Bring Eric home: Fans clamoring for Ginebra return of ‘Major Pain’
Eric Menk spent most of his Hall-of-Fame career with Barangay Ginebra, creating memories with the Gin Kings that he will always treasure.
Apparently, the Philippine Basketball Association’s most passionate and rabid fans remember him fondly, too.
Menk said he was surprised and touched by the clamor from Ginebra fans that he end his decorated career with the newly-minted Governors’ Cup champions.
“I’ve had unbelievable support through social media asking me to come back to Ginebra and I appreciate the fans’ support,” said Menk Thursday on Sports IQ, the Inquirer’s omni-platform sports talk show.
The clamor began with a tweet from Ginebra guard Sol Mercado, who urged Menk to “come home,” after the 2005 Most Valuable Player announced he was unemployed.
Soon after, fans picked up on the tweet, creating the hashtag #BringEricHome.
The 42-year-old Menk admitted to getting hit by a flood of nostalgia after reading fans’ comments on social media.
“Some of the best moments of my career, of my life, were wearing a Ginebra jersey,” said “Major Pain.”
And none of those highlights comes close to matching his 39-point, 19-rebound effort that sealed Ginebra’s All-Filipino title in 2005, for which he was named Finals MVP.
“To win the All-Filipino, that’s the most prestigious one,” he said. “That series, that whole tournament, that’s the highlight of my career.”
He made it clear that he isn’t exactly “pushing” for a Ginebra comeback. But he knows it would be special to reunite with ex-teammates Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand, who just ended an eight-year wait for another title.
“After watching the [Governors’ Cup] Finals, who doesn’t want to play for Ginebra?” he said.
