BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

We're giving away a pair of PBA tickets! All you have to do is weigh in your thoughts.


Image from PBA website pba.ph

We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the PBA matches on Wednesday, December 14.

All you have to do is: 1) write your thoughts on who you think will win the match between Alaska vs. Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text vs. Barangay Ginebra AS WELL AS WHY in at least FOUR SENTENCES for each MATCH, and 2) guess the winning margin. Post it at the bottom area for comments of this Bleachers’ Brew entry. When you send your entries kindly include your name, email and contact number (we will withhold that for confidential purposes unless you don't mind).

We will pick out the two winners (who will get two tickets each) to the PBA games on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Am also working something out to sweeten the prizes.


4:15pm Alaska (3-10) vs. Rain or Shine (8-5)

Alaska no doubt had its season derailed by the loss of their head coach at the start of the season. Imagine that. Normally it’s the loss of a player not a coach that affected the team’s performance. But the woes of the Aces can arguably be traced to the loss of two former players in Larry Fonacier and Joe Devance before head coach Tim Cone’s departure to B-Meg where he was reunited with the latter player.

I do not want to underestimate those three loses (as well as overestimate them), but as much as pro ball is a business, Alaska has long preached “family”. When Johnny Abarrientos was offered an opportunity to come back and play for the Aces he refused and opted to stay with Ginebra. Then when Cone moved to B-Meg, he took two team icons with him in Abarrientos and Jeff Cariaso. So that “family” thing got shattered right there and the team is trying to figure out who they are and what they can be right now.

After a while, the team stopped thinking about Cone’s departure and instead tried to get back on track. I find it ironic that after years of players sounding off about wanting to junk the triangle offense now that Joe Banal runs the ship and a hybrid system, the players get confused. I think that the team needs to get healthy and take some time to bond and learn to accept life and move on.

No doubt they will want to go out with a bang in the Philippine Cup by defeating Rain or Shine. Easier said than done.

The Elasto Painters checked their skid at four games but head coach Yeng Guiao was dissatisfied with their performance against Shopinas. The hot start is a thing of the past and teams have adjusted to the game of Rain or Shine. And the first time these two teams met this conference (October 23), ROS blew out Alaska with a scorching 120-84. It was the Elasto Painters’ biggest winning margin while it was the Uytengsu squad’s worst beating in its history. ROS won their fourth match in five outings then they followed that with another thrashing of Meralco and Shopinas.

When Alaska and Rain or Shine tangle for the second and last time this Philippine Cup, I’m thinking upset here but I thought about it some more and I figure Rain or Shine will repeat over Alaska (even if they have been playing well) because they have a deeper bench and are well motivated at that. But it will be close and decided in the final minute of play.

Elasto Painters by five.



6:30pm Talk ‘N Text (10-3) vs. Barangay Ginebra (8-5)

Wounded or not, I figure that Talk ‘N Text in a one-game match-up is more dangerous as opposed to a protracted series simply because they have a lot of weapons left. Imagine that.

Of course, it would be a different matter if they had their entire roster in place. The reality is TNT head coach Chot Reyes only has Kelly Williams, Larry Fonacier, and Harvey Carey. If Jason Castro plays then that is good. But how effective will he be considering he did not come back into the match last time against Petron. If Japeth Aguilar can contribute consistently then they’ll be handful. Now Shawn Weinstein is proving to be a nice pick up for this squad and I expect him to stay with this team. He’s hit some big shots for them and has been on the floor during crunchtime. How good is that?

Ginebra is playing great basketball now and their confidence is soaring. The problem with this team is you will never know who will get going on any given night. Yes, Mark Caguioa is still the go-to guy but as in their last match, he struggled. And points had to come from different people. Had Barako Bull scored a bit more in the final minute who knows?

Then again, maybe that’s where they thrive.

But Ginebra will be playing the best team in the league (they still are until someone takes it away from them). Both teams are jockeying for position in terms of the standings.

If TNT wins then they finish at 11-3 and will play Barako Bull. If they lose, then B-Meg takes the number one position and they slide down to number two where they play Powerade. Between the two, the Tigers are easier to handle. If recent history will show, it is not a good idea to pick your poison as Petron piped them for the Grand Slam last year.

I feel that TNT will go for the win and by four.




11 comments:

  1. Ey Rick ! Nice thing ! The PBA freebies and other sweeteners remind me of the prizes from Quinito Henson's "Sporting Chance" trivia contest...

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  2. After starting the league on a high note then settling down afterwards (and teams figured out how to defend Paul Lee and Jeff Chan), RoS has been on a slump and Gabe Norwood is nowhere to be found. Alaska too is obviously adjusting since Cone's departure. This game is more important for RoS to gain their confidence back, while Alaska's just trying to exit on a high note and prevent one of their worst PBA finishes. I'm giving this to Rain or Shine by 10 points though, you'll never know when some mushroom from Yeng's line-up will show up hehe. By the way, I feel like Gabe's restricted in Yeng's line-up, it's time to let him go.

    Talk 'n Text has been hit by an injury bug and this team is definitely different from the almost-grandslam cast last year. I'd consider their last victory vs. Petron lucky despite missing their all-star cast, but this time they won't be luckier. Meanwhile Ginebra's been playing steady lately (after Caguioa blasted his coaches on their rebuilding plans) even without Helterbrand and Mike Cortez has been on a roll that their rotation is better than TnT's. I believe Ginebra will get this one by 10 points too as they're peaking now. This is their last season to pick up the wins or a possible crown (ala veteran-filled Dallas Mavs) or face a possibility of a major revamp next year.

    PS: Ginebra's supposed to commemorate their 25th anniversary since winning the Open crown in 1986 with Hackett and Bates. I was hoping they'd wear retro jerseys for tomorrow but I guess that suggestion and clamor fell on deaf ears. I'm beginning to think that SMC has no regard for tradition.

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  3. This is a good pre-christmas gift for me!...So here are my take:

    Alaska v Rain or Shine. Ill take Rain or Shine to win here because of the current situation in the standings. A win by ROS will solidify their hold on fourth place whereas for Alaska, there is not much to enjoy other than winning for the last time in this forgettable conference for them. Sometimes, it is good and better to feed the grieving soul during its hiatus from the game and that is what the Aces are in right now, there is no more at stake as compared to the Elasto Painters who need to sharpen their game in preparation for the playoffs. Rain or Shine by 8 points.

    Brgy. Ginebra v TNT. This is going to be a classic down the wire game for both of these teams, but i'll take the 'dehado' team in here, the Brgy. Ginebra gin kings because coming into this encounter they have a four game winning streak and like the Elasto Painters are in the mood to seize up momentum in the playoffs next week with another win while the Tropang texters would just like to hang in there since they have already clinched one of the top two seeds and so a loss is merely a hiccup going into the next phase of the conference. Unless they wanted to claim the number one seeding away from Bmeg, then this game could go down the wire really. But, in the end, i'll take the crowd favorites to win by at least 4 points.

    Calvin V. Perez / calvinvperez@yahoo.com / 09084306619

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  4. This is a good pre-christmas gift for me!...So here are my take:

    Alaska v Rain or Shine. Ill take Rain or Shine to win here because of the current situation in the standings. A win by ROS will solidify their hold on fourth place whereas for Alaska, there is not much to enjoy other than winning for the last time in this forgettable conference for them. Sometimes, it is good and better to feed the grieving soul during its hiatus from the game and that is what the Aces are in right now, there is no more at stake as compared to the Elasto Painters who need to sharpen their game in preparation for the playoffs. Rain or Shine by 8 points.

    Brgy. Ginebra v TNT. This is going to be a classic down the wire game for both of these teams, but i'll take the 'dehado' team in here, the Brgy. Ginebra gin kings because coming into this encounter they have a four game winning streak and like the Elasto Painters are in the mood to seize up momentum in the playoffs next week with another win while the Tropang texters would just like to hang in there since they have already clinched one of the top two seeds and so a loss is merely a hiccup going into the next phase of the conference. Unless they wanted to claim the number one seeding away from Bmeg, then this game could go down the wire really. But, in the end, i'll take the crowd favorites to win by at least 4 points.

    Calvin V. Perez / calvinvperez@yahoo.com / 09084306619

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  5. Yup will join...Thanks , Rick!

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  6. BTW , Rick! I just noticed the Dream Cup Souv mag on the left. Would you know how we probs can get hold of it? Thanks!

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  7. Tinging ko Rain or Shine mananalo dahil mas malalim yung bench nila. Mas mataas kumpiynsa nila. Alaska masama laro lately. Hindi natin sure kung motivated pa. ROS panalo 10 points.

    Sa second match. Ginebra masisilat nila yung TNt dahil kulang yung mga player nila. At maganda laro nila nung last few games. Ginebra panalo ng 4.

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  8. Eric C:
    1st game Rain or Shine over Alaska by 6. Medyo magulo pa yung Alaska. Yung Rain or Shine solid na yung lineup. alaska naghahanap pa ng identity.

    2nd game: Ginebra. Nakakamoy ako ng upset. Yung Ginebra maganda linalaro of late. Meron kumpyansa. At si Mark caguioa in form. Ginebra by 8 pts.

    Good job, Rick.

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  9. Congrats to Calvin Perez for winning. You may get your tickets tomorrow at the PBA table at the Green Gate of the Araneta Coliseum. Look for Ms. Hazel Dacanay. Don't forget to bring IDs.

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  10. Merry Christmas and one more big fight for the Blue Eagles at the PCCL!

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