DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “A bad decision is when you know what to do and you don’t do it.”

I guess I owe an explanation as to why I didn’t play in the WPT Championship at the Bellagio. It’s my favorite tournament of the year but i didn’t feel up to it.  No, I’m not sick, as evidenced by the fact I’ve been playing 10-12 hours a day in the cash games.  But after attending two funerals last week, along with my wife being out of town for six weeks, I just felt like I wouldn’t have the discipline or patience to sit through a long tournament.  At least in the cash games you can quit when you need to be somewhere else.

I never realized how much I depend on my wife to take care of the pets, run the house, pay the bills, keep food in the house, etc. Louise has allergy problems which led into asthma, which triggered a heart condition known as A-Fib. Her doctor told her she had to stay out of town until the pollen level subsides. I know there is lots of pollen in the air because I’ve been sneezing all month and I usually don’t have a problem. I sure hope Louise gets home soon.

I never expected to become part of the Twitter craze, but DoylesRoom started my page www.twitter.com/texdolly and now I’m posting on it.  I don’t think my old-fashioned cell phone will work so I have to do it from my computer each day.  What will they think of next!

I headed over to my CPA to get my taxes done and ran into a traffic jam.  Hundreds of people were blocking the streets having what they called a “tea party”.  I think they were protesting the current financial crisis our nation is going through, but some of the signs were ridiculous.  “Impeach Obama”, “What comes after trillions”, “Stop spending our money” and other statements blaming our president.  For Pete’s sake, let’s give the guy a chance to straighten this mess up.  I got a lot of heat for voting for McCain, but I knew when I cast a late vote, John didn’t have a chance to win. I was just being loyal to the Republican Party.  But now that the nation has spoken that they wanted Obama, we should all support him.

-DB

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “You are never a loser unless you quit trying.”

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the article, “100 Most Likely to Die in 2009.” It has me listed as the number 16th celebrity most likely to die this year. I got a phone call from the author, Mack Rawden, and we made a $10,000 – $1,000 bet about my demise. Naturally, I took the over, and to Mack’s credit, he said he hopes he loses. (That makes two of us.) The winnings go to the American Cancer Society. I’m planning on going out at the age of 102 in honor the 10-2 poker hand that is named after me. An interesting note is Mack has President Obama listed at number 10. The reason? Foul play.

We certainly don’t know when the Grim Reaper is going to strike. If you haven’t heard, Key Fechser, Jack Binion’s nephew, passed this week from a heart attack at the young age of 55. Key was a terrific guy, a good friend who would do anything for you, a good father and he will be missed.

I’m really pleased with the DoylesRoom poker room. We moved to a new network and we have more players in U.S. primetime than we had at our other provider. There are lots of sportsbook customers that play, which makes for looser and better games.

There have been several articles written about my son Todd’s financial problems. Todd had lots of investments and the declining economy has definitely affected them. But, who hasn’t been affected by the declining economy? I know it knocked tail feathers out of me and my various holdings. I’m not worried about Todd; he has a good head on his shoulders. As long as we can find poker games, the Brunson families should be o.k.

It’s Super Bowl time and I’m betting on Arizona +7 points. This is one of my favorite times of the year and I’m going to the Super Bowl Party at the Bellagio. I’ll take a look at all the “prop” bets that are offered and make bets that favor the Arizona players. One thing about it, the food alone will make this a memorable day. It is awesome!

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!

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “It’s choice, not chance, that determines our destiny.”

The most I had ever paid for a hamburger was $10, which I thought was foolish.  Yesterday, I went to Red Rock Casino to go to a movie with my pal Jack Binion.  We stopped in a gourmet hamburger place in the Red Rock and got a $14.75 burger.  It was a big restaurant but almost completely empty.  The way the economy is right now, this is going to be tough for them to survive.  The first thing people cut out is going out for lunch and dinner.  I personally would rather have a whopper from Burger King, anyway.

The election is finally over and I’m glad.  Martin Luther King said that someday, men would be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin.  Looks like that day has come; with Obama being our first African-American president.  I voted for McCain because of some personal beliefs, but now that America has spoken, Obama is my president and I’ll support him in any way that I can.  I can only hope he will be able to turn our country around.  President Obama is one of the best speakers I’ve ever heard.

I get asked a lot where I get the Doylisms I use to start my blog.  A few of them are from me, but most of them are from things that I have read.  They come from all walks of life and from different folks.  I read a lot when I have time and I’ve taken the thoughts of a lot of authors, all the way from Will Rogers to Winston Churchill.  There is a lot of wisdom in books if we take the time to find it.

I didn’t go to Foxwoods for their WPT tournament.  Besides the fact I’m trying to stop traveling so much, my plate is so full now I don’t have any time.  I have to do a book signing at the Rio that I committed to and also have to appear in their “pro pit”.  The Hall of Fame induction is Sunday and I have to make the introduction speech for my pal Dewey Tomko.  I also have to do two shows for the Real Deal because most of their pros are out of town.  I’m also addressing some issues with Microgaming, DoylesRoom’s software provider.  Everything will work out, but it takes time and effort.

Daniel:  What do I do wrong?

Caddie: Sir, you spend so much time in bunkers, you get mail addressed to Hitler!

-DB

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it.”

What has happened to me?  I’ve done four “Real Deal” shows, two “Poker After Dark”, a TV cash game and every time I look up, someone wants me to do a charity tournament or be on some radio broadcast.  I’m really getting discouraged with all this stuff.  I really enjoy the cash games for TV, but the sit and gos on PAD aren’t my cup of tea.  The structure is too slow and it seems I never hold a hand in them.  I’m going to do my best to start promoting the cash game at the Bellagio.  It seems the economy is reaching down to the poker games along with everything else.

I went the entire spring and summer and never hit a golf ball.  There were some good action golf matches I would have loved to been a part of, but along with all my other commitments, my leg is getting worse and I’m determined to get over to the Jobe Clinic and try to get it fixed.  Trouble is, that is no guarantee for success.

I just read where Michelle Obama is redistributing the wealth by having a $447 lunch at the Hilton Hotel in New York.  She had lobster, caviar and champagne.  I guess she was really hungry!

I went to a site called luckbox.com and watched Vegas history.  It had a video of the late Puggy Pearson talking about the “old days”.  I had a lump in my throat as I watched and remembered when I first came to Vegas.  Puggy was the man in those days and all the games revolved around him.  He was a totally fearless all around player and should be remembered as one of the pioneers of poker as we know it today.  He was a ruthless player who would do anything to win but he never pretended to be anything else.  I miss the guy, I would have loved seeing him and Phil Ivey go at it.

We only have a few days left to get out and vote.  If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about the economy or anything else.  I’m Doyle Brunson and I approve this message

Caddie: Sir, how are you playing?
Daniel: I’m hitting the woods great, but I’m having a terrible time getting out of them.

Next Page »