So Close, But Yet So Far Away
It's funny how I'm just across the road from this event but I have next to no idea what's happening. You'll have to tune in to Pokerpages just like I am. I thought it was odd how they split the first day into two, and then had to play the third day with 80% of the field still in. So there are more players around today than on the previous two ! I did pop in on my way back from the MGM, and bumped into three English pros on break, but it was obviously a bad time so I made my excuses and left post haste ...
. . .
I did buttonhole Phil Gordon as briefly as I could yesterday just to tell him I enjoyed his book (which I did). He seemed genuinely pleased to hear that, I suspect partly because of the compliment for something other than being on TV, and partly because I made it clear with my body language that I didn’t want any more than 10 seconds of his time :-). I also had a quick chat with Greg Raymer who remembered me from 2+2 but again I didn’t take up much of his time. Greg was very friendly, in line with his excellent reputation.
. . .
A guy in the Aladdin was wearing the greatest T-shirt. It just had a happy head, and a handful of cards, and it said “Why work when you can play poker ?”. I asked him where he got it and he said “Connecticut”. Damn. I should have offered him $50 for it.
. . .
Sounds like I'm not missing too much football-wise. Barnet have closed the deal and Rangers have settled into mid-table, probably very grateful for the points cushion as they had half the youth team playing the other day. Meanwhile Everton did the business against United, and Gary Neville was apparently sent off for kicking the ball at a spectator ! Now now :-).
Most of the cardrooms here have wall-to-wall flat screen TVs with all sorts of sports on them. Baseball and basketball mostly, but we have also been treated to curling and juggling. Sadly no dog-jumping though - it must be out of season. American sports just seem to go on and on and on. They play endless games (especially in baseball and basketball) which hardly seem to matter, and no one ever gets relegated so you wonder what the point is ? Right now you will normally see at least two screens devoted to the intricacies of the NFL draft. The draft system obviously works to keep leagues competitive, but it does seem strangely at odds with the American way of doing things, and it must surely be a restraint of trade if it were ever challenged. Any thoughts ?
. . .
I did buttonhole Phil Gordon as briefly as I could yesterday just to tell him I enjoyed his book (which I did). He seemed genuinely pleased to hear that, I suspect partly because of the compliment for something other than being on TV, and partly because I made it clear with my body language that I didn’t want any more than 10 seconds of his time :-). I also had a quick chat with Greg Raymer who remembered me from 2+2 but again I didn’t take up much of his time. Greg was very friendly, in line with his excellent reputation.
. . .
A guy in the Aladdin was wearing the greatest T-shirt. It just had a happy head, and a handful of cards, and it said “Why work when you can play poker ?”. I asked him where he got it and he said “Connecticut”. Damn. I should have offered him $50 for it.
. . .
Sounds like I'm not missing too much football-wise. Barnet have closed the deal and Rangers have settled into mid-table, probably very grateful for the points cushion as they had half the youth team playing the other day. Meanwhile Everton did the business against United, and Gary Neville was apparently sent off for kicking the ball at a spectator ! Now now :-).
Most of the cardrooms here have wall-to-wall flat screen TVs with all sorts of sports on them. Baseball and basketball mostly, but we have also been treated to curling and juggling. Sadly no dog-jumping though - it must be out of season. American sports just seem to go on and on and on. They play endless games (especially in baseball and basketball) which hardly seem to matter, and no one ever gets relegated so you wonder what the point is ? Right now you will normally see at least two screens devoted to the intricacies of the NFL draft. The draft system obviously works to keep leagues competitive, but it does seem strangely at odds with the American way of doing things, and it must surely be a restraint of trade if it were ever challenged. Any thoughts ?
2 Comments:
As a (sad) fan of the NFL I must admit I have become a bit addicted to the draft. It really is the biggest paradox, that in the land of the free where capitalism reigns etc a system set up along socialist (if not Marxist) principles of redistribution is allowed to flourish. For the casual fan this is great...if you are the worst team one year you get to pick the cream of college talent first and stand a fair chance of getting back to the top quickly. I suppose it works because the $$ involved with TV contracts are such that no owner minds the constant levelling of the field and the US fan base would not stand for a few teams winning year in year out. Just imagine the fun we'd all have if something similar worked in the premiership and Mr Rooney two years ago at the age of 17 was plucked from a central academy pool to play for West Brom, with salary caps for team's wage bills. It would never happen but it would be a damn sight more interesting!
From Peter B
Before you leave Vegas, Andy, and before I forget, there was one amusing incident I experienced when staying Downtown. A tourist couple were confused by the one-way system that operates there with the buses. (the northbound stop from the strip is on a different street from the southbound stop to get back to the strip).
So, since I was walking towards the El Cortez, I trailed them along in the right direction.
As we got to the end of the covered part of Fremont Street, I was able to point leftwards and say "There's the stop you want, right by where that guy is being pushed up against a police car in a drugs bust".
I doubt that this did much for Downtown's image.
Pete
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