In the latest episode of the From the Stands podcast, Chuck Araneta, Polo Bustamante and Carlo Pamintuan look back at the last three games of the ongoing PBA Commissioner's Cup finals between Talk N Text and Ginebra. They also look ahead to the All-Star Game, and discuss ways to fix the annual classic. In this week's old school/new school, they take a look at the maddening careers of two of the most gifted PBA big men ever, Jun Limpot and Jay Washington.

Continue reading "From the Stands: PBA finals talk, All-Star game, Jun Limpot vs Jay Washington"

Listed below are ten statements about the PBA Commissioner's Cup, which kicks off tonight with the Ginebra-Meralco game in Laoag City. In the comments, leave a post on whether you think each statement is true or false, and a short explanation why this is so.

Continue reading "True or False: 2011 PBA Commissioner’s Cup"

I am proud to welcome the From the Stands podcast, which beginning today will be appearing regularly of Fire Quinito. I’ve been a fan of the podcast by Chuck Araneta, Polo Bustamante, and Carlo Pamintuan for a while now, and I believe this blog’s readers would enjoy listening to it as well.

I joined the trio alongside Niko and Mikkel Bolante of Patay Ang Butiki for its debut podcast on Fire Quinito, an episode which was recorded shortly after our drinking session with Coach Chot Reyes. It was basically us getting drunk and talking into an iPad, and with six of us, it was a bit of a clusterfuck. A clusterfuck of a podcast – a clusterpod!

Oh, but you really ought to listen to it if you’re a PBA fan. We recapped the Philippine Cup finals, discussed Jason Castro, Ryan Reyes, Kelly Williams, my favorite Jay Washington, the structural problems of San Miguel, and Ato Agustin’s coaching. I should apologize in advance though for hogging the mic (hey, I’d been drinking) and for having an irritating nasal voice.



Click on the player to listen, or download the file, or subscribe to it on iTunes or on RSS. And leave a comment, the From the Stands boys just might discuss them in the next episode, or even invite you to come along.

For the second straight year, I had the privilege of speaking with the coach of the Philippine Cup champions shortly after winning the title. Over dinner and beer last Tuesday night, Coach Chot Reyes joined me and bloggers from Patay Ang Butiki and From the Stands to shoot the breeze and talk hoops. Because we were all basketball nerds, we ended up talking about everything from the series against San Miguel to his MBA stint to what happened between him and Jun Limpot.

But most of our conversation focused on Talk N Text, Smart Gilas, and the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Here’s the stuff (I think) I can publish:

Continue reading "A dinner with Talk N Text coach Chot Reyes"

If you’ve been reading this blog, then tonight’s result shouldn’t have come as any surprise to you: As expected, Talk N Text finished off the San Miguel Beermen in 6 games to win its second PBA Philippine Cup title in three years. Point guards Jimmy Alapag and Jason Castro shared Finals Most Valuable Player honors, while Ryan Reyes provided the team an emotional lift with an amazing performance that came on the heels of the tragic death of his younger brother.

Continue reading "The Talk N Text Tropang Texters are the 2011 PBA Philippine Cup champions"

Over the existence of this blog, I’ve had the opportunity to have candid conversations with a lot of people who are insiders when it comes to PBA basketball. In these conversations, one thing about coaching keeps cropping up: the X’s and O’s matter a lot less than fans would want to believe.

Of course, there have been coaches whose attention to game planning and preparation have given their team solid edges, such as Ron Jacobs and Tim Cone. Still, at the end of the day, the biggest impact that a PBA coach has on his team is measured by how willing his players are to bust their asses for him.

Continue reading "San Miguel beats Ginebra in 6, sets up Philippine Cup showdown vs Talk N Text"

I’ve steadily developed a dislike for San Miguel over the past couple of years. Despite the snarky tone of this blog, this is a rare case for PBA teams; even though I’ve been rooting for the Purefoods franchise since I was a child, I consider myself a fan of the PBA. I usually watch games intently when I’m home and they’re on, whoever might be playing. I like good Pinoy basketball, and the PBA is where you’d find the best Pinoy basketball anywhere.

Continue reading "Love, hate, and the San Miguel Beermen"

AFTER ITS semifinals series against Derby Ace, I thought San Miguel would have a very hard time in the finals going up against either Alaska or Talk N Text, who at the time were still to figure in a deciding seventh game in their own semifinals matchup. It had a lot to do with how San Miguel, the much fresher and deeper team, had so much trouble putting away a tired and overmatched Llamados squad whose import, Tony Washam, couldn’t even get a shot off Arwind Santos. That it took a superhuman effort for Gabe Freeman – who dominated Derby Ace’s injured big guys Rafi Reavis and Marc Pingris – for San Miguel to finally advance didn’t really inspire much confidence in me as a basketball observer.

Continue reading "Bel13ve! Alaska, the thinking fan’s team, wins championship #13 with heart"

When he’s firing on all cylinders, San Miguel’s Jay Washington is the best forward in the PBA. He glides so effortlessly up and down the court like no other big guy in league history. Not only does he jump out of the gym, but he might have the best second jump among local big men. He has a sweet touch that stretches out well beyond three-point range. He’s got decent handle that allows him to face up and take slower guys off the dribble, and he’s strong enough to punish smaller guys on the block.

This is why, for me, Washington is the single most maddening player to watch in the PBA. He is at his best when he’s comfortable, that is, when the Beermen are up protecting a lead.

Continue reading "PBA Finals Snaphot: Dear Jay Washington, please stop being such a pussy"