Choices, choices!  Who would’ve thought that tucked away in our WSOP Media package was the invite to go to Doyle’s Book Signing and the opportunity to go to Martorano’s Masters Meatball Eating Championship? 

I woke up on Sunday the 8th, feeling miserable with sinus congestion and dead-body-tireds and as I worked on the PokerWorks website, I happened to fumble across the media package that was laying on one side of my bed.  That’s when I saw the book signing time/date and the meatball information sheet – it had been mentioned in conversation on Saturday but I discarded the notion immediately.  As it turns out, Phil Hellmuth was one of the contestants in the meatball gorging contest.  Does that surprise me?  No, not just no but HELL NO!  What won’t that boy do to be the star of any show, whether there’s a show or not?  I think the meatball thing would’ve been fun to watch, if I could have arranged my brain in a time pattern to make it.

I was on the road to Wynn by about 2PM, taking the Strip route so I could snap some pictures of Project City Center, and arrived early.  The announcement for the book signing read “Enjoy a selection of complimentary beer, snacks and other refreshments,” but I was starving so I hit the coffee shop.  The service was great and so was the food.  I made the entrance to Blush Night Club about 2:55 and a gent guarding the door behaved like I was fresh off the street looking for a free drink.  He put me through the 3rd degree on why I was there and was I media and blah, blah, blah, and finally opened the door.  Thanks Butthead!!

There were people around the bar, unknowns to me, and I could see Doyle and Hoyt Corkins out in an open air area off of the night club.  One of the men in conversation at the bar came immediately over and intro’d himself to me.  Will Griffiths, very nice presence.  I sat down inside for a few minutes and Katie Lindsay arrived. Yes, she writes the Round Table series for PokerWorks also.  We visited for a few minutes and decided to wander out to where Doyle was seated.

I said hello to him and Hoyt and sat by myself – I love to watch people!  Katie talked to Doyle and then to others.  I met Dan from PocketFives at this session also.  People were smoking in this area, the weather/sky was overcast and grim/MOI wasn’t too warm so…back inside.  I picked a decent spot on the wrap-around-you-can-have-an-orgy-on-me couches and relaxed.  I don’t believe Blush is impressive at all, more like a low grade speed trap to getting laid…sorry Steve, you underdid yourself on this one.

A few more people entered and milled around, and Will took the microphone and asked everyone to come inside and for Doyle to take a center seat…perfect from my angle.  BTW, being a long time connoisseur of fine asses on men, I’m here to tell you that Will has one.

Katie came in and sat by me and we chatted as Doyle came in to sit with his crew – but not before I caught her in the outer area unaware that I was snapping a shot:

Doyle and his daughter Pam and one of the Brunson 10, Zachary Clark:

I took this .mpg with my old camera, it’s crappy – I’ll let you know that before you start to watch it, either the angle or the background light or whatever the hell.  Doyle looks the best when Dani’s got the mic:

I got a book signed by Doyle, and reminded him of the fact that at Christmas time, when I was leaving his game, he gave me a Black Bird and said, “Merry Christmas Honey!” He just smiled.

This is Dan from PocketFives getting a few words from Amit Makhija – one of the Brunson 10:

The boys at the bar:

Dani Stern, the latest chip collector of the Brunson 10:

There were no snacks – damn good thing I ate before I went. The bar was open for another hour or so but not for this kid, I had my book, said goodbye to Katie, and turned to leave to find Todd Brunson’s wife standing behind me. We got to share a hug and a few moments of conversation. I swear, she’s one of the sexiest women that ever walked into Bellagio’s Poker Room, and I don’t even do women.

I was out the door, past the guy that guarded it, and on my way back to the Gold Coast and my hotel room. It was a nice outing. And I have a book to read.