Drama hits Ginebra

Photo courtesy of Yahoo.Ph

What a strange way for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to start their PBA Governor's Cup campaign.

First was the unseen retirement of one of our all-time favorites, Rudy Hatfield. Not only did the team lose one of its veteran anchors, it lost one of its better low post defenders with Hatfield choosing to close one of the more impressive 14-year careers this side of Philippine basketball.

And because we're talking about the league's most popular ball club here, the drama didn't end there. After coming off a surprise Commissioner's Cup Finals runner-up finish, head coach Alfrancis Chua opted to resign for "personal reasons" which many insiders believe was caused by all the coaching rigodon Ginebra and its owning San Miguel Corporation family did the last few weeks.


Gone from Chua's bench are the guys who started his Ginebra career with- Siot Tangquincen and Allan Caidic among others. To make matters worse for Chua, it seems that he got the shorter end of the stick of all three SMC-owned teams since he didn't have a say in building his bench. Normally, the head coach gets to call the shots not only with player transactions but with naming assistants as well (or at the very least, gets to voice his opinion somewhat).

Did Chua make the right call by resigning from Ginebra?

As a professional, probably not.

The team's coming off a great Commissioner's Cup run with key players reigning PBA Most Valuable Player Mark Caguioa, L.A. Tenorio, Kerby Raymundo and Jayjay Helterbrand all buying into Chua's "run and gun" system. Chua was also able to get the much-coveted "nod of approval" from the "Barangay" as opposed to the much-maligned and often-questioned Tangquincen.

Lastly, he's getting paid to be the head coach. It's not like whoever made the huge coaching calls brought in unworthy lackeys to be his assistants. If you check the new guys and what they have to offer, you could say that the new Ginebra coaching staff is just as "stellar" as its players.

By now, you know how Team SMC works: they get the names, they get the stars-- chemistry be damned. They'll hit gold sooner rather than later, and if not, they are not afraid to make changes right in a heart beat.

And that's where, as a man, we laud Chua for resigning.

The changes undermined Chua as the head coach. Stop being a "good soldier" like his predecessor Tangquincen who was okay with being shamed time and again. Chua is his own man, and he stepped up to the plate. Team SMC wanted to make changes and just let Chua worry about the rest? No way. Chua wanted chemistry, he's always been a guy who'll live and die with his guys-- a true homer really since his Stag Pale Pilsen days in the PBL. To bring in new guys and expect results? Nah, Chua made a stand to let Ginebra, Team SMC and everyone know that it wasn't going to fly.

He is Alfrancis Chua. Not Siot Tangquincen.