Taking the Air out of 21

Taking the Air out of 21

My thoughts on a blockbuster trade

I was talking to some Air21 officials about yesterday's debacle against B-Meg Derby Ace and even before the start of the match, the team was lethargic. The trade talk had been going on for about a week and it was beginning to take its toll on the team. How did Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao, and Rey Guevarra take it? Not good. They were unhappy to go. Imagine that. Where have you heard about an Air21 player not wanting to go to a bigger and well-financed club? The thing is they were excited about bringing a title to Air21 and now they no longer have that chance (although their chances of winning have improved significantly with the transfer to a wealthier club).

I recall earlier in the year, Nonoy informed me of an aborted trade to another club. I asked him how he felt about it and he said that he wasn't sure about it. It sounded good but there was that feeling that the Air21 struck gold and all it needed were a few more pieces to compete for a championship. I told Noy to tell Rabs to stay put because for one, he might not get the same number of touches he is getting with his club. And even worse, he might not even start. Ditto for Noy.

Well, there it is... the trade trigger was pulled and it might be good and it might be bad. I was thinking that darn it, now almost the entire third gen SMB team that won them a bunch of titles in the 90s and early 2000s is now gone. And they had to wait for Olsen Racela to retire. Now it's just Danny Ildefonso left from that batch. 

I once had a long talk with Siot Tanquincen and other players about the transition of that aging ballclub to a younger one with Arwind Santos, Jay Washington, and their guards then in Jonas Villanueva and Mike Cortez. And he said that the team of Seigle and company had a hard time accepting the lesser roles. And I remembered what happened to the team in the 90s when its aging stars either retired or were traded away. Allan Caidic, Ramon Fernandez, Samboy Lim, and Hec Calma retired and what did they get for that? Nothing. Sure Elmer Reyes left and they got Nelson Asaytono for Ato Agustin and the rebuilding was on.

For SMB, it's trade some parts that still have value while there's time. It's just too bad that it's those guys -- Dondon, Danny S, Dorian, and Paul. They probably didn't think that the fate that befell the Boston Celtics of the 1980s would happen to them. They have learned their lessons all too well. After all, it's still a business.

My last thought about this is on Wesley Gonzales. When he was with SMB and their regulars were injured, he took their place and played well. Then when the team was healthy his minutes and production went down. Just when he was getting that playing time with the original team that drafted him, who does he see in their next practice -- his old teammates in San Miguel. As for the minutes and the touches -- that remains to be seen.