would it be good for poker if.....

[Petoria 0]

Mike Matusow would win the WSOP. Do we really want to have a convicted felon winning the biggest prize the game has ever seen? Not that i don't like Mike, bc i do, but his checkered personal history kind of hurts the image that poker is trying to create. Right now poker is a game every man can play, and even be relatively successful at. It's still in the process of getting away from the "old west" and "old Vegas" image where everyone is either a comboy who carries a gun around or a drug addict cheating their way to the top.I know this comes off as blasting Mike a bit for past mistakes, but i really do enjoy watching him play, and when he's at his best you'd be hard-pressed to find a better player. I do respect his play and how he got off drugs and is working on becoming a better person. How much do you think Mike's past indiscretions would make their way into the public eye? What will be the reaction if he wins, from people who aren't part of the poker community, the casual observers? The kids that look up to players like Moneymaker and Raymer? Personally, i hope that Mike's situation isnt even eluded to during broadcasts or in the papers, bc it doesnt tell the full story. It doesnt tell how he got off the junk and went broke and worked his way all the way back to become a millionaire, and, hopefully, a main event champion.

[budfox427 0]

Amarillo Slim is a convicted child molester, and the majority of the casual players have no clue. I don't think it would be as detrimental to the sport as you think.Would make an intersting "Behing the Glory" episode though.

[allinbluff35 0]

matusow is my hero

[Outlaw_IA 0]

I think its important that the only pro left wins.just my opinion.

[Patricnz 0]

matusow is my hero

[wontbez 0]

Mike Matusow would win the WSOP.  Do we really want to have a convicted felon winning the biggest prize the game has ever seen?  Not that i don't like Mike, bc i do, but his checkered personal history kind of hurts the image that poker is trying to create.  Right now poker is a game every man can play,  and even be relatively successful at.  It's still in the process of getting away from the "old west" and "old Vegas" image where everyone is either a comboy who carries a gun around or a drug addict cheating their way to the top.I know this comes off as blasting Mike a bit for past mistakes, but i really do enjoy watching him play, and when he's at his best you'd be hard-pressed to find a better player.  I do respect his play and how he got off drugs and is working on becoming a better person.  How much do you think Mike's past indiscretions would make their way into the public eye?  What will be the reaction if he wins, from people who aren't part of the poker community, the casual observers?  The kids  that look up to players like Moneymaker and Raymer?  Personally, i hope that Mike's situation isnt even eluded to during broadcasts or in the papers, bc it doesnt tell the full story.  It doesnt tell how he got off the junk and went broke and worked his way all the way back to become a millionaire, and, hopefully, a main event champion.

I have posted my opinion about this very subject in other posts. IMO, Mike would not make a good WSOP champion, for most of the reasons you post above. As someone who plays for a living, I want poker to be looked at in a brighter light. I can hope that if he does win, that his past criminal acts remain unknown outside the poker community however I feel that is unlikely. We will not have a better champion this year then Raymer IMO.

[Guest]

The average retard has no idea about Matusow's history. Unless they dig for it, I doubt it'll ever come up. Most people who follow poker do it casually.....ESPN and the WPT, being commercial, would never publicize his as an ex-con......

[MilesZS 0]

Ugh. I'm glad you guys are so open minded. I'm surprised sometimes that as human beings you have no understanding of other human beings making mistakes. I know I know, you would never make that mistake, and you can't fathom how someone else could make that mistake without being a low-life idiot. I've seen wonderful, beautiful persons succumb to alcoholism or drug use (or both) and become exactly what they had previously said they would never become -- or even what they had preached to people to never become. I've seen people with incredibly bright futures, who one month were working hard to put themselves through college to make their future a reality become jobless and homeless mere months later. You are saying Matusow will be a 'bad champion' because of his past? I think he'd be a great champion. He himself will admit to making a mistake. Do you imagine in some way that he will glorify drug use as a champion? Do you not see that a more likely scenario is one where he says "Look at me. If I am not a testament to avoiding the disease that is drug abuse, then I don't know what is. I am now clean, relaxed, thinking clearly, and have therefore performed to the best of my ability in the biggest poker event of them all."Matusow would be a great champion. The more you "holier than thou" fools complain about him because of his mistake, the more I want to contact him in some way and tell him how much I believe that he can win.

[Socrates 0]

The difference between MM and the rest of the posters here (other than MM's superior poker skills)...the posters who are criticizing his criminal record just haven't been caught yet.Are you seriously going to come on here and tell us you've never made any mistake or broken the law? Ever drink and drive, ever use drugs ever get in a fight? All of those would make you a convicted felon as well if you got caught. Would you still think you'd be a good champion if you had been convicted of any of these things?ESPN will make it out to be the best "I overcame so many horrible results" story. No one outside of the informed poker community will know about his previous mistake and the informed poker community doesn't really care, we recognize him for being a great player. Let me ask, should we think that Layne Flack would be a bad representative of the WSOP if he won?

[wontbez 0]

Ugh.  I'm glad you guys are so open minded.  I'm surprised sometimes that as human beings you have no understanding of other human beings making mistakes.  I know I know, you would never make that mistake, and you can't fathom how someone else could make that mistake without being a low-life idiot.  I've seen wonderful, beautiful persons succumb to alcoholism or drug use (or both) and become exactly what they had previously said they would never become -- or even what they had preached to people to never become.  I've seen people with incredibly bright futures, who one month were working hard to put themselves through college to make their future a reality become jobless and homeless mere months later.  You are saying Matusow will be a 'bad champion' because of his past?  I think he'd be a great champion.  He himself will admit to making a mistake.  Do you imagine in some way that he will glorify drug use as a champion?  Do you not see that a more likely scenario is one where he says "Look at me.  If I am not a testament to avoiding the disease that is drug abuse, then I don't know what is.  I am now clean, relaxed, thinking clearly, and have therefore performed to the best of my ability in the biggest poker event of them all."Matusow would be a great champion.  The more you "holier than thou" fools complain about him because of his mistake, the more I want to contact him in some way and tell him how much I believe that he can win.

If he does win, I hope he goes about it exactly the way you say above and works to improve his image. That truly would make for a good story.

[speedz99 145]

Matusow has been arrested.SO WHAT???This isn't some mainstream pussy sport. We are talking about poker. One of my favorite things about it is the fact that it is a somewhat shady business with shady characters. This isn't the World Series of Checkers.

[wontbez 0]

The difference between MM and the rest of the posters here (other than MM's superior poker skills)...the posters who are criticizing his criminal record just haven't been caught yet.Are you seriously going to come on here and tell us you've never made any mistake or broken the law? Ever drink and drive, ever use drugs ever get in a fight? All of those would make you a convicted felon as well if you got caught. Would you still think you'd be a good champion if you had been convicted of any of these things?ESPN will make it out to be the best "I overcame so many horrible results" story. No one outside of the informed poker community will know about his previous mistake and the informed poker community doesn't really care, we recognize him for being a great player. Let me ask, should we think that Layne Flack would be a bad representative of the WSOP if he won?

Everyone is capable of turning their life around, MM is no exception. It's just my opinion that for the game of poker he is not a good ambassador.

[wontbez 0]

Matusow has been arrested.SO WHAT???This isn't some mainstream censored sport.  We are talking about poker.  One of my favorite things about it is the fact that it is a somewhat shady business with shady characters.  This isn't the World Series of Checkers.

Some of us would like to see it become more like a mainstream sport. Get rid of the shady shadow that looms over it and bring it into the forefront of the public eye. I'm one of those people.

[budfox427 0]

The difference between MM and the rest of the posters here (other than MM's superior poker skills)...the posters who are criticizing his criminal record just haven't been caught yet.Are you seriously going to come on here and tell us you've never made any mistake or broken the law? Ever drink and drive, ever use drugs ever get in a fight? All of those would make you a convicted felon as well if you got caught. Would you still think you'd be a good champion if you had been convicted of any of these things?ESPN will make it out to be the best "I overcame so many horrible results" story. No one outside of the informed poker community will know about his previous mistake and the informed poker community doesn't really care, we recognize him for being a great player. Let me ask, should we think that Layne Flack would be a bad representative of the WSOP if he won?

Everyone is capable of turning their life around, MM is no exception. It's just my opinion that for the game of poker he is not a good ambassador.

Since when does winning one tournament make you the ambassador of poker? I think Phil Ivey, Daniel, and others are more recognizable and do more for the "sport", regardless of who wins the ME this year.Michael Jordan is the most recognizable athlete on the planet, and he has gambling problems and has cheated on his wife. Tiger Woods told racist jokes in an interview. I don't even need to delve into the NFL. The former President (Clinton) got a BJ in the oval office, and now he is adored by the same people who were pissed when it happened. The list goes on.The public does not care, for the most part. People make mistakes and want to be forgiven and should show the same to others. End of story.

[cusefan99 0]

I think its important that the only pro left wins.just my opinion.

Anyone know anything about the others that are left on the final table? Are they all amateurs? They could be pros since some of them are europeans we may have never heard of.

[insano 0]

Let me ask, should we think that Layne Flack would be a bad representative of the WSOP if he won?

Excellent point. Alcoholism is not very different from many other drugs addictions. It consumes your life in many of the same ways. And yet if MM had been arrested for D.U.I. I doubt anyone would be making a big deal out of it.Let me ask this, how many people do you know who have died from drug use? Now how many people do you know who have died from alcoholism? I myself know of at least 5 people close to me who have died from drinking related illnesses. Something to think about.

[Socrates 0]

Matusow has been arrested.SO WHAT???This isn't some mainstream censored sport.  We are talking about poker.  One of my favorite things about it is the fact that it is a somewhat shady business with shady characters.  This isn't the World Series of Checkers.

Some of us would like to see it become more like a mainstream sport. Get rid of the shady shadow that looms over it and bring it into the forefront of the public eye. I'm one of those people.

No you don't. Once corporations get involved and sponsorship you get something like the PGA and cycling and so on. You'll have to end up getting sponsor exemptions, getting into tournaments only if you are a qualified member of an organization etc...Corporations won't want no names in their mainstream sports, they want the marketable people only and you'll be excluded just like you are from other sports. This means that they will need their market people to win and to ensure that, you don't let non-members in.note: I'm not calling poker a sport, just making a comparison.

[wontbez 0]

The difference between MM and the rest of the posters here (other than MM's superior poker skills)...the posters who are criticizing his criminal record just haven't been caught yet.Are you seriously going to come on here and tell us you've never made any mistake or broken the law? Ever drink and drive, ever use drugs ever get in a fight? All of those would make you a convicted felon as well if you got caught. Would you still think you'd be a good champion if you had been convicted of any of these things?ESPN will make it out to be the best "I overcame so many horrible results" story. No one outside of the informed poker community will know about his previous mistake and the informed poker community doesn't really care, we recognize him for being a great player. Let me ask, should we think that Layne Flack would be a bad representative of the WSOP if he won?

Everyone is capable of turning their life around, MM is no exception. It's just my opinion that for the game of poker he is not a good ambassador.

Since when does winning one tournament make you the ambassador of poker? I think Phil Ivey, Daniel, and others are more recognizable and do more for the "sport", regardless of who wins the ME this year.Michael Jordan is the most recognizable athlete on the planet, and he has gambling problems and has cheated on his wife. Tiger Woods told censored jokes in an interview. I don't even need to delve into the NFL. The former President (Clinton) got a BJ in the oval office, and now he is adored by the same people who were censored when it happened. The list goes on.The public does not care, for the most part. People make mistakes and want to be forgiven and should show the same to others. End of story.

You are so right, isn't it sad? Although Tiger telling jokes in an interview was a bit of a stretch, Tiger is a good example of what makes a good ambassador, and I do believe that the winner of this year's main event will carry some extra responsibility of promoting the game.

[wontbez 0]

Matusow has been arrested.SO WHAT???This isn't some mainstream censored sport.  We are talking about poker.  One of my favorite things about it is the fact that it is a somewhat shady business with shady characters.  This isn't the World Series of Checkers.

Some of us would like to see it become more like a mainstream sport. Get rid of the shady shadow that looms over it and bring it into the forefront of the public eye. I'm one of those people.

No you don't. Once corporations get involved and sponsorship you get something like the PGA and cycling and so on. You'll have to end up getting sponsor exemptions, getting into tournaments only if you are a qualified member of an organization etc...Corporations won't want no names in their mainstream sports, they want the marketable people only and you'll be excluded just like you are from other sports. This means that they will need their market people to win and to ensure that, you don't let non-members in.note: I'm not calling poker a sport, just making a comparison.

I don't agree with you, but it's an intresting point. I don't think corporations will ever have much weight in who plays a tournament, casinos won't allow it.

[pokerplayer24 0]

If we compare Mike Matusow winning to say the past 3 champions. He would be a far better champion then Varkonyi, better then Moneymaker but not as good as Raymer. Matusow winning would definitely make for good TV and no one shows more openly how bad they want to win then him. And do we even know if Matusow was a drug addict. He was supposedly buying for his friend.

[wontbez 0]

If we compare Mike Matusow winning to say the past 3 champions.  He would be a far better champion then Varkonyi, better then Moneymaker but not as good as Raymer.  Matusow winning would definitely make for good TV and no one shows more openly how bad they want to win then him.  And do we even know if Matusow was a drug addict.  He was supposedly buying for his friend.

Varkonyi??? who the heck is that? JKI wasn't happy seeing moneymaker in that interview with playboy, again I know I'm probably too conservative but that kind of stuff is just silly. As far as MM being a better champion then those two I agree, it's just sad to take a step backwards, but as another poster said "you get what you get"

[NEXTLEVEL 0]

If Mike wins the ME this year. I will then start to snort cocaine on a regualar basis. Maybe then I too can win the ME next year.

[greatwhite 0]

Mike Matusow would win the WSOP.  Do we really want to have a convicted felon winning the biggest prize the game has ever seen?  Not that i don't like Mike, bc i do, but his checkered personal history kind of hurts the image that poker is trying to create.  Right now poker is a game every man can play,  and even be relatively successful at.  It's still in the process of getting away from the "old west" and "old Vegas" image where everyone is either a comboy who carries a gun around or a drug addict cheating their way to the top.I know this comes off as blasting Mike a bit for past mistakes, but i really do enjoy watching him play, and when he's at his best you'd be hard-pressed to find a better player.  I do respect his play and how he got off drugs and is working on becoming a better person.  How much do you think Mike's past indiscretions would make their way into the public eye?  What will be the reaction if he wins, from people who aren't part of the poker community, the casual observers?  The kids  that look up to players like Moneymaker and Raymer?  Personally, i hope that Mike's situation isnt even eluded to during broadcasts or in the papers, bc it doesnt tell the full story.  It doesnt tell how he got off the junk and went broke and worked his way all the way back to become a millionaire, and, hopefully, a main event champion.

He used coke. It's not like he was a mass murderer.

[greatwhite 0]

I'm sorry, but not all people are perfect. Micheal Jordan has had problems, Kenny Rogers gets into fights with camera people, and many druggie celebs are looked up to. Unless your role model is Ghandi all people make mistakes, even the pros in the poker world. You shouldn't look up to your favorite sports figures or celebrities besides what they excel in, because outside the field or outside the casino they are regular people who make mistakes.

[KDawgCometh 2]

No you don't. Once corporations get involved and sponsorship you get something like the PGA and cycling and so on. You'll have to end up getting sponsor exemptions, getting into tournaments only if you are a qualified member of an organization etc...Corporations won't want no names in their mainstream sports, they want the marketable people only and you'll be excluded just like you are from other sports. This means that they will need their market people to win and to ensure that, you don't let non-members in.note: I'm not calling poker a sport, just making a comparison.

I don't agree with you, but it's an intresting point. I don't think corporations will ever have much weight in who plays a tournament, casinos won't allow it.

do you see how the bolded portion is funny, and how its also dead wrong