DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “In the valley of the blind, the one eyed man is king.”

The Celebrity Apprentice is over. What a joke! If Donald Trump was really hiring someone, who do you think he would pick? I think that when Joan Rivers threatened to not come back, Trump assured her she would be the winner. That’s just my opinion, but they certainly got great ratings for the show. I thought it was impossible for anyone to outtalk Annie, but Joan started screaming everytime Annie tried to say anything and Trump allowed it. As to the remark about Annie’s friends being in the Mafia, I’m from Texas and we have possums, raccoons and skunks. There is no such animal as Mafia down there. I like everyone on the show (even Melissa) except the winner. But it goes back to the old saying, “That’s why they make chocolate and vanilla.”

The month before the WSOP is the slowest time of the year for poker. Everyone is home preparing for the long grind that’s coming. It will be interesting to see how the recession affects the number of players in each event. Because of the internet poker sites sending players, I feel it won’t be down more than 10-20 percent from last year. I’ve always said the best barometer of the economy is the poker players. If they have money, the economy is ok, if they don’t, look out because hard times are coming.

I’m completely lost on what is going on in the gambling world. Since I had this sinus lift by the dentist, I’ve hardly gone out of the house. I don’t know if there is any golf action but I’m pretty sure there hasn’t been any poker games. Mostly because of boredom, I’ve been betting on the NBA playoffs with terrible results. I thought the Lakers would be the champion but now I can’t see anyone beating Cleveland. But the way I’m going you should bet against that.

We have two bounty tournaments at DoylesRoom, Doyle’s Bounty and Beat The Brunsons. It is a pleasant break to play in those every week. I don’t do too well in these tourneys but my daughter Pam is smoking. I think I probably get too impatient.

I also was supposed to go to Montana for Todd’s tournament. My face is so black and blue and sore, I’ve decided to stay home. I was really looking forward to going because that is my favorite place in the whole world. It reminds me of Texas when I was growing up. Everybody knows everybody and folks will help you in any way they can. Great place and the temperature was 44 degrees last night.

-DB

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

After all of my complaining about how bad I was feeling, I found the cure.  I’ve been staying at home for the past 2-3 months because there haven’t been any cash games to speak of and I’m really cutting down on my traveling to poker tournaments.  I’ve decided the tournaments have to come to me, here in Vegas, so I won’t be in very many away.

Anyways, I went down to the NBC Heads Up Championship, got beat my first match and went home.  Next day, there was a nice cash game.  I went and played and again the next day. Now I feel like a 30-year-old again.  I need to keep playing and remember an old Texas saying,  “Burn brightly but don’t burn out.”

Congrats to Huck Seed for winning the NBC Heads Up.  Huck has the best record of anyone in that tournament at 18-4.  Huck was the next “great player” 20 years ago but had some personal problems and was overlooked the past few years.  He is a cool guy and I hope he continues to keep his head on straight and wins.  The Heads Up Tournament is fast paced and I don’t think it is a good barometer of how people play, but 18-4 is pretty impressive.  Eric Seidel is 0-5 in the tournament.  Does that mean Huck is better?  I’ll let you answer that.

Huck beat Vanessa Rousso in the finals and I don’t understand all the negative comments about Vanessa.  Anybody can beat anybody else but that don’t take away from the fact she beat five pros who are considered to be pretty good.  I thought she played well against me.  Vanessa is obviously very smart and I think she should command everyone’s respect for what she did.

I would never have believed that I would watch of the programs I have been watching on TV. I’m now into season 8 of Dallas DVDs.  I watched The Celebrity Apprentice because Annie Duke is on it. She kicked butt in the 2nd episode; she is a cinch to go a long way because she outclasses her competition.  Louise even had me watching The Bachelor, which I believe is the dumbest thing I’ve ever watched.  She likes it, and I guess that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla.

In our weekly Bounty Tournament at DoylesRoom, we often have celebrity bounties.  This week is Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Broadway star and Tony’s daughter Meadow in the hit TV show, The Sopranos. I’ve met her three times and she is really a down to earth lady, not to mention gorgeous.  We had Nicky Hilton last week and both of these girls are pretty darn good poker players.  Come play with us.

-DB