March 7, 2006
Column 230
David DePriest
If I win the million dollars I’ll pay a bunch of taxes and cry! Honestly, if I win the money it really won’t change my life. I’ll probably buy a new car and stick the rest in trust for my children’s education.
— David DePriest
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Nickname: I don’t have a nickname (although my wife does call me #$%#@ a lot!).
Date of Birth: September 29, 1973 (I’ve been 29 for a few years now.)
Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Hobbies: I just like to spend a lot of time with my boys.
Movie: Goodfellas and the Color of Money
Television Show: Seinfeld and the Sopranos
Book: They still make books?
Favorite Night on the Town: I’m pitiful – I’d rather spend a nice relaxing evening at home.
Meal: I like a good steak, and I love a great steak. Pepsi.
Sports Team: Detroit Pistons
Music: Eagles
Pet Peeve: Nothing specifically. Basically everything annoys me.
Worst Habit: Smoking has to be number one (although I have many other faults that are all tied for a close second).
What Most People Don’t Know About Me: If I tell you everyone will know!
Weapon of Choice: 23-gram Barry Twomlow Goldens
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Why do I throw darts rather than participate in some other sport? That’s easy – because fat old white guys that can’t jump just don’t have a chance in the NBA.
Seriously, I started playing at the ripe old age of nine. I was a late bloomer! My mother got me started – there was always a dartboard in the house. We traveled and played a lot of tournaments. It was a great family activity.
I went to college on the five-year plan. I once worked cleaning bathrooms at a movie theater. Now I work for myself doing marketing – primarily website and video work. I hate my boss because he is constantly making me do all of his work. But it’s better than cleaning bathrooms.
I have the most wonderful wife in the world, Jamie. We have been together almost eleven years now and have two boys, ages nine and five. Alexander is the eldest and he has just started playing darts in youth league. Greyson is the youngest and he enjoys being a kid and bothering his older brother. Greyson actually started playing darts when he was three – his first dart ever thrown was a center bull! We have a cat named Alley who does not play darts.
I’ve never really had any career ambitions in darts. The World Series of Darts (WSOD) has kind of changed that and inspired me to pick ‘em up and practice. It’s really created a lot of excitement around the sport. If financially I saw it was possible to support my family playing darts I’d consider giving it a shot (pun intended).
I’m interested to see how this WSOD production is edited for television. I think darts needs to shown for exactly what it is, an accuracy game. Physically just about anyone can throw a dart. But the level of accuracy can be astonishing. Ultimately though, the American public is going to tune in for the personalities. So I’d encourage everyone to put it out there for the world to see. No one likes boring…
Right now, I’m in the middle of an eight weekend tournament stretch. Of course, the WSOD will be huge for me. It just sucks I won’t have a partner to take out the finishes! I’ve been throwing a bit this year with Steve Hertzfeld, Bruce Cottrell, and Wade Wilcox. Basically I like to play with anyone that can hit tons all day and close the doubles!
I know there are others that you have interviewed who claim to have no nemesis in the game but I’m not going to lie to you. My five-year-old seems to beat me regularly. I don’t what rules we are playing by most of the time but I’m yet to win one against him. He just shoots and tells me I lose.
I can’t say that there is anyone specific that I look up to in the sport. There have been so many over the years. Because I started playing so young I got a lot of help from many of the top players. It would be really unfair to just name one, and much too long of a list to name them all. Outside of darts my mother is my hero. She was a single parent raising a son all on her own. She’s simply the best person I’ve ever met in my life. Honestly, considering how I was introduced to the game, if I had to identify just one person to whom I most credit where I stand today – in the game and in life – that would have to be my mom.
I’m most proud of my children and what they do. In fact, if I were stranded on a remote island and could pick just one person to be stranded with, it would be my son Greyson. He just cracks me up everyday and makes life just a joy. Doing what I love is what matters and what I love most is my family. If I can be a great father then that beats winning any competition hands down.
Like I said, until recently, I didn’t really have much ambition when it came to darts. But right now I’m practicing more diligently than ever. I play every day against the likes of Phil Taylor – on DVDs of the various world championships. It’s kind of nice and I think very valuable in terms of being ready for the WSOD to be able to get a game against the world’s best anytime you feel like it.
Not surprisingly, I don’t have a darts sponsor (although AA did call the other day – does that count?). Marty Huver who owns Westwood at the Crossing, one of the largest dart bars in the country (over thirty permanent boards) helps me out from time to time and I deeply appreciate his support. I’m not sure what the future will hold. Let me just say that if Unicorn calls I won’t hang up on them!
At the end of the day, I believe that the man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can’t are both correct. I’m a man who thinks he can.
I think I can win this thing in Connecticut. But whether I do or whether I don’t my goal is to be remembered as a good father and a true friend.
