Gabby Espinas Will Be Good For Global Port

As San Miguel continues to experiment with its proven lineup by trading Gabby Espinas for Global Port's Kelly Nabong, you'ld wonder why they would do that since Gabby is the only legitimate back-up local center for Jun Mar Fajardo after Standhardinger's injury. But it wouldn't surprise me if Gabby is the one who asked to be traded with the arrival of Standhardinger since a healthy Standhardinger would eat up Gabby's minutes on the playing court.

I will never forget Espinas' contribution to San Miguel's finals comeback from a 0-3 deficit. There was a point in that series where Jun Mar Fajardo was injured and was out for a couple of games. It was Espinas who placed the center during that All-Filipino conference finals. And he was tough. He was even hitting big time three pointers. So, again, I as a fan ask, why would San Miguel let go of this gem of a back-up big man?

Nabong may have a three-point shot, but that's about it. He has no post game unlike Espinas. Nabong is a bruiser. If you want an enforcer on the court to waste away fouls, then Nabong is your guy. And Nabong is a hot head. If your team was in a crucial game with the score tied, his temper might be a liability. San Miguel's coaching staff might be thinking Nabong is the Dennis Rodman for their San Miguel's version of the Chicago Bulls. I don't know what he will do for the SMB team. That remains to be seen.

But if there was one reason for SMB's acquisition of new blood, it's probably to generate a hunger in the team that seems to have waned since they've already won a lot of championships since 2015. It is hard to maintain a thirst for more championships if your guys are content since they no longer have anything to prove.

A grandslam should be a goal this SMB team should aim for. That should be enough reason for their hunger since they haven't achieved that yet. The core has been through a lot of battles, and a grandslam would cement their status in PBA history as one of the greatest teams that have been formed. From a fan's perspective, I already consider them one of the greats because of the 0-3 deficit comeback. And a grandslam is all I want for them before their core 5 splits up due to age or trades. Hopefully, that will never happen, and Cabagnot, Lassiter, Ross, Santos, and Fajardo can all retire on this team together. But the reality is, no team stays together forever. So get that grandslam guys, while you still can.

But going back to Espinas, he is the legitimate local center that Global Port badly needs. With him in the lineup, Globalport probably just needs to develop a shooting guard... maybe Paulo Taha or use Teng more (although he really should get in shape like his brother Jeron), since Elorde simply gives up a lot of height in matchups. Grey and Anthony can probably go at the 2 and 3 spots, with Espinas at the 4 and the import at 5. Pringle should always be at the 1. Global Port can build on this core, and get back to being competitive.

2018 Gilas Beats Luzon All-Stars

Terrence Romeo broke the record for the highest point-output by a player in a PBA All-Star Game by scoring 48 points to lead Gilas Pilipinas to a victory. The previous record was held by James Yap at 44 points. Terrence Romeo was named the Best Player of the Game.

While an All-Star game is generally seen as a game which lacks defense, Terrence Romeo actually had to face a lot of different defenders from the Luzon All-Stars but not one of them was able to stop him. A healthy Terrence Romeo is probably the closest thing the PBA has ever had to a Kobe Bryant. Romeo was guarded by the likes of LA Tenorio, Calvin Abueva, Alex Cabagnot and even had an almost-scuffle with Arwind Santos. The Luzon team even tried to put Japeth Aguilar in front of Romeo, in the same way that Phil Jackson would put a Scottie Pippen on the opposing team's point guard, but it did little to stop Romeo's offense. Ironically, Japeth was the highest scorer for the Luzon team. He reached 41 points.

It would have been interesting to see Coach Austria assign the one player who I think could have guarded Romeo, Stanley Pringle. But Pringle barely got any playing time, and I didn't see him go against Romeo or vice versa. Since both players used to be teammates on Global Port, they've probably guarded each other during scrimmages and Pringle would have had an idea on how to slow down or stop Romeo. And it would have completely settled the argument on who the better player was once and for all in the minds of the fans and Global Port management.

Despite an 8-man rotation, Gilas managed to pull-off a win. The combination of Romeo, Pogoy, Rosario, and Fajardo proved to be deadly with occasional substitutions from Norwood, Jalalon, and Belo. Maliksi was injured early in the game. The Romeo, Pogoy, Rosario trio is similar to the Cabagnot, Lassiter, Santos support of Jun Mar in San Miguel. I wrote an earlier article on how TNT has copied San Miguel's system. They might actually win the 2018 Commissioner's Cup since the only piece of the puzzle missing is Jun Mar Fajardo. If they could acquire Fajardo and bring him over to TNT, then this game is what it would look like. And the Commissioner's Cup is TNT's chance to prove that this system works, since they can acquire a big import to simulate the presence of Fajardo in the middle.

It is also ironic that Leo Austria was the coach of the Luzon All-Stars. If the Luzon team won, then it means that Austria could win without Fajardo. But could Phil Jackson have won without the MVP of the NBA during his time - Michael Jordan? (He won with Kobe Bryant who was also the dominant player of the league and very similar to Michael Jordan). Perhaps Austria is trying to prove that San Miguel can win without Jun Mar Fajardo, which is why he is favoring Standhardinger in the end games of SMB. But Standhardinger has yet to prove he can become a PBA MVP. Jun Mar might be getting old, but I think the reigning MVP still has a lot of years in him, so why not play him while he is still at his peak?

Also, Austria should stop trying to make the Fajardo Standhardinger simultaneous combination work. It slows down the team, lessens the 3-point options and mobility, and ruins the spacing of the team. It reminds me of a Kelly Williams Mo Tautua combination. And we know that SMB won that matchup against TNT. So if TNT is copying your winning strategy, why are you trying to copy theirs?

Romeo sheds some light into how SMB can get back into it's winning form. SMB shooters should hit their 3-point shots when they are open. Let Jun Mar worry about rebounding and put backs. SMB shooters should just play loose and find their magic touch from the outside. Santos has it as he has shown in this game. Lassiter has it from time to time. But Cabagnot seems to have lost his consistency from beyond the arc. I would rather Coach Austria give minutes to Pessumal and Heruela and even Chito Lanete so that he can maintain 4 shooters on the floor. Standhardinger can sub Fajardo, but Fajardo should still be your primary option for the center position.

Sorry if this has turned into an SMB rant. I just want my team to get back to it's winning form before it reaches a point in this conference which is too late for them to recover and get to the Finals. But if they don't make it, I hope TNT wins the Commissioner's Cup championship. We'll just have to see if either of them end up at the top this year.

SMB Excessive Experimentation Leads to Loss

For an SMB fan like me, it was painful to watch their debut last night in the 2018 Commissioner's Cup. Experimentation led to their downfall.

As if it wasn't enough that an import changes the dynamics of their rotation, they had to give a lot of playing time to their rookie Christian Standhardinger. Unfamiliarity resulted in a lot of turnovers. And having some players in your core play out of their natural positions could also have contributed to their loss. Even the veterans seemed like they were out of place. Their spacing was really affected by having two slow bigs in Standhardinger and Gillenwater.

Standhardinger doesn't seem to have a post up game like Fajardo. And he can't finish on a fast break with a dunk like Matt Ganuelas-Rosser. Why, then, should you be given so much playing time when you are not yet a potential offensive threat?

I personally wouldn't mind experimentation if SMB wasn't chasing after a grand slam. As a fan, the grand slam chase is more important than a top-pick rookie getting playing minutes. Hopefully, SMB's coaching staff will set their priorities straight. Sharing the ball and fluidity on both offense and defense should prioritized. But their import and their rookie were ball hogs in critical moments. Instead of looking for the open man, they were looking to score and prove their worth.

When Matt Ganuelas-Rosser was acquired by SMB in a trade, they did not immediately integrate him into the rotation in that conference. He had to sit it out for a bunch of games. I think he only started getting some minutes in the succeeding conference and he has successfully been integrated into the core. Perhaps the same process can be applied to Standhardinger.

As for their import Gillenwater, he is no Charles Rhoades. SMB should either acquire a defensive import to stop the likes of Onuaku. Or if they are confident Standhardinger can do that (which clearly last night he showed he could not), they can imitate Tim Cone and go after a guard/forward who can finish the fast break with dunks, shoot the three, and is reliable at the free-throw line just like Justin Brownlee. Too bad this guy is already a staple import for Ginebra.

But Rhoades, if you are reading this, the fans need you so that opponents "Get out of the way!"

With too much tinkering, you break things that aren't broke. Having 4 guys that can penetrate or shoot the three and a reliable center is still SMB's strength. Deviate from that formula, and you might end up in the bottom of the cellar and not even defend your crown. Just look at TNT, they are copying SMB's formula for success and are currently at the top of the conference standings.

The time will come when SMB might want to play a three or four-headed monster (think point-guard with Fajardo, Standhardinger, Santos and Import). It might even be a five-headed monster if MGR's point guard skills improve. But this combination's effectiveness is probably very limited. It might only work against Ginebra if they play their four-headed monster. But having more point guards in your rotation means that the ball get's passed to the open man as soon as possible or that the open three is made.

TNT Has Potential To Match SMB With Romeo & Cruz

With the addition of Terrence Romeo and Jericho Cruz in the TNT rotation, TNT has the potential to match San Miguel's guard and forward line up. In the PBA's Commissioner Cup opener, TNT exploded and finished with 128 points against Globalport. Jason Castro, RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario, Terrence Romeo, Jericho Cruz, and Don Trollano proved to be a very good rotation for Coach Nash Racela. And in a conference where all PBA Teams will likely be bringing in big men to match up with PBA MVP Jun Mar Fajardo, Jeremy Tyler seems like a good import who might be able to go against the Kraken.

With the addition of Romeo, four of the TNT players are now members of the Gilas pool. That should help remove doubts about this new unit's cohesion. Perhaps the biggest thing that can get in the way of this new TNT team is ego. But if the players don't mind sacrificing playing time and stats, this team could potentially find itself in the Commissioner's Cup finals.

TNT actually seems to have ended up with the better fit since Tautua, despite being a big man, really had no efficient and reliable post-up game. He could not play the post with his back against the basket and would usually rely on outside shooting and rare dunks if left open. Romeo, on the other hand, can create his own plays and serves as another offensive threat in the local line up. Jason Castro doesn't have to carry the point production burden anymore. And just like SMB, when one star is having an off-night, the other stars can pick up the slack. Castro, Romeo, Pogoy and Rosario could be the best local core that TNT can use to match up against SMB.

A Jeepney Driver's Perspective on the Shift to Electric Jeepneys

I had the opportunity to interview a jeepney driver on the topic of Electric Jeepneys or E-Jeeps. I asked him what percentage of jeepney drivers are against the shift to E-Jeeps. He estimates that about 25% of jeepney drivers are for and 75% are against the shift. One reason why drivers are against it is the exorbitant price of an E-Jeep. He said that an E-Jeep would cost about 1.7 million pesos. Contrast that to a diesel powered jeep that would cost about 0.6 million. So an E-Jeep is about three times the price of a regular jeepney. He said that even after government's offer to help out by giving drivers a loan (which he says isn't really any help since they still have to pay the loan), it is estimated that a driver would have to save about 900 pesos per day to pay for the E-Jeep. Manong driver says that the average jeepney driver is only making about 1000 pesos per day. How can he live off just 100 pesos to feed his family? At 365 days a year, it would probably take about 6 years to pay for the E-Jeep, assuming a low interest rate on the loan.

But manong driver says that the estimated life of a Chinese made product is only about two years. Contrast this to Japanese made engines which they have proven to last about six years. And Japanese engines can be overhauled even after the six year period is over. But he is hesitant about Chinese made engines because he isn't sure if these can even be fixed if they conk out. This perception arose from his experience with Chinese made products like cellphone chargers which fail in a week while japanese chargers last about a year. So, if he's still paying for the original E-Jeep in a six-year period, and it conks out after two years, he's still left with a big debt, and has to invest in possibly another purchase just to keep on making a living.

Another issue that manong driver raised was the possibility of batteries running out of energy during the trip. The country still hasn't established a network of charging stations for E-vehicles unlike an established network of gas stations. So, if his batteries run out, he still has to either have the vehicle towed, or call for a battery replacement.

I asked him about the perceived advantages of the new technologies in E-jeeps such as having swipe cards for payment and having wifi and security cameras. I asked if the daily losses among passengers who don't pay was significant. He said it wasn't. So even if swipe cards guarantee a 100% passenger payment, you still have to worry about an additional technology failing - the card reader. If it fails, then it's another reason for you not to be able to earn anything on that day. He believes that cash is still better for transactions. We weren't able to discuss whether or not a driver's attention would be improved since he doesn't need to keep track of which among his passengers have paid anymore. But he raised issues about the E-Jeep doors not opening immediately if the passenger is swiping it for payment. For him, passengers are better off if they can get in and out of the vehicle quickly. He doesn't want to be penalized with obstruction by a traffic constable just because his passengers weren't able to ride immediately. Perhaps having designated jeepney stop points would address this concern, but not all routes traveled by jeepneys have these.

Wifi, for him wasn't an important feature for passengers. He said that passengers will only become more distracted with their phones, and this gives potential snatchers or holdapers an easier advantage. But the security cameras would probably deter these types of crimes or allow for the quick capture of perpetrators, assuming they don't destroy the cameras or the hard drive data records during the crime. Otherwise, these added techs mean added maintenance costs which probably means less profit for the driver or operator. Government agencies might also use these technologies as additional measures for compliance. Non-compliance means more penalty fees.

I asked him about the environmental impact of an E-Jeep compared to a diesel engine. All he knows is that an E-Jeep no longer has smoke emissions so it should be better for the environment. But I think shifting passenger vehicles to electric tech means putting an added strain on our electric companies that would impact the cost of electricity. As a country, we already have one of the most expensive electricity rates in Asia. Now, when E-Jeeps start consuming part of the energy allotment for households, that will quickly diminish capacity and reserves. But you can't build power plants in a day. So, brownouts or electrical outages might happen more, and electric bills will probably be more expensive.

There's also the matter of shifting a driver from a boundary payment scheme to a fixed salary. Manong feels that if they shift to a fixed salary scheme, there wouldn't be any incentive for a driver to work harder. And their take-home pay would end up being lower. But one of the reasons why manong decided to become a jeepney driver was the take-home pay. He used to be a salaried employee, working as a surveyor for one of the biggest engineering and construction firms in the country. But it turns out, as a jeepney driver, his earnings were about twice what he was getting when he was in the construction company. At the end of the day, the money he takes home to feed his family is more important than a job title or prestige of working for a big named company.

So, as of this moment, manong driver feels that the costs outweigh the benefits of the shift to E-Jeeps. Hopefully, the government will listen to their ideas before requiring mandatory compliance. Their experience in their trade is also valuable and important. While it is important to maintain good business relationships with one of our biggest neighboring countries, let us put the needs and plight of our countrymen at the forefront of our decision-making.

Falafel Yo!

Falafel Yo! just opened a branch at SM North Edsa Annex. They gave away 1000 falafels worth 159 pesos each to commemorate the occasion. I spent roughly three hours in line since I got a number less than 500. But it was worth the wait. I took the falafel home and my family enjoyed it. Some gave it an 8 out of 10 while others gave it a 9 out of 10 stars. That's pretty good, considering I had to wait for a cab for about an hour and travel for another half-hour before finally tasting the falafel.

It reminds me of a SUBWAY sandwich in terms of some of the flavors. I thought that the falafel contained beef, but my sister told me it was made of chickpeas or fava beans, and not meat. This makes falafels great for vegetarians. Overall, I'm glad it tasted great. I would recommend it over your typical Turks shawarma since it is more filling (but also more expensive).

I hope that the quality of their product does not diminish with time. I've seen the likes of fast food restaurants like Kenny Rogers Roasters, Bon Chon Chicken, and Mang Inasal which initially have very good quality products become average or below average as the years go by. Blame it on cost cutting, and maybe on worker inconsistency (cutting corners in the preparation that ends up lessening the quality). Also, when there is an increase in the number of patrons, you usually see the quality go down because the fast food production line can't keep up with a high demand from customers. Falafel Yo! has a great product and it should try to keep it the same for years to come.

SMB Makes History With 4th Straight Philippine Cup

The San Miguel Beermen could have stopped trying when they were already more than 20 points down. They had a 3-to-1 lead in the series, and they could easily have quit, rested their starters and plan for the next game. But that mentality is what cost them their grand slam bid in 2017, and they have learned from their mistakes. Even though the starters were playing heavy minutes, they were still playing all out.

The three point shots were not falling for them. Even Jun Mar was missing from from point blank range and was being doubled and even triple-teamed just so he would give up the ball. Alex wasn't able to contribute anything. And the Magnolia Hotshots were pounding it both outside and in, with Paul Lee suddenly finding his stroke from rainbow country and Barroca, Dela Rosa and  Reavis helping out.

But the Beermen finally woke up in the 4th and in the same fashion that Magnolia whittled down their twenty point deficit in Game 1 of this series, the Beermen clawed their way back in the 4th quarter, with Marcio and Jun Mar taking advantage of every opportunity they could get. Magnolia was in the penalty, so SMB tried to get to the foul line as much as possible. And with Magnolia's limited guard rotation, SMB applied a full court press. This was amazing, again, considering that their starters were doing the press and their starters were logging heavy minutes.

And Arwind gave another heroic moment in his long history of heroic moments for the San Miguel franchise. SMB was down by 3 with less than a minute remaining. They wanted a quick 2, but the play was broken. Alex tried to go for a 3 but the ball bounced out, and Chris got it back by some miracle. He was at the 3 point line and he could have taken it, but SMB plays as a team that recognizes one another's roles. Arwind was at his favorite spot at the three-point line and between Chris and Arwind, the latter was at a better position to make the shot. And BANG! Arwind takes the shot that ties the game. He raises his pistol figured hand in triumph as the Beermen force the game into overtime.

And it had to take two overtimes for SMB to finally put this series away. Props to Magnolia who didn't let them get this win easily. Many will be looking on to the Commissioner's Cup to see how Christian Stanhardinger will affect the existing chemistry of the Beermen. He could be a bane or a boon. And you still have the import to worry about, too, how he will blend with the team. It is an interesting time, and perhaps an exciting time, too. Because with the Philippine Cup win, the current Beermen roster again has a chance at a grand slam - what I personally wish they would attain while their core is intact and as this team stays humble amidst their numerous accomplishments.