TITAN Ultra could have paraded a bench loaded with PBA legends had its original plans pushed through.
SPIN.ph learned that Jerry Codinera was supposed to coach the Giant Risers in their first-ever season in the league, while Allan Caidic was eyed as team manager.
That’s 10 PBA championships, one Rookie of the Year trophy, three Best Player of the Conference awards, eight First Mythical Team selections, 19 All-Star selections, and two 50 Greatest Players honors.
READ By letting Calvin be Calvin, Titan gets the best out of Abueva
As if that’s not enough, another PBA great and three-time champion in Gerry Esplana was also in line to become team governor.
“Kasado na yun,” said the source.
Codinera, 59, of course, was former coach of University of the East and Arellano University in college, Teletech in the Philippine Basketball League, and Imus in the MPBL.
Caidic, 62, once called the shots for Barangay Ginebra and served as deputy coach of De La Salle.
And the 59-year-old Esplana? He was formerly mentor of Emilio Aguinaldo College and Valenzuela Classics in the MPBL.
Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as expected.
With no deal formally signed, suddenly the wind changed direction, and before they knew it, a new coaching staff under John Cardel took charge.
So what heppened? - Gerry Ramos
Tats Suzara's term as PNVF chief at an end
RAMON 'Tats' Suzara’s reign as president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) faces a challenge.
By Nov. 30, the PNVF is scheduled to elect his successor during its general assembly in a vote that coincides with the finals of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
PVL and Sports Vision executive Tony Boy Liao, a sitting member of the PNVF board, are also in the mix for the presidency, sources say.
Also surfacing as potential contenders are PNVF honorary chairman and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez, and Philippine Aquatics Inc. president Miko Vargas, son of newly elected SBP head Ricky Vargas.
But here’s the catch.
There are plans to postpone the election to 2026 citing ongoing preparations by the national volleyball teams for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December.
Any extension of Suzara’s term beyond 2025, however, would run counter to the federation’s bylaws, which limit the presidency to two two-year terms — a tenure Suzara has already completed after assuming office in 2021 and being reelected in 2023.
SPIN.ph has also learned that Suzara’s camp already has a successor in mind. Incumbent PNVF vice-president Dr. Arnel B. Hajan, a longtime sports leader in Mindanao, is being positioned as the federation’s bet.
Hajan previously served as Mindanao vice president of the now-defunct Philippine Volleyball Federation, with his roots in sports leadership traced to the Zamboanga Peninsula.
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