tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61610896010701970742024-03-16T09:09:41.216+08:00Crispa-ToyotaBlogsite dedicated to the greatest rivalry in Philippine sportsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-3276268606094285322003-06-03T00:30:00.000+08:002021-06-04T22:07:50.323+08:00Heart, guts in game of the year (June 2, 2003)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QZzu4TEfd13YQYWEpzVINY1yvo1gNzOsHJYnjerqWPSvBItFG8cVYVy8K5gwc__1chiYoGDIrXEf3KsAN3xm-3kNdTtyhc6-0hR_5rIK8IsKM5mDS-DdG2nlh2mG_lm0a7lDD4GNwuc/s1103/Screen+Shot+2021-06-04+at+9.58.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="1103" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QZzu4TEfd13YQYWEpzVINY1yvo1gNzOsHJYnjerqWPSvBItFG8cVYVy8K5gwc__1chiYoGDIrXEf3KsAN3xm-3kNdTtyhc6-0hR_5rIK8IsKM5mDS-DdG2nlh2mG_lm0a7lDD4GNwuc/w400-h213/Screen+Shot+2021-06-04+at+9.58.02+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Recah Trinidad wrote his reflections on Toyota’s victory over Crispa in the 2003 Reunion Game on his regular column for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.</span></p><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><b>Heart, guts in game of the year</b></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">BARE EYE<br />
By Recah Trinidad</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Philippine Daily Inquirer</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Published Monday, June 2, 2003</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">THEY played the PBA game of the year way, way ahead of schedule.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nobody had expected it.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In fact, the Crispa-Toyota reunion match was originally conceived as an appetizer, a so-so rematch to raise the curtains for the All-Star weekend.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Whoever altered the Friday night script at the Big Dome, and turned the appetizer into the main event, must be having the biggest laugh of his life.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nobody, indeed, could be happier than the faithful fans of the Big J.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
The reporter was right.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not even Robert Jaworski, who drilled in the game’s most scintillating basket, had ever expected such a fantastic ending.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How Jaworski, who confessed in a pregame talk he was nothing more than 15 (yes fifteen) percent of his old self, again became the neighborhood topic the morning after, is a tribute to the guy’s tenacity.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">OK, he walked in as though he had a baby lifesaver under his yellow jersey. He had also lost the handsome muscles on his biceps.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He did not see action all of the first half. He was nowhere on the game floor at the start of the second period, thereby fueling fears he might just sit it out the whole evening.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Who knows, maybe the Big J himself finally agreed to join action midway in the third quarter ready and willing to laugh at himself?</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But it was not to be so.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Guts and heart again became the theme of the match once the Big J took over, pushing the ball, quick, around to proper recipients.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jaworski provided singular leadership, a stinging contrast to the Redmanizers who got scattered trying to win all by themselves.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Then came the magical moment, with Mon Fernandez bouncing an assist to Jaworski, perfectly free from top of the key hole.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">He did shoot another game winner, but that triple by Jaworski could, in a big way, turn into another sure shot for his expected re-election bid as a senator.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why? Well, there’s no debating that, after the Friday heroics, Jaworski has rekindled his love affair with the basketball republic.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Of course, the first Crispa-Toyota rematch in nearly two decades was also a rekindling of both love and hate.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Terry Saldana, reunion game MVP, provided the nasty fireworks when he likened the Redmanizers to slum area cagers. (“Para silang mga squatters, hawak nang hawak at tulak nang tulak.”)</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Of course, before that uncalled for valedictory, the Crispa-Toyota game had itself been threatened by on-court violence. And to think that they were fighting it out on the same floor where they rumbled in the early years of the PBA and even landed straight at Camp Crame.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yes, there seemed nothing much at stake at the start.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But after the stinging loss as they finished second best, the Redmanizers could only groan and cry: Rematch.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">***</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On the whole, the game among the legendary oldies felt very, very good.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It won’t indeed be an exaggeration to say that the Friday event was the revival of a forgotten faith.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Old fans, maybe slower now on their feet, did not come to watch the reunion game.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">They rushed to worship in the old mecca.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And, with the game threatening to get out of hand, thanks to the abundance of heart and guts, who can deny that basketball, in that spectacular Friday, again became a religion?</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-79257675381030148132003-06-01T01:00:00.008+08:002021-06-02T13:20:35.561+08:00Reunion: Forgotten dream revisited (June 1, 2003)<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51yzo0SZkX_LdJgjkWMnzqfA3qSjV2lGE6q0Y8DDUkAHkBSxE9Z4P0CBIw5_b9HyCnrgOe2yXkM8sRd5bNUOgqVeq908Qsq8rNDbj-ZD-pSVXqzK0DUG_K0JW3KJb_2imqh4Fb71sKJ0/s819/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+8.49.27+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="819" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51yzo0SZkX_LdJgjkWMnzqfA3qSjV2lGE6q0Y8DDUkAHkBSxE9Z4P0CBIw5_b9HyCnrgOe2yXkM8sRd5bNUOgqVeq908Qsq8rNDbj-ZD-pSVXqzK0DUG_K0JW3KJb_2imqh4Fb71sKJ0/w400-h366/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+8.49.27+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez reflected on the defining moment of Toyota’s victory over Crispa in the 2003 PBA Reunion Game.</p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></span><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><b style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Crispa cries rematch</span></b></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By June Navarro</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Philippine Daily Inquirer</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Published Sunday June 1, 2003</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">IT was a forgotten dream revisited.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Not even Sen. Robert Jaworski, who drilled in the night’s most memorable basket, had fancied such a fantastic ending.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The old, graying devotees came to worship in hordes again.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The players, cold, rusty engines, started their battle slowly, taking creaky strides as though climbing a mountain.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But once they hit their stride, the old, bitter rivalry smoldered.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The game was tough, rugged, less than cordial the hardcourt violence of yesteryears had threatened to erupt after thudding clashes.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Errant elbows of old dug at ribs again.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But when the smoke of battle cleared, it was the Big J’s turn to make a joyful dig at Crispa pride.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Medyo rusty ang Crispa. Halos mamaga na nga yung ring sa kakatira ni Atoy. (Crispa wasn’t really in good shape. In fact, the hoop took a beating as Atoy kept missing his shots.),” Jaworski quipped.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jaworski, who was well-covered during his 10-minute, second-half stint on the floor, made his only shot in the game—a booming triple at the top of the arc—that sent the fans inside the Big Dome roaring in delight.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“The option was already there. Alangan namang ipasa ko pa eh open na,” said the Big J.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Credit also went to Ramon Fernandez, who issued the pass to Jaworski for the game-clinching three-pointer.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Said Fernandez: “It was fitting that he (Jaworski) received the pass and made the shot. I just returned the favor.”</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fernandez was referring to Jaworski’s inbound pass that perfectly set him up for an undergoal stab in the dying seconds as they went on to score a 132-130 victory over the Rookies-Sophomores team in the 1989 All-Star Game.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Just like the Big J of old. He always makes the shot when we needed it most,” said Fernandez.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But the story didn’t end there.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgkr9W7yKMPyVudxCWAxLybyoWSkFAyaSf_JX5T9OywykgzmHTTOeo5lcDFtp27aDcNvkgdkOVwKJyZ5L6s1wELLp797S4CL4AkwxILkH3wYU4QAQtWfGIHBEuHYyijFguwT4vcbvmFc/s1083/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+8.49.59+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1083" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgkr9W7yKMPyVudxCWAxLybyoWSkFAyaSf_JX5T9OywykgzmHTTOeo5lcDFtp27aDcNvkgdkOVwKJyZ5L6s1wELLp797S4CL4AkwxILkH3wYU4QAQtWfGIHBEuHYyijFguwT4vcbvmFc/w400-h208/Screen+Shot+2021-06-01+at+8.49.59+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Crispa Redmanizers, after losing, 65-61, in their reunion game against the Toyota Tamaraws Friday night, are itching to get back at their chief nemesis.</span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Redmanizers wanted revenge so badly that they’re looking forward to another classic encounter with the Tamaraws, which, probably, is bound to happen a year from now if the PBA chooses to.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Hindi bale na matalo sa ibang team, huwag lang sa Toyota. Babawi kami sa susunod,” said Crispa’s Philip Cezar moments after Jaworski drained the key triple in the final 23 seconds to break the backs of the Redmanizers.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Although he blurted out those words with a grin, Cezar, a former vice-mayor of San Juan, obviously anticipates another matchup with the Tamaraws to get even.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Atoy Co, who buried back-to-back long toms that kept the game close down the stretch, shared Cezar’s sentiment and promised that the Redmanizers will come out more prepared the next time.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Dapat nga noon pang 90s itong Crispa-Toyota game. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako kay commissioner (Noli Eala) at nabigyan kami ng pagpapahalahga. (The Crispa-Toyota game should have been done a long time ago. My hat’s off to the commissioner for giving us due recognition),” said Co.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Doon naman sa pagkatalo namin, sana makabawi kami next year. (About our loss, we hope to get even next year),” added the “Fortune Cookie” who won the PBA MVP in 1979.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Co actually had a bad night, converting only three of his 14 field goal attempts and two of his six free throws, something unusual in his 18-year PBA career.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But just like everybody who savored the reunion, Co couldn’t say anything bad about the full-fledged revival of the Crispa-Toyota Suspense Theater.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-4096283026619862062003-06-01T00:30:00.003+08:002021-06-01T19:59:03.639+08:00Reunion: Redmanizers call for ‘return bout’ (June 1, 2003)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUUqQ3QoJ5t0SXyPUqbcMa2VCcSDeq2kn1kIG9FWRQtXVpzTdG1D5VVL8q6b8zyT5npkYZJMuasx20WcMdHgTjjs1g_CNepQuMR_dNnWpvsxnC48i_aWXaVYko5qabOVuPr_alvitq74/s2048/IMG_20161024_194750+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1605" data-original-width="2048" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUUqQ3QoJ5t0SXyPUqbcMa2VCcSDeq2kn1kIG9FWRQtXVpzTdG1D5VVL8q6b8zyT5npkYZJMuasx20WcMdHgTjjs1g_CNepQuMR_dNnWpvsxnC48i_aWXaVYko5qabOVuPr_alvitq74/w400-h314/IMG_20161024_194750+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Crispa Redmanizers were quick to challenge the Toyota Tamaraws to a rematch after ending up on the losing end of their Reunion Game in 2003.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Redmanizers call for ‘return bout’</span></b></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By Tito S. Talao</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Manila Bulletin</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Published Sunday June 1, 2003</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Like “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” and the Ali-Frazier trilogy, the Crispa-Toyota saga is dying for a new lease in life.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Just when everybody thought the glowing embers were dead, with Robert Jaworski’s picture-perfect three-point shot — his only field goal attempt for the evening — providing the exclamation point to the Philippine Basketball Association’s most bitter rivalry, Terry Saldana, the Reunion Game’s MVP, stepped in and stoked the flicker into a flame.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It’s not quite the outlines of a phoenix yet, but something is rising from the fiery ruins.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Moments after he was named most valuable player, beating out Toyota teammates Chito Loyzaga and Oscar Rocha, Saldana, a strong but quiet man who allows his muscles to do the talking, walked up to a microphone and blasted the Crispa Redmanizers.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Para silang mga squatter, hawak ng hawak at tulak ng tulak!” said Saldana, immediately stirring up a hornet’s nest within the Crispa psyche.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fortunato Co, who had a horrible shooting night before coming through with two consecutive jumpers that turned a near-blowout into a down-the-wire classic, was enraged.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Bago siya magsalita ng ganoon, magpa-test muna siya!” Co told reporters at Dencio’s Restaurant outside the Araneta Coliseum.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The fabled “Fortune Cookie” made no effort to hide his reference to the league-wide drug test currently consuming the PBA.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bernard Fabiosa, Freddie Hubalde and Abet Guidaben, the hands-down choice for MVP had Crispa won, seconded Co’s unsolicited advice.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Tignan nga niya ang itsura ko kumpara sa kanya,” said Fabiosa.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Philip Cezar, who shut down Saldana defensively whenever he was on the Toyota power forward, found it curious that Saldana would be liken the Redmanizers to squatters. because they were pawing and hanging on to him.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Squatter…hinahawakan siya…anong koneksyon n’yon?” Cezar said angrily.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">William ‘Bogs’ Adornado refused to be sucked into the quagmire but agreed Saldana should have been more magnanimous.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Nanalo na nga sila, e,” Adornado said.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfcoBS7PLOFVif3THWkop20B37aVKAWe-YEtRzp5UvQLX7xKhsPRTteyUNMUREWhe03l56TcEIInzld0WAvYllNHYckNida5aAq7PMJs0z15FRn_lllVBYHNF9Tv5K5mRgMmwRDgajF8/s2019/IMG_20161024_194946+copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="1861" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfcoBS7PLOFVif3THWkop20B37aVKAWe-YEtRzp5UvQLX7xKhsPRTteyUNMUREWhe03l56TcEIInzld0WAvYllNHYckNida5aAq7PMJs0z15FRn_lllVBYHNF9Tv5K5mRgMmwRDgajF8/w295-h320/IMG_20161024_194946+copy.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Itoy Esguerra, a Letran Knight like Saldana, was more forgiving.</span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Baka nabigla lang si Terry. Eh, napakamahiyain non,” said Esguerra, a comment that drew wry contempt from his Crispa teammates.</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Sabihin mo, bobo talaga siya!” said Cezar, cutting Esguerra off.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Dapat talaga magkaroon ng rematch,” said Co, 1-for-14 from the floor before finding his range. “Mahirap talagang tanggapin na natalo tayo sa mga ‘yon.”</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here Dave Floro, son of the late Crispa owner Danny Floro, joined in.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“That’s why I’m calling for a rematch, anytime, anywhere,” he said. “An issue remains unsettled. Puwede ngang best-of-three ito, e.”</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So a fresh challenge has been hurdled, one echoing through the walls and chambers of Philippine basketball.</span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Time will tell, however, if this new one will be accepted, what with the Oscar-award winning ending written by fate and acted out with precisin by Ramon Fernandez and Robert Jaworski.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-13005476821880107672003-05-30T23:45:00.010+08:002021-06-01T19:50:53.652+08:00Reunion: Toyota 65, Crispa 61 (May 30, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9qbBvyrWUgDZ3sUBsaNSi46soUgl-Y-vk6QIgQ4kometfAi_5e7oAJLk1licphThv2RHnxQHEJ9ArSxCr7tNyoFBGuQHFmKNerCkwG0QYcJ6Sbj7rXzEbwiB7itveOYlZn_kjJr-GKc/s1600/IMG_20161024_194426+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9qbBvyrWUgDZ3sUBsaNSi46soUgl-Y-vk6QIgQ4kometfAi_5e7oAJLk1licphThv2RHnxQHEJ9ArSxCr7tNyoFBGuQHFmKNerCkwG0QYcJ6Sbj7rXzEbwiB7itveOYlZn_kjJr-GKc/s400/IMG_20161024_194426+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Robert Jaworski’s three off a pass by Ramon Fernandez in the final seconds sealed Toyota’s victory over Crispa in a classic 2003 Reunion Game between the two bitter rivals at the Araneta Coliseum.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: x-large;"><b>‘A joyride back in time’</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">By Tito Talao</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Manila Bulletin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Published Saturday May 31, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FOR PERHAPS the last time in a decade-long rivalry that spanned ages, bridged generations, broke barriers and shattered records, the two greatest basketball forces in the land — the Crispa Redmanizers and the Toyota Super Corollas, clashed for posterity, finally bringing down the curtains before thousands of adoring Philippine Basketball Association fans at the Araneta Coliseum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And 14 years after it was first extended, Ramon Fernandez returned the favor to Robert Jaworski.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back in the unforgettable 1989 All-Star game, Jaworski hit Fernandez with a perfect pass under the basket and Fernandez glided under and scored an impossible reverse layup at the buzzer as the Veterans came from behind to defeat the Rookies/Sophomores team, 132-130.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This time, the feeder became the executioner.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">After William “Bogs” Adornado nailed a step-back three-pointer to cut a Toyota lead to 62-61 with 20 seconds remaining, Fernandez found Jaworski open from top of the keyhole and Jaworski drained the 3-point shot that brought the Big Dome down.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Yeah, that was sort of repaying a favor,” said Fernandez.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The final score — 65-61 — didn’t tell half of the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Neither the play-by-play sequence which, after 20 years of blistering, fast-paced action, was now almost devoid of the blinding speed and heart-stopping magnificence of the individual play of yore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But little was lost of the ferocity with which the Redmanizers and the Super Corollas used to wage battle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And certainly only a fraction of animosity has been erased by the vestiges of time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The halftime ended with Toyota, surprisingly, ahead, 34-25, with its biggest name, Robert Jaworski, not yet seeking action.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coach Dante Silverio substituted in platoons, starting with Ramon Fernandez, Chito Loyzaga, Ompong Seguara and Ed Camus for the Corollas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa coach Baby Dalupan, who arrived from the States and drove straight from the airport to the Big Dome, had for starting lineup a virtual All-Star five in Fortunato Co, Philip Cezar, Bogs Adornado, Bernard Fabiosa and Abet Guidaben, all members of the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first quarter was close, 16-14, before the Corollas, behind the rebounding of Terry Saldana, the orchestration of Rolly Marcelo and the offense of Chito Loyzaga, pulled ahead in the second quarter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Old and familiar faces resurfaced for the Reunion Game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNtndQ4AxzI14w-xfTc8NjXZoCe6ve215xk_FOA2HlbRQYJMpyJqWJqXy1qe3PFqmGjwocqVsy0tS_0xvANMJymhEsl3Nq-yd-mvVxGLtCCdf0X8qoLmqxblWbTabptGMM6BoeREGxi4/s2048/IMG_20161024_194437+copy.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1660" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNtndQ4AxzI14w-xfTc8NjXZoCe6ve215xk_FOA2HlbRQYJMpyJqWJqXy1qe3PFqmGjwocqVsy0tS_0xvANMJymhEsl3Nq-yd-mvVxGLtCCdf0X8qoLmqxblWbTabptGMM6BoeREGxi4/w324-h400/IMG_20161024_194437+copy.jpg" width="324" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dick Ildefonso and Emy Arcilla reprised their roles as TV’s play-by-play and color commentators, while NBN-4 regular Sev Sarmenta happily accepted the job as the game’s p.a. man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Founding commissioner Leo Prieto tossed the first ceremonial ball, followed by board chairman Jun Cabalan and current commissioner Noli Eala, members of the family of the late Danny Floro accepting a plaque of recognition in behalf of the late Crispa owner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The action turned furious in the fourth quarter after Co nailed back-to-back jumpers to key a Crispa comeback that erased a nine-point deficit, setting up the classic down-the-wire finish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A crucial turnover by Bernard Fabiosa sealed the Redmanizers’ doom, with Oscar Rocha, who figured in scuffles with practically every Crispa player, hitting two crucial free throws in the closing seconds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Saldana was adjudged as the game’s MVP, while the fans went home close to midnight fully rewarded by the cage heroes of yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski accepted the trophy and luxuriated once more in the middle of the pro basketball’s hottest and most glaring spotlight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“It was a great game. I wasn’t thinking of anything with that shot, I knew I just had to make it,” Jaworski said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">TOYOTA 65 — Saldana 15, Loyzaga 14, Rocha 6, Herrera 6, Camus 4, Marcelo 4, Fernandez 4, Cordero 4, Cortez 3, Jaworski 3, Segura 2, Rodriguez 0, Bauzon 0, Reynoso 0, Clarino 0, Legaspi 0.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">CRISPA 61 — Guidaben 17, Co 8, Adornado 7, Cezar 7, Cristobal 5, Mamaril 5, Dela Cruz 4, Hubalde 4, Esguerra 2, Pages 2, Dionisio 0, Brodett 0, Varela 0, Franco 0, Tanduyan 0, Fabiosa 0, Cruz 0.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quarters: 16-14, 34-25, 47-42, 65-61.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-46591047437772476192003-05-30T06:00:00.000+08:002020-07-31T22:39:29.504+08:00Reunion: Crispa, Toyota clash (May 30, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEO9yh9Uy7VzgNeW4hxnMgKWVtUWF1OqBylPeGqMV9V86oluuo_84NOjZhzDxOXvzNC1RpR5exmh3Xp8fDZg5rpE0S6XgTko2dLhDhQWMC6HgK_b1Px90cdJ1RCg2yrrOCVnSjHAuVvI8/s1600/IMG_20161024_194859+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1006" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEO9yh9Uy7VzgNeW4hxnMgKWVtUWF1OqBylPeGqMV9V86oluuo_84NOjZhzDxOXvzNC1RpR5exmh3Xp8fDZg5rpE0S6XgTko2dLhDhQWMC6HgK_b1Px90cdJ1RCg2yrrOCVnSjHAuVvI8/s400/IMG_20161024_194859+copy.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa and Toyota were bracing a slow-paced but intense encounter in their Reunion Game that kicked off the 2003 PBA All-Star Weekend at the Araneta Coliseum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa, Toyota clash tonight</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Friday May 30, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fortunato Co vowed to whip the Toyota Super Corollas. To this Chito Loyzaga responded they will make the Crispa Redmanizers eat their words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Demons from the past will be resurrected at 5 p.m. today when the Philippine Basketball Association’s legendary ball clubs clash for their reunion game before a huge nostalgic crowd at the Araneta Coliseum, site of these teams’ most memorable battles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">No need for slo-mo technology here. No need for instant replay. No need even for a call from coaches Baby Dalupan and Dante Silverio to walk the ball upcourt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Co, the Redmanizers’ fade-away specialist shooting guard, will walk it up, maybe attempt to trot it up a little. And Robert Jaworski, the Corollas’ barreling point guard, will half-walk, half-jog possession to the frontcourt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In retro shorts that hug their thighs and reach up to more than they want to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But then who cares, especially when Philip Cezar will be the Fortune Cookie’s recipient at the post? And when Ramon Fernandez, flashing across the paint, will get the no-look pass from the Big J?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This one, truly, will be a battle for the ages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By conservative estimate, no less than 25,000 fans, majority of them choosing to remember those years when one either sleeps well at night or dies a little with every Crispa or Toyota victory, are expected to pack the Big Dome in what could be the biggest basketball event ever since, well, Crispa-Toyota back in the 1980s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Practically everybody’s who is anybody in Philippine basketball will be there tonight, rooting for Cezar’s stretch, Co’s fall-away, Jaworski’s behind-the-back pass, Fernandez’s elegant shot, Loyzaga’s wide-bodied defense, Bogs Adornado’s head-and-shoulder fake, Freddie Hubalde’s banked shot, Tito Varela’s glittering pate and Itoy Esguerra’s three-point bombs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Speed will be a rarity here. So will power moves inside and blitzkrieg fastbreaks. But jumpers will rain down. And 3-pointers. And thread-needle passes. And cage-rattling and trash-talking and good-natured ribbing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Loyzaga, in fact, has issued another warning yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Asked how he thinks the game would turn out, the son of the Great Difference replied: “Bakbakan ito bukas. Pabilisan ng lakad.”</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-69852343600225933242003-05-28T23:00:00.000+08:002020-07-27T21:35:14.827+08:00Reunion: Crispa also wants to win (May 28, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiPZa4-XsRPCLWizFQww-cicO3b0kNgLkzX0kUU6cCxvyIgQCe5icnIrheZgRjHUesgz4D8eE_J3avtKsQXoeO_OGlOINntMTx1qEhl2Ek43XvwY3E3YbCnt2sysyn3WFM8ogP_RWWzQ/s1600/IMG_20161024_194522+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiPZa4-XsRPCLWizFQww-cicO3b0kNgLkzX0kUU6cCxvyIgQCe5icnIrheZgRjHUesgz4D8eE_J3avtKsQXoeO_OGlOINntMTx1qEhl2Ek43XvwY3E3YbCnt2sysyn3WFM8ogP_RWWzQ/s400/IMG_20161024_194522+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa held a practice session at the Pasig Sports Center two days before facing arch rival Toyota in the Reunion Game of the 2003 PBA All-Star Weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa also wants to win</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manila Bulletin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Thursday May 29, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">IT MAY be a fun game, but take it from us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Crispa-Toyota Reunion Game is serious stuff for the two former PBA squads whose legendary rivalry made the PBA what it is today — the most successful league ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yesterday, Crispa players gathered for their practice game at the Caruncho Gym in Pasig and a witness said the two-time Grand Slam champions went through their routine as if a championship will be at stake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Among those who attended the practice were Atoy Co, Philip Cezar, Abet Guidaben, Bai Cristobal, Dave Brodett, Rey Franco, Itoy Esguerra, Bogs Adornado, Freddie Hubalde, Joy Dionisio, Tito Varela, Mon Cruz, Willie Tanduyan, Romula Mamarail and Rey Pages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Guidaben (21) is shown presiding over a team huddle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The game is tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum. (Photo by Boy Garcia Jr.)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-19283933911477863782003-05-26T23:00:00.000+08:002020-07-23T21:36:20.792+08:00Reunion: One match for old time's sake (May 26, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4krM8UDqPC3ozx7bSsKORPjqK4z7DuhIlxo2IOwJh7R4JagRCoJtQ5dyO6tzldFtmM369VDSO6Dvkp79bMlT11dRWWmqx-pBfcyHACdVPTNZG0T4ylg4sbX_VznoMfeIxFhPImB8Cl4/s1600/IMG_20161024_194616+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1264" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4krM8UDqPC3ozx7bSsKORPjqK4z7DuhIlxo2IOwJh7R4JagRCoJtQ5dyO6tzldFtmM369VDSO6Dvkp79bMlT11dRWWmqx-pBfcyHACdVPTNZG0T4ylg4sbX_VznoMfeIxFhPImB8Cl4/s400/IMG_20161024_194616+copy.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Robert Jaworski headed straight to the Cuneta Astrodome after his work at the Senate to join Toyota's preparation for the 2003 Reunion Game against rival Crispa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Jawo: One match for old time’s sake</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Dodo Catacutan Jr.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manila Bulletin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Wednesday May 28, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE FIRST time he joined the scrimmage, he threw a length-of-the-court pass which for a moment looked as if it would sail over Ed Camus’ head, but at the last moment dropped into the overweight ex-Toyota Comet’s hands right under the basket. Easy two points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Right there, you know: Robert Jaworski’s in the house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I’m out of shape and out of touch, but for old time’s sake I think this will be good,” Jaworski said on Monday night, the first time he joined his fellow ex-Toyota players in practice for Friday’s highly anticipated Legends game against the Crispa Redmanizers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The country’s most celebrated cager of all time had just wrapped up work at the Senate and drove a couple of kilometers to the Cuneta Astrodome dressed in his old Ginebra practice jersey, warmly welcomed by Dante Silverio and former teammates led by Mon Fernandez.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a couple of handshakes, several laughs, a short huddle presided by Silverio and a shooting drill that lasted a couple of minutes, he was ready to buckle down to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The rain was pouring the Astrodome from the outside, and there were less than 20 people in the stands. The game, as expected, wasn’t much, played by old men in their forties and fifties cramming to get in shape and get reacquainted with the game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still there was a bit of history at work here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Monday night marked the first time Jaworski played a basketball game since May 25, 1997 in Game Six of the All-Filipino Cup finals which Ginebra lost to Purefoods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was also the first time he and Fernandez shared a floor since the 1989 PBA All-Star Game, which ended with Baby Dalupan getting the two estranged teammates together for a handshake for posterity, moments after combining for the game-winning play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I bump into some of them from time to time, but basically we’ve been very busy with our lives,” said Jaworski, explaining why a reunion of this sort has happened only now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski, of course, has been the busiest, his work keeping him from even playing a single game since he resigned as Ginebra playing-coach in 1999.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That also explains why a cager who has played 23 seasons in the PBA and up until he was 51 — league records for longevity that may never, ever be broken — now admits he is out of shape, and about 15 pounds overweight.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LZbcXQc5RQ6QVKS3H9Vrp-jpioMzmN5dkDTsL7o2B10Spo5NWqbZQlMtG3dPA9-_l3Uzf7ge0IiUh2vFKRCvhxO0RuXwmuTM6fhqIRXxXdB_5gOcmjtBQ1kyTBO-Ai0TDAJ-VPpGZt0/s1600/IMG_20161024_194629+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="847" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LZbcXQc5RQ6QVKS3H9Vrp-jpioMzmN5dkDTsL7o2B10Spo5NWqbZQlMtG3dPA9-_l3Uzf7ge0IiUh2vFKRCvhxO0RuXwmuTM6fhqIRXxXdB_5gOcmjtBQ1kyTBO-Ai0TDAJ-VPpGZt0/s320/IMG_20161024_194629+copy.jpg" width="169" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“There was a time I was in excellent shape, even if I was no longer active,” he said. “But lately, I was in the US for a long time because of some personal matter, at kasama na nga ang trabaho, so walang oras talaga…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I think it’s too short a time to prepare for this game. Off-hand, I think I need eight weeks to get in shape — six for the cardio-vascular thing, and two to get back the feel. But this is for a good cause so let’s see, andiyan lang naman ‘yan,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That, however, didn’t stop Jaworski or his ex-teammates from getting some work done, trying desperately to recapture their form of old:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ompong Segura finishing a fastbreak; Mon Fernandez zig-zagging down the lane, finishing a drive with his rusty elegant shot; Jaworski and Fernandz playfully exchanging no-look passes on the fastbreak — fancy passes they may not even try come Friday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But leave it to Jaworski to put things in their proper perspective.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At a time when the group was getting the hang of it, starting to get comfortable and the sweat finally dripping down their jerseys, the lights suddenly went out on the Astrodome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Nawalan ng ilaw,” he said, “kasi masakit na raw tayo sa mata.”</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-1391699902872121722003-05-23T23:00:00.000+08:002020-07-20T22:16:19.705+08:00Reunion: Dalupan to coach Crispa vs Toyota (May 23, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6nJb2UCZzeBIGd-dO_m-UeMtDrP7iF0E4vnM2XTbN6UPWt5NRhfHyZSdJP1C0ZsEqVcS6y7YJkmkeakolCc_HTBuJhotozcnlH8Cd6sTuLjtYbhyxET600fEF36A_KvWWwEnnPjL2Wo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+9.47.10+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="694" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6nJb2UCZzeBIGd-dO_m-UeMtDrP7iF0E4vnM2XTbN6UPWt5NRhfHyZSdJP1C0ZsEqVcS6y7YJkmkeakolCc_HTBuJhotozcnlH8Cd6sTuLjtYbhyxET600fEF36A_KvWWwEnnPjL2Wo/s400/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+9.47.10+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Legendary coach Baby Dalupan confirmed his participation in the Crispa-Toyota reunion after initially begging off due to a family gathering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Dalupan to coach Crispa vs Toyota</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Dennis U. Eroa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Philippine Daily Inquirer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Saturday May 24, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">IT’S on with the reunion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Coach Baby Dalupan, who had begged off to attend a family affair, yesterday confirmed during the weekly SCOOP Forum at the Kamayan West his willingness to coach Crispa in its much-awaited reunion against Toyota on May 30 at the Araneta Coliseum.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Boomy Guerrero, Dalupan’s grandson, first called SCOOP president Eddie Alinea to say his grandfather would like to coach the Redmanizers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Later, it was Dalupan himself, owner of 13 PBA titles, who made an overseas call to Alinea to confirm his attendance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dalupan, vacationing in California, had earlier said he may not be able to grace the PBA affair as he has to be in Negros with his wife for a very important family affair that’s held every four years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Joy Dionisio, the first player to score a basket while playing for Concepcion in the 1975 PBA inaugural game versus Noritake, will also don the Crispa colors, together with his former teammates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Crispa-Toyota game on May is a main attraction in the All-Star Reunion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, at least six foreign teams have confirmed willingness to join the PBA Invitationals. Commissioner Noli Eala said these squads are from Canada, Korea, Australia, Europe and the US.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-85282914659312683262003-05-19T06:00:00.000+08:002020-07-20T22:16:33.278+08:00Reunion: Rekindling a cage rivalry (May 19, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiOQLXnirU1GKv8en0ZDEAGjWsa5njKxUOLpL1_8FXJEkvhqslG_YOjRKZ7y3du0e6q4wFX1c0nTzSxeMC04lh_fSJQ3nlZnGP630HvXOM0Sbatyu_psxY0LcbvQuBo1wXTEoBBE0fNE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-07-18+at+12.33.52+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="778" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiOQLXnirU1GKv8en0ZDEAGjWsa5njKxUOLpL1_8FXJEkvhqslG_YOjRKZ7y3du0e6q4wFX1c0nTzSxeMC04lh_fSJQ3nlZnGP630HvXOM0Sbatyu_psxY0LcbvQuBo1wXTEoBBE0fNE/s400/Screen+Shot+2020-07-18+at+12.33.52+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Players of both Crispa and Toyota were eager to show their competitive spirit less than two weeks before the Reunion Game of the two bitter rivals at the 2003 PBA All-Star Weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>‘Bakbakan to!’</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pba.com.ph</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Monday May 19, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The commissioner jokingly called them grandfathers. But don’t let that fool you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If only for the way Atoy Co defined the line that separated today’s game in the Philippine Basketball Association from that of the yesteryears, the reunion match between fierce rivals Crispa and Toyota, the May 30 event is going to be more than just a collection of grumpy old fogies in tight tank tops and short shorts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Ang game noon, maraming tirahan. Pag magaling ka, titirahin ka," said the Fortune Cookie, one of the league’s most celebrated perimeter gunners. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Commissioner Noli Eala is bringing the two teams together to mix it up in the hardcourt to serve as the appetizer for the All-Star weekend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The whole reason is we want to merge the past with the present. We want to show the basketball public the type of rivalry that existed between both teams. It’s been talked about a lot. Now is the time to actually see it," said commissioner Noli Eala, who fondly called the players the “lolos” of the league. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“If it weren’t for these guys, the league won’t be here,” said Eala. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And the players are raring to mix it up on the court, giving emphasis on the phrase mix it up. In fact, as they so glaringly pointed out, this is a one-game affair and no matter erupts on the court, none of them will get suspended anyway. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Puwede maging friendly game ‘yan or puwedeng bakbakan,” said Oscar Rocha. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Orly Bauzon summed it better: “Pag kalaban ang Crispa, nabubuhay ang dugo ng Toyota. Nag-iiba ang intensity. Kung titignan mo, friendly game, pero sa court, iba ang nangyayari.”<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On paper, with Crispa pooling together Co, Philip Cezar, Freddie Hubalde and Bogs Adornado, all past Most Valuable Player winners, the Redmanizers look strong enough to toy with the Super Corollas. But with no less than Senator Robert Jaworski leading the charge for Toyota, everything is thrown out the window. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Eh noong araw, nakaka-intimidate na ‘yan kasi Big J siya, ngayon pa kayang senador na siya,” Co said. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still Crispa players vowed nothing less than a victory. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Tinitiyak ko ang panalo namin,” said Cezar, the league’s best defensive player in his prime. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Magpapraktis kami every day starting tomorrow,” vowed Co. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, the Toyota guys wouldn’t let that one slip away without a final retort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Hindi na namin kayo kailangan pagpraktisan,” said Boy Clariño.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-850949792453347632003-05-14T06:00:00.000+08:002020-07-20T22:16:47.269+08:00Reunion: Arnaiz can't play in reunion game (May 14, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU6ZX2ryMb5g4C3vdf6jDqXaPaZYeD_WcbULHtdcpj2Prt-FA12Zti-chqGuwZNlh2oAMtPZU8B4KvyacF2ETHbloKRuPZAFp6NB_123h06T8KGwoR3qwkSpm3bmSqEc3QD-xhKV-pA8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-07-16+at+9.52.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="895" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU6ZX2ryMb5g4C3vdf6jDqXaPaZYeD_WcbULHtdcpj2Prt-FA12Zti-chqGuwZNlh2oAMtPZU8B4KvyacF2ETHbloKRuPZAFp6NB_123h06T8KGwoR3qwkSpm3bmSqEc3QD-xhKV-pA8/s400/Screen+Shot+2020-07-16+at+9.52.17+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Francis Arnaiz was forced to miss the Crispa-Toyota reunion game due to his duties working for the California state government.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Arnaiz can’t play in PBA All-Star game</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Ronnie Nathanielsz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manila Standard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Wednesday May 14, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Francis Arnaiz, who played “Robin” to Robert Jaworski as “Batman” in the glory days of the Toyota-Crispa rivalry in the Philippine Basketball Association, has sent his regrets to Commissioner Noli Eala that he will not be able to play in the revival showdown between the two top teams of the pro league’s first decade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Toyota-Crispa game will be a highlight of this year’s All-Star Weekend and Arnaiz had earlier told both his bosom buddy Jaworski and Eala that he was working out in preparation for the much-awaited battle with Crispa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, Arnaiz who only recently started working for the state government of California, said his application for leave had been denied since a reshuffle was going on in the state government and he had to be at his post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arnaiz said he was disappointed at not being able to play since he had been looking forward to visiting Manila and playing alongside Jaworski and against the likes of Atoy Co, Freddie Hubalde and Bernie Fabiosa of Crispa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite the absence of Arnaiz, the team-up of Jaworski, “The Living Legend” and “El Presidente” Ramon Fernandez has stirred up enough excitement as it is, as fans eagerly await the chance to see the superstars of yesteryears in action against their famed Crispa rivals anchored by Co, Abet Guidaben, Philip Cezar, Hubalde and Fabiosa.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-34927061109047631912003-05-13T06:00:00.001+08:002020-07-20T22:16:55.637+08:00Reunion: An All-Star Week like no other (May 13, 2003)<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCS6Vx3V98tDgBtwcf8q5mmlAou4yalCdjqycniDeGWeBeOZ3Ub_kSd1aNjq-kSOjuJOYlsc9HG2rnL5HijMHsuZ5ryprk0CoUfGDBXzzIEt6JVv-uY9fGRRGZfvjwE0sr3t4NdrXxHc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-07-14+at+7.58.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="892" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCS6Vx3V98tDgBtwcf8q5mmlAou4yalCdjqycniDeGWeBeOZ3Ub_kSd1aNjq-kSOjuJOYlsc9HG2rnL5HijMHsuZ5ryprk0CoUfGDBXzzIEt6JVv-uY9fGRRGZfvjwE0sr3t4NdrXxHc/s400/Screen+Shot+2020-07-14+at+7.58.31+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The highly-anticipated Crispa-Toyota reunion match served as a kickoff to the 2003 PBA All-Star Weekend at the Araneta Coliseum.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>An All-Star Week like no other</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manila Standard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Tuesday May 13, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Week returns this year with a promise of lots of fun, thrill and excitement, a doze of nostalgia and slam-bang action on May 30 and 31 and June 1 at the Araneta Coliseum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The country’s premier sports entertainment show is so determined to make up for the nonstaging of the All-Star spectacle last year that it is lining up a program of activities one should not miss. The annual All-Star Week wasn’t held last year with the league tied up so much with the country’s participation in the Asian Games in Busan, Korea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There will be the usual Fans Day on May 31 and the reunion game between former fierce rivals Crispa and Toyota on the 30th.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aside from Senator Robert Jaworski, two other great Toyota players in Ramon Fernandez and Francis Arnaiz have confirmed their participation in what could become a classic duel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There’s word that Fernandez, one of only four-time MVP winners in the league, has polished his shoes and has now been working out to prepare himself for his rematch with long-time nemeses Abet Guidaben and Philip Cezar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The US-based Arnaiz has told no less than commissioner Noli Eala about his strong desire to join his former teammates subject to the availability of his schedule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa legends Atoy Co, Bogs Adornado, Freddie Hubalde, Bernie Fabiosa, Guidaben and Cezar are all in town, also raring to play in this game that would bring back memories of their classic matchups in the early years of the league.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The two teams figured in 10 fiercely fought title playoffs with the last in the 1981 Open Conference won by Toyota then under Ed Ocampo. The Redmanizers and the Corollas/Tamaraws had a combined number of 22 championship in the league.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile, Talk N Text superstar Asi Taulava leads the balloting in the choice of the starting fives for the two teams that will battle each other in the PBA All-Star Game on June 1.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Taulava, who is in Group B, garnered a total of 1,921 votes after six days of balloting by fans at the venues while the top vote-getter in Group A was Danny Ildefonso of San Miguel Beer with 1,835 votes.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-40371426832583871632003-05-07T20:00:00.000+08:002020-07-20T22:17:05.520+08:00Reunion: Jaworski to play in reunion game (May 7, 2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgaaambnIRUv8C9DoawgGLe_aHidHiXK1pkGYuKjBPhEmYpItDNztqTT0IhY-psbcnUSHIU2DHckm8iQ_puC-LBYw35wKHe1-ryC_-4C_615Ie6DxbpQk5YPwbxVqveD1wRXLXT7YICA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-07-14+at+10.04.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="700" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgaaambnIRUv8C9DoawgGLe_aHidHiXK1pkGYuKjBPhEmYpItDNztqTT0IhY-psbcnUSHIU2DHckm8iQ_puC-LBYw35wKHe1-ryC_-4C_615Ie6DxbpQk5YPwbxVqveD1wRXLXT7YICA/s400/Screen+Shot+2020-07-14+at+10.04.12+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Robert Jaworski, who had set aside his familiar role as basketball's living legend to serve as senator, accepted an invitation to suit up in the 2003 legends game between Crispa and Toyota.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Jaworski to play in Crispa-Toyota All-Star reunion game</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pba.com.ph</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Wednesday May 7, 2003</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For one fleeting moment, PBA fans will be treated to a nostalgic spectacle and rare chance to travel down memory lane.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh yes, the Living Legend promised to be there wearing his famous No. 7.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Robert Jaworski, arguably the best thing that ever happened to Philippine basketball, on Monday said yes to an invitation to play in the 2003 All-Star Reunion Game, marking the return of the man they call the "Living Legend" after more than six years in retirement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The superstar cager-turned-public servant has accepted an invitation by Commissioner Noli Eala after a hearing at the Senate Monday afternoon, saying he is “willing, eager and excited” in the match that will pit the former members of icon teams Toyota and Crispa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I am willing to help the PBA in a worthy cause and excited to step back on the court again (for the fans),” the Senator was quoted by Commissioner Eala as saying as Jaworski became one of the first legendary personalities to confirm participation in the first activity of the 2003 All-Star break.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The All-Star break will be a three-day extravaganza for the fans as the Toyota vs. Crispa legends game ushers in hostilities on May 30 with the Fans’ Day to open the following day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The regular All-Star game featuring players making up Groups A and B of the on-going All-Filipino Cup will be played June 1.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Already, the Office of the Commissioner has said that a lot of the former Redmanizers — Atoy Co, Abet Guidaben, Philip Cezar and Freddie Hubalde — have confirmed participation, being active in basketball of late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the former Tamaraws, Jaworski heads the cast and it is likely that Ramon Fernandez, the first four-time Most Valuable Player winner in the PBA, will also be seeing action in the classic that is one for the books. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This will mark the first time in so long a time that the Legends’ game will be played and what better teams to slug it out than the two squads which made the PBA what it is now, commanding a following that bordered on the ridiculous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski has what could be labeled as the most memorable career there ever was in the PBA, winning championships both as player and coach with Toyota and later on with Gilbey’s Gin, Anejo Rum and Ginebra San Miguel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He commanded the respect and admiration of those who rooted for his teams and elicited fear from the opposition. Jaworski played from the time the league opened in 1975 and has not officially retired as a player since the last time he coached in 1997. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His long-time backcourt partner, Francis Arnaiz, will reportedly fly in to play in the game. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A number of players what will see action in this game were included in the list of 25 Greatest Players the league cited in 1999.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-909424636503785131985-03-03T06:00:00.000+08:002020-07-04T23:14:09.729+08:00The cage legend that was Crispa (March 3, 1985)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvVnTnJwWVvdyoRFLjOnrv3cDfnqHZNwxFeMWwLoS6AYmvHfniyX2OdrLlStk0qoV9I-lHPNYuQRdZ1fqEiJr-TN1U4xTzkNjClECXIoBz3vVoPKcoeK0Zxau9He1zMYseqn1iy0gDbs/s1600/IMG_20161028_182453+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1345" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvVnTnJwWVvdyoRFLjOnrv3cDfnqHZNwxFeMWwLoS6AYmvHfniyX2OdrLlStk0qoV9I-lHPNYuQRdZ1fqEiJr-TN1U4xTzkNjClECXIoBz3vVoPKcoeK0Zxau9He1zMYseqn1iy0gDbs/s400/IMG_20161028_182453+copy.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa's disbandment served as a cover of the March 3, 1985 issue of the Philippine Panorama, with sportswriter Al Mendoza providing an in-depth story of how the Redmanizers decided to end their glorious PBA tenure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>THE CAGE LEGEND THAT WAS CRISPA</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Al S. Mendoza</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Philippine Panorama</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Sunday March 3, 1985</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">BASKETBALL’S self-styled experts had misread their crystal balls. Even the scalper, the most grizzled cage scientist in the land, didn’t see it coming. Nobody had dared say it was blowin’ in the wind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, when it finally came, it came like a thunderbolt. The news sent shock waves all over the land. To millions of cage devotees in this basketball-crazed nation, it was simply unbelievable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Barber shops and plush coffee shop, talipapa and supermarket, every conceivable public space was abuzz. From Aparri to Jolo, from Marawi to Laoag, people were asking: “How come? What happened? Why?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The jarring news was the disbandment of Crispa. Before the news exploded on our faces in the morning of January 29, only three men knew about it. Pablo Floro and his son, Danny, to begin with. The third man, you’ll be surprised to know, was Tommy Manotoc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny Floro did not like to disband the team. He had stood his ground for two years before finally giving in. “I understood the Old Man (Don Pablo),” Danny said. “He said it was silly to continue when my team is being pelted with criticisms because of discord from within.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pablo Floro had wanted Crispa disbanded as early as 1982. The “Old Man: — who used to be a kutsero, a janitor and a firewood-gatherer for American soldiers on Corregidor before becoming a successful businessman — reportedly got peeved over Crispa’s failure to win any of the three titles in PBA ’82, an unusual setback for the country’s winningest team. What dissuaded him from dissolving the team was when Tommy Manotoc declared he was willing to coach Crispa, Manotoc was coming in to replace Baby Dalupan, who had a falling out with the players after that disastrous PBA ’82.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With Manotoc at the helm, Crispa did not only regain its old sting, it went on to break all existing records, establishing, among others, the longest winning streak of 21 games since the pro league began in 1975. At the end of PBA ’83, Crispa had become a grand slam champion again, duplicating a feat it achieved in 1976 when Dalupan was coach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The elder Floro was happy again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Son Danny flew to Hawaii for a well-deserved vacation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">AND THEN it happened. After Manotoc had again skillfully steered Crispa to the first championship in PBA ’84, Manotoc became ill with severe hyperacidity. Doctors advised him to rest — no tension, no pressure, no mind-boggling activities or he’d contract something graver, like ulcers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manotoc resigned when Crispa was all set to do battle for another championship. Narciso Bernardo, his assistant, took over, Crispa won PBA ’84’s first conference. But its fortunes took a nosedive in the second conference when it failed to even enter the semifinal round.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A new problem cropped up. Players openly expressed their dislike for Bernardo. In one game, Fortunato Co, Jr. ignored Bernardo’s authority and did a coaching maneuver himself: he relieved William Pearson at the height of a game and sent in Bernie Fabiosa in full view of spectators.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By the third conference, the problem worsened. Players became more defiant. During timeouts in a game, they wouldn’t listen to Bernardo’s instructions. “Tumitingin sila sa kung saan-saan pag timeout,” said Danny Floro. “They were not listening at all.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The younger Floro admitted he did a lot of pleading for the players “to cooperate, to just finish the year.” He said he begged them to “play straight ball for the sake of the Old Man.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The players half listened and, miraculously, despite mediocre performances, barged into the third conference. Danny thought the boys were finally cooperating. In the championship, Crispa rebounded from the brink of defeat to arrange a winner-take-all, deciding fifth game of the PBA ’84 third conference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the crucial match, Crispa lost by 21 points, and Great Taste pocketed the title. In that game, the Crispa players clearly didn’t show their championship punch. Their hearts and minds were not in the game. There was no fire in their eyes, no intensity in their plays. Abet Guidaben, the most valuable player of 1983, committed back-to-back fouls in the dying seconds of the third quarter and, because of this, he sat out the entire fourth quarter on six fouls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny charged Guidaben with deliberately not giving his best, an accusation which Guidaben vehemently denied. Danny said there was a termite in the team, obviously referring to Guidaben. Guidaben countered he couldn’t take it anymore, he soon quit Crispa and joined Tanduay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A chain reaction ensued. Soon, Crispa was like a volcano all set to explode. Players’ contracts were set for renewal. Narciso Bernardo wasn’t tendering his resignation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the morning of January 15, Danny got a call.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I have made my decision,” said the voice on the phone. “It’s time to bid farewell to your team.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was the Old Man, Don Pablo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I’ll give it a serious study,” Danny said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I want a quick decision,” the Old Man insisted. “I just can’t take it anymore. A lot of people are angry. Our fans are mad. Our players seem to have lost interest in winning games. One fan called up and said, ‘Hey, ubos na ang pera ko sa bangko dahil talo ako lagi sa kapupusta sa inyo.’ They suspect we’re betting too. That we’re gamblers. I’m fed up with all this talk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny said: “I’ll give it a serious study.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Make it fast,” the Old Man said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“OK.” Danny said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Old Man is sensitive to criticism and gossip. Even jokes Danny recalls a time when the Old Man was still a Batasan assemblyman. The First Lady reportedly approached Don Pablo and said, “When can we have a project?” There were other assemblymen present and one of them said, “That’s not a problem, Madam. Don Pablo here owns Crispa. All we need is four games and ayos na iyan, kuwarta na iyan.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“If it was intended as a joke, it wasn’t funny,” Danny said. “Dinamdam ni Tanda iyon. He called me. He told me, ‘Anak, buti pa, i-disband mo na ang Crispa. Ayoko nang makarinig ng kung anu-anong tsismis.’ He is that sensitive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny called up Tommy Manotoc to ask his opinion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tommy to Danny: “If you can’t restore harmony in the team, that’s a serious problem. You can’t win with a team that has no unity.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“In short,” Danny said, “Tommy was for disbandment. He told me I could always rejoin the league, say, in the second or third conferences. He told me it (was) better to sell the franchise than to lease it because, he explained, my money would only be sleeping if I just keep it there.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Days later, Danny made his decision. He was going to sell Crispa’s franchise. Lito Anzures of Vintage Enterprises, Danny said, negotiated for Pilipinas Shell, Crispa’s buyer. “The selling price was probably P300,000,” said Danny. “I’m not sure yet. Si Tommy lahat ang nagtatrabaho.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">CARLOS “Honeyboy” Palanca III, president of the Philippine Basketball Association, viewed Crispa’s disbandment as a big loss to the PBA. “It was very regrettable,” he said. “We lost Toyota last year and now it’s Crispa. It’s regrettable, indeed.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny Floro said the Crispa offices in Pasig were bombarded with telegrams and letters, expressing shock, when news of Crispa’s disbandment came out in the papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“One cable came from a 13-year-old boy, a grade-six pupil from Angeles City,” said Danny. “He repeatedly asked the question, ‘Why?’ We must have received more than a hundred cables.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A confidante of Information Minister Gregorio S. Cendana said Cendana was stunned. “You may not know it,” said Ching Suba, “but the minister is a diehard Crispa (fan). He watches every game of Crispa. And when Crispa loses, you’d better be careful when you ask him to sign a letter. He may not sign it at all.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny Floro said the final nail to Crispa’s coffin was provided by the Crispanatics. “We believe they didn’t want a Crispa transformed into a whipping boy once PBA ’85 finally opens,” said Danny. “I believe them: we have already achieved what every team is dreaming of — that of winning almost all titles in sight. Now that we are in a terrible crisis, it’s pointless to entertain hopes of rebounding in so short a time. We have no coach. The players wanted a coach with the caliber of a Dalupan or a Manotoc. We can’t find one now, Or even in the near future. You can’t build a champion team overnight. We can’t afford to be booed when PBA ’85 opens on March 3 (today). And in the days thereafter.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not a single Crispa Redmanizer went to Danny Floro the day the news of the disbandment came out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Nobody said goodbye,” Danny said. “Wala man lang nagsabi ng ‘Thank you for everything.’ Okey lang. That’s how grave our internal problem is.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thus ended a legend, patiently nourished by Danny Floro from the day he formed the team, without his father’s knowledge, in 1956. Up to this day, not many people know that Don Pablo, for unexplained reasons, didn’t want Danny to play basketball or involve himself in basketball. There were times in Danny’s youth when his old man would not give him his school allowance whenever he discovered his son playing basketball.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But despite his father’s objections, Danny pursued his love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I don’t know,” said Danny. “I just love this game. I remember, when I was a kid, I was staying in my aunt’s house on Isaac Parai street (now UN Avenue). I would make sabit to the jeep where the neighborhood team used to ride in going to tournaments. The team’s name then was Tanke and one of the players was Nilo Verona.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">DANNY was 28 when he formed Crispa. The team played in backyard leagues and town fiestas in Tanay, Pateros, Antipolo, Taytay and other towns near Pasig. The team was winning one title after another. He finally got his father’s approval when Danny initiated an inter-department basketball tournament in the company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Next, Danny entered the team in the BAA (Businessmen Athletic Association). He began enlisting top college players then, like Willie Sotelo, Charlie Dudds, Mario Uson, Eddie Pacheco, Roberto Yburan, Mike Littaua, Charlie Badion, Gerry Cruz, Jaime Lucas, Eddie Rivera, Alberto Nicdao, Andy de Jesus and Dominador Lauron. The team won the BAA championship twice and by 1958, Crispa was ready to go big time — the MICAA (Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association, forerunner of the PBA).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yco was then the powerhouse squad, with Ysmael as Yco’s chief rival. Crispa was never a champion — until 1970, when the team finally won a crown, the President’s Cup. “The President was present then and Imee, ay, batam-bata pa,” said Danny.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It marked the start of Crispa’s dominance of Philippine basketball.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa stashed away virtually all titles up for grabs from 1971 — the All-Filipino, Open (with American imports), MICAA, national senior invitationals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1973, some of the team’s players got involved in a game-fixing scandal. Danny kicked out seven of his players suspected of having connived with game-fixers — Adriano Papa, Jr., Danilo Florencio, Epoy Alcantara, Rey Franco, Virgilio Abarrientos, Rudolf Kutch and Ernesto de Leon. Thus, it was back to square one for Crispa, which emerged winless that year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny needed just one year to resurrect his team. In 1974, Crispa regained its old winning ways, pocketing all four titles for the year: Palarong Pambansa, national seniors, MICAA and the Invitationals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When the pro league was born in 1975, Crispa and rival Toyota were the hottest teams in the land. Toyota won the first two titles of the league that year at the expense of Crispa. But in the year’s deciding third conference, Crispa got back at Toyota. That win ignited the longest winning title streak for any team in the history of the loop — six straight from 1975 to 1977, including the first-ever sweep of all three conferences in 1976 for Crispa’s first grand slam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa not only become a byword. It has become legend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sales of Crispa T-shirts broke all-time records.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every collegiate player dreamed of joining the team after finishing school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa players were being idolized.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of the team’s stars were being endlessly offered movie careers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Suddenly, basketball players became celebrities, at times dining and rubbing elbows with the country’s dignitaries and the well-heeled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa had put basketball on a pedestal, a sport that became the shortcut to fame and fortune.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To become a Crispa player was a status symbol.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRsDqj3wPdw91sGEjsJL8-P-OikHcW5tDHE_ZAI5L7W920UZCCy6AJ-LH-qb9h1zBa5iMTBRzB7kVhnSPgbP_vCSfyoj9HmGQjpaR5QBrt3sTdPyvMvNB-oLM2vwkA-G5dJujPETRa8Q/s1600/IMG_20161028_182630+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1003" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRsDqj3wPdw91sGEjsJL8-P-OikHcW5tDHE_ZAI5L7W920UZCCy6AJ-LH-qb9h1zBa5iMTBRzB7kVhnSPgbP_vCSfyoj9HmGQjpaR5QBrt3sTdPyvMvNB-oLM2vwkA-G5dJujPETRa8Q/s320/IMG_20161028_182630+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you were friend of a Crispa player, you must be someone rich, or someone special. A big shot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Although I have not played in Crispa’s glorious years, I have always considered myself a Crispa fan,” said Robert Jaworski, himself a Crispa player in 1965. When Crispa became inactive in the MICAA in 1966, Jaworski triggered a tug-of-war between Yco and Ysmael, each desperately trying to lure the “Big J” into their team. In the heat of the fight, Elizalde said, “We will never buy any steel cabinet from Admiral (Ysmael).” What happened next was that Jaworski signed up for Meralco.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny Floro, who plays golf very often these days, is now talking of building a museum to house all of Crispa’s memorabilia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“It’s going to be a treasure house,” Danny said. “Admission will be free.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A crate of no less than 20 championship trophies plucked from almost 30 years of basketball wars, 13 of them from the tough, prestige-laden PBA, surely is a treasure to cherish; 13 more came from either second or third place finishes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“We may be gone forever, who knows,” Danny said. “but to all the people out there, we’ll build them a museum as our token of appreciation for the support they’ve given us when we were still around.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Until that museum is completed, Crispa’s legion of fans will be in mourning.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-73299027426265618821985-02-05T06:00:00.000+08:002020-07-03T15:45:18.449+08:00A champion for all time (Feb. 5, 1985)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKIJZ9XKzHcv7rukPfJTpOu9iRGtEbU9MqoYXEQr4XNezktJuPkraM7lbc0lcWhz-NJmYi6fQwhXw03_dVSiZ-ufRtzxv_plL36A7AtlYcme37XES-xipWp_f3C04cT-CxRDNZYMQbBY/s1600/P1330477+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1231" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKIJZ9XKzHcv7rukPfJTpOu9iRGtEbU9MqoYXEQr4XNezktJuPkraM7lbc0lcWhz-NJmYi6fQwhXw03_dVSiZ-ufRtzxv_plL36A7AtlYcme37XES-xipWp_f3C04cT-CxRDNZYMQbBY/s400/P1330477+copy.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ding Marcelo shared his thoughts on Crispa’s disbandment during his Sportsfan column for Tempo which was published four days the Redmanizers sold the franchise to Shell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>A champion for all time</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">SPORTSFAN</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Ding Marcelo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Tuesday Feb. 5, 1985</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">IT seems almost unbelievable that a man like Danny Floro would disband his fabled Crispa basketball team. We say so because basketball is practically Danny’s life and to take it away from him is like stopping the flow of oxygen into his body. Meaning, it’s like committing suicide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But, like in the pop song, all things must pass. Danny has perhaps a thousand and one reason to justify his pullout, rationalize his exit, explain his withdrawal but none of which will ever satisfy the thousands of Crispa fans who have stuck with the team from crisis to triumph.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danny’s decision, no doubt, is unsettling to other PBA team owners. For unlike Toyota which disbanded because of an untenable financial condition, Crispa still has got what it takes to put up a combative team. It will cost the team more, yes, but the owners can do it by turning out perhaps more of those finely-woven t-shirts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nothing probably hurt the Floros more than to arrive at the decision disbanding the team. After all, basketball had been good to them although in retrospect, the Floros too, can say they have been good to the sport, and nobody would quarrel with this contention.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In his usual taciturn self, Danny refuses to tell exactly why the team had to go. He said economics was not the main consideration but he added that losing 21 points in a championship game was just too much for his family to bear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There’s no question, however, that Danny is tired of his team. (incomplete, please refer to the above picture)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-81272401262168100961985-02-01T23:00:00.000+08:002020-06-29T23:52:17.797+08:00Crispa disbanded (Feb. 1, 1985)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvrY2jykEmiyncKVJaslN4fE13omHH4pVIS5fxGrkxcTuvgZ_XrgxcuYlk_kA1GMjddRTtXiY-4M3YsRAqDUqXp_AW7BGbGqq23jVCmyW78Jqa4i49u_H3P_rmT44UUutMngEnHVjNHU/s1600/P1330475+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1358" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvrY2jykEmiyncKVJaslN4fE13omHH4pVIS5fxGrkxcTuvgZ_XrgxcuYlk_kA1GMjddRTtXiY-4M3YsRAqDUqXp_AW7BGbGqq23jVCmyW78Jqa4i49u_H3P_rmT44UUutMngEnHVjNHU/s400/P1330475+copy+2.jpg" width="338" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa’s legendary run in the PBA came to an end before the start of the 1985 season after an agreement was reached to sell its franchise to Shell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa bows out of PBA</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bulletin Today</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Saturday Feb. 2, 1985</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa’s once mighty Redmanizers, the Philippine Basketball Association’s winningest team with a record 13 championships in 10 years, including two grand slams, are bowing out of the professional cage scene.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reason: Crispa has sold out lock, stock and barrel, to Shell Chemicals, a 60 percent Filipino-owned company engaged in agricultural development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Danny Floro, Crispa team owner-manager, confirmed Crispa’s “temporary disbandment” last night. “Definitely, we are out of the first conference,” Floro said. “If we can get new players from the amateur pool released by the PBA, then we might field a young team in the second or third conference.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The deal with Shell Chemicals was solely negotiated with the PBA management which acted in Crispa’s behalf. “I gave them (the PBA) blanket authority to negotiate for us,” Floro said. “Whatever is the decision of the PBA will be binding on Crispa.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All the contracts of Crispa’s remaining players were absorbed by Shell Chemicals under the agreement. But Shell sources said not all the Redmanizers will be retained. Only five — Bai Cristobal, Padim Israel, William Pearson, Lim Eng Beng and Fritz Gaston — were sure of staying with the team as of yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shell management, it was gathered, is still in the process of determining what to do with the rest of the players. Those who will not be retained will be traded, the source added.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fortunato Co, Jr., the sweet-shooting Crispa guard, was reported set to transfer to Beer Hausen. But the other Crispa first stringers like Philip Cezar, Bernard Fabiosa, Elpidio Villamin and Padim Israel are expected to be traded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is understood that Shell Chemicals will have the first crack in the player’s draft which started yesterday, followed by Tanduay, Gold Eagle, Beer Hausen, Gilbey’s Gin and Great Taste Coffee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">it was reported that Shell Chemicals wanted a young team. This means that Shell will tap at least four of the 16 amateurs released to the PBA draft this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shell Chemicals has reportedly tapped Freddie Webb, a former national player and one-time coach of Yco and Tanduay Rhum, to handle the new squad, with Rafael Hernaez as team manager.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Negotiations between the PBA and Shell have been going on for sometime after Crispa signified its intention to sell. It was noted that Crispa was having financial trouble due to the economic pinch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Floro, however, said the sale of Crispa franchise “Is without prejudice to Crispa’s rejoining the league anytime under the same conditions and privileges as a charter member.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa’s disbandment came barely a year after arch rival Toyota also sold out.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-7559183702050073101984-03-05T23:00:00.000+08:002020-06-20T22:29:59.213+08:00Guam: Crispa 108, Toyota 92 (March 5, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKabi1YkxmWM_KiMQlKiruc2CrgziTRtwjJFFOYI3C7wM_MRxbDSeItQ0ipD42qPk0fPbp582atX8Yita1_rztFi6L_WqmqUYcZxLJ78iDIlKKErQWmxdoMqEQBLm4PytKI1QMBGKn22s/s1600/IMG_20161024_192943+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1600" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKabi1YkxmWM_KiMQlKiruc2CrgziTRtwjJFFOYI3C7wM_MRxbDSeItQ0ipD42qPk0fPbp582atX8Yita1_rztFi6L_WqmqUYcZxLJ78iDIlKKErQWmxdoMqEQBLm4PytKI1QMBGKn22s/s400/IMG_20161024_192943+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa denied Toyota a chance to bid goodbye on a winning note after salvaging a split of their two-game exhibition series in Guam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa strikes back against tired Toyota</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Bert Eljera</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Wednesday March 7, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">GUAM, March 6 (via Philcom) — Toyota’s bid for a glorious exit turned into a nightmare Monday night as Crispa, playing like it was the one saying goodbye, came through with a devastating fourth quarter to pull off a 108-92 victory over the Corollas here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Redmanizers, stung by the humiliating loss in the first game Sunday, spewed fire throughout this time and buried the fast-tiring Corollas with relentless fastbreaks before another sell-out crowd at the University of Guam gym.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With Alberto Guidaben dominating the boards, Crispa’s run-and-gun game netted 16 points in the first five minutes of the final period while Toyota was held to measly two points in the same stretch to turn the game, which had started close and exciting into a ghastly rout.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was the Redmanizers’ better conditioning and teamwork which prevailed in the end, although the Corollas, displaying the same fierce pride which had been their trademark in nine years in the Philippine Basketball Association, fought gallantly while they lasted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa and Toyota thus stood 1-1 at the end of the series, called the last hurrah in Guam, which finally brought the curtains down on one of the most colorful rivalries in Philippine basketball.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We played better defense. They had a hard time setting up their plays,” said coach Narciso Bernardo. “But it was very clear that the boys were more determined. I told them that our prestige as a team is at stake in this series.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa head of delegation Consul General Ruben Ramirez said that they needed the game more. “We don’t want to go home to Manila with our heads bowed. I’m happy the boys responded. What you saw was the real Crispa team playing,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Philip Cezar, the most consistent among the Crispa players for the entire series, fired 24 points while Arturo Cristobal, filling in for the off-and-on Fortunato Co, Jr., added 23 points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneSC-ycRyPRdliWFfhXHYaraFxgUvrw-ivVTK-KWmuJZezC_AaYGoftGFgEMZhv1T7raTnWl1r4Xxvm4puvM6hdbI2TgcNwLIEjBLr6pMu-054AT8yKT40VBA85GQoUyu50g88DZ0yEE/s1600/IMG_20161024_193002+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneSC-ycRyPRdliWFfhXHYaraFxgUvrw-ivVTK-KWmuJZezC_AaYGoftGFgEMZhv1T7raTnWl1r4Xxvm4puvM6hdbI2TgcNwLIEjBLr6pMu-054AT8yKT40VBA85GQoUyu50g88DZ0yEE/s320/IMG_20161024_193002+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cezar, Guidaben and Bernard Fabiosa were later named to the mythical selection together with Robert Jaworski and Abe King. Each received $200 as prizes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was Arnulfo Tuadles, however, who sizzled for Toyota as he scored all but two of the Corollas’ 13 points in the final quarter on the way to a game high 29 points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many felt that Tuadles should have been among the mythical five along with Francis Arnaiz, who brilliantly played for three quarters until fatigue caught up with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz finished with 15 points. He said later that he was saddened by the demise of his team. “It’s kind of sad that this timing has to end,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz, Jaworski and Fernandez were the only survivors of the team which joined the Philippine Basketball Association in 1975 after Toyota had captured the MICAA championship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota had won the first match, 109-101, and looked headed for a sweep when the Corollas took control of the match in the first half.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But the rigors of the physical contest took its toll on the off-form Corollas and there was nothing left of them when the Redmanizers stepped on the gas in the fourth quarter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Guidaben, who went into foul trouble early, pulled down seven of his 16 rebounds in the fourth quarter to trigger a flurry of fastbreaks that broke the back of the Corollas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The 16-2 run hoisted Crispa up by 17 points twice. The last of 100-83 with six minutes to go and Toyota never mounted a rally after that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only Tuadles answered the guns of Crispa as he banged in 11 points, mostly on hits from the outside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“They were better prepared. The boys got tired in the second half,” said assistant coach Quirino Salazar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The individual scores:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa (108) — Cezar 24, Cristobal 23, Co 19, Fabiosa 18, Guidaben 12, Hubalde 4, Israel 4, Villamin 2, Esguerra 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota (92) — Tuadles 29, King 17, Arnaiz 15, Jaworski 9, Herrera 7, Loyzaga 7, Relosa 6, Legaspi 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quarterscores: 27-29, 51-56, 82-79, 108-92. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-65700035957693871061984-03-04T23:00:00.000+08:002020-06-22T19:57:59.460+08:00Guam: Toyota 109, Crispa 101 (March 4, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRQGqweAqup83Gjwcw0rOnkpPRPbLUxxZ-IO1MkrMtIOaUeP2I2nP3m7IWTfRiMPvx2msUAcHghAni946R-2XkV9AZWMzKIcnbJUaSGoHniryphX5YSgWh3HCzaTmnyHrUIc1PJ7D3Pg/s1600/IMG_20161024_192922+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1600" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRQGqweAqup83Gjwcw0rOnkpPRPbLUxxZ-IO1MkrMtIOaUeP2I2nP3m7IWTfRiMPvx2msUAcHghAni946R-2XkV9AZWMzKIcnbJUaSGoHniryphX5YSgWh3HCzaTmnyHrUIc1PJ7D3Pg/s400/IMG_20161024_192922+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota won the first of their two-game farewell series against Crispa in Guam behind Abe King and Robert Jaworski. The Super Corollas played their sendoff tour without star center Ramon Fernandez.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Toyota bombs Crispa</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>‘The boys were determined’</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Bert Eljera</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Tuesday March 6, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GUAM, March 5 (via Philcom) — Toyota, trying to leave behind the legacy of a true champion, played with its old fire Sunday to humble Crispa, 109-101 in a game filled with the color of their past encounters before a highly-enthusiastic crowd here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was close all the way and the match was decided in the last four minutes — as in most of their past encounters — with the Corollas finishing strong and the Redmanizers turning ice-cold.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Abe King, sizzling from afar, fired a game-high 32 points. Arnulfo Tuadles had 23 and nine rebounds, six of them offensive, but it was Robert Jaworski, playing with a sense of mission, who personally assured the victory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski scored on a drive and then drilled in a crucial three-point shot to spark a 10-0 wind-up as Toyota clawed back from 99-101 down to win pulling away in what many had considered an upset.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Redmanizers, finishing like lost lambs, were held to two free throws in the last four minutes and self destructed in a maze of errors while completely falling to exploit Toyota’s foul trouble.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The boys were determined. We needed the game more,” said assistant coach Quirino Salazar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski, who finished with 19 points, said that the game had more meaning to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“There was a sense of togetherness. The spirit was still there. Both teams played hard but the breaks went with us,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Toyota shot better in the second half. We also tended to relax when we were ahead,” said Crispa assistant coach Narciso Bernardo for his part.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was also a sort of a moral victory for Toyota which showed that it can beat Crispa even without prized center Ramon Fernandez.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski, whose running feud with Fernandez is an open secret, did not stress this, however and simply said that the Corollas played with more determination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I spent the best years of my career with Toyota. I’m sad that it has to end this way,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa, dominating the rebounds in the first half, led by as many as eight points, 39-31 but the Corollas came back in no tome and even led by nine, 87-78 in the third quarter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It looked as if the Redmanizers had the game in the bag when the Corollas went into penalty situation with still five minutes to go while they had still five fouls to use up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But after Philip Cezar canned in two free shots with 3:50 to go, the Redmanizers went scoreless. Cezar and Alberto Guidaben committed two passing errors and it was the end for Crispa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“They wanted to show they are still one of the best teams,” said Fortunato Co, Jr., who led Crispa with 25 points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The individual scores:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota (109) — King 32, Tuadles 23, Jaworski 19, Arnaiz 18, Loyzaga 9, Relosa 6, Legaspi 2, Coloso 0, Herrera 0, Florencio 0.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crispa (101) — Co 25, Guidaben 23, Cezar 16, Fabiosa 12, Hubalde 9, Villamin 7, Cristobal 6, Israel 2, Esguerra 0, Lim Eng Beng 0.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quarterscores: 29-31, 55-58, 85-78, 109-101.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-7272853219200799581984-03-04T06:00:00.000+08:002020-06-12T16:25:49.005+08:00The Day Toyota Died (March 4, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrGKNRdBI6xoggL_RWYnAxw20Yb4vTFu0OXRbAreVwCSwDoqMTvPHE7hppX13dkpq-TBahQCzjetqHrjoGAqFmpmEvJpFDwh8BH0nruvgvrpILpoT7Z_ycAGBS3eV9ZsHqZUvK6Q18PA/s1600/IMG_20161028_182033+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1161" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrGKNRdBI6xoggL_RWYnAxw20Yb4vTFu0OXRbAreVwCSwDoqMTvPHE7hppX13dkpq-TBahQCzjetqHrjoGAqFmpmEvJpFDwh8BH0nruvgvrpILpoT7Z_ycAGBS3eV9ZsHqZUvK6Q18PA/s400/IMG_20161028_182033+copy.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Al Mendoza looked back at the stunning decision of the Toyota management to sell its franchise to Beer Hausen prior to the start of the 1984 season in a lengthy feature published by the Philippine Panorama.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Day Toyota Died</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Al S. Mendoza</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Philippine Panorama</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Sunday March 4, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">THE ANNOUNCEMENT came minutes before noon of February 15.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Management has been grateful to all you guys,” Jack Rodriguez started. Ten men of all sizes didn’t know it was coming. They were all in a happy mood. They have no inkling that anybody, least of all Jack, would be so nasty as to break their hearts. Just the day before they had celebrated Valentine’s Day. One of the boys didn’t make it to Jack’s office because he had overslept.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Your achievements brought honor to the company,” Jack continued. “The feats that made Toyota one of the great basketball teams in the land made us all very happy and proud of you all.” Pause. The boys started to sense something eerie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Hey, what’s this?” one of them asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And he got the answer — swift, complete, cutting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The team has just been sold,” Jack said, “to Beer Hausen.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With that, all hell seemed to break loose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“How come?” asked Robert Jaworski. “Jack, how can you do this? Where’s decency here? I’ve worked this company for 12 years and now you tell me I have been sold. Twelve years, twelve years.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jack said: “Weren’t you paid?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Yes,” Jaworski said. “But we’re not talking of money here. We’re talking of decency, of respect, of dignity. You just can’t do that.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“But you have all been sold,” Jack said. “This afternoon, the new owners of your contracts want to meet you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaworski and the rest did not report to their new boss at the scheduled 4 p.m. press conference. Before he left Jack’s office, he told Jack: “You can’t do this to me.” Jaworski also said that if anybody was going to sell him to a new team, it should be he. “No one else.” The Big “J” of Philippine professional basketball was joined in the mourning by Chito Loyzaga, Emer Legaspi, Pol Herrera, Ed Cordero, Nick Bulaong, Ricky Relosa, Ramon Fernandez, Tim Coloso, and Arnie Tuadles. The team’s eleventh man, Francis Arnaiz, learned of Toyota’s death only the following morning, through the papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I was shocked,” said Arnaiz. “Why, I thought everything was fine with the team. But here it was. I woke up in the morning and saw the papers screaming with headlines that I had been sold. Hell! I can’t believe it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On reading the papers, Arnaiz fairly flew out of bed, jumped into his black Toyota Sedan and rushed to Jack’s office at the Sterling-Life Building in Makati.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Is it true, Jack?” Arnaiz asked Rodriguez. “Tell me it isn’t true.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jack was even a bit sarcastic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or he must have been indulging in black humor when he told the fuming Arnaiz: “Why, have you not been reading the papers?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Arnaiz had been <i>reading </i>the papers. And the papers had said that Toyota was on the brink of disbandment. It was Beth Celis, the spunky Tempo columnist, who first broke the news in print. The day came after Beth’s item came out, Arnaiz read Jack Rodriguez’s denial. In short, each time Beth wrote about Toyota’s impending death, Rodriguez came up with statements disputing Beth’s story. Arnaiz had even read that Jack had said: “I don’t know where they got that news (about Toyota’s disbandment). In fact, the team is very much intact. They’re now in training.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Indeed, the team had been training — even the day before the announcement of the team’s disbandment and subsequent sale to Beer Hausen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Said Jaworski: “The night before Jack broke the sad news to us, I got this call that the team would have a luncheon meeting at Jack’s office. I had no inkling whatsoever that Jack would announce Toyota’s death. Akala ko trip sa Guam ang pag-uusapan. Iyon pala, kinatay na kami.”<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They were murdered, all right. One sports columnist called it a “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Charges and countercharges were hurled by both sides, giving the papers some grand time on the streets. Jaworski and Arnaiz articulated the players’ stand, accusing Rodriguez of acting in bad faith when he sold the team to Beer Hausen “without our knowledge.” Jack countered that majority of the players knew all along that negotiations for their sale were going on, a stand many people considered lame because of Jaworski’s persistent denials that Toyota was on the verge of disbandment.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVM-5Yb10K4f6tkdwuJUsj9ZFB6SjoKWAwOjDCUW4-I6Ugy8684I7HarZUP-6IfTfHbEU3d00EyH6zXasA3nntK1D9XsyPD_dya3pvNk8YA5jAYzJhgYg9Ouwmo8JRuj-EeMrY0X4bTMU/s1600/IMG_20161028_182054+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVM-5Yb10K4f6tkdwuJUsj9ZFB6SjoKWAwOjDCUW4-I6Ugy8684I7HarZUP-6IfTfHbEU3d00EyH6zXasA3nntK1D9XsyPD_dya3pvNk8YA5jAYzJhgYg9Ouwmo8JRuj-EeMrY0X4bTMU/s320/IMG_20161028_182054+copy.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The last time the team had a meeting with Jack before he dropped the bombshell was on January 26. In that meeting, Jack said the team would not disband as Mr. Ricardo C. Silverio, owner of Toyota, had pledged P1 million for the team’s continued operation. Bill Warne, a millionaire supporter of the team, was reported to have pledged P1 million more, and both amounts were considered more than enough to keep the team going for the year 1984. So, when the January 26 meeting was adjourned, everybody in the team went home thinking that Toyota would still be around at the start of the Philippine Basketball Association’s new conference on March 25. Unknown to them, however, Jack was making negotiations with some prospective buyers. On the eve of Valentines’ Day, he managed to swing a deal with Shareholdings, Inc., owner of Beer Hausen. When Jack finally divulged the sale to the players, he told the boys: “I was given instructions by Mr. Silverio last Feb. 3 to negotiate for the sale of your contracts.” He also told sportswriters: “I’m sorry for having lied to you. I apologize. I lied because I believed that if I made public the plan to sell Toyota, the negotiations might be jeopardized.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But Jaworski, Arnaiz, Loyzaga and Tuadles, the most vocal of the 11 players, refused to buy Jack’s alibi. Said Jaworski and Arnaiz: “If it’s true that Jack got an order from RCS (Silverio) to sell the team, he should have been gentleman enough to inform us about it. It was a clear case of deception.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ramon Fernandez never participated in the war of words. And that was expected because he had been known to be anti-Jaworski. Before and after the sale, Fernandez had repeatedly told People’s Journal editor, Gus Villanueva, that he would play only for San Miguel. But four days after Toyota was sold to Beer Hausen, Fernandez said he was honoring the deal — and he called on his teammates to do the same. Before Fernandez’s press statement, Beer Hausen people had issued statements that the Beer Hausen team would be “built around Fernandez. Irked by Fernandez’s sudden turnabout, Mr. Villanueva ran a blazing frontpage story, entitled, “It’s Got To Be Money,” with a blown-up photo of Fernandez beside it. In the picture, Fernandez’s head was replaced with a ball, with a peso sign inscribed on it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">People are indeed perplexed at the way Toyota made its exit. Some say Toyota was not disbanding, that it was, in fact, murdered. Cage buffs mourn no end Toyota’s untimely demise, the way they grieved when Dante Silverio — the flamboyant coach who had given Toyota five of its nine titles — resigned after management overruled his attempt to discipline some players whom he reportedly caught, red-handed, dealing with game fixers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the day it was born in 1972 up to its death last February 14, Toyota, it seemed, had often been in turbulent weather. Nilo Verona, the first coach of the team, had made Toyota a Cinderella when he piloted the squad to victory its maiden stint in the 1972 MICAA, then basketball’s Big Time. But Verona later lost his job to Dante Silverio, for unclear reasons. Then, Fort Acuna, one of the original players of Toyota, succeeded Silverio. In 1981, Acuna (a former University of the Philippines standout) committed suicide by drinking insecticide, weeks after he was fired in the middle of a game by then team manager Pablo Carlos. Ed Ocampo, still considered the best basketball guard Asia has ever produced, replaced Acuna, but, after a relatively successful two-year stint with the team, his coaching career took a sharp dive: Toyota finished the 1983 PBA season dismally, winning not a single crown and faring badly even in the eliminations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Players, it is said, win games while coaches lose games. Ocampo lost the games. But fans understood the predicament he had in 1983. Player intramurals, notably the Jaworski-Fernandez feud, wracked the team. Toyota had been terribly hurt by the handicapping law wherein the team had to make do with short imports (6-1) for finishing brightly in 1982, while other teams could hire American imports as tall as 6-foot-11. Today, Ocampo has no team to coach in the PBA. And today, Ocampo loves to tell people, “1-2-3-4.” And what does that mean? “The first three Toyota coaches were fired,” Ocampo explains. “The fourth one, and that’s me, wasn’t fired. Instead, management fired all the players.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Toyota management did not just fire the players. Management kicked them in the ass before selling them like “candies,” underscoring the fact, once more, that in the asphalt jungle that is the PBA, the players it seems, are not human beings but, to quote Jaworski, “a herd of cattle.” Arnaiz scowls: “What has become of our morals?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Morals are nothing where money is concerned. Or so it seems. In pro basketball, the nation’s No. 1 entertainment factory as far as sports is concerned, money is everything. Toyota died, and a legend is gone. But in the cruel world of PBA showbiz, the show must go on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Notes: The article mentioned that Toyota was formed in 1972. The team made its debut in 1973, winning the MICAA championship that same year.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Fort Acuna died months after being fired in Game 3 of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference title series against Crispa. The article mentioned that he passed away weeks after his firing.</i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-41898102118596769851984-03-03T23:30:00.000+08:002020-06-15T23:20:32.391+08:00Guam: Crispa, Toyota prevail (March 3, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxfQvgrEWYAEZLSBO7NQSE0_D0KbvVU5pHCMAjkDT5xK1vpYPoHm3bhpK8fyC0IokLcVD1_ULVWEDyuDMA-ApqQDZveVOKYP6SJF3C4HSm63w1HAvOhUsvnJ3j8AAmo2XRrzI2s5OaDk/s1600/IMG_20161024_192857+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxfQvgrEWYAEZLSBO7NQSE0_D0KbvVU5pHCMAjkDT5xK1vpYPoHm3bhpK8fyC0IokLcVD1_ULVWEDyuDMA-ApqQDZveVOKYP6SJF3C4HSm63w1HAvOhUsvnJ3j8AAmo2XRrzI2s5OaDk/s400/IMG_20161024_192857+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa and Toyota handily beat their local counterparts in a prelude to their two-game exhibition series in Guam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa, Toyota win in Guam</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Joe Quirino</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Monday March 5, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">GUAM, March 4 (via Philcom) — Crispa showed too much class in routing the Varsity selection, 134-109, Saturday night in a warm-up for its duel with arch-rival Toyota here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was a real treat for the thousands of Filipino fans who jammed the University of Guam gym as the multi-titled Redmanizers virtually toyed with the Americans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Alberto Guidaben, the 1983 Most Valuable Player awardee, fired 13 of the Redmanizers’ first 19 points as Crispa spurted ahead, 31-11, after only 10 minutes and never looked back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota also badly outclassed the Guam All-Stars, 117-104, with Danny Florencio, one of the most popular players here, coming through with a vintage performance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The games were nothing more than limbering up exercises for the Redmanizers and the Corollas, the giants of the PBA who will be parting ways with the disbandment of Toyota this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fans here warmly received the players and the Filipinos are as passionate about the game as the fans back home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Girls would line up to get the autographs of the players and the old-timers have good words for everybody.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It seems fitting that the Crispa-Toyota rivalry would end in this island where 30 percent of the 20,000 population is composed of Filipinos, most of whom are Ilocanos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The promotion is a joint project of the Bayanihan Sports Club and the Guam Lions Club and was put together by Oscar Violago, a Makati businessman.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-40627374182017955991984-03-03T23:00:00.000+08:002020-06-12T19:22:47.685+08:00Guam: Crispa, Toyota play local teams (March 3, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HUm3vYj1KZptn7VM8USTz4Wnqzufi59L3X-GyvG85EEzBcwSVEDPvmWBWEGqqDRaT2bxXJjzuM00buCzJ4U6dEFjFPG1tIu04US0sf9MIn0aCKOQy1IKIl0YLGvtcBHIjhOCjLPm_ac/s1600/IMG_20161024_192804+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HUm3vYj1KZptn7VM8USTz4Wnqzufi59L3X-GyvG85EEzBcwSVEDPvmWBWEGqqDRaT2bxXJjzuM00buCzJ4U6dEFjFPG1tIu04US0sf9MIn0aCKOQy1IKIl0YLGvtcBHIjhOCjLPm_ac/s400/IMG_20161024_192804+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa and Toyota arrived in Guam for a two-game exhibition series to cap off their storied rivalry. The series came almost a month after the stunning sale of the Toyota franchise to Beer Hausen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa, Toyota play today</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Bert Eljera</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Sunday March 4, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">GUAM, March 3 (via Philcom) — The series they have been calling here as a dream-come-true but actually is the curtain call of the storied Crispa-Toyota rivalry gets going tomorrow at the 4,000-seat University of Guam gym.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa takes on the varsity selection, the stronger of two local sides the pros will be playing against, at 8 p.m. while Toyota meets the Guam All-Stars, a team powered by players from the University of Guam at 6:15 p.m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It will be the start of the three-day nostalgia filled series that has expectedly generated excitement among the 30,000 strong Filipino community here and serves likes a homecoming for some Toyota players.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota stars Robert Jaworski and Danilo Florencio, both college players then, played here in the late 60s in a riotous match that continue to be the talk of Filipino basketball fans up to this day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa and Toyota will play the first of two scheduled matches tomorrow and all indications point that the players are taking the series seriously as if the games will finally resolve the issue of which of the two is the better team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although both coaches called for an optional practice Saturday, most of the players turned up in what could be a fair gauge of their taking the games to heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Coach Tommy Manotoc, who is expected to arrive here Sunday together with team owner Danny Floro, will call the shots for the Redmanizers while assistant coach Quirino Salazar will pilot the Corollas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Actually, only one game was scheduled for Crispa and Toyota against each other, but it was changed Saturday to accommodate the request of their fans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second game will be played Monday.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-58888199718029410761984-02-16T23:00:00.001+08:002021-02-15T20:57:23.722+08:00Jaworski, Arnaiz blast sale (Feb. 16, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVsLOp1q98K4Io5VXv3eEklra0ZqcYBaEZN-9fSSyUaG3IX5XtumBp72HFhpBgQ6eQ1CWpZgvoqYicrfFJhj2-lCYO_DefXK6TrLiZsezS7ry9TAjipTrWj1e0IlfLQVxNQrTE7redXI/s1600/Untitled+377.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVsLOp1q98K4Io5VXv3eEklra0ZqcYBaEZN-9fSSyUaG3IX5XtumBp72HFhpBgQ6eQ1CWpZgvoqYicrfFJhj2-lCYO_DefXK6TrLiZsezS7ry9TAjipTrWj1e0IlfLQVxNQrTE7redXI/s400/Untitled+377.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota’s stunning sale to Beer Hausen left hurt feelings among its players, particularly the backcourt tandem of Robert Jaworski and Francis Arnaiz.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>JAWORSKI, ARNAIZ BLAST SALE</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>‘Unfair and immoral’</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Al Mendoza</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Friday Feb. 17, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Robert Jaworski yesterday threatened to quit basketball while Francis Arnaiz branded as “highly immoral” his sale to Beer Hausen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I was hurt,” said Jaworski. “Most of us were not consulted about the sale. The management made a totally unfair decision when they sold out to Beer Hausen.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jaworski and Arnaiz, together with nine other Toyota players, were sold to Beer Hausen Tuesday in a management decision that shocked millions of basketball fans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Said Jaworski: “I will not take this sitting down. I’m not a piece of candy. I’m a human being. They should respect me.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz said the Delta Motor Company, owner of Toyota, acted in bad faith when it sold the team to Beer Hausen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hindi ako por kilo,” Arnaiz wailed. “I’ve been with Toyota for 12 years and I’ve been very loyal to management. Why must they do this to me?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz said he will question the sale no matter what happens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz added: “I never wanted to be sold. All along, I thought everything was fine despite some intramurals within the team. Then we woke up in the morning and read the screaming headlines that Toyota as sold. What has become of our morals?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz added that his contract with Toyota “was just a piece of paper.” He said that there’s something deeper than that piece of paper, and that’s loyalty, personal feelings and self respect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Said Arnaiz: “I’ve never made a mistake in my 12 years of stay with Toyota. Now, why have they done this to me? Why wasn’t I consulted?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A pall of gloom descended on the Toyota headquarters in Bel Air, Makati yesterday even as Jaworski, Arnaiz, Arnie Tuadles and Chito Loyzaga made a surprise visit there to review matters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Toyota source said that before the sale to Beer Hausen was made, some Toyota players had received promises from Toyota management that they will be released.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But all of a sudden, the sale was made, causing anger and hurt feelings among majority of the players,” the source said. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jaworski and Arnaiz are now questioning the validity of the sale.</span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“This matter is not resolved,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">” said Jaworski, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“you could say that Philippine basketball is in a real shocker. As of now, I do not even intend (incomplete)</span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arnaiz said he has always kept his composure in the past. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“This, however,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">” said Arnaiz. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“I'll have to stand up and speak up my mind I have been wronged. I know who is right. And I'm willing to face consequence. Whatever comes out of (incomplete)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-15456650699339845911984-02-15T23:00:00.002+08:002021-02-15T20:42:58.178+08:00Toyota disbanded (Feb. 15, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2CK_Ds4CmjaNV2wRyqnK9tfiqgQida14IwUTiGcLwd_FZpMFCE78g0Kdr4rBFN90-iCFe4F9ihA2X55kpyoLNivU8dQArUMU2pJ1B8sRAnIetFZOLRJnVwSW_8DktGjGxurG29PkiL0/s1600/IMG_20180125_183717+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2CK_Ds4CmjaNV2wRyqnK9tfiqgQida14IwUTiGcLwd_FZpMFCE78g0Kdr4rBFN90-iCFe4F9ihA2X55kpyoLNivU8dQArUMU2pJ1B8sRAnIetFZOLRJnVwSW_8DktGjGxurG29PkiL0/s400/IMG_20180125_183717+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota team manager Jack Rodriguez announced the sale of its PBA franchise to Beer Hausen, a day after rumors of the Super Corollas' demise came out in the Valentine's Day issue of Tempo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Corollas to Hausen</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Rey Bancod</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Thursday Feb. 16, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota, winner of nine PBA titles, formally announced yesterday the disbandment of its team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota players, led by 1982 Most Valuable Player Ramon Fernandez, have all been sold to a new league member, Shareholding Incorporated of the Lucio Tan group. The team will carry the name Beer Hausen and will be coached by veteran Bonnie Carbonell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota, however, retained its franchise and coach Ed Ocampo, who has been instructed to form another team that will participate in amateur tournaments.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The sale capped weeks of negotiations between Toyota and Shareholding and ended conflicting reports which have been circulating lately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota team manager Jack Rodriguez, who met the press yesterday, attributed the “shocking” development to the hard times which had the automative industry hard-hit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“From a work force of a few thousands, we are now reduced to a mere three hundred employees,” said Rodriguez, gloom written on his face. “Mr. Ricardo Silverio believes that it would be unconscionable, under such circumstances, to maintain a high caliber basketball team.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rodriguez said there have been efforts to save the team, like slashing the budget, “but the morality of the problem is there.” He apologized to the press for denying negotiations, fearing that it may jeopardize the on-going talks with Shareholding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tuesday night, Valentine’s Day, Rodriguez said negotiations were concluded and Toyota lost its star-studded team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All the existing contracts between Toyota and its players will be absorbed by the new team, Rodriguez said.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05ALR18AdWCM7gXd2vmW66K_AYXIMbAD_2asmKsJgQYoTUsuKY9Pg1LlgSvI8T3_IqkFvFTUuRPx2mbGgDp7buyeb5EhmBq0g15TEL40HBIEBw1J6iQxzb2HSTXZ1wYl3SsayO-l5EDI/s1600/IMG_20180125_183624+copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05ALR18AdWCM7gXd2vmW66K_AYXIMbAD_2asmKsJgQYoTUsuKY9Pg1LlgSvI8T3_IqkFvFTUuRPx2mbGgDp7buyeb5EhmBq0g15TEL40HBIEBw1J6iQxzb2HSTXZ1wYl3SsayO-l5EDI/s320/IMG_20180125_183624+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“We want to have this team which we formed and reared for 10 years to stay intact so we negotiated with several parties,” added Rodriguez. “The negotiations were aimed at protecting the interests and the future of our players, as well as the PBA and our fans.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">PBA Commissioner Mariano Yenko, who joined the press conference, said this was the first time that he attended a press confab with a heavy heart but added that the show must go on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“There will be an initial shock among Toyota’s legion of fans but I’m sure they will get over it,” said Yenko.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rodriguez, however, assured fans and supporters that Toyota will be back to uphold its great tradition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“To them we pledge…Toyota will be back. And when we come back, we will do so with the same style that has characterized our team in the glory days of the PBA,” Rodriguez vowed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota won two All-Filipino titles, three Invitational crowns, three Open and one Reinforced in a glittering career highlighted by its fabled rivalry with Crispa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Toyota will play its last matches against Crispa in Guam starting March 3. Ironically, Toyota’s “last hurrah” will not be held here in the old battleground, where great battles were waged in almost a decade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rodriguez expressed his gratitude to Shareholding for allowing its players to play in Guam and San Miguel Beer for letting Abe King join his former teammates.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-34458182025581124261984-02-14T06:00:00.001+08:002021-02-15T20:34:43.244+08:00Goodbye Toyota (Feb. 14, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9bcfO7NnByDChiHsr5XnP9w9zyD1qCsDG4sPB4GKp4lo-R_UFoleOIYoqKxPLPKPXrLuC2xWh4PnyNv4HstQQ09CbHhkH9OkOf-XIAXpIBG5GlA5Ag5TOpMU7ObJPBbb72NncjA3Ujc/s1600/IMG_20180125_183552+copy+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9bcfO7NnByDChiHsr5XnP9w9zyD1qCsDG4sPB4GKp4lo-R_UFoleOIYoqKxPLPKPXrLuC2xWh4PnyNv4HstQQ09CbHhkH9OkOf-XIAXpIBG5GlA5Ag5TOpMU7ObJPBbb72NncjA3Ujc/s400/IMG_20180125_183552+copy+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Valentine's Day turned out to be a sour one for Toyota fans after Tempo columnist Beth Celis first reported the team's decision to disband before the start of the 1984 PBA season despite a denial from team manager Jack Rodriguez.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Goodbye Toyota</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Beth Celis</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Tuesday Feb. 14, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota is out of the All-Filipino conference of the Philippine Basketball Association. And, for all intents and purposes, Toyota won’t be around the rest of the pro season.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A confidential source, who requested anonymity, yesterday, confirmed a Tempo report that Toyota is disbanding this year due to the hard times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“It is definite. Management has made the decision to disband the team,” the source said. “It is irrevocable.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Told that Toyota team manager Jack Rodriguez had denied any plan to disband the team, the source countered: “Let him deny it, the inevitable will come. Just wait and see.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only a miracle, according to the source, could stop the disbandment of Toyota. One option is to sell the Toyota franchise and all the players to an interested buyer, including Greggy Araneta, the President’s son-in-law.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was gathered that Toyota has been negotiated with some clubs who have shown interest in its players.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The talks are top-level,” the source stated, “with even the coaches of the teams involved unaware of what’s going on.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The reason Toyota wanted to keep the disbandment decision hush-hush is because of the ongoing negotiations for player sale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The other PBA clubs may not negotiate with Toyota anymore if the team is disbanding,” the source said. “They would rather wait for the Toyota players to become free agents so they would be less expensive.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rodriguez, when contacted by this paper’s Rey Bancod yesterday, vehemently denied that Toyota is disbanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I don’t know where you got the story,” Rodriguez said. “If there is one man who can disband the team that’s Don Ricardo Silverio and he is out of the country.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Tempo source said it was Rodriguez himself who recommended to management the disbanding of the second most winningest team in the play-for-pay loop.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-20587374757598517301984-02-13T23:30:00.000+08:002020-06-20T23:27:56.665+08:00Toyota-Crispa in Guam (Feb. 13, 1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYaGmhR7Emomtwjl1zjVfxWCbiJ0P-LLBYzcy_WVtxvaQa9cPO3fh3hQ-0WK-VYdOvB-whAoPhWspOJiwzCikX3g06f8870J_QGJsFr3T2ohjI2IrgKDpGU3HH5NF8LG4KjfRZhLYzS4/s1600/IMG_20180125_183552+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1081" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYaGmhR7Emomtwjl1zjVfxWCbiJ0P-LLBYzcy_WVtxvaQa9cPO3fh3hQ-0WK-VYdOvB-whAoPhWspOJiwzCikX3g06f8870J_QGJsFr3T2ohjI2IrgKDpGU3HH5NF8LG4KjfRZhLYzS4/s400/IMG_20180125_183552+copy.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Team manager Jack Rodriguez confirmed Toyota’s participation in a goodwill series against Crispa in Guam, marking the first time the rivalry will be played on foreign soil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Toyota to Guam vs Crispa</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Published Tuesday Feb. 14, 1984</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s definite Crispa and Toyota, the country’s winningest professional ballclubs, will play a two-game exhibition series starting Feb. 29 in Guam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Touyota team manager Jack Rodriguez made the confirmation yesterday as he looked forward to the first meeting of the two teams outside the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I think we are ready,” Rodriguez said. “These boys are professionals. Even during off season, they still keep their body in shape.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rodriguez said the team which played in the 1983 season will go to Guam, including Abe King, who has been traded to San Miguel Beer this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Mon (Fernandez), Sonny (Jaworski) and Abe (King) will go there,” said Rodriguez, who became Toyota’s manager last year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Crispa-Toyota matches in Guam are being sponsored by the Filipino groups there. One of thre leaders behind the project is Filipino TV host Popoy Zamora who is based in Agana, Guam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rodriguez said he is not aware if there are games pitting Toyota with another team. Aside from Toyota, Crispa will meet Guam’s strongest quintet before proceeding to Hawaii where it will resume its goodwill series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While in Honolulu, the Redmanizers will clash with the University of Chaminade varsity team, Hawaii’s top basketball squad. The Chaminade, it will be recalled, beat the highly-rated University of Kentucky which then had 7-4 Ralph Sampson, who now plays in the NBA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chaminade’s victory over the Sampson-led Kentucky was considered the biggest basketball upset in amateur caging in the United States.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Note: The story erroneously mentioned University of Chaminade beating Kentucky. Chaminade beat Virginia which was led by Ralph Sampson.</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161089601070197074.post-32278831470802104791983-10-09T23:00:00.000+08:002020-05-21T22:35:58.880+08:00Game 123: Crispa 111, Toyota 96 (Oct. 9, 1983)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZGHbOXOEAoxHhVWD0mZo8i3Vc7tEH_4dbYroxlRDM-nsuQha5glQtRZvZMD1oMvpS2tNBccvp7YESaw7UsvD15xqFMmguEKQEeCC_xtd29DpkAjjEIeSUchsz3pkl8kN-MiEqDWdsTk/s1600/IMG_20161024_192248+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="1600" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZGHbOXOEAoxHhVWD0mZo8i3Vc7tEH_4dbYroxlRDM-nsuQha5glQtRZvZMD1oMvpS2tNBccvp7YESaw7UsvD15xqFMmguEKQEeCC_xtd29DpkAjjEIeSUchsz3pkl8kN-MiEqDWdsTk/s400/IMG_20161024_192248+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa beat Toyota in their 123rd and final PBA meeting to boost its chances of an outright semifinals berth in the 1983 Open Conference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Crispa over Toyota</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tempo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Published Monday Oct. 10, 1983</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa made maximum use of its two-import advantage to throttle blood rival Toyota, 111-96, in a game that was crucial to both teams in their quest for a quarterfinal berth in the PBA Open Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Billy Ray Bates teamed with Freddie Hubalde in the last three minutes after Robert Jaworski pushed Toyota to within two points, 94-96, for a 9-2 closing spurt to seal Crispa’s sixth win in 10 starts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Redmanizers thus revived their hope for an outright semifinal slot. Great Taste, with eight wins and two losses, appeared to have clinched the other semifinal seat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On the other hand, the loss dropped Toyota into a four-way tie with Winston, Tandiay Rhum and Gilbey’s Gin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Winston Kings demolished Tanduay, 119-106, to score their third straight victory, and their fourth under new coach Lauro Mumar. It was Tanduay’s fifth consecutive loss after a fiery start.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TWwbjl_vprV6iur3Mgp4ZNuD8y-QM1QgUOn4u-y0AMoQ5SBkzHbFp_i0a0hR7swsEcee4Ww_ufvbz76Y2Xx9lZZv-sqqTgzN60RRJyci0x7UYmbg4iz9Jlv4EM6f_aS0qCTB8mD1RWA/s1600/IMG_20161024_192333+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="915" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TWwbjl_vprV6iur3Mgp4ZNuD8y-QM1QgUOn4u-y0AMoQ5SBkzHbFp_i0a0hR7swsEcee4Ww_ufvbz76Y2Xx9lZZv-sqqTgzN60RRJyci0x7UYmbg4iz9Jlv4EM6f_aS0qCTB8mD1RWA/s320/IMG_20161024_192333+copy.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Andy Fields, playing his second game after a bout with the flu, could not come up with his usual brilliant all-around play. He had to contend with Crispa’s Bates and Larry Demic and this apparently sapped his strength.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez, with some help from Emer Legaspi and Nic Bulaong in the earlier going, carried the fight for the Super Corollas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota battled Crispa tooth-and-nail for three quarters before collapsing in the closing minutes as fatigue and Bates’ unstoppable sallies combined to take the sting out of the Corolla’s game stand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Super Corollas, with shock troopers Nick Bulaong and Emerito Legaspi coming off the bench and stringing eight points between them, took an early 20-13 lead as the Redmanizers turned up with a chilly first quarter shooting average.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arturo Cristobal, however, sparked a swirling 8-0 offensive that wiped out the Toyota lead and shoved Crispa in front, 22-21, early in the second quarter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A torrid exchange ensued between Ramon Fernandez and Billy Ray Bates, resulting in five deadlocks, the last at 49-all, before Crispa took the half by a hairline, 50-49.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Larry Demic, earlier rumored to be ill, showed up with Abet Guidaben, just recovered from flu, to complete a show of force by the Redmanizers. Toyota played minus Francis Arnaiz who was still ailing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The individual scores:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crispa 111 — Bates 46, Hubalde 15, Demic 14, Cezar 8, Fabiosa 6, Guidaben 6, Cruz 6, Cristobal 4, Co 4, Villamin 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toyota 96 — Fields 20, Fernandez 19, Jaworski 15, Bulaong 10, Legaspi 8, Tuadles 7, King 7, Brewster 6, Herrera 4, Coloso 0, Relosa 0.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quarterscores: 19-20, 56-49, 75-73, 111-96.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Note: Crispa wound up tying Great Taste for the best record after the eliminations at 9-5 to claim an outright semifinals berth. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Toyota, on the other hand, lost to Tanduay n a playoff for the last quarterfinals slot. The Super Corollas would disband before the 1984 season, ending the tenure of one of the PBA’s greatest teams.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Redmanizers advanced to the finals where they swept the Coffee Makers in three games to complete the PBA’s second Grand Slam.</i></span></div>
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