The article (link below) on Uichico and Jacobs brought back so many memories, and made me realise why I follow and support the Philippine national team with so much passion. As a young boy I had a some what of a unique preference to root for Jacob’s NCC Philippine team and players rather than the more popular PBA pros Toyota and Cripsa players. I remember my cousins, dissing me for rooting for a team made up of Americans (Moore , Engelend) and amateurs (Non pros Calma, Caidic etc).
Fast forward to 1998. I visited Bangkok, Thailand (the country where I grew up due to my dad’s work assignment) to watch the Philippine national team compete in the Asian games. (In the quarterfinals the Philippines lost to Korea) I approached coach Chot, who was then the assistant to coach Cone, after the game for a short chat and pictures (that picture after losing to Korea was what I used for Chot to recognise me for the 2013 NZ tour).
Fast forward to 2002, my dream of Jacobs once again coaching the 2002 National team became a reality (so I thought). With my excitement my dad and I would go to the Moro Lorenzo Ateneo training facility to watch the National team practice. I remember my dad scribbling players' names with their stats with his preferred line-up. (Coach Jacobs suffered a stroke while preparing and his understudy Uichico took his place, we lost to Korea in the semis on last second shot).
Fast forward to 2007, I had since migrated to New Zealand, but still followed the national team. My dad offered to record the games of the National team from the Philippine broadcast. Chot Reyes had been appointed head coach for the 1st time. Daddy recorded a few games in the Jones cup. He also suffered a stroke then. When I flew back to Manila to be with him, some of the things I talked to him about was the Philippine National team. I knew he enjoyed getting updates on the Philippine team, even if he could not respond because of the stroke. Dad eventually went to be with the Lord a couple of years after.
Fast forward 2013 – The National team coaches (Chot and Uichico), who my dad and I use to just talk about, now became people who I talked to on a regular basis as organizer of the NZ tour. (Chot and Uichico were Head coaches and chief assistant coaches of the Philippine team). Uichico was my roommate in the 10-day NZ tour. The Philippine beat Korea in the semis, qualifying for the World cup and revenging both the 1998 and 2002 loss where Chot and then Uichico respectably were coaches. This was also the 1st time we qualified for the World championships since Jacob’s 1985 team. Somehow I can't help but think that my dad was watching with pride how we finally won!
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