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HOMEOne-on-one with John Arigo
ARRIBA, ARIGO!
by James Ty IIIPhotos by: Boy Innocentes
BASKETBALL MIX: Can you describe to us how you felt when you first played for Alaska?
Ever since he broke into the pro league as one of Alaska Milk's top pick in the first round of the PBA draft last year,
John Arigo has come into his own as one of the Aces' hopes for the future.
At a time when the Uytengsu franchise had embarked on a rebuilding program, Arrigo's
arrival has assured the Aces' fans that the future is very much in good hands.
With his outside shooting savvy and court instincts that enable him to play both guard
spots with ease, the 6'4" Fil-Am guard out of the University of Tampa has the potential to become a superstar in the very
near future.
BASKETBALL MIX caught up with the 24-year-old Arigo (Birthday:Dec. 10,1978) inside
the Aces dugout shortly after his team lost a 57-59 squeaker to Red Bull in a PBA All-Filipino Cup match a few Sundays ago
and although he was still feeling a lot of pain after his team's loss to the Thunder, he was kind enough to accomodate us
for this initial chit-chat.
And the marquee player shares with us things you may not have known about him.
JOHN ARIGO: My rookie year was a transition period. I had to adjust to the pro game since I had just come from
college. I was not lucky to play alongside some of the veterans who played for Alaska before but Kenneth Duremdes was there
to help me out.
BASKETBALL MIX: Kenneth is back in the lineup after playing in the Asian games. How do you look up to him?
JOHN ARIGO: Kenneth is like a big brother to me. He was the one who helped enhance my leadership qualities as a
player.When Kenneth was gone, I was just trying to do what I can to make up for his absence because he brings so much to the
team. But now that he's back, we're trying to make him get back to our system.
BASKETBALL MIX: Alaska is known for it's triangle offense. How did you familiarize yourself with it considering that it's
quite difficult to learn.
JOHN ARIGO: The Triangle Offense is very complex. We read the plays and how we react to every situation on the floor.
My role is to get the other guys to their spots on the floor and try to create a lot of situations while leading the fastbreak. Right
now, I can say that that I'm at a comfort level and I'm now passing my leadership kills to the new players that we have.
BASKETBALL MIX: Many say you play almost like Reggie Miller. Do you look up to him as one of your basketball idols?
JOHN ARIGO: In a way, yes. But my biggest idol is Michael Jordan. I admit, however, that I wore number 31 in college
because of Reggie Miller. But now, people are slowly recognizing that I have my own identity as a player. The comparisons between
Miller and me are still there but as long as the fans know what kind of game I play, that's all that matters to me.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were not into basketball, what profession would you be in?
JOHN ARIGO: Probably, I would be a lawyer. In fact, I read a book called "Shouting Fire" by Prof. Alan Derschwitz, who
is a law professor at Harvard University. It's a book about civil liberties. When I was in college, I was a member of the debating team.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were to retire from basketball and spend the rest of your life away from the action, where would you want
to stay?
JOHN ARIGO: Probably in Switzerland. It's a very clean country. No pollution and it's very clean everywhere you go.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were not into basketball and you wanted to try another sport, what would it be?
JOHN ARIGO: Golf. I usually play golf with my Alaska teammates and even with coach Tim Cone during our team-building seminars,
especially if there is a nearby golf-course. In fact I love to wear Tiger Woods apparel from Nike.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were to do a movie, who would you like to be your leading lady?
JOHN ARIGO: Lucy Liu of Charlie's Angels. She may be Asian, but she's a cool lady who loves a lot of action. I find Lucy a
very interesting actress.
BASKETBALL MIX: What is love for you, basically?
JOHN ARIGO: Love can be so many different things, but for me, love is just a passion for something.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were an animal, what would you be?
JOHN ARIGO: I would be a tiger because it is an animal that's not haunted and always at the top of the food chain.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you need to have in order to survive?
JOHN ARIGO: I would just lie on the sand and do nothing. I wouldn't even survive being on an island all by myself.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were a fish, what would you be?
JOHN ARIGO: An electric eel, bacause I want to shock people who come near me.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were elected as President of the Philippines, what would you do to improve our country?
JOHN ARIGO: I would like to get all those buses and jeepneys that disobey traffice rules off the streets. In other words,
I would want all the laws and rules in our country to be enforced very strictly. I would also like to maintain all the checks and balances
in our government.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were US President George Bush, how would you combat terrorism?
JOHN ARIGO: I would do the same thing as what he is doing. I voted for him for President and I don't back down from anything.
I agree with him on his stand against terrorism.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were the Pope, how would you spread God's message of love and peace?
JOHN ARIGO: I would try to do whatever I can to spread the Word that no matter what religion we
believe in, it's important to have a basic principle of what's right and what's wrong. I would try to promote a world
where all religious communities would respect each other but not resorting to any conflict.
BASKETBALL MIX: If you were a thing, what would you be?
JOHN ARIGO: I would ba any body of water, because water has so many different properties.
BASKETBALL MIX: Who has made the biggest influence on your decision to enter professional basketball?
JOHN ARIGO: My older brother Peter. I used to watched him playing basketball when I was a little kid
and he was in high school then. I learned about playing the game by simply watching him. We used to play backyard
basketball together. I continued his dream after he didn't pursue his own dream to be a good player.
BASKETBALL MIX: What is your most memorable moment as a player?
JOHN ARIGO: In my high school days, I made the winning basket in one game. I was in eight grade the I
was the youngest player in my team then. My teammates were older than me and my only role then was to shoot the
three-pointer. It was my first experience at success in my basketball career.
BASKETBALL MIX: How do you see yourself five years from now?
JOHN ARIGO: I hope to stay away from injuries and continue to get better. The important thing for me
is to stay in good physical shape while improving on my game. When you becoma a veteran, you continue to learn
about the game. You also become smarter. When younger guys come in, veterans have a little advantage, although it's
more mental than physical.
BASKETBALL MIX: Finally, what qualities do you look for in a girl you want to spend the rest of your life with?
JOHN ARIGO: Sense of humor, attractiveness and the way she carries herself. Confidence is the most important
factor. Love for certain things.
Souce: Basketball Mix (December 2002)
