NLEX TO THE SMC?

There's been talk about NLEX going to Ramon Ang. I think this is good, especially since it's odd that I have to use a different RFID card when I go to Tagaytay.

I was born and somewhat raised in Tanauan City, Batangas, and whenever I get the chance, I want to visit my relatives and watch some of my uncles and cousins stagger their way back to their homes after an insane drinking spree.

Or sprees.

In one day.

Tell me about it.

Also, in this day and age, you'd know by now that mixing drinks isn't a good idea. I mean, why would you use water as a chaser? I can understand Coke or even juice, but water just adds to the amount of liquid you'll hurl.

Ahem.

However, this isn't just about my delight in going to insanely cold places just to buy fruits and vegetables, buy discounted shoes, as well as eat bulalo and kaldereta. It's also about the possibility of having another SMC team playing in the PBA.

The last time this happened, San Miguel, Ginebra, Purefoods, and Coca-Cola were sister squads. I also found out that there were only three players who played for all four of these teams, but I am going to reserve this info for a later blog.

Though I can reveal one of them.

CRIS BOLADO IN THE HOUSE, YO!!!!

Anyway, while this was fun in some ways, the aftereffects were brutal. When SMC sold Coca-Cola, they took most of their top players, like Rudy Hatfield, Rafi Reavis, Billy Mamaril, and Johnny Abarrientos, and left the team a shell of its former self.

The team would later be sold to GlobalPort, which was then sold again and is now the Titan Ultra Giant Risers.

Also, the whole multiple-franchise setup spawned the rise of the conduits, which were basically three-team trades designed either to gut the non-sister team or to transfer a player from one sister team to another. To this day, the league can still feel how this ruined the entire PBA landscape, as the conduits eventually transformed into the farm teams we now despise.

Fortunately for us, I doubt if MVP would sell their PBA franchise to SMC.

For starters, the league has limited owners to three PBA teams, and NLEX could simply change its name to another MVP-owned brand.

Now, I think it's a weird idea for NLEX to be rebranded as TV5, even if the PBA games are aired on RPTV.

So NLEX may be called PLDT, Maynilad, Cignal, Philex Mining, or Metro Pacific.

For me, I would go with either Cignal or Metro Pacific.

I think by now Manny Pangilinan must be livid with all the online chatter from people who are pissed at Meralco for their far-from-cheap billing statements. So if they are pissed at his power and energy wing, I doubt they would want to name their other team after the one associated with the water bill or the internet bill.

Besides, if the PBA was created to promote corporate brands, the last thing PLDT wants is to compete with Converge.

Philex Mining is another MVP brand that needs to get more love, but it's a mining company, and that itself is a problem, especially when it comes to environmental concerns.

While I know most people find entertainment through the internet, there are still people like me who enjoy watching things on cable. Cignal, for one, could use a bit of a boost because they have a bunch of MVP-related channels dedicated to sports and entertainment.

Besides, they already have a volleyball team, so transitioning to basketball isn't that big of a deal.

Now, the health and welfare part is uncharted territory, but it's not like this is the first time a PBA franchise has gone into weird territory.

For one, the PBA once had Galerie Dominique.

Also, what exactly is Titan Ultra, anyway?

If I am going to choose between the two, though, and if MVP would want to promote the other services under his corporate umbrella, I would try and consider Metro Pacific.

I just hope they would have a good moniker because it would drive me insane if I see another team with a moniker that has Kings, Masters, Makers, and Men in it.

That said, I guess it would suck to lose NLEX as a team in the PBA.

When the PBA D-League was still around, their version of the Road Warriors dominated the league thanks to a badass roster that once upon a time had the likes of Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang, Ronald Pascual, Cliff Hodge, Chris Ellis, and RR Garcia, among others.

This team was so dominant that the PBA had to change the way we thought about expansion squads, which is why it was better for them to just buy the existing Air21 franchise. At least they would have a built-in roster instead of creating one from the ground up.

And I guess what better way to go out with a bang than by winning their first-ever championship with the help of new coach Jimmy Alapag and their superstar Robert Bolick?

I mean, they have the right pieces, and if they find the right import to replace DeQuan Jones, this can happen.