John Bond's apology to Mason, posted on rgp

[JohnBond]

John Bond apology to Mason Malmuth
JohnBond Apr 28 2005 11:01 PM


Some years ago in a heated exchange here on rgp I apparently made some
inappropriately personal comments to Mason Malmuth that would probably best be
characterized as flames.

As the Web has matured, so have I. While I can get a jab in here and there I try
not to flame.

I often disagree with Mason – and lots of other people. The value of BB
exchanges is diminished when we take them personal, and I was wrong.

Permit me to extend a public and sincere apology to Mason to the extent I was
inappropriate. As I noted in a 2+2 post there are circumstances where have been
known to be overzealous, go overboard and be outtaline --- Apparently this was
one of them.

Mason, I apologize without restriction or reservation.

Best,

jb

[Mason Malmuth]

You should also make an apology to "Doc Optic," the other person you attacked in the same posts in which you lashed out at me.

MM

[JohnBond]

Cmon Mase, gimme a break.

I barely remember the incident, have no clue who Doc Optic is. You asked for a public apology and I made one not only here where you asked for it, but over there where the incident occurred. I can be a dick sometimes and say things I regret later. You know how that feels, right? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I am happy to extend my apology to any and all persons I treated inappropriately in that incident. If Doc Optic is among those, great.

My apology to you is personal, and you deserve it because we have a history, and because you are right. You deserved better from me. Please take it in the spirit in which it is given.

That good enough?

Best,

jb

[Josh W]

John -

I don't know you, and as far as I know, I've never even met you. But I have read every post you made on here in the last few days, and, well, dammit, you just don't fit in.

You are too quick to admit fault.

You are willing to rescind a statement made in error.

You are a straight shooter.

You aren't worried about what people think, only that good discussion gets going.

A few years ago, yes, this would have been welcomed here. But recently, sorry. That attitude just doesn't fly here anymore. I like what you bring to the table, but unfortunately, I feel that I am in the minority.

You started talking the the RC thread (I'm calling him that only to reduce keystrokes), and it looked like you were trying to instigate discussion. Mason shut it down with a "take it with a grain of salt" and "you owe me an apology" replies.

He sure seemed interested in shutting down discussion.

I haven't dealt a lot with Mason, and all of my dealings have been very unpleasant.

He banned Abdul Jalib, saying he could come back if he limited his discussion to poker and poker theory. I asked him (MM) if that meant Abdul couldn't write in the stock market, sportsbetting, internet, or othertopics forums. MM said he never put such stipulations on AJ.

I played 15-30 with MM and "Diane from Green Bay" at the Bellagio 3 years ago at the bellagio during the WSOP. MM got called for his 30-60 seat after playing for about 20 minutes, and as he left, the heated discussion they were having turned into a brief shouting match. This was 3 years ago when good games were a little tougher to find. The two or three tourist fish in that game then left. By the time they racked up and left, Mason was long gone. When I asked MM why he did this, he replied with "that isn't what happened", as if he'd even know. As I said, he was long gone.

About two years ago on these forums, Mason responded to then-poster DJ who said:

[ QUOTE ]
I refuse to believe that every poker game I sit in is 100% clean 100% of the time, no matter what the limit or the place.

[/ QUOTE ]

with:
[ QUOTE ]

As I have told other people in the past, if you feel this way, then you should absolutely never sit in a poker game.

[/ QUOTE ]

When I asked if they could ever play, ya know, for fun, MM replied to me with:

[ QUOTE ]

I never siad what you attribute to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

EVEN THOUGH I QUOTED HIM DIRECTLY. Many pro-MM people supported MM saying he said it, but certainly didn't mean it. This was after MM denied even saying it, which was after MM was directly and accurately quoted as saying it.

Instead of apologizing for his misleading comments and comments out of ignorance (re: the Diane situation), he pretends he did no wrong.

And then he demands apologies out of you. You create multiple posts (here and RGP). He implies its not good enough.

But the kicker of it all is he thinks you owe him an apology because: [ QUOTE ]
especially since you now realize the value of participating in our forums

[/ QUOTE ].

See, to Mason, if there is no value in an action, there is no reason to make it. Who cares if it's the right thing to do!!

I admire the effort you have put into creating a situation where good discussion can take place. However, as MM is making blatantly clear, he is not interested in that.

Josh

[JohnBond]

Josh --

thank you for your kind words. Abdul is also an old B&M as well as internet friend, and if he's been banned from here then the forum is certainly the poorer for it. He is passionate, articulate and knowledgable about poker -- if not always right and who among us is?

Diane is also an old pal.

I've known Mason a long time. I take everything he says in the context of how he views the world -- and if you understand that, and cut him some slack on account of it, he's really not a bad egg. Insensitive? Always. Ungracious? Sometimes. Unreasonable? On occasion. Forgiving? Never. But not bad. We in the poker world are better off for him being here. And I personally am better off for knowing him.

Not to say he can't be a jerk -- but once again who among us doesn't that apply to?

I dropped in here because somebody told me the Roy/Russ thread had taken on a life here. I'm likely to appear intermittently with lots of posts, then disappear for long periods with none.

But I do know many folks here, and am glad to have come by to visit.

Thanks again for your welcome.

Best,

jb

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
We in the poker world are better off for him being here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree without reservation, and hope my post didn't imply otherwise.

Josh

[Jstyal]

[ QUOTE ]

Mason, I apologize without restriction or reservation.

Best,

jb

[/ QUOTE ]

You sound like an attorney who has just been ordered by the court to formally apologize. Cold and impersonal, without meaning what you say.

IMHO: simple, concise apologies are more effective (in its personal tone) than verbose, regretful diaries.

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
You should also make an apology to "Doc Optic," the other person you attacked in the same posts in which you lashed out at me.

MM

[/ QUOTE ]

When you ask somebody to make a public apology and the person actually does it, you shouldn't respond by making more demands. You should accept the apology.

[JohnBond]

Well, I am an attorney.

And if you read each and every public comment I've made to Mase since my arrival here, and you find the sum of them cold and impersonal -- well, you'd probably fail the 8th grade statewide reading comprehension exam here in Florida. I think if you read them dispassionately you'll see a real effort to bridge old gaps.

Nobody ORDERED me to do anything. I was asked for an apology, thought it was due, and made it. I said I was over zealous and outtaline ---- like I said to Mase, gimme a break already.

Please, do me a favor --- word an apology based on the facts as presented here that you find suitable. Post it here. If you do it with intellectual integrity and genuine intent, and the language reflects the reality I'll gladly sign off on it.

If you know me you'll know that I'm like the Dr. Seuss character: "I meant what I said and I said what meant; an elephant's faithful one hundred percent."

jb

PS You'll notice that when responding to others and I genuinely appreciate what soembody says, or feel some degree of warmth towards them, I sign myself: Best, jb or somethign close to that. If I find myself struggling not to go off on somebody being an idiot, I just use jb or in the worst cases nothing as all. Take that as its meant.

[Jstyal]

Wow. Did you fall off your chair and land on a pineapple before you wrote that? Didn't take much to set you off, did it?

The ad hominem arguments you've used in an attempt to defend Roy Cooke's badly researched--for the time being--cheating allegations and your seeming fixation with negatively psychoanalysing Mason's personality is laughable (and, frankly, disturbing at the same time), but I most say entertaining at this time in the morning. If I had any popcorn left it would be surely popping in my microwave as I read some of your replies. Too bad I hitting the sack after this post.

Do me a favor, and when I wake up tomorrow, pepper this forum with many more of your colorful replies. Heck, I may skip the cartoon periodicals in the morning and head straight here if you keep the comedy rolling. I hope you don't disappoint.

In the meantime, continue to call Mason "odd," "different," "insensitive," and you can bet that in no time he will be forced to accept your apology "without restriction or reservation." Honest. Mason will cave. No one can resist your diplomatic and sweet disposition, especially during apologies. You have a way with words, Matlock.

Cheers!