Heart Work
Much as i would like, things don't always work out as you plan them to.
I got the inspiration to write an article for the San Miguel Beermen, a perennial PBA powerhouse and my de facto team despite having abandoned the local basketball association in happy pursuit of the Sacramento Kings.
Looking for something to do, it seemed like a good idea to feature a team of 15 grown men and their coach who get paid to play ball. With a new coach and with him, a new philosophy, it might just work...
The philosophy was remarkably simple, and Coach Chot Reyes was far calmer than he was during the frenzied 90s. He espoused the concept of Heart Work, where the Beermen had to examine their motivation for playing. He acknowledges that individual talent and skill can bring one so far to the PBA, but what happens next - whether you content yourself playing for pay or perenially figure in championship matches - is up to what your heart desires. Maybe i'm making it a bit more romantic than it seems, but the players have dug into the idea.
I spent a few days hanging around with the team - once during practice, an elimination stages game, a playoff game where i joined them in the dugout, and faithfully followed them through the finals.
Through it all, i learned more about Heart Work through example (Coach would never do anything that he wouldn't want his players doing like smoking or not lifting weights) than by having the concept explained to me. I saw Heart Work applied during mid-game, and enough went around to carry SMB to win after win, but in the last game i saw glimpses where Heart Work worked for the other side.
Maybe because they traditionally carry a lot of heart (whereas the Beermen have more pride), but Ginebra got the job done when SMB couldn't, and i had to content myself watching Game Six from the sidelines and seeing the Gin Kings whoop it up. Of course, based on the picture below i don't look so sad with the outcome:
The consequence was that my article had to be shelved in the interests of the winning team, which also belongs the corporation. And my theory of Heart Work had to be toned down a bit owing to the fact that it was not enough.
Can't blame the Beermen though. I based my premise on a fairy tale ending, but fairy dust somehow blinded me near the end.
But i do have the rich experience of spending days tagging along a bunch of men who played the sport i loved playing.
---
Like any other kid, I used to dream that one day my skills and ball IQ would make a topnotch player good enough to play professionally. I realized quickly that i would never be great, especially playing under the shadow of my brother, who is a basketball legend in our neck of the woods.
Seeing each Beermen go through the routine of a professional basketball player, it was okay i didn't make it. Imagine getting work where the pay is very good, but you get asked to do repetitive work almost every day, the risk of injury is great, years are limited, you may get traded to a company you don't like, and you are required to show up every day to practice or play despite your feelings, conditions, or anything that distracts you (ask James Yap) for the day.
Much as i would like, things don't always work out as you plan them to.
I got the inspiration to write an article for the San Miguel Beermen, a perennial PBA powerhouse and my de facto team despite having abandoned the local basketball association in happy pursuit of the Sacramento Kings.
Looking for something to do, it seemed like a good idea to feature a team of 15 grown men and their coach who get paid to play ball. With a new coach and with him, a new philosophy, it might just work...
The philosophy was remarkably simple, and Coach Chot Reyes was far calmer than he was during the frenzied 90s. He espoused the concept of Heart Work, where the Beermen had to examine their motivation for playing. He acknowledges that individual talent and skill can bring one so far to the PBA, but what happens next - whether you content yourself playing for pay or perenially figure in championship matches - is up to what your heart desires. Maybe i'm making it a bit more romantic than it seems, but the players have dug into the idea.I spent a few days hanging around with the team - once during practice, an elimination stages game, a playoff game where i joined them in the dugout, and faithfully followed them through the finals.
Through it all, i learned more about Heart Work through example (Coach would never do anything that he wouldn't want his players doing like smoking or not lifting weights) than by having the concept explained to me. I saw Heart Work applied during mid-game, and enough went around to carry SMB to win after win, but in the last game i saw glimpses where Heart Work worked for the other side.
Maybe because they traditionally carry a lot of heart (whereas the Beermen have more pride), but Ginebra got the job done when SMB couldn't, and i had to content myself watching Game Six from the sidelines and seeing the Gin Kings whoop it up. Of course, based on the picture below i don't look so sad with the outcome:
The consequence was that my article had to be shelved in the interests of the winning team, which also belongs the corporation. And my theory of Heart Work had to be toned down a bit owing to the fact that it was not enough.Can't blame the Beermen though. I based my premise on a fairy tale ending, but fairy dust somehow blinded me near the end.
But i do have the rich experience of spending days tagging along a bunch of men who played the sport i loved playing.
---
Like any other kid, I used to dream that one day my skills and ball IQ would make a topnotch player good enough to play professionally. I realized quickly that i would never be great, especially playing under the shadow of my brother, who is a basketball legend in our neck of the woods.
Seeing each Beermen go through the routine of a professional basketball player, it was okay i didn't make it. Imagine getting work where the pay is very good, but you get asked to do repetitive work almost every day, the risk of injury is great, years are limited, you may get traded to a company you don't like, and you are required to show up every day to practice or play despite your feelings, conditions, or anything that distracts you (ask James Yap) for the day.
Much as i would like, things don't always work out as you plan them to.
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