Cheering for Eric Menk

(A long time fan here of former Brgy. Ginebra superstar, Eric Menk. This short story chronicling the career of the one and only Major Pain brings us back to the beginning of the journey that was nothing short of twists and turns. As one of my favorite basketball heroes that grew before my eyes, I have mustered as much recollection to put into a blog how a basketball hero led an invasion of sort yet on his own vulnerability and enigma, continued to be tested to prove his rightful place in the history of local hoops. Enjoy!)

The year was 1999, Tanduay Rhum Masters, after years of domination on the semi-pro league in this basketball-crazy country decided to test the mettle of the real pro league—the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association). The Lucio Tan-sponsored squad could no longer find real competition from the now defunct PBL (Philippine Basketball League) back then so it was naturalmente for them to move up and find the men among the boys. What with a team loaded with college superstars and proven winners, then Rhum Masters coach Al Francis Chua knew that it was time for them to slug it out and conquer new heights.

Such confidence though didn’t spring out of the youth talent Chua has at his disposal. One thing that he thought could make them a competitive crew against the formidable and tested skill-level of pro basketball doesn’t come from the potentials of his young rookies. He is assured that they can contend, even try to win it all at their maiden season back to the PBA (Tanduay was one of the pioneering teams in the league when it started in 1975) not because the team he has, consisted of shoo-in first rounders if and when they decided to enter the draft of that same year could make then current PBA teams a better force to reckon with. The affable mentor knew exactly how they could realize those prospects—or projects if you may. He had then that reason these all weren’t just flash in the pan. He had Eric Menk.

Eric Menk was the first rookie/MVP awardee of the PBL, his arrival to Tanduay was nothing less than a validation of their supremacy amongst other commercial teams. Since Menk came to town, the former Lake Superior State University alumnus carried Tanduay to consecutive finals stint while developing assortment of skills from long jumpers to spin moves towards the basket (Menk, during his prime, has the quickest spin move for a forward/center the league has ever seen). For a power forward at 6’5, he towers most of his competition and with frame so thick and so chiseled that pushing him so hard will be a futile undertaking.  Much has been said about his pronounced dominance and legendary work-ethics as Major Pain burst into the scene of Philippine basketball. I for one, then as a high schooler who was starting to love the game in a much methodical sense, started to follow his games on TV. Even his much-publicized rivalry with Asi Taulava in the PBL, with which Menk won with regularity just added to the gem of a career start Menk has enjoyed. Pundits were quick to affirm that it’s just a matter of time that he’ll soon revolutionize the way big man play in the PBA.

When Tanduay Rhum Masters finalized their inclusion as the 9^th team of PBA in 1999, they were told they could bring six of their players to the big league. It was an understatement who will lead the group as they move up to the pros, it was no brainer that Menk will be at the centerpiece of their invasion. Sure, a dude named Sonny Alvarado (whom they picked first overall on the draft of that same year) made headlines as well and threatened to take away his role to the team, but as if he wasn’t bothered at all he co-existed and was even named Best Player of the Conference (All-Filipino Cup, 1999) right on his first conference which eventually led the rookie team to the finals against Benjie Paras-led Formula Shell. Later, Alvarado departed from our consciousness after him unable to prove his Filipino roots.

I was so engrossed how Menk played ball, he wasn’t your typical athletic monster who would wreak havoc and exude the craziness and vulgarity usually infused with such gifts. He was just pure hard work, ever so calculating and even so focused that you might think of his every programmable action has its own précised results. And there where the confusion started happening. I am a die hard Ginebra fan. So I found myself rooting for my favorite team while cheering for an individual so awe-inspiring that I didn’t mind him dropping 30+ points and 20+ rebounds each time Ginebra and Tanduay played against one another. And truth be told, as it didn’t look so possible back then, that I wished Menk could be traded to Ginebra even if it meant losing some of my favorite players from the team.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Flurry of controversies shrouded the so-called Fil-Am invasion in the PBA. Not a few of these blue chip rookies were deported due to either unproven lineage or falsified papers. Eric Menk, being at the center of the storm, faced countless suspension from the games and banned at some point by the PBA with Philippine Senate putting them under scrutiny as they probed the legitimacy of their Filipino descent. It came to a point where the games they’ve won were forfeited and chances at playing at the higher rounds of the tournament were put to zilch. Menk was so close to kiss his PBA career goodbye. A career with so much to conquer was at the mercy of being cut short—one can imagine the thoughts prowling with this baller who’s just about to give everything he had.

The controversy died a natural death. Not because mass media stopped talking about it, but partly for all the Fil-Ams that remained, there were proofs of roots which later on corroborated with documents. And as if Menk, of course to an extent, Asi Taulava, had to prove their patriotism by volunteering to play on international tilts to say that they belong to the league in as much as the homegrown ballers deserved a spot to the basketball myths of the country. Menk moved on, so did the rest of the league. And perhaps the basketball gods may have heard my ritual pleading, Menk was traded to Ginebra just before Tanduay left the league for good.

So the revitalized Menk took the Gin Kings to the upper echelons of PBA like a man on a mission. Complementing his inside dominance is the emergence of the backcourt tandem of Mark Caguioa and JayJay Helterbrand whom sports analysts fittingly dubbed “The Fast and The Furious”. The three of them formed the monarchial triumvirate that put Ginebra to relevance once again. It was that period where these three Kings put pride and winning tradition above all—happy days were indeed the stamp of the Menk-Caguioa-Helterbrand era. It wasn’t far fetched from every Ginebra diehard that one day, we’ll see them facing the crowd while raising their retired jersey numbers on the rafters of Araneta Coliseum.

Their reign, however blissful, and like any other period of dominance, was pestered with hitches on their ascent to greatness. Injuries to the players kept them from their conquests. Ever so often, none of the key players were able to complete a season without battles with health. Age, if anything, only intensified the regressing explosiveness of some of its vital cogs. And just when you thought Menk’s nationality issues had been already dug six feet under, alas, like a fabled phoenix that rose from the ashes, chased him once again which ultimately stumped the growing legend of his. Menk’s coronation as the King of PBA came about during the 2004-05 season during which he led Ginebra to back-to-back championships. Yet even that didn’t escape another revisit at disgrace, the only player in recent memory to win MVP while serving suspension (for the nth time) from the league—still with nagging citizenship issues.

I really thought it was his turn to dominate the league for a long period of time. Much like Alvin Patrimonio of the 90’s, I had really hoped for as much longevity for him if not better giving weight to the talent that he had. Sure, he had much stronger competition to start with; sure other Fil-Am superstars like Taulava and Danny Seigle could make a strong case out of themselves. But Menk was, at least for Ginebra, which historically being the most popular/populous team bar none is the de facto king of the kingmakers. While his peers may have a better overall skill level, he has a barangay right behind him—something that others could only wish to enjoy (ever wonder why Asi was hell-bent to be part of Ginebra before he retires?). After seasons and seasons of continued frustration, battling injuries and seeing his role to the team diminished like a receding hairline, I sensed that we’ve probably seen the best years of Menk. Yet as a fan, I somewhat hoped that he only needed to get healthy, compete and if still good enough, help Ginebra to consistently become successful. We knew how it went from there yet on occasions, especially on times that it most mattered, Menk would display flashes of brilliance—maybe to remind us of what was once the Major Pain of the PBA. He continued to languish on the far end of Ginebra bench, contented on spot on roles to provide veteran savvy. He eventually moved to ABL (ASEAN Basketball League) and even there continued to be a shell of his old self.

For the past months, the rumor mill endlessly weaved stories of Menk’s imminent return to the PBA. It was more so stressed on the last Governor’s Cup where the need of the team for an inside operator was in a way couldn’t have been more visible. Opposing teams had very much abused this chink in the armor of the guard-heavy Ginebra. I was thrilled on the possibility of him returning to the fold. But I only manage expectations when it matters, so my anticipation of him coming back is for mere theatrics, only to fashion out a scene ala-Lord of the Rings (Return of the King). After all, the king in exile could only yearn to spend the dwindling days with the team that crowned him and catapulted his career to what it was. It would only be fitting if Menk is due for a swan song, that for the last games that he can play, that he could be given his moments to cherish every history of his number 30 red and white jersey. Sure, the Gin Kings have some serious order of battle to fulfill and sideshows like this may be least of their agenda. But isn’t this what makes the sports here truly a fascinating part of our lives? That the personal stories are what make us relate more to the sport? And needless to say that Ginebra’s own popularity is loosely based on this same old cult of personality.

Lo and behold, Menk returned to the PBA to play for Global Port Batang Pier. Menk was signed to a one-year contract to provide leadership and mentor the young big men of the team. Real or perceived, the intervening events could not be stopped from thwarting a supposed perfect script. Or maybe, this is exactly the perfect scripting that befits Menk’s career—a send-off consistent to what has been a roller-coaster career. Devoid of Hollywood ending. 

When the new PBA season opens in a few days from now, it ought to be that same old, weird feeling again. I’d be anticipating the Kings parade their red and black armor as they begin to reclaim the throne as expectation for this season shoots to an all-time high. On my peripheral vision though, I’d be looking at that man, that former MVP who forever changed my perception of basketball. I never harbored thoughts of him wearing a different color outside of the red-white-black never-say-die jersey but we get fucked up in life much worse than this. Last time Ginebra won a championship, it was that same guy, the supposedly over-the-hill Eric “Major Pain” Menk performed the best among all of them, sharing Finals MVP honors with Ronald Tubid. In hindsight, the Fast and the Furious’ blaze to prominence could never be that possible if not of Menk’s motor, his insatiable knack in collaring the rebounds thus propelled the Kings to greater heights. His imposing presence carved the way for the best backcourt tandem for the past decade (Come on and disagree, I have endless of reason to support the claim) to terrorize at the fastbreak.

As the coming years may we see the last of Eric Menk on a professional basketball game, I would want to vividly remember him as the King that ruled us all.