Coach Erik Spoelstra’s brief, one week stint in the Philippines gave us a glimpse on how would he handle the upcoming affairs of the upgraded Miami Heat through his clinics and how Filipino fans reacted upon seeing a new hero.
For a week, Filipinos saw Erik Celino Spoelstra, the first-ever head coach of a North American team with Filipino descent. The big welcome he received from his kababayans served as conduit to turn that HEAT on him and be energetic in the whole week that he is here.
We have Coach Erik Spoelstra for a week in the country. A lot of people thought of heat-checking him for all the events that happened in the team that he is coaching – the Miami Heat. We thought of charging him with some Heat-related questions but we swerved for the focus of why he is really here.
Spoelstra was primarily here to teach. Yes, he was here for the NBA Fit program to incorporate his know-how to the basketball-loving Filipinos on how important conditioning is to up and comers and a “sneak peak” on how would it be like come 40 plus days when the Miami Heat, with new upgrades led by LeBron James and Chris Bosh, start their training camp.
From the first time we saw him at Marriott Hotel for the Press Conference to his trip to his mother’s homeland, San Pablo City, Coach Erik was enthusiastic and overwhelmed. Coach Erik was enthusiastic to teach the young cagers and to come to his mother’s home land and was overwhelmed with the welcome that he got from his countrymen.
The atmosphere was fever-pitched. He was treated like a rock star, or more than that. Every place he went, there were applauses, cheers and drum and lyre serenades. It was like having a feast and the main dish was to hear him say his remarks and his command and watch him do the drills that he would like to impart to cagers, from young basketeers to standout ballers from the collegiate ranks.
The press conferences and those chit-chats after some hours of sweat-generating sessions were empowering. Those chit-chats answered what he is doing in those sessions and what he observed to those who attended the aforementioned clinics.
We see his dedication to share his knowledge. He led the drill demos along with his assistant with a lot of gusto and desire. Those clinics meant a lot for the players as it gave them pointers on how could they improve their game and how will they act on crucial situations. He helped inspire those up and coming cagers to dream big.
Come late October, Coach Erik would start his third season of coaching the Miami Heat franchise. The hype surrounding the moves that the franchise did during the offseason would be the flavor of the season for fans and critics alike. By the moment he starts his training camp, everyone will watch on how he will handle the well-hyped Heat on their quest to get the second NBA Championship for the franchise.
But for now, he’ll surely had great memories during his week-long stay.
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Round 2 is on. The UAAP Season 73 Second Round started last Thursday and woah, it was upset special starting with the UE Warriors taming the UST Growling Tigers and the AdU Soaring Falcons devouring the erstwhile unbeaten FEU Tamaraws.
We can say now, that there will be a Final Four for the men’s tournament instead of a stepladder semifinals but it almost did not happen as Coach Spo-trained Alex Nuyles missed a last-ditch shot but luckily Eric Camson was at the right place at the right time for the tip.
The Tamaraws were heartbroken as they suffered their first loss of the season. There is no such thing as a good loss but it somehow eases them of the pressure of maintaining an unbeaten record only to lose on the time that they need to win the most. With the loss, they took a step backward, but the question is will they take two steps forward or go backward even further?
With these events unfurling, expect more drama to come as the eight teams will duke it out for a place in the Final Four as the second round intensifies.
