Ali Peek reflects on retirement and life after the PBA

Ali Peek sat on a monobloc chair. I’m surprised that the monobloc chair was sturdy enough to carry all of Ali. He was about to go on-camera to discuss his retirement, 16 years in the PBA, and post-career plans. He was a quiet figure inside a busy production room. Unaffected by the surrounding chatter, Ali Peek reflected on the past, present and future. I figured he was in an introspective mood. Hence, it was the perfect time to ask Ali to explain his reasons for hanging it up and why he partially blames Asi Taulava for all this.

MH: How are you?

AP: I’m tired.

MH: Tired? You’re Ali Peek. How can you be tired?

AP: It probably has something to do with me being 39 years old. I’m an aging center and power forward. When you have guys like June Mar and Japeth who jumps out of the gym and Greg Slaughter, I take a look at those guys and I figure it’s time for me to leave the league. Let the other guys deal with them. Let Asi (Taulava) deal with them (laughs).

It had to do a lot with my back, my lower back. What the doctors had to say wasn’t too promising if I continued to play. I had to understand the risks. On top of that I was taking pain medication. At some point you got to ask yourself, ‘Is it really worth it?’ You have the rest of your life ahead of you and you want to live a quality life.

MH: Could you take me back to that exact moment when you realized you wanted to retire? You’ve been probably thinking about this and then one day, boom, you just reach that moment. Could you take me back to that moment when you just knew?

AP: I think it was a Wednesday. It was a Wednesday morning. I talked to my girlfriend. I talked to my family about it. I think Monday and Tuesday I talked to Jimmy (Alapag) extensively about it. I just said what was really on my mind. I think I told him, ‘Don’t be surprised if I really pull the trigger.’ Wednesday I woke up and everything just felt right. I felt okay. I felt okay with making that decision.

The only thing I was nervous about was calling Coach Norman (Black). I think the next day (the team was) supposed to leave for Cebu for a tournament. But I really had to tell him what was going on with me and how I felt. And you know, luckily, Coach Norman, he retired at 39 officially. Because we did play together for one game and he was 39 years old. So he could identify with what I was going through. He could remember how he felt when he was my age.

I was surprised our conversation went pretty well. I thought he was going to be upset. He actually told me to keep this under wraps until the team gets back from Cebu so I could talk to the team myself, talk to management and then announce it publicly.

MH: It just felt right to make that decision?

AP: It felt right. It just felt right. I just wanted to make sure whatever decision I make it just had to feel right. I was happy. I felt more relieved. You know, just getting up everyday, trying to get into the shape that you expect yourself to be in, the shape that the team expects you to be in, after a while it just gets grueling. Although I loved it but because I’m already in my late thirties, it has taken its toll on me.

MH: So what’s the difference between you and Asi? How come Asi doesn’t appear to be getting tired of training and playing while you’re at that stage when you’re ready to say goodbye to the game?

AP: Throughout Asi’s career, I’ve never seen him go through any major injuries. Which is good. He’s blessed in that regard. For me, I have this back injury. And I tell people also that if I didn’t have this back problem, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.

But he also stole my trainer. He stole my strength and conditioning coach. I think back in 2011, I was reaping the benefits and rewards from working with (my trainer) and Asi picked up on it, saw the way I was playing, even called me and said, ‘Hey who is this guy?’ I wouldn’t tell him. I was like, ‘Why would I tell you? We go up against each other. I’m not telling you anything.’ But anyways, Asi ended up seriously hiring him about a year ago when Asi was playing in the ABL.

MH: You’re trainer was Coach John (Aquino), right?

AP: Yes. I was referring to Coach John. It’s fine now. The secret’s out. Everyone goes to him now.

MH: Solenn Heussaff goes to him. Ellen Adarna goes to him.

AP: Yeah, yeah. He’s like the trainer to the stars now. Everyone goes to him. So now when I go there I can’t get any work done. So Asi’s been training with this guy for over a year now and you can just see the difference. Asi has also changed a lot in the way he prepares for games, in the way he eats. A lot has changed in his personal life as well. He’s doing all the right things that’s why he’s playing the way he’s playing.

MH: What are your immediate plans?

AP: Immediate plans?

MH: Yes. Immediate plans. Like what are you planning to do next week? Next month?

AP: Immediate plans? I need to find a job. I’ve got bills to pay.

MH: What do you want to do?

AP: Well…I would like to…maybe perhaps…maybe…do something on TV. This could be a stepping-stone provided I get the proper training. I would like to be a TV analyst one of these days. I also want to start doing basketball camps. Hopefully that will happen in April with Coach John, that’s if Asi doesn’t take up too much of his time.

MH: So now that you no longer need to attend Talk ‘N Text practices, what do you do in the 24 hours you have in a day?

AP: I workout in the morning…

MH: Wait, you still workout?

AP: I workout so I can stay in shape.

MH: For what? You’re not playing anymore.

AP: Yeah but I don’t want to gain weight. I’m a big guy too. But I’ve been also relaxing just a little bit. Just slowing things down. That’s pretty much it.

MH: Some players, when they retire they want to stay as far away from the game as possible. Then there are players who just want to stay connected with the game. Which one are you?

AP: I kind of want to stay away from the game right now. I was actually offered to help coach one of the universities in the NCAA but I told the one who called me, ‘You know what, I appreciate it but I just don’t want to be in the trenches right now.’ I kind of want to take a step back. Maybe sometime in the future if it’s available. But right now, all that intensity, the focus, the concentration, it’s been draining me the last 16 years so I kind of want to venture off into other things that are a little bit more peaceful, a little bit more calm. MH