Editor's Note: This guest post comes for Tiger Gimenez, a self-confessed San Miguel fanatic. I figured we needed a voice from the San Miguel side of things to balance things here at the blog. I had no idea he would go Tony Atayde on San Miguel management. Enjoy!

I am a San Miguel fan who wrote to Fire Quinito after the Alaska trade article, hoping to see a follow-up focusing on San Miguel. I was surprised when Jaemark asked if maybe I could do it instead since, according to him, I was “in a better position to give color to San Miguel’s trades over the years.” I think he also wanted it to come from someone who’s an SMB fan and not from someone who’s a huge Purefoods supporter like him, especially now with the hotly contested semi-final battle between both teams currently ongoing (I think it goes 7 games). Now even though I'm a HUGE SMB fanatic (ever since Ramon Fernandez came over), I’ve always been a very critical one – my family laughs at me because I shout advice and invectives at the SMB players and coaches on TV whenever they play – and I wanted to do a breakdown and analysis of all their recent bonehead moves.

One thing I notice is that Alaska always seems to be giving SMB the short-end of the stick in these trades and transactions. It’s like a never-ending litany of idiocy for San Miguel management.

First off they trade Nic Belasco for Brandon Cablay, and what happens? Cablay gets injured! Honestly, I don’t remember Brandon ever playing a full season, much less play any extended minutes in any SMB game. And this was the guy they hoped would replace Olsen in the line-up? As for Nic he became a vital cog and a very productive player for Alaska.

Then there's the god-awful LA Tenorio trade which just takes the cake for me. This is the best way to build a super team, trade away a young point guard on the cusp of greatness for an older one who's not as good and has a long history of injuries!

So what happens the first year of that trade? Tenorio blossoms and was a big reason why Alaska made the finals of the All-Filipino that year. As for Mike Cortez? He blows out his knee during the eliminations! Granted, they do win the Reinforced Conference that year, but that’s probably due more to the addition of Gabe Freeman than anything else. I tell you every time I see Tenorio hitting a crucial shot or dishing out an incredible assist while wearing an Alaska uniform, it just breaks my heart.

And now to top it all off, they leave Sam Eman unprotected, and sure as rain is wet Alaska snaps him up! WHAT IDIOTS! Alaska management totally owns the SMB brain trust. I have a feeling whenever Joaqui Trillo needs to upgrade his roster the first thing he thinks to himself is, “I wonder who on SMB we can use and how can we pry him away from them.” I've got to say, even though I hate Alaska's guts, their management team has earned my undying respect and admiration. Joaqui Trillo is the Filipino Jerry West! (Jerry West when he got Shaq and Kobe, not Jerry West during his Memphis Grizzlies years)

Seriously, who the hell makes the personnel decisions for SMB? It’s like watching a three-year old playing in rush-hour traffic. They did luck out with Arwind Santos, but that can be attributed more to Burger King’s ineptitude rather than the competence of SMB management. I guess it also helps that Alaska has had only one coach in 21 years, while SMB has gone through 5. I mean it’s probably easier to get people who’ll fit your system if your system didn’t keep changing every two or three years.

Also, what’s with this UAAP collegiate trip that SMB seems to be on? A couple of years ago they tried out an all-Ateneo core (Villanueva, Tenorio, Fonacier and Gonzalez), this time around it’s an FEU thing (Santos, Jonas Villanueva and Denok Miranda, who I HATE, but more on that later on). I mean just because they won a championship together in college is no guarantee that they’ll be able to do the same in the pros! Who thinks up of these schemes?

Finally, do you realize that all the super rookies that people were gushing about that SMB drafted in the past three years are now playing and even excelling in other teams? Tenorio and Eman with Alaska, and Gabby Espinas with Sta Lucia. I have a sinking feeling that now that Eman's in Alaska he's gonna start putting up double-doubles on a regular basis. Arrggghh! So even though the team that SMB has right now is really, really deep, imagine how much scarier they'd be if Tenorio , Belasco, Espinas and Eman were still there.

Just to say, even though I have a lot of complaints with how this team is built not to mention how it’s coached (Coach Siot maybe you should try taking advantage of your team’s size, I mean you have 8 guys who are all above 6’ 3”, just saying maybe you should look into that). I still root my heart out for them, I still watch them every time they play, I still shout and scream every time they win. I guess in the end I’ll still always be a true-blue SMB fanatic.

FINAL NOTE: I just have to say that I hate, I HATE Denok Miranda!! He's constantly driving to the hole but he can't freaking finish! Either he gets blocked or he misses the shot! Then on the rare occasions that he gets fouled he can't for the life of him sink his freethrows! Jeez! An added downside to this is that when he gets blocked or misses it usually leads to an opposing fast break since our safety guard (Denok) is usually on his back on the other end of the court! Denok, here's a suggestion: STOP going to the rack!

Seems I remember this also happening in one of their championship games against La Salle, instead of giving the ball to Arwind, Denok decides, the hell with it I'm going to the rim! Of course, he misses the shot, they lose the game and the championship. Sheesh, the thought that SMB could’ve had an LA Tenorio-Jonas Villanueva guard combo for the foreseeable future just makes me wanna cry!

Source: firequinito.com

i agree.....very well said,,,,,

i Agree!!! Sayang si L.A!!! Sobrang Sayang!! Tama ka.Every Time na nappanood ko din si L.A. Playing for Alaska.Hitting some triple nakakalungkot.Siya na siguro Next Top Point Gurad for Our Beloved Beermen.Very Well Said!!!

Feel so sad for you.. Im an aces fan but still i want to comment on this post. Aces needs LA, playing a fantastic game everytime the team needs him, and Eman, who will surely know his importance as a player because of his height, but not in SMB.
Thanks for this post. I want some more.

TAMA you forgot about BonBon Custodio.. I'll bet he's gonna be a big time player in SLR... Let's just watch out for him.