The PBA hasn’t had a particularly interesting All-Star Game since 1989, the year when the midseason matchup became an annual event. For most fans going into the game, the big storyline was the reunion of Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski, stalwarts of the old Toyota powerhouse team who had since been estranged.

As a diehard 7-year-old Purefoods fan, however, I couldn’t care less about the Veterans; my heart was for the Rookies-Sophomores team through and through. The youngsters included five players from my favorite team: sophomores Jojo Lastimosa, Alvin Patrimonio, and Jerry Codiñera, and rookies Nelson Asaytono and Dindo Pumaren. Conversely, the Veterans were comprised mainly of stars from my team’s hated rivals San Miguel, then in the middle of its Grand Slam season, featuring Fernandez, Samboy Lim, Elmer Reyes, Yves Dignadice, and Hector Calma.

Continue reading "The 1989 PBA All-Star Game"

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"

From the Stands is back, with Chuck Araneta, Polo Bustamante, and Carlo Pamintuan discussing the Meralco-Rain or Shine matchup and the prospects of Smart Gilas minus naturalized center Marcus Douthit. In this week's old school vs. new school, they compare two of the most gifted, dynamic forwards Philippine basketball has ever seen: Nelson Asaytono and Kerby Raymundo.



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.

In the latest episode of From the Stands, Chuck Araneta, Polo Bustamante, and Carlo Pamintuan talk about the two biggest surprises of the ongoing Commissioner's Cup: the league-leading Smart Gilas and the cellar-dwelling San Miguel. In this week's old school vs. new school, they compare two of the best sharpshooters in PBA history: Allan Caidic and James Yap.



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.

I started watching basketball in 1988, when I was six years old. My favorite basketball team was Purefoods – Joe Cantada dubbed the team’s talented rookie corps ‘The Yuppies’ because they were young professionals – and my favorite basketball player was a hotshot shooting guard named Jojo Lastimosa. Not only was he a high-flying daredevil slasher who would finish fastbreaks with 360-degree layups just for the heck of it, he was also a deadly shooter whose range extended far beyond the three-point line.

Continue reading "Jolas and Jaemark"

I went to the Araneta box office yesterday to get tickets. The man in front of me got an Upper Box A ticket with his senior citizen discount. The man behind me was in line with his kid, also going to watch the PBA games. When I got to the booth, I asked the lady at the counter if there were still lower level (lower box, patron) tickets available. She said there were none left, but I asked her to check again. Turns out there were still six courtside tickets available for sale. So that’s how I ended up with courtside seats for the game tonight.

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"

Rey Joble of GMA News today confirms that PBA commissioner Chito Salud has shot down the proposed trade for Air 21’s marquee rookies Nonoy Baclao, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, and Rey Guevarra in exchange for San Miguel’s Joseph Yeo, Danny Seigle, Mick Pennisi, a first round pick from the Beermen, a case of San Mig Light, and 3 years’ supply of Skelan for the senior citizens in the deal. Salud called the deal lopsided, and virtually confirmed reports that there has been a trade despite vehement denials of Air 21 officials.

Continue reading "Air 21--the whole team--for sale to SMC?"