KRIS AQUINO wanted to know if I knew of an incident in the NBA involving cager Carmelo Anthony, which was similar to that which her husband James recently figured in.
To be honest, I couldn't remember any such incident and for a while there I felt kind of embarrassed like a contestant in one of Kris' game shows, who could not answer a simple question which involved a topic one is supposed to be familiar with.
Kris said a TV host had compared Carmelo to James based on that incident.
Kris didn't ask but somehow I felt like she was waiting for me to say something about James' recent encounter with Talk ‘N Text import Terence Leather.
Her silent question was: Was she right to expect her husband to stand up to the hulking import?
After all, that was what the Living Legend Sonny Jaworski--easily the most popular cager the PBA has produced--was well-loved for. His toughness and fearlessness.
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I told Kris it was a "Damn if you do and damn if you don't" situation for James.
"What if your husband had done the exact opposite and faced up to the import? For sure he would have gotten a terrible bashing, considering the difference in their physique. James could have lost some of his teeth, broken his nose and some of his bones. The chances are high that he would have landed in the hospital. Do you want that to happen?"
"And then what would people say? E gago naman pala yang si James. Akalain mong labanan yung import. Hindi naman pala niya kaya. E bakit hindi na lang siya tumakbo? Forget about the incident. That's all part of the game. James can't always be the hero."
James said he acted on impulse (when he kicked Leather from behind) after the TNT import had hurled a ball at his teammate Jondan Salvador, hitting him in the face.
Actually, we couldn't even fault Leather for reacting. It was clear that Jondan had been trying to get his goat, finally succeeding after about three attempts. All part of the game.
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No less than PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad made the pronouncement upon his return from the United States: "Fil-Am cager Gabe Norwood is unlikely to join next month's PBA rookie draft!" Chino didn't say if he had been in touch with the Hapee cager, expected to be the number one pick, while in the US, but he seemed to be updated on the status of his citizenship papers.
"The documents required by the PBA will not be completed by next month. He may probably have to wait for another season," he said.
Chino was in America to cover the NBA finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers and later, the Pacquiao-Diaz fight in Las Vegas. He dropped by the Araneta Coliseum that day to say hello to PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios after a month of absence.
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On Saturday I touched base with Chino again to ask him who would most likely take Norwood's place as number one pick in the event he is unable to present his papers on time. I also asked him if he expected this year's PBA draft to be abundant in talent. He would be the right person to ask since almost all who applied for the draft come from the PBL.
Chino's reply came as a bit of a revelation.
"Even if Gabe makes it, I don't see a dominant player in the PBL right now. The players who made themselves available for the draft are mostly complementary or role players,"
"Harbour Centre's Solomon Mercado can be a good prospect but he has to learn to play the point consistently. We have good shooters in Jonathan Fernandez and Jeff Chan. I also have high hopes for TY Tang because of his intelligence. He can be an excellent backup guard in the PBA."
"Of course if Jason Castro is allowed to join the draft, he will be worth the wait. He can dominate the other guards of the PBA if and when he joins the local pro league," Chino said.
