Personally was pretty excited tonight when I heard the news. First of all, I've been to Thessoloniki, Greece two of the past three year for a week long stay. I'm also scheduled tentatively to be there for a week in May.
During my last visit in June, I attended my first ever Greek Professional League Game 5 Semi-Final deciding Playoff game, as well as Game #1 of their version of the NBA Championship in Athens. DJ is in for a treat. It's the wildest experience you'd ever imagine. YouTube it and you'll get to watch. Just a few tidbits about how passionate these fans are and how crazy these games are:
*Visiting Teams are NOT allowed to attend games. Especially true of the two biggest teams in Greece (Olympiacos and Pianathicos--excuse the spelling as if you can tell). It's simply not safe to wear the opposing teams colors in the stadium in some of the rivalries. His team POAK, is considered the 3rd to 4th best team in the Greek League and below the 2 teams I've listed that literally dominate the soccer/hoops leagues annually. This isn't an even playing field in these leagues and there are no salary caps from what I understand. Basically, the team with the richest owner can buy the best players and those teams dominate. Very little parity.
*There are nets that hang down around the court to refrain from things thrown onto the courts
*The visiting teams benches are enclosed to protect the safety of the visiting players.
*Tunnel for visitng players extend all the way out to their benches as it's not always safe for them to walk across the court to their benches.
*Once again, in the biggest rivarly games like the one I attended, there are like 500 riot police guards inside/out of the stadium.
*The stadium rocks. I mean they're chanting and letting off red flares the entire game. Many thought it was not safe to take my 9 year old son. I took him and while it took a while for him to feel comfortable, it made an OHIO vs. Akron game seem totally lame in regards to fan enthusiasm, passion and crowd noise. Remember a few years back when those 20-50 Europeans sat in the OZONE and cheared to the delight of our crowd? Now imagine 15-20,000 people doing that all game long. That's the atmosphere.
Craziest story is that my Greek friend, whose an Olympiacos Season Ticket Holdder told me that during Game 3 of the Best of 5 Series when Olympiacos was down 2-0 with elimination Game 3 on their home court, that Olympiacos would not let the game end if they're losing at the end. Low and behold, with 2 minutes left in the game, Olympiacos was down 5 points and the home crowd starting setting off smoke bombs in the stadium. I was watching on TV and you couldn't see the court. They delayed the game to clear the crowd out of the stadium so they could finish the game in an empty stadium. An hour later I was still watching on TV and they still couldn't start the game because the crowd refused to leave. The championship game was called and they didn't finish. Nuts.
In conclusion, don't get me wrong, Greece is an amazing country that is beautiful, civilized and DJ will probably love it there. I'm making it sound 3rd world, it's just the fans are crazy about their teams. I spoke to 3-4 American players while visiting and all said they've loved playing there. They said of the all the European places to play, Greece to them amongst the best simply because the fans are so passionate about the teams. Food is great, people are great, city if beautiful and the players all said the "women are amazing??" DJ will also be one of the top players there and could become a crowd favorite. The top Greek player is a point guard who makes $2.0 million per year and I wasn't impressed. I got to think DJ could make good money there if that guy is the measuring stick.
I will certainly check the hoops schedule when I'm there hoping I can catch a game if he's playing. Pretty good chance I'll be the only fan there with OHIO gear :)
Couple videos to get a flavor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtQAJH_JoXM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2wkErkAhxk
Last Edited: 8/26/2013 11:33:17 PM by Chicken George