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"

Polo Bustamante and Carlo Pamintuan are back this week alongside Chuck Araneta in time for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. But first, they recap Air 21’s upset of Alaska and the heroics of Mark “The Spark” Caguioa in Ginebra’s win over Rain Or Shine. For this week’s old school versus new school, the guys pit two of the greatest point guards in Ateneo Blue Eagles history: Olsen Racela vs. LA Tenorio.

Continue reading "From the Stands: Air 21’s upset, Mark the Spark’s return, Olsen Racela vs. LA Tenorio"

The usual suspects Polo Bustamante, and Carlo Pamintuan were unavailable last night, so I stepped in for a one-on-one podcast with Chuck Araneta in the latest episode of the From the Stands podcast. After briefly eulogizing the B-MEG Derby Ace campaign in the Commissioner's Cup and talking about the controversial Alaska-Air 21 match-up, we broke down the quarterfinals matchups: Air 21 vs Alaska and Ginebra vs Rain or Shine, and how the teams stack up against top seeds Talk N Text and Smart Gilas.

For this week's Old School vs New School, we compare two of the PBA's greatest shooting guards: Jojo Lastimosa and Mark Caguioa, whose fans argue that each guy is the greatest player never to win the MVP award.

Continue reading "From the Stands: Handicapping the PBA quarters, Jojo Lastimosa vs Mark Caguioa"

In 2007, after Noli Eala was forced to resign by the Philippine Basketball Association as commissioner due to his disbarment, two candidates were up for the position: former telecommunications executive Lambert Ramos and lawyer Chito Salud. Neither man had enough votes to be appointed commissioner; San Miguel, Ginebra, Coke, Welcoat, and Red Bull – the SMC bloc – voted for Salud, while Air 21, Alaska, Sta. Lucia, and Talk N Text – the MVP bloc – voted for Ramos.

However, each man needed six out of the nine votes (voting rights haven’t been restored to Purefoods at the time) to be appointed commissioner. Unable to break the deadlock, the board decided to appoint Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, who at the time was OIC of the PBA, to the commissionership full time.

Continue reading "The curious politics of Sonny Barrios’ appointment as SBP executive director"

Patricia Hizon broke the news on Twitter that the three San Miguel Corporation teams in the PBA – San Miguel Beer, Ginebra, and B-MEG Derby Ace – have voted against allowing the sale of the Barako Bull franchise to Phoenix Petroleum. With Air 21 voting alongside the conglomerate, it effectively prevents the sale from happening, as league rules dictate that a franchise sale needs the approval of 2/3rds of the board, or 7 out of 10 votes. The board ended up voting in favor of the sale, 6-4, which was not enough to approve it.

Continue reading "SMC, Air 21 block Barako sale to Phoenix"

The last time a team coached by Yeng Guiao played Smart Gilas in a PBA tournament, back in the 2009-2010 Philippine Cup, Air 21 point guard Wynne Arboleda ended up assaulting a Gilas fan at courtside in a very ugly incident in a rough-and-tumble game. So when Guiao’s new team, Rain or Shine, faced off against the Gilas squad last Sunday, many fans were also expecting fireworks.

Continue reading "So what’s a Yeng Guiao game against Smart Gilas without a little controversy?"

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"

Rajko Toroman doesn't look terribly happy to see me.

A couple of weeks ago, after his team won against Alaska, Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman name-checked this blog in his postgame interview. So when I went to The Arena last Saturday to watch the nationals against the retooled San Miguel Beermen, I made sure to have a quick chat with him before the game with the help of Gilas Insider.

Continue reading "Courtside with Rajko Toroman"