DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “Today is the youngest I’ll ever be again.”

WOW!  What great weather we are having in Vegas.  I can’t remember days like we are having this January.  There is almost no wind and 75 degree days.  It’s a golfer’s paradise.  Even I have been to the golf course the past 3 days.  It’s really discouraging when I try to play as I used to, but with my bad leg plus getting older and older, I can’t do it.  When I see how good some of the young guys play, it makes it worse to me not being able to perform.  David Benyamine has made more progress in the last year than anyone I’ve ever seen.  He is going to be really good in a couple of years.

Some clown who produces the, “Blend Celebrity Bucket List”, put the 100 most likely celebs to die in 2009.  Guess who he had at #16?  That’s right, me.  To start with, I don’t consider myself a celebrity, so I don’t qualify.  But, if I did, I sure don’t have any plans for kicking the bucket anytime soon and surely not in 2009.  He should check on my family genes, both sides lived up into their 90’s.  He should talk to my doctor and get my blood pressure results, my 140 reading on my cholesterol and the raves my cardiologist gives me on my EKG’s.  He said obesity would cause my death.  He should have seen me 5 years ago when I was 130 lbs heavier.  Anyway, he said it was a 10% chance I would die.  I would like to lay 10-1 for any amount if anybody knows this joker.

In my Margaret Hussman watch, the 15 year old girl with untreatable cancer, she is in the hospital but is fighting a courageous fight against pneumonia.  What a trooper she is, send her an encouraging e-mail to anne@ddgoose.com

Thanks for all the advice everyone has given me about accepting my induction into my university’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  I will accept and attend the award ceremony in October.  I can’t let all my friends and ex-teammates down because they really pushed the selection committee. One thing I want them know, I’m a professional poker player and proud of it!

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “There is never a wrong time to do the right thing.”

Just to be clear about my Doylisms, not all of them are original.  People come up to me and say, “I read that somewhere before.”  I read a lot when I have time and jot down sayings that make an impression on me.  There is a wide variety, all the way from Will Rogers to Winston Churchill.  Other Doylisms come from things I’ve heard in conversation and some are original ones that I create.  Anyways, they are lots of fun.

I’m in the middle of a minor domestic dispute with my wife.  Louise is an absolute jewel and needs to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for putting up with me for 47 years.  But sometimes, I’m reminded of an old Texas saying, “There are only two times in a man’s life when he doesn’t understand women.  Before marriage and after marriage.”

There is no high-limit poker right now.  Everybody has gone to the Bahamas for a tournament.  As I have repeatedly said, internet poker and tournaments have ruined live cash games.  I may go to Ireland for the Irish Open, but I’m not going to do much traveling.  Las Vegas and California have enough tournaments for me.  I really like the slowdown structure most of the big tournaments are going to.

If you read my last blog, Margaret Hussman, a 15 year old girl from El Paso who is diagnosed with untreatable cancer, is trying to do fun things for the duration of her life.  She went to New York, took a helicopter tour of the city, went to a musical on Broadway and bought tons of souvenirs.  Send Margaret some words of encouragement to anne@ddgoose.com Maybe, just maybe, the doctors will be wrong and Margaret will make it.

The University I went to in Texas has sent me a letter informing me that I’m to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame there.  This came after years and years of my friends and teammates trying to get me inducted.  My name was brought up to the selection committee 10-15 times and was rejected.  Why?  Because I’m a Pro Poker Player and the University is a Baptist college who doesn’t approve of gambling.  I don’t mean to toot my own horn but my credentials as an athlete during my college years certainly qualify me.  I’m in a dilemma if I should accept.

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “Life is one sweet song. Enjoy the music.”

I hope this football season gets through soon.  I only leave my desk and TV to go play poker when there is a game.  I thought I had the football needle out of my arm but it’s so much fun to bet and watch, I can’t help myself.  Anyway, in the NFL I think Pitt and Carolina will be in the Super Bowl.  And if Florida doesn’t beat Oklahoma by more than 3 points, I may be in the bread line.

It looks like golf may be the favorite gambling game among the poker players.  David Benyamine, Patrik Antonius, Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu are all playing and willing to play for big money if they think the games are close.  David and Patrik are amazing the way they have improved.  A year ago, neither one was much of a golfer but both being ex-tennis players, are great athletes.  Also, they have had good instructors and both guys are going to be able to break 80 before this summer is over.

I saw on the news last night that President elect Obama, who is an avid poker player, may introduce a new bill to legalize internet poker after he takes office.  Our country could certainly use the revenue in taxes that would be raised.  Obama faces the greatest challenge a President could imagine with the economy and terrorist threat.  I know Ivey and Negreanu both met Obama and he knew them by name so he for sure has an interest in poker.

There is a 15-year-old young lady named Margaret Hussman, a niece of a longtime friend, who has untreatable cancer and has less than 90 days to live.  My ex-roomate in college, Ray Hibler, called and asked me to write her an encouraging letter recounting my “terminal” battle with cancer 55 years ago.  Margaret is a poker enthusiast and I’m certainly going to call.  She is trying to spend her remaining days doing something new and enjoyable.  Send Margaret an e-mail at anne@ddgoose.com  I know she will appreciate it.  For all of us, there is no promise for tomorrow.  Happy New Year and lets all have a great 2009!