[J_V]

I have been reading 2+2 for about 5 years. I pretty much have always posted as JV. Except for when I want to back up my own opinion, then I assume a few false identities and vehomently agree with myself [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]. I must have been 18-19 when I wrote my first post. I had just started playing semi-serious poker in home games. I was in stage 1 in the "Life of a poker player." With all respect to Mr. Zee he had his 3 stages of a poker life a little off. His stages are for old timers. Us young bucks have different stages, I was the loose-aggressive, Rounders quoting know-it-all wannabe. Yeah, I was "that" guy. If you're out there reading this and you're him - STOP. Just stop.

So, I started as a lurker at 2+2, sniffing my way around a little. Seeing what was out there. I think there was only one forum then....the "Poker" forum. I didn't post because I figured the post had to be about casino hands plus I didn't really know squat. Some of those guys were posting 100-200 stud hands. I figured they were crazy gamblers. I thought the 10-20 guys were sick. How could you lose $1000 in one night. I lost $200 one night and I couldn't sleep.

Anyway, one night I managed to wiggle my way by the security at Harrah's Casino in Chicago, and got in there to play a 3-6-12 HE. I probably lost. I can't remember. I claim that's the only game I have a losing record at - that [censored] 3-6-12 game. Anyway, I came home and posted my first hand. I remember it was some WAAAAY overplayed JJ hand..i think I cold-capped some guy's KK and he just check called me the whole way. If I remember right, he did one of those "flip calls" on me too (where they call and flip over their hand before you can show). I hate that. If you were so damn sure you were good, why didn't you raise ever? Oh, I know "I let you do the betting, son." Anyway, I thought I played the hand ok, but Jim Brier didn't think so. He gave the - what I now know to be - the usual Jim Brier rundown. "The standard UTG raiser has AA,KK,QQ,JJ,1010, and maybe AJs so therefore yada yada yada." When I saw that, I was like whoa...is that what these guys are thinking about? I didn't even know what UTG was. Maybe I picked the wrong game. These guys are great!

That was a real crap first post too. I really didn't know much. I'm glad it's not out there still. If it was, I'm sure Dynasty would have brought back quotes from it to catch me in some sort of mistatement. Those were the days though. A bunch of sharks posting and me trying to learn. Or at leat that's what it felt like. I remember Andy Fox helped me out a lot too. SKP was great too, he always helped me. Plus his hand reading essay is the best individual poker essay I've ever read. Those guys really helped the newbies. Really cool of them, and a sweet deal for me. Back then to me it felt like poker was the central issue. There was NO gossip forum for christs sake. Oh, but thank god there is now!

But over the years, I've pretty much read about every type of poker post imaginable. I can't even open a standard "AK from the blinds" post without getting sick to my stomach. So, I read now mainly for entertainment. I'm looking for a good laugh. I like a good story behind the hand. Tommy and Josh W do a good job with that. I wish I spent more time in the beginner forum to give back a little but I don't. Oh well.

Anyway, my main point was for writing this was to let some of you young guns in on the fact that 2+2 hasn't always been the blue and green technology fest it is today with a gazillion forums.

Also, today my posting style was called "gruff" and I was also called a prick. Of which I am both. And I think JA was being kind when he chose the word gruff. But I think it's a good word, because it reminds me a carmudgeon grandpa who thinks he knows how things work and won't be told otherwise. That's exactly how I feel. I've been around too long and seen to many posts to be wrong. I see the same thing in my main man, limon in the NL forum. That's what I am - a 2+2 grandpa. If you think Im wrong tell me, but you might get some lip.

Also, that's not gonna stop me from shaking my fist at you for speeding down my peaceful neighborbood in your convertible IROC-Z. Also, the old-schoolers don't put up those tacky pictures - we respect the game..err forum.

And I thought those 10-20 guys were sick gamblers and here I am playing 4 30-60's and 2-15's online while posting. Who'da thunk?

I know this probably belongs in some other forum. But that's not old school. Mid/High stakes is old school. Also, I wanna thank DS MM and RZ, even though I call their minions and decipals munchkins or take a poke here or there. You guys run a good forum.