Tempered expectations

(Photo credit to the owner)

When Tropang TNT rookie forward Moala Tautuaa was picked 1st overall in this year's PBA Draft, expectations were high because of his size, lineage and pedigree. After all, we are talking about a 6"7 beast of a man who could easily be playing a more contact sport such as American football or even pro-wrestling.

The full-on beard just added to the intimidating exterior.

Unfortunately, a lot of TNT fans have been disappointed so far with Tautuaa's performance despite a respectable 21mpg 12ppg 4rpg 2apg batting average. But is Tautuaa really underperforming? Or is he just caught in a roster that is loaded with top-notch forwards, including 2nd overall pick Troy Rosario?

We would argue that it is a little of both.

Thoughts on Ivan the Terrible

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

“The last straw that broke the camel’s back.”

That is all we can say about the polarizing PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa’s decision to fine Tropang TNT import Ivan Johnson Php 250,000 and ban him from the league, for life.

Let us try to figure this one out bit by bit. Johnson was ejected in the first half of yesterday’s match versus sister team Meralco, whose resident enforcers were probably given the greenlight to get chippy with him (Kelly Nabong and Bryan Faundo were involved, go figure) based on his history of being temperamental. He was ejected, and somehow Narvasa got in his way as he exited the premises so he decided to hurl a few expletives at the league commissioner.

A Cut Above

God Mode.
(Photo credits to the owner)

In life, there is always an instance wherein you encounter someone who is just better than you are on a certain field of expertise. It could be in school, at home, in the office or even among friends-- no matter how good you think you are on a certain skill, there is almost, always someone who is better than you.

Even if you put in the same (if not more) of work.

That is the fate of one Rain or Shine Elastopainters, which lost a heated Best-of-Seven series and ultimately the PBA Commissioner's Cup crown, to the Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters.

They play defense first, they run the floor, they share the wealth, they use all of the guys on the roster and just about anyone can hit the three with consistency.

Only, the Texters do (and did) it better (in four of the seven games, at least).

PBACC The Finals: Game 7

Walang atrasan.
(Photo credits to Mr Paul Ryan Tan)

First thing's first.

I'm the realest.

No, cross that one out.

What I am, is a proud Rain or Shine fan. I started as a Ginebra fan, thanks to the greatness of Robert Jaworski, Sr., and when he moved on to politics, stayed to the very last of the Marlou Aquino-Bal David-Noli Locsin era (Vince Hizon, always the smartest of the group, flew the coup first, moving over to the MBA via the Iloilo MegaVoltz). After that, I chose to follow Aquino, which I considered as the best of the three, over at Santa Lucia. My decision to switch allegiances was made easier thanks to the presence of fundamentally sound power forward Dennis Espino, and later on the inclusion of PBA MVP Kenneth Duremdes.

When that team folded, I was lost. A basketball fan without a home. Until Yeng Guiao took over the RoS franchise. That's when I started loving the team. Then Paul Lee came into the picture. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Now that I've made all of that clear (if I haven't already on other social pages, come on now), let's move on to the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals between the Elastopainters and Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters.

PBACC The Finals So Far

Angas ng Tondo
(Photo credits to the owner)

The PBA Commissioner's Cup Best-of-Seven Finals between the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and the Talk'n'Text Tropang Textes has been highly physical thus far in three games, but surprisingly much of the action (and brutality) has come from the once "cookie-cutter" Texters' side of things.

Up two games to one, the Elastopainters have been on the receiving end of some unfortunate hits from Texters' import Ivan Johnson. In Game 1, which they lost 92-99, spitfire backup guard Jonathan Uyloan suffered an injury when he took a hit from Johnson. Last night, it was Paul Lee's turn when he was inadvertently hit by a wayward Johnson elbow right smack on the mouth-- resulting in him losing a tooth and 3 more  that's been pushed back into his gums.

Ouch.

When was the last time we ever heard news of the Texters dishing out pain and physicality towards their opponents? Isn't that the Elastopainters' calling card? Their bread-and-butter? Their actual, field of concentration?

It's going to get ugly from here on out.