We start well with Dino Meneghin, we feel comfortable talking to him, he can tell a life as a champion, a protagonist of Italian sport, using the right tones. And the manners, polite, available with everyone. But you Dino Meneghin realizes that he is considered a myth of Italian basketball, and not only? Mass, they tell me, often greet me making me feel important, even gratifying to know people's judgment, the memory they have of me, but I never thought, even when I was playing, about all this consideration. For one simple reason: I did the thing for many years, playing basketball, which I liked the most in the world. Without thinking of being an example to others. Without this weight he won everything, in fact Tuesday evening before the match with Maccabi, the Olimpia Milano designer Armani will withdraw his shirt number 11, a sensitivity, a recognition, a prize, yet another medal for Superdino: that jersey will not be worn by no other player. delivered to history: many will come, his companions, including those from Varese, his other great team together with the Nazionale and Trieste, his coaches, his managers, his friends, to celebrate it and be moved by and with Dino.
What a feeling the d?
how to put a point to my career. Yes, I consider it the maximum recognition by Milan for my life as a player. Then I joke about it and I could throw the … s, but now dear Dino take off the boxes. No, no honor, the gift, the gesture of Olimpia Milano puts it on a par with my entry into the American Hall of fame.
Your budget?
Extremely positive, it cannot be different.
What wouldn't you do again?
I have a gripe: that of not being closer to my son Andrea. The relationship with him could and should have been different. I thought too much about what I was doing, training, the team, my career. With greater sacrifice I should have behaved differently.
Do we want to talk about another goal, its 70 years?
Not even …, and already a laugh topped by a dirty word.
You will complete them on January 18th 2020.
Anyways, if you insist …
Do they weigh you?
I never thought about the passing of the years. Important to be well and so far health is judged. I am careful, I am eating, my wife Caterina, a doctor, gives me chocolates. Things are going well, even if my friend Marino Zanatta teases me, he tells me "be careful Dino you have a certain age, if you take the bike, put the wheels on".
With his wife, a life together, since 1984: Catherine plastic surgeon, aesthetic, hospital, study; she is the first champion then team manager at Olimpia and in the National team, commissioner and federal president, now director of the International Federation. Thirty-five years as a couple, did you leave the problems outside?
Basically s. I have an intelligent woman by my side, able to play down and I too try not to be dominated by tensions. When I played, she was always present, constantly close, but never intrusive, never a word out of place, a criticism of the coach, the companion. You and I respect each other's spaces.
What life do you do?
We work, as for the rest, no worldliness. We go to the theater, we take a stage, so I don't take the view from anyone … We enjoy the holidays in our house in Monferrato. Friends. A full life, but normal.
Years ago you refused to run for the presidency of the International Federation, preferring a more secluded role: but why?
a life of hell, always around the world. I played a lot, after I was a manager, I was everywhere, I know what it means to fly, take a plane every three days. a rhythm that you can keep when you are 40, not 60, exactly when there was that possibility.
Dino Meneghin, the champion, played at the highest level up to 44 years. A record: how did he do it?
I was a precursor, in my time at 30 you were considered old. Here Milan, thanks to Dan Peterson, has extended my career, giving me a second life after that of Varese.
You still remain extremely popular: not serious for your current colleagues?
I think I was helped by my long career. I have been part of teams, Varese, Milan and the National team that have won a lot, with very strong companions. It was a bit of a basketball boom. Not forgetting that when I left I worked for Milan and the National team.
Gallinari, Belinelli, Melli, Datome, Hackett, a group of champions who risk not winning anything with the national team?
I'm sorry, very much, I know how much they work, how hard they work and therefore how they suffer.
Does the basketball follow him now?
Yes, but I don't enjoy it that much anymore. I don't want to express a technical judgment, but the NBA, always played at a very high level, after a while I get bored. Pick and roll and 3-point shooting, pick and roll and 3-point shooting … I'm more for a choral game.
Do you ever think about how much your colleagues now earn? They have million dollar contracts.
I often said it to my father: "If you had done me fifteen years later, we would have settled down forever. He spread his arms poor man.
His son Andrea Meneghin also played as a champion. But is it true that there will be other Meneghin under the basket?
Who knows, Andrea's two daughters started playing … Then, there was my great-grandson, Mattia, Bruno's child, son of my brother Renzo: in the minibasket in Malnate. Let them have fun ….
Just like the grandfather and the uncle who at almost 70 years always takes life with a smile.
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