VETERAN sports columnist and one-time players' agent Napoleon 'Nap' Gutierrez passed away last week (June 29) due to a lingering illness.
He was 62.
Gutierrez wrote a weekly column for Pilipino Star Ngayon and PM (Pang Masa) and once edited the widely-read tabloid magazine Basketball Weekly under Mass Media Publication.
The magazine was so popular back then, Gutierrez made it to a weekly noontime show which he hosted every Saturday, 12 noon to 1 p.m. over RPN-9.
Gutierrez also dabbled as a player-agent and will forever be known as the architect of Alvin Patrimonio's five-year, P25 million contract which he signed with the Purefoods franchise back in 1991 - then the biggest player contract in the league.
Player and agent, founders of Slam Dunk Corporation, a production outifit which was involved in producing mini-concert and shows related to basketball, later had a falling-out that led to litigation.
A towering figure at 6-foot-1, Gutierrez was a product of Mapua where he was sports editor of The Builder, the school's official organ, in the 70s.
Mapua connection
Contrary to popular belief, Gutierrez didn't play for the Mapua Cardinals in the NCAA, and couldn't dunk the basketball. Not for the lack of trying.
"Nanonood lang siya sa team kasi nga writer siya sa school paper. Pero pag break or natapos na yung team practice, pinapa-dunk namin 'yan," said longtime Magnolia liason Jojo Peralta, who was part of the Mapua team during the heydays of Joel Banal and Leo Isaac.
Gutierrez also worked as a movie writer and TV talk show host as part of Movie Magazine with Cristy Fermin, Lulubelle Lam, Eugene Asis, Dolly Anne Carvajal, and movie critic Mario Hernando.
He was likewse part of the talk show Eye to Eye hosted by the late queen of showbiz talk shows Inday Badiday and also served as the PR of Regal Films under Lily Monteverde.
In his later years, Gutierrez served as publicist to several PBA players and athletes, the last of which was San Miguel star Terrence Romeo.
His health, however, took a turn for the worse just before the pandemic when he suffered a heart attack that confined him in a wheelchair until the time of his death.
His remains lie in state at the St. John the Baptist Church near the San Juan City Hall in Pinaglabanan.
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