Blackhawk

So I drive 8 straight hours from Pittsburgh back home and put on PAOK TV to watch a replay of the game only to be told that the video of the game can't be loaded. What the hell did I pay the annual subscription for? PAOK TV tells me I can watch a replay of Omonia-PAOK game among other things. I passed on that. Thankfully Sport Plus is showing the game in 1 hour so I will watch it there.

In other fake news Serbian media claims that A. Zivkovic has extended his contract with PAOK until 2023.

Biseswar was given a permission to travel to Holland for the holidays and is not expected back until next year. Basically he was told to go and find a new team. I have a feeling the same might be happening with Varela.

Rodrigo will not be available for this games as he is not 100% yet. With Wague's career basically over our only options on RB are Vieirinha and Lyratzis. Also Varela is complaining about back problems, so he might not play either.

Actually it is Karapapas that is saying that. They are basing it on a fact that Siabanis allegedly met with some "Nontas" who they claim comes from the PAOK family. They are allegedly talking about a person that has left PAOK 5 years ago, and we don't know under what terms. It can be a disgruntled ex-employee. PAOK alleges that at the meeting with Siabanis at a café a second person was involved and that it appears to be some security guy that was employed in the past by Marinakis, Karypidis and Avgenakis as a bodyguard. As I said before this is another attempt by Olympiakos to create another distractions they did last year with the Xanthi allegations with the help of their satellite team (Aris). This will be happening every season until certain things happen: - PAOK is no longer challenging to win the title - Savvidis leaves PAOK and Greece - Olympiakos gets punished for their actions We know the third option will not happen since Marinakis is de facto the prime minister of Greece and will manipulate the courts to rule on his behalf. This is evident with todays' announcement that all those on trial for running a criminal organization to influence soccer in Greece were pronounced innocent by the prosecutor.

One thing is certain. Aris in this case is not the innocent bystander. They are the accomplice to the crime. This whole dirty thing (yet another one) was orchestrated by Olympiakos and this time they got the help from the team they support financially. In the end the one that will pay for it will be Siabanis and deservedly so, but the real culprits (Karapapas, Karypidis and the teams they run) will get away with it. After all this is taking place in one of the most corrupt places on earth and a country that is being run in the same prototypes as Escobar's Colombia.

VS MATCHUP: P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki – Panathinaikos Athens COMPETITION: Superleague – Round 13 DATE: 20-December-2020 TIME: 19:30 EET (17:30 UTC, 11:30 CST, 04:30 AEDT next day) CITY/STADIUM: Thessaloniki - Toumba Stadium (Capacity: 28,703) REFEREES: TELEVISION: PAOK TV (worldwide except Greece & Cyprus), Novasports1 (Greece, Cyprus), NovaSportsWorld (worldwide except Greece & Cyprus) PAOK vs Panathinaikos history: SUPERLEAGUE 2019-2020: 0:0 - Attendance: no fans (PLAY OFFS) 2019-2020: 2:2 (Vieirinha 2) - Attendance: 22,466 2018-2019: 2:0 (Prijovic, Limnios) - Attendance: 20,389 2017-2018: 4:0 (Pelkas 2, Koulouris -p, Prijovic) - Attendance: 26,140 2016-2017: 2:3 (Biseswar, Henrique) - Attendance: 12,362 (PLAY OFFS) 2016-2017: 3:0 (Henrique, Leovac, Shakhov) - Attendance: 17,209 2015-2016: 1:1 (Rodrigues) - Attendance: 20,156 (PLAY OFFS) 2015-2016: 3:1 (Berbatov-p, Rodrigues, Vitor) - Attendance: 15,374 2014-2015: 0:1 - Attendance: 9,473 (PLAY OFFS) 2014-2015: 1:2 (Pereyra) - Attendance: 24,905 2013-2014: 1:0 (Vukic) - Attendance: no fans (PLAY OFFS) 2013-2014: 2:1 (Stoch-p, Athanasiadis) - Attendance: 24,633 2012-2013: 2:0 (Camara, Vukic) - Attendance: 19,856 2011-2012: 1:0 (Salpiggidis) - Attendance: 11,484 (PLAYOFFS) 2011-2012: 1:3 (Vierinha) - Attendance: 19,002 2010-2011: 2:1(Athanasiadis, El Zhar) - Attendance: 19,391 (PLAYOFFS) 2010-2011: 0:1 - Attendance: 22,009 2009-2010: 2:1 (Garcia, Muslimovic) - Attendance: 23,104 2008-2009: 0:1 - Attendance: 27,703 (PLAYOFFS) 2008-2009: 0:0 - Attendance: 25,795 2007-2008: 0:1 - Attendance: 19,000 2006-2007: 2:1 (Georgiadis, Balafas) - Attendance: 8,795 2005-2006: 0:1 - Attendance: no fans ALPHA ETHNIKI (Professional) 2004-2005: 1:1 (Salpiggidis) - Attendance: 17,845 2003-2004: 1:2 (Hagan) - Attendance: 17,805 2002-2003: 4:1 (Georgiadis 2, Spasic, Kafes) - Attendance: 26,800 2001-2002: 2:2 (Spasic, Froussos) - Attendance: 22,000 2000-2001: 2:2 (Nalitzis, Karadimos) - Attendance: 12,978 1999-2000: 1:3 (Bratic) - Attendance: 20,888 1998-1999: 2:0 (Katsabis, Frantzeskos) - Attendance: 12,996 1997-1998: 2:1 (Nagbe, Comingez) - Attendance: 16,877 1996-1997: 1:0 (Frantzeskos) - Attendance: 13,110 1995-1996: 0:1 - Attendance: 13,832 1994-1995: 2:0 (Lagonidis, Alexiou) - Attendance: 21,114 1993-1994: 3:1 (Luhovy 2, Havos) - Attendance: 6,728 1992-1993: 1:1 (Alexiou) - Attendance: 8,054 1991-1992: 1:0 (Chionas) - Attendance: 21,838 1990-1991: 1:1 (Hasan I.) - Attendance: 15,303 1989-1990: 2:1 (Magdi, Palaskas) - Attendance: 25,100 1988-1989: 1:0 (Skartados-p) - Attendance: 25,291 1987-1988: 4:1 (Skartados 2, Borbokis, Alexandridis, ) - Attendance: 36,305 1986-1987: 2:3 (Skartados, Vasilakos) - Attendance: 22,166 1985-1986: 0:1 - Attendance: 21,448 1984-1985: 1:1 (Skartados) - Attendance: 35,914 1983-1984: 1:0 (own goal) - Attendance: 34,256 1982-1983: 2:0 (Damanakis, Trinhold) - Attendance: 19,164 1981-1982: 2:0 (Iosifidis, Kostikos) - Attendance: 20,257 1980-1981: 4:2 (Koudas 2, Vasilakos, Alexandris) - Attendance: 18,131 1979-1980: 0:2 - Attendance: 29,992 (The famous “Litsas” game with very pro-Panathinaikos officiating. At the end of the game Litsas awards PAOK a penalty kick, but Orfanos misses on purpose in protest.) ALPHA ETHNIKI (Amateur/Semi-Professional) 1978-1979: 3:0 (Kermanidis 2, Orfanos) - Attendance: 27,656 1977-1978: 3:1 (Sarafis 2, Koudas) - Attendance: 22,061 1976-1977: 0:0 - Attendance: 45,000 1975-1976: 3:1 (Guerino 2, Sarafis) - Attendance: 18,615 1974-1975: 2:0 (Apostolidis, Sarafis) - Attendance: 30,418 1973-1974: 1:1 (Aslanidis) - Attendance: 42,318 1972-1973: 1:0 (Koudas) - Attendance: 39,500 1971-1972: 1:0 (Apostolidis) - Attendance: 40,051 1970-1971: 3:2 (Stavridis 2, Aslanidis) - Attendance: 18,452 1969-1970: 0:1 - Attendance: 33,136 1968-1969: 1:2 (Theofanidis) - Attendance: 26,572 1967-1968: 2:1 (Charalambidis 2) - Attendance: 18,886 1966-1967: 0:0 - Attendance: 18,870 1965-1966: 1:3 (Theofanidis) - Attendance: 21,020 1964-1965: 0:0 - Attendance: 8,543 1963-1964: 0:1 - Attendance: 13,874 1962-1963: 1:1 (Vasiliadis) - Attendance: 20,131 1961-1962: 2:1 (Mouratidis, Leandros) - Attendance: ? 1960-1961: 0:1 - Attendance: 12,000 1959-1960: 0:2 - Attendance: 8,000 Panhellenic Championship 1958-1959: 1:0 (Raptopoulos)- Attendance: 10,000 1957-1958: 2:2 (Kiourtzis, Kouiroukidis)- Attendance: ? 1956-1957: 0:2 - Attendance: 7,000 1955-1956: 1:0 (Kouiroukidis)- Attendance: 12,000 1954-1955: 0:2 - Attendance: ? 1953-1954: 0:1 - Attendance: 10,000 1936-1937: 2:0 - Attendance: (PAOK won on forfeit) 1935-1936: 1:6 (Kalogiannis) - Attendance: ? 1931-1932: 3:1 (Kavourmatzis, Papaiordanidis, Willy)- Attendance: ? 1930-1931: 1:3 (Andreadis)- Attendance: ? GAMES: 79 WINS: 38 TIES: 16 LOSSES: 25

One of the Olympaikos fat guys (Karapapas) came out yesterday after the Aris - PAOK game claiming that a certain person connected with PAOK tried to bribe the Aris keeper Siabanis and two other players with boatload of cash. Later on some TV show on the channel that is owned by the fat owner of Olympiakos, Aris player Delizisis announced that most of the allegations are true. The most interesting part of this farce is that the allegations were made by Olympiakos on behalf of Aris. PAOK of course came out and said that once everything is settled in courts those who started this will be sued for damages. Seeing that the Xanthi case is coming to an end, Olympiakos is now trying to create another distraction.

I am afraid Wague will not play soccer again at all. Not competitively at least. Good luck to him.

It appears there was a clean hand by Aris player in 98th minute which shod have been a penalty. Instead the ref just ended the game.

When you don't score you can't win games. That's our biggest problem right now. We were the better team on the pitch but Aris played a smart game and it paid for them. Some of our top players played poorly today. Very bad refereeing today as well. Both the ref and VAR.

Put in Vieirinha for Giannoulis now!

Exactly the penalty was on earlier play.

Guannoulis very poor in 2nd half.

Can't believe a single Aris player does not have a yellow card.

Wague saved our ass, but it was huge mistake by Giannoulis.

Augusto is a liability. He should be subbed.

That was no penalty.

Diego will be gone from the team in January. The writing is on the wall.

Here is a podcast featuring an interview with Dimitris Kalyvas concerning the past, current and future of Greek ice Hockey. Episode 39. Fighting on the Front Lines ft. Dimitris Kalyvas: https://anchor.fm/onthebenchwithbeeks/episodes/Episode-39--Fighting-on-the-Front-Lines-ft--Dimitris-Kalyvas-enb7gc/a-a26fdp5

Let's try to be optimistic. We will win the championship and play in CL qualifying round 1. We will enter the next year's draws with 20.000 points. That should be enough to be seeded in the early rounds of the Conference League and maybe even in the first round of CL. Only 5 years ago we had 40.880 points which steadily eroded to today's 20.000: 2015________40.880 2016________37.440 2017________35.080 2018________29.500 2019________23.500 2020________21.000 2021________20.000

Here is a preliminary access list for the upcoming season (2021-2022). Greece was ranked # 18 for the upcoming European season.

Vieirinha trained today without any issues. Rodrigo is still hurting. If Vieirinha practices without problems tomorrow I see him in the squad and would not be surprised if he even starts. With that in mind my proposed lineup for the game: -------------- Paschalakis ------------- Vieirinha - Varela - Crespo - Giannoulis --- Tsiggaras -- Augusto -- Schwab --- --- Zivkovic --- Swiderski --- Tzolis --- If Vieirnha can't play, than Wague will start. All Dutch crew for this game. Bas Nijhuis is the main ref. It's the same guy who called the Tottenham - PAOK (1:2) game where he red-carded Stafylidis for alleged hand ball. He also called the PAOK - Ostersund (3:1) game at Toumba.

I would have to assume it was just one game suspension. In any case, El Kaddouri is one of our best players this season despite his mistakes in the last 3 games. I think we will miss his play in the game against Aris.

Another European season for PAOK ended today. Today's game was PAOK's 200th game in European competitions. Our record in Europe si as follows: SEASONS PLAYED: 39 (out of 65) GAMES PLAYED: 200 GAMES WON: 72 GAMES TIED: 57 GAMES LOST: 71 GOALS FOR: 268 GOALS AGAINST: 261 We played in all 6 European competitions . The statistics are as follows: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEASONS PLAYED: 8 GAMES PLAYED: 22 GAMES WON: 5 GAMES TIED: 8 GAMES LOST: 9 GOALS FOR: 31 GOALS AGAINST: 37 CHAMPIONS CUP SEASONS PLAYED: 2 GAMES PLAYED: 6 GAMES WON: 1 GAMES TIED: 1 GAMES LOST: 4 GOALS FOR: 5 GOALS AGAINST: 12 CUP WINNERS CUP SEASONS PLAYED: 6 GAMES PLAYED: 18 GAMES WON: 8 GAMES TIED: 5 GAMES LOST: 5 GOALS FOR: 24 GOALS AGAINST: 23 FAIRS CUP SEASONS PLAYED: 3 GAMES PLAYED: 6 GAMES WON: 2 GAMES TIED: 0 GAMES LOST: 4 GOALS FOR: 5 GOALS AGAINST: 17 UEFA CUP SEASONS PLAYED: 15 GAMES PLAYED: 62 GAMES WON: 22 GAMES TIED: 17 GAMES LOST: 23 GOALS FOR: 90 GOALS AGAINST: 86 EUROPA LEAGUE SEASONS PLAYED: 11 GAMES PLAYED: 86 GAMES WON: 34 GAMES TIED: 27 GAMES LOST: 25 GOALS FOR: 114 GOALS AGAINST: 85 TOP SCORERS 20 - Athanasiadis 14 - Salpiggidis 11 - Mak 9 - Giasoumis 8 - Vieirinha Prijovic Pelkas 6 - Frantzeskos 5 - Dimopoulos C. Maragos Konstantinidis Tzolis