TFS: To tweet, or not to tweet - for PBA players, it's imperative

All is right in the world. @wesgon15 is active on Twitter again. Although parental guidance is strongly advised when reading Wesley Gonzales' tweets, a potent brew of sometimes juvenile but often mind-bending nonsense, his updates try to connect with fans and make the world a more interesting place.

Although PBA Commissioner Chito Salud might find @wesgon15's tweets disturbing at best, he'll surely appreciate the sincerity behind it. This is me, love it or hate it, and I’m sharing the private joke and teaching everyone the secret handshake. At the very least, one PBA player is reaching out to fans, no matter how mundane or naughty his comments are. When kids in Manila, at least the ones with access to cable television, are able to watch tune-up games between the Lakers’ first and second units but have no clue as to when or where PBA teams practice before actual contests, there’s a disconnect. If future adult patrons of the PBA grow up learning more about Steve Nash (through NBA.com, NBA TV, NBA 2K11 and the gazillion blogs dedicated to all things NBA) than Mark Caguioa, it becomes a concern for both people who cover the PBA and the men and women who run the league itself. "Marami na tayo kalaban," Salud says to a group of former PBA players and current television commentators just moments after his taped interview on GMANews.tv’s webcast "For The Win". Salud realizes that, nowadays, it's harder to build modern PBA myths the way traditional media built up Robert Jaworski and Mon Fernandez into Greek gods back in the day. It's a challenge to make James Yap look larger than life when you have 40-plus cable channels, PSP’s, DVD’s, LCD’s, Chris Tiu and Kevin Durant breathing down your neck all the time. Salud grew up with the PBA, moonlighting as a PBA ball-boy at one point. He wants to make sure today’s kids grow up with the league too. If the NBA prohibits players from tweeting during games, I reckon PBA players should be mandated to do the exact opposite. I want to know what Willie Miller’s thinking when he’s stuck on the bench during the final minutes of a close game. Yeng Guiao’s halftime tweets should be a swirling tempest of #*!%#@! and other phrases unfit for this column. It’s good to know how much @JAlapag3 loves @daredevilchic, @dhonts7 loves Isiah and @GNorwood5 loves @SM3rc3. When fans learn how much a player loves his wife, son or best bro, PBA stars become more than just cardboard cutouts. It’s what the league needs to win over a generation weaned on Facebook. So dear PBA players, tweet now, blog away. Yes Nino Canaleta, even if your meekness contradicts the former ferocity of your slam dunks, you can do it. I’ll ask @jcy18 to help you out. Commissioner Salud has your back. C’mon guys @wesgon15 needs all the help. Trust me, young fans - the future patrons of YOUR league - know too much about @KDthunderup and @KingJames already. -- GMANews.TV