Willie, Marc and Louie

AS promised, I will be writing more about the PBA which to me was a dream beat to cover when I was still a young sportswriter more than 40 years ago.

And it did come true as I was very active covering the league and doing countless news articles, features, and columns in different sports magazines and newspapers like Sports World, Sports Weekly, Sports Mirror, and Sports Digest, all part of history now.

That is why I made it a point to attend not only the recent PBA press conference but also the PBA Media Day held at the Solaire Resort and Casino, the very first time such an event has been conducted by the league, thanks to PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.

As a former Media Bureau chief, Willie is very well connected to the sports media. He said he takes pride in this idea of his, together with the program he came up with last year of PBA players visiting local barangay courts in different parts of Metro Manila.

No regrets for me that I made the drive to Solaire because I got a chance not only to have a one on one with Willie but with other PBA players and personalities as well.

Willie has been with the PBA since 1984 when he started his work as a statistician and moved from one position to another with then commissioner Noli Eala giving him a good break when he was appointed as media head and assistant to the commissioner.

Willie told me he is looking forward to being with the PBA in whatever capacity when his three-year term as commissioner runs out next year, and I believe him.

I also had a brief chat with Magnolia player Marc Pingris who still is recovering from injury but might see action in March. He felt bad daw that he was not able to be with the team when Magnolia won its title last year and looks forward to resuming his role as a senior player with the team.

At 37 years old, he knows he is not a spring chicken anymore and has accepted that his role in the team is really more to help his younger teammates develop themselves in and outside the court, he says, particularly in handling their money for their future.

In his case, he has already put up a poultry in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija and a glass and aluminum supply business, but I remember him more when we were in Taipei for the Jones Cup tournament as a reinforcement for the Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine team.

Marc, with his good looks, was very popular with the local girls there who waited or him after games, flirting with him and bringing him gifts, my job was to serve as spokesperson cum interpreter or Marc, and we had a good laugh reminiscing those days.

I also met an old friend of mine coach Louie Alas of Phoenix. Last season under Louie, the team reached the semis for the first time, solidifying his reputation as a good coach built on his collegiate coaching achievements including three NCAA titles with the Letran Knights.

But what will surprise a lot is even as he has reached every local coach’s dream of becoming a PBA head coach, Louie is open about his preference to return to collegiate coaching, if there will be an opportunity after his contract with Phoenix ends.

The man simply loves to teach young players and for him, seeing how his college players develop their skills under his tutelage is very fulfilling. In the PBA, he says it is more of reminding professional players of something they know already.

I got a chance too to chat with the likes of Norman Black, Bong Ravena, Gabby Cui, JR Quinahan and other sportswriters whom I have not seen for quite some time because of my absence in the PBA beat. But then I already requested Willie to include me in the media accreditation list anew so I can make an appearance in future PBA games.

Now it looks more that I will really see myself watching live PBA games and trying to come up with interesting tidbits about the league and the players.