PBA 2008-2009 season

[amamangloy]

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Get ready for Burger King

THE Philippine Basketball Association is headed for interesting times with what may well turn out to be exciting changes in the continuing battle for leadership in the pro league.

But serious questions are likely to arise on the wheeling and dealing by Red Bull team manager Tony Chua, who has systematically presided over the decimation of a once proud and fiercely competitive champion squad, under current Philippine National Team coach Yeng Guiao.

Standard Today, Inside Sports| and Viva Sports has learned that the movement of the last two remaining key players from the Red Bull roster to Air21 may have been a prelude to strengthening the Express team prior to its evolving into Burger King.

The original word was that Cyrus Baguio was being shipped to Talk N Text, which has strengthened its lineup with the acquisition of Ranidel Ocampo in a trade for Don Allado. The Texters then flexed their awesome talent with an unmitigated mauling of crowd favorites Barangay Ginebra.

But even as Ginebra believed it had a so-called done deal with Chua on Monday night, the Red Bull manager inexplicably changed his mind and sent Baguio and Celino Cruz to Air21 to the consternation of the Ginebra coaching staff, headed by Jong Uichico.

Although the transfer was supposedly in exchange for future draft rights, nobody buys the story. It followed Red Bull’s regular weakening of its team which has seen its star players, including Enrico Villanueva, Lordy Tugade and Larry Fonacier, traded to San Miguel Beer and later Mick Pennisi, Junthy Valenzuela and Rich Alvarez.

It is no secret that Red Bull has unfortunately come upon some hard times and Chua, who is also the former PBA chairman, has been disposing of players that the big name, big budget teams want.

The Burger King franchise was initially bought by Air21 PBA team owner Bert Lina, with team manager Lito Alvarez as a partner, as well as Wilson Young and Bong Tan of the Lucio Tan group. Lina subsequently invited PLDT-Smart owner Manuel V. Pangilinan and former PBA chairman Ricky Vargas to join the group.

In an overseas telephone conversation with Inside Sports|, Standard Today and Viva Sports from his Hong Kong office, Pangilinan said he invested 10 percent and that his investment and that of Vargas was a personal investment. “This is because neither PLDT, Smart or Metro Pacific had any business interest in Burger King, which is not within our expertise.”

Pangilinan said Mikee Romero, who owns the Philippine Basketball League champion team Harbour Centre, was keen on joining the PBA. He was sure that Romero, who “doesn’t like to lose,” will help build a very strong team, under the Burger King banner.

Pangilinan welcomed these developments, even as he made it clear that he was not interested in acquiring another team aside from Talk N Text.

Alvarez revealed that Pangilinan, who is acquiring Romero’s Harbour Centre port operations, had also invited the young businessman to join the group.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...ts2_dec25_2008

[amamangloy]

Report: Red Bull faces uncertain future after Guiao exit
12/29/2008 | 02:59 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Yeng Guiao may have had enough.

Following the latest move of Red Bull to trade star player Cyrus Baguio and reliable back up Celino Cruz, Guiao decided it’s high time to leave a team whose future remains uncertain.

The fiery coach, according to a reliable source, has tendered his resignation as mentor of the Barakos Saturday night.

Team manager Tony Chua, however, asked Guiao to reconsider his decision.

Guiao, who steered Red Bull to three championships since entering the league in 2000, tendered his resignation in a meeting with top officials of the franchise, according to the source.

The Pampanga vice-governor, however, will remain head coach of the national team tasked to compete in the next year’s 2009 FIBA-Asia Qualifying Tournament for the Turkey World Championships in 2010.

The source said that Guiao has given himself one week to reassess his decision to leave Red Bull for good or not, a team that has apparently lost its competitiveness after giving away marquee players the past two seasons.

The source quoted Guiao as saying that he himself does not know what the direction of the team is after the ball club traded Cyrus Baguio and Celino Cruz to Air21 last week.

Guiao also said that Red Bull’s 10th place finish in the ongoing KFC PBA Philippine Cup is a big blow to himself, a performance that dealt a sting to his objectives even if he possesses a line-up that’s inferior in talent.

If ever Guiao goes on with his plans, it would be the biggest dagger Red Bull will suffer this season. The Barakos have managed to compete even with low-key players because of Guiao’s strategies.

Red Bull is also rumored to be on the way out of the PBA even though Chua had said that “we are here to stay". Rumors have it that Yakult and Hapee Toothpaste are interested in buying the Barakos’ franchise.

Guiao’s decision, said the source, wasn’t a surprise considering that the long-time Red Bull mentor has been left in the dark when it comes to trading players.

The last time the Barakos won a championship was in the 2005 Fiesta Conference with Enrico Villanueva, Lordy Tugade, Junthy Valenzuela, Larry Fonacier, Baguio and Cruz around. The other two championships of Red Bull came when it won back-to-back Commissioner’s Cup titles from 2001 to 2002.


Source: Guiao firm about leaving Red Bull position
12/29/2008 | 05:58 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Yeng Guiao doesn't see himself returning to coach Red Bull even if team officials have pleaded him to do so, GMANews.TV learned on Monday.

Guiao, who quit from Red Bull Saturday night, had been asked by team manager Tony Chua to reconsider his decision.

But a source close to Guiao said that the coach was no longer interested to handle a team that has no direction.

"Coach has done a lot for the Red Bull," the source said. "As a coach, you want to win. But how can he do that without the materials. You may be the best coach in the world but that doesn't matter if you don't have the right players.

Red Bull nor Guiao has not issue any official statement, but it was learned that Guiao had already submitted his resignation letter to team management in a meeting Saturday.

Guiao rewarded the Bulls with three championships – the Commissioner's Cup in 2002 and 2003 and then the Fiesta Conference title in the 2005-06 season. He also steered Red Bull to seven consecutive semifinals appearances, a league record.

Coca-Cola interested?

Among those eager to hire Guiao's services is Coca-Cola, one of the teams that was eliminated from the KFC Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup.

"Coca-Cola is one of the teams that has already inquired for Guiao's availability," the source added. "As for the other two, I simply cannot name them at this point in time."

Coca-Cola, which sacked head coach Binky Favis after winning only one game in its first four matches, ended up with a 7-11 (win-loss) record after the 18-game elimination round.

Kenneth Duremdes took Favis' place on an interim basis and finished 6-9 the rest of the way.

Guiao's decision to quit from Red Bull was triggered allegedly when the team decided to let go of RP team member Cyrus Baguio and playmaker Celino Cruz to Air21 in exchange for mere first-round picks in 2011 and 2012.

But before that, Red Bull was already giving away star players. It began when it released Enrico Villanueva, Lordy Tugade, Junthy Valenzuela, Larry Fonacier, Topex Robinson and Mick Pennisi in a span of two seasons – the core of a ball club that beat Purefoods in six games for the Fiesta Conference crown in 2005-06.

The Bulls finished dead last in the ongoing tournament, winning only five games with 13 setbacks. It was the first time that Red Bull ended up last in nine conferences or since the 2004-05 Fiesta Cup.

[lunateec22]

This is getting reedeeculous. Naa unta rules ang PBA na dili basta2x ma-change ang name sa usa ka-team for a certain period of time. Nakuratan lang ko atong nag-change ang San Miguel Beer to Magnolia then balik na pud SMB.

Himo nalang kaha sila ug libro, The History of PBA Teams Volume 1.

[Archer sensAtion]

This is getting reedeeculous. Naa unta rules ang PBA na dili basta2x ma-change ang name sa usa ka-team for a certain period of time. Nakuratan lang ko atong nag-change ang San Miguel Beer to Magnolia then balik na pud SMB.

Himo nalang kaha sila ug libro, The History of PBA Teams Volume 1.

hahahaha...

nag promote man gud ang SMB ato sa ila new product hehehe


ang sa Burger King kay... *Burger King Kings*



.

[edgeknife]

let mr. mikee romero buy the redbull franchise and change it to HARBOUR CENTRE Batang Pier!!

[lunateec22]

hahahaha...

nag promote man gud ang SMB ato sa ila new product hehehe


ang sa Burger King kay... *Burger King Kings*
.

wahahahahha!!!

[digitalsuperman]

i hope coach yeng will be the new coach for coca cola.
duremdez doesn't know about coaching..

[edgeknife]

i hope coach yeng will be the new coach for coca cola.
duremdez doesn't know about coaching..

rumors pa man na... wala pa finality ana... kung siya jud sa coke, good for tigers... one reason nganong ni-resign si yeng sa redbull tungod ra pod gi-trade si cyrus b. sa air21... nahi-ubos siya sa management sa redbull... meaning nag-una siya exit b4 a possible disband sa redbull hehehe

so, most of the smb, ginebra and purefoods fans nahan jud kuhaon si coach yeng... murag apiki si yeng sa smb kay daghan kaayu siya kontra diha sama nilang don2x, danny i., etc... i think mas bagay siya sa purefoods coz naa daghan taga redbull diha sa lineup... hehehe

[dark_phoenix]

Air 21 na cyrus bagiuo?....!!!!!

[marvel]

Cyrus Baguio and Celino Cruz, Air21 na