Once upon a time, Blackwater had Christian Bautista as an endorser. If you check their website, it has Rayver Cruz doing cologne-related things. From macho facial foams to manly lip balms, Blackwater knows how to make a hunk in every Junjun, Bhoy, or Narding.
So why the hell is their PBA team very, very ugly?
The longest losing streak in all of PBA history is now with the Blackwater Elite.
I mean Bossings.
Historically, PBA teams have crappy nicknames. I think there was a time when the league had “Masters” and “Makers” at the same time. What’s worse though is choosing boss names for bust teams. From Elite, Blackwater became the Bossings. However, their moniker is an overpromise of their wretched squad. I really thought Blackwater wouldn’t become a conduit but instead of building a dynasty around Bobby Ray Parks, Allein Maliksi, and JP Erram, they are parading budget-friendly players who can have noteworthy careers as second unit players to big market squads.
I am resisting to make this list current – although the reason for the list is because of their dubious distinction. I compiled Blackwater’s biggest misses and hits… that turned out to be disappointments.
2014-2015 PBA SEASON
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2014-2015 EXPANSION DRAFT | 1 | DANNY ILDEFONSO 3 | ALEX NUYLES 5 | JR CAWALING 7 | EDDIE LAURE 9 | BRIAN FAUNDO 11 | JP ERRAM 13 | PAUL ARTADI 15 | GILBERT BULAWAN 17 | BAM GAMALINDA 19 | CHRIS TIMBERLAKE 21 | NORMAN GONZALES 23 | ROB CELIZ | Ildefonso asked for more money and negotiations bogged down. Bam Gamalinda enjoyed a lengthy career with the Elite but the best player that came out of this expansion draft is Poy Erram... and more of this later. |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2014 PBA DRAFT | 12 | JUAMI TIONGSON 23 | FRANK GOLLA 26 | BRIAN HERUELA 27 | MACLEAN SABELLINA 30 | JUNERIC BALORIA 31 | RAUL SOYUD 34 | CLARK BAUTISTA 35 | FORD RUAYA | Tiongson got released midseason. Heruela became a Rookie of the Year contender but was traded to Barako Bull for Carlo Lastimosa after posting averages of 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals. Raul Soyud became a dependable workhorse... for the NLEX Road Warriors. |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2015 PBA DRAFT | 9 | ARTHUR DELA CRUZ 13 | ALMOND VOSOTROS 23 | JASON MELANO 35 | KEITH AGOVIDA 43 | JAWHAR PURDY 48 | CHRISTIAN PALMA 51 | ALVIN ABUNDO 54 | RANDY DILAY | Dela Cruz was traded to Ginebra alongside Raymond Aguilar for Chris Ellis and Dave Marcelo. Almond Vosotros became a Gilas Pilipinas prospect after his stint with Blackwater. |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2016 PBA DRAFT | SPECIAL | MAC BELO 1 | AEL BANAL 11 | TRISTAN PEREZ | After four injury-plagued seasons, Belo was traded to Meralco for Baser Amer and Bryan Faundo. Ael Banal is technically the first pick of the draft but he is technically a second-round pick. |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2017 PBA DRAFT | 3 | RAYMAR JOSE 15 | RENZ PALMA 27 | BIBOY ENGUIO LOPEZ 38 | KYLE NEYPES 43 | JHON SUMIDO | Jose was traded to Meralco alongside Allein Maliksi and a second round pick for KG Canaleta and Mike Tolomia. Jose's rookie season is his best in the PBA (5.4ppg and 3.7rpg) |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2018 PBA DRAFT | 2 | BOBBY RAY PARKS 24 | DIEGO DARIO 34 | DAN ALBERTO 40 | CHRIS DELA PENA | Parks averaged 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in 32 games for Blackwater and Talk N Text. Blackwater traded Parks to TNT for Anthony Semerad, Don Trollano, and a 2021 first-round pick. Trollano has since been traded to NLEX while Semerad has yet to average more than 1.95 points per game in a season. |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2019 PBA DRAFT | SPECIAL | REY SUERTE 2 | MAURICE SHAW 14 | RICHARD ESCOTO 26 | CHRIS BITOON 37 | HUBERT CANI | Suerte has yet to play for Blackwater as of October 2021. Shaw averaged 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds in 3 games for the Elite during his rookie year and has since been traded to the NLEX Road Warriors. |
TRANSACTION | PLAYER | NOTES |
2021 SEASON 46 PBA DRAFT | 14 | REY MARK ACUNO 15 | JOSHUA TORRALBA 27 | ANDRE PARAS 38 | JUN MANZO 48 | KIM BAYQUIN 56 | JESON DELFINADO | |
Most of Blackwater’s first-round and second-round picks have left the squad.
Wait.
I might be saying this due to technicality but technically, Rey Suerte has yet to suit up for Blackwater. I don’t know if he’s a prized possession of Gilas Pilipinas but I guess by the time he suits up for Blackwater, his talents could have escaped him? I mean… this is the same problem I saw with Smart-Gilas – as players like Chris Tiu, Dylan Ababou, Rey Guevarra, JR Cawaling, Jason Ballesteros, and other mainstays got stuck on their Team Pilipinas roles and it never really translated to the PBA. Suerte might play for Blackwater at a point in which he has forgotten his star player ways and could be a “defensive specialist” or whatever they call a sharpshooter whose offense has escaped them.
I am not dissing Team Pilipinas benchwarmers but if SMC or MVP talents are notorious for running small market teams to the ground after getting their star players, playing exclusively to the national team without a daily dose of competition is a whole different animal.
Anyway, JP Erram did well for Blackwater and he has since left the squad for an MVP team. Belo, Parks, Jose, Tiongson, and Shaw have also made their way to MVP teams while Dela Cruz got to see action for Barangay Ginebra.
Here’s a question though – if they are that crappy, then they should have had more Top 5 picks.
This is where Conduit City takes a turn for the worse.
TO BE CONCLUDED.