Alaska is stuck. I know the feeling. By Chuck Araneta.

By Chuck Araneta (@chuck_araneta)

When a team loses 5 straight and is pretty much eliminated, even if not yet mathematically, from advancing to the next round, it’s very easy to cast blame on a number of factors like players, the import, coaches and management.

When your favorite team keeps on losing, when a season is almost done this early on in the conference, it’s painful to even write about it. I’m trying not to smash my laptop at this moment.

The Aces are staring at a 1-5 record, dead last. Is it even about the players on the court? Because this is still a solid foundation for a team that still has a top-5 Point guard in LA Tenorio and center in Sonny Thoss. The players, to a casual fan’s eye, are still solid.

So what has made this a most frustrating season for Aces fans?

Being an Alaska fan right now is like wandering into the world of M. Night Shyamalan’s flick “The Village.” What made that movie memorable was (spoiler alert) the realization that all the leaders in their village conspired to make sure that they would adapt the same set of rules, regulations, leaders, and key figures. It didn’t matter that time moves forward. They chose to stay in their own vacuum, because they wanted things to stay exactly the same. While the outside world was changing, they chose to turn their back on it.

Sound familiar?

Alaska is stuck right now in its own little world. In a league where even the non-SMC and MVP teams are looking to improve and make bold moves, Alaska is content to merely tweak their rosters with replaceable players.

Powerade shot for the stars and took a flyer on Rabeh Al-Hussaini. The Aces went and got Gabby Espinas.

Air 21 went the unconventional route and hired Franz Pumaren, a move that admittedly hasn’t paid off, yet is still an example of thinking out of the box. Alaska hired Luigi Trillo.

Rain or Shine has given the keys of the offense to Paul Lee, their explosive rookie point guard. The Aces decided to go back to the triangle offense.

In a league constantly evolving, Alaska keeps trying to right their sinking ship. It’s not even just about casting blame on the coach, or the players. If the Aces went to regroup and bounce back, they have to change the way they look at their franchise. What they need: a sort of paradigm shift by decision-makers, the players, the coaches, and everyone who has a stake in the Alaska Aces.

Only then will fans truly believe that the Alaska Corporation is truly committed to the Aces, a revered, beloved brand -- the conscience of the PBA.

Only then will we be able to escape time frozen in eternity.

C’mon Alaska…

Take risks.

Well, you did take a huge risk with Coach Luigi.

Take more risks then.

Carpe diem the hell out of every moment.

Just do something. CA