The Brotherhood of the Blue Eagles

by Rick Olivares

School’s out for the semestral break but at the far end of the Ateneo campus, there’s a flurry of activity at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. The college track and field team is doing laps on the indoor oval topside. The PBL team Mail and More is wrapping up practice. There are the usual gym habitués below. It’s pretty much a lazy Tuesday afternoon until one by one former, current, and future Blue Eagles troop in for the adidas Philippines shoot for the local version of “the Brotherhood” campaign. They soon draw a small crowd. Says one alumnus who is with his son, “I brought my kid here hoping we could see the team (the Blue Eagles) in practice. What we’re seeing is even better.”

Ken Barracoso is the first to arrive and he sadly recounts to photographer Aaron Vicencio and me the Uni-Games championship loss to FEU. Then Larry Fonacier, Wesley Gonzales, and Rico Villanueva of the PBA’s Magnolia Beverage Masters amble in with huge smiles on their face despite coming from team practice. Then Doug Kramer and JC Intal, pro league rookies for Air21 arrive a few minutes later. All the while, the Blue Eaglet contingent – Juami Tiongson, Jay Dumrique, Al Bugarin, and Ael Banal sit by the sidelines soaking everything in. “Those guys are our idols,” nervously admits Tiongson who his teammates have christened ‘Magic’ for his ability to shred opposing defenses with his nifty moves and dime drops.

Call time is at 3:00pm. The make-up artists are there. So is the ad agency. The adidas contingent of Marketing Communications Manager Odette Velarde, Sports Marketing Manager Goody Custodio, and Mitch Maskarino, Sports Marketing Assistant soon arrive with a couple of dozen boxes of shoes that will be used for the shoot.
Conspicuously late are Chris Tiu and Jai Reyes who are both coming from another appointment.

Nevertheless, the others get dressed for individual pictorials and interviews about “brotherhood in the team and in sports.” Everyone (except the high school boys who sit quietly on one bench) takes the opportunity to catch up with everyone’s fortunes in the pros.

It’s 5:30pm and Tiu and Reyes are reportedly stuck in traffic. Everyone troops to one end for a group shot. Gonzales and Villanueva keep everyone in stitches with their one-liners. “Wag na kayo umangal,” says Wild Wes in reference to the current Blue Eagles’ lateness. “Kahit pagsama-samahin ang sweldo natin, kaya pa rin tayong bilhin ni Chris Tiu.” The more senior players break out in laughter while the Blue Eaglets stifle their guffaws. Villanueva, the King of this Roost, jokingly tells Dumrique to fetch some water. More laughter.

Vicencio is busy clicking away and he tells the bunch to compress. Villanueva tells Tiongson, “Ayaw mo yata akong katabi?” His teammates are now unable to contain themselves and they laugh out loud.

An assistant hands over a few towels and a basketball to the players to complete the props. Gonzales takes one towel that he wraps around his torso. “Okay na sa akin ‘to,” he grins as Fonacier snickers. “Pero si Doug Kramer okay lang naka-brief. Sanay na ‘yan.”

By the time Tiu and Reyes arrive at a little past 6pm, the others take the opportunity to rib them. “This is what you miss,” interjects Kramer. “The kulitan among former teammates.”

Custodio tells the 12 players to loosen up. To laugh and chat while Vicencio happily shoots away. “Oo nga,” agrees Gonzales who has a quip for every minute. “Pagkatapos niyo kaming paghintayin… ngumiti naman kayo.”

Everyone breaks out in laughter.

(ALL PICS BY AARON VICENCIO INCLUDING THE TWO BELOW THIS POST. THANKS, BRO!)