A BETTER DAY

Greetings from the Dark Cave

Yes, today was a better day. Honestly, it couldn't be any worse. I found out the 'C' on my keyboard is srewed up. SEE!? Gives me something for my to-do list, calling Dell and getting a new keyboard! I also made an amazing discovery today. There IS someone out there with a LONGER blog than MINE! Yup. I know...you calling BS right? Nope...its true. Nat Arem...the guy who broke the story about Russ Hamilton and the AbsoLOOT/ Ultimate BEAT/CERiUSlee? mess. He's about as random as I am at times!

And, while chilling on the couch all day I found out just how truly amazing Xbox360 is as I sat here all day playing Call of Duty 4. I have to think I would make a fine soldier, upon further reflection. Took a cruise with my Lab to go find some gas cans at Home Depot and some overpriced gas in anticipation of this hurricane that looks like it just might make its way to our shores. Oh no! Not again. And about the same time on the calendar as Katrina's visit. Lets all cross our fingers. The JERK MONKEY would be hoping it hits us hard and cancels the Gulf Coast Poker Championship that I have been forbidden to play. But I am not going to be that Monkey.

I had a chance to reflect on a few things today. First of all...I have a history (throughout my life) of finding trouble where trouble would seem impossible to be discovered. I am not proud of it. But I have learned to cope with it. This one was a straight-up knuckleheaded move by me. While I wasn't trying to 'do anything wrong' or get over on anyone...there are just some things that are left UNSAID, to avoid people coming down on you. And me writing about something that is widely regarded as TABOO basically earns me a reprimand. I deserve to get cracked. For being a MORON! So, I accept that. I am not in this 'woe is me' mood over here at the cave. Nope, I am taking this like a man. Or at least, a grown up Monkey.

My day took a turn for the better at 2:19pm today. First thing I did when I woke up was call the Beau Rivage and ask for Warren Mason, the Director of Table Games. (if I screwed up that title, I apologize, but its close) I got his secretary. I was told he was in a meeting. I left my information and FULLY expected NOT to hear from Mr. Mason. Well, I was not disappointed to be wrong. He in fact did call me back and we had a very pleasant conversation.

As a side note. A lot of credit deserves to be given to Wild Bill. He very aggressively got after this. He was totally supportive of me. I REALLY felt great about that. He immediately put a statement up on the website that was there for a few hours late at night on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. He then emailed me and tossed around the idea of pulling it off, and holding back on the 'petition' idea. I told him to do whatever he thought was right. One line of thinking was that the casino might not want to be pressured into feeling there was a standoff between them and me. Well, he decided to pull the message off of the site. After my conversation today with Mr. Mason, I decided that Bill made an excellent decision.

Here was the basic gist (jist?). I was wanting 5 minutes in his office. He claimed to know why I was calling and made me feel pretty convinced that he was going to give me a fair shake over the phone. I think we all feel like we have a better chance at a favorable outcome if we can present our case in person, rather than over the phone...but for some reason, I felt like things might bear out okay.

I pleaded my case. Admitted that I made a mistake. Didn't try to weasel out of it. I also assured him that at no time have I ever gone in there with the intent to 'run game' on other players. That I am guilty of printing a message that COMPLETELY delivers a message that I thumb my nose at the rules. TOTALLY not the case. And I wanted to impress upon him that I completely understood WHY they did what they did. Explained my fiance working there, this being my livelihood, my high regard for the Beau Rivage, my desire to do 'all the right things' as often as I can. I said I would accept some kind of a reprimand but that I felt getting completely 86'd from the casino seemed very inappropriate and unfair.

His reaction was one that kind of surprised me. He claims to be a card player, which I didn't know or expect. He said he has gotten a good impression of me from Johnny Grooms and Ken Lambert, saying they knew I was a good customer, play for a living around the nation and genuinely care about the people and dealers I interact with. That made me feel pretty good. He understood what I did. He didn't APPROVE of it, obviously, but he understood. We both agreed that I was a DUMBASS for writing about it.

He informed me that the real mess is that it got to the Mississippi Gaming Commission and is now UNDER INVESTIGATION! Great. Not sure how or what they are going to investigate. MY BLOG? ALL my blogs? Well, he and I both didn't know HOW they would react. Its kind of the mystery factor here. I respect what they have to do, I just wish I knew what it was. It could take a week, it could take a month, it could take 2. And until they complete their investigation and CLEAR me and the casino...there is nothing that Mr. Mason or anyone else at the Beau Rivage can do to invite me back. They are at the State's mercy.

Wow. So, from that standpoint, I am really glad we didn't launch a big SAVE THE MONKEY campaign...because if it were presented to the Beau Rivage, they would just have to shake their collective head and say "I'm sorry, Monkey, but its out of our hands; but thanks for making such a spectacle out of all this and making things incredibly awkward for both of us!" The impression I came away with is that the BAN was not intended to be permanent. Once that came out, in writing, and got turned into them by 'some anonymous' player, they HAD to react. Or they would look like they condoned it. MGM is a great company, and they have people who work hard to keep their solid image in the industry as well as the effort they make to keep their casinos clean and straight for all the players. I get that. And respect that.

I know I didn't do anything REALLY WRONG. I DID make a mistake. An error in judgement. I wrote something that should NEVER go down in print. I am not a victim. I am an idiot. And now I have been made to suffer mightily. It sucks to sit here and get calls from friends that are playing in these HUGE-field tourneys that I am not there to play in. My chance to win the Rounder of the Year has now been dealt almost a fatal blow...so that might have cost me a $10,000 entry in the January event here. That's a lot of jack. All because I wrote something stupid. I will learn a lesson from this, for sure.

Cheryl finally sat down and read my entire blog last night. Her overall assessment was that "Yeah, its pretty funny. You call a lot of people out...by NAME...not sure that's very cool. And I would appreciate you not telling people about me being shit faced! Seriously! And you tend to get a little TOO personal about things...not sure you want EVERYONE knowing all that about you! But overall, I think its pretty good, and your a good writer." Well...that's about as mixed review as they come...but from her, I will take it as a compliment.

This bit about the calling people out. Hey...you guys that I talk about...you KNOW that I feel that way, because I tell you then! I am a straight shooter. I am not a weasel or a mealy-mouth. You wont see me using this as a place to go off on people. If I got something to say to you...it will be anywhere, your face, on TV, on the Radio, at the Table, or on my blog. I am honest. And I am open. And I don't mind sharing my thoughts.

On sharing my personal stuff with ya'all. Maybe I get a little deep. I don't know. I guess its my quest to be better understood by some out there who target me. Trust me, I do NOT think I am better than ANYONE. Someone sent me an email and they made a very interesting statement.

"You know Will, I have known you for a few years. I knew you before I played poker, and I always thought you were a cool guy. Then I started playing poker, and saw you at the table, and realized a lot of players don't like you. And I thought maybe it wasn't fair. You are very easy for a lot of different people to dislike. The common worker guy who plays poker on the side can hate you because you don't have to carry a REAL job like they do. The regular poker player guy...who hates you because you have a great BACKER, which every full time poker players strives to get. You win a lot...which is always a source of jealousy. And for those guys who aren't so attractive and have unattractive partners, they have to look at Squirrel, who is great looking. Maybe too good looking for YOU! And that's also an easy thing to hate about you!So you have to understand why one of these haters might read your blog and see an opportunity to screw you. It sucks man, but you put yourself in this spot, kind of."

You know what? He is right. I should realize that there are always people who are going to take shots at me. I suspect there are even some who I THINK are friends of mine, or at least would never go out of their way to SCREW me. People will always surprise you. I don't have a job. I haven't for 3 years. Look...don't think there isn't a TON of stress with being a full time poker player. Its put a tremendous strain on my relationship at times, as well as my mental health. Its brutal. I have a backer. Yes, I do. I have had a few.

Having a backer is NEVER BAD. But it can also be a real nightmare. Stress to produce. Stress to get money they owe you. Stress when you go on a trip thinking you are getting money sent to you and it never shows up. Hey, my results GOT me a backer, and I wont ever apologize for that. You want a backer? Then DO SOME WINNING! And I am real sorry that Squirrel is such a hottie! I will not break up with her and start dating some fat, ugly girl with bad hair and bad teeth just to make a few people happy. So you can keep hating me for that, too!

I can see that I need to be a little MORE careful about certain things I write about if I am going to keep writing on here. At least it will be a slow month for MONKEY BLOGS...unless something really bizarre happens in the next couple days. For now I will sit at home and play online I guess. Not even gonna think about going over and playing at the other couple of places. That's like putting together a game of flag football out in the parking lot of the SUPER BOWL when you weren't able to get tickets. No Thanks. I prefer hiding in the cave!

Plus the WCOOP is about to start on PokerStars, so who knows, maybe I will satellite into a couple of those. Things ARE off to a good start. Took my $22 and nickel and dimed my way to $50...then bought into 5 games at $10 each and made another $88. Then tonight, before I wrote this I made a miracle comeback and took 3rd in a $12/45 person SNG...to get me up to almost $200. I am telling you, when your balance is getting low...and you refuse to go to Western Union to put $500 on there....hit that nickel/dime game. It is incredible HOW BAD those players are. And just slow play every big hand. You get paid off, I swear...about 65% of the time. Its amazing. And once you get that $10 (max buy in) up to around $30....you just DESTROY the table. Its hilarious. Buy into about 10 of those games at $10 per....think about it....over the course of 6 hours....I estimate the take to be close to $25 average per table...for a gain of $250. Not bad on a $50 investment. Anyway I am now rambling, officially.

My thoughts on where to go next? Well, guess a lot has to do with this storm brewing out in the Atlantic...and the two behind it! This weather situation is very similar to the way it went down in 2005. Freaky. I could go play that silly Emerald Coast thing at Ebro...in an attempt to try and secure some ROUNDER points. Or who knows...maybe I will go to the most boring place on Earth...TUNICA...to play those events. Ugh...Tunica. Land of......bird-sized mosquitoes and miles and miles of cotton! OH but ya know, they DO have a Waffle House up there finally. Hmmm...okay maybe we WILL go to Tunica!

Or there is the WPT Borgatta event up in Atlantic City. I have never played poker up there. When I lived in NYC from 1989-1992 I went to Atlantic City a few times and always thought it was gross, and the casino people jerks. I have heard a lot of people say it is STILL like that. Great. But I have also heard a lot of GREAT things about the Borgatta...and hear that their fields for the WPT are always HUGE! A lot of my good poker buddies will be going up there...so maybe I need to make the trek. I need to make a big score somewhere. Was hoping it was going to be HERE this week...but...well......yeah. I guess I will have a better idea in the next few days what I am going to do next.

To all of you playing at the BEAU RIVAGE this week, I wish you the best of luck. Play well, play smart, and go deeeeeep!!!! And if you make the Final Table, order up a round of Red Snappers for 'Ol Monkey! I will be there in spirit!!!! To those of you on the Gulf Coast...if this storm comes our way...please do the SMART THING. Don't be stupid. BE SAFE! I wish you all the best.....talk to you soon!!!!

MONKEY