Truly unique: we'll always have Berlin!

February 10, 2012

Hello to all of you again! Still here, still writing… Not playing, though! At least not in the Euroleague! The biggest goal, the biggest dream became a reality for me in Berlin. We achieved our goal, we made a dream come true by getting the title. As Mr. Freddy Mercury sang a few years ago: "We are the Champions!"

I cannot even get close to describing the feelings. What I felt, what all of us felt is simply something that you cannot express in words. An unbelievable feeling! Unique! Truly unique! The "picture" I still have vividly in my mind is the entire bench entering the court as soon as the horn sounded putting an end to the final, with everybody falling into each other's arms, the wide smiles on our faces, the people chanting louder than ever. I think it's a "snapshot" that I will always carry in my mind and heart.

A few seconds earlier, we were all watching the ball being released from Siska's hands. Thank God it didn't go through the net. It was a relief and, at the same time, the signal to start celebrating. It was a shot that could have been accurate and we are simply and honestly happy that it wasn't. I believe we played better in Berlin. It's true, the win was sealed almost at the buzzer in both of our games, but it's also true that we controlled both through their biggest parts.

Another given fact is that we had not only one or two, but many players to step up in crucial moments. Vassilis got the MVP award, because he did a fine job in both games, either getting big shots or organizing the game. I was also happy for him for another reason, because he was my room-mate throughout the year! A lot of people are asking about the points I scored late in the final. It was the coach's decision to get me the ball in the low post, since I had a shorter guy to guard me. I tried to do the best possible. In the beginning my effort didn't pay back, but I am just happy that I helped my team a little bit to achieve its goal. This is what every player in this team has in his mind: How to help the team.

But still, Panathinaikos is not one or two or even three players. Everybody can step up. Panathinaikos is a team and the team won this Euroleague trophy. And of course Panathinaikos is the coaching staff. At o2 World, we were waiting in the bus for the team to gather, in order to leave for the hotel. Obradovic came in last. We all began to chant his name in the Latin rhythm well known by our fans throughout Europe. It was a small recognition, from us to him, for all the work and effort he has put in all year and the trust he had in us during the bad periods and the bad moments. Especially then! The fans followed the bus to the hotel celebrating. As I came to understand later, it was just the beginning. As soon as we landed in Athens, we were informed that Panathinaikos fans were waiting for us. More than 2,000 of them surrounded the bus and followed us to OAKA, blowing horns, singing, calling our names and chanting rhymes.

I think that we haven't realized 100-percent yet what we did. Personally I am sure I haven't realized it! It's a work in process. I am getting closer to realizing it with every person that comes to congratulate us for the trophy. They stop us in the streets and they tell us how happy we made them; maybe almost as happy as I felt at the buzzer, maybe as joyful as the "snapshot" in my mind with the bench entering the court, with Diamantidis and Alvertis together raising the trophy up high, another gesture that shows what this team is all about.

Panathinaikos's fifth European trophy and my first are two of the reasons I am on this team, why I came to the club. I was sure that I would have the chance to live moments like the ones in Berlin!

Take care and I am sure we'll meet again in a Euroleague game next year.

POSTED BY

STRATOS PERPEROGLOU - ATHENS, GREECE

DATE:

Friday, May 08, 2009