NEVER SAY DIE

             This writing has been in my iPod two conferences or so ago. I didn't get to finish it since Ginebra, for the nth time, lost in a semifinal series. Just one step away from making it to the finals and bagging another championship trophy. But since by beloved Mark Caguioa won the long-overdue and well-deserved MVP award, I think there's no better time to post this. So here it goes...

             
          I've been asked a lot of times, "bakit gustung-gusto ng Ginebra fans si Caguioa at Helterbrand eh hindi naman gwapo?" I always answer them with a smile or half-smile. Not because they're right but because I'm not sure if they can understand my reason or OUR reason. Mark (Caguioa) and Jayjay (Helterbrand) proved themselves to the fans a long long time ago. Back in the days when the team badly needs a hero. And these two emerged as our knights in their bandanas. People have seen how they have fought for the team with or without injury. They've shown so much dedication to the team and to the fans inside and outside the court. They know how to have fun when it's time to enjoy. They care for each other like brothers. They tease each other like bestfriends. They challege each other like enemies.

              I can't remember if I have mentioned it before but do you know that Mark is my hero? Not that I play basketball and I look up to him but because he has so much dedication at what he does. He cares so much for those people who trust in him that he's willing to take the challenge when everyone is so scared to take the last shot. When everybody is weakened he's still out there working his ass off. When everybody is getting cynical he showers us with hope. We've seen him win, we've seen him lose. We celebrated with him, we cried with him. God knows how I want to run into him and give him the tightest hug everytime I see him getting frustrated and fucked up. And I know I am not alone with this feeling. I also know that a lot of people out there hate him (so much). I can understand that. Because he says what he wants to say. He's real. He's not like other players who are too safe -- too safe to answer questions, too safe to have fun, too safe to say anything, too safe to be real. Too good to be true. I'm not really sure if you get my point but I can't put everything into words why I (and WE) adore about Mark. It has nothing to do with the crush and idol thing. It is more than that, MC47 is my hero and it's way way beyond basketball.

         This recent semifinals, Ginebra is yet again down at 0-2 in a best of five series. With their key player Mark Caguioa sidelined due to an eye injury and an import like Jaxon Vroman, any normal and unbiased basketball fan can easily say that there's really no chance. They're done. But it's not very surprising that a lot of people still believe that they can make it to a 3-2  victory winning 3 straight games. They say it's not impossible but it's gonna  be hard. Hell of a fight. Hell of a game.

         Come game 3, when the situation is saying that tonight is the end, people packed the Cuneta Astrodome. All hopes are up. Honestly, I don't know where the fans get their faith. Maybe it's what they call the never-say-die attitude. It's just there lingering around just in case people couldn't get enough reasons to believe. Honestly, I don't know any other people who have the strongest faith other than the Ginebra fans. -C