Crisano wants one last chance

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am center Alex Crisano’s contract with Globalport is expiring at the end of the month and he’s hoping for one last chance to end his PBA career on a “love” note.

“I’m not asking for top dollar,” he said yesterday. “It’s not the money. I can go with whatever they offer whether it’s P80,000 or P180,000. I’m praying for a break in life. I know I can still play this game. I’ve got a few more years left in my body. Which team doesn’t need a big guy? Even if I’m not with Ginebra anymore, I carry the never-say-die spirit. I play with heart and I’m a fan favorite. I can provide a colorful ID to any team, I work hard, I can make any team stronger with my inside game.”

Crisano, 37, said he’s been told by Globalport that his contract won’t be renewed. “My life is straightened out,” he said. “I don’t do crazy things anymore, I’m not involved in chizmiz. That’s all in the past. But I’m depressed right now. My girlfriend Linda is in Sweden visiting her father so I’m all alone. It’s hard to be without family. My relatives, the Bandejas family, are in Iloilo so they’re far away. I’m planning to go to the US for a month or two then come back to Manila. I love the Philippines, this is home for me.”

Because of the break in the PBA schedule, Crisano said he hasn’t gone to the gym to stay in shape. “I’ve been down but just give me two weeks and I’ll work myself back in condition,” he said. “That’s all I need. I’ve watched my weight so it’s just my stamina that I need to work on. I’m waiting for an opportunity. I hope Commissioner (Chito) Salud helps me. If an opportunity pops up in the ABL, I’ll consider that. Why not? The season begins in October so I can be ready for it. But I’m really hoping to get one more shot in the PBA. There are teams out there without a natural center. I can be their big guy. I can bring over my fans. It’ll be my way of giving back in the last years of my PBA career.”

Crisano said his brief journey into show business was something he did for the fans. “I never made any money out of rapping,” he said. “It didn’t last very long, less than a year. I went out there to rap for the fans, to entertain. I also did it to keep my mind off things. I was going through a tough period at the time. But that’s over and done with it. I’m focused on basketball, that’s what I do the best.”

Crisano said he’ll never forget his PBA comeback with Ginebra in 2007-08 under coach Joseph Uichico. “It was the best time of my life,” the burly 6-7 center from Brooklyn said. “I fought my way to the PBA and we won a championship in my first season back. To this day, Jay-Jay Helterbrand is my closest friend. He advises me to pray to God, to soul-search. We talk a lot. He guides me and I really appreciate his friendship. As for the PBA coach who’s influenced me the most, it has to be Bo Perasol. He saw my love for the game, how I give 100 percent on the court. Coach Bo gave me a chance with Powerade after playing in the ABL with the Philippine Patriots.”

Crisano entered the PBA with Ginebra in 2000 as a direct hire from Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan in the defunct MBA. From Ginebra, he moved to Talk ‘N’ Text then back to Ginebra before joining Barako Bull and finally, Powerade, now Globalport. He played for the Patriots in the ABL in 2010-11. In his most productive season, Crisano averaged 8.9 points and shot .317 from three-point distance with Barako in 2009-10.

In the Philippine Cup this season, Crisano went scoreless in two games and in the Commissioner’s Cup, he also failed to score in three outings. Globalport PBA governor Erick Arejola confirmed that Crisano has been cut from the Batang Pier lineup for the third conference.

“A lot of people don’t know the real me,” said Crisano. “Like when we played a college team during the offseason, I went out of my way to advise the young big guys, telling them how to defend the post, when to sag and when not to. That’s how I am. I want to be able to share my experience with young guys. I appreciate it when some guys notice what I do, how I am. I don’t understand why some people put me down, maybe it’s the inggit factor. I don’t do anything wrong to people so why should they do anything wrong to me?”

Crisano said he’d like to reprise his role as the PBA’s “Birdman” one last time, referring to Miami Heat forward Chris Andersen whose body is covered with tattoos like his. “Let me take flight,” he said. “I don’t want to end my career this way, not being able to play the way I can. All I ask is for teams to respect my game as I respect them. It hurts when I hear that teams don’t want to touch me. Why? I’m all about hard work now. Please judge me fairly. After what I’ve been through, don’t you think I deserve a break? My agent Sheryl (Reyes) is helping me. She’s fighting for me. I hope there’s a coach out there who realizes I can be of help to his team. This is my last hurrah. I’m giving it all I’ve got.”

Crisano recently got a tattoo on the right side of his scalp – Stephon Marbury’s Starbury logo. During Marbury’s visit here last June, he brought the former NBA star to P&P tattoo artist Rodel Bernardino in Makati. Bernardino inscribed the words “Love Is Love” in Chinese characters down the side of Marbury’s midsection and put the Starbury logo on Crisano’s head.