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  • The Official Thread of Poker

    It looks like the old thread was deleted, so here's a new one.

    The final table of the WSOP final table is on ESPN2 "live" with a 15-minute delay to prevent cheating. We also can't see the hole cards. Lon and Norm are getting assistance from Antonio Esfandiari in the announcer's booth. Gotta admit, hearing his commentary is enlightening.

  • #2
    Re: The Official Thread of Poker

    There was just a long spell where it was Lon with Phil Helmuth and Antonio. Lon's actually OK to listen to with the live action and no Norm. This almost-live action is surprisingly interesting to watch.
    Northeastern Huskies Class of 1998 / BS Chemical Engineering
    Notre Dame Fighting Irish Class of 2011 / PhD Chemical Engineering

    But then again, isn't holding forth on an extreme opinion from a position of complete ignorance what these boards are all about? -- from a BigSoccer post by kerrunch

    Britney can't sing. At all. She sounds like a cross between a crackhead chipmunk that had more than a couple beers and a drowning cat. -- DHG on the MTV VMAs

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    • #3
      Re: The Official Thread of Poker

      I just tuned back in; Phil is back, and someone besides Lon is doing pbp. It's very interesting listening to Phil and Antonio riff, and far more enlightening about strategy and so on than Norm ever thought of being. I'd be fine with him being gracefully (or not so gracefully) retired from ESPN's poker broadcasts.
      Northeastern Huskies Class of 1998 / BS Chemical Engineering
      Notre Dame Fighting Irish Class of 2011 / PhD Chemical Engineering

      But then again, isn't holding forth on an extreme opinion from a position of complete ignorance what these boards are all about? -- from a BigSoccer post by kerrunch

      Britney can't sing. At all. She sounds like a cross between a crackhead chipmunk that had more than a couple beers and a drowning cat. -- DHG on the MTV VMAs

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: The Official Thread of Poker

        Wow, first hand of the final night and Staszko is all in against Lamb in a coin flip hand!

        And Staszko's pocket 7's held up against Lamb's overcards.
        Northeastern Huskies Class of 1998 / BS Chemical Engineering
        Notre Dame Fighting Irish Class of 2011 / PhD Chemical Engineering

        But then again, isn't holding forth on an extreme opinion from a position of complete ignorance what these boards are all about? -- from a BigSoccer post by kerrunch

        Britney can't sing. At all. She sounds like a cross between a crackhead chipmunk that had more than a couple beers and a drowning cat. -- DHG on the MTV VMAs

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: The Official Thread of Poker

          If someone can respond to this without a spoiler, is there a reason my auto-recording of the last LIVE WSoP events include not just 7.5 hours on Sun and 2.5 hours on Mon, but another 2 hours tonight?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: The Official Thread of Poker

            Originally posted by Slap Shot View Post
            If someone can respond to this without a spoiler, is there a reason my auto-recording of the last LIVE WSoP events include not just 7.5 hours on Sun and 2.5 hours on Mon, but another 2 hours tonight?
            Tonight is the final three of the final table. Sunday night was the play down to three. Monday was either the continuation of that, or a condensed rebroadcast.
            Northeastern Huskies Class of 1998 / BS Chemical Engineering
            Notre Dame Fighting Irish Class of 2011 / PhD Chemical Engineering

            But then again, isn't holding forth on an extreme opinion from a position of complete ignorance what these boards are all about? -- from a BigSoccer post by kerrunch

            Britney can't sing. At all. She sounds like a cross between a crackhead chipmunk that had more than a couple beers and a drowning cat. -- DHG on the MTV VMAs

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: The Official Thread of Poker

              Ok, thanks.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                It's funny to hear Norman Chad say something and then Antonio not just say that he's wrong, but explain why he's so wrong and leave Chad speechless.

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                • #9
                  Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                  It's not entirely clear to me how Norman ended up on the poker telecasts in the first place. He's the putative color analyst, yet he really has no insight at all into what's going on with the play, as both Antonio and Phil Helmuth have shown in spades. Antonio speaks well and offers interesting insights into the kinds of reads that players are making, all the kinds of things that someone who's somewhat of a novice, or even an intermediate player, wants to hear.

                  I find Lon to be rather annoying in the situations where he's narrating the pre-taped, edited segments (I think he doesn't do the faux-surprise/amazement well at all), but as I said before, I think he's actually pretty good doing the live play-by-play.

                  One thing I did find interesting, there was one case where Antonio was talking about how Heinz's betting wasn't making sense, because first he represented one thing, then another, then another, and I said, "wouldn't that be consistent with a big pocket pair?" He showed down A-A. (Most of the time, I don't really have a clue what they're playing. This example is notable by it's extraordinary nature.)
                  Northeastern Huskies Class of 1998 / BS Chemical Engineering
                  Notre Dame Fighting Irish Class of 2011 / PhD Chemical Engineering

                  But then again, isn't holding forth on an extreme opinion from a position of complete ignorance what these boards are all about? -- from a BigSoccer post by kerrunch

                  Britney can't sing. At all. She sounds like a cross between a crackhead chipmunk that had more than a couple beers and a drowning cat. -- DHG on the MTV VMAs

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                    Antonio, while knowledgable, is a doosh. And Norm is annoying beyond all hell.

                    That being said, Phil is great away from the table (he likes his Brat Of Poker bit, it actually helps him at the table), so much knowledge and insight. And Lon is decent. I forget the names, but the guys from High Stakes Poker would be good for the WSoP commentary.
                    Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
                    Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

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                    • #11
                      Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                      Originally posted by Craig P. View Post
                      It's not entirely clear to me how Norman ended up on the poker telecasts in the first place. He's the putative color analyst, yet he really has no insight at all into what's going on with the play, as both Antonio and Phil Helmuth have shown in spades. Antonio speaks well and offers interesting insights into the kinds of reads that players are making, all the kinds of things that someone who's somewhat of a novice, or even an intermediate player, wants to hear.

                      I find Lon to be rather annoying in the situations where he's narrating the pre-taped, edited segments (I think he doesn't do the faux-surprise/amazement well at all), but as I said before, I think he's actually pretty good doing the live play-by-play.

                      One thing I did find interesting, there was one case where Antonio was talking about how Heinz's betting wasn't making sense, because first he represented one thing, then another, then another, and I said, "wouldn't that be consistent with a big pocket pair?" He showed down A-A. (Most of the time, I don't really have a clue what they're playing. This example is notable by it's extraordinary nature.)
                      I think Chad was brought in back in the early part of the decade (don't know if it was before the craze started in 2003 or of that was his first year) to be comic relief for what ESPN figured would be throwaway coverage. They had been broadcasting poker for years, but it wasn't much of a ratings winner. Then 2 things happened: The pocket cam allowed us to see the cards they were playing which gave viewers more insight (and made poker look much easier than it really is) and Chris Moneymaker hit it big, making casual fans believe they had a chance to win too. The result was an explosion in ratings. I don't know if ESPN gave Chad an ironclad contract to appear on these poker shows indefinitely, felt that they were stuck with him since he was in the right place at the right time or just never considered a change. I knew Antonio was doing WSOP regional events as the color analyst for ESPN (broadcasts aired on Versus, for some reason) so it appears TV executives at the Mothership want to ease Chad out. It's becoming glaringly obvious how little he adds to the broadcast.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                        Originally posted by Brenthoven View Post
                        Antonio, while knowledgable, is a doosh. And Norm is annoying beyond all hell.

                        That being said, Phil is great away from the table (he likes his Brat Of Poker bit, it actually helps him at the table), so much knowledge and insight. And Lon is decent. I forget the names, but the guys from High Stakes Poker would be good for the WSoP commentary.
                        Mr. Kotter or Norm MacDonald?

                        Gabe Kaplan is a poker pro as well, so his insight would be welcomed AND he can provide comedy relief because he can certainly tell a joke.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                          Originally posted by Priceless View Post
                          Mr. Kotter or Norm MacDonald?

                          Gabe Kaplan is a poker pro as well, so his insight would be welcomed AND he can provide comedy relief because he can certainly tell a joke.
                          Gabe was the guy I had most in mind. I was critical at first, but he definitely can analyze a hand/break down what people are thinking.

                          Edit: this is one of the hands that totally sold me:

                          Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
                          Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                            Some guy named Ro8erto 7uon8o finished in the money at the WSOP Main Event. I'm sure he'll be mentioned, but can you imagine the coverage the Mothership would give if it was an NBA player? There would be updated chip count on the bottom line, regular updates on SportsCenter, live cut-ins when he was in a hand and E:60 would follow him around Vegas to show us what he does in his off time.

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                            • #15
                              Re: The Official Thread of Poker

                              This might have been the furthest into the archives I've had to dig to find a thread, but imho it was worth it.

                              Doyle Brunson, soon to turn 85 years old, and considered by many to be the godfather of professional poker, announced that he is retiring from professional poker this summer.

                              On the encouragement of his son, Todd Brunson (also a professional poker player), Doyle signed up for one last event at this year's World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. The $10,000 2-7 Lowball event is considered by many poker professionals to still be the most prestigious title in the World Series of Poker, and Doyle decide to play one last time.

                              They are down to the final 11 players in the event, and Doyle sits fifth in chips, with his son Todd also still alive in 9th place.

                              http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/upda...1487&tid=16423
                              That community is already in the process of dissolution where each man begins to eye his neighbor as a possible enemy, where non-conformity with the accepted creed, political as well as religious, is a mark of disaffection; where denunciation, without specification or backing, takes the place of evidence; where orthodoxy chokes freedom of dissent; where faith in the eventual supremacy of reason has become so timid that we dare not enter our convictions in the open lists, to win or lose.

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