Just months ago, many used to think there is no way San Miguel Beer would let June Mar Fajardo wear another uniform in his career.
Since acquiring “The Kraken” in 2012, the Beermen became consistent contenders for championships, appearing in 10 finals and bagging 8 titles. They won the first two conferences in 2016-17 and 2019 seasons but were foiled each time by Ginebra in their Grand Slam bids during the Governors’ Cup playoffs.
Fajardo perfectly defines what San Miguel is all about as a PBA franchise.
San Miguel is a proud winning franchise. They are the only team that was around when the PBA started in 1975 and had been carrying the torch in terms of team success since the Great Taste Coffeemakers and Tanduay Rhum Masters had a short stronghold, winning combined 8 championships from 1984-87.
They have been also a great franchise for their fans. Times have passed and players have come and gone but one thing remains constant for this team, it always made great roster moves that kept them in the winners’ circle.
They topped the list for PBA franchises with the most titles at 27, 24 taken since 1988 when they would consistently reinvent their lineups to deploy a powerhouse team most times.
This trait of the organization made perfect sense to assume that Fajardo, who is just in his prime at 30 years old, is going nowhere till the end of his career…
Until he becomes the victim of shin stress fracture injury this preseason that puts questions on how he can perform post-injury and compromises his future with the Beermen.
In the National Football League, there’s a team that’s has the same culture and allowed a major transaction to take place recently: This team allowed their long-time face of the franchise change address at 42 years old.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has since officially signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady did not cost the Patriots much early in his career as he was the almost forgotten man during the 2000 NFL draft, taken by the Patriots 199th out of a total 254 draftees.
He also kept on taking “hometown discounts” throughout his Patriots tenure so the team can keep a competitive lineup.
This and his skills to play a position similar to a point guard in basketball led the Patriots to six NFL titles, tied for most by any franchise. The Patriots made the playoffs in all but two times during his 20 years tour of duty.
One of those was when he suffered a season-ending injury in 2008 while playing the 1st game of a 16-game regular season.
He might be already 42 but it seems he has a lot left in his tank as he has just led the Patriots to three Super Bowl appearances in the last 4 years, winning two of them.
Before this incredible success run, the Patriots organization is mediocre in terms of team success. They only appeared in two Super Bowls, failing to win the title both times during 40 years of existence before Brady came along.
Brady’s magnitude contribution to this franchise did not stop them from showing him the door when he presumably couldn’t already perform the way he did before.
It was also reported that he was offered in a trade about three years ago.
I know, I know. We are not crazy about football here as they are in the States but it doesn’t mean we can’t help wonder what happened in that league could also happen in the PBA.
Does a team owe their franchise player to continue to pay him even if they see erosion of his skills due to age or injury?
Will Fajardo’s injury, which experts say is comparable to Paul George’s, influence San Miguel’s decision makers to consider trading their one-in-a-million center sometime down the road to retain their consistency in winning?
Well, Brady’s ACL and MCL injury in 2008 did not stop him from rebounding nicely to give New England their last 3 Super Bowl titles since then.
How long can a team stay loyal to its player? Conversely, how far can a player be loyal to his team? Will they move him while they still could get something in return?
In Fajardo’s case, it is all up to the Beermen. The PBA adapted new free agency terms that allow some of their players the ability to select which team they would sign with once they become free agents.
Fajardo isn’t among those players. San Miguel can hold to Fajardo as long as they want.
Did Fajardo served the San Miguel organization enough up to this point for the team to allow him to retire as a Beerman?
If the arguably greatest NFL athlete could be left in the cold by the franchise he only knew now that he is getting near the tail end of his productivity, it’s not difficult to imagine that the arguably greatest PBA player could suffer the same fate.
I personally don’t like the treatment Brady received from the Patriots. That is not a fine way to treat your franchise player but I totally understand it is their ultimate aim to field the best competitive team they can for their fans.
I never assume this concept would be easy to accomplish but if I were in charge, I would try hard to find a way to squeeze in my lineup a franchise player of the stature of Brady or Fajardo at a time they might become unproductive and still find them reasonable playing time while transitioning to their prospective replacement.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS
You might also like:
