Mendoza: Cone can’t be that weak or Bo will strike

Saturday, December 17, 2011

TIM Cone had a rather unhappy birthday this year.

On Wednesday, he lost a game that, had he pulled it out of the fire, it would have been the embodiment of a best-ever birthday gift for him in years.

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A win for Cone would have made his new job at B-MEG easier to handle. At the same time, it would have instantly appeared his decision to switch teams was perfectly all right.

Have we forgotten?

Cone left Alaska--after being its coach for 30 years or so--for B-MEG that, naturally, it raised questions not that easy to answer.

Did he finally have a fight with Freddie Uytengsu, the Alaska owner who had been his boyhood friend and with whom they’ve developed a chemistry that has produced only the fourth Grand Slam feat in the PBA?

Or did Cone receive a salary offer from San Miguel bigwig Ramon S. Ang that he could not refuse?

The answers will remain secret forever.

Anyway, Powerade’s victory over B-MEG on Dec. 14 was more than a bitter pill to swallow for Cone. It was a dagger in the heart.

As I said, the gods can be cruel at times. They are just like you and me: On a given day, they can be as fickle as the female next to you. Like jail wardens, they don’t treat you nice at all times.

The win did not only allow Powerade to live another day in the race for the PBA semifinals; it also proved the experts wrong about Cone being invincible at this stage.

Thus, when they play again on Sunday night—this time, for all the marbles—what’s in store for Cone?

A lot, but one thing’s for sure: Cone’s back is against the wall, with Gary David’s gun poked on his temple.

No matter what people may say, the momentum is on Powerade’s side.

B-MEG had blown its incentive of twice-to-beat and, to the weak of heart, that could be a mind-crippler. Will Cone succumb?

When the game goes haywire--and I surmise it will--expect the genuine warriors to prevail.

Coach Bo Perasol of Powerade has been the most under-rated coach ever. Against the multi-titled Cone, this should be Bo’s biggest game ever.
Surely, all eyes will be on Cone.

It’d be up to Bo if Tim deserves all the attention.

(alsol47@yahoo.com)