Barry Greenstien is my Favorite

[Duke]

Normally I'd ask you why you can't read, but seeing as I must have confused Paul Phillips too, who I'm sure is highly intelligent, the problem must be with my own writing.

~D

[J.R.]

Maybe its a distinction without much meaning, since both end up being publicized, but I have always thought Barry Greenstein's poker TV appearances have come across an effort publicize his charity (for the purpose of benefiting Children's Inc.) rather than as an opportunity to publicize his altruism.

[RPatterson]

You are wrong man, Berry is just a self-serving [censored] and anyone that gives him props for donating millions of dollars to starving children is a total moron.

[Paul Phillips]

[ QUOTE ]
I suppose I can't rescind my ignorant comment. I seem to have incorrectly assumed that when I saw him on ESPN saying that he gives all his tourney winnings to charity, that he was telling everyone that he gives all of his tourney winnings to charity.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not interested in any sort of protracted discussion of this but I'd say this quote captures my issue with you perfectly. When the ESPN interviewer asks barry "so, I hear you give all your tournament winnings to charity" what precisely do you expect him to say? What you see on TV is ten seconds "distilled" from a conversation one hundred times as lengthy -- and you don't get to hear any of the questions.

I probably logged over sixty minutes of interview time with fox and espn over the last couple months. Both networks independently managed to air only micro-clips of me talking about how it's an edge not to need the money. I'm sure plenty of people inferred from this that all I ever talk about is how great it is to be wealthy. But again, when someone asks "does it give you an edge not to need the money" what am I supposed to say? What's barry supposed to say?

Some people are much more skilled and calculating at manipulating the media than others. There are people who never speak on camera without carefully considering how their words might be taken out of context. I'm sure this effort helps those people with their public image, but I don't consider it to be a particularly admirable quality. I like people who are honest and candid.

Short of barry going to lengths to hide his philanthropy, it was going to get out and he was going to be asked about it. I think he was reluctant to get any publicity but that he decided the benefits of bringing additional attention to a cause he feels strongly about outweighed the lameness he'd have to fade from people who would cast aspersions on his motives. Perhaps you can't see the nobility in that, but I certainly can.

[ QUOTE ]
And the point wasn't to say that Barry is a bad person anyhow. If that was implied, then I guess I should work on my writing.

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as I could tell the point was to take a thoroughly unprovoked jab at a guy who should warrant nothing but your respect. If you intended something else then I would agree your writing needs some work.

[SossMan]

[ QUOTE ]
You are wrong man, Berry is just a self-serving [censored] and anyone that gives him props for donating millions of dollars to starving children is a total moron.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are serious, you are a complete idiot.

[Duke]

I think that 4 posts saying the same thing is enough for anyone.

~D

[Duke]

You don't get enough information in an interview snippet to make any sort of a decision whatsoever. Surely not enough to frame Phil Ivey as a money-grubbing parasite.

Yes, making it possible for kids to eat is as close to an objective good as you'll ever get. If I only had TV spots to work from I couldn't form any opinion of him whatsoever, since you never know what they cut out.

It's none of my or anyone else's business what someone else does with their money.

Sarcasm seems to be lost on everyone these days.

I only posted this because it dawned on me that Paul might not have been playing along to help make the point that he feels so strongly about, and he might have actually been disagreeing with me.

I'll put my tongue back in my cheek now for future posts, save those that approach topics that may offend. If I do anger someone, I want it to be deliberate.

~D

[J_V]

It was hard to see tounge in cheek in your post. I thought you were serious.

[RPatterson]

What is up with me saying Phil Ivey is a money grubbing parasite? He was merely an example I used, of ANY poker player other than Berry Greenstein. It has nothing to do with Phil Ivey.

[eeeguy]

So how much did it take for Berry to say "thats enough time to play for the kids!" Does anyone know if he has like a 5 million dollar home in the south Hamptons or in Cali and like 2 yachts so he can visit the nations he has helped? I love to see him win the big boy!