Search for new UP coach continues

About two months ago, when UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Ronnie Dizer formed a five-man search committee to look for a head coach for the UP Maroons to replace Rey Madrid, not a few alumni questioned the inclusion of then Globalport coach Pido Jarencio to the group.

The speculation was Pido, who led the UST Tigers to the finals against the De La Salle University in 2013, was the coach Dizer had in mind to replace Madrid. But since he wasn’t sure how the UP alumni would react to having a UST alumnus as coach of the Maroons, he decided on a soft entry for the former Tigers mentor.

The other day, I called Pido to get an update on the search. He admitted that the head coach post had been dangled to him, but he begged off because he was from UST, even if his physician wife, a UP product, is a heavy supporter of the academe and the Maroons.

He would consider being a team consultant though, Pido said.

* * *

The appointment of a new Maroons head coach will have to wait until after the Christmas holidays, according to Pido.

“January na yan,” he said. Two new members had been added to the committee but Pido said he doesn’t have their names.

“Of the twelve who submitted their resumes to the search committee for consideration, only three are State University alumni. All three are former Maroons too,” Pido said.

“Actually it’s team manager Dan Palami who will have the final say. Choosing/naming a coach for the UP Maroons is actually his call,” said Pido, adding that the committee has come up with a list of criteria.

“Dan has been very busy with the Azkals these past weeks, we’ve really had no time to talk about the selection,” he said.

Now who was it who said that the new coach appointed should really have no problem because there’s no other way for the Maroons to go but up?

Whoever it was, I completely disagree with what he said. The Maroons could stay exactly where they are right now unless something drastic is done.

* * *

He is the head coach of one of the most popular teams in the PBA, she is a pretty courtside reporter from a television network.

The latest buzz that has come our way is that the two are dating.

Personally, I see nothing wrong except that, from what I recall, the coach is married.

My sources said that they thought at first that the Fil-Am sexy reporter was dating a player.

“Aside from being a Fil-Am, the coach, they said, is very intelligent and a good conversationalist, not the brusque, macho type like most players,” said our sources.

Well if it means anything, the two have my blessing. I just learned from a player-agent that the coach has been separated from his spouse for some time now. Whether he is divorced or his marriage has been annulled is no longer our business.