The Daily Pita (Fresh from Athens) - Day Four

Kalimera my friends!

[by Kris SANTIAGO] - After spending some time on the beach these days with fellow blogger Gustavo Cardoso, I give you guys a bit more inside on the latest that happened in the holy halls of OAKA.

- Slovenian Fan Janez needed ten days to get to Athens from his hometown of Maribor, where he is coaching for Mario Primorac Maribor in the second division. He took a bike and was driving from Maribor over Italy to Greece (He took a ferry from Ancona to Patras) and arrived in Athens prior to the first game of Slovenia. A radio station picked up on his adventurous ride and he gave them daily a report via his cell phone. But that’s not all. He jumped over a fence at the old Olympic stadium and ran the track (Which is forbidden) and was chased by security but managed to escape the fat guy. He filmed the whole situation and showed it to me today, truly awesome!

- Two Slovenian fans “emptied” a Greek food and drink-stand in front of the area by buying all the beer they had on stock there. Aaaaand another six pack !” the two told the lady each time she brought in new cans from other stands to serve these two special fans after the loss to Puerto Rico. Here is a picture of them during the buyout, they kept on buying all the beer available and I would not wonder if the Greek fans, which were showing up later, may stirred a riot due to the lack of beer reserves at OAKA. 

- The first part of the Germany game was a bit boring…but some journalists in front of me decided to play Pac Man instead….come on, it’s not THAT boring, I mean Pac Man? What’s up next? Pong? Alien Invasion?

- Croatian TV is a no-show this year, HRT decided not send a team to Athens. They were probably not really optimistic about the chances of qualifying for Beijing, so it’s only the written press and the colleagues from kosarka.hr in here.

- The Greeks destroyed Brazil on the boards by dunking the ball plenty of times…is that the reason for Papaloukas to adjust the whole construction? 

- The official fan-base during the tournament is in Irakleio/Athens near the metro-station at a pita-palace called “Fagopoteion o Proedros” also known “The President” in Greek. Best pita in town, take look right here, this pita is big and tasty…and my diet plan is still working well. I have to say hello to the German-fan there, as he was probably their best client besides me and the Slovenian fans… 

- A great thing they have here in Greece: Contemporary music is coming out of the speakers at the metro stations! They played an old hip hop-beat recently and had some great “lift”-music there yesterday. I would love to have that service in Germany as well!

- The German journalists know how to party…but not at the media party. Their table was really calm (read: speechless) and most of the guys left early. Hope none of the guys read this blog though…


That’s it folks,

I am out like a German journalist at Capri Bay Club in Glyfada.