[Editor's note: Here is the eighth installment of Spin.ph's WAGS (Wives and Girlfriends) series]
MICHELLE Madrigal plays the supporting role all too well professionally as an actress, and in real life as the caring girlfriend of San Miguel Beermen guard Chris Ross.
But while she’s stays glamorous even in the most intense acting scenes, she doesn’t mind letting her hair down, to the point of losing her poise, when she’s cheering in the stands.
“Wala talaga akong poise pag nagchi-cheer ako,” confessed the morena beauty to Spin.ph in a short chat after one of the semifinal games between SMB and Rain or Shine at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “Kasi the way ako na umupo [pa lang], para na kasi akong lalake.”
The former FHM Philippines cover girl couldn't help but laugh as she recalled one instance when she got too carried away because the physicality of one game between SMB and Air21 went below the belt, figuratively and literally.
“Ang pinaka-naalala ko ‘yung natamaan siya (Ross) sa private part niya ni Joseph Yeo a long time ago, Petron pa ‘yun or San Miguel na, nagalit ako! Tapos finocus pala ako ng camera na hindi ko alam, then I’m like, ‘Hoy! Ano yan?!’” she said, reenacting the scene.
“Tapos ‘yung mga fans nag-tweet sa akin kaya sabi ko na lang, sorry na-carried away lang,” Madrigal added, laughing at herself.
She just can't help it, Michelle said.
“Especially kapag ganitong semis at lalo na kapag Finals, oh my God, nai-stress ako!” she exclaimed. “Pag ganon na (tapos) Game Seven nalalaglag ako sa upuan ko, tapos pag-tie, pag-OT, grabe talaga.”
The 27-year old actress, who began her showbiz career in the 2004 reality search Star Circle Quest, has no qualms about going all out in cheering for Ross, strong as she is in her belief that her energy from the sidelines rubs off on her beau on the court.
And she’s not alone, as fellow SMB WAGs share this belief while gathered in one part of the patron section.
“Kami kasi sa SMB magkakatabi lagi ang wives and girlfriends to support them (players), so even kahit na malaki ang lamang we’re still there screaming, ‘We’ve got time!’ kasi it helps them,” she said.
“They need it lalo pag nape-pressure sila. ‘Di ko nga lang alam kung tumitingin siya (Ross) sa akin, joke!” she added. “Pero just our presence and ‘yung support ko andyan, feeling ko nakakadagdag sa energy ng crowd.”
If Madrigal has any regrets, it was her inability to stay active in sports, particularly in volleyball. It would've given her a deeper understanding of an athlete's life, she said, and allowed her to turn the tables, so to speak, on Ross.
“I wish nagpe-play ako ng sport, hindi ko kasi tinuloy noong grade school ako nagva-volleyball ako,” she said. “Sana pala tinuloy ko ang sports ko ‘di ba? Para malay mo siya rin manonood sa akin, i-cheer niya rin ako.”