 |
| Will Ryan Buenafe ever score for the Blue & White again? (image by Philip Sison/Fabilioh.com) |
Everyone who follows the Ateneo Blue Eagles really only has one question in his/her mind at this moment:
Will Ryan Buenafe, the phenom before the phenom (Kiefer Ravena), play for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in Season 74?
Nothing’s certain, BUT based on some posts I’ve read, the answer is
cue drum roll…
NOPE.
Bummer, huh?
In my humble opinion, and with respect to the other great Eagles and the coaching staff, Ryan was the biggest reason (not the only reason, but the biggest one) we won those three titles. He doesn’t put up monster numbers consistently, and his physique hardly inspires gym membership, but his off-the-charts basketball IQ and Jason Kidd-ish poise is unparalleled in the local amateur scene.
And his absence I believe, more than any opposing player or any other present circumstance, is the reason Ateneo will not be as invulnerable as loyal fans like me would like to think.
We can plug in the talent void with our rookies. Suklian mo pa. But talent isn’t the issue here. It’s his presence, his existence on the court that will be missed. We can put someone quicker, someone stronger, someone who can jump higher, or someone less rotund, but no matter who we put out there, we lose the only Ryan Buenafe in the world.
Does this mean the Eagles will tank?
Hell no. It only means they will find new ways to win.
But enough wins for the rare 4-peat? How about Ryan playing next season?
Like I said, nothing is certain.
*Here are the two blog posts that spurred this post:
- Chris Soler’s “Random Thoughts” on Inboundpass.com
0 Comment