Say what you will, but one thing is undeniable: nostalgia is a hell of a drug.
For most things, perhaps even for all things, the allure of the yesteryear is always something people naturally gravitate to. After all, who wouldn’t want to have the time back, especially when it was good and easy.
A classic video game remade for modern platforms, a movie re-released in high definition, a beloved sneaker coming back after decades on the vault. Nostalgia is nice, it’s comforting.
Nostalgia also sells, and nostalgia is a way to help bridge generations.
Enter the Dragons
Just recently in the PBA Philippine Cup of all places, nostalgia was at the forefront when seemingly out of the blue, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters brought back their classic Welcoat Dragons jerseys in a game — and win — against Converge.
"Classic” and “nostalgia” might be pushing it, considering Rain or Shine is among the younger franchises in the PBA’s proud 49-year-history. But in the year 2024, bringing back something from as recently as 2007 can evoke some good ‘ol emotions.
"Coming from experience when my dad was still playing in the PBA, I think naabutan ko na watching one of his games, Welcoat Dragons pa yung Rain or Shine,” ROS guard Shaun Ildefonso told One Sports, as he proudly rocked his retro Welcoat jersey.
Shaun is among the many second-generation ballers in the PBA. His father is two-time MVP Danny, who was still a strong force in the league in the mid-2000s when Welcoat first came over from the amateurs.
He most definitely saw the Dragons play.
"I think it’s a full circle moment na we get to rep the retro jerseys,” Shaun said, as he tries to make his own name in the PBA, for a team that’s more than proud to showcase its roots.
“As a young player, parang it’s our moment now, it’s our chance. I’m grateful to be part of it,” he added.
When it comes to the Welcoat throwback jersey, “full circle” can surely also apply to veteran Gabe Norwood, who never actually wore the Dragons uniform despite being a Rain or Shine lifer.
For the first time since 2007, Rain or Shine brought the Welcoat Dragons back in the PBA in the Season 48 Philippine Cup
The Welcoat team was a true force in the amateurs, winning multiple championships in the defunct Philippine Basketball League. However, the Dragons didn’t exactly wow in the PBA upon their entry.
As Welcoat Dragons, the team went 14-58 in their first two full seasons as pros, finishing last each time in four conferences.
When Norwood was picked first in the 2008 Draft, the team rebranded to Rain or Shine, marking a start of a new era. The Elasto Painters soon grew into a legitimate PBA contender, winning two championships in their history.
“I didn’t get the privilege, I was the first year of Rain or Shine so I was the transition. When I was still watching the PBL, I think Rob Wainwright was wearing no. 5 for Welcoat,” Norwood said on wearing the Welcoat jersey in a PBA game for the first time this season.
"We’ve heard rumblings that we were gonna have the uniforms, that’s the reason why we’ve been wearing red instead of blue on dark days. It was cool to have a new look out there, a familiar new look,” he added.
Representation
For a league like the PBA, where teams rebrand all the time and thus naturally produce more jersey variations, it’s actually surprising that retros come few and far in between.
Before Rain or Shine brought the Dragons back, San Miguel was the last team to sport throwbacks, with the flagship Beermen wearing uniforms inspired by their 1992 team during the PBA Bubble in 2020 in Clark.
“I felt the pride wearing that shirt,” San Miguel center Mo Tautuaa recalled when asked about their throwbacks in 2020.
"I felt like I had to showcase what San Miguel was, I had that eagerness to wanna play and play hard,” he added.
Before the Beermen, sister team Brgy. Ginebra also dabbled in retros, bringing back their full set of jerseys from the past.
As part of a full-fledged campaign, Ginebra relaunched classic jerseys in 2017, wearing looks from the franchise’s history for select games.
In the following two years, the Gin Kings also sported modern retro looks, with the first-edition “Ginebra Ako” jerseys immortalized as the team won the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup championship while sporting the look.
"Nakaka-miss din. Kasi pag soot mo yung retro jersey, it represents yung nag-start talaga ng Ginebra spirit, especially the Never Say Die spirit,” guard LA Tenorio told One Sports.
"Sa lahat ng retro, yung Ginebra Gin Kings [favorite],” Tenorio added, noting the fan-favorite jersey guys like Mark Caguioa, Jay-jay Helterbrand, and Eric Menk made famous. “Yung may crown, yun ang classic eh, di ba. Yun din yung tingin ko na naging matagal na uniform ng Ginebra.”
For veterans who have been around, and have had the chance to absorb the history of the PBA and their respective teams, jerseys have become important part of the lore, so to speak.
The San Miguel Beermen wore throwbacks inspired by their 1992 team during the 2020 PBA Bubble in Clark
“I think we should pay homage to the players from before us, let them see [and] bring back the memories of when they were playing in those jerseys. I think it would be welcomed if we did do that [again],” Tautuaa said on wearing throwbacks.
"Anytime you can pay homage to a storied franchise, it’s an honor,” Marcio Lassiter added, who also wore the San Miguel retros in Clark.
"I mean it’s always a great way to show fans the appreciation to not only to the team, but the players that came before us. I think that’s why we put this jersey on, it’s for our [team] and for the guys that played before us who paved the way.”
Bridge
In 49 years, the PBA has certainly seen its fair share of ups and downs.
While many remain loyal to the league, it’s undeniable that certain parts of the fandom may have started to lose touch over the years.
Even for something as trivial as basketball jerseys, putting on nostalgia goggles might just help spark something and bring old eyes back, all while encouraging new ones.
"Tinignan ko sa internet kung ano ibig sabihin, yun pala yung unang sali nila sa PBA. So sabi ko, ang ganda din na maibalik yung ganung jersey. Ang ganda sa mata, masarap sa mata,” Rain or Shine rookie Adrian Nocum said, when asked about his old, but new Welcoat Dragons jersey.
"Honestly, just the dragon itself. Ako kasi mahilig ako sa style, ganyan. Retro jerseys not just in the PBA, but in other leagues like the NBA, yung mga retro jerseys talaga are really nice,” Ildefonso added, noting a pretty common knowledge that retro jerseys are a category by themselves when it comes to streetwear.
A bridge to the future could be the ultimate win for retro jerseys, but at the end of the game day, throwing things back could simply just be a low-risk, high-reward endeavour for both the fans and players themselves.
Even for a team like TNT, who hasn’t necessarily done throwback jerseys yet but throwback colors, a look to the past does not hurt.
"The yellow jersey kasi, parang yun yung first jersey ng Mobiline before yung retro na yellow. I think 2019 nung pinasoot samin yun,” TNT lifer Jayson Castro said.
TNT has not brought back a specific throwback jersey yet, but the team sported their classic color yellow on a couple of separate seasons in the last decade
While the Tropang Giga are mostly known now for their royal blue, white, and even black jerseys, the old Phone Pals used to sport powder blue and yellow uniforms.
The yellow jerseys have come back a couple of times, most recently in the 2019 season, much to good reviews… and good luck.
"Every time na nagsosoot kami ng yellow nagiging good luck samin, so hopefully ibalik siya,” Castro added. True enough, in nine games wearing yellow in 2019, TNT went six wins against three losses.
They haven’t mentioned it, but the Elasto Painters are 3-0 in the ongoing Philippine Cup as Welcoat Dragons. It might as well be the retro magic.
Just bring some back
Even for just the sole reason that throwbacks are fun, more PBA teams should definitely consider following Rain or Shine’s lead and bring back some good stuff from their archives.
When the Meralco Bolts were a relatively new PBA franchise in the early 2010s, the team sported MICAA-inspired jerseys. Chris Newsome would look good in that.
Paul Lee certainly would look amazing in an actual Purefoods jersey. The point is, there are options.
And for players who have had the fortune of wearing retros, one thing is undeniable: nostalgia is a hell of a drug. So just bring some of them back.
From 2017-2019, Brgy. Ginebra re-released essentially its full library of jerseys and even wore modern retro ones during select conferences
“One thing that’s good also for the league and for the teams, na makita na ganyan kaganda yung mga uniform,” Tenorio said.
“And again it’s representation not only for Ginebra, but sa mga ibang team. Parang may ano eh, may difference. Kapag talagang naka-retro jersey ka, nagi-iba yung tema ng laro. Mas excited ka, looking forward to play and then you’ll play harder. Parang may ganun eh.”