Tim Cone to Ginebra

Sorry Johnny, Coach Tim and RdR
will be taking their talents to Ginebra
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

When we were first indoctrinated into the world of the Philippine Basketball Association in 1996, it was during the PBA Governor's Cup Finals-- a best-of-seven affair between the grandslam seeking Alaska Milkmen and the crowd darlings, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

On one side was the most charismatic head coach/ player in the history of the game, Robert Jaworski, Sr., commanding the likes of Noli Locsin, Bal David, Marlou Aquino and Vince Hizon. Now while we weren't familiar with the PBA brand of play, we already had a working idea of how basketball players should look and talk like thanks to the NBA. Let's just say that based on body fat percentage and muscle tone alone, none of the Ginebra players fit the mold save for maybe Vince Hizon. Yet they were the crowd darlings, they were fighting tooth and nail with a team that looked so fluid, so sexy, that it was hard NOT to root for the obvious underdogs.

Who exposed us to this title bout? Our mom. Who was an Alaska fan at the time, thanks to Jojo Lastimosa's looks and game. She was probably trying to turn us into Alaska fans too, but we ended up liking the other team. Anyway, Alaska was being coached by a dirty blonde who almost always finished every play drawn in the huddle with an "aight" or "all right?"

His name is Tim Cone.

#KangCone

To put things in perspective, polarizing sports writer/ reporter Snow Badua was the first to hint at a possible coaching change that could greatly affect the PBA landscape. Today, Badua's "tweeter hint" actually made it to the mainstream media, with no less than veteran sports guys from Nelson Beltran of The Philippine Star to Fidel Mangonon III of Spin.Ph writing about this quite sensitive and surprising topic.

"Tim Cone to Ginebra."

That's basically how we can best sum it up. It hasn't happened, there are no announcements or formal statements yet, but you know what they always say about there being fire when there's smoke in the area. When reached for comment, even Coach Tim said something along the lines of him "serving at the pleasure of Mr. Ang."

Which means, it is possible. It isn't true, at least not yet, but it is possible if San Miguel big boss Ramon Ang wants it to happen.

Will it work for Ginebra though?

Yes. Of course it will. It may take a while, or maybe they'll be champions overnight, but it will work. Tim Cone's 18 PBA championships among other impressive feats say it will. Triangle? He's been running more motion offense with STAR Hotshots as of late. So he can switch to that. Or he can just stick to his Triangle, which Ginebra's already familiar with thanks to former 1-conference coach Jeffrey Cariaso, and have Greg Slaughter look like the dominant 7"0 he's hyped to be (instead of looking like the Andy Seigle to Junemar Fajardo's prime Marlou Aquino).

Sucks for STAR, but they have the names on that roster, plus championship pedigree to rise above it with any veteran or young coach.

Ginebra?

They need a lot of coaching and managing.

Tim Cone's just the guy. The veterans will listen to him. L.A. Tenorio won't stomp his foot on the hardcourt, make stupid faces and throw tantrums. Coach Tim knows how to massage L.A.'s ego. Mark Caguioa? He'll respond to Coach Tim. The championships will make him respond. Plus, he's in that age and point in his career wherein he'd be a perfect Jolas option.

So we're not worried about Ginebra, and or STAR.

We're worried about Coach Tim.

We kind of saw this coming.

When he chose to leave Alaska and sign "with the devil," we knew that it was only a matter of time before he was made into a pawn by the SMC umbrella. This is the very same Team SMC that rotates coaches for fun, declares "co-coaches," hires Team Consultants in the guise of Coaches, and what not.

Purefoods has a long, lasting legacy and great integrity when it comes to sticking to coaches. But at the end of the day, whoever is there, is still under Team SMC. And if Mr. Ang wants you to move, you move.

Or you hope that you can land a gig with Team MVP.

So what about Coach Tim?

Well, if he is indeed to move to Ginebra, then this should be a fun project for him. To jumpstart a perennial losing basketball program, and reward its millions of fans all over the world (you won't believe how popular Ginebra bench players are even here in the Middle East). It's a challenge-- specially after jumping from Alaska to STAR, and winning a grandslam and just knowing that he could win more titles with that roster.

But how about his legacy?

He'll move to Ginebra. But will he be in control? Who's to say if one day, Mr. Ang wants him to move yet again-- to San Miguel, back to STAR, or we'll be damned, Barako Bull or Global Port?

Worse, what if one day, Mr. Ang and whoever is calling the shots make Coach Tim "co-coach?"

This is the drawback when it comes to making deals with the "crossroads demon."

#KangCone ?

Trust us, it won't stick. Because Coach Tim will turn Ginebra into a multi-title team should he really move there.

But, we just hope he'll be the one calling the shots and that Ginebra will be his last stop.

Dethroned

Old timers need some help
(Photo credit to Sports5.ph)

As you get older, there are certain things that you slowly realize:

Your timing is off; your mind knows what you want to do, but there seems to be a split second lapse between judgment and action.

You find yourself needing to exert more effort, to something that you would routinely perform. Be it running, jumping, hustling.

And when you find yourself in front of a wide-eyed youngster, who you know will always go left on a crossover, which he does, and you smile to yourself thinking "I got you!" only to hear the whistle-- or worse, lose your man completely as you turn your around and see him waltzing in for an easy lay-up.

Age. It happens to the best of us.

With yesterday's unceremonious sweep at the hands of the Alaska Aces in the Semifinals of the PBA Governor's Cup, the Purefoods STAR Hotshots find themselves officially dethroned in the 40th season of the league after taking home all three titles just the year before.

Is it time to rebuild?

PBA GC SF: (1) Alaska vs (5) STAR

The series' X-factor is in this picture,
but not who you would think
(Photo credit to Sports5.ph))

Forget Manila Classico (which celebrates the fanbases more than it does the actual two teams since performance/ championships-wise, they are simply non-equals), this is the real rivalry that has more history and bad blood to it than anything else in the last four-five years.

Ideology vs machinery. Building a team the right way in hopes of winning championships vs one that can just as easily acquire any given player to fit its needs en route to a title romp. At the end of the day, this is what it all boiled down to from the outside looking in specially for head coach Tim Cone. A new challenge, more money, job security and so on vs a franchise that has been repeatedly rumored to be up for sale since when? 2012? We've been hearing about it for two-three straight seasons now.

There is no loyalty in professional sports, only business.

STAR has the, well, starpower. Alaska has the hustle and endless amount of energy.

Something's got to give.

Stars are bland

Look up, look up!
(Photo credits to Sports5)

Definitely not a typo.

The re-christened, yellow-and-red sporting STAR Hotshots are finding it even tougher to defend their third and final crown from last season's grand slam romp, specially with the absence of future cornerstone 6"7 Ian Sangalang. Head coach Tim Cone has stuck mostly to playing an eight-man heavy rotation, with other guys playing sparingly by design.

Thus far, the Hotshots' record is five wins versus five losses. Stuck somewhere in the middle of the Playoff hunt.

Leading the team's hope for a last title defense are returning import Marqus Blakely (39 mpg 23 ppg 13 rpg 3 apg), Marc Pingris (29 mpg 8 ppg 6 rpg 2 apg), Joe DeVance (29 mpg 11 ppg 3 rpg 2 apg), Alex Mallari (28 mpg 10 ppg 3 rpg 3 apg), Mark Barroca (29 mpg 10 ppg 4 rpg 3 apg) and 2x PBA MVP James Yap (25 mpg 11 ppg 4rpg 1 apg). Guys like Justin Melton and PJ Simon are contributing as well, though it appears that they are having some trouble meshing with the rest or excelling in limited minutes (specifically Simon).