The San Miguel Corporation's chairman and CEO, Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., died last week due to pneumonia and heart attack. He was better known as "Danding" and he was known by the PBA players that he handled as a kind-hearted owner.
Two players though that may have a much special connection to him than usual were Danny Ildefonso and Marc Pingris. Two players who were born and raised in Pangasinan.
What made Ildefonso and Pingris closer to Mr. Cojuangco is the fact that all of them can speak the Ilocano dialect. That is also the reason why sir Danding calls Danny and Marc, "Lakay".
Now, the interesting take that Danny I. brought out to Spin.ph was the fact that Mr. Cojuangco wanted to combine Marc and Danny.
Sinabi niya sa akin, 'Lakay, tutulungan ko yung kaparehas natin na Ilokano sa kabila. Gusto ko siyang tulungan.' Alam mo kung sino yun? Si Marc Pingris. Gustong gusto niya kami pagsamahin.It did happen in the 2008-2009 season when Marc was traded to San Miguel, known that year as Magnolia Beverage Masters, for Enrico Villanueva. That combination was successful as they captured the Fiesta Conference title.
Unfortunately for that combination, Marc was traded back to Purefoods a year after for a package with Arwind Santos.
Can you imagine if boss Danding wanted to keep the combination longer and did not do the trade? What if Arwind Santos was instead shipped to the Purefoods franchise, instead of San Miguel? What if Pingris was the guy that is still with the Beermen today than Arwind?
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