Since the end of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, the Internet has been abuzz with blind items and rumors about trades that were being discussed by teams around the league. The first domino fell last night, as Waylon Galvez of the Manila Bulletin reports that the Alaska Aces have sent do-everything forward Joe Devance to the Air 21 Express in exchange for the talented if underachieving Jay-R Reyes, pending approval from Commissioner Chito Salud.

Continue reading "Alaska trades Joe Devance for Jay-R Reyes"

Because both teams are bankrolled by Manny Pangilinan, sports fans assumed that it would not be an issue for the Talk N Text Tropang Texters to lend its players to the Smart Gilas Pilipinas National Team, which is scheduled to represent the country in the 2011 Fiba-Asia Championship. Talk N Text team captain Jimmy Alapag and power forward Kelly Williams had been eyed by Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman to reinforce the national squad, along with Meralco’s Asi Taulava and Air 21’s Dondon Hontiveros.

The idea was that lending the players to Smart Gilas would allow the professionals to become familiar with their teammates and with Toroman’s system. But it would also mean that these players would not play for their club teams for the PBA’s season-ending Governor’s Cup.

Continue reading "Smart Gilas, Talk N Text, and Alaska ‘98"

Fidel Mangonon III broke news on Twitter that PBA commissioner Chito Salud has approved the motion of San Miguel to change the team’s name to Petron Blaze. The move comes after the reported proposal by another petroleum company, Phoenix, to join the PBA.

Petron’s entry doesn’t mean that the Phoenix bid to join the PBA is dead; any transaction for a franchise sale would require two-thirds approval of the league’s board of governors (7 out of 10). Currently, San Miguel Corporation owns three seats in the board.

Continue reading "San Miguel to change its name to Petron"

Multiple outlets this morning are reporting that Phoenix Petroleum is in talks to acquire the Barako Bull franchise. If and when the transaction pushes through, it will finally put an end to one of the most pathetic episodes in PBA history, which saw the once-proud Red Bull franchise crippled by financial problems and forced to sell its key players to barely make payroll from month to month. Finally, the nightmare is over.

But while talk of Phoenix’s entry over the next few months will revolve around basketball-related matters – Will they be able to become competitive? How will they rehabilitate a team whose lineup has been ransacked? – let’s take a look at the most important part of this transaction: Will they be able to afford supporting a PBA team?

Continue reading "Phoenix Petroleum in talks to buy Barako and what it means to the PBA’s future"

GMA News is reporting that the Air 21 Express is on the verge of trading Nonoy Baclao, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, and Rey Guevarra, the top three picks in the 2011 PBA draft, to San Miguel in exchange for the Beermen’s 2011 first round draft pick, Joseph Yeo, and the corpses of Danny Seigle and Mick Pennisi in yet another lopsided deal. Baclao led the PBA in shotblocks in the recently-concluded Philippine Cup, while Al-Hussaini led the Express in scoring and rebounding in the tournament.

Continue reading "Air 21 to send Baclao, Al-Hussaini, Guevarra to San Miguel, continues to ruin the PBA"

So what do Chot Reyes, Tim Cone, and Ryan Gregorio – the coaches of the last three PBA championship-winning teams – have in common that set them apart from other coaches?

They all read Fire Quinito.

Of course, the fact that they are all brilliant coaches who led talent-laden squads probably had more to do with their victories. But hey, if Quinito Henson can talk about birthdays and biorhythm during the PBA broadcast and pass it off as “analysis”, then I can claim to be the reason for these coaches’ success, right? Let’s take a look back at how they got here.

Continue reading "The secret to PBA championship success"

I swung by the PBA office last Wednesday for a chat with Commissioner Chito Salud. I had wanted to talk to him about the plans for the PBA’s developmental league, which I’ll be writing about for the March issue of Baller magazine. I’d introduced myself by name as a Baller writer when I booked the interview, so I was a bit surprised when the commissioner’s executive secretary, Ms. Coy, asked me, “Are you Fire Quinito?”

Apparently, my reputation preceded me.

Continue reading "One-on-one with Commissioner Chito Salud: Barako, Gilas, salary cap and other issues"

Nelson Beltran reports in today’s Philippine Star (sadly, the story doesn’t seem to be online read the story here) that Barako Bull is taking a leave of absence from the Philippine Basketball Association. The move would pave the way for Smart Gilas to play two conferences in the PBA, an idea that initially drew apprehension from Commissioner Chito Salud because it would disrupt the league’s calendar. With Barako dropping out, Smart Gilas could take the Energy Boosters’ slot in the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup.

James Ty posted a few more details on Twitter, saying that Barako will pay the salaries of the remaining players under contract, and they will be allowed to try out for other teams as well. The marquee names in the Barako Bull lineup include Marlou Aquino, Lordy Tugade, and Rob Wainwright, who has also ready taken to Twitter to look for a team.

Continue reading "Barako Bull takes a leave from the PBA"

Yesterday, Ronnie Nathanielsz reported that the referees who worked Sunday’s game between Derby Ace and Talk N Text were suspended by the PBA for calls that affected the outcome of the match.

Later that night, however, the Inquirer published a story correcting the earlier item. Salud said that only one of three suspended refs were actually part of the crew that worked the Derby Ace-TNT game, and the reasons for their suspension was totally different from what the original story said. So the initial report was, well, wrong. It is unclear who wrote the follow-up, Nathanielsz himself corrected the details on Twitter too.

Continue reading "Is Talk N Text being screwed by the refs?"