Why Can't Poker Players Behave?

#1 10-19-2005, 06:32 PM

Read the following, from today's Card Player.com's coverage of the Doyle Brunson North American Classic:

"Tournament Director Jack McClelland just stopped play in the middle of level six for an announcement. After play concluded last night players were treated to a free buffet. Allegedly, a few of the "famous players" were abusive to the buffet staff, and the incident was brought to McClelland's attention. This prompted McClelland to issue a warning: any player who is abusive to buffet staff will be assessed at least a 30-minute penalty. "Behave like ladies and gentlemen," McClelland demanded, "or you can go down the street and pay for dinner."

This raises the question - why can't poker players, especially the famous ones, behave? I had always heard stories about dealers being treated terribly by some of the top professionals, but I guess I naively thought players kept their antics to the poker tables.

Personally, I think if a tournament player is "abusive" to anybody involved in the tournament or the hotel hosting the event, that they should be disqualified from the tournament and blinded off. It is the player's privilege to compete. There is no entitlement that allows players to throw temper tantrums, or act like children.

Photoc · #2 10-19-2005, 10:41 PM

Lots of these "famous players" just think they are too good for everyone else and that you must bow to their wishes at any and all times. Yet the casino is making the same money off them as the guy playing 2/5 NL.

As far as I'm concerned, these pricks can go Fck themselves. Guys like Johnny Chan, Sammi Farha and so on are total assholes.

Kevmath · #3 10-20-2005, 12:17 AM

I'm sure several of the "famous players" were complaining about Harrah's giving players a $10 food coupon at the WSOP this year. Then they get a free buffet at the Bellagio and they act like jerks. Of course not knowing all the details, it seems Harrah's had the right idea.

whiskeytown · #4 10-21-2005, 07:40 AM

was it you or Al Capone who told me the story of dealing in the big game and one of you said you'd rather just deal in the main room - too much stress and no tips and everyone was an [censored].

RB

Josh W · #5 10-20-2005, 01:30 AM

I would guess (I have no numbers to back this up) that a higher percentage of poker pros are single (vs. non-poker pros). See, to accel at poker, you need to have a certain "me first", greedy, cut-throat personality. That does not lend itself to good family relationships.

It also doesn't lend itself to treating others with respect.

Or, simply put...bad behaviour "comes with the territory"

Josh

GrunchCan · #6 10-20-2005, 11:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I would guess (I have no numbers to back this up) that a higher percentage of poker pros are single (vs. non-poker pros). See, to accel at poker, you need to have a certain "me first", greedy, cut-throat personality. That does not lend itself to good family relationships.

It also doesn't lend itself to treating others with respect.

Or, simply put...bad behaviour "comes with the territory"

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

Bullshit. Even if it isn't bullshit, that still doesn't validate the bad behavior of some famous players.

JohnnyHumongous · #7 10-20-2005, 11:38 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I would guess (I have no numbers to back this up) that a higher percentage of poker pros are single (vs. non-poker pros). See, to accel at poker, you need to have a certain "me first", greedy, cut-throat personality. That does not lend itself to good family relationships.

It also doesn't lend itself to treating others with respect.

Or, simply put...bad behaviour "comes with the territory"

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

But which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Josh W · #8 10-21-2005, 12:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I would guess (I have no numbers to back this up) that a higher percentage of poker pros are single (vs. non-poker pros). See, to accel at poker, you need to have a certain "me first", greedy, cut-throat personality. That does not lend itself to good family relationships.

It also doesn't lend itself to treating others with respect.

Or, simply put...bad behaviour "comes with the territory"

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

But which came first, the chicken or the egg?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure if this is a serious question or not, but my answer would be "it doesn't matter".

If people with lousy manners flocked to poker or if poker 'created' lousy mannered individuals, the fact is that there are a lot of lousy mannered people in poker. Not all. I won't even say "most". But lots.

Josh

Bartman387 · #9 10-20-2005, 02:33 AM

There are famous people who are jerks and There are non-famous people who are jerks. But how often do you hear rumors on the web or in tabloids about John Doe being abusive to wait staff compared to how often you hear the same story about a famous person?

benfranklin · #10 10-20-2005, 12:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
This raises the question - why can't poker players, especially the famous ones, behave? I had always heard stories about dealers being treated terribly by some of the top professionals, but I guess I naively thought players kept their antics to the poker tables.

[/ QUOTE ]

It has nothing to do with poker. Some people are butt-heads, no matter what profession they are in. Public figures who are butt-heads are more obvious, but no worse than the ones you never hear about. The poker player berating a buffet server is just as big a butt-head as the guy in line next to you in the store talking loudly into his cell phone.