A chat with Bernard Lee.

[archangel]

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This point is valid, except for the fact that he had obviously been doing it the whole time (not just after guaranteeing a big score).

I'll tell you, I really can't stand all of the mutual fellatio that goes on when someone busts out, either. Shake hands, well played, ok.

But there's no need for a Happy Ending. It's a poker tournament, not a massage parlor. Bernard looked like he was gonna start French kissing each departing contestant.

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so basically you'd prefer everyone -- amateurs and professionals alike -- played poker stone-faced at all times like Ivey and Greenstein ... is that about right?

[Sykes]

I really liked this part of the chat:

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Ben B(Belmont, MA): First off, Congrats on a very impressive showing at the WSOP. What was your most memorable hand? And who was the "best" player that you won a hand against?

SportsNation Bernard Lee: (5:57 PM ET ) I think without question the most memorable hand that I played was the AA vs. QQ vs. Shawn. The most memorable hand I didn't play was when I laid down KK pre-flop on day 3. Based on his actions, I just felt like he had aces and I was right.


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[BillFranklin]

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so basically you'd prefer everyone -- amateurs and professionals alike -- played poker stone-faced at all times like Ivey and Greenstein ... is that about right?

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In a word.... yes

[Rushmore]

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so basically you'd prefer everyone -- amateurs and professionals alike -- played poker stone-faced at all times like Ivey and Greenstein ... is that about right?


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Would you say that someone like Greg Raymer conducts himself in an acceptable manner? I mean, I haven't seen him fall on the table when he wins or run around screaming 'THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN BOUT!!!" or berate any other player or cry when he loses with the second nut flush or start doing pushups in the middle of a hand or walk around "working the room" when he's out of the tournament, starved for face time on the television machine.

What I see is a man who knows how to carry himself in the world, who seems to have some regard for his personal dignity.

Ok, I got a little carried away, fair enough. But when I watch Harrington, Raymer, Lederer, Ivey, Greenstein, Brunson, or Seidel, I see men who know how to conduct themselves.

Much of the other stuff I see is simply embarassing, quite frankly.

[B Dids]

The guy's wife was sick, give me a break.

He didn't do anything offensive, he just kissed a picture of his family. How that that effect anybody else in the negative at all?

[Rushmore]

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The guy's wife was sick, give me a break.

He didn't do anything offensive, he just kissed a picture of his family. How that that effect anybody else in the negative at all?

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Actually, to be honest, I had forgotten that part of the story.

Great. Now I sort of feel bad.

Ok, that passed.

I can certainly understand being emotional about your wife being sick.

So let's speak a bit more generally--I honestly do feel that there is just a bit too much Dr. Phil and a whole lot too much of the frat boy poker player baseball cap blah blah blah stuff.

There doesn't seem to be much gracious in-between. That's all I meant.

But again, to be honest, I forgot about his wife being sick.

<sigh>

THE ISLE OF CRETE!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[MicroBob]

There are also plenty of amateurs who don't make a big production out of everybody who gets knocked out.

His kid-slobber habits qwew out of hand...his hugging of the losers was just plain silly.

I actually think that all of that even the hand-shaking stuff of every freaking guy at the table is pretty silly too.


I'm not saying that every single player has to be completely emotionless.
Emotion is fine.

But contrived stuff like high-fiving every freaking person in your little 'section' of the audience or the
run-around-YEAH-BABY-THATS-WHAT-IM-TALKIN-ABOUT is all just stupid and inappropriate.


The hugging of the losers and all the consoling and 'you played great...you should be so proud of yourself' almost makes me ill.
Reminds me of the Bay101 WPT episode where Phil Gordon had his little post-tourney love-fest with Moneymaker and the other guy where he was so freaking condescending about telling them how proud they should be.


However, I welcome the day you guys get to bump this thread and point out what a hypocrite I am after I have a good cry-and-hug with every single person I knock out at the 2006 WSOP final-table.

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I'm willing to bet that if you qualify on line for pennies (compared to 10K) and get the point where you're guaranteed 400K, you'll do some stuff that we find silly also.
You do realize, that an amateur making it that far, is a lot like hitting the lottery, don't you?
Now, the Swede, who screamed at the top of his lungs, now, that was ridiculous, however, he was a lottery winner.

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This point is valid, except for the fact that he had obviously been doing it the whole time (not just after guaranteeing a big score).

I'll tell you, I really can't stand all of the mutual fellatio that goes on when someone busts out, either. Shake hands, well played, ok.

But there's no need for a Happy Ending. It's a poker tournament, not a massage parlor. Bernard looked like he was gonna start French kissing each departing contestant.

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I agree. What's up with all the hugging that is going on these days? When I bust out of a tournament I damn well don't want some guy hugging me. Now if it was Evelyn Ng doing the hugging i'd be first in line. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

[TaintedRogue]

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I'm willing to bet that if you qualify on line for pennies (compared to 10K) and get the point where you're guaranteed 400K, you'll do some stuff that we find silly also.
You do realize, that an amateur making it that far, is a lot like hitting the lottery, don't you?
Now, the Swede, who screamed at the top of his lungs, now, that was ridiculous, however, he was a lottery winner.

[/ QUOTE ]

This point is valid, except for the fact that he had obviously been doing it the whole time (not just after guaranteeing a big score).

I'll tell you, I really can't stand all of the mutual fellatio that goes on when someone busts out, either. Shake hands, well played, ok.

But there's no need for a Happy Ending. It's a poker tournament, not a massage parlor. Bernard looked like he was gonna start French kissing each departing contestant.

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And where did all that hugging come from? When that first started occurring, I told my wife that it was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever seen on these televised tournaments. Has anyone seen someone of the caliber of Dr. Ferguson and Phil Ivey hugging each other when one knocked the other out? I haven't.
I wonder if it isn't PokerStars' idea to induce viewers to join their site. The viewer sees the team spirit between the PokerStars qualifiers and deduces that if they were to see their dream come true, that they would not be alone at the WSOP, but instead, with a team of players, supported by a world renowed site.
We I sit back and reflect, I do not see any difference in the level of ridiculousness in the pro who wears his sunglasses upside down, Raymer and his custom sunglasses and Lee and his kissing the photo of his family.
I think that they are all looking for a way to individualize themselves for marketing purposes.

[NCAces]

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I'm willing to bet that if you qualify on line for pennies (compared to 10K) and get the point where you're guaranteed 400K, you'll do some stuff that we find silly also.
You do realize, that an amateur making it that far, is a lot like hitting the lottery, don't you?
Now, the Swede, who screamed at the top of his lungs, now, that was ridiculous, however, he was a lottery winner.

[/ QUOTE ]

This point is valid, except for the fact that he had obviously been doing it the whole time (not just after guaranteeing a big score).

I'll tell you, I really can't stand all of the mutual fellatio that goes on when someone busts out, either. Shake hands, well played, ok.

But there's no need for a Happy Ending. It's a poker tournament, not a massage parlor. Bernard looked like he was gonna start French kissing each departing contestant.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. What's up with all the hugging that is going on these days? When I bust out of a tournament I damn well don't want some guy hugging me. Now if it was Evelyn Ng doing the hugging i'd be first in line. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

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On a general note, I think over the past few years the idea of grown men hugging, especially in athletic events, has become much more common that it used to be (say when I grew up in the 60's and 70's).

And, as far as that goes, that is okay. I have no problem hugging family members, and even good friends I haven't seen in a while. But the problem here is that these people don't know each other. They aren't family, good friends, or teammates. In that situation I just don't see it and wouldn't welcome it.

Then there is the issue of the hug itself. The "shake hands and then kind of pull together and bump opposite shoulders" hug is cool. But, the "chest to chest, hey, dude, you've got both your arms over my shoulders and your head is resting on my shoulder, cheek to cheek" hug is only appropriate for the person (or persons) with whom you are currently sleeping.

NCAces