I think by the time I get to post this, you've already heard of the rumors saying that UST head coach Pido Jarencio will soon be named as the new head coach of the GlobalPort Batang Pier.
Well, this is the transcription of our interview (which could potentially be the last as a PBA head coach, for now) with the still-GlobalPort head coach Ritchie Ticzon (The question is, until when?) after they bowed out in the quarterfinals last Wednesday to Rain or Shine.
On his plans for the future of GlobalPort
Hindi ko alam. I really don't know. I'm not even sure if I'll be the head coach (next conference). Interim ako eh, so I can't answer about the future, promise.
Did the Batang Pier reach its goal for the Philippine Cup?
Palagay ko, hindi eh. Our goal was to enter the quarters na number 5 or 6 sana. Kaso lang 7 eh, so kulang.
Take note that we have five rookies [Terrence Romeo, RR Garcia, Justin Chua, Nico Salva, and LA Revilla] that were playing and four sophomores [Kelly Nabong, Marvin Hayes, Jewel Ponferrada, and Jaypee Belencion]. Yun ang composition ng team and I really think na it played a big role that we are young, but its never an excuse. Hopefully in the future, magco-compete tayo ng better.
What's your assessment of your team in the conference?
Its all about consistency. We were able to compete with a lot of teams. We were able to beat tough teams. Yung mga talo naman natin, it was close. Di naman masyadong tambakan lahat, so I really feel that we are competing. Kaya lang, yung consistency part. We were not able to compete for 48 minutes. That, we have to address.
On his personal assessment as a PBA coach
I really am a far cry to all of the coaches in the PBA, period. Malayo pa ko. Malayo, as in malayong malayo. I still have a lot to learn.
*****
What bugged me most is this exchange that we had at the end of the interview.
Question: What about your team in the next conference, coach?
Ritchie Ticzon: I haven't thought about that yet.
Q: May meetings na po ba kayong slated with Sir Mikee?
RT: Wala pa.
Q: Practices?
RT: Wala pa. Text-text na lang daw pag may time. [laughs]
Even Ticzon knows that his return to the bench for GlobalPort is bleak.
*****
As an ardent San Miguel/Petron fan before I got to this writing job with the PBA (I'm toning down my fan-boying moments, except if I'm face-to-face with coach Olsen Racela. Sorry. Idol eh.), I always enjoyed the image of the coaching staff sitting there side-by-side, as the Beermen's/Boosters' coaching staff always outnumbered the competition. Like one team would only have four assistant coaches, while Petron would have (pre-head coach) Gee Abanilla, Biboy Ravanes, Freddie Abuda (then-consultant) Ato Agustin, Pido Jarencio, Bobby Parks, (pre-head coach) Olsen Racela, and Hector Calma sitting there like they can enter the game as a fourth platoon when the first three won't work for the team.
When coach Olsen took the head coaching duties for Petron, Jarencio was a more evident assistant, whispering notes to Racela whenever he needs it.
As time went by, I saw coach Pido's role to the coaching staff of Petron diminish as his seat went further to the back.
Intrigued by this development, I asked one of the UST assistant coaches if coach Pido is still an assistant to the team, and he said, "Oo naman! Nagpaalam lang si coach na magpopokus muna sya sa UST hanggang sa matapos yung UAAP, tapos babalik din sya dun. Parang kay coach Boycie (Zamar with UE) at Juno (Sauler with La Salle)."
The UAAP season ended and there were no Pidos in the Petron bench.
Rumor has it that coach Pido got the ire of some official, but the reason is as blurry as a Jayson Castro drive. Even those I asked who follow the PBA religiously doesn't have any explanations with the Pido situation in SMC.
*****
A day before the UAAP semifinal game between UST and NU in the past season, I visited the Tigers' practice and wanted to talk to coach Pido. I was there not to get any scoops or quotes or insights. I just wanted to ask coach Pido about something I read on Twitter.
You see, just a day before the Tigers faced the Bulldogs in the Final Four, with UST's back against the wall as at that time, NU still had that twice-to-beat edge, I read a tweet from a writer which completely stated that this would be the last season for Jarencio in Espana.
After leading UST to a shocking championship run in 2006 in his rookie coaching season, Jarencio's name is always there in the rumor mill as the coach who is most likely to get fired at the end of the season, something which the very outspoken bench tactician has accustomed himself to over the years.
Despite all of this and after eight years on the job, coach Pido has stayed in his seat and is the longest tenured coach out of the eight head coaches in the 76th season of the UAAP.
But its the timing that has really bugged me. We are in the middle of the Final Four and this rumor comes out? (Maybe I'm the only one who saw the tweet since the news didn't really broke out that big during that time.)
Jarencio's name was floated one too many times before, often being groomed as a potential coach for this team and that team. The ones which I can remember were Barako Bull and Ginebra.
So right at that moment, at the end of the Tigers' practice and moments before coach Pido got himself in pictures with adoring Thomasians, I asked him that.
Question: Coach, nabasa ko last season niyo na daw po ito sa UST? :(
Pido Jarencio: San mo na naman nabasa yan?! Lagi namang may ganyan eh. Pero ako, pokus lang tayo sa susunod na laro. Sa akin naman, hangga't masaya pa ang kaparian sa ginagawa ko sa UST, masaya ako. Kung gusto pa nila ako dito, pasalamat tayo. Kung ayaw na nila, masaya pa rin tayo, kasi kahit paano napagsilbihan natin ang UST, di ba? [smiles]
Then, he proceeded to the swarms of students.
*****
Eto ang akin.
Kung totoo man, masaya ako para kay coach Pido. Kahit madalas nyang sinasabing "tsamba" lang yung mga panalo ng UST, na minsan nagagamit din against sa kanya kesho nananalo lang sila dahil magaling yung players, kailangan din nating bigyan ng credit si coach.
Medyo magiging kakaiba nga lang pag dumating yung time na wala na yung makulit na coach sa press conference na minsan magbibitaw ng medyo racist o homophobic comments, as well as yung matabang coach (Not my term, coach. Sinabi lang sa kin ng kaibigan ko. Promise!) na pinupuntahan ng mga estudyante sa QPav para magpa-picture.
Sabi nga ng mga mas eksperto, its about time na mabigyan ng break si coach Pido.
Di ba intriguing yon, si Pido at ang BroNation sa PBA?
Well, kung matuloy man to, di na natin kailangang isipin, kasi malay nyo, malapit na ring magkatotoo.
Sinabi na rin naman ni coach Pido na malaki ang tiwala nya sa maiiwan nya sa UST, lalo na kay coach Estong Ballesteros.
Kung nagtiwala kayo sa walong taon na nagbunga ng isang kampeonato, dalawang silver-medal finish (Oo, kasama sa computation ng general championship yung runner-up finish.), at anim na Final Four appearance, siguro panahon na rin para makita natin yung kakayahan ng iba sa UST, the same way na masusubukan si coach Pido sa PBA, ngayon bilang coach.
Malay nyo, mag-Finals ang GlobalPort sa Commissioner's Cup.
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| Puso. Pride. Palaban. Pi-Bro? (c) My good buddy Max Serafica |
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