These legends wore their thinking hats and brainstormed about the issue.
Arwind Santos didn’t hide his displeasure over current San Miguel Beermen wearing the jersey numbers of some of the franchise’s greats.
Santos, of course, was referring to the no. 5 and no. 42 of Alex Cabagnot and Danny Seigle, respectively. Allyn Bulanadi and import Ivan Aska currently sport the said numbers.This didn’t sit well with the former SMB star, who is now with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the MPBL.
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In the latest video of the PBA Moto Club, fellow legends like Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Jayjay Helterbrand, whose jersey will definitely be retired in the future, offered a different take.
When former PBA player RIco Maierhofer brought up that Jamie Malonzo and Maverick Ahanmisi opted not to use the no. 13 out of respect to Helterbrand, the “Fast” said he was appreciative of the gesture. But the former PBA MVP made it clear he wouldn’t mind if they did anyway.
“Nasa player naman ‘yun (kung gusto gamitin number ko). Kaya shoutout kay Jamie tsaka kay Maverick. Pero tama si Mac (Cardona). OK lang gamitin (number kasi) hindi pa naman officially retired,” he said.
Former TNT Tropang Giga star Ranidel de Ocampo also shared that Poy Erram asked him if he could wear his jersey number. RDO gave him his blessing, but the latter still ended up not using it.
“Si Poy Erram nagpaalam din. Pero pumayag ako… hindi niya tinuloy,” the Gilas Pilipinas hero said of the current TNT big man.
Maierhofer did the exact same thing when he was playing for the Beermen and called his idol Danny Ildefonso to ask for permission. Though he got Danny I’s nod, he didn’t push through with it.
“Tinawagan ko si Kuya Danny I, sabi ko pwede ko ba gamitin no. 10? Sabi ni Kuya Danny, ‘Sure, 'di pa naman nire-retire number ko.’ Pero nag no. 1 pa rin ako,” he said.
This doesn’t mean Santos was wrong and they were right and vice versa. Helterbrand said their friend made a valid point anyway.But at the end of the day, it’s up to the management.
Watch the whole video here:
(MDB)