Good or Bad for Poker if Matusow Wins??

[Boltsfan1992]

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What I think is really dump about this discussion, is the fact that people bad mouth Mike for doing Coke, and say he is bad for poker, blah blah blah...

But everyone praised Stu Ungar for being the best tournament poker player every. But it's well knowed the he was a HUGH Coke head.

Why is Mike so Hated and Stuy so lovewd?
[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

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I have never played with Stu Ungar, as I have only read about him and saw his thin visage on re-runs of the World Series of Poker...

I never saw Stu talk or berate anyone at the poker table during that event. Did he act the way Mike does? Or did he just play cards and let the cards speak for him instead? As I wrote, I don't know - I didn't play with him.

To me, that's the difference that matters.

PB

[fnurt]

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um, if my friends ask me to score them some coke I'm going to give them a ride to the nearest rehab center. I'm NOT going to hook them up.

This has to be the MOST ridiculous defense I've ever seen.

Thanks for playing though,
ThisHo

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The undercover NARC was part of a task force that was assigned to bust a drug ring. They had been spending local and state funds for a very long period of time to try to get some leaks and ultimately failed. Why do you think Mike only got a few months as a pose to a maximum sentence of say four years? The case against Mike was very weak.

Don't come on here judging other people unless your Mother Theresa herself. You've never done marijuana, served alcohol to minors, engaged in some sort of illicit activity, etc.?

By the way your signature "Thanks for playing though" is super lame.

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The story is very close to an entrapment defense. Do you know if he was convicted or if he pleaded guilty?

[Eegs]

Matusow will no longer be the druggie gambling poker player, he will be that poker guy that won 7.5 million...

[Hold'me]

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Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Mike Matusow Sentenced to 6 Months in Clark County Jail


Earlier today, Mike Matusow had his official sentencing hearing at the Clark County, Nevada Courthouse for charges stemming from a November 2003 drug arrest. He had previously agreed to a plea deal that would require 6 months in County Jail, as well as additional months probation. Originally, Matusow faced 6 felony counts including drug trafficking, conspiracy, and import - 5 of which were dropped as part of the deal. On August 3rd, Matusow agreed to enter a guilty plea to one felony count of possession for sale - CS class, Schedule I (453.337).

Judge Donald Mosley was not bound by the plea agreement but did decide today to sentence Matusow to the more lenient 6 months. Matusow was cuffed and taken to the lockup, where he will begin serving his sentence immediately. Ironically, Matusow will be serving his time less than one city block from Binion's Horseshoe - where he has built a successful poker career and won multiple WSOP bracelets.

Matusow is probably best known for his confrontation with Greg "Fossilman" Raymer at this year's WSOP Main Event - shown multiple times on ESPN. Known as an extremely emotional player, Matusow let his excitement get the best of him as he berated Raymer over his play the previous hand. When he realized he was acting out of hand, he offered an apologetic handshake, but Raymer refused. Matusow was also shown crying after being busted out of the event - in a classic example of the highs and lows associated with his play. Those who know him insist that Matusow is a good guy who simply wears his emotions on his sleeve - for better or worse.

More recently, Matusow had an impressive showing at the World Poker Tour's Ultimate Bet.com Aruba Classic. He finished third in the event, taking home $250,000. He played extremely well in the event, which will ironically air on the Travel Channel sometime during his incarceration. Only last week he was near the top of the poker world. This week, reality sets in.

The circumstances surrounding his arrest for cocaine possession are very murky - with those close to Matusow insisting he was merely caught up in a favor gone horribly wrong by overzealous narc cops. In the state of Nevada possessing more than 1 ounce of cocaine constitutes a felony with intent to distribute - irrespective of the actual intent.

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[fnurt]

Very interesting. My guess is they plea-bargained it down to 6 months because they knew the case was very sketchy - it's not like real coke dealers generally get 6-month sentences.

The basic concept of an entrapment defense is that you have to show you weren't otherwise predisposed to commit the crime if it wasn't for the undercover cop. Obviously I can't vouch for Matusow's story, but if they had no evidence that he sells drugs otherwise, and his story was that (like many people) he simply knew how to hook a friend up if they asked, that's pretty classic entrapment. Having a good defense like that is what makes the prosecution inclined to let you off with a 6-month sentence.

[Trainwreck]

One problem, LIVE POKER aint going anywhere, the WSOP (is LIVE) should not factor into ONLINE play all that much, and if the online only magoos take a setback, and offshore and other country based casinos take a hit, I will hardly shed a tear, since it's not helped our economy, and the turds in DC are turds for a reason, this should have been CUT and DRIED a long time ago.

Apparently plenty of politicos play online as well, so I think this speculation on decline is poppycock.

Plenty of people will likely move out of the US if they outlaw online poker, so CA/MX better get your borders in shape, BABY!

Does 'The mouth' look like a dealer to you, honestly? User perhaps...

Dealers typically do a tad more than 6 months in cty jail btw, the LV papers covered the bust and that NARC story was about it. Busted at a telephone booth if I recall, definitely a drug den! /s

Poker players READING too much into things, imagine that! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

>TW<

[ThisHo]

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um, if my friends ask me to score them some coke I'm going to give them a ride to the nearest rehab center. I'm NOT going to hook them up.

This has to be the MOST ridiculous defense I've ever seen.

Thanks for playing though,
ThisHo

[/ QUOTE ]
The undercover NARC was part of a task force that was assigned to bust a drug ring. They had been spending local and state funds for a very long period of time to try to get some leaks and ultimately failed. Why do you think Mike only got a few months as a pose to a maximum sentence of say four years? The case against Mike was very weak.

Don't come on here judging other people unless your Mother Theresa herself. You've never done marijuana, served alcohol to minors, engaged in some sort of illicit activity, etc.?

By the way your signature "Thanks for playing though" is super lame.

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1 - where did I "judge" Mike? I simply said that it was a weak defense to say that he was just "getting it for a friend."

2 - never done maryjane/blow/etc. never bought for a minor. "illicit?" ... hmmmm.... I drank before I was 21, so I guess that counts. I'm not judging Mike the person. Many reports state that "those who know him say he's a good guy" or something to that nature. Fine, I can't say otherwise. My point in all this was "He sold coke to someone so he went to jail and I'm not sure that's the person we want to hold the World Champion title for the next year."

At what point did it become wrong to say "breaking the law is a bad idea and we probably shouldn't do it."

3 - yeah, that was a lame sign off - you're right.

Humbly,
ThisHo