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I love it how the 2+2 masses did everything they could to force out Annie Duke
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What's your sample size for the term "masses" -- anything less than 1,000,000 hands can't really be considered.
Allowing for those limitations, I don't think many people here on 2+2 treated Annie poorly -- there are hundreds and hundreds of people on this board(thousands!) and while some did act completely out of line ... such is to be expected.
There must be some type of insane validation one gets from mocking famous people (even if said mockery is wholly undeserved). I would place far better than 3:1 odds that none of these people, if they were to meet Annie face to face, or to meet Paul face to face, would spew any venom whatsoever.
The Internet makes even the meekest brave.
Fun non-poker story: I design the WWE collectible card game and a few years back there was a huge online feud going on between a few players. They were all set to be at the same convention. Many thought that it would turn into fisticuffs once the parties were brought together, that's how heated the exchanges were. What actually happened...? The people in question just avoided each other - not a negative word was said.
In short: it's how the Internet functions. There is a line from Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back where Ben "The Bomb in Phantoms" Affleck remarks to the duo that the Internet is a device for porn and bashing famous people. Sadly, it's too true.
Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com