Negreanu's latest blog update...

[shaniac]

[ QUOTE ]
There won't be a 2006 TOC Freeroll if a bunch of Bob Hume, Harry Cullen Jr., Corey Bierria, Jonathan Schecter, Don Mullis final table this event.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, if no name-pros make the final table of TOC 2005, televized poker as we know it might evaporate. And yeah, it's hard to imagine why Joe Viewer would want to see a guy just like himself (i.e. Don Mullis et al) playing for 1M in free money. Those ESPN execs must have panicked when they realized that there was no chance of Doyle, Phil OR Johnny making that tv table.

Perhaps for next year's WSOP ME we should let the top pros (or at least those with DVD's out) start with 20,000 chips, since that will ensure more glitz at the featured and final tables.

If the 2005 TOC fails, Harrah's can do whatever it wants to the 2006 TOC structure to create a better event/show. But it's totally, completely, inarguably MESSED UP to change the well-established rules of the 2005 TOC at the very last minute to cater to three (3) already-overfed TV pros.