DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “Reputation is a bubble which bursts when a man tries to blow it up for himself.”

I’m getting lots of calls and emails about the Poker Hall of Fame induction in November and my opinion of the candidates. For those of you who don’t know this, this is the first year that the public votes for who they think should be nominated. Then the top 10 players from their vote are sent to the 15 living members of the HOF and to 15 media people. We each have 2 votes so here are my thoughts. Remember, these are my thoughts. If you don’t agree with me, please don’t start a civil war about it.

The criteria for selection is:
(1) Must have played against top competition.
(2) Played for high stakes.
(3) Played consistently well, gaining respect of their peers.
(4) Stood the test of time.
(5) Contributed to the overall growth and success of poker with positive and lasting results.

Here are the players in alphabetical order and my opinions about each one.

(1) Tom Dwan – It’s really an honor for Tom to be a nominee at the age of 22. Obviously, he can’t meet the criteria that are listed. I think he is a fine player and barring something unforeseen, his picture will be on the wall someday.

(2) Barry Greenstein – Barry meets all the requirements. I think he was a much better choice when he was a cash game player only. He is in my top 3 or 4 choices.

(3) Dan Harrington – “Action Dan” as he is known would be a good representative of the poker world.  He has a lot of interests outside poker, which will go against him.

(4) Phil Ivey – This is where I’ll get a lot of heat, because I think the Halls of Fame for any sport is for players whose careers have more to look back at than look forward to. Phil isn’t even at the height of his career yet but is a 100% cinch to be inducted soon. I’ve got a feeling I’m going to lose this argument which is OK if I do.

(5) Tom McEvoy – Tom is a long time ambassador of poker and is one of the old guys that I favor. I understand that playing for high stakes is different for everybody. You have to be a little bit crazy to play the stakes some of us play for, but Tom has put his time in at the tables.

(6) Men Nguyen – I’ve admired Men’s work ethic for years. Nobody has played and supported tournaments as much as Men. He has several player of the year awards as proof of that.

(7) Scotty Nguyen – Anybody that is called “The Prince of Poker” has to be a viable candidate. He is one of the best all-around players and he certainly meets the criteria well.

(8) Daniel Negreanu – What can I say here? go back and read what I said about Phil Ivey and pretend it’s here. Daniel is my choice to outlast any of the “young guns” people keep talking about Daniel and Phil both meet all 5 criteria.

(9) Eric Seidel – Eric is definitely one of my top choices. I think he is the consummate gambler. Besides being a great player, he has the best all-around disposition of anyone. He reminds me of Chip Reese, which is the highest compliment I can pay anyone.

(10) Mike Sexton – In my opinion, here is the #1 choice. Mike paid his dues at the table for years, gambled as high as his bankroll allowed and meets all the requirements for induction. Mostly, go back and read #5 in the criteria. Nobody and I mean nobody has contributed more to the success of poker than Mike Sexton. If he isn’t one of the people selected, something is wrong. I know of 3 votes from the living members at the HOF that Mike will get. Binion and Crandell Addington both assure me Mike will be their 1st choice, also.

So there you have it. It would be impossible to make a bad choice from this list of players. It will be interesting, to say the least, who the two inductees will be. Kudos to Harrah’s for changing the process!

-DB

DOYLISM OF THE DAY: “Be slow in choosing a friend, be even slower in changing friends.”

Sometimes you hear things that make you appreciative. A lady came up to me to get an autograph and told me her husband had died a couple of months ago. She said he was my biggest fan and had asked that a picture of him and me be placed by his coffin. We had made the picture at the 2008 WSOP. Of course, I couldn’t remember it but I was touched by the thought. The lady said, “You were with him even to the end.” Wow!

The Champions Tournament is over with Tom McEvoy winning it. Tom broke me in the 8th position with me missing a flush draw with an overcard on his two jacks. I was happy to see one of the older players win and there was only one young gun at the final table. Hoorah for the old guys!
This picture of all the winners will be poker history.

Speaking of old timers, I had a nice long visit with Amarillo Slim. I’m now completely sure that the charges of “child molestation” were false. In fact, nothing like that was ever in Slim’s indictment, only referring to inappropriate actions. Anyone who knows Slim knows he cannot be embarrassed about anything and almost always says things that would make a normal person (including me) blush. Slim and his family are intact again, more evidence it was a trumped up charge against a famous guy.

I thought it was hilarious that my cousin sent me an e-mail about colonoscopies, because I am going to have one after the WSOP. Everyone over 50 years old should have one every year and it’s been 7 years since I had one. This is the truth – the doctor who did it was named Dr. Goldenrod so help me. So here are some of the comments I’m going to tell my Dr. when he puts me in the stirrups letting people walk around and shredding all dignity. There were 12 sayings, I’ll put the next 6 in my next blog.

1. “Take it easy Doc, you’re boldly going where no man has gone before.”
2. “Find Amelia Earhart yet?”
3. “Can you hear me now?”
4. “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”
5. “You know, in Arkansas, we’re now legally married.”
6. “Any sign of the trapped miners?”

I really don’t mean to keep writing about Casper, but he got number 47 on his bite list. With Louise being gone, I hired a model who isn’t working right now to babysit him. She is my nephew Ken’s girlfriend and she has been around Casper and Casper loves her. But Casper is getting old and Sasha tried to move him while he was asleep. Bam, #47. Please beware of the Brunson dogs if you come to my house.

Jenny Woo, who writes for gambling911.com, picked me as the sexiest poker player for the second straight year. Obviously, she picks me because I’m the only one that won’t bring heat on her. It’s pretty obvious that Jenny and I haven’t been intimate because if she had seen my naked body, she would be even more embarrassed than me. Thanks anyways Jen, it’s good for my image. What is really funny is she had Patrik Antonius #2. I’m probably the most heterosexual person God ever put on earth, but Patrik is so handsome, when I look at him I go hmm-

-DB