Interview with the Dynamite

QUESTION1: Do you have plans of settling down?

DANNY : I would like to sing a song.. (laughs) 'bout settling down, settle down… of course i have plans to settle down. but I've got plans to settle down for many years now. so i'll never know. i don't know. I really don’t know.

QUESTION2: What's your favorite song?

DANNY : Well actually…uhmm especially around this time my favorite song is the "Christmas Song", Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

QUESTION3: What do you want for us to do with Pennisi?

DANNY : Poke him in the eye! No... actually Mick Pennisi is a really good friend of mine. He's a great friend of mine, but I have to admit I was really upset when I got poked in the eye. uhmm I know he wouldn't do that purposely. i know that. It's just that I was mad at him at that time. He knows that I'm still angry at him. It's because… too many accidents happening around me. He's always been a good friend of mine. we actually used to hang out quite often.

*kuya bob told danny dat pennisi actually said that his 5 fouls were reserved for danny*

DANNY : He's just joking. He's a big joker!. Actually he's really really nice guy but not that time.

QUESTION4: What about KW (Kelly Williams)? What can you say about him?

DANNY : KW is a nice guy off the court. You’ll find most basketball players are pretty nice outside the basketball. I have to admit that i was very disappointed the way he conducted himself on the court. I mean, 'have talked to him many times, practiced for the national team, i'v worked with him a couple of times. He's really a nice guy. You know, I performed well right away, but I always have a respect for the elders. For like, for like... Alvin Patrimonio, Kenneth Duremdes, Johnny A... I always treated them with utmost respect. I guess now that being an older player, I expect the same for younger players. and that's all… I mean, I dont think he's a bad guy. He's a nice guy. i know him pretty well. Uhmmm Do i hate him? No, I dont hate him. I just think uhmm he should have conducted himself a little bit better. But u know he can take it as a learning experience. Well…. next time i play against him.. we'll see how he does.. he's a great player, has a little more to learn..

QUESTION5: How about Mark Caguioa?

DANNY : I'll tell you what..some people especially players, they.. how do I say this?.. for me i think in order for you to be a good player.. to be good at whatever you do no matter what it is, you have to have uhmm confidence in yourself.. ypu have to have a lot of integrity. You almost have to be arrogant inside. For me, uhmm I'm really arrogant but i dont get..(naputol kc nagcomment mga tao)... you have to understand.... Im arrogant inside and i keep that in, but while im on the court that's how, what separates me from other players. My arrogance is within me. My confidence is very good. Now Mark Caguioa on the other hand, the reason why he's so good is because he's arrogant but.. I mean some people can't control that inside them he's not a bad guy. I think he's a great player, an awesome player.. and it's because he's arrogant, that's why. I mean some players keep it inside, some people express themselves, that separates him from other players. He knows he's arrogant. He knows he's good. He plays with a lot of confidence. I respect his arrogance.

QUESTION6: Is that the reason why whenever you do a spectacular move you don’t shout, yell, dance?

DANNY : Well I think uhmmm Kelly Williams might be a test to this...it's uhmmm dealing with success.. I think that at a young age iIwas able to.. i accomplish a lot. we won a state championship... I was always a go-to-player...I became familiar with success. For me….. image means a lot to me... I still think image is everything. You have to conduct yourself professionally.

* it’s not a QUESTION but Ayeh (from DSYG) told Danny that before, we used to see him as a snobbish *

His reaction: Yeah I mean when you get to talk to basketball players, it’s different off the court on the court… its hard for some players.. some players...they're very shy, tell you the truth.. they're extremely shy and just like me. but as far as when a fan goes to a player, when he doesnt seem approachable it's not because he's arrogant or he's "mayabang" of course there are some, in most cases they're kinda shy and uhmm give them a chance to..uhmm keep approaching them eventually he might talk to you

QUESTION7: Who do you think is the defensive player that tires you the most?

DANNY : Who can guard me the best? You know when I heard about this (laughs).. this is a question that comes up a lot! You know, for me I'm very competitive ahhh every team there are different players that guard me. It's always a different challenge and that's what motivates me and i can't say who's the best.. 'cause everyone is good at what they’re doing, defensively… but my motivation is to win games and play my best but there's a lot of great defenders out there. you know every game i go into, it doesn't matter who I play, whether it's Welcoat or anybody. It's, for me it's a challenge, it's a different challenge. I just accept it and try to do my best

QUESTION8: For you who is the most difficult player to defend?

DANNY : For me there's a lot. I don't really know about my defense. (laughs) It's just that when i got here my role kinda change. Sometimes coaches don't want me to play against their best player because they rather be…not be tired or flustered, plus some other players uhmm that’s they're role -- to be a good defender. so it's all a role. Basically that's the role they have given me, just like any other players. We all have to perform our roles. I'm a scorer. I'm always a scorer and you know it's unfair when it comes to MVPs.. This question about mvp really comes up a lot often. My feelings about it?.. uhmm this is a team sport, it's really is a team sport. If i want to be an individual, I would have played tennis something that I’m not involve in a team. It is so important for every person on a team to perform their roles. My role is to score and that's the most prestigious role. uhmmm I'm just scoring as next guy there.. say Rudy Hatfield doing all the things you know… for in order to be successful as a team, everyone’s gonna perform their role.

*ate rosel galit n galit harhar*she’s saying that some players don’t deserve the mvp award

His reaction: I'll tell you what.. d ko alam...first of all, MVPs here are definitely different. In the states you don't have to win a Championship you just have to play very well . But in here you have to, so it's not always the best player who win. But really, honestly, when I'm amongst my friend Danny , my peers and other athletes.. the biggest and the most… best way to brag is to win a championship. "Hey I won an MVP!" Never will that come to any of my conversation. Cause you know what? Winning the championship is the most prestigious thing ever! As players, that’s (championship) what we will brag about. We will not brag about winning an mvp. We will never say “oh I won an MVP.” This is a team sport. Championship is everything. That’s (championship) the most important. Winning the championship is everything to me. I think, you know later down in my career when i look back, maybe an MVP(PBA) would be nice to look at, but I've won other MVPs before and I’ve done a lot. When i look back at my career I want to be able to say, I’m a winner! I’ve won many championships..

QUESTION9: When are we gonna see you hold that (MVP Trophy)?

DANNY : I think more fans wanted for me to get an MVP, but it's ok for me. It’s ok for me. Don't feel sorry for me. If you will have any arguments to anyone.. all u have to say is "He has won 6 championships.."

QUESTION10: ***Who would you like to play against in the Finals? Is it Ginebra?*** (not sure about this, I really cant hear question clearly..soweee)

DANNY : I don't care who wins. I mean, we still have a lot to work. We have new boys. We have new system. Everyday, we are improving. And there’s still a lot to improve. We are still adjusting to the new system. But we are playing well. And it’s scarier what we will be in the next yrs…

QUESTION11: Who amongst the NBA players you have played with or you want to play with?

DANNY : Kevin Garnet is my favorite player

QUESTION12: Is it true that you dunk over Manu Ginobli?

DANNY : Dunk over Manu Ginobli? i don't.. yo u know, I've played against so many players and uhmm I really don't know who i played against. It's just so many players. You know when I was in the States I've played in a team called AAE basketball...

QUESTION13: Actually it’s not a question *stay healthy for the Olympics*

DANNY : Yes.. I really want to play in olympics. I hope… it's frustrating that we are still banned by FIBA. it's terrible! i really believe we have a competitive team. We can make a good run against the other teams. playing in brunei with other teams.. it was great! Everyone came together and we played well. I really believe that we could have upset some big teams.

QUESTION14: What's the story about # 42?

DANNY : iI get that question often. but ahmm there's really no reason. it's been with me though, eversince

as far as i can remember.. 7th grade.. I've always had 42.… It'l stick with me. Il never change that. I had it

in highschool, gradeschool, college…

QUESTION15: If you're not playing basketball what do you think you’re doing now?

DANNY : Flipping burgers!

QUESTION16: Have you played in Madison Square Garden?

DANNY : In what? Yeah I've played there

QUESTION17: Who's your sponsor? You've got a nice skin...

DANNY : None.., i always have pimples, zit..

MESSAGE:

You really inspire me to do well.. i really don’t wanna let you guys down or my teammates. I wanna go and perform, my motivation is.. every game is to.. not to let people down. I think disappointment is like ah.. one of the worst things for me to handle. I don’t like to disappoint people. It is not for me. I always wanna do well for my teammates. It kills me when I’m injured and I cant play. I really know, coz growing up, I was also a basketball fan. When I used to go see… when ur excited to see the best players and then they’re injured ur kinda upset over it. so that’s why Im trying to stay as healthy as I can.