Poker And ‘THE MAN’

Well I am sure a lot of you have heard about all of the legal hub-bub-aloo (sorry about the fancy law talk but I am a lawyer on the side you know) with regards to online gambling in the US.  What ever eventually is resolved from this it will probably effect us (Canadians) in some way. 

But there are all sorts of Poker and ‘The Man’ things going on that you may not of heard of. So I as always I am here to help.  I sure there are others but I found this stuff pretty interesting. (Plus why not cheap out on a real post by providing a bunch of links).

A group of poker players (mostly Full Tilters) have sued the WPT originally about a clause in the WPT contract that allowed them to use the players images for what ever they want without prior notice or payment to the players, but they have expanded it to sound more legal like.  The WPT has counter sued in this case with some pretty interesting points.  I tend to agree with Daniel Negraneau on this … they are going about it in the wrong way, it will take forever and neither result will be good for poker.

Our recently crowned WSOP Main Event Champion Jamie Gold has appeared pretty shady since he showed up to the event.  But now a ‘business friend’ is suing him for half his winnings stating they had a verbal agreement (there is apparently a voicemail message and everything).  Mr. Gold has had his PR people respond here.

Finally, just this week another person from the WSOP Main Event final table, Richard Lee, is in some hot water for running a ‘large’ betting ring out of his own home.

Hmm, this was not easier then a ‘normal’ post.  Lesson learned.

Bathroom Behavior

I find some peoples actions in the washroom (specifically while using the urinal) very odd.  Is there a standard set of rules somewhere I can reference?  I need to find out if they are weird or if it is me.

A Little Disappointed

Why haven’t you signed up for the super deluxe football pool (now with chocolate chips)?  Are you afraid.  $20 too much?  There are only 5 people that have signed up.  Gab Tsang is one of them and I thought he was dead.

Best get to it soon, the draft is this Sunday (Sunday, Sunday, Sunday).

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1

League ID: 494416

Password: poop

 

We have also added a NFL Survivor Pool to the ‘for fun’ options (in case you need more).

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/survival

League ID: 6257

Password: poop

 

Refer to my previous post for all other Pirates and Ninja football pool info.

JJ Didn’t Eat Ass

Saturday night I played in a No-Limit Hold’em Tournament and 2 times I was dealt pocket jacks (JJ) and both times they won.  Of course I pushed all in with them both times before the flop and both times everyone folded.  But a win is a win and when talking about the worst hand in poker, I will take it.

The tournament only ended up being 11 people (as players started dropping like flies during the 24 hours before the game) but it was still pretty good.  It also became a re-buy tournament (‘only’ for the first 8 rounds) after it started which was a little odd. 

I had a bit of a game plan before starting.  I was going to play really tight until the antes started (think Helmuth Top 10 – but tighter) to protect myself and figure out the other players and then adjust accordingly.  Unfortunately for me, my early hands that I played didn’t go anywhere and I couldn’t get any action on my really big hands (during the night I had AA two times, both times I made pretty standard 3x big blind raises with everyone folding to me).  I soon found myself down to 2500 (started with 10K).  I managed to double up a couple of times and keep myself in the game.  This combined with ‘The Action Smasher’ joining our table (nobody can grind the action to a halt like ‘The Action Smasher’) I was able to make it to the final table with a ‘mid-small’ sized stack.

I was really happy with my play and I had some pretty good reads on a enough players to feel comfortable.  I called 3 players’ all in bets with better hands and got out drawn all 3 times (including 2 people who finished in the top 3 and 1 more at the final table).  I was able to push some weaker players out of pots and win the blinds and antes, which were significant at the final table. 

With 4 people remaining I was the small stack with around 12K.  I was the Big Blind (2K, with 400 antes), the small blind (whom I just had doubled up) min-raised to 4K.  I looked down at Ac10c and called with intention to go all in on any flop (this is probably my only mistake of the tournament, I should of just pushed in at this point … it would of not changed the result but I would of felt better with the play).  The flop came KQ9 with 2 clubs.  Small blind went all in and I called (with a flush draw, inside straight draw, possible straight-flush (almost Royal) and a overcard).  The small blind turned over KQ for 2 pair (so my over card didn’t matter much but I still had 12 outs twice for 45%).  I did not improve.

I collected my $30 prize (50% ROI) and went home to bed.  Today I checked the results to see that the player who beat me (Daphne) did indeed win the whole thing.  Congratulations. Jav has posted the details here.

Lean Mean Killing Machine

I had an excellent weigh in this morning at 247.8.  That is almost a 3 pound loss for the week (and finally over 10 since I started writing about my weight struggles).  I really haven’t been doing anything too drastic other then trying not to eat crap, eating smaller portions but more often and stay a little more active.  I don’t find myself as hungry as when I first started to change what I ate and I am starting to get results (and results motivate)

The human body is amazingly complex and incredibly simple at the same time.  If you can limit your fuel input to just slightly less then you require your body will then use stored fuel (fat) to compensate.  The more you do the more you burn. 

If I can continue losing 1-2 lbs a week I will be extremely happy.  As I say every week, I do plan on starting to work out in some capacity again once the free time starts to become available.  We think we have a pretty good system to get Travis to sleep thought the night a little better and Heidi and I have decided that we need to be in bed by 10 during the week.  So this free time may be around the corner.

5 Months Old

Well Travis is 5 months old today.  We have started him on real (well baby) food.  At first he wasn’t a big fan.  Heidi and I thought something was wrong.  Our child should be either a competitive eater or a football linebacker.  But Heidi changed up the flavours a bit and now he is a big fan.

I think life is starting to get back to normal now.  I feel he is easier to entertain (though I don’t have to do it all day every day like Heidi) so you can actually do some minor things while he is with you (we can check email now, when before he hated being near the computer … another reaction that concerned us).  We have been to a restaurant and Heidi has signed them up for swim lessons.  Once this Madden/NHL (maybe both!) issue is resolved I can start having ‘the boys’ over to sit around, watch TV, play games and yell at each other –> just like old times.

Heidi recently pillaged Pop Dukes house for old family picture albums.  Do you think he looks like me?

 

Quick Lesson

I thought this story was awesome so I figured that I would share it with you.

Lets say you are going through airport customs with your mother and security searches your bag.  No big deal, things are getting pretty interesting at the airport these days.  Now when the security personnel come across your penis pump, right in front of mom, how embarrassing … what do you do?

Can’t say I have been in this situation before but even my imagined top 10 list of what to say does not include ‘Tell Them It Is A Bomb‘.  Unfortunately, that was the #1 answer on this guys list.

Staring At The Ball Of Fire

I commute eastward into the rising sun in the morning and westward into the setting sun (depending on the time of year) in the evening.  That big ball of gas that heats our planet gets pretty bright.  Since I spend so much time driving to and from work I am able to collect all sorts of traffic analysis data in my head.  It seems especially odd to me that during the summer months, when the sun hangs over the highway in the the morning, traffic gets really slow in areas that have no natural cover.  In the later fall months when the sun starts to set on the drive home, traffic slows down (more accurately – stops) in these similar areas.

It doesn’t take a genius (even though I am one) to figure out that there is a common theme here.  When people are partially blinded by the sun they drive slowly.  Right around this time last year Heidi and I were rear ended by someone going at a pretty good speed while at a dead stop on the highway (401 East just after Winston Churchhill, right in front of the service station).  This accident was blamed on the sun.  We were in the ‘fast’ (ha!) lane and in the middle lane the exact same thing happened to the car beside us while the cop was writing her report. 

It is a shame that there is no way to prevent the upper band of UV light from getting into our eyes.  With all these smart people and fancy computers you think someone could come up with a solution to this problem.  Oh wait, there is something … F’N Sunglasses you assholes, ever heard of them?  I had a pair when I was an infant.  You used to be able to get them free at Harvey’s with your hamburger (served your way of course).  Go out and buy some now, jackwad*.

If it was possible for it to rain and be sunny (other then the occasional freak sun shower) I would never get to work in my car.  I would have better luck walking.

(*Word trademarked by Jamie Ward Inc 1998)

Fantasy Sports

I love fantasy sports.  In some cases (baseball, basketball) more then the actual game.  You can pretty much bet when the new season of something is coming up, I probably have an online draft scheduled.  For years we have used Yahoo! Fantasy Sports for all of our draft needs.  It has been good to us and is free.

The fall is a busy time because both Hockey and Football start (my two favourite sports).  Football starts first so that is where my attention is directed.  But I figured that this year I would extend invitations to join to anyone who happens to read the blog.  It is a lot of fun.

The main pool is a online NFL draft.  It is a head to head league using the standard Yahoo! settings.  This one we all chip in $20 and give out prizes to the winner(s) depending on how many people join.  The draft is currently scheduled for Sunday September 3rd at 2pm (EST).  You don’t need to be there for the draft (you can pre-arrange your draft order and let the computer pick for you), but it helps.  Here is the info.

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/f1

League ID: 494416

Password: poop

 

There are are also a bunch of other fantasy football options provided by Yahoo!.  As an addict, I play them all.  There is no money involved in these.  So go ahead and join them for fun.

 

Salary Cap League – Can you spend your money better then the other players?

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/salcap

League ID: 5187

Password: poop

 

NFL Pick’em – Simplest of the options.  Each week simply pick the winners of each game (with the spread). 

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/salcap

League ID: 23570

Password: poop

 

College Pick’em – Same as above but with college football.  Please note, I know almost nothing about college football.  Go Wildcats!

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/college

League ID: 10826

Password: poop

 

Next month Hockey should start showing up at Yahoo!  We will have at least an online draft.  We are also starting a live in-person NHL auction keeper league that should be really cool.  Only serious drafters should be involved in this one (applications will be reviewed by the founding members).  More details to come, when available.

Zombies In My Basement

This morning I weighed in at 250.6.  Down half a pound or something and I am pretty happy.  I thought I was ‘packing it back on’ this week.  Eating on the weekend wasn’t especially healthy (Pizza and Popeye’s chicken both come to mind) but once again, my diligence earlier in the week helped pull me through.  I really do hope to start walking again but it has been hard to find time.  Travis hasn’t been sleeping especially well and getting up any earlier then I do, doesn’t seem achievable.  Oh well, putting him to sleep is a work out in itself.

This weekend wasn’t really action packed, which was fine with me.  Rick and I managed to split euchre games against the girls on Friday but they refused to play a tie breaker … so I declare us the winners.  But the highlight of the weekend came Sunday morning.  We were watching our 12 year old nephew ‘Mitch’ Saturday evening/Sunday morning so like a good uncle we played the Dead Rising demo on the XBOX360 (what kid doesn’t like a little gore in the morning).  He liked the game and as we talked about all its killing greatness I heard a voice from down the hall.  ‘You guys can go buy the game if you want’.  It doesn’t take much more then that to get me to the store.

So I now own Dead Rising and it is fantastic.  We managed to play it for a while.  So far my favourite thing has been mowing down 50 zombies with a lawn mower (mowing down – lawn mower, these are the jokes).  I love this Mitch kid.  He mentioned that we should get Madden 07 when the commercial came on, because it looks so real.  Heidi didn’t seem opposed to buying another game … as long as we play it.  (I am going to get him to talk about how nice it would be to have a more powerful home theatre receiver next).

Sports games are popular when ‘the Boyz’ come over so I don’t think it will be a problem.  Though the new NHL game may be a better call for the audience.  So why not use the power of the blog.  Imagine, you are coming over to the house, which game would you rather play NHL or Madden?  Madden comes out this week, NHL in about 3.  Vote in our poll on the right hand side.  Which ever doesn’t get picked will appear on the upcoming Birthday/Christmas 2006 Gift List later this year.