“Is that that loud mouth guy?” came from someone behind me as I stood outside the ropes watching Tony G. play the 7 Card Stud event. “Yeah, that one over there!” Another voice agreed, “Yeah, that’s the loud mouth guy.”
I smiled and released a soft chuckle. Tony G. is one of my favorite players. When I watched the YouTube video of him as the Mangalor vs. Ralph Perry, I thought I was going to die laughing. It’s still pretty damn funny when I think about it. I taped the Aviation Club WPT event in which he was VERY NOISY. I talked to Tony after that, on the phone, and he explained that he wasn’t normally like that. I told him I laughed all the way through it and I didn’t know how the dealer didn’t just bust out laughing. And he’s right, he’s not like that – except at the poker table at times. He’s very soft spoken, very intelligent, and a great guy to call friend.
Then Tony busted out of that event and as I went to find him through the crowds, a guy behind me exclaimed, “Tony G. BUSTED! No, no, no! Tony G. busted!” I turned to look at him as he shook his head in dismay.
*****
My eternal thanks to Pauly and Iggy, not only for the links to Tango but also for telling me, in private conversations, that ‘Behind the Noise‘ was like my old blog posts and giving me a lot of support on my posting. And I thank those of you that left comments. Some of you are retarded and some of you are thinking individuals. I appreciate all of you, it takes a varied garden to make up the world of poker. For those of you that feel I should be fired, are you honestly naive enough to believe that Bellagio Poker Room management doesn’t know about this blog? The Mirage Poker Room management knows about this blog. So the fact that I can be fired is always a possibility but do you think they don’t know what’s going on here and haven’t known about it for eight years? Come up for air kids, enjoy the oxygen of a free world.
*****
It’s been a strange weekend for me. I’ve made some new plans and I’m extremely happy about them. They will be aired later.
****
It dawned on me today as I headed across town that I’ve not listened to ‘his royal badness’ in a long time. I loaded up the Bose 6 deck CD changer and he’s booming right now. Nope, I’ve not converted to the IPod rage. I’m very happy with what I have.
*****
I’ve taken about 200 WSOP pictures and had one taken of me tonight with E-Dog, by CC, (major article writer and blogger for PokerWorks). I first met Erick about seven years ago when he was in a $300-600 LH game I dealt. I was astounded by his candor and open smile and the fact that he didn’t steam…totally impressive. That night I stopped by his side, when I got pushed, and asked his name and had just a few minutes to visit with him. I’ve had countless encounters with him since, Aruba and the Ultimate Bet WPT events, dealing tournaments, dealing live to him, and I’ve NEVER seen him when he wasn’t happy to see me. He’s always got a smile and a big hello and hugs for me. How can you not love this guy?
*****
The Blogger Summer Classic was on Saturday. Pauly has a write up on it as I’m sure other bloggers have also. I’m a dud in that area. I had to work Friday night and called in sick. It wasn’t to attend the blogger festivities at MGM. It was because I couldn’t handle being anywhere, so I wasn’t. I stayed out of the noise and traffic and stayed home. I did attend the Blogger Tournament on Saturday. It was held at the Orleans, and honestly, if we ever have another one there I just won’t go. We were in a turbo tournament. We each ponied up $80 and the blinds speed jumped every 15 minutes. UGH!
When one of our blogger tables erupted in noise and cheering, they were told by the floor man to tone it down, we couldn’t do that. AWWW shucks. Why are we there? To have fun and yell a little – and the noise that table made wasn’t nearly as bad as some I’ve heard at Bellagio in $2-5 NLH.
Then I was told – and so were others – that we couldn’t take photos in there. KEE-RIST! So I’m photo shy this year and after I got knocked out, I said goodbye to some of them and headed for the Rio. They had plans to hang together and play later that night and to meet at the Venetian for an afternoon buffet on Sunday but I had too much to do and not enough hours to do it in. I felt badly about this because there were new faces that I would have liked to touch bases with. I must admit that the whole affair had a poor attendance and just wasn’t quite the same as the Winter Classic. A lot of my beloveds couldn’t make it this time and others are now writers for PokerNews and PokerWorks and Bluff, etc. and they couldn’t make it. I look forward to the Winter Classic when life isn’t quite as hectic.
My buddy Kram420 was first out though. It was pretty funny. We decided to meet for lunch at the Gold Coast – because that’s where I thought the tournament was. *Smack! Wake up Linda!* We enjoyed our lunch, waltzed over to the poker room and the guy knew nothing about it. YIKES! It was the Orleans. Off we went, paid our dues, got our table, and a bit later, Kram showed up, standing behind me after Pauly snapped his picture with the ‘first out award’ – Gigli.
Kram told me, “I was playing every hand, and having fun, and then I picked up two aces and everyone called me.” *Eyebrows raise. NO KIDDING?* The flop was J-4-4 and the guy that busted him held pocket Jacks.
He wanted a sad look, I think I got it. You’re a cutie Kram, never change. Please.
*****
Poker runs rampant around the valley and holds Las Vegas in its spell. Bellagio starts ‘The Cup’ today. The WSOP is going crazy with record fields. Every place that has a poker room is busy and busting at the seams. It’s a great time for poker. Everyone’s got a story, everyone wants to win and this creates the greatest melting pot the world has ever seen. I’ve been a part of it for so many years, I’ve listened to all the grunts and moans from the grinders and wannabes, I’ve chuckled at all of the newbies and their excitement at just being at the table, and I’m going to be here, for a long, long time. Keep checking back.
Linda,
I thought I’d slide this in here now. I’m the guy that leaked & linked your blog and commented on the stiffed tips by Farha and Townsend on pocket fives forum. I felt that you should have got one, and it hit home hard, because I used to be a Limo driver. I remember when a very famous wealthy client was throwing around $, and then stiffed me like I was a robot. I know how it feels, and I thought I needed to make a point to Brian and his peers that it’s not O.K. to treat people in any service industry like that, especially where he florishes. Maybe Brian will remember this, maybe he wont. But he will remember the response it got on P5’s forum with 143 replies. Anyway, gl to you and I enjoy your blog, cause I’m a poker player too.
I also want to add that I noticed a lot of people think this is about "added" money, but in reality the way the service industry is set up, it’s employers that make it this way, Workmans comp, taxes, and company benefits make it so its to the employers advantage to not pay a flat hr. rate, and have the employee deal with tips, that way they are responsible for less. But for me, if I did a 100% good job, getting a decent tip was only being acknowledged and awarded a just and standard fee for a skilled service to another human being, and when the client ( player) is giving this gratuity, they are doing the right thing
for two reasons, One- your letting the dealer (chauffeur, waitress, bartender, shoeshine man, pizza delivery boy) know you appreciate their excellent service, and two- because without this gratuity the job pays nothing that anyone living in America can survive on for one day.