Velez is staging what he calls the "Dream Games" featuring stars of La Salle and Ateneo from the past and present. Of course, the Araneta Coliseum is where it’ll all be happening. No other facility in town will be able to hold the horde of blue and green diehards expected to cheer their lungs out in the battle for bragging rights.
Velez says the "Games" are definitely a go.
The other day, he met with Vince Araneta and Butch Antonio of Ateneo, J. J. Atayde and Bong de Ocampo of La Salle and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala and PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial at the PBA office in Mandaluyong to finalize the details of the double main event.
Velez’ group, VDV (does it stand for Velez’ Digital Vision?), will bankroll the project with La Salle, Ateneo and the PBA taking no-risk positions. The four entities will share equally in the net proceeds.
Whatever funds end up with La Salle and Ateneo will be for the schools’ athletic programs. The PBA will allocate its share for the national team.
Velez reports that the PBA Board has given its go-signal for pros to participate in the undertaking.
In fact, the agreement is PBA coaches will call the shots for the opposing teams in the dreamiest of the two "Dream Games" on tap.
National coach Chot Reyes will sit on the Ateneo bench while Joseph Uichico of San Miguel Beer will pilot La Salle in the stellar game where eight past or present PBA players team up with four current UAAP cagers for each team.
Here are the possible lineups. For Ateneo, the eight past or present PBA players (including those expected to be drafted on Sunday) could be Rich Alvarez, Enrico Villanueva, Wesley Gonzales, Olsen Racela, Jec Chia, Larry Fonacier, Paolo Bugia and Vince Hizon or Rainier Sison. The current Eagles could be L. A. Tenorio, J. C. Intal, Doug Kramer and Japeth Aguilar.
For La Salle, the eight past or present PBA players could be draft shoo-in Mark Cardona, Ren-Ren Ritualo, Mike Cortez, Don Allado, Mark Telan, Jun Limpot, Noli Locsin and Tony Boy Espinosa or Dino Aldeguer. The current Archers could be Joseph Yeo, Jun-Jun Cabatu, Ryan Arana and Rico Moierhofer.
The other "Dream Game" Velez is a Legends duel where each team will be made up of 21 players, seven apiece from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The unique format will stipulate only the ’60s players to see action in the first period, only the ’70s players in the second and only the ’80s players in the third. Any of the 21 players may be fielded at random in the fourth quarter.
"This way, fans will be sure to watch a Lim Eng Beng or a Chito Afable play not just for a few minutes but possibly an entire quarter," notes Velez. "I think this is an improvement from the format of the last Legends game that was played. Fans were a little ‘bitin’ that Beng, for instance, played only about three minutes and scored just one three-point shot."
Velez says aside from the two "Dream Games," the organizers are thinking of "added attractions" like a faculty game, a three-on-three contest, and a juniors or a ladies match.
"It’ll be a fun day with a fiesta atmosphere," says Velez. "Friends from both schools are already asking where to buy tickets. I started in the sports promotions business in 1975 with a La Salle-Ateneo ‘dream game’ and now, I’m making my comeback with something similar. This is full circle for me and I’m just happy to be doing it for my two alma maters."
In case you didn’t know, Velez is a "dual citizen."
He finished high school at La Salle and earned his undergraduate degree at Ateneo. Velez played varsity basketball for both the Archers and Eagles, making him a perfect organizer for the "Dream Games."
Velez actually qualifies for the Legends Game but he’s not playing. Velez wouldn’t know what school to play for.
Postscript. Live on Halikinu radio tonight will be Ateneo’s L. A. Tenorio and Magnum Membrere as they talk about the Eagles’ performance so far in the UAAP basketball competitions. The two guards will also break down what’s in store for fans in the second half of the season. Halikinu Radio is hosted by Mico Halili and airs Fridays, 9 to 10 p.m., on NU 107. Listeners can send in their questions during the show by texting NU (your question) to 2299. For everything blue, plug into Hakiniku.