The bicycle had sometimes betrayed him. On the contrary, he has never betrayed his passion for cycling. But it is pedal sport was not the only one practiced assiduously by Bruno Arenawho before being one of the most appreciated and famous comedians in Italy was ISEF graduate, physical education teacher, coach of basketball. (Photo da Instagram / Brunoarena.fanpage)
On the saddle, Bruno went there often and willingly at the cost of ending up on the ground: it happened a couple of times even ending up in the emergency room. “But he was really a great enthusiast, so much so that I also happened to ride a bike with him” remembers Renzo Oldani which involved Arena in 2008 Varese Cycling World Championships of which the “prickly pear” was testimonial and drove a bicycle ride to Capolago.
For years, however, Arena was known locally for being a popular female basketball coach. In the mid-eighties, when he was driving the Carnini Gavirate, led the team to an unexpected e sensational youth championship final in the cadet championship. And he also collected some bench in Serie A in Busto Arsizio, in the team in which the American star Teresa Weatherspoon played. But the love for baskets he found vent also in the wonderful 1999, “The year of the Star” of Varese Basketball.
Bruno coach at the time of the Gavirate Basketball Association
In that memorable season, Bruno and Max “shook” the parterre on some occasions of the building cheering in their own way, with unlikely signs (“Galanda cala la pant”, “Mrsic is the name or the tax code?”) and integrating perfectly into the lightness and in the spectacle that the Roosters offered on the pitch by Recalcati.
Ma la red and white faith did not end with the Scudetto: “Not at all: especially during the years when the team was owned by the Castiglioni family, Bruno was often present, in his own way – recalls Marco Zamberlettithen as now involved in the marketing office of Varese Basketball – It happened that he would arrive to see the training or show up on site with the desire to talk about basketball. She understood and liked it. He also came to some initiatives – dinners, presentations, Cecco Vescovi’s farewell match – of the company and among other things the speaker Massimo Contati, aka Max Bunny, pointed out. The relationship with Massimo Miccoli had ended and we were looking for a new voice for the building: Max had grown up at his school and thanks to his interest he became our speaker ».
Present very often in the classic charity games, Bruno Arena was also a great Inter fana passion that he shared it with Max Cavallari so much so that on some occasions they have called themselves “Fichi d’Inter”. One of the first public outings after the serious illness that hit him was at San Siro for a match between the Nerazzurri and Bologna. Even towards the Beneamata, however, Bruno did not give up a bit of healthy self-irony: “Empty trophy cabinet for sale! Intercom Moratti ” they whipped from the stage as vendors. But a few years later came the joy of the triplet.
