To battle for a friend

Tuesday night, almost the entire sports broadcasting fraternity gathered at the adidas Sports Kamp in Fort Bonifacio to go to bat for a friend.

Perhaps some of you have heard how our long-time friend and colleague, Butch Maniego, has been afflicted by kidney failure, and is now required to undergo dialysis three times a week to maintain his health. It’s funny how we think how terrible something is, until it hits us when somebody we actually know contracts it, and we see how difficult the situation can be. It’s no joke.

The treatments, necessitating at least five hours of his time for each visit to the dialysis center, are not only a physical drain and impedance to work, but also a financial burden, as well. The minimum cost for having your blood filtered by a machine is P5,000 each time. And it is a reminder of how frail human life can be, particularly if it’s yours.

Butch’s brothers in the profession not only passed the hat around, but also took to the court (thanks to Sev Sarmenta’s calls and Anthony Suntay’s letting us use SportsKamp). After all, what better way to express our support for a comrade in the profession than by playing the game we have all spent most of our careers covering?

At the outset, it looked like it would be a one-sided game, with former pros and varsity players knowingly grouping themselves: coaches Yeng Guiao, Leo Isaac and Luigi Trillo linked with Solar Sports’ anchormen Vitto Lazatin and Anthony Suntay (who had the homecourt advantage), and PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad (whose referees called the game exceedingly well). ABC 5’s Mico Halili wisely sneaked onto the "all-star" line-up, chipping in a pair of Tony Parker "teardrop" lay-ups along the way. On the "legends" side (our usual euphemism for those who no longer play or are grossly out of shape, were yours truly, Sev Sarmenta, ABS-CBN Sports’s Bob Novales and Boom Gonzales, RJTV’s Noel Zarate, former MBA executive Butch Antonio, Solar executive Jude Turcuato and PBA commissioner Noli Eala.

The game was faster-paced than expected, thanks in equal parts to adrenaline, foolishness, short-term memory loss and eagerness to show off in front of the TV cameras present. The ex-players fell behind early, then took control, leading by as much as 11 at the end of the third quarter. Strangely enough, despite the presence of all the commissioners - including former PBA commissioner Jun Bernardino and PBL chairman Chito Loyzaga, the quarter breaks took almost as long as the quarters themselves.

In the fourth quarter, though, the "legends" came back strong, with Noel Zarate hitting back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead to four in the last couple of minutes. This writer hit a long trey to slash their lead to a point, and they missed on the other end of the floor. But with time winding down, we missed a last-second shot to win the game, and the more-experienced players escaped supreme humiliation at the hands of mere commentators by a hair, 68-67.

But perhaps more fun was had by all at the dinner afterwards (many thanks to VDV sports boss Bobong Velez for providing the food). The group was joined by national coach Chot Reyes, Purefoods mentor Ryan Gregorio, commentators Ed Picson, Andy Jao and Boyet Sison, and the staffs of ABS-CBN Sports and Solar Sports. Many of us reminisced about the seemingly interminable humorous anecdotes of the endless hours on the road spent with Butch, during the PBA and later, the MBA and more recently, college basketball.

Without exception, the anecdotes revolved around food (always too much) and laughter (always abundant). We were, after all, talking about a man who once held a couple of records at some restaurants’ eat-all-you-can promos, whose appetite for everything about life was always voracious.

It was also a joy for most of us just to be in the same room with each other, something that never really happens save for times of crisis. It was great just to be able to catch up, the unexpressed happiness we have at merely being in each other’s company shining through our smiles. And it was also fulfilling to be able to do it for a friend while he’s still around, and be able to help him overcome this new challenge with his loved ones.

Butch has never been one to be fussed over, but this time, it is our pleasure. And, when we look back, he always seemed to make those hard times and long trips just that much more bearable. Now, it’s our turn to help make his long, hard road a lighter load to carry.

As the year turns, it gives us pause to reflect on how we spend our days, and how we also treat ourselves. Pleasure with caution seems to be a recurring theme, particularly for those of us getting on in years. And realizing how many people care also gives some strength in the face of the lonely uphill struggle against a supposedly insurmountable challenge. I pray this is not a one-shot deal. It will take a while to find a lasting solution to renal failure, and nobody should fight the battle alone.

Miami Heat coach Pat Riley once said, "In a game of life and death, the first player I’d pick would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."

What an honor it would be to have a friend in need say that of any of us.