View from atop the aerie (I)
Saturday, 7 November 2009 2,362 Views / 62 Comments
First of two parts
In 2004, I, together with our current columnists Mike Abasolo and Sid Ventura, as well as our former columnist Kim Lesaca, was a writer for the now-defunct website www.uaapgames.com. One of my thrusts then was to make the current UAAP fans more familiar with the players and occurrences in the UAAP from yesteryear. I spoke to several former players/stars and inquired whether they were willing to allow me to write about them, their careers and their current lives. Most declined. But one was very enthusiastic and tremendously helpful – former Ateneo Blue Eagles center Danny Francisco. Thus, with due permission from Danny, and with the blessing of my colleagues here on our site, I am republishing the article I wrote, which consists of two parts. Danny helped me update it a little. In reading this, do take note that Danny gave most of his views during UAAP Season 67, just before the Ateneo Blue Eagles had a playoff game against De La Salle University on 14 September 2004 and before DLSU finally eliminated Ateneo on 19 September 2004.
In the late 1980s, Ateneo de Manila University was a dominant team in the UAAP Seniors’ basketball tournament. In 1987 and 1988, the Blue Eagles stamped their legacy by winning back-to-back titles against the Jerry Codiñera-led University of the East Warriors and the Dindo Pumaren-led De La Salle Green Archers, respectively. In the middle of the successful equation that Ateneo had at the time, was a character who was truly a center of attention, towering at the hub of the Ateneo huddle. At six feet and six inches tall, Daniel Tirona Francisco, “Dannyâ€, as he is more familiarly known, had a unique viewpoint, which not many, especially during that time, enjoyed.
Touted as the next Ramon Fernandez, who was then already a three-time Most Valuable Player of the Philippine Basketball Association and working on his fourth, even bigger things were in store for this towering package. Not only was his height an obvious advantage, but his ball-handling and shooting skills were exceptional, even unheard of in Philippine hoops history, from a man of such stature. Sixteen years (now twenty-one) after the back-to-back, the time is right to pay homage to one of the “forefathersâ€, so to speak, of the current Blue Eagles. Hereunder is a look at the life of Danny Francisco.
Born as the youngest in a brood of eight children on 21 April 1969, Danny had a lot of competition growing up, trying to fight his way up the pecking order in the Francisco household. As a boy, Danny initially took to swimming as a competitive sport, and actually competed at different age group levels. However, by the time he was in the third grade at Ateneo, the sports interest of Danny shifted to basketball, the sport wherein he would excel and which would bring him personal and team glory in the not-so-distant future.
Quickly assimilating himself into the rigors of basketball, Danny was on different Ateneo Grade School teams that competed in the popular tournaments such as PRADA and PAYA. Already he was a budding center, lacking in beef and brawn, but making up for it with determination and persistence.
Basketball success continued for Danny in High School, playing for the Blue Eaglets. The buzz around basketball circles at the time was that two potentially legendary centers were developing at about the same time – Danny and Venancio “Benjie†Paras of the San Beda Red Cubs, who was playing under UAAP Season 67 Commissioner Ato Badolato. While Benjie was out-muscling any other high school player that stepped in his path and slamming the ball through the basket on every play, Danny was knocking down lefty jumpers, spinning for hoops inside and making nifty passes to open teammates. Opening day of the MMBL tournament in 1985 at the Loyola Gym showcased the two centers against each other. Truly, the possible future pillars of Philippine basketball were the main attraction that afternoon.
The Ateneo High School career of Danny ended on a high note. In the 1986 UAAP season, the Blue Eaglets, guided by the steady hand of Chot Reyes, coach of Coca-Cola in the PBA in 2004, and now Talk N Text, and led by Danny in the middle, completed an amazing feat as they swept all fourteen of their games and were crowned outright champions of the Juniors’ tournament.
Observers of the UAAP Seniors’ tournament at the time could not help but get excited for the next season. Benjie Paras, who had gone on to play for the University of the Philippines Maroons a year earlier, had brought UP all the way to the Seniors’ tournament title as a freshman, over the league’s resident premier center, Jerry Codiñera of UE. Could Danny do the same? Codiñera was still around. Far Eastern University had the late Jack Tanuan as their man in the middle, the University of Santo Tomas had the late Gido Babilonia and La Salle had Dickie Bachmann and Joey Santamaria, all of whom would go on to play in the PBA. Truly, this was the time of the big men in a big man’s game. And now, Danny Francisco, erstwhile highly-regarded high school player was joining the fray as a member of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
The year 1987 was a challenging one for Danny. The veteran UAAP centers pounded on him, testing him to see if the high school phenom could hack it in a men’s tournament. With the help of all his teammates, Danny held his ground and was impressive, albeit not dominant. The entire team, though, was a dominant force, with reliable starters and alternates at each position and a veteran coach in Cris Calilan. Ateneo would roll to the title against formidable UE, with Danny as a main contributor. Danny had ended his Juniors’ career and started his Seniors’ career on championship teams – a smooth transition indeed.
The following year, the Blue Eagles looked even more formidable. Danny calls the 1988 team “possibly the most complete (UAAP) team of all time.†Former Blue Eagle Fritz Gaston had taken the coaching reins from Calilan. Helping Danny out at center was future number one pick in the PBA Draft, Alex Araneta. At the forward slots were enforcer Seph Canlas and former La Salle Greenhills High School star Eric Reyes. Dr. Jet Nieto (yes, he is now a doctor) filled up the basket at the shooting guard spot and Jun Reyes, who was an Alaska Milk Assistant Coach in 2004, manned the point, with perennial PBA all-star Olsen Racela as the reliable back-up. The other steady players on the roster were utility men Gene Afable, Mel Basa, Albert Mendoza, Raymond Morales and Rico Santiago. From top to bottom, the team was stacked.
The 1988 pre-season prediction was that either Ateneo or La Salle would emerge as champion, although UP, UE and the University of Santo Tomas had something to say about that. But this prediction stirred the long-slumbering Ateneo-La Salle rivalry, and as the season progressed, the newly-awakened rivalry grew more intense as the two teams were on a collision course.
True enough, after hurdling all obstacles in their way and guided by Destiny, La Salle and Ateneo met in the finals of the 1988 UAAP season. The title-clinching game was truly a classic. Nip and tuck almost all the way, the big men of La Salle (Bachmann, Santamaria, George Peralta and freshman Zandro Limpot) battled Danny and the Ateneo frontline underneath, while Pumaren and Jun Reyes provided a splendid match-up at the one guard spot. Pumaren did all he could to keep La Salle in the game, but at the end, the powerful Blue Eagle team snatched the victory, capped by a slam dunk by Danny in the last few seconds of the game. In a dominant performance, Danny ended the game with fourteen points and twenty-four rebounds. The back-to-back was in the bag.
In 1989, Danny donned the national colors as the starting center of the Philippine Youth Team to the Asian Basketball Conference Youth Championships. Other notable players on the team were Racela, Limpot, Vergel Meneses, Victor Pablo, EJ Feihl, Johnedel Cardel, Romulo Orillosa, Jojo Lim, Joey Guanio and Mar Anthony Magada. China was bannered that year by the young Ma Jian and Song Li Gang. Although the Philippine team failed to win the crown, finishing third, Danny gave Ma Jian headaches. The possibilities for Danny seemed endless as he made a strong showing and even ended the tournament in the game for third place with a buzzer-beating heave from half court.
During the UAAP off-season in 1989, following his experience with the National Team, Danny had a short stint with Magnolia Ice Cream in the PABL (now PBL). Shortly thereafter, however, the life and basketball career of Danny would suffer a severe blow.
To be continued.
(6 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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first una ako
kakabitin ung story. nice to hear these articles regarding classic college hoops. sana nga mag televise sila ng uaap games ng 80s at 90s. pero 2001 na ata pinakaluma sa studio23. i miss watching danny play, jun reyes and olsen racela is indeed a hell of a duo. i even remembered danny francisco exhibiting those fancy big man moves ala el presidente ramon fernandez. sayang talaga ang career ni danny… madaming papahirapang sentro sa PBA sana yun. kahit cguro import because of his length and speed at his position. rarely you will see a 6-6″ guy move like danny francisco. but i disagree dun sa sinabi nya na most complete team ung batch nila. 2002 ADMU lineup para sa akin ang most complete team. sabay sabay nagblossom ung starting 5. and ung mga bench players became starters few years later. halos 3/4 ng team na yun napunta sa PBA.
Gandang Article ah. Well done, Mr. Cuna. Cant wait for part 2. But what I want to know is, who is Mr. Danny Francisco more comparable to the Blue Eagle’s former Powerhouse Centers, Enrico Villanueva and Rabeh Al-Hussaini? Or can he dominate them?
@more money… pacquiao
i am 45 yo and naabutan ko si danny maglaro sa uaap. all i can say is danny is way better than the 2 centers youve mentioned, and could have improved more kung hndi dahil sa health issues. he has post moves but he can do it with the dribble going inside, plus factor pa yung shooting touch. all around player si danny and also at his height, mas mabilis sya compared kay enrico and rabeh. the only thing he lacks is the body and muscle of a true center.
just imagine a guy being tagged as the next “ramon fernandez” as early as his college days, he will totally dominate the names you mentioned above. and i know the writer of this article will agree with me.
@ danny “sayang” francisco,
Salamat po. Both Enrico and Rabeh were very FEROCIOUS during their Final playing games, both championship clinchers too.
Too bad di ko nakita si Mr. Danny Franciso play. Would’ve loved to see him compete with Benjie Paras of UP, who I am fortunate to see play, duke it out.
did danny cross paths with jun limpot of dlsu?
Danny played forward in Grade school. He was not even the tallest in the batch. It was not until he grew to be 6’2 in 2nd year HS when he started to play center. That is why he knows how to drive, hit the jumper (even an occasional three pointer) and later on post up. He is intelligent and a team player. Danny and Olsen would have been a formidable force in the UAAP from 89-91. Ateneo did not see that coming. His last game in the UAAP had him score 14 and bring down 25 rebounds (we didnt even mention the blocks) and that was when he was in 2nd year college. So whose better among the three?
what the… another ateneo spin doctor’s tale. danny francisco was all hype, benjie paras was the real deal. if francisco wasn’t an atenean everybody would’ve spoken of the untold truth about this overhyped player’s game.. he’s no better than fomer ust player rabbi tomacruz. sheesh, ateneans spun tales before and continue to do so up to this day.
starting center si danny, limpot back then is a bench warmer. dicky bachman vs danny are battling inside the court during that time.
@ pshaw,
Atenean eh. Kung Bedan iyan, kahit ano pang galing niyan, hindi pa rin paguusapan.
And mind you, Mr. Cuna is not an Atenean, but from the Univ. of the Philippines.
@ pshaw,
From what school are you? Or better yet, how old are you? If what you say is true, then fomer ust player Rabbi Tomacruz should have been a 4 time MVP of the PBA?
Peace man.
@ pshaw,
From what school are you? Or better yet, how old are you? If what you say is true, then fomer ust player Rabbi Tomacruz should have been a 4 time MVP of the PBA already?
Peace man.
no match ateneo sa baste!
@katipunero
@Schyanne Herschelle
you guys are dumb. plain dumb.
limpot and francisco both played for magnolia in the old pabl, guess who was the starting center and who was the back-up?
i saw danny francisco play since high school, he’s good but the next ramon fernandez? no way. benjie paras owned this guy everytime they met.
the thing about rabbi tomacruz, if only he played for ateneo and not ust then we would be drowning in stories about him being God’s gift to Philippine basketball.
@pshaw
your so stupid!!! guess what?????suprise suprise…
TEAM MATE KO SI LIMPOT! our starting center is bachman. danny is for ateneo and their back up is alex araneta!
limpot back then is reed thin and still a prospect. cardel is our main gunner.
now you know
I PLAYED THE GAME, and you are only a spectator. I was on the playing court and you were not!
we got limpot from the University of Manila(UM) Hawks, while cardel is from san sebastian staglets/ junior team. and its only admu and dlsu that matters in the uaap. i dont care about your tomacruz???? or ust stuff..not that important at all.
look whose dumb now jerk?
guys, pshaw is the green mind, bitter talaga up to the end!
@Teddy Monasterio
you’re not only stupid but a liar, research more and please don’t pose. Cardel is from JRC HS, when he went to DLSU he was a transferee from SSCR Seniors, he transferred because he can’t get any playing time at baste since they had a “good” player named alvarez.
during limpot’s rookie year yes he was a benchwarmer but from his sophomore year to senior year he was the philippines’ best at the slot.
in the pabl magnolia got both limpot and francisco and limpot was the starter and francisco was the backup.
stop making francisco look like a hall of famer, he was nothing but a tall player, he was only good for college and even during his rp youth tenure the real heroes of that team were meneses, ravena and jojo lim. francisco got exposed bigtime in the pbl when he couldn’t even guard the likes of tony poblador, ronnie lucero, rino magsalin and especially benjie paras. benjie ate this guy up for recess everytime.
hindi na makatiis. he he he
why dont you marry limpot instead?? your so into it. everheard the word heartattack? relax, take a chill pill.
@hey wait
marry limpot? hell no, i don’t want to be like you who married francisco.
whether its limpot, paras, tanuan, codinera, poblador, gido babilonia, san sebastian’s eton navarro and even pabl campaigner jake pelaez, the fact of the matter is danny francisco was no match for these star centers of the collegiate ranks and commercial circuits of the mid to late 80s.
so many people are so affected, just accept the fact, your overhyped center is just as good as rabbi tomacruz hahahahahahaha
Ahahahahahaha!
On the blackboard:
http://www.sanbedaredlions.com/upcoming_events
ANIMO!
AFAIK, what Danny Francisco had back then was potential. He wasn’t a complete player yet even after Ateneo’s back to back conquest in, nor during his RP Youth stint and even during his brief stint with Magnolia which, as rightly pointed out by someone here, he played back up to La Salle’s Jun Limpot.
First of all, the 1987 team of Ateneo didn’t have Danny as the star player, the real stars of that team were Jun Reyes and Seph Canlas. If I remember it right, Canlas hit two crucial three pointers during the championship game against UE to seal Ateneo’s very first UAAP crown. Francisco was totally outplayed by Jerry Codinera during that series.
Second, in 1988 many may have forgotten that UP started like a house on fire during that year’s UAAP season with Benjie Paras and Joey Guanio leading the Maroons, even the eagles fell prey to UP during the 1st round of that year’s tournament. However, Paras and Joey Guanio missed a couple of games due to commitments to the national team, alas UP fell by the wayside. In their first round matchup Ateneo had to resort to triple teaming Paras with Francisco, Araneta and Eric Reyes — just to limit the tower of power’s touches, unfortunately Joey Guanio got hot and…
During the 1989 ABC Youth games here in Manila, Joe Lipa’s best match-ups for Ma Jian (who by the wya was on his SECOND TOUR OF DUTY with China’s Youth team – having played against Benjie Paras, Bong Alvarez and Eric Reyes two years before in 1987) were Cebuano Jojo Lim and Adamson’s Mulong Orillosa, believe it or not Francisco was used exclusively at forward as Lipa wanted to take advantage of his athleticism on the fast break (if any of you saw Mulong Orillosa play you will understand this strategy, Orillosa was a rebounder period. and his fastbreak pitches resulted to open layups for his team mates). It wasnt a Francisco vs Ma Jian match up. Lipa knew all too well, having seen Paras play against Ma Jian and Francisco against Paras, that Danny’s finesse game won’t measure up to Ma Jian’s brute strength and physicality.
Lastly, when Francisco joined Magnolia Limpot was already the team’s franchise player. However, the vision of the Magnolia team at that time was to eventually have both Francisco and Limpot on the floor at the same time, the goal was to have two imposing big men on the floor at the same time. Alas, aside from playing back up to Limpot for one season Francisco ended up hanging his sneakers altogether due to a heart disease. Meanwhile, Magnolia eventually did find a frontcourt partner for Limpot in the person of UST’s Dennis Espino.
In ending, Francisco had the potential and the tools, unfortunately he had health problems that prevented him from either living up to expectations or falling short of that potential. However, whether he was a Ramon Fernandez in the making the only thing I can offer is that as far as the moves go, dribbling, coordination, etc., he was Fernandez-like, but as far as being Fernandez-like in dominating a game, I must say that the centers of attention, those who regularly dominated games by their own, during his time were Benjie Paras and Jerry Codinera. Next to these two would be Jerry’s brother Harmon who manned the slot for FEU after Jack Tanuan’s departure.
@ the Observer,
Wow, galing ah. Complete full details.
@ pshaw,
Wait a minute, why are you so angry with Mr. Danny Francisco.
What your doing is so absurd.
Respeto naman. You gave so much information, so I bet you are old enough for me to give my respect. And I will give you my respect. The information you gave are quite interesting (Not as interesting as the Observer gave). But for you to bash Danny Francisco? Come on. You said that:
“whether its limpot, paras, tanuan, codinera, poblador, gido babilonia, san sebastian’s eton navarro and even pabl campaigner jake pelaez, the fact of the matter is danny francisco was no match for these star centers of the collegiate ranks and commercial circuits of the mid to late 80s.
so many people are so affected, just accept the fact, your overhyped center is just as good as rabbi tomacruz hahahahahahaha”
Mr. Pshaw, I dare you to create a blog with enough facts to back up what you just said.
how about the collegiate championship during 1988 when ateneo & baste squared it off. i think df had a hard time against bong solomon during that game. funny they are the champions again this year for both of their respected leagues. and might be the finals contender in this year pccl.
This article by Mr. Charlie Cuna drove me down memory lane. Yes I was around then and saw all these hardcourt battles in the flesh.
@Kamelle Jean Arendain – I don’t know what you mean by “Kung Bedan iyan, kahit ano pang galing niyan, hindi pa rin paguusapan.†Truth was Danny Francisco and the rest of these Blue Eaglets faced their biggest challenge in the mid-80s against a Bedan great in Benjie Paras, together with the rest of the San Beda Red Cubs in the MMBL and the National Inter-Secondary (High School) championships. Having gone on leave from the NCAA those years, SBC saw action in these tournaments including the National championships. These were also the years where many Red Cubs would go to UP for college, while some went to La Salle, as the seniors program then was in disarray.
Well, Mr. Cuna’s article featured an Atenean, Danny Francisco. And I understand him if he did not recount Danny’s matchups against Benjie Paras. Danny and Benjie duked it out countless times since their Jrs days, with Benjie and the rest of the Red Cubs owning the Blue Eaglets most of those times. Benjie Paras, as a rookie phenom, would later lead UP together with six other former Red Cubs – Ronnie Magsanoc, Eric Altamirano, Duane Salvaterra, Joey and Jig Mendoza, and Herbert Wenceslao for the Maroons lone UAAP title in the post-WW2 era. Head to head against the Blue Eagles, the Maroons would hold their own.
An interesting side note is that the Eaglets remained team-mates in the seniors level, dominating UAAP basketball in high school, then years later on at the college ranks. The Red Cubs on the other hand would cross over to the UAAP, with its players having key roles for both UP and La Salle.
@Observer,
the gunners on that 87 AdMU team were Nonoy Chuatico and Jet Nieto. Joseph Canlas was their enforcer/defensive stopper. It was in 1987, the year UP was defending its title won the year before, when the Maroons started like a house on fire with Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc & Joey Guanio leading State U., even downing the Blue Eagles during the 1st round. Yes, but those Maroons had commitments to the national team which took them away for several games. … By the way, Harmon Codinera manned the slot for the Tamaraws during the early 80s, then came Jack Tanuan (not the other way around).
I agree with you that the centers of attention then were Benjie Paras and Jerry Codinera. But Danny Francisco had game. Francisco and Paras had contrasting styles. Paras was Olajuwon-like, a combination of power, explosive strength and leaping ability. Perhaps a good comparison to Danny Francisco’s story is Bill Walton’s. Like Walton, Danny had finesse, skills, and quickness, but unfortunately had major health concerns that prevented him from showing us if could have lived up to those great expectations. On the other hand, Paras – the UAAP rookie phenom, continued his impact rookie ways at the pro level, winning PBA RoY and MVP honors the same year.
@razormaid.
Yes, the 88 inter-collegiate championship between Ateneo & San Sebastian at the ULTRA. While dominating in the UAAP, Danny could not stop Stevenson “Bong” Solomon during the championship game.
Indeed, interesting that they are both champions again this year in their respective leagues. Would love to see them in the finals of the 2009 PCCL.
Back to that ’88 Baste team, they were awesome. All the players on that squad made the PBA..as in!
@Direktor
correct me if im really wrong sir but it was jack tanuan before harmon codinera not the other way around.
and i still remember it vividly at the rizal memorial in 1987, seph canlas hit back to back three pointers to create separation against the eagles.
@razormaid
right on the money. in the 1988 intercollegiate bong solomon and cris bade outplayed danny francisco and eric reyes respectively. i still remember solomon scoring two in your face dunks on francisco at the ultra.
@Direktor
1986 was magsanoc, altamirano and salvatera’s last year at uaap. in 1987 paras’ team mates were the mendozas, guanio and wenceslao.
Maraming kinalolokohan na player na nanggaling sa beda. so please don’t be too bitter for my alma matter. Casio, Salva, Revilla, Benjie, and the others did a really hell of a good work!
according to observer:
*Next to these two would be Jerry’s brother Harmon who manned the slot for FEU after Jack Tanuan’s departure.
*correct me if im really wrong sir but it was jack tanuan before harmon codinera not the other way around.
when on earth did harmon codiñera came after jack tanuan? so are you saying that jerry is elder than harmon? :-) fyi harmon led feu in 1983 uaap championship together with now feu coach glenn capacio.
@RAZORMAID
thanks for the correction, i do know that jerry’s younger than harmon. i think i got mixed up about tanuan and codinera because my recollection is that harmon and tanuan played together at feu but that tanuan graduated a year earlier (1986). i only say this because when the spotbilt basketball team was formed for the pabl the feu mainstays plus jerry codinera (before he joined magnolia) formed part of that team and the codinera brothers and tanuan were there, and tanuan was no longer playing uaap ball but the codineras, afaik, we’re still playing in the uaap.
@More Money… Pacquiao
shut up. sparring ka muna, although i don’t think it’ll matter anyway, cotto’s gonna own your ass on sunday.
napanood mo ba si danny francisco maglaro ng live o kaya sa tv man lang? kung hindi eh di tumahimik ka diyan, dakdak ka ng dakdak eh wala ka namang first hand experience kung papaano siya maglaro.
overrated, overhyped and tumutukod sa laro, that’s how danny francisco is, low stamina and takot sa bangaan, in other words… soft! atenista lang kaya pilit pinapasikat.
Heeees Baaaack! TGM aka pshaw!
Okay. I get it Pshaw. Youre just a troll tripping. Okay, have it your way.
Bash people to your own fulfillment.
Looking forward on what you are about to say come Part 2.
@Observer
If only for the other readers of this thread, Edgardo “Jack†Tanuan became the center of note for the Tamaraws after Harmon Codinera. Harmon was already an upper classman during FEU’s 1983-84 season title run. He was already a vital cog in FEU’s championship streak in the early 80s before Allan Caidic’s UE Warriors broke it in ‘82-83. Consider this too, he would have been too old and probably ineligible if he went on to play after Jack Tanuan. If your timeline references were also made based on when he became a pro baller, it must be noted that Harmon was also a PABL veteran, “nagpahinog muna†so to speak.
I was in my early years in college and I too remember the 87 uaap finals quite well at the RMC. Perhaps, Canlas may have hit back to back threes as you pointed out, but I distinctly remember Joseph “Jet†Nieto hitting several key shots (treys included) to create what you call “separation against the (eagles) WARRIORS†during that fabled last 10 minute run for the comeback win.
The 1986-87 was Joey Mendoza’s, Altamirano’s and Duane Salvatera’s last year at UAAP. In the 1987-88 season (Danny F’s freshman year in the UAAP) Benjie Paras’ team mates were Ronnie Magsanoc who came back for his fifth and final UAAP season, Joey Guanio, Joey’s younger brother Jig Mendoza, and Wenceslao. I should know, I attended both UP and San Beda and these guys were my schoolmates and friends from way back. Peace bro, just citing facts. :-)
Hehehe, this topic is revealing my age, hehehe..
lets get it on!!!!!!! more bashing to come!
eh sino-sino naman yun mga nasayang dahil naging addict? may alam ako.
@Direktor
thanks for clarifying the harmon and jack tanuan thing. at least now its clearer.
as for the 1987 title game, nieto played consistently but what im saying is that what broke the camel’s back were seph canlas’ back to back threes.
i may be mistaken but wasn’t 1986 magsanoc’s final year in the uaap since he turned pro the following year in 1987? i still remember that the only reason magsanoc returned to school in 1986 was because he wanted to play alongside benjie again.
p.s. – i also attended sbc hs (i finished college at the ateneo), i was a hs freshman in 19… (oops! nagkakabukingan na), and i still remember those powerhouse red cub teams, imagine dindo pumaren, gerry esplana, ronnie magsanoc, eric altamirano, dwayne salvaterra, herbie wenceslao, benjie paras, teddy monasterio, marcus manosca, jigs mendoza and mack de joya, those were the good old days indeed…
@observer
stop pretending that you witness all those events. most of your story telling here in this site have problems regarding the actual thing that really happened. so please don’t pretend that you are old when in fact you are still young.
@direktor
i see a true hardcore fan in you. keep it up.
@More Money.. Pacquiao
that’s it? you had the audacity to call me out and yet what?
so, you’re one of those “bandwagoneers”, saying that danny francisco is great yet you haven’t seem that gangling beanpole play.
next time sasatsat ka make sure na based on first hand experience iyung kuwento mo ha, nakiki rideon ka lang pala.
Wow, this pshaw dude is really looking for a fight.
But let me just say, I believe that the article was written for Danny Francisco because of what could have been, if not because of his heart ailment. Benjie Paras and Jerry Codiñera after the UAAP went on to become the “Tower of Power” and the “Defense Minister” in the Pros, yet still, they only won 1 UAAP Championship each, and the fact will forever remain that the “beanpole” Danny Francisco won back to back championships.
@kristina
magkano?
ako din, kantutan na lang! game ako! sama ko rin nanay ko ha.
mabango puke ko kesa sa mga GF niyo, hurry pwede ako
@Kristina
kaya mo ang diyes?
text mo ako 09054277473/ 09065398190
liit naman! wala na bang mas malaki??? baka antukin lang ako nyan eh.
@Observer,
Did you attend San Beda and AdMU?!!? No offense, but some (little) part of me tells me you’re a poser pretending to be old and around already that time, getting info over the net or recounting them based on how you remember reading it. But if you are, then I guess you just got your facts not so straight.
Any Blue Eagle fan of the title run those years would remember that the stars on were Jun Reyes, Noy Chuatico, Danny F. Eric Reyes, and later Jay Gayoso (when he went back to Katipunan from Taft). Canlas was AHS legend, yes. But that team had more stellar material. If I remember it right, Canlas usually came off the bench.
I’m sure it was 1988 (and not ‘89) when the biennial ABC Youth b’ball championships were held again here in Manila. But it was not Joe Lipa who coached that team, but …(and any Bedan hardcore fan should remember this) .. Edmundo “Ato†Badolato who coached this team.
And finally, Ebet, Mark and Macky would wring our necks if we ever called them Herbie, Marcus, and Mack. Get the drift?.. Good! :-)