Red-letter day for ex-King Blue Eagle

It was one rare occasion when the dominant color was red, not the blue that swept the varsity league last year, nor the historic EDSA yellow.

Former President Cory Aquino and the Ateneo Blue Eagles all showed up in red in a sendoff party for Enrico Villanueva Tuesday night, expressing full support to the Red Bull Thunder as they take in the ex-King Eagle into their fold for the 2003 PBA wars starting Feb. 23 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Eagles with their parents and key supporters, including the former Chief Executive, came in full force in the party hosted by Ateneo team chief backer Arben Santos in his Urdaneta Village mansion.

No less than Mrs. Aquino made a friendly parting shot to the Red Bull coach in the night when, before leaving, she told Guiao: "Yeng, alagaan mo ang batang ito (Villanueva) ha?"

Guiao, whose family is a close friend of the former President, meekly answered: "Yes ma’m."

Santos promised full support to the Thunder, saying their group will now be cheering for Red Bull in the PBA.

"We’re caught by surprise. The Red Bull organization didn’t expect to get that support from the Ateneo team. We’re overwhelmed and now we hope we can live up to their expectation," said Red Bull team manager Tony Chua.

"It was a special occasion. No rookie player has had that treatment in all my three years in this team. And I don’t think there’s other group which has done it," said Guiao.

"Personally I was surprised how closely-knit the Ateneo team is. Ang ganda ng support system. No wonder Ateneo produced championship (last year) and is likely to produce some more what with the parents and alumni they have," he added.

Guiao said Red Bull has become a natural magnet for La Salle and Ateneo – he being a La Sallite coaching the team now cheered on by Ateneans. Incidentally, Red Bull has another Ateneo product in Vince Hizon.

Parents of the Ateneo players had expected the Talk N Text team of another Ateneo backer Manny Pangilinan to pick Villanueva in the recent draft. But they were happy just the same for the 6-foot-6 slotman.

"Maganda na rin sigurong sa Red Bull napunta si Enrico. At least kita mong disciplinarian ang coach dito," said Arnold Villanueva, Enrico’s father.

Guiao said Davonn Harp and Mick Pennisi will keep their playing time but Villanueva will also get significant minutes with the league returning to a 48-minute game. – Nelson Beltran