Nobody does it better

At the end of each Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) telecast, he signs off with his signature "nobody does it better." And nobody says it better than broadcaster Noli Eala whose rugged good looks are as much a trademark as his impeccable baritone.

Noli’s been on (and in) the game for 12 years, maturing into a mikeside icon like Joe Cantada, Pinggoy Pengson, and Ed Picson. He anchors the PBA games on TV and does it with authority, clarity, and of course, charm. It came as no surprise when Viva TV drafted Noli to join Anthony Pangilinan as lead newscasters of the newly-reformatted IBC news program which airs weekdays at 4:30 p.m.

Noli, 38, finished elementary and high school at La Salle then finished law at Ateneo. He used to listen to the late Romy Kintanar’s sports programs on radio and often phoned in to make comments as Carlo Ortiz, a pseudonym. Noli had a friend Claro Ortiz, a lawyer, and jumbled the letters in the first name to come up with Carlo. It was Kintanar and another friend Jimmy Javier who encouraged Noli to try out for a spot on the Vintage Sports broadcasting panel in 1990.

Aside from being a fan, Noli’s a sportsman himself. He plays hoops. He spars. He keeps in shape – and it shows in his well-sculpted physique.

To add to his glowing resume, Noli’s a practicing lawyer, too. He was a partner for over eight years at the Puno and Puno Law Offices of Justice Ricardo Puno and lawyer Dong Puno. Sure, he has his fair share of celebrity cases because after all, he’s a celebrity in his own right. But Noli doesn’t shut the door on those who cry on his shoulder and seek his legal advice for a song.

And speaking of songs, you must have heard that Noli recently branched out into events management and his first project is the hugely successful "Weekends With Pops."

Noli isn’t alone in his new affair. His partners in Manila’s freshest entertainment company ArianWorks Management Corp. are co-broadcaster T.J. Manotoc, popular commercial model Irene Moje, Justin Reyes, Vonnel Mirandilla, Ben Evardone, and prominent businessman Willie Marcial.

"Weekends With Pops" is on its final run this Friday and Saturday at the Onstage in Greenbelt Mall, Makati. The show has played to sellout crowds since the first Friday and Saturday of the month. ArianWorks left nothing to chance in making sure its first production would be nothing less than a smash hit.

"There’s a lot of room for growth and improvement in the concert scene," says Noli who’s the legal counsel of the Philippine Basketball League. "The challenge is to produce a great show ... all the time. Excellence should be a habit and a passion for concert producers and that’s what we in ArianWorks hope to achieve."

Pops Fernandez, the concert queen, topbills ArianWorks’ "Weekends" series. She was the perfect choice as headliner. And every weekend so far, Pops has regaled her audiences with an outstanding repertoire, a variety of guests, and lots of surprises.

This Friday, Noli promises a surprise that fans will never forget. And on Saturday — the eighth and final show, Noli says he expects thunder and lightning.

T.J. joined the PBA panel last year and has quickly established himself as an astute scholar of the game. He’s only 23 but youth is his advantage, not his handicap. T.J. is a popular host of commercial events and the editor of the men’s publication FWD Magazine. He used to be known as Tommy’s son. Now, the former PBA Grand Slam coach is known as T.J.’s father.

"It’s a great challenge for all of us at ArianWorks to be working with some of the great celebrities," says T.J. who’s single. "We hope to make a difference."

Noli explains ArianWorks’ reason for being.

"We are not here simply because we are driven by the bottom line," says Noli, president of ArianWorks. "Our responsibility is essentially three-fold – first, to the paying public to upgrade events staging and make sure that concert experience grows in each and every one who sees a show; second, to the artists, to enhance and bolster their image and ensure that the message of their performance is properly conveyed and third, to advertisers, to provide quality shows and ensure maximum media value and exposure to them."

With the success of the "Weekends" concerts, Noli, T.J., and the rest of the ArianWorks gang are proving that in their game, nobody does it better.