STORYTELLER ROBIN SVENSSON - THE REAL MVP

The MVP's of SBL Herr and Dam were announced last week, but they are "just" this years MVP's. There's some people working behind the scenes, that never gets the credit they deserve, and in a way, they are the real MVP's. One of them, is Robin Svensson.

Earlier this year I got a chance to sit down and talk to Robin about his journey, from a soccer playing kid, to a journalist and now he might be on the phone preordering championship tee's and hats for Norrköping Dolphins. Luckily for him he has a good supplier already, since this may be the third straight title for Norrköping.

Some years ago, I remember a team huddle before a practice and our coach told us that one of the bigger clubs in SBL had withdrawn their spot in the league, and filed for bankruptcy. The following years it was more and more clubs going down to second divison or folding, and all of a sudden I heard that Norrköping Dolphins was next in line. Crazy, I used to go to camps in Norrköping and they were dominant back then, winning the title in '98 and later becoming one of the powerhouses around 2010. They won again in 2018, and this was probably in 2019.

But somehow, here we are. Third straight finals that Dolphins are playing, as they are up 3-1 while winning all three games by huge margins. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that going from almost folding to winning back-to-back, and winning both women's and men's leagues last season, takes a lot of hard work. Enters Robin.

I first got to know Robin when I was going to Norrköping to take photos of Umeå, and I got his number from Coach Boris Balibrea and Robin ended our first conversation with "You're more than welcome, I see you tonight." As a came to the arena, he met me in the entrance and took care of me like the stewardess when I flew by myself as a kid did. I never met this guy before, and he's taking time to check in on me every quarter to make sure I'm good, or if I needed anything. While also making sure everyone else is OK, and how he hasn't developed an allergy against electronics yet, is beyond me. I've never seen anyone being on the phone as much as him. After the game, he handed me a press card and said "This is valid all season so next time, just send me a text and I'll arrange a table for you."

Since then, there's been many drives down to Norrköping. And every game, Robin is always making sure I get what I need. All my friends who either has played or plays for the Dolphins says the same thing. He's the real MVP, and if he wasn't around the team, the club wouldn't be as popular by the players as it is. When I tricked my friend and former Dolphins legend Fred Drains to go down and deliver the game ball last season, it was Robin who asked me if Fred would do it. No way, he said. But when I told him Robin asked, he said he'd do it. So he did.

Thanks Robin for all your hard work, and if the Finals goes 6, you already know I'll shoot you a text about coming down.