I was lucky enough to sit down with Italian heartthrob Danilo Gallinari of the New York Knicks for an in-depth interview about his thoughts on coming to America, playing for the Knicks, and reuniting with Mike D'Antoni. Here's the transcript:The Blowtorch: Hi, Danilo. Thanks for agreeing to this interview.
Danilo Gallinari: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: You just returned to the Knicks, how do you deal with missing all that time due to a back injury?
DG: Fuhgeddedaboudit.
BT: Yeah, putting it in the past seems like a wise plan. Now, we know your dad and coach D'Antoni played together in Italy. What was that like for you?
DG: Fuhgodaboudit.
BT: True, true. That would have been a long time ago for you. Maybe you have childhood amnesia. That's when you can't remember things from your childhood that happened before your memories form. What do you think happens to those memories?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudem.
BT: Exactly right. Since you're so young, they don't stick in your brain. You're smart, Danilo. Coming to New York from Italy, as a virtual unknown, then not playing for months, how do you deal with the hecklers?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: That's a great approach. Shake the haters off, is what I always say. Surely you miss being back home, where you have your friends and family; how do you cope with not seeing them for long periods of time?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit...
BT: I imagine that's hard, but burying your emotions can be bad later on. Do you want me to keep that off the record?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: Absolutely. I won't publish that.
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: Really? I can publish it? That's great. It really shows another side of you. Thanks for letting me do that.
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: Moving on. The Knicks of recent years have been the laughingstock of the NBA. How do you think the fans should feel about those teams?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: Just let the past be the past? What about the Isiah Thomas regime?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: Seems prudent. What did the team do to deal with the Stephon Marbury situation?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
BT: Yeah, he hasn't been a story for quite some time. Weird question, but do you have a favorite Burt Reynolds movie?
DG: Forget About It.
BT: Hmmm, I haven't seen that. Did you ever see Donnie Brasco?
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit!
(we share a hearty laugh)
BT: Well, I think that's about all the questions I have for you. Thank you SO MUCH for doing this interview. I think it went really great.
DG: Fuhgeddaboudit.
