Negreanu's latest blog update...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
quote deleted by Dynasty

[/ QUOTE ]

Use a little imagination. While this doesn't affect him directly, it is representative of a class of problems that can come up with the WPT, WSOP etc.; that is to say, management making decisions that promote their bottom line at the expense of poker players in the event. This change is clearly much more minor than some, but if such a thing becomes acceptable then there might be problems. In this way, it's quite similar to his complaint about the 2006 WSOP schedule, or other objections (not necessarily by Negreanu) that have been raised before about forbidding deals, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

It seems to be a trend with both the WPT and the WSOP to do things like this, instead of filming and showing a TRUE final table, or event where all the players EARNED their spots at the table.

At least however, with the 2005 WPT Ladies Night III event, while the audiance at large most likely did NOT have a clue, those who participated did.

That is, it was rigged in a sense, the deck stacked for the 'name brand' Female poker players, with the exception of the Lone woman, London Galager, who waded through a field of almost 600 women, to win her place at that final table.

The other ladies at the final table, did NOT have to do so .. since they were 'invited' to that final table. To add insult to injury at least to MY way of thinking (and I'm only speaking for myself here of course), London didn't finish up winning her place at that final table, until 5:30 am in the morning of the SAME day that she was to play at that final table, a mere 7 hours later at 12 noon that day.

Plus, she had to be there at 10 or 11 am for interviews as well. I suspect she was lucky to get but a few hours sleep. Yet, while she was up until the wee hours working her butt off to win her seat at that final table, the other 5 ladies, assured that there seats would be there for them, were safe and sound in bed, getting needed rest for the final table.

All in the cause of ratings, and because some suit things, if you don't have name brand players at the final table, you won't get any ratings. So, they rig it in some way, so that regardless of how good a given 'name brand' is playing at a given time, they are assured a seat at that final table, much as with the WPT and the 2005 Ladies Night III episode.

I agree with Daniel ... what the did just isn't right, and no disrespect to Doyle or the other players who were added who didn't win there way there.