THE RESTRUCTURING of the PBA, basically at the top level, started on the first working day of this month, when new commissioner Andres “Chito” Narvasa Jr. stepped into his posh office in Libis.
While Chito is happy and grateful for the effort exerted in designing his office, he said he would have been contented with only a simple den because he expects to be “on location” most of the time.
“I expect to be where the action is, like in all the games in Metro Manila, in the provinces and the D-League, as long as the schedules don’t conflict,” Chito said.
To see to it that all the bases are covered efficiently, Chito has appointed a deputy to assist him. And this man, who as it turns out was no stranger to the media, was introduced to us at breakfast Wednesday at the Hilton in Tokyo.
Pointing to PBA Operations head Rickie Santos, the commissioner announced: “This is my deputy. I will need his invaluable help in all the things I hope to accomplish.”
Acknowledging the intro, Rickie just smiled and said he would be doing the same things he has always done, but the unusual glitter in his eyes told us that the new title excited him.
Before he was hired by the PBA, Rickie was a Manila Bulletin scribe assigned to the PBA beat.
He was considered for the position of commissioner and made it all the way to the final round before Chito was picked.
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On Draft Day, Aug. 23, don’t expect Fil-Am cager Bobby Ray Parks to be at Robinson’s Manila where the annual event has been staged for the past years.
RayRay never applied for the PBA rookie draft even while his prospects to get into an NBA team didn’t look too bright.
“There’s nothing to look forward to in the United States,” according to Parks’ agent Charlie Dy. “But he’d rather stay there to train.”
Parks applied for this year’s NBA draft, but his name was not called. He was invited by the Dallas Mavericks to try out with their team for the NBA Summer Camp, but he failed to advance to the next level, although he performed very well in the last couple of games.
Parks hoped to make it at least to the Mavs’ D-League team, but no luck there. He also failed to advance to what Norman Black described as the veterans/rookies camp of Dallas. Bobby Ray was left with no team to play for and nowhere to go.
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My thanks to the anonymous Good Samaritan who donated his business class seat to me during our return flight from Tokyo to Manila. I was most comfortable, rested, especially with the personal attention extended by PAL purser Rose Pecson Nebres and flight steward Ellery de Guzman, a big PBA fan. Thanks guys.