Which WPT Player Most Advances Poker PR?

[Dan Mezick]

Discuss. Is it Phil Laak, for example? Howard? Phil Hellmuth? Who? Cite specific examples that support what you say and why.

I certainly have my own opinion. I'm interested in what 2+2ers have to say about it.

Here is how I'd measure it:

Advancing Poker PR:

Acting intentionally in the best interests of poker's long-term image and long-term growth:

o ...in every action (including selectively NOT responding,)
o ...in every media interview,
o ...in every post in every message board (s)he posts in,
o ...in every interaction with players, dealers and tournament officials,
o ...in every statement made at the table and away from it,
o ...in thought and deed, advancing the sport long-term in the eyes of the public.

Is there a current player like this? What is her/his name?

I see one, maybe two players with intention in these respects. One of them has bitterly disparaged another specific player very publicly in the past, and I am sure the player that did the disparaging deeply regrets this history now.

Discuss: which player(s) is/are poker's de facto PR ambassador(s)?

Who in the current lineup intentionally tries to BEST represent the long-term BEST INTERESTS of this great sport?

Who is STEPPING UP? The thing that kills me right now about poker is that I even have to ask.

[Stew]

Ben Affleck, discussion over.

[GoSox]

Barry G., with Texas Dolly a close second. Ben Aff?? Seriously.

[carpe2k]

Of the new faces on the scene my vote goes to Howard Lederer. Calm, cool, collected, and classy without airs.
Texas Dolly will always be the measure for them all. /images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[ohgeetee]

Howard Lederer

He is simply a class act. even when he was perturbed in the razz event, it was good natured and comical. When he announces he kicks major ass with lots of great points and reasoning behind tourney players thinking. When he gets beat, even by an amateur, he is gracious and hasn't ever [censored] talked. Always has something good to say about his opponents.

Daniel Negreanu

Constantly offers great insight to the poker world via his cardplayer articles. He gives candid and honest thoughts when he posts publicly, even if it is not mainstream opinion. Has a great table image, is jovial and friendly with seemingly everyone. When he gets beat, he isn't demeaning and doesn't pass the buck when it comes down to why he was beaten.

Doyle Brunson

The token cowboy at the table, and a great staple to the poker world. He has old time "honor" emblazened with every move he makes. He is candid, friendly, and seems to be an all around great guy. One thing that shows the character of doyle is the following:

Back when online poker was first starting up, he was friends with a few people involved with a site called highlands poker. he wasn't involved in any way except that htey were his friends and he let them use his likeness and endorsement on their site. they sold their site, and he told the new company that they were not allowed to use his image anymore. the company kept his pic and endorsement up anyway, and went bust pokerspot style, and didn't pay all of their cashouts. doyle, even though he had no involvement witht he site outside of saying it wasa good site when his friends were involved, took the responsibility of the debt and made sure that those customers were paid.

Theres quite a few more people that I think are also great for the world of poker, but these 3 in general go above and beyond IMO.

[Stew]

[ QUOTE ]

Barry G., with Texas Dolly a close second. Ben Aff?? Seriously.

[/ QUOTE ]

Given the criteria above, yes, Ben Affleck and it's not even close.

[Tosh]

[ QUOTE ]

Given the criteria above, yes, Ben Affleck and it's not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree completely.

[Dan Mezick]

Ben is a brand name and has won the CA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP. What has he done to advance poker's esteem in the eyes of the public, besides playing the game "as himself"?

I'm not throwing dimes on the guy. Yet, compare BenA to BarryG, for example. Discuss.

Howard has alot of class. What about Negreanu? Raymer? Raymer seems like a great ambassador-in-the-making.

[thirddan]

i like Daniel N, but he did make a remark on one of the FSN shows about how he was disappointed that he only came in sixth and only won 70k, and that he couldn't buy a car even...I think that to someone that doesn't know much about poker pros and gamblers this statement made him seem like a giant a-hole...

[spamuell]

[ QUOTE ]
Yet, compare BenA to BarryG, for example. Discuss.

[/ QUOTE ]

This doesn't make sense. One of the cool things about the English language is that you don't need to follow every single thing you say with "Discuss."

Compare the writing of posters who don't strive for respectability on these boards through pretentiousness to your own. Discuss.

[Stew]

[ QUOTE ]
Ben is a brand name and has won the CA STATE POKER CHAMPIONSHIP. What has he done to advance poker's esteem in the eyes of the public, besides playing the game "as himself"?

I'm not throwing dimes on the guy. Yet, compare BenA to BarryG, for example. Discuss.

Howard has alot of class. What about Negreanu? Raymer? Raymer seems like a great ambassador-in-the-making.

[/ QUOTE ]

You answered your own question dude, "besides playing the game "as himself"? He advances the esteem of poker in the public's eyes by playing, he gives it credibility. Take some sexually frustrated soccer mom, who watches his movie with a vibe in her hand while the kids are napping, she hears dude won a good amount of money is some "Poker State Championship" and she's all about it, end of story. Negreanu, Lederer, Greenstein, Dolly, they all do so much more for poker day in, day out, but they can't touch what Affleck does for the game, again, GIVEN THE CRITERIA ABOVE.


BTW, the California Poker State Championship is a major tournament win and it was on the front page of every news website around when it happened, along with almost every newscast.

[GoSox]

There are more people who gamble than play golf or fish. It hardly seems like poker needs Ben for credibility. Do you seriously think there are millions of people who were waiting for Ben to provide credibility before they start playing ?? Ben hasnt advanced poker, he just got it extra publicity.

[JARID]

[ QUOTE ]
i like Daniel N, but he did make a remark on one of the FSN shows about how he was disappointed that he only came in sixth and only won 70k, and that he couldn't buy a car even...I think that to someone that doesn't know much about poker pros and gamblers this statement made him seem like a giant a-hole...

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw this and he did sound like a giant a-hole. Having said that, everyone deserves a little slack and I think the good outweighs the bad with this guy.

-Jarid

[JARID]

[ QUOTE ]
Acting intentionally in the best interests of poker's long-term image and long-term growth:

[/ QUOTE ]

Howard Lederer; "Intentional" implies that his actions are contrived and I don't think that is the case, but he is classy, competitive and does quite abit to advance the game.

[ QUOTE ]
Discuss: which player(s) is/are poker's de facto PR ambassador(s)?


[/ QUOTE ]

People have such short memories. WSOP - ~850 entrants to ~2500. Not official, but real none the less, the guy who turned a few bucks into a million did more for the growth and visibility of the game than anyone. He created a connection for the non pro, heck the non player. The fact that he was accessible, kind and acted as a good ambassador post win solidifies his status.

To the more enlightened, Doyle Brunson is the Babe Ruth of Poker.

[ QUOTE ]
Who is STEPPING UP? The thing that kills me right now about poker is that I even have to ask.

[/ QUOTE ]

Daniel Negreanu

This Ben Affleck talk is silly.


-Jarid

[Scratch]

Jesus, Lederer, and Dolly.

[CrisBrown]

Hi Dan,

There is no one "best" ambassador for poker. Barry Greenstien gives his tournament winnings to charity. Doyle Brunson, T.J. Cloutier, and Chip Reese still set the bar for professionalism. Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu have very engaging, although different, personalities, and are always class acts. Gus Hansen created a superstar persona on the WPT and also conducts himself well at the table. Howard Lederer talks about the game in ways that emphasize the skill element, and is also a gentleman at the table. Mike Sexton did a great deal for poker in the first season of the WPT, by making No-Limit Hold'Em more accessible for casual players. Annie Duke, Jennifer Harmon, Kathy Liebert, and Cindy Violette have all shown that women can play as well as men. And Chris Moneymaker admitted to the world that he'd come from nowhere, and essentially surrendered his privacy for a year to (try to) be what the media and the public wanted in a "world champion."

Are any of these players "perfect," in that "in EVERY interview," etc., they are flawless ambassadors? No. No human being in a high-stress situation is going to be that perfect. But the fact is that there are a whole lot of players who, by their skills and deportment, have worked to change the image of poker from a smoke-filled, back-of-the-bar-with-guns-under-the-table game, to the quiet game of skill that it truly is.

Cris

The answer is so obvious, so I'm shocked that no one has given it yet. It's Phil Hellmuth. He's the only one who really has promoted the game in the mainstream media(non poker related). I've seen him on a few TV talk shows and heard him on ESPN radio multiple times. I would say that he clearly is the most recognizable poker player in the world.

[ohgeetee]

he explained this on RGP. Basically, he was looking to buy a car with his winnings, and the car was like 90k or something, so he said that, then said he was only kidding, but when the WPT aired it, the volume was way down when he said he was just kidding.

[ohgeetee]

He promotes himself, not the game.

[thirddan]

I think someone posted it here as i read that and i don't read rgp often. However, most people that watch poker TV don't visit here or Rgp so they don't get to hear the explanations, so that makes him come of as a jerk, even though his lifestyle is just not common or understood amongst people that are not gamblers...

[GoSox]

Thanks wetleg, I knew it was only a matter of time before some joker suggested hellmuth !! I'm guessing you also voted for Pete Rose as being the best ambassador ever for baseball.

[lolita16]

I would agree with others who have said Texas Dolly as a living legend of integrity in poker. Chip Reese also is a true class act. For the slightly younger generation, I would also agree that Howard is the cream of that crop. Oddly, I think Daniel N. usually displays the utmost integrity save for a couple of occasions in which his judgement was seriously lacking. His comments about a high profile female player, as well as his showing of a bluff to Freddy Deeb, I found in particularly bad taste. (I understand the philosophy behind putting him on tilt. I just think showing a bluff is in poor taste.)

No one has mentioned my final selection who I believe represents our trade very well to the female contingent. Cindy Violette has always come across to me as extremely classy.

[Dan Mezick]

I didnt know about Cindy. There is not much out there on her. I was able to dredge up this link, which appears to be the most detailed out there right now:

Detailed Cindy Violette Article (http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Features/CA_Feature_Basic_Template/0,2344,558,00.html)

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
His comments about a high profile female player, as well as his showing of a bluff to Freddy Deeb, I found in particularly bad taste. (I understand the philosophy behind putting him on tilt. I just think showing a bluff is in poor taste.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, Dan's comments about a certain female poker player are hardly something the general public (i.e. non-internet forum groupies) is aware of, so I'm not sure that should count against him.

As for the showing the bluff against Deeb, I don't really see the problem with it. In fact I would say 90% of the general poker playing population would do the same thing in their home game.

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks wetleg, I knew it was only a matter of time before some joker suggested hellmuth !! I'm guessing you also voted for Pete Rose as being the best ambassador ever for baseball.

[/ QUOTE ]

You may not like the answer, but it's the only one. Phil is the only player who constantly goes outside the game to promote it. That makes him the only answer.

People are naming players who no one outside the poker world have ever heard of. Many people outside the poker world have heard of Phil Hellmuth because of his promotion of the game.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks wetleg, I knew it was only a matter of time before some joker suggested hellmuth !! I'm guessing you also voted for Pete Rose as being the best ambassador ever for baseball.

[/ QUOTE ]

You may not like the answer, but it's the only one. Phil is the only player who constantly goes outside the game to promote it. That makes him the only answer.

People are naming players who no one outside the poker world have ever heard of. Many people outside the poker world have heard of Phil Hellmuth because of his promotion of the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, and I forgot to add, there is a movie of Phil that is going to be made next year. I believe it's going to be called "The Madison Kid". If that's not more promotion for the game, I don't know what is.

[ohgeetee]

Actually if you did a poll, I would wager that more people in the world know amarillo slim than know phil hellmuth.

and Howard Lederer and Doyle Brunson have both done television interviews about poker as well on non poker related TV.

Again, the question was not "who is the most recognizable poker player" the question was, who advances poker PR. Phill Hellmuth advances himself, and the only thing that has to do with poker is that he happens to play it. His whining and ego do nothing to make people look at poker in a non negative light, it just makes them want to beat his ass anytime they see him.