Simply The Best - Day Is A
Masters Champion Like No Other
An exclusive interview
by Scoop Palazzo
December 21st, 2008 . I'm in the home of current Masters champion Perry Day. The apartment is warm & cozy. The ceiling is only 6 foot high (yes that's correct - six foot high), but once I crouched in and lifted my head I noticed beautiful paintings line the walls, which are filled with strong colors. In the window sill, his Masters trophy sits, it's strong gleam filling the room as the fuscia & gold reflect off the blinding snowshower that is raging outside. When I agreed to fly into Chicago for the interview, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had already visited Day in August, but we had conducted our interview at the shores of Lake Michigan, where he was taking the trophy to be photographed & conduct a meet & greet with his fans. This was my first time up close & personal with the champion. What I did experience was a man who is as real as they come. He's filled with contradictions -- he veers wildly from warm, engaging & charming to a complete and utter asshole. But isn't that what is inside all of us? Not many people have the guts to lay every inner emotion & opinion on the line, but Day does just that, and most importantly, he does it in a way that commands respect & admiration. It's what has made him a 2-time Masters champion. More importantly, it's what makes him the class of the NPPL.
The following is an excerpt from this December interview:
Scoop Palazzo: Thank you, Mr. Day for having me in your home. Despite the six-foot ceiling, it's uh...beautiful.
Perry Day: You're welcome, Scoop, the pleasure is all mine. Besides, it's cold as shit outside & I don't wanna be out there.
SP--That it is! A far cry from your L.A. days. But seriously, what's up with the ceiling?
PD--Well it's a long story Scoop and honestly, I thought you came all this way to talk about my Pigs. If you have a problem we can go outside and do the interview in the cold.
SP--No, no that's okay, this is fine. Well, let's get down to business. You're a two time masters champion, and the only current member of the roster to have held the title twice. How has this title reign been different from the first?
PD--Well, there are similarities for sure, but this one is a bit more meaningful. You never forget that first time you win, but after years of coming up short, that one was more or less to get the monkey off my back. This one simply validates my greatness. The other thing is after winning this 2nd championship, I moved out here to Chicago, where I have started a new Chicago branch of the NPPL. I'm not sure this would've been possible without being the reigning champion. Fact is, being the champ commands respect, and it instantly gave me cred with my new friends, who upon seeing the golden trophy were immediately drawn in to this thing we've created--the NPPL.
SP--You mention the new Chicago division. You successfully started it this summer by hosting a Madness tournament. How did it go, and how does it compare to the West?
PD--It went great! And I can't take all the glory--Andrew Price, Kathleen Miller, and my girl Alyson Pouls deserve most of the credit, actually. They hosted it, made the banner, painted the trophy. Everyone had a great time. The vibe is much more relaxed out here.......Chicago is not about the glitz and glamour--it's about friends getting together to eat & get hammered! So there's less pressure here to make it something that it isn't. Bottom line is that it's all about the pigs & good times. We had a few glitches this first time out, but the same thing happened out west, and over time we'll fix those glitches and hopefully grow the sport here. I've got a few new friends that would be perfect for the league--they'll be initiated soon. There's been talk about having a spring tourney as well, so I like where the league is going.
SP--Your girlfriend Alyson is the current Chicago champion -- coincidence?
PD--No, not at all. With my legacy, I'm not going to go out with some journeyman pig player! Only the best for me, Palazzo, and Alyson is the best female pig player to ever grace the NPPL! So why not have 2 champions together?
SP--But in the West Coast Madness tournament....
PD--What about it?
SP--Well, you didn't do so well......
PD--Listen Palazzo, I know what you're trying to get at,
and it won't work. That summer tournament was a fluke.
Besides, I have to run around with Rago and babysit
all these johnny-come-lately pig players! I mean, do
you want the league to grow so you can still have a job
writing for the NPPL? Or would you prefer I only
concentrate on kicking everyone's ass that summer and
then discouraging anyone from ever playing again?
Bottom line is that I am the reigning Masters champ.
In fact, I've held it TWO TIMES! TWO TIMES!
SP--OK., let's switch gears and talk about your Masters win this past year. You dominated in the playoffs, crushing the field and going 9-1.
PD--Yes I did. And let me tell you that it was very satisfying. Quite frankly, I was in the zone that night. The key was coming back to defeat Autograph Mike when he was beating me twice & had a big lead. Funny, for a guy who hustles autographs for a living, they guy doesn't have a finishing signature move! This allowed me to mount two 40-point come-from-behind victories against him. From there, there was no stopping me. I was a freight train rollin down the mountain with no brakes! Rago & Coscia were merely window dressing in my magnificent run to the title!
SP--I hear there might be some new masters this year........Derango has a brother who is interested....
PD---You mean that Johnny Derango lookalike, little Derango?!? PLEASE!! I'm not worried in the least......although it is nice that someone else has to fly in from Chicago to compete in this league......
SP--Speaking of opponents, your biggest rival, Gary Williams, has fallen on hard times. No playoff appearances in the playoff history of the NPPL, and a NPPL record worst 5-25 last year in the Masters tourney. He even had to engrave your trophy. Does this give you sweet satisfaction & vindication?
PD--You know what, Palazzo, I gotta be honest. It was great having him engrave my trophy -- I'm not gonna lie. But the guy has been so pathetic for so long that it does nothing but hurt the NPPL. Let's face it, Williams is now nothing but hot air & buffoonery these days! I mean, he's resorted to wallowing in a mud puddle in Oklahoma for fucks sake! A founding member should never be this bad -- he's like the New York Knicks of pigs! I truly wish he was competitive again so our feud is worth my time. At this point it's like Roadrunner vs. The Coyote -- Roadrunner ALWAYS WINS! Where is the fun in that rivalry?
SP--One last thing. How do you size up this year in your quest for back to back titles?
PD--Very simple. I just go out there and play my game. Doesn't matter who the opponent is or what they do. If I follow my strategy and don't deviate from it, there's no stoppin me!
SP--And What strategy is that?
PD---Ha! Don't you wish you knew?
SP--Well, Perry, it's been a pleasure being here. Thanks for a great interview and good luck on February 28th when you defend your title.
PD--Thanks, Palazzo. It'll be a pleasure having you back for the next interview! I'll walk you out - watch your head. Next time we'll hit the bars with my trophy & jacket -- I'll be stylin' & profilin' -- WOOOOOOO!!!
