WSOP 2004 – Greg the Champion - One for the Good Guys…………

[Myrtle]

Well, it’s now been 2 days since the smoke has cleared since Greg’s showing in the big one. Like many here on 2+2 , over the past week, I have spent an inordinate amount of time online (not playing as usual) but in relentlessly searching to get the latest updates as the field in the main event thinned down from a monstrous 2600.

Along with many other 2+2’ers, I posted thoughts & observations. I have had somewhat of an unique position in this regard, as Greg & I are good friends. Because of this, I thought that I would be able to offer some insights into Greg’s play and state of mind as the days wore on. It is my hope that what I offered shed some light on the situation to those who were following.

When the 88 hit the table and the bracelet now had Greg’s name on it, I was overjoyed for both Greg and his family. The victory has special meaning in that regard.

I have not posted here since then, as I was concerned that as many of you knew that Greg & I are good friends, that anything that I would post could easily be misconstrued. Good friends are a very important part of my life, and I am constantly on guard to protect their privacy, especially under circumstances like this. I shared this concern with one of the venerable “Pooh-Bahs” here at 2+2 in a PM. The response………. “I was surprised to not have seen a “fossilman” story from you. You guys are pretty close, no? Write away. Greg would do it for YOU. Many posters don't know him, and you should write something to help them understand him better.”

With that in mind, I’d like to share some things with my fellow 2+2’ers.

“Fossilman”, the poker player……..

We’ve played many tournaments and PL ring games together at Foxwoods. As I am a smoker, during the breaks, I always migrate to the smoking section to get my fair share of nicotine. I cannot tell you how many times during the past years that I’ve sat there without saying a word, literally peeing my pants laughing, as I’ve overheard one disgruntled player after another whine about getting clobbered by Greg. Invariably, most of these stories end up as face-saving “bad beat” stories. It’s the same old stuff….”He’s a lucky sob…..he doesn’t know how to play……he’s way too aggressive….he’s not that good……blah, blah, blah, etc.”. It goes on and on. Most of them wouldn’t know a good play if it hit them between the eyes. It’s like asking an elementary school student to all of a sudden become proficient at calculus….it just ain’t gonna happen!

The plain fact is that Greg plays the game on a level that most of us don’t even know exists. Veteran players at the tables (and posters here at 2+2) know this. His performance during this past week serves to validate this fact. Yes, the poker gods smiled on him a few times. Any of us that have ever won a tournament know this has to happen. The envious, malcontent railbirds will be sure to be chirping that aspect loud and clear as play is dissected under the post mortem magnifying glass. What they will most likely forget to mention is the times that he got his money in right, and he was on the opposite end of the gods’ whim.

To all my fellow 2+2’ers…..Judge Greg by his posts. Look at not only what he says, but how he says it. He’s a true student of the game and has an unquenchable thirst for improving his game. All of this comes without the typical ego….as Sgt. Joe Friday said so often on Dragnet…“Just the facts, m’am…just the facts”. When he’s critical of a play, it is criticism of the play….NOT the player.

So, if you TRULY want to improve your game, spend the time doing searches for his posts. Pay attention to the way he approaches various problems. Understand the logic the he uses to solve them. As a poker player, he is truly one in ten million. If you are really a student of the game, you can choose many to emulate, but none better than Fossilman.

Greg Raymer, the “Guy”………..

There have been a few posts here at 2+2 concerned about “gee, I hope he still will post here”. The insinuation being….”Now that he’s rich & famous, will he leave us mere mortals behind?”. One doesn’t have to have too vivid an imagination to understand that his life will be jammed up for a bit due to his showing, but…LOL….Let me tell you a bit about Greg.

He is what you see. His ability to change gears or put moves on at the poker table is NOT part of who he is as a person. Go to a dictionary and look up “Good Guy”. His picture will be next to the definition. He has many friends, and they are his friends because of who he is as a person, not a poker player. He is learned and intelligent, and has the proverbial “mind like a stainless steel trap”. But, you know what? I’ve NEVER seen him use that gift to harm anyone. It’s just not in his nature. Again….read his posts. He’ll reply to the “newby” here at 2+2 with thoughtful, caring, intelligent responses where some others will shoot back some smart-ass, snappy response meant to belittle the poster. What does that tell you about the man? Hell, he checked in to 2+2 from the airport today on the way home, just to thank us!

In an age of hypocrisy and hyperbole, he is the “real thing”. I consider myself fortunate to have such a friend, and sincerely wish that each of you are fortunate enough have a friend such a Greg.

For those of you to whom what I’ve just written strikes some chord of familiarity, I welcome you to share in his victory and wish him the best.

In the world of Good or Evil, it seems that evil wins more often than we’d like.

Not this time…..This was truly “One for the Good Guys”.

[Ian J]

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[Gomez22]

Very nice Myrtle.... thanks for sharing.

I haven't been playing that long(8 months now) and I have a few people here on the forums that have helped me with my game in immeasurable ways, and many more that have taken time to bash me when I needed it, push me when I was down, and praise me when I had success, however small or however big.

I can remember last year at the first OIC, that I was ecstatic as a new father after I had finally risen from the .5/1 limit tables(had never played as high as 1/2 before) to play at 1/2 and then 2/4 and then 3/6 and then 5/10.... it was a rush for me... I was on the leaderboard for every day of the OIC, and everyone that spoke to me or that I spoke to made me feel that my accomplishment was nothing short of "my own WSOP". It was at this point that I began to think of the 2+2 forums as a loose 2nd or 3rd "family".

There have also been those here that have helped me in more personal manners, and I can't even begin to bestow the thanks that I owe to so many here for many things: support, friendship, a kick in the pants when I needed it, and an overall sense of loyalty/companionship that one rarely finds without personal physical contact.

Although I've never spoken to Greg, and I don't think he's ever replied to any of my posts, I for one, am honored to be a part of the 2+2 forums, and be able to share in the excitement and wonder that we all feel as "one of our own" has brought the big one home.

I've heard nothing but good about Greg, and as most of us know, it's very rare around here to NOT find a derogatory post someplace about someone, so I think that speaks volumes for the type of person that Greg is. To hear the players that I admire on these forums treat him with respect and dignity only confirms to me that he is truly worthy of this, and I can only be as happy for him to win it as I would be for any personal friend of my own.

I found it strangely odd that Greg posted to thank us, when I feel that I should be thanking him from the bottom of my heart. I think he serves as an inspiration for everyone here and just proves that goals ARE attainable. He has inspried me just by the respect that he gets here.... add the obvious skill that he has, and the person that he seems to be, and I can only hope to one day be thought of in a tenth of the way that it is obvious that he is thought of.

Thank you once again, and I wish all the posters here at 2+2 well....

'Mez

[The Prince]

Great post John.

I second everything.

I don't know Greg as well as you do, but one thing that always striked me was that when you have a conversation with Greg, you'll learn something about this game even if he only says 5 words. There's something about how he can explain things in a way that even a 6 year old would understand. And there's a deepness to his thinking that is phenomenal.

One of the great things about poker compared for example to chess is that it's easy to think you know everything and understand the game. In chess, if you always get your ass kicked, it won't take time to figure out you might be doing something wrong. And if you lose at chess, you can only blame yourself.

In poker, since luck has a say in the short-term, you might be playing really bad, but still have good results, because luck is smiling your way. This means MANY players out there think they know this game in and out when in fact, they are stuck at a mediocre skill level. If they are running good: they are playing great and if they are running bad: their opponents are getting lucky. It's never their fault. And when you don't understand completely this game, it's very easy to see other players good fortune and attribute all of it to pure luck.

When you meet an excellent player and get to share ideas with him, if you are smart enough, you have to figure out there is so much to learn from poker that it really is a life process.

I'm sure happy I learned all I know about this game from Greg.

Congrats again buddy.

Nicolas Fradet

[45Player]

Nice post.

“So, if you TRULY want to improve your game, spend the time doing searches for his posts.”

About 18 months ago, that is exactly what I started doing. And that is why I have reached my current level (still light years behind Greg, but it has been a giant leap forward for me).

However there is one downside to all of this. Because of Greg’s new-found fame, people who never bothered with 2+2 before are going to start doing searches for Fossilman and are going to come to the realization that there’s a lot more to this game than they had thought. So we’re going to have a lot more people reading Greg’s analyses, which will result in the standard of play rising dramatically, and so the tournaments are going to get even tougher.
I was almost hoping that Greg would bust out before the final table so that people would not get to know about him and his contributions !

I’m not even going to envisage the nightmare scenario that will surely follow if Greg brings out a book !

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Thanks for the insight, John.

I've never had the pleasure of meeting Greg in person. I've seen him play at Foxwoods, even watched a bit as he played 75/150 stud, but I'm not the type to tap someone on the shoulder while they're busy to introduce myself.

I have had the pleasure of having Greg respond to posts I've made, and combining that with reading his analyses of other situations, I can safely say that he has had the greatest influence on my growth as a tournament player.

I tend to learn by taking a stand on an issue then seeing what agreement/critique comes back at me. The best answers I've gotten from Greg were those that challenged my play. He was direct and pulled no punches when I was wrong, yet was in no way condescending. I appreciated that. I post here to learn and if I'm off base I don't need my hand held, I need to be told the truth. Greg does that, and I respect him for it.

Hopefully, I'll be able to put all the great advice I get here to good enough use to tangle with both of you at the World Poker Finals this fall.

[Greg (FossilMan)]

Anyone would be lucky to have a friend as good as John. Luckier than winning the big one.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[sdplayerb]

Great post!

I've never met Greg but from the probably 50-100 hours I've spent reading his posts, this is what I would have expected to hear. And glad to hear that really is the case from somebody that does know him.
As I've posted before, I wouldn't be the player I am today (which is pretty decent finally), if not for Greg.
I think I need to go back and reread more of his posts.

Randy

[benjdm]

I wouldn't worry. People who stay bad poker players usually do it because they are too lazy to go looking for info / thoughts, not because they can't find it.

[d'Amphoux]

[ QUOTE ]
In an age of hypocrisy and hyperbole, he is the “real thing”. I consider myself fortunate to have such a friend, and sincerely wish that each of you are fortunate enough have a friend such a Greg.

For those of you to whom what I’ve just written strikes some chord of familiarity, I welcome you to share in his victory and wish him the best.

[/ QUOTE ]

You hit the nail on the head. I met Greg about a year ago when I started frequenting the PL game at Foxwoods. Having read his posts on RGP, and knowing of him, I was pleased to be puting a face to a name. When I told him I was now based on the east coast and was looking forward to playing with him. His response was a smiling "Thanks, but I don't know if I like the fact that you may impact my EV". It wasn't too soon thereafter that I realized that getting to know Greg was going to impact my EV...to the positive [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] He has made me a better player.

Great job buddy! You deserve it. Seeing you and Cheryl last night with those smiles and that bracelet was a treat indeed.

Mike