2013 PBA Commisioners Cup

[Jay P. Mercado]

I don't know about you but when a coach says this

"“I think we all agree to give coach Chot the best opportunity to make it to the top three in the Fiba-Asia. We (Tropang Texters) just won the All-Filipino Cup title. The team has four championships in the last four years, and maybe, in the third conference, if we can get a good import, we can win (the Governors Cup title),” Black said.

and starts talking about the 3rd conference already when we are still in the 2nd conference, and says we just won th All Filipino , plus 4 championships in the context of talking about a bigger goal of once in a lifetime opportunity of FIBA. That actually speaks volume of where things stand in terms of priority subconsiounsly must send a message indirectly. You say that publicly and your players hear it, that will really play in the players psych.

BTW there is a reason i posted this here in the PBA thread rather than the NT thread. As seriously there is a bigger story here based on Blacks statement rather than everything else the writer wrote about if you know how to read body language and what things imply

Perhaps. But we may have to look at it at the context of how the interview was conducted. If the interview was about TNT's lending of its players to the national team, it's but normal (and reasonable) for Black to discuss national team matters. Black is a very cautious person when he speaks. One of the brickbats thrown at him is that he has embraced the Filipino culture of being extremely sensitive when it comes to discussing things. Black's not the type of player who would speak his mind out - he has learned from past lessons that when dealing with Filipinos, he just cannot call a spade a spade without trampling on the sensitivities of those who hear him out.

There's no denying that one of the top corporate priorities of the MVP Group in basketball is to make it to the Worlds. But I doubt that in doing so, it would sacrifice its other priority of winning championships. The team just invested on a new import - someone who's probably coming in with better credentials than his predecessor. Note also that there was no mention of TNT's campaign in the Commissioner's Cup - underlying where the focus of the interview was. Did the writer actually ask Black anything about the Commissioner's Cup? If he did, I'm very sure that Black would have answered that they remained focused in their mission to win the title. If he did ask, there must be a reason why the writer didn't include this in the article.

Is Black implying that they'd rather focus more on the Governors' Cup which will come after the FIBA-Asia than winning this conference? The interview may appear to be so but the factors that I pointed out may have made it come out that way. But if you look at how TNT has acted after Donnell Harvey's departure, the fact pointed to the opposite direction. They're flying in a new import, Jerome Jordan anytime in the next day or two, just in time for their crucial game against Barangay Ginebra this Sunday. Black has given extensive exposure to the national team candidates in his team despite the fear that they may get burnt out. TNT could have won their game against powerhouse San Mig Coffee had Ryan Reyes converted those missed jumpshots in the closing seconds of their game.

There is a difference though with the priority being extended by the PLDT Group to this year's national team compared to its 2011 predecessor. They probably learned from that mistake - that in an effort to win the grandslam in the 2011 season, they unwittingly compromised the chances of SMART-Gilas 1.0 in the Wuhan tournament. Today, with Chot Reyes at the helm and him being a top executive in the company, it's not surprising if the direction has changed relative to 2011.

[digitalsuperman]

i found it. I thought it was yesterday or the other day. I remember this tweet


Noli Eala@NoliEala

@FemaleAgentSR @AsiTaulava88 Dont give a new import to them. Hahaha.

wow. pogi got issues.

[digitalsuperman]

wow wow wow.. what a poise by alaska. they are for real. hope they meet RoS this finals.

[Jay P. Mercado]

Very, very impressed with Alaska. Extremely impressive win against Ginebra tonight, despite losing a 14-point deficit at the start of the second half after a 15-0 run by the Kings.

Can't help but marvel at the composure of Luigi Trillo in handling this team. He has his share of outbursts, not unlike what Tim Cone normally does to work out the refs. But despite all these, it didn't seem to affect his coaching as the players responded to his plays. This team is playing solidly and fluidly as a team. And they got a gem of an import in Rob Dozier who can be clutch when needed.

[all_about]

The 15,000 + plus crowd was 90% pro Ginebra and 10% pro Alaska.

What a time for Alaska locals to bring home the victory and solidify their number 1 standing. They will look good in the playoffs. Hontiveros, Abueva and Baguio made the last 4 minutes of the game a fantastic one for Alaska.

[greenarcher]

I now want Alaska to win it all. They really deserve to. Reminds of TNT during all their championship runs.

I didn't believe Trillo at first seeing how he failed miserably with a talented Cebuana Lhuilier team but for some reason, he was able to turn things around with Alaska.

[Jay P. Mercado]

I now want Alaska to win it all. They really deserve to. Reminds of TNT during all their championship runs.

I didn't believe Trillo at first seeing how he failed miserably with a talented Cebuana Lhuilier team but for some reason, he was able to turn things around with Alaska.

Don't forget the two winless seasons of Adamson in the UAAP when Trillo was handling the Falcons back then.

Just impressive. Trillo's coaching has matured a lot - but it will severely be tested heading deeper into the playoffs while facing against more experienced rivals like Tim Cone and Yeng Guiao.

[digitalsuperman]

I now want Alaska to win it all. They really deserve to. Reminds of TNT during all their championship runs.

I didn't believe Trillo at first seeing how he failed miserably with a talented Cebuana Lhuilier team but for some reason, he was able to turn things around with Alaska.

i do think that the assistant coaches has a lot to do with the way alaska is playing now. im not really that fan of luigi's skill as a coach. he is employing much of triangle but i see a lot of louie alas plays for the aces. alaska will still do well with louie alas at the helm with asst coaches topex and compton.

[KevinDurant]

I want TNT to be in 7th place. With Air21 losing earlier, they'll probably be 8th (or things can get complicated if Barako wins in next game). Twice to win against Alaska. The critical 7th spot is what they are trying to avoid.

Petron 7-5 (Air21, TNT)
GSM 7-6 (TNT)
SMC 7-6 (Meralco)
Meralco 6-6 (SMC, ROS)
TNT 6-6 (GSM, Petron)
Air21 5-8 (Petron)
Barako 4-8 (Petron, ROS)

It'll be interesting pairings in the quarters. Especially the 3rd to 6th bracket. Best of three

[neo]

too early to tell until the final 8 match up is available.

but alaska is surely the favs to go deep but i feel that smc and tnt are right there. these 3 plus ros will make the final 4 with only bgk and petron capable of gate-crashing.

[durden_tyler]

I want TNT to be in 7th place. With Air21 losing earlier, they'll probably be 8th (or things can get complicated if Barako wins in next game). Twice to win against Alaska. The critical 7th spot is what they are trying to avoid.

Petron 7-5 (Air21, TNT)
GSM 7-6 (TNT)
SMC 7-6 (Meralco)
Meralco 6-6 (SMC, ROS)
TNT 6-6 (GSM, Petron)
Air21 5-8 (Petron)
Barako 4-8 (Petron, ROS)

It'll be interesting pairings in the quarters. Especially the 3rd to 6th bracket. Best of three

TNT vs any of the top 4 teams is a tasty treat anyway. Whoever gets Meralco will get the free pass, they are the easiest of the bunch (except obviously for Air21 or Barako).

[analyzed]

Perhaps. But we may have to look at it at the context of how the interview was conducted. If the interview was about TNT's lending of its players to the national team, it's but normal (and reasonable) for Black to discuss national team matters. Black is a very cautious person when he speaks. One of the brickbats thrown at him is that he has embraced the Filipino culture of being extremely sensitive when it comes to discussing things. Black's not the type of player who would speak his mind out - he has learned from past lessons that when dealing with Filipinos, he just cannot call a spade a spade without trampling on the sensitivities of those who hear him out.

.

While TNT’s management (Aboy Castro) has being successful this conference as part of his task list. Let’s be honest the pressure from the top (MVP etc) to be “successful” this conference is not the same as say for Eala with Petron or Romero with Global. You don’t hear MVP winning and moaning with their current situation, they obviously have other basketball priorities to think of (Gilas and FIBA on top of the list). Black is no where near the hot seat of being tossed with TNT miserable standing for their standards, and is definitely not in the same boat pressure wise as to Racela, Toroman or Baculi if his team fails to make the semis.

I’m finding it hard to come up with what kind of question Richard Dy could have asked to put Blacks comments and answers out of context. When you start talking about (future) the next conference or your (past) achievements instead of the now (current TNT struggles) and put it in context of a bigger once in a life time goal (FIBA Asia), that no matter what context the question was asked, Does really communicate things wether it’s a view of management or not. (Of course it’s not managements stand). But just like any endeavour one has in life, if there are competing and bigger things you haven’t accomplished on your plate and you have a huge bank account stored of accomplishments that must affect ones drive for the current job on hand. And really sometimes there is a place to think strategically when looking at the overall picture of an enterprise.

[Jay P. Mercado]

While TNT’s management (Aboy Castro) has being successful this conference as part of his task list. Let’s be honest the pressure from the top (MVP etc) to be “successful” this conference is not the same as say for Eala with Petron or Romero with Global. You don’t hear MVP winning and moaning with their current situation, they obviously have other basketball priorities to think of (Gilas and FIBA on top of the list). Black is no where near the hot seat of being tossed with TNT miserable standing for their standards, and is definitely not in the same boat pressure wise as to Racela, Toroman or Baculi if his team fails to make the semis.

I’m finding it hard to come up with what kind of question Richard Dy could have asked to put Blacks comments and answers out of context. When you start talking about (future) the next conference or your (past) achievements instead of the now (current TNT struggles) and put it in context of a bigger once in a life time goal (FIBA Asia), that no matter what context the question was asked, Does really communicate things wether it’s a view of management or not. (Of course it’s not managements stand). But just like any endeavour one has in life, if there are competing and bigger things you haven’t accomplished on your plate and you have a huge bank account stored of accomplishments that must affect ones drive for the current job on hand. And really sometimes there is a place to think strategically when looking at the overall picture of an enterprise.

You're trying to read the minds of people without an iota of how they really think. You try to second read MVP's actions (or non-action as you inferred), but since when did we hear MVP go out in public and say, "let's win at all cost?" Or "we're targeting a grandslam this season." Not MVP. Your theory is utterly baseless because you're viewing this at how YOU think, not how the people involved think and what their pattern of thinking has been.

Comparing the pressure given by MVP to Aboy Castro with the pressure that RSA is giving Eala and Mikee Romero to BJ Manalo as your basis to say that MVP's priority of winning the championship is at the lower echelon of things? Apples and oranges. The level of expectation is obviously different because of different needs. Eala needs to win a title because his neck is on the line. Mikee Romero wants to win a title because he's been at the cellar the past two conferences. If we're going to use your analogy then, Terry Que and Raymond Yu's focus of winning the championship this conference is of lower priority now since ROS just won a title in last season's Governors' Cup and was runner-up in the All Filipino last conference.

When you compare "pressure," you compare this with the past and the present of the SAME team. You compare TNT's campaign in 2011 with the same team's campaign today. That's how it's done. That's what makes it apples to apples.

As for your second paragraph, it's really difficult to determine what Dy may have missed asking simply because you're speculating. The whole point here is that there is nothing in Dy's article that says, directly or indirectly, that TNT's campaign this conference is being put in the backburner because they have other priorities to focus on. Whether this question was asked or not, the only non-speculative thing here is that this cannot be found in the article. Again, you're trying to read the thoughts of Dy without any idea of how he actually thinks.

At least with Black, it's safe to make certain conclusions as we base this with certain decision-makings in the past. Ditto with Chot Reyes and your never-ending and convenient theorizing of how Japeth Aguilar can be included in this year's lineup as based on Chot's selection of Mick Pennisi in 2007 - using perimeter shooting as the only comparison and conveniently forgetting, among others, Pennisi's intelligent decision-making, physical defense, crisp passing, among many others that Aguilar can only wish he has. But at least, I won't argue much on that since you did pattern your theory on Chot's previous actions. Ditto with MVP also who we have come to be familiar with since the time when he became actively involved in sports back in 2001 or even earlier.

[killmebusy]

you know what? i'm hoping tnt gets the 5th or 6th spot and crashes into the semis just to prove to you guys that they are not tanking the conference. so much speculation...SMH.

these guys are pros...one step at a time. gilas and fiba can wait. the goal at hand is the pba commisioner's cup and that's where the focus is. once this ends then the shift of direction happens. understandably, some of you are more excited about fiba and gilas but that's what separates pros from mere fans...the concentration level of a pro player is extremely high.

[Silent Killer]

i do think that the assistant coaches has a lot to do with the way alaska is playing now. im not really that fan of luigi's skill as a coach. he is employing much of triangle but i see a lot of louie alas plays for the aces. alaska will still do well with louie alas at the helm with asst coaches topex and compton.

alaska is mixed with young and veteran players. veteran players who use to winning (Hontiveros, TDLC, Thoss, Baguio) also young players with winning experience at amateur level (Casio, Abueva) and a import who played with miami heat pre season team and learn valuable lessons from heat veterans. A perfect blend for a renaissance season for them. Lucky for them they got casio who develop his PG skills under toroman and become a better player.