That old Dennis Espino quote

Kung patay kung patay ang labanan,
Llamado ka kay Pingris 

Okay, for argument's sake, this quote was famously used by the Living Legend Robert Jaworski, Sr. but this writer never really got to watch the Big J in his "elbowing" best (he was usually by the bench, calling shots for his team while wearing the team warm-ups complete with white towel over his shoulders). Espino on the other hand, from 1995 to 2010 was the most feared scorer-enforcer combo in the land. Ask Mark Caguioa during his rookie year. Oh, and the quote was also most recently used by Rico Maierhofer back with BMeg during the infamous "hug me!" encounter with Ali Peek). Thanks to idol FireQuinito for pointing it out.

"Kung ayaw mong masaktan, mag-chess ka na lang!"

Two separate games into the PBA Commissioner's Cup Semifinals and we've been given more physicality than we could have ever bargained for in today's world of athletes and sportsmen. The Barako Bull Energy won over the favored Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters last night thanks to their rough play, and tonight, the BMeg Llamados did just the same by punking out the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings.



With the Energy, their vets knew that they couldn't run with the young Texters so they slowed them down- hard. The "no lay-up" rule was in full force, slashers were getting hacked and bumped off balance and the "been there, done that" swag was in full effect for the Energy. From vanguards Wyne Arboleda, Dorian Pena and Ronald Tubid to "boy scouts" Willie Miller and Danny Seigle. The vets wanted the W, and they took it from the rusty Texters like a grown man would snatch the last piece of fried chicken on the table from his lanky teenage brother.

In tonight's game, Ginebra lost more than just a Mark Caguioa. They lost their cool. And more, they lost their swagger. Yancy de Ocampo and Ronald Tubid wouldn't allow themselves to get punked like that in a game. YDO even came out the victor against Ginebra import Jackson Vroman in a Mick Pennisi-like delayed reaction flopping manner.

If you were a Ginebra fan, the sight of Marc Pingris pretty much giving Rico Villanueva a stiff forearm to the back of the head and then yelling at his ear-- that's just unacceptable. What's worse, no one from the Ginebra side came to the aide of their fallen big man.

It was like Pingris was telling Villanueva, "damn right I knocked you on your head, what are you going to do about it huh?"

Vroman shoved YDO away from his face in the end game. Clearly out of frustration following an abysmal 10 points, 10 rebounds outing. That's not how it's supposed to be, with Caguioa out, Vroman should be jacking up shots. But he didn't. He couldn't.

They lost the psy-war early with that Pingris Flagrant Foul 1.

Hopefully, both Texters and Kings learn their lessons from both Game 1s and come out with more hustle and fight next time around. That, or they're going to go home early.