Pardo’s secret wish: An SMC Grand Slam

FOR THE benefit of anyone interested, in particular Kia Motors player-coach Manny Pacquiao, who has been holding tryouts for his team, the dispersal draft for the three new PBA ballclubs is scheduled in July and not this month—as the Pacman casually  mentioned in a recent interview on television.

This was confirmed yesterday by PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial, who said that the annual rookie draft, on the other hand, has been set for Aug. 24.

Pacquiao, being a first-timer in the pro league, is mandated to go through the draft before he can play for Kia.

There’s no way to go around it, or to get out of it, according to Mr. Marcial.

“The Pambansang Kamao has no choice but to go through the draft if he wants to play,” he said.

Kia has been holding tryouts in different venues, handled by no less than Pacquiao himself. Several of Pacquiao’s kin, like his brother Bobby, has been attending the tryouts and according to reports, are seriously intent on making the team.

It seemed to me, however, that Bobby was just sweating it out as he helped his coach-brother scout for talents.

How serious the Pacquiao brood is, we should know as soon as we get the list of applicants for this year’s draft.

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San Mig Coffee governor Rene (Mang Pards) Pardo has that much confidence and admiration for Mixers coach Tim Cone, he probably feels he has the privilege to secretly aspire for a grand slam, especially at this stage when it is within grasp.

All the Mixers need is another title at the end of this conference.

“I hope it happens. In my 15 years in the PBA, Tim is the best coach I’ve worked with and seen,” Mang Pards said.

Actually, Mang Pards didn’t have to say it. The records prove Cone is the winningest coach in the PBA today.

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I called Mang Pards the other day for my much-belated congratulations and also to satisfy my curiosity on a number of things, among them the cost of Bimby Aquino Yap’s birthday  party, and to confirm if James Yap’s Italian girlfriend Michaela Cazzola is really a lookalike of Paris Hilton or even prettier.

The buzz is James had offered to shoulder half the cost of Bimby’s birthday party and was described as having nearly fallen off his seat when he found out how much it was.

“Did it really run to millions?” I asked Mang Pards, who unfortunately had no basis to make estimates because he did not make it to the party.