Mixers assistant Richard Del Rosario’s Grand Slam experience
San Mig Coffee Mixers assistant coach Richard Del Rosario put down his thoughts on completing a Grand Slam on his blog, “Chardknows.” Slam Online Philippines got permission to repost the entry.
1996 was a leap of faith for me. I entered the PBA Draft not knowing what to expect. I was hoping to get picked but at the same time would not have been surprised if I was left out. Why would anyone pick me anyway? I was already 26-years-old, I stopped playing for five years because of an ACL injury, got back in the PBL a year before I applied for the draft, and was not even among the top players out there. I was hoping that when the draft list came out, my height was highlighted next to my name and nothing else.
Richard del Rosario, 6’5″.
That’s the only positive thing I can think of. Oh and that the Draft class that year was not particularly deep so maybe I had a chance. If you Google it, probably you would not even remember half of the names that joined that year’s draft.
I went there alone. No family, no friends. I don’t even remember if I told anyone that I applied for the draft.
And so it began. The first round was done and I was still undrafted. Surprised? Didn’t think so. There was a commercial break in-between rounds and at that time I was thinking if I should just quietly walk out of the ballroom of the New World Hotel just to save myself from the embarrassment of not being picked. Besides, I didn’t think anyone would notice.
I decided to stay. The second round started.
“And with the first pick of the 2nd round and 9th pick overall, Purefoods picks…..Richard del Rosario from De La Salle University!”
Woah! What? I looked around to see if that announcement was just a test broadcast. I froze in my seat. It took me a while to stand up and walk towards the stage because I wasn’t sure if I really heard my name called. My hands were so cold and I think I was trembling as I shook hands and wore the team jacket. Purefoods! Really? Later on I learned that when the second round started and they were looking at the list, someone from their table said, “O ayan si del Rosario, matangkad 6’5″.” It worked! They noticed my height!
I didn’t sign for Purefoods. I ended up playing for different teams in an eight-year PBA career and was lucky enough to be part of two championship teams, one with Sta. Lucia and another with Alaska. I’m sure a lot of PBA fans don’t even remember that I won championships as a player. Those are easily forgotten.
2011 was the start of something big. I was part of the BMEG Llamados (formerly Purefoods) coaching staff. On August 29, 2011 I got a call from management. They told me that I would be assuming the head coach position of BMEG effective immediately. Woah! What? Was it a joke? My hands were cold and I was trembling as I put the phone down. It was like 1996 all over again!
Two weeks after that call, I got another from management. They had just reached an agreement with Coach Tim Cone to take over BMEG and that they would formally introduce him to the team the next day. Another “Woah! What?” moment. Was I disappointed? Honestly, yes. I just humored myself with the fact that I would be leaving my position as head coach with an immaculate record. I had no idea that it was a decision that would change my life forever.
Our journey was off to a shaky start. New coach, New system. The triangle looked more like a decagon with all the rough edges. Yes it was a memorable first conference. Memorable because of the now-famous ‘burning hands’ gesture of Gary David and how Powerade beat us twice to eliminate us in the playoffs. Looking back now, I can say that the debacle we experienced triggered the start of the process that would produce magnificent results.
May 6, 2012. We won the 2012 Commissioners’ Cup. Who can forget Denzel Bowles’ crucial free throws to force overtime? I felt the Big Dome literally shake as the crowd that filled the rafters broke out in pandemonium! Truly memorable. We made the Finals of the next conference on the first tour of duty of Marqus Blakely. It was a dogfight as we tried to bite our way back from a 1-3 deficit only to fall short in game seven. Almost back-to-back, but it was not yet time.
The next PBA season was marked by a change in the team name. We were now called the San Mig Coffee Mixers (and eventually Super Coffee Mixers). The expectations were high but again we fell short as we lost in the semis of the Philippine Cup and the Commissioners’ Cup to Rain or Shine and Alaska respectively. Others may look at making the Semis as an accomplishment, BUT not this team. After winning one championship and not winning again after that, we realized that the process was far from over. We were good but we were not great. Not just yet.
2013 PBA Governors Cup. Marqus Blakely was back for some unfinished business. We added Olsen Racela to our coaching staff as well. I have to admit that I felt insecure at that point. I mean just take a look at our staff: Tim Cone – Head Coach, Alvin Patrimonio – Team Manager, Assistant Coaches – Jeff Cariaso, Johnny Abarrientos, Olsen Racela and then, me. What’s wrong with this picture? Duh! I was surrounded by members of the Greatest Players of the PBA, future Hall of Fame members and a GRAND SLAM coach! I got a good share of ribbing about this from friends, bosses and PBA personalities and although they were made in jest, I still felt a pinch that ignited something in me. I needed to show that I was not just excess baggage. I had to prove my worth.
We won the championship in another series that went the distance. This journey just got better. Little did I know that the ride ahead would be something magical. We added a couple of ingredients to our mix at the start of the 2013-2014 Philippine Cup. Ian Sangalang, Justin Melton, Isaac Holstein and JR Cawaling came in not knowing what to expect. I guess all of us never expected what was about to happen.
We only had about a week to prepare for the conference. The PBA schedule was compressed to accommodate the request of our National Team. It was a bumpy start and the path was full of potholes and ditches. We lost our first three games, won the next, then lost back-to-back games. We then beat Barako and Global Port and stumbled again in the next two games, including a massacre against Rain or Shine that saw Coach Tim letting the coaching staff take over in the second half of that game in utter frustration. That was our last game in 2013. We were 3-7.
We had renewed hope as 2014 came in and we were off to a good start as we won our rematch against Ginebra. We followed it up with three straight wins to even our record to 7-7, good enough for fifth place entering the playoffs. We survived TNT in the quarters in a do-or-die Game 3. We faced Ginebra in the most-awaited semis matchup that took all seven games to decide and was witnessed by a record crowd of 24,886! We won and faced our old nemesis, Rain or Shine in the Finals. It was a drama-filled Finals series complete with a walkout by ROS but in the end we grinded out a win and became the 2014 All-Filipino Champs! Coach Tim also became the winningest coach in the PBA with 16 titles!
A few days after winning the championship, we continued our journey with the start of the Commissioners Cup. Yes, just a few days later. We brought in a new import in James Mays. We rode on the momentum of the previous championship and won our first three games. Just when everybody felt that it would be a smooth ride things became bumpy once again. We hobbled our way to the playoffs and lost the first game of the best-of-three quarters series against Alaska. We once again faced with a win-or-go home scenario, but still managed to find a way to win and move up to the semis.
There we faced a hungry and energetic team in A21 Express. Most fans thought it would be a walk in the park until we were dragged into another do-or-die game five. Our experience in this kind of situation spelled the big difference as we once again survived sudden death and earned the right to face TNT in the Finals.
We were the clear underdogs in the Finals as we were up against a team that had a 13-0 record. They were unbeaten. We knew that the only way we would give ourselves a chance on winning this series is to put a dent on their armor, make them feel vulnerable. We won ams one and all of a sudden there was a glimmer of hope. That hope was immediately quashed as TNT played with less pressure and tied the series.
Game three was a cliffhanger that ended with us winning by two points, to put us one win away from another Championship. We were in that dreamy state entering game four and we got bludgeoned at the start, 17-1. Our second unit came in and woke us up from slumber just in time to capture our third straight title. Three-peat Baby! Now we were tagged as a team that was not just good, we were considered great! But the big question was: Can we be special?
We won the Commissioners Cup on May 15, 2014. We played our first game of the Governors Cup on May 21, 2014. Oh well, at least we had the weekend off. This also marked a new chapter in our journey as we lost key personnel from our staff. Jeff [Cariaso] was appointed Head Coach of Ginebra and he brought with him Olsen [Racela] to be his chief deputy. I was elevated by Coach Tim to be his first assistant and I felt pressure in an instant. The pressure was not coming from Coach Tim, and not from management, it was coming from myself. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was capable of filling in the shoes left by Jeff. His was a tough act to follow. Good thing Johnny [Abarrientos] was still there and Mon Jose was elevated to full assistant coach.
There were a lot of coaches who wanted to join our staff, a lot of respected and accomplished coaches. However, Coach Tim chose to promote from within our organization. He rewards hard work because he is the epitome of hard work and dedication. The passion he has for teaching how the game should be played has not diminished at all and has in fact grown even more. It is just amazing to witness how he works. I am truly lucky to be in this position.
We had Marqus Blakely back for another tour of duty. He was already in town when we won the Commissioners Cup. Everybody was already talking about the Grand Slam, everybody except us. We had a team rule that it was not to be talked about or even mentioned in our practices and games. It was a dream that should not be shared.
The format for the season ending conference added another twist. Top four would have a twice to beat edge over bottom four. We couldn’t afford a championship hangover. It would take a special effort to get our weary minds and bodies to go for that last push. Marqus carried us in the first few games. We rode his energy and all-around game in the eliminations and we managed to hang on to fourth place heading into the playoffs.
We won against SMB in the quarters to make it to the semis. Jason Webb joined our staff to give us fresh eyes heading into the semis. He is one lucky Bro. Standing in our way was TNT, which was hungry for revenge. We got up 2-0 in the best-of-five series and people were again talking about a Grand Slam. Not us. Not yet. TNT found a new lease in life as they changed their rotation and used energy from their second and third units to carve out back-to-back wins that pushed us in a familiar situation, sudden death. How many of these can we take? Amazingly, we were able to survive, again. We were now back in the Finals.
Did we talk about the Grand Slam at this point? No. I’m sure our tongues were so itchy already as if we had a juicy gossip that we would like to blabber about but it was best to keep your thoughts to yourself. Just a little bit more. We found ourselves facing a familiar foe in the Finals, Rain or Shine. They were the perfect villain against our wish for a fairy tale ending. They are tough, unconventional, extremely talented and well coached. They were motivated to get payback from the Philippine Cup loss and to slam the Grand Slam!
As expected, both teams fought tooth-and-nail and split the first four games. We go to a winner take all game five! We played in the opening game of the season and I guess that it was only fitting and destined that we also played in the last game of the season as our journey went full circle. One last do-or-die game. For the Championship. For history. It was one for the books!
It took until the very last second of the Final game to decide the winner. We missed four crucial free throws that could have iced the game. The Elasto Painters missed five good looks from beyond the arc to send the game into overtime. Not even the best scriptwriters or storytellers could have imagined a scene like that. It was done! Grand Slam! Now we can talk about it.
That is why I’m writing about it to share my experience. I am still overwhelmed with disbelief that I am a part of this. I am still overflowing with admiration and affection for our players. I am still thankful to our management, support staff and fellow coaches. I am still in awe of our coach. I will be forever grateful to the Lord.
I learned a lot of things on this journey. Stay together! When things are down, encourage don’t discourage. After a tough loss, be disappointed but not discouraged. Never too high after a win, nor too low after a loss. In do-or-die games, narrow your focus. Only look at what’s in front of you and nothing beyond that. What matters is not what happens TO you, but what happens IN you.
If there is one thing that I will forever remember it is this: The process is always greater than the result. We marvel at all the trophies and championships won and ask how it was done. The secret lies in the process. We make a mistake of being result-oriented, looking for instant gratification. What truly matters is the process you go through in getting those results.
Is our journey over? I don’t think so. We just have to let the process take its course once again. I can’t wait. Championships are won and forgotten. A grand slam is forever remembered.
TOGETHER we made HISTORY!
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