Hatfield chooses family over fame

Famed sports reporter Snow Badua cornered now-Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen. Ginebra has been extremely quiet in this offseason and Snow is left dazed and confused.

Even if the reports are in, the appointment of Siot in the Ginebra camp is still undecided. Jong Uichico will not join the B-Meg Llamados and it will be interesting to see if Jong can sit idly on the bench without upstaging his protégé.

One thing’s for sure though – The H-Bomb will not return for Ginebra this season.

Rudy Hatfield has issues with settling. Not anymore though. But although he has cured this problem, the decision he did may leave a bitter taste on every Ginebra fan. While choosing family over fame is a noble thought, one would wonder if we have seen the last of his almost 8 points per game and more than 11 rebounds an outing. 

There are a lot of players thinking of retiring and after Jeffrey Cariaso, Johnny Abarrientos, and Olsen Racela, Hatfield will probably lead the next batch led by the former Sta. Lucia triumvirate of Dennis Espino, Marlou Aquino, and Kenneth Duremdes. 

Here are the H-Bomb’s stats in his last three conferences:

2010 FIESTA CUP

7.0PPG – 7.7RPG – 0.8APG – 21.7MPG – 21 GAMES

2010-11 PBA PHILIPPINE CUP

9.6PPG – 12.4RPG – 2.7APG – 30.5MPG – 23 GAMES

2010 COMMISSIONER’S CUP

7.3PPG – 7.8RPG – 1.6APG – 0.8SPG – 27.5MPG – 22 GAMES

The H-Bomb is bar none one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game. He started his playing career with the MBA’s Laguna Lakers before moving to the PBA via the Tanduay Rhum Masters. He was traded to the Pop Cola Panthers when Bong Tan went berserk and traded his best players for cannon fodders. Renamed the Coca-Cola Panthers, he went on to win a bunch of titles with Chot Reyes as coach and with Johnny Abbarientos, Poch Juinio, Jeffrey Cariaso, Rafi Reavis, Ato Morano, and Reynel Hugnatan as players. He was then involved in one of the league’s lopsided trades as the Kings came away with him, Reavis, and Billy Mamaril for virtually nothing.

He had a lot of title runs with the Kings especially during the days where he acted like a wrestler.  

So what’s next for the Kings?

Jayjay Helterbrand has just signed a one conference deal with the Kings. Apparently he is a firm believer of getting your money’s worth and if he thinks he can’t return to his old MVP form, he’ll probably retire from competition. Enrico Villanueva is returning to the lineup after battling injury and the Kings just issued contracts for the services of dominant inside-outside force Reil Cervantes and hardcourt heartthrob James Martinez.

Ginebra is still one of the teams to beat but the never-say-die spirits of Mark Caguioa, Ronald Tubid, and the rest of their cronies must prevail. They have proven time and again that with or without the H-Bomb, they have the goods to win.

Game over.