Nothing to see here

Still waiting for Garcia's break out year
(Photo credit to the owner)

Because really, are there actual fans of the following teams and not just of the individual players who were "carried over" from their idol's former squad?

Barako Bull Energy Cola
If only this team weren't so blatant in being the league's premier farm team, we would actually vouch for this line-up. RR Garcia, JC Intal, Mac Baracael, Jervy Cruz and either the old Mick Pennisi (seriously, this guy should consider retiring soon) or Prince Caperal. Then there are guys like Chico Lanete, Josh Urbiztondo, James Forrester, Emman Monfort and Willy Wilson coming off the bench. Okay, maybe they have a surplus of point guards, but this should make for an exciting run-and-gun squad right?

Right.

Who pads his stats first? Last season, it was Denok Miranda who was able to stat-pad his way out of the Energy camp. Will it be Intal, who is coming off a solid Gilas 3 stint? Will it be Garcia, the former UAAP MVP, who we thought would break out last season after being freed from the burden of having to play with college buddy/ rival Terrence Romeo only to learn that hey, maybe Garcia's not THAT special after all? Or will it be Baracael, who will most likely go back to his stretch four roots and remind us of how special a player he looked back when he played for Gilas I?

Your guess is as good as ours. Coach Koy Banal will make this team compete, but at day's end when they start winning someone's bound to pull the plug. Remember Joseph Yeo last conference? When he started running his mouth about how "free" they were? Yeah, he got traded soon. But not before BB's winning streak fizzled out..


Mahindra Enforcers
We are just thankful that Troy Rosario did not land with this joke of a team, with a joke of a coach. Left to right, they have some nice players like L.A. Revilla and maybe Nino Canaleta, but everyone else is just there to get the paycheck. Unlike BB which is a clear farm team for Team San Miguel Corporation, Mahindra is just stockpiling on mediocre talent which can't be developed to benefit Team MVP (unless you still believe that there is hope for Aldrech Ramos).      

If they can get PJ Ramos by next conference though, they should be bearable to watch at the very least. With Revilla, Karl Dehesa, Canaleta, Ramos and Ramos.

Wag na yung Pacquiao.      

Black Water Elite
Another farm team wannabe. Now that we have given it some thought, it looks like Team MVP is gearing up to ensure that Kiefer Ravena and Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. will land in their pockets whichever year they come in 2016 or 2017. How? Mahindra. Blackwater. There you go.  Of the two expansion teams, Blackwater actually looked like the team who would end the season with a better record- not Kia/ Mahindra. But well, funny things happen when you are told to tank. Carlo Lastimosa, we do hope that he "gets it" and enjoys a breakout season. We also pray that Mike Cortez gets back into shape and works his way out of the Elite by mid-season, hopefully to land anywhere from TNT to NLEX.

Almond Vosotros, go get buckets. Art dela Cruz, once your NCAA season is done, just keep grinding.

Reil Cervantes, uhm, you do you.

Uh, that's all we have to share about the three teams mentioned above. Sayang sa brain cells. Trade pa more.