Tiu-pefied

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     I'm probably the worst kind of fan there is.  Obsessed and always analyzing, I've become jaded to a degree.  I'm rarely effusive in my praise, but my interview last week with Smart GIlas skipper Chris Tiu left me no choice but to be different.  It's funny because I've known him since he was in second year high school, but his presence, humility and wisdom never fail to amaze.

     Finally able to talk to him after several tries, he graciously granted my request for an interview, inviting me over to Gilas practice. (Check out my fly on the wall article here)  While he was warming up and getting treatment for his sore hamstring and thighs, I take the opportunity to strike up a conversation/interview.

Plugging the Holes

     On the subject of pros playing, Chris displays his intuitive and intelligent side.  He admits pros are needed, despite GIlas playing together for over 11/2 years.  "There are pros and cons," Tiu explains.  "Whatever experience we’ve got over the last two years, you can’t compare to the experience the other pros have gotten. They’ve been playing for the past 5-7 years of their career so it helps to have an experienced player on the team." He is fully aware that, especially at this point in their development, they need some help.  "It helps to have pros plug in the holes, missing links within the team.  It would definitely help to have these guys, Asi (Taulava) Kelly (Williams) Sol (Mercado), most specially the big men positions coz we’re very limited with big men."  

     He's a realist, though, and he recognizes the difficulties PBA players have with their commitments to their mother teams.  Besides, he thinks the Gilas amateurs are more than ready themselves. "I think the level of the guys on this team now, JV (Casio), Mac (Baracael), (Chris) Lutz, Marcio (Lassiter), when they make it to the pros, they’re not going to be considered rookies anymore. A lot will be expected of them, so in a sense they’ve reached that level already where they can be very competitive at the pro level; technically they’re pros as well."  If given the choice to decide on the country's basketball program?  It's obvious Tiu believes in the GIlas program.  "I prefer you get some pros and retain the non pros, because for one being (amateur Gilas), we’ve traveled to so many countries playing against the best players and we’ve played as one team. We’ve gotten used to the system of coach (Rajko Toroman) so that’s an advantage."

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A Fly on the Wall (at Gilas Practice)

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     It's easy to take shots and give advice from the cheap seats; that's why I call my blog From the Fifty Peso Seats.  Last night though, I decided to move down the aisle and take a closer look.  Attending the practice of Smart Gilas, I had no idea who would train and what they would do.  One thing's for sure, though.  Leaving practice, I had a very good idea of how we're going to do at the Asian games.

     Scheduled at 7 p.m. at the Arena in San Juan, practice actually starts earlier than that, as I spy Mark Barroca already outside the gym at 530.  I came early, since I was meeting Chris Tiu for an interview at 6.  Soon after parking, JV Casio and Tiu arrive and we enter the gym.  Dylan Ababou follows, then Chris Lutz with Coach Rajko Toroman.  Chris and I begin talking as he gets taped.  Beside us, Casio gets a much needed massage treatment on his beat up legs.  As Casio grimaces in pain, I ask Chris about Marcus Douthit.  He is optimistic about Douthit's chances, but rues the pressure of having things done before the Senate goes on break.  He then reveals that even if Douthit is naturalized, we have to hope the Asian Games Committee accredits Douthit.  I ask him if China could screw us over and he admits it's a possibility.  

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Tiu Tiu Train (of Thought) Part 1

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     From the Fifty Peso Seats is honored to have an email conversation with Charles Tiu, one of Smart Gilas' insiders, who took time out to reveal news on Gilas, among other things.  In part one, Tiu finally details the real deal about Gilas, debunking some lies other newspapers have been concocting. (Note: The interview was conducted a week ago and all of the information has since been verified by the news)

From the Fifty Peso Seats: You've become an unofficial spokesperson of Smart Gilas, writing about them in the broadsheets and updating fans on twitter.  How did you get in this

position?  Did you volunteer or were you asked?

Charles Tiu: I don't think I am their unofficial spokesperson. I just happen to know a lot of stuff about the team, since I'm pretty close to coach and i follow them a lot, watch their practices and all that. And I really only update with things that i know are okay to be talked about already. Like (for) example Lassiter being AWOL. (Lassiter has since apologized to Gilas - FFPS) It came out only late last week in the papers but we knew about that a few weeks earlier. I didn't want any of those coming from me, because I am in no position to report that. I just also like to update people via twitter cause I feel that with the generation nowadays, they don't really bother reading newspapers much to get their news updates.

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