Tilt - any truth?

[AcesKracked]

Forgive me for my ignorance in asking these questions. Our home game group has been discussing the pure cheese of ESPN's new min-series and its cast of ultra tool-like characters. I have been searching the archives but cannot find the answer to some of our questions. Let me preface, only 1 of us has been to Vegas and we have only a few weekends of casino play experience.
1) Does some of this stuff go on at larger stakes (cheating and collusion)?
2) If so, how prevelant is it?
3) Does anyone who is good really talk that much junk at the table?

Although I feel like the best players will always prevail over the long haul my limited expereince in smaller games (4-8, or NL $200) is that I am usually the only guy at the table who does not know everyone else's name and all of the dealers and I have noticed on multiple occasions that the whole table lights up when an out-of-town guys is being walked by the brush to their table.
Any insight would be appreciated.

[niwotyalpi]

1) sometimes

2) depends on where your playing

3) not usually (you know the ole saying "those who really are tough don't go around talking about about it")

[jayheaps]

depends on the level for the trash talking. much more at the middle limits than anywhere else from guys who think they can intimidate the table.

[MCS]

There's almost certainly some collusion at high stakes, at least implicitly. Opinion is mixed re: outright cheating.

I doubt very much that any significant amount of effective collusion is occurring at low stakes; I think that what you perceive as a cartel of colluders who light up when they see you could be explained in a couple of ways:
(1) You're nervous because you have "limited experience," so you see the other players as more intimidating than they really are.
(2) Other players think they are smart, and they may notice that you're inexperienced, which makes them think you will be a fish and give them your money.

[-Syk-]

I believe they stole this concept from Russ Georgiev. The part of them releasing tapes about how they do it is something they did with Mike Caro. The videos are online somewhere of one of the main people admitting it was bullsh1t, though. You can search RGPs archives for the original posts.

[srw5n]

Might be illuminating to ask Andy Beal why he only plays heads up.

[-Syk-]

[ QUOTE ]
Might be illuminating to ask Andy Beal why he only plays heads up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Got a quija board?

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

TILT = Fiction.

[balt999]

Yes, I think there's truth in it, but because it's on TV, it's overdramatized.

balt999 Journal about Poker and Life (http://www.livejournal.com/users/balt999/)