Does anyone else wish the ESPN would cover Poker! from the World Series of QQWIN99 and not the stupid crap they tend to focus on. It’s like covering the World Cup by doing features on the drunk hooligans with their chests painted during the play of the match.
Prime example: the hour on Hevad Khan this week. You think these players don’t know if they act whacko they will get air time? Did you notice in his private interview he was calm, relaxed and articulate. So why did ESPN choose to feature him? Do they think they will get more viewers for the “entertainment” value of this nonsense? They know they have the true poker fans trapped, we have no other way to see the minimal poker they actually cover. But I ask again: At the World Series of Poker, Why not cover poker!
And while I am on the subject of ESPN and the World Series, when are they going to dump Norman Chad? Do we need more lame jokes about his ex-wifes? Do we need to hear: “A queen and a queen only” again? How about someone who knows a thing or two about poker and will actually offer that to the viewers instead of some lame ass line about himself.
It’s about poker. Why doesn’t ESPN get that? They don’t bastardize the coverage of other sports like this. I watch the coverage to see poker. Let me repeat–it’s about the poker!
Political Poker Quotes
With all of the governmentally debate about regulating both online and live poker around the world. I have been collecting some notable and infamous quotes from elected officials.
“I spend a lot of time protecting the people from the perpetrators of fraud, polluters of the air, and other types of ant-social behavior. I have no energy left to protect people from themselves.”
US Congressman
“We must find a way to levy a tax on internet gambling. It’s our job, I couldn’t care less about regulating how they gamble.”
UK Minister
“The government will decide what is and is not legal and acceptable to the French Republic.”
French News Reporter quoting high ranking Commerce Official
“The principle is fallacious that if something is abused by some or might be abused by others, you should ban it for everyone.”
US Congressman
“Why exactly is horseracing or the National Lottery more moral than blackjack or poker? This is not a rhetorical question; is there a legal reason why we have exemptions in this law?”
Poker’s Other Good Guy: Bill Edler
There are a lot of characters in the poker world. There are also a fair number of jerks, imbeciles, massive egos, drug abusers, emotionally crippled….. Well you get the picture. In poker as in many professions, it takes all kinds. But clearly there is more of a dark side to poker players in comparison with the tournament staff, the casino workers and the poker media. It’s partially the rock star/superstar thing and it’s also a function of playing a game for a living. Poker is a strange world to make a living in.
But to every dark litany there is also an exception and Bill Edler is a shining exception for the poker world. Bill is having a break-out year, which just got another big boost from his WPT win last night at the Beau Rivage in Mississippi.
Adding to the mystic is the huge comeback Bill engineered. After being down to two chips late on Day Three and moving in three hands in a row, Bill fought back to make the six handed final table and eventually late last night win the $747,000 first prize and a WPT title to go along with his first WSOP bracelet he won just a few months ago.
Here are the highlights of Bill’s Year in Poker 2007:
Gulf Coast Poker Championship Main Event /WPT Event Season 5 – Beau Rivage, Biloxi – Sept 9, 2007 Champion
38th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event – WSOP No Limit Hold’em Championship 23rd $333,490 Jul 17, 2007
38th Annual World Series of Poker – WSOP No Limit Hold’em Short Handed $904,672 Jun 28, 2007 Champion
Bay 101 Shooting Star / WPT Event Season 5
WPT No Limit Hold’em Championship 6th $160,000 Mar 16, 2007
L.A Poker Classic / WPT Event Season 5
Event #30 – WPT No Limit Hold’em Championship 7th $189,840 Mar 1, 2007
Poker NetCast Heads-Up Challenge – No Limit Hold’em Championship $215,000 Feb 8, 2007 Champion
Borgata Poker Classic / WPT Event Season V
Event #10 – WPT No Limit Hold’em Championship 13th $55,387 Jan 30, 2007
Borgata Poker Classic / WPT Event Season V
Event #9 – No Limit Hold’em 4th $84,700 Jan 24, 2007
As I write this, Bill may well be on a plane headed for the WSOPE in London or on a shorter flight to the Borgata in Atlantic City or he could be heading home to be with his wife and daughter and enjoying more of the great life he treasures.
