Alvin Patrimonio is dating – his daughters
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| Alvin Patrimonio: A hero to Purefoods fans then as their star player and now as the team manager. |
Arguably one of the most well-loved Filipino basketball
players, many fans say next to Robert Jaworski, this player-turned-team manager
holds many PBA records including third-highest all-time scorer, fourth-highest
all-time rebounder, and most MVP awards received (that’s four, tied with Mon
Fernandez). Fondly referred to as “The Captain,”
“Captain Lionheart” or simply “Cap,”
here are 10 things you should know about Alvin Patrimonio.
1. He actually did
not make the cut for the De La Salle University and San Beda College basketball
teams, and at one point did not pass the tryouts for the RP Youth under-18
team.
His interest in basketball only started when he was in Manila Science
High School. “My first
sport was really chess,” Alvin
shares. “Influenced by my grandfather na mahilig mag-chess. Hindi ko siya
matalo-talo. Pinahiram niya ako ng chess books, pinag-aralan ko yun. Until he
passed away, hindi ko pa rin siya natalo.”
He recalls the time his dad accompanied him to try to
practice with the San Beda team. “Malakas yung lineup nila nun, sina Ronnie Magsanoc, Eric Altamirano,
Gerry Esplana. Ako ang payat ko, talagang raw pa rin.” The same was the
case when he practiced with the DLSU team, where everyone was physically much
bigger and better than him. “Naging challenge sa akin to really work hard, sabi
ko gusto ko maging varsity player din. Siyempre makakatulong din sa parents ko
in terms of tuition fee. Pero talagang malakas yung lineup ng team so wala
akong space or chance na ma-lineup.” That was when he decided to go to Mapua
for college and play for their team, which was mostly comprised of rookies.
“Chance ko na mapakita yung talent ko, at makilala,” he recalls. During his
first two years, they lost every single game they played. “Sabi ko, sige, laban
lang. I kept on improving yung skills ko.” It was in his junior year that his
efforts were recognized, when he won the MVP award despite the team placing
only fourth in the ranking. He was again hailed MVP during his senior year,
despite not winning the championship. He played in the PABL for two years, and
was drafted in the PBA in 1988.
2. On why 16 was his
number: “That was my dad’s number.”
What surprised me most about the Captain
was how quickly he gets emotional, especially when talking about his father.
“He played college ball sa JRC,” he said with eyes so red, holding back his
tears. “Yung dad ko kasi talagang ang laking influence niya, grabe. Every
practice nandun siya, he saw to it na nag-i-improve ako every practice,
everywhere I go, kahit mga tournaments out of town andun siya. Full talaga
support niya sa akin.” His iconic No. 16 jersey for the Purefoods franchise was
retired, and he was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2011. “Dream niya for
me to excel in the sport.”
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Alvin
is the second in a brood of four; his father worked in the investigation
department of Central Bank, and his mother worked as a secretary to his lolo in
a construction company. “Very grateful ako sa parents ko, tinuruan nila ako, di
makatapak ng other people, maging humble, nadala ko in my basketball career.
Yung career ko is because of my parents.”
3. Alvin is known to
be very close to his fans, and some of his most loyal fans even kiss him on the
lips.
He laughs when asked if his wife Cindy is okay with the fact
that some of his original fans (“Sila yung Solid Alvin Patrimonio, very close
na yung group since 1990 pa”) can give him a smack on the lips. “Alam naman niya,
kilala sila ng wife ko for so long na,” he says, smiling.
“Na-influence ako ng isa sa favorite players ko, si Coach
(Robert) Jaworski. Sa kanya ko natutunan to be very approachable and
accommodating sa fans. Sila naman yung may factor kaya ka naging popular.” He
says that to this day, he is often last to leave the dugout, and takes that
opportunity to talk to the fans, some of which come all the way from Cavite or Laguna. “Yun na
lang yung moment mo with them. Naka-smile sila kahit talo yung team, at pag
nakikita mo sila naka-smile, yun, mission accomplished.”
4. On what made his
wife Cindy stand out among all the girls he met when he was single: “Nakita ko
sa kanya that she would be my life-long partner, at nag-decide ako na siya na.”
“Ito naman, influence ng isa ko pang favorite player na si
Mon Fernandez, sabi niya, ‘Kayong mga bata, mag-asawa kayo ng maaga, para may
direksyon ang buhay niyo,’” he recalls. He shares that it’s easy for a young
athlete to be distracted by fame and fortune, and that Mon’s advice worked for
him. “Mga kids ko, kasabay ko lumaki, tapos may goal ako to be a good provider
for my family.”
Alvin and Cindy met through a common friend at a video shop,
located near both Alvin’s
team quarters and Cindy’s house. “Nag-meet kami, tapos ayun na, tuluy-tuloy na
love story namin until gumawa na kami ng family,” Alvin says. They got married in 1989 when Alvin was 23 years old,
and now have four children, Angelo, 23, Christine, 20, Clarice, 18, and Asher,
7.
5. On James Yap being
this generation’s face of Purefoods: “Natutuwa ako kasi meron nang parang
‘following in your footsteps,’ yun bang pwede mo nang ipasa yung baton to him.”
“Kailangan ng mas malaki pang effort, pero papunta na dun
ang direction niya, pag mas lalo pang mag-mature yung game niya. Yung overall
package nasa kanya,” Alvin
says of James. He says he really doesn’t take the role of mentor of the team
(now named the San Mig Coffee Mixers), but instead just gives the team pieces
of advice. “Kaya rin nila ma-achieve yung na-achieve ko, o daigin pa,” he says
of the boys. “You have to be consistent, pag may department na kulang sa game
mo, you can contribute in other ways, hindi lang sa points. Or kahit may pain
or injury ka nakikita ng teammates mo na you’re still there.” He says that
despite all the advice he may give, “it’s up to them anong gagawin nila.”
6. During the
much-talked-about P25 million contract offered by Pepsi and matched by
Purefoods, it was his dad who advised him. “You just have to prove na yung
offer na yun, you deserve it,” his dad told him.
“I worked to death. Para sa fans at sa management, para
hindi ko sila ma-disappoint. Push to the max ako palagi sa practice at sa
game,” he says. He explains that when a player is given an offer sheet, his
original team has five days to match the offer. “Ako naman sinign ko yung offer
sheet para new atmosphere, gusto ko i-check kung sa team na yun magcli-click
ako, kung makakakuha ng championship,” he recalls. Purefoods, however, matched
the five-year P25 million offer (which was a huge amount in the early ‘90s,
reportedly making way for other multimillion-peso PBA contracts) and Alvin played for the
franchise his whole career. “Yung team na ito, I’m very grateful and very
blessed. Itong team siguro yung destiny ko.”
7. His movie Last 2
Minutes, in which he starred alongside Paul Alvarez, Jerry Cordiñera, and
Roderick Paulate, was a top grosser in the 1989 Metro Manila
Film Festival.
“Super enjoy,” when asked about his acting career. “As long
as may connection sa basketball yung role.” His first movie stint was a cameo
role in Bondying with Jimmy Santos, then he went on to do Dobol Trobol with
Maricel Soriano, and Tasya Fantasya with Kris Aquino. When asked why things did
not work out between him and Kris back then, he politely begs off the question.
“Wag, baka magka-issue pa,” he says.
When asked about the time he was constantly being linked to
his then-manager Nap Gutierrez, he says: “Ang hirap nung time na yun. You’re on
the front page tapos negative yung issue sa iyo. I had to prove to everyone, I
wasn’t stepping on other people. Binuhos ko sa game ko. Sige, sabihin niyo na
lahat ng gusto niyong sabihin against me pero pagdating sa laro ko dapat wala.
Nobody’s perfect naman and naka-commit ako ng mistakes. Lesson learned yun. Di
naman talaga mawawala ang negative issues sa showbiz.”
8. Alvin Patrimonio
in numbers:
191: Height in centimeters.
17.6: Number of points per game on average throughout his
career, making him the third all-time scoring leader (15,091 total points) next
to Mon Fernandez and Abet Guidaben.
30,478: Total number of minutes played in his 17-season
career.
22,400: Number of followers of his Twitter account,
@alvinpatrimonio.
21: Total number of dogs currently in the Patrimonio home.
Juicy, a three-year-old Great Dane, was a birthday gift to him from his family.
9. Despite his busy
schedule, he always makes time for his family and even takes his daughters on
one-on-one dates.
“He never forgets to bring home pasalubong when he comes
home from out of town. He’s not really strict, cool dad siya like barkada
namin, and he goes to bars with us nga sometimes. He always tries to make a
joke but after making the joke he’s the only one laughing,” his daughter Tin
shares during a separate interview.
“Yung effort na makasama ko sila, one on one, malaking boost
yun sa kanila. Chance din to say, ito papa niyo, dito galing, dapat ganun din
kayo. You really have to work hard, patience dapat nandyan kasi hindi right
away makukuha mo ang success. Kailangan galing ka sa zero bago ka umakyat, diba
ang iba pag privileged, minsan nakakalimutan to really work hard,” he reminds
his children.
His eldest, Angelo, just graduated and Alvin says: “Siyempre proud ako kasi ako di
ako grumaduate ng college.” It is important for him and his wife Cindy that
their kids value education as well as sports. His two daughters are highly
competitive tennis players and he reveals, “mas madami silang trophy sa akin!”
10. Beyond enjoying a
successful career and family life, there’s one thing Alvin is possibly looking forward to: the
world of politics.
“Maraming nag-e-encourage, why not try politics? Sabi ko,
nasa heart ko yan, to serve the people,” he says. “Hindi muna ngayon, kailangan
muna a lot of preparation. My family naman, kino-consider din nila. Mabigat na
battle to.”
* * *
Throughout the interview, whatever the question, the 46-year-old sports
icon shared tidbits of advice. “Continue your good attitude,” “Work hard,”
“Stay humble,” “No shortcuts.” A man of few words, when he speaks, you know he
means it. Sure enough, the bits of wisdom he shares are ultimately his personal
secrets to success, things that he practices to this day. “Kailangan from the
heart lahat ng gagawin mo, not all the time it’s about money, it’s because you
love what you do kaya you give your 100 percent.”
