The premier issue of Baller, the new magazine of the PBA is out now, and unlike most other “official” PBA stuff, this actually doesn’t suck. It helps that the project was developed and conceived with little interference from the league, and the people at the helm are experienced publishing industry veterans who knew how to put out a magazine. In fact, the man running it is Eric Ramos, the award-winning writer and former editor-in-chief of FHM Philippines, Pump, and Maxim Philippines.

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A popular chorus among lazy sportswriters is that the PBA is a dying league, a gem that has lost its luster. They rattle off the reasons: the PBA’s gate attendance is on the downturn,¹ the TV ratings are down,² and fan interest is dwindling.³

Continue reading "Is the UAAP a dying league?"

I was laughing out loud while reading comments by Air 21 team manager Allan Gregorio denying that his team had any plans to trade its top draft picks. “The top rookies will stay. A lot of people thought Al-Hussaini’s comments may have fueled talks that he might be traded. But no. No less than our chairman, Mr. Lina, gave the orders that these rookies will stay and become the cornerstone of our franchise,” he told GMANews.TV.

Continue reading "Air 21 team manager Allan Gregorio is the Val Sotto of the Gregorio clan"

At the start of the 2010 rookie draft, the PBA played yet another video tribute for Customs commissioner, former PBA board chairman, and former Air 21 team manager Lito Alvarez. With a smug grin on his face – you know, like he had just gotten away with cheating on a round of golf – Alvarez claimed proudly that because of his “savvy” moves, it was the first time that a team, Air 21, had the top three picks in the rookie draft.

Continue reading "Air 21 leads the clusterfuck that was the 2010 PBA rookie draft"

And the Purefoods Derby Petron Tender Llamado Juicy Giant Blazers rollercoaster takes another twist, as it was reported late last night that the team was junking its plans to assign the franchise to Petron, and instead continue playing under the San Miguel Pure Foods banner. My idol Patricia Hizon wrote about it in a blind item on her blog, while GMANews.TV’s Rey Joble had the full details and confirmation shortly before midnight.

Continue reading "SMC retains Derby Ace name, appoints Jorge Gallent coach"

I’d just barely landed in Manila when Rey Joble called me up last night to tell me the big news: San Miguel Corporation had sold its Purefoods business to a venture composed of Del Monte and Century, but the PBA franchise was not part of the deal. The sale has been expected for months, but the fact that the team was not part of a sale came as a bit of a surprise.

Continue reading "Purefoods bids the PBA goodbye, Ryan Gregorio transfers to Meralco"

Controversy and uncertainty seems to be hounding the Derby Ace Llamados since the Purefoods franchise won the Philippine Cup last March. There have been questions about the corporate status of the team, with talks rife that its mother company, the San Miguel Corporation, is looking to sell a stake in San Miguel Pure Foods, which owns the ballclub. More recently, James Yap, the team’s best player, has been embroiled in a controversy that has captured national attention, although he has done a great job tuning out the distractions and stepping up his game (with a little help from Peter Cetera).

Continue reading "Ryan Gregorio on Meralco rumors: “I’m not entertaining that”"