PIDO Jarencio was his usual frank self, sparing no one and leaving nothing to the imagination, as he faced the media for the first time this UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday.
He even serenaded the media by singing, "And now, the end is near..." - the familiar first line of Filipinos' videoke favorite "My Way" courtesy of Frank Sinatra.
But as University of Santo Tomas formally booked its Final Four spot with an 80-71 win over National U, the outspoken mentor also shed light on the situation with his alma mater and its current backer San Miguel Corp.
READ: UST catches fire late vs NU to claim third seed in Final Four
“This is our third year. Yung first year, nangangapa pa lang tayo doon, pero last year and this year, it’s now our year. At the same time, it’s our expiration contract year, so at least we’re blessed na yung community nandyan at sumusuporta yung mga tunay na UST fans,” he said.
Rumors were running wild of SMC moving out of Espana with their initial three-year pact coming to an end, and chatter grew louder when the Growling Tigers were in the midst of a four-game skid in the middle of the eliminations.
Jarencio, though, said that it’s the least of the concerns for him, the team, the school, and SMC itself.
“Ok kami. Wala kaming problema,” he said. “Marami lang talagang marites dyan na kung ano-anong sinasabi. 'Pag natalo ka, ang sama-sama mong tao. 'Pag nanalo, ang pogi mo. Lintek na yan, walang balanse eh! Talagang iko-condemn ka eh.”
What he knows is that it’s just the nature of the business, with sponsors coming in and out of programs and coaches like him always being hired to be fired. Indeed, nothing’s absolute in this industry.
For Jarencio, whatever happens in the future will happen and it’s one that he’s not about to be concerned with.
“This is basketball. Wala akong pakialam sa mga tsismis,” he said. “Kung ayaw na sa amin, wala akong magagawa doon. But yung next year, yung for Season 89, kung andito pa kami, yun talaga (players), namin yun kasi recruits namin yun."
Coach Pido's way or the highway
That's why as much as the PBA great also shares the view of this being a championship-or-bust season for the Growling Tigers and that it may very well lead to the end or the extension of his second go-round as UST's bench tactician, Jarencio has a clear conscience knowing he did all he could to put this team in a position to compete and win.
"Lahat ng pinasukan ko, pinagtrabahuan ko nang maayos at walang kalokohan
Ganoon lang kasimple," he said.
All of that, though, is just outside noise at the present, as Jarencio stressed that all of the attention should be focused on the players and the players alone.
"It’s all about the players, the desire, the grit to get this win, to be in the Final Four," he said of the Growling Tigers. "Ngayon, kalaban namin ang UP [sa Final Four], we’re gonna be ready for sure."
And for those ready to rejoin the black-and-gold bandwagon, this is what the ever-outspoken mentor had to say: "Maraming pinag-uusapan, maraming nagdududa. Itong UST, joke lang ba ito? No, we're here. Parating na kami."
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