In-Depth Interview
February 26, 1997
 Sarah: What's it like to be traded so late in the season and without much warning?
Tom Puorro: I had a little bit of a warning from my coach in Dubuque. He told me he was thinking about trading me because a lot of teams were interested, play off teams. If I had gone to a different team I might not have been as happy, but coming to Des Moines was no big deal at all, I was happy.
Sarah: So did you know where you'd be traded to or did you just have an idea?
T. Puorro: No I knew pretty much what teams, I had an idea that it could have been Des Moines. I had some what of a clue.
Sarah: Have you enjoyed it here?
Puorro: Yeah, I mean we've been struggling since I got here, compared to the way it's been going all season.
Sarah: Right, it has been that way. Tell me a little bit about your past teams...
Puorro: I played a year in Sioux City last year, we had a disappointed season, kind of a crazy season since we didn't make the playoffs, but then with Fargo not being able to pay the bills we ended up playing in the playoffs and then ended up having a good national tournament and pretty decent playoffs. Coming back this season to Sioux City we had a lot of problems, coaching changes and stuff. I had asked for a trade. My beginning of this season was pretty rough, I sat out for two weeks because they didn't trade me. Then they traded me to Dubuque and we started to win in Dubuque and the people there are great. That was fun.
Sarah: So why did you start playing hockey?
Puorro: My step father got me into it when I was about seven years old, I caught on and I loved it and I kept on playing.
Sarah: Have you always been a forward?
Puorro: Yep.
Sarah: Do you have favorite pro or college team?
Puorro: I used to be a Bruin fan, but I'm pretty frustrated with them for the last five or six years. So I'm currently without a team I guess.
Sarah: What about a favorite player?
Puorro: Not really, I like a lot of the older players that used to play for the Bruins. Like the Terry O'Reilly type of guys, the tough forwards. But right now I'm pretty disappointed watching the Bruins lose over and over again.
Sarah: I understand - I'm a Red Wing fan!
Puorro: Mmm...yeah that's frustrating, I used to be a Red Wing fan. I root for them in the play offs usually, but I'm getting frustrated with them too.
Sarah: What are your other hobbies?
Puorro: I like to listen to music, I love football! I played football through high school so I love football season. I'm a big patriot fan.
Sarah: Do you remember your most embarrassing moment?
Puorro: I can't think of anything right at this moment.
Sarah: We'll go back to that one. So what's the greatest thing about being a Buc?
Puorro: I think the rink, the fans, and the support. With being in Sioux City, when we were winning we had great fan support, but when we were losing they weren't around. Dubuque was great fan support but it was very small. I love playing in this rink because it's so loud.
Sarah: We do have pretty good fans. I wasn't sure about Sioux City, I mean they seem pretty loud, but...
Puorro: They're fair weather fans. They're there when your winning and they're all over you win you lose. Which I don't mind, but here it's just been...I mean I loved playing here when I was playing for other teams. Just because you know it's going to be a big crowd and it's going to be fun.
Sarah: If you won a million dollars what would you do with it?
Puorro: I'd probably invest it. I'd give a lot to my family. I have a really close family, I have an older sister and a younger sister and a younger brother and my parents. I'd probably keep it in the family. I might buy myself a car, or somethin'...
Sarah: What kind of a car?
Puorro: Some sort of a truck, I'm a truck man. A pick up truck, like a Dodge Ram.
Sarah: Do you have any goals or plans for the future?
Puorro: I'm trying to get to college, this is my last year of Juniors. I'm definitely going to go to college. Right now I'm pretty close to a couple of schools, like with U Mass, Amhurst, and Northeastern. I'm definitely going to go to college, where I'll find out in the next couple of months. I think I want to study communications in college, that's something that interests me. With hockey I don't want to leave it totally, I don't want to be one of those players that plays hockey for twenty years and keeps hanging on to it. I'll find something else in it and stay involved, but I'm interested in other sports, so...
Sarah: What would the fans be surprised to know about you?
Puorro: They asked me this question in Lincoln when I first got here, on the radio I blanked. I guess I'm a pretty simple guy, there's not much about me. I'm a real family guy and I miss home.
Sarah: And you're from?
Puorro: Massachusetts, Amesbury, Massachusetts.
Sarah: You don't have much of an accent?
Puorro: Well I did last year, I've kind of been cultured. Because once you come out here, I was noticed, you know. You start to [wonder]... Am I saying that wrong? And you think about it and then before you know it, you lose it. But as soon as I get back home... you know. I guess people would be surprised to know that I'm a big beach bum. I love going to the beach as much as I can over the summer when I'm not working.
Sarah: Okay, so what's your most embarrassing moment?
Puorro: I think it might be, involved with hockey. In Sioux City you know how they put the spotlight on you? You've been there, they shut all the lights off. Well the guy in front of me fell down the stairs. Not many people saw him because he wasn't in the spot light. I was coming fast behind him and I tried to jump over him. I basically flipped over him and landed right in the doorway. With the spot light on me, I mean that's kind of embarrassing!
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