physical players in the PBA, two names often come up: Calvin Abueva and Beau Belga. However, in recent tournaments, neither Abueva nor Belga have been involved in major physical altercations.

Abueva, a player for Magnolia, has had his share of physical altercations in the past. However, he has not been involved in any major incidents in recent tournaments3. Similarly, Belga, a player for Rain or Shine, is known for his physical style of play45. Yet, he too has avoided major altercations in recent tournaments.

Given the recent and past altercations involving Hodge, along with the lack of major physical altercations involving other physical players like Abueva and Belga in recent tournaments, it could be argued that Cliff Hodge is currently the most physical player in the PBA. His style of play certainly adds an element of intensity to the games, but it also sparks debates about sportsmanship and player safety. As the PBA continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how players like Hodge adapt their physical style of play to the changing landscape of the league.