BARANGAY Ginebra coach Tim Cone said sitting with the Sports5 broadcast panel working Game Two of the PBA Philippine Cup has given him new appreciation for the two coaches who are battling for the title — Alex Compton and Leo Austria.
Cone, the winningest coach in the PBA, joined Charlie Cuna and Eric Reyes as a guest analyst in the broadcast team on Wednesday and his insights were met with positive reviews from fans on social media.
The multi-titled coach previously did an Asean Basketball League (ABL) game a few years back but couldn’t remember the last time he worked a PBA game from the broadcast booth.
Needless to say, he enjoyed every minute of it.
“19-forgotten,” said Cone when asked if he recalled when was the last time he became a TV analyst for a PBA game. “I have no idea when was the last time.”
“It was a fun game to do. There was a lot of stuff going on. I really, really appreciate the two coaches,” said Cone.
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Doing the game for Sports5, Cone said, afforded him an altogether different perspective and gave him all the more reason to appreciate the work of Compton and Austria, who he regularly faces from the opposite bench.
“Alex has been just spectacular ever since he joined the league. He has brought a different style, different offensive styles, different defensive styles, kind of a folksy style he has with the press and the fans, and his ability to speak Tagalog, it’s really spectacular, those things he brought to the table,” said Cone.
“It’s been an eye-opener to watch him coach,” Cone.
Cone said the same goes for Austria, who he felt has not been given the credit that he deserves for the two championships he brought to San Miguel last season.
“I said it a little bit on TV that when Coach Leo took over, San Miguel was the drama team — drama here, guys couldn’t get along, didn’t want to pass the ball to each other and they couldn’t overachieve. And then, he came in and immediately, he made them overachieve.
“I think coach Leo is an underplayed story of last year. I don’t think he is getting the credit he really deserves,” said Cone.
Cone said the coaching battle between the two made doing the coverage even more fun.
“I think it’s a tale of two coaches and that’s what made it so fun to be on the panel tonight, to be able to discuss those guys and watch and see what they were doing,” said Cone.
Cone had he also found another reason to love being a TV analyst.
“Plus, we get to listen in on every timeout. That’s kinda cool,” Cone remarked. “You don’t do that from a coaching standpoint, so we are getting some little extra insight there. I’m not sure if they are going to be happy about that.
“(Let’s) see what can I use when I get there next conference,” said Cone with a smile.