ALMOST three decades later, Noli Eala finally found his way to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
The former PBA commissioner and broadcaster was officially named chairman of the country’s government sports agency Tuesday night, succeeding William ‘Butch’ Ramirez to become the 11th head of the sports agency first established in 1990.
[READ: Noli Eala on fans' clamor to step in at Gilas]
Unknown to many though, Eala came close to working with the PSC as early as the 1990s.
Engineer Robert Evangelista recalled once trying to convince Eala to become the executive director of the PSC under then late chairman Gemiliano ‘Mel’ Lopez.
Evangelista said Lopez tasked him to talk to Eala to accept the PSC executive director position during the latter’s time as play-by-play anchor of the PBA.
Eala was on Lopez’s list of candidates for the sensitive job shortly after the former Manila mayor was appointed as PSC chairman by the late President Fidel V. Ramos in 1993.
“Ilang beses ko siyang pinuntahan sa (Cuneta) Astrodome and talked to him about Mayor Lopez’s offer. Chairman Mel thought he was perfect to become PSC executive director,” Evangelista reminisced upon learning of Eala’s appointment.
Evangelista, currently with the Manila City Engineer’s Office, back then runs the media bureau of the PSC together with Arsenic Lacson. He also happened to be a close friend of then San Miguel superstar Samboy Lim.
But perhaps, it wasn’t meant to be.
Eala opted to stay as PBA game analyst, prompting the PSC to look for another option, eventually landing Dr. Lucresio Calo for the job.
“Pero gusto talaga siya (Eala) ni chairman Mel,” added Eala.
Twenty nine years later, Eala finally set foot at the PSC office as the chief of the country’s highest governing body in sports.
Lawyer Guillermo Iroy is the current PSC executive director.