The record six straight PBA titles of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers is safe from the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers – the brand name that is.
The Grand Slam champion Mixers have shed the brand they powered to four consecutive PBA conference crowns from the 2012 Governors Cup to carry the product name which the franchise originally used to break into the public consciousness in 1988 with then amateur stars Alvin Patrimonio, Jojo Lastimosa and Jerry Codinera: Purefoods.
It isn’t exactly Moses taking over again from Joshue, but starting with the 40th season which opens on Oct. 19 at the 55,000- capacity Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, San Mig Super Coffee will henceforth be known as the Purefoods Star Hotshots.
Purefoods governor Rene Pardo, who broke the news to Tempo weeks ago but had requested to the keep the matter under wraps until just before its launching yesterday at the new MegaTent in Libis, Quezon City, said fan consideration played a big part in the decision to revert to their former name.
“More than an advertising move, we’ve also heeded the request of our fans to again use our original name,” Pardo said. “So now we did. Sabi ko naman sa’yo noon babalik kami sa Purefoods, di ba?”
The return to the Purefoods brand in the PBA from B-Meg and later San Mig Coffee came at the heels of sister team San Miguel Beer making a huge comeback after several conferences and different coaches under the banner of Petron Blaze.
Superstar James Yap welcomed the opportunity to again the don the jersey by which he first made his mark in the PBA.
“Gusto ko nga yun eh. Kasi dun ako sa Purefoods nagsimula,” Yap told Spin.ph. “Saka marami rin talaga naghihintay na maibalik ang Purefoods. Kaya I’m sure matutuwa rito ang mga fans.”
Asked by Spin’s Snow Badua if he doesn’t fear jinxing their string of championship with the change in name, Yap said “Hindi naman sa pangalan nakukuha yun. Importante andyan ang samahan at pagtutulungan ng team. Basta’t lahat on the same page, kayang abutin ang mission.”
And that, first and foremost, is to win a fifth straight championship and 13th overall playing for the name by which they won their first eight titles.