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Sam’s passion for the game

by Ronnie Nathanielsz - Manila Standard, August 24, 2009 (from Fankie Villaflor)

Remembering Sam Unera (Photos by Violie Villaflor)

 More photos (CCC Batch 75)

SAM Unera, the tall but gentle individual, who helped light up the lives of Philippine Basketball Association fans by bringing in some of the most exciting imports in the history of the pro league, would have celebrated his 58th birthday on Sept. 3. But alas, it was not to be. Sam passed away a couple of weeks ago in a Los Angeles hospital of complications arising from diabetes, which many people don’t realize, can be deadly.

Sam Unera was a good man, who enjoyed what he did, which was built around an undying passion for basketball and an unbelievable respect and affection for Robert Jaworski, the Living Legend of Philippine basketball.

He never ever made one negative comment about Jaworski and consistently told us that “Jawo” was the best thing that ever happened to Philippine basketball.

That is what drove him to bring back Billy Ray “The Black Superman” Bates and to team him up with the prolific Michael Hackett to give playing-coach Jaworski and team owner and dapper PBA president Carlos “Honeyboy” Palanca their first championship for crowd favorites Ginebra San Miguel.

Unera originally picked Bates for the late Danny Floro, a man who loved basketball, and his beloved Crispa Redmanizers anchored on a friendship that bonded players and management in a respectful and affectionate relationship that had to be seen to be believed. It was something rare and indeed something particularly special that was in itself a highpoint of the glory days of the PBA.

“Mang Danny,” as he was fondly called, was, according to respected basketball analyst Andy Jao, whose knowledge of the nuances of the game are remarkable, the one who helped Sam Unera go to the United States to initially work as a television technician. Sam so impressed his bosses at a cable network in Pennsylvania that he grew to become one of the top executives in the network and became a particular favorite of the owner. But despite what was clearly the good life, Sam Unera never forgot his roots nor did he turn away from Jaworski and the PBA.

He continued to scour the US for imports, who would fire the imagination of Filipino basketball fans and in his quest, discovered little red-head Carlos Briggs who, despite giving away several inches in height to the imports of other teams, scorched them with his uncanny shooting ability. There were others that Sam picked for Jaworski and who touched the sometimes dreary lives of simple PBA folk with their special brand of hard-court heroics—players like Jervis Cole, Jamie Walker and many others.

Unera was in many respects a fixture in the PBA, who would fly home to watch his imports perform, attend the annual draft and even spent time campaigning for Jaworski when he ran for the Senate and deservedly won.

Driven by his love for basketball, Sam Unera became vice president and general manager of the Pennsylvania Valleydawgs, a United States Basketball League team, coached by the awesome Darryl Dawkins who, as expected, because of Sam’s wonderful demeanor and warmth, became a close friend.

Sam’s plan was to use the team as a showcase for Filipino players and a venue for introducing some of our stars to a wider American audience in the fervent hope that perhaps some lucky individual will make it to the NBA, which is every player’s dream.

He was not after the potential revenues that would normally accrue to him as an agent. He was far more concerned at giving his countrymen a break and in the case of imports, recruiting players who would bring enjoyment to the fans and help strengthen the overall attraction of the league.

Indeed, Sam Unera contributed in helping reinforce the incredible popularity of Ginebra San Miguel built largely around the charismatic, fan-oriented leadership of Jaworski and the players who imbibed the never-say-die spirit for which the playing-coach and Ginebra became famous and Sam’s roster of exciting imports who themselves embraced the magic of the team.

At a time when the PBA family lost its quintessential founding commissioner Leo Prieto and its brilliant legal counsel and lovable character Butch Cleofe, to lose Sam Unera surely added to our individual and collective pain.

Perhaps, commissioner Prieto can launch a league in the skies with Butch as his legal counsel and Sam Unera as an agent for imports, recruiting the late Bruce “Sky” King, another Ginebra stalwart, with the gentle, but highly-competent Crispin Aldiosa as officials supervisor and the effervescent Igmidio Cahanding as head official and kickstart a league that would be in many respects, made in heaven.

Note:

BENJIE PANALIGAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acrylic painting by Rie Villaflor