Poker in the Mainstream
I have always prided myself, to a certain extent, for being a bit of a dork. I am not going for the complete dork-dom of Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering. I don’t collect obscure videos of the Transformers and Go-Bots or anything like that. I do, however enjoy being a music elitest. I used to be THE GUY who understood computers. In fact I got a long distance phone call last week from a friend looking for my help installing a cable modem. One of my things was that I understood sports betting, casino games including craps and poker.
I saw Rounders right when it came out. My roommates and I would watch it in college, reciting the lines and talking theory when it came to the hands that unfolded in the climactic scenes. “This kid’s got alligator’s blood.” Everyone became “Mister Son of Bitch!” as if we were constantly and telepathically invoking Teddy KGB who was played so masterfully by John Malkovich. Anyway, I (and my friends) gained a sense of pride of being in a not-quite-dorky little club.
It appears that there are now a whole lot more people in the club now. Bill Simmons laments the same thing in his article. He is consistently the most entertaining guy on the net.
(On a side note, I would have thought that Bill Simmons’ constant references to the finest film of my lifetime, The Shawshank Redemption, might have given the proprietor of the Leading Brand enough incentive to crawl out of the cave he has created in response to over-eager recommenders and see this film. This helps guarantee he won’t, I guess. 
)
Chris Said,
June 21, 2004 @ 3:26 pm
More poker shows = more poker players = more fish = more money for me. I hope they start The Poker Channel.
FilteringCraig Said,
June 21, 2004 @ 3:45 pm
interesting point. And way to maintain your outcast dork status. I should have thought of that!
ass-monkey Said,
June 21, 2004 @ 8:41 pm
Now that i’m back in town, I can read my daily ‘filtercraig’.
Don’t play much poker - but I am a huge John Malkovich fan. There are many who believe he should have received the best supporting actor for his role in Rounders.
I was in Chicago over the weekend and this f-ing Texas Hold-em thing is everywhere. It’s on TV, there are parties, tournaments, I couldn’t get to my hotel room without being inundated with this crap.
I live about 4 hours from Vegas and I haven’t seen it this bad anywhere. What’s the deal filtercraig? By the look of your site - you are a midwesterner - poker big in Cleveland? (I’m assuming it’s Cleveland due to your Cleveland.com link).
Any of you guys get serious and actually play hold-em at a casino? Is it no limit?
I must say, Mr. Filteringcraig, truly a subject matter worth discussing. It’s a little more upbeat than your cat, or the Ohio driver’s you bitch about (by the way - have you ever driven in LA?)
I appreciate your dedication to this site. I just might “buy you something” after all.
As a side note, I’d be interested in your thoughts about random drug testing. I think my employer is singling me out.
Until next time, this is ass-monkey signing off.
Filtering Craig Said,
June 21, 2004 @ 9:58 pm
You saying you don’t like my cat?
Anyway, if you are worried about random drug testing, I am sorry. I don’t really think every job should be subject to drug testing, but I think some should. Anyway, as a non drug user, I really don’t have much of an opinion. My non-involvement in drug issues has made me apathetic.
I am for personal choice when it doesn’t infringe. If you smoke some pot in the evenings while you aren’t pushing buttons that could affect people’s lives, that is fine by me. If you are an air traffic controller, I think they should have lots of random drug tests to make sure you aren’t pumping your veins full of heroin before landing the 747 that I am flying on.