Abarrientos gives retirement hard look
by Noli Cortez
Malaya
October 14, 2007
Father Time has steadily crept up on heady point guard Johnny Abarrientos, making him seriously think of finally ending his glittering and checkered PBA career.
Abarrientos, who turned 37 last July 17, has been constantly bothered by a recurring knee injury, but that alone is not the sole reason for his deep contemplations of late.
Seeing Joe Devance, the top rookie pick overall by Welcoat in the rookie draft, walk by prior to yesterday’s opening of the PBA’s 33rd season, someone quipped if Abarrientos can do a number on the 6-foot-5 Fil-Am, like scoring off him through one of his patented under-the-armpit lay-ups.
Abarrientos, who will be playing his 15th season in the league with Ginebra, emphatically shook his head.
"Nu’ng araw siguro. Hindi na ngayon, matanda na tayo," he said with a wistful smile.
His battle with Father Time has long gnawed on Abarrientos, known in the league as the "Flying A," but he felt it more this season when Jun Limpot and Vic Pablo, among his batchmates in the 1993 draft, were not re-signed by their respective teams, Purefoods and Talk N Teams.
There’s also the question of motivation.
"Every year na lang, gusto mong may dahilan ka para mag-pursigi. Pero every year din nababawasan iyon," said Abarrientos, who was named league MVP in 1996 and has won a total of 12 titles, nine of them with Alaska.
"Dumating na nga sa punto na pag-gising mo sa umaga, nag-iisip ka na kung bakit gusto mo pang maglaro," he related. "Pero somehow, nakakakuha ka pa rin ng dahilan."
Even getting into condition has turned into a big, often tedious chore.
"On my own, nagpapa-condition ako. Pero kapag sumabay ako sa mga ka-teammates ko, dun na ako me nararamdaman," he said. "Kaya nga ang ginagawa ko na lang, sa mga third week na lang ako sumasali sa practice."
With Limpot and Pablo gone, only Abarrientos and Magnolia’s Olsen Racela are left as the league’s oldest active players. Born on Nov. 1, 1970, Racela is some three months younger than Abarrientos.
Abarrientos was drafted at No. 3 overall and Racela 12th. Still, the former looks to Racela for the final cue.
"Ang sabi ko nga kay Olsen, kung gusto na niyang mag-retire, sabihan lang ako para sabay kami," said Abarrientos.
"Pero kahit hindi sabihin ni Olsen, palagay ko mauuna pa rin akong mag-retire sa kanya. Hanggang doon na lang talaga yata."
2 comments:
Two of the best point guards after the era of Hector Calma, Ronnie Magsanoc and Dindo Pumaren.
Johnny A. was magnificent from the start while Olsen took some grooming and maturation. Johnny's game is more athletic and flashy and more dependent on speed that's why when he suffered some injuries and time crept up on him his star faded somewhat. Olsen's game is more on orchestration, control and ball-distribution. While he may also have slowed down a bit it isn't as critical to his game as Johnny's. Olsen has been very fortunate that he hasn't suffered any major injuries. Wow! To have seen the games of Calma, Magsanoc, Pumaren, Racela, Abarrientos...I'll be sad to see them hang up their jerseys.
ya. it's time now to see if the likes of LA Tenorio, Jason Castro, Pong Escobal and Ryan Reyes makes it among the league's best in a few years
Post a Comment