The Final Score: God bless Terrence Romeo

I’ll get to his hair in a bit.

To summarize Terrence Romeo’s first game in the PBA, let me use three words: nothing has changed. I’m glad I just wrote those three words.

I don’t know if his new coach, first-time PBA head coach Richie Ticzon, or his new teammates, that’s everyone not named RR Garcia, all share my elation. But if the number seven who played in GlobalPort’s season-opener was a subdued version of Romeo, I would’ve felt robbed.

God bless the stubborn ones.

Different level.

Different league.

Different team.

Different jersey.

Same mind-bending audacity.

What emboldens a rookie to go face-to-face with Marcio Lassiter, one of the best in-your-face defenders in the league, and instruct teammates to vacate the immediate vicinity? Holy kumpyansa, is he asking for a clear out? In his very first PBA game? Against Lassiter? Against Petron? Against common sense?

Romeo widens his eyes at nearby teammates and repeatedly flaps his left hand, like he’s shooing away flies from a plate of pancit palabok, while his right hand dribbles the ball. It’s the universal hand sign for please-don’t-take-this-the-wrong-way-but-get-out-of-my-driving-lane-and-watch-me-score. I’m not sure if such gestures are a result of muscle memory or finely-tuned offensive instincts.

God bless habits that are hard to break.

“Grabe talaga yung pride nung bata na yan,” Jens Knuttel, Romeo’s former teammate in FEU, says. “He always wants to prove himself and he has so much passion for the game.”

If Romeo simply surrendered to the defensive reputation of Lassiter and decided to safely toss the ball back to a teammate, wouldn’t that be a letdown? He’s not supposed to be a player who backpedals from the big moment. No risk. No reward. No way that’s the Terrence we know. You wanted to see Romeo but ended up watching a role player who only looks a whole lot like Romeo.

[Related: Late surge powers Petron past rookie-laden GlobalPort]

Now let me to get to the hair.

With Romeo’s fabled hair and shoulder fake, and it helps to sell the move when you have hair uncontrollably growing in all directions (search for The Cure’s Robert Smith from 1988 on Google), he propels past Lassiter. Just weeks ago, Lassiter was guarding James Yap in the Governors’ Cup Finals. So Romeo busting out moves like Jagger against a defender fit to play for Gilas in the 2014 World Cup is already an achievement right?

But the audacious one isn’t done. Romeo gallops towards the rim and sees the massive torso of June Mar Fajardo blocking his path. The sensible move is to kick the ball out or look for the possible drop pass, to anyone. Kahit i-drop-pass mo na lang kay Arwind Santos, okay lang. Everyone will understand. Temperamental playmakers, however, are always out to redefine what’s sensible or not. Against the tenets of personal safety, he keeps the ball. He drives all the way into Fajardo’s chest. Romeo proves it all over again: he is spectacularly insane.

“Mahilig talaga siya sa mga ganung situation,” Knuttel adds. “Parang gusto niya talaga maka-score against yung nag-cha-challenge sa kanya.”

Clearly, Romeo is not afraid of Lassiter. He is not afraid of The Kraken. He is not afraid of Petron. He is not afraid of how his own teammates will react. He is not afraid of what Nico Salva might tweet. He is not afraid of what Sol Mercado might retweet. He is not afraid of what I might write or what you might say. Sometimes I wonder if the only person he’s afraid of is the neighborhood barber – ayaw talaga magpagupit eh.

Maybe RR can convince Terrence to finally get a decent haircut.

Or maybe not.

Maybe Coach Richie can convince Terrence to pass the ball instead of smashing face-first into the pectoral muscles of opposing seven-footers.

Or maybe not.

Romeo took 15 shots in their opening game, second only to Jay Washington’s 19 attempts. He made five field goals in 26 minutes. He finished with 13 points and a couple of pulsating one-on-one moves.

From a philosophical view, what happens if Romeo stops being so intrepid? Will he cease from being Romeo altogether?

In the meantime, I can afford to celebrate the Romeo-ness of Terrence. I’m able to write an entire column on Terrence, even if his team loses, even if they lose big. Why? Think of the most unwatchable player. Multiply that player by four. Add Romeo. And you’ll still have a watchable team. Clearly, he is a player meant to play in primetime.

So God bless his hair.

God bless his team.

God bless Terrence Romeo and his fearless ways. - AMD, GMA News