Barako Bull Energy


The Barako Bull Energy were a Philippine Basketball Association that began in 2002 as the FedEx Express.
From its first season until 2005, the team was dubbed as the FedEx Express before changing to Air21 Express. From the 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference until the 2009–10 PBA Philippine Cup, it became known as the Burger King Titans. However, when manager Mikee Romero decided to pull out of the team, they were reorganized and renamed the Burger King Whoppers before returning to their original name starting the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference.
However, Air21 changed its name to Barako Bull Energy after the Lina Group bought the original Barako Bull franchise and 49 percent stake of Energy Food and Drinks Inc., the owner of the Barako Bull franchise and the exclusive distributor of Red Bull Energy Drink products in the Philippines. They added the word 'cola' to their team name in order to promote their new soft-drink product.
Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association. The franchise bought the former Tanduay team after the 2001 season.

History

Tanduay Rhum Masters

The Tanduay Rhum Masters made its PBA return in the 1999 season, after a 12-year hiatus. This time, the team had a new ownership in Asia Brewery of Lucio Tan's son, Bong. After a runner-up finish in the 1999 All-Filipino Conference, the Rhum Masters failed to advanced in the finals since. To add insult, the deportation of alleged fil-sham Sonny Alvarado and the indefinite suspensions of Eric Menk and Rudy Hatfield, the management became frustrated.
After the 2001 season, the fire sale began as Tanduay traded Dondon Hontiveros to San Miguel, Jeffrey Cariaso to the new Coca Cola franchise and Menk to Barangay Ginebra. After this, Tanduay sold its franchise of Bert Lina and the local franchisee of FedEx for a reported sum of PHP 60–75 million.
Technically, the old Tanduay franchise and the current Burger King team's lineage were pulled apart as were most of the other PBA teams.

2002–2005: FedEx Express

After the purchase, they named the team as the FedEx Express. The Express moniker was used as a reference to their company's role in fast-paced delivery.
In the 2001 PBA Draft, the Express held the first overall pick in the draft. Initially, the FedEx expressed its desire to draft MBA star Rommel Adducul, but his MBA team the Batangas Blades denied Adducul's request for a release. With this, FedEx nabbed Saint Francis of Assisi College System 6-foot-9 center Yancy de Ocampo as their first-ever pick as a PBA team. Also in the first round, the Express landed De La Salle University star Renren Ritualo with the eight pick. Jerry Codiñera was also added to the team along with a few holdovers from Tanduay.
Many-time amateur and commercial league champion coach Derrick Pumaren was named as the first head coach of the FedEx team. He was the last coach of the Tanduay franchise in the PBA before it was absorbed by FedEx.
Former Tanduay forward Bong Hawkins was among those absorbed by the FedEx franchise in 2002. However, a controversy sparked between Hawkins and the FedEx management. The former Perpetual Help standout wanted to have the same terms of the salary he held with Tanduay while the FedEx management was basing the contract on a written one. In the end, Hawkins was released and eventually joined Coca-Cola in 2003.
FedEx's first-ever match was an opening game against the Coca-Cola Tigers which they lost. At that time, Ritualo was loaned the RP National pool. The Express also added Bong Alvarez in the lineup along with Jermaine Walker as one of their imports. The Express made it to the quarterfinals of the Governor's Cup but was quickly eliminated. In the Commissioner's Cup, Ritualo made his much-awaited debut with FedEx but the Express once again failed to enter past the semis. Alvarez left the team for the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals, but it acquired the services of Vergel Meneses from Ginebra. In the All-Filipino, FedEx again failed to enter the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Ritualo was named as the Rookie of the Year after the season, to spark a promising future for the team.
In 2003, the Express nabbed former MBA MVP John Ferriols in the draft. The Express finished with an impressive second place in the elimination round of the All-Filipino Cup. In the quarterfinals, the Express failed to enter the semis after finishing last place of the single-round robin quarterfinals phase.
Their performance in the All-Filipino earned the team an early entry to the PBA Invitational tournament. The Express placed third in the special tournament, earning the team its first trophy in the league.
In the Reinforced Conference, the Express bannered Terrence Shannon as import. However, in the opening round, they were eliminated by San Miguel. During the said tournament, Pumaren was fired and was replaced by former Lakers coach Bonifacio "Bonnie" Garcia.
During the 2004 Draft, FedEx nabbed three picks in the first round with Marc Pingris, Ranidel de Ocampo, and Wesley Gonzales. In the Fiesta Conference, the Express ended up in ninth place and was eliminated by the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in the Wild-Card phase. A coaching change also happened when Garcia was replaced by legendary coach Joe Lipa.
Meneses was then shipped to the Red Bull Barako during the off season for Homer Se and a draft pick.
In the 2004–2005 Philippine Cup, the Express once again finished fourth in the classification phase and was eliminated early by the Alaska Aces.
Lipa resigned after the tournament and was replaced by former Filipino mentor of the Indonesian national team Bong Ramos. They also fielded former NBA veteran Oliver "Pig" Miller for the Fiesta Conference.
The Express finished fifth in the classification phase. It was highlighted by Renren Ritualo's eight three-pointers in a quarter during a game. However, in the Wild-Card phase, they were eliminated by Purefoods.

2005–2009: Air21 Express

During the off season, the Express renamed the team to the Air21 Express after FedEx left the country. Ramos resigned at season's end due to his failure to imply the team's policy. However, many believed that there were other reasons for his resignation.
Former Laguna Lakers head coach Bo Perasol was named as the replacement. In the 2005 PBA Draft, Air21 had three picks in the first round. They nabbed PBL star Anthony Washington as the first pick and De La Salle University star Mark Cardona as the fifth pick overall. But the Express traded Washington and Cardona in separate deals to Talk 'N Text for Yancy de Ocampo and Patrick Fran, respectively, amid criticisms by various people. The other pick was University of the East star Niño Canaleta.
But Air21 made a strong showing in the 2005–2006 Fiesta Conference. With Perasol as coach and bulky import Shawn Daniels at the helm, the Express surprised everyone with several upsets against Talk 'N Text and San Miguel to finish fourth in the classification phase. Air21 eliminated San Miguel in the wildcard phase and upset the Phone Pals in a five-game quarterfinals affair. However, in six games they were eliminated by Purefoods in the semi-finals. At the end of the conference, Air21 defeated the Barangay Ginebra Kings to capture third place in the tournament.
In the Philippine Cup, the Express acquired Mark Telan from the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals for John Ferriols. On May 8, the team traded its franchise player Ritualo to the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals for Leo Avenido and two future first round picks. Many basketball fans saw this trade as another rebuilding mode for the team while others speculate about a potential cost-cutting of the Express for its impending disbandment, although there were no accuracy of the possibility.
However, since the Ritualo trade, the Express went 3–1 the rest of the classification phase to finish with a 7–9 record. The surge saw the improvement of Air21 rookie Canaleta, who had multiple 30-point games during the streak. However, the Express failed to beat the Coca-Cola Tigers in a one-game playoff for the third outright quarterfinals berth. The loss relegated Air21 in a round-robin wildcard phase. In the deciding game, Ginebra beat the Express, 118–114 in overtime, to eliminate them from contention.

2006–07 season

In the off season, the Express acquired Aries Dimaunahan and Ervin Sotto from the Ginebra as part of a huge three-team trade along with the Coca-Cola Tigers. In the 2006 PBA Draft, Air21 selected Arwind Santos of the FEU Tamaraws and the PBL's Magnolia Ice Cream with the second overall pick. Stephen Padilla and Bruce Dacia's contract were not renewed by the team.
After a so-so performance at the Philippine Cup, the Express eked out a 7–11 record, good enough for a return trip to the wildcard phase. Needing to sweep all of the games in order to force a playoff for a quarterfinal berth, the Express defeated all wildcard teams. In the elimination game against Sta. Lucia, the Express came up short as they were beaten 121–118 via overtime.
Before the start of the wildcard phase, Air21 sent Yancy de Ocampo and Leo Avenido to Talk 'N Text for rookies Mark Andaya and Abby Santos plus future draft picks.
Air21 also had talks with former Senator and the PBA's Living Legend Robert Jaworski to either accept a capacity within the team or as a head coach before he beg off prior to the start of the Fiesta Conference.
Still, the Express finished with a 10–8 record for fifth place in the standings with Shawn Daniels as import. At one point, Air21 was 7–3 before losing five of their last eight games, before beating San Miguel in a one-game playoff for the third outright quarterfinals berth.
The Talk 'N Text Phone Pals defeated them in the quarters in a full three-game series, despite the Express' Game 1 victory.