The Final Score: B-Meg's Jorge Gallent gets his first win. Bottoms Up!

He is not as reclusive as Siot Tanquingcen and not as intimidating as Yeng Guiao. Sans the pomp that accompanies most men in high places, Jorge Gallent arrives at the venue with as much fanfare as the dude next door. No pretenses. No pants. The new Head Coach of B-Meg Derby Ace, one of the PBA's most storied teams, enters the room in a loose-fitting sport shirt, denim shorts and worn-out sneakers. And he doesn't care. The gentlemen who coached B-Meg/Purefoods before were stately figures: Dalupan, Fernandez, Capacio, Reyes, Altamirano and Gregorio. Yet Gallent, tasked to continue the winning tradition started by immortals like The Maestro and Don Ramon, seems unperturbed by the legacy he's supposed to sustain. An hour before B-Meg's game against Meralco, the specter of a 0-4 start hanging over his head, Gallent chats with the television broadcast team and still manages to crack the funniest one-liners: Jason Webb: Pare, seryoso, you look like you're in shape now. Jorge Gallent: I drink less beer now. One bottle na lang ngayon. Pero Red Horse, yung litro! The room explodes in laughter. The dude with the winless team either hides his anxieties well or doesn't feel anxious at all. That day's opposing coach, Ryan Gregorio – the man Gallent replaced, is not surprised. "I think his personality radiates to everyone," Gregorio says. "He has a way of doing things maski yung approach niya is sometimes different. Hindi sasama loob mo. Which is probably the reason why he’s so successful as a basketball coach. He’s easy to get along with and you’ll like to be with him." It's game time. Gallent changes into his black pants, slips into his official game shirt. Although the shirt stays "untucked" for the entire game, he is in business mode. No herky-jerky gestures. No histrionics. No bravura. The joker is gone for the next 48 minutes. "I'm a very vocal coach. I'm very intense," Gallent admits. "When it comes to the game, I'm very intense. When it comes to practice, I'm very intense. But after those things, I’m very approachable." Throughout a closely-fought game, fans hardly notice Gallent on the sidelines. Television cameras don't gravitate towards him the way cameras chase Tim Cone. Our eyes settle on James Yap, Mac Cardona and Gregorio. That other coach, the new guy searching for his first win in the PBA, works generally undisturbed. It helps that Gallent loves to play golf (a 3-handicapper) as much as (according to his friends) he loves to drink. He understands how jumping up and down doesn't improve the chances of sinking a ten-foot putt. So he stays in control and it finally pays off. Welcome to the club Jorge. You're a winning PBA Coach now. Well, one win is still one win. Let's drink to your continued success and hope your golf game doesn't suffer from the stress. "Mico, my golf will never be affected. Even if our friends talk a lot of (bleep), they can wake me up and let's play!" - GMANews.TV