Link-O-Rama
The official numbers are in, and this year's World Series of Poker Main Event has 5,661 entrants. At $10,000 each (plus an entry fee), that means there is a total of $56,610,000 worth of chips in play. For anyone who has played live poker, try to imagine for a moment what it's going to be like at the final table with that many chips. They'll "color up" to huge denominations, of course, but look at a picture of Greg Raymer's chip stack at last year's final table and imagine something 3-4 times as big. How cool will it be to hear someone announce a $10 million raise?
Like I said yesterday, if you're interested in frequent updates on what's going on at the WSOP, the place to go is Tao of Pauly's World Series of Poker Live Blog. Not only is Pauly McGuire a friend of AG.com and providing great updates throughout the day (complete with pictures), he busted Shannon Elizabeth in the celebrity/media tournament earlier this week. Even if you don't really care to read updates on the Main Event, Pauly's blog is worth checking out solely for the Clonie Gowen pictures.
I've decided I'm rooting for Paul Phillips to win the Main Event. Not only does he write a great blog that I love reading, he is (as far as I know) the only big-name poker player who has ever exchanged e-mails with me. I'm easy that way. In addition to his regular blog, Paul is also writing about the WSOP for Slate.
Once again I have to agree with my buddy Steve Silver when it comes to HBO shows: Bob Saget's cameo on Entourage Sunday was extraordinary. They really need to give him a spinoff show where he just delivers muffin baskets to people who move into the neighborhood and then does bong hits by the pool with a hooker on his lap. Seriously. Try to tell me that wouldn't be significantly funnier than The Comeback.
For those of us who have followed the ongoing saga of Joe Morgan and Moneyball, Tommy Craggs' "Say-It-Ain't-So Joe" feature in the San Francisco Weekly is a must read. Craggs even quotes Yours Truly, although I am referred to only as "one writer for the Web site Hardball Times." The piece doesn't really have anything new for people who have read my various rants about Morgan here, but it is like one-stop shopping for all wacky things Morgan.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press keeps saying the Twins are interested in Bret Boone, while the Minneapolis Star Tribune keeps saying they aren't. I'll trust the Star Tribune and the Official Twins Beat Writer of AG.com, LaVelle E. Neal, mostly because I want to believe the Twins aren't after Boone.
While the Boone rumors circulate and the team drops an ugly game to Jose "7.58 ERA" Lima and the lowly Royals, Torii Hunter gets naked and starts acting goofy. I'd prefer the team just beat the Royals, but a little homoerotic slump-busting is obviously the next best thing. Bat-Girl is already searching for pictures, I'm sure.
By the way, Lima against the Twins this season: 1-0, 3.60 ERA in 19.2 innings. Lima against everyone else this season: 1-7, 8.31 ERA in 73.2 innings.
I've been saving up money for months now, pinching pennies and playing hours of poker, and now that I'm at $46.50 those bastards at Defamer had to go and ruin my dream. Sort of makes you reconsider your whole view on life, doesn't it?
Don't ask me why, but this story made me smile. Schadenfreude, at its finest.
And finally, I am very happy to announce that my first ever poker article for a site other than this one (read: something I was paid to write) is up over at Rotoworld. It's a very basic primer on playing Texas Hold 'Em for beginners, since the next wave of "fish" will be flooding the tables as soon as ESPN starts showing this year's WSOP.
Today at The Hardball Times:
- Toronto Blue Jays Report Card (by John Brattain)
Today's Picks (74-61, +$1,330):
Toronto (Halladay) -160 over Texas (Wasdin)
