The unmaking of All Star Struck 3

BASKETBALL HAS BEEN part of my vocabulary long before I strummed the first chords of a 6-string guitar. Back then, I would summon all my powers and use all the available hand tools my father owns to put up a 4-inch diameter hoop on the trunk of an avocado in our backyard. All day, I would exhaust my energy flushing a rugged green tennis ball by all means, and by all moves.
From there on, basketball has been a source of life’s inspiration and desperation.
I love reading stories that revolve around basketball. Call me pathetic, but I easily get nostalgic whenever I watch a movie that shows bouncing basketballs. Space Jam, Like Mike, Coach Carter, Glory Road, these are some of the flicks that crank my brain and heart gears going.
It has also been part of my dream playing for the ultimate game with all the sweat and sparkles combined. That’s where the desperation comes in. (And I guess that’s another story).
I set aside basketball once but being in a group that knows this game so much, and talks about it for countless times, is enough reason to bring back the excitement it creates.
Three years ago, a band of young and fun loving men, and women too, met and worked in a company with a lot of differences in their own baggages. Some came and then went. Others stayed longer and still quit. While the rest of us are still here, working the same field, singing the same tune and still loves to play the same game.
That’s where the story of All Star Struck began...
Merging the celebrated All Star Circle and Star Struck tv shows, they coined HGST All Star Struck or HGST ASS as its unique name for a basketball team that will participate in the company’s festival of sports.
“Sali ako sa pangkat na nabuo, hindi lang dahil sa kagustuhan maglaro kundi dahil sa samahang tunay at totoo”
They played to the heart! They struggled and lost, but played for fun. The ladies were very supportive and they appeared more hyper than the LA Lakers cheerdancers.
The original roster consisted of the majority of the guys, but several others joined the team only on its second year along with other reinforcements.
I can say, the ASS second run is more prolific and refine than the team’s initial year. They played their best. They won games. They’ve given the others hard time before losing out. Most importantly, they prove that they indeed can play ball!
They didn’t reach the playoffs, though, but I guess they achieved more than what they expected.
The year after was a period of recession that marked a permanent wound to the ASS Dream-Believe-Survive theme. A lot of engineers quit in several months period including 4 ASS cagers that hammered the nail into the coffin. Either they found their dream jobs elsewhere and immediately packed their bags, or were disappointed and raised the white flag over something which will definitely lead to the company’s endless list of shortcomings.
It appears that All Star Struck 3 is no more a reality. Five or six players remained but only three vowed to stay.
I am one of the three.
The options are getting smaller by the tick of the clock, and the only thing I had in mind is form another team along with the two. Never give up until the fight is done.
The difficult part is scouting for players who would dive for a looseball. Of course, the best fishes in the ocean may have already been caught, so we have to stick it out with those who are willing to run with us.
Kickyo’ass is now our new team! I just hope that it’s our opponents asses that will be kicked when we start playing.