TIM Cone described Marc Pingris as “my fav” shortly after his announcement that he was retiring from the PBA last May.
But the relationship started on the wrong foot, with Cone, according to him, even baring that Pingris even asked to be traded when the champion coach was just starting to introduce the triangle offense to the team.
The 39-year-old Pingris admitted during a recent interview with SPIN.ph that there was indeed a misunderstanding between the two that started when he didn’t play in a game.
“Parang first week pa lang na may isang game kami, parang hindi ako ginamit,” said Pingris. “So parang nagtampo ako. Hate na hate ko kasi matalo. Tapos parang interview ako, tapos sinabi ko, hindi ako binabayaran para naka-upo lang dito. Gusto ko lang maglaro.”
Marc Pingris on Tim Cone
Those feelings by Pingris reached the coaching staff the next day in practice, with Cone’s assistant and current Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso spoke to Pingris to clear the matter. After the talk, Pingris later apologized to Cone and his coaching staff, with Cone explaining, according to Pingris, the reasons behind his coaching in his early days with the Purefoods franchise.
“Kinabukasan, dumating sa kanya, sa assistant coaches. Hindi ako pinapansin. Walang imikan. Makikita mo naman sa isang tao ‘yung aura ng tao kung galit sayo or what.”
“Kinausap ako ni coach Jeff Cariaso na mali ‘yung ginawa mo. Inexplain niya sa akin. And then, inexplain ko rin kay coach Jeff kung ano nararamdaman ko. Gusto ko rin na masabi kung ano hinanakit ko sa loob ko para patas lang. Nung naintindihan ko, isa isa ‘yan, nag-sorry talaga ako. Sabi ko kay coach, sorry,” said Pingris.
“Nag-usap kami ni coach Tim, inexplain niya sa akin na may ginagawa siyang ‘experiment’ sa team, tinitignan niya muna lahat. Okay lang magalit ka ngayon, but someday, tingnan mo, magpapasalamat ka rin sa akin,” Pingris said, quoting Cone.
And Cone was right. Three years after Cone took over the franchise, San Mig Coffee made history, becoming the fourth team in PBA history to capture the grand slam.
“Until now, talagang salamat sa kanya na naging part ako ng grandslam,” said Pingris.
Pingris said the relationship grew from that heart-to-heart talk with Cone, who guided him every day in practice and games not only to understand the triangle offense but the game itself.
“Every practice kasi, every game, talagang ineexplain niya sa akin. Ineexplain kahit maliit na details, pinaintindi niya sa akin ‘yung basketball. I know naiintindihan ko ‘yung basketball pero mas binigyan niya ako ng confidence sa sarili ko. Tinutukan niya ako. ‘Yung ang gusto ko sa kanya, hindi niya ako iniwanan sa ere talaga,” said Pingris.
“Si coach Ryan, iba ‘yung kay coach Ryan. Naging tatay ko, kinontrol niya ako, ‘yung ugali ko, inexplain niya sa akin. Magkaiba sila pero iba talaga ‘yung pag-intindi ni coach Tim sa akin sa basketball,” said Pingris.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
