Cardona vs. Tubid: Combustible meets Cantankerous

A wise man once said there are thousands of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all. A smile means gratitude or happiness. For Mac Cardona of Talk ‘N Text and Ronald Tubid of Ginebra, a smile can mean something else. They smile during games to display emotions less innocent than joy, less placid than bliss. When they smile at each other, in the heat of a PBA playoff game, they speak the language of war.

Cardona emerges from the South tunnel of the Araneta Coliseum, storms the court and bathes in bright lights and a chorale of boos. Men made of weaker resolve would appear ashen. Cardona enters hostile territory with the swagger of a rock star. He smiles as if hundreds of roses are being thrown his way. To a gladiator, jeers are just as effective as cheers. Cardona’s smile is at its widest when loud heckles turn into deafening silence. Tubid uses crowd support to fuel his game. He feels energized by the approving roar. A fall-away three pointer, theatrical one-hand "kalawit" rebound or 360-degree fast-break lay-up causes frenzy in the gallery. The ruckus, in turn, activates Tubid’s power supply the way cotton candy sends kids into turbo boost. In an empty gym, Tubid is a talented player. In a packed house, Tubid is Gary Valenciano in Air Jordans. Cardona feeds on the crowd’s abhorrence. Tubid feeds on the crowd’s affection. Hence, when a game reaches a crescendo, Cardona and Tubid behave like water and a live wire. Once they meet, everyone expects a jolt. Cardona smirks at Tubid and Tubid smirks back, like warring gunslingers exchanging grins before the shootout at the O.K. Corral. I’d like to believe it’s a sign of mutual respect. Handshakes, however, are exchanged at the end of a long season. For now, Cardona and Tubid prefer to trade big shots, hard fouls and wry smiles. During one stretch in Game 2 of the quarterfinal series between Talk ‘N Text and Ginebra, Cardona engaged Ginebra’s JC Intal in a three-point shoot-out. Cardona is a proven playoff scorer. Intal wants to prove that he can do the same. This series, however, won’t get its zing from a duel of talented stars. If the Cardona-Intal face-off is tasty, the Cardona-Tubid showdown is hot-and-spicy. Unfortunately, fireworks between Cardona and Tubid might last for just one more game. If Talk ‘N Text wins Game 3 on Wednesday, the Texters will eliminate Ginebra via a 3-0 sweep. By my estimation, it will take two more games before Cardona and Tubid push each other to the brink. Nobody wants to see a shortened bout between evenly matched power-punchers. This is a rivalry that dates back to the UAAP when Tubid the UE Warrior spit in the face of Cardona the Green Archer. Let’s see how long Tubid can keep his saliva in his mouth, how well Cardona can keep his temper in check and how soon Talk ‘N Text can knockout Ginebra from the title race. – GMANews.TV