[Al Schoonmaker]

My children intensely dislike the fact that their formerly respectable father now plays and writes about poker. One reason is that they believe poker has no redeeming social value. I am currently writing a book that says it has more educational value than sports. I think I make a good case, but others will make the final judgment.
I find it fascinating that football, baseball, and basketball players are heros, even though they contribute nothing except entertainment and many of them use drugs, get in fights, and are extremely immoral sexually. But we poker players are nearly pariahs because we also provide nothing but entertainment, cost society much less money, don't do drugs, and don't have the same sexual habits.
Thankfully, TV is changing our images. We are not yet respectable, but we are making progress.
Regards,
Al