Friday, August 19, 2005
Mendoza: Strada tows Hi-Lux
By Alfonso J. Mendoza Jr.
Dayong's Corner
AFTER eight years, my Toyota Hi-Lux finally reached the 100,000 kilometers mileage. The timing belt and the rest of its parts were aching to be replaced. It did not come easy as the engine hollered for attention with clanking noises that eventually led to a permanent stop along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
Rewind back to Saturday night. I was on my way to attend the PBA Rookie Camp at the fabulous Moro Lorenzo Sports Complex inside the sprawling land of Ateneo de Manila University when the T-belt wordings blinked and flashed below the speedometer. It was a warning.
Inside the gym, the rookies displayed their wares but reality will hurt a lot of them. My team, the Shell Turbo Chargers is gone from the PBA after 20 years of participating. Our players eventually got traded and a few were not so lucky.
The unlucky players will be showered in the dispersal draft. Thus, the rookies will have to contend with only two rounds of drafting which will be approximately 18 players to be chosen. More than half will not make it in the 50 applicants. Competition is so stiff with just 9 available teams to offer job placements.
As expected, Anthony Washington caught many eyes of us coaches. The 6'6 Fil-Am easily did all drills with ease. Renamed to Air21, the Fedex franchise would be rewriting basketball textbook if they did not at least see Washington play for the Welcoat team in the PBL. But did they really see him as they are wondering why almost all team are after the talented forward. The number one pick Washington might just lead Air21 to the Finals with Mindanao pride and my former teammate at U.P. Bo Perasol as the new Head Coach.
A neighbor and mechanic replaced the timing belt of my Hi-Lux after that T-belt red light warned me. But he forgot (or did he?) failed to replace the other parts that are necessary to make it fluent. After days of driving, it eventually gave way. On a rainy afternoon, I had it checked with a new mechanic. With all internal parts of the Hi-Lux splattered after diagnosing it, a Mitsubishi Strada 4x4 came to the rescue. Armed with a thick yellow rope the powerful black Strada towed the Hi-Lux with ease on the slippery wet road.
The rugged yet refined Strada comes with an electronically controlled automatic that is coupled to a part-time 4-wheel drive with synchronizer so you can shift to 4WD while driving below 100 kmh. The Strada sports a new chrome front grille, 16-inch aluminum wheels with all terrain tires and a comfortable ergonomically designed and leather seat suede combination. It is powered by a turbocharged 4D56 diesel engine.
That Strada is not mine, by the way. My salary can't afford to buy it. Wait, what salary? Shell quit the PBA remember? For sure, my Toyota Hi-Lux will come out better after all the repairs. Unlike in the coming PBA draft, no repairs can be done wherein many rookies and some of the Shell dispersed players will be without a team for sure.
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(August 15, 2005 issue)
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