Seattle...and a house full of humans...waiting for GAMEDAY!!!

[Yes...that is the bird...a Cock-a-something...sitting on my shoulder...plotting, I think, to pluck my eyes out...as I sit, waiting for the Saints game to start. This is after the fact information...the bird managed to leave our house with most of its feathers and no casualties. It proved to be every bit as annoying, more actually...then I ever thought it would be! ]

I have arrived. It is 8:43am. I slept...we'll call it three hours. Air mattress. An already sore back from 8 hours of yard work Thursday and Friday at my rental house in Pensacola. A sore knee, from losing my balance going up the escalator in the Atlanta airport yesterday...where I fell over my carry-on bag...and landed on my knee, tearing a hole in my new jeans (purchased BEFORE the burglary) and ripping open my knee, where I proceeded to bleed all over Chili's while we dined on our layover. There are exactly 5 kids running everywhere. My wife is sleeping. Still. Somehow. I have met my brother's new wife. She is very talkative. For those of you who don't know me, I talk very little before 4pm. Very little. I feel a trip to the other room to retrieve my BOSE 'noise-cancelling' (never before have I loved that phrase more) headphones coming in my very near future.

Later today, it has been brought to my attention that my Mother will be recieving a guest to the house. One that she went to school with years ago. She, apparantly, is bringing with her...two dogs (which should be fun to watch with my Mom's two cats) and a bird. Yup, a bird. One of those loud, screetching, talking birds. This person is spending the night. The bird, is to be kept within 5 feet of where we are sleeping. I feel two things coming...either death for a certain bird; or a trip with my wife to a local hotel.

BTW...a few blogs back, I forgot to recognize my little sister for getting us a wedding gift, and I feel really bad about it too, because what she got us is very cool. She calls it an 'Oscar' for getting married. It is the same size as an Oscar...and is a little statue-like figurine that has a male and a female interlocked in an artistic pose. It's very cool. My sister just got up. First thing she asked, "Is Cheryl still asleep?" "Yes...somehow." Her response? "Then I guess I should lower my voice." Wow! How refreshing. And this person is related to me. I love my sister.

Where was I? The first thing I should address, because it has me the most excited...is a comment that was posted this morning by one of my readers. And to make sure it was legit, I went and logged on to Daniel Negreanu's blog, which I read frequently. And sure enough...there it was. Rumors seem to fly about on a regular basis about why I am not allowed to play poker at a certain casino that is currently hosting a WPT-sponsored event. But there is only ONE response that is accurate. The tournament's director read my blog back in September and was put off by my assessment and subsequent criticism of his structures. I made several suggestions to make them better, which I arrived at by talking to fellow players like myself. But instead of taking my criticism, and using it to better the product being offered to the players, I was instead BANNED from his poker room. And there is no law that could stop him from doing this. But its kind of hard getting people to believe that this was the actual reason. However, if you ask this guy face-to-face if this was, indeed the reason, I suspect he will actually admit to it.

This brings us to Danny's blog. http://www.pokerpages.com/blog-players/daniel-negreanu.htm I wont repeat everything....just click on this link...and read for yourself. See when you are huge poker celebrity, you can make critical statements and not worry about the repercussions. I guess that is what I have to look forward to if I ever win something in poker that is recognized by more than just the people I interact with, and have (of course) the utmost respect and admiration for. When people who don't even play poker...start to recognize me, and people turn out for tournaments because I am there...then, and probably only then...will I be allowed to voice my opinions in this blog without the risk of persecution. Hey! I'm not bitter, that's the world we live in right now. I happen to really like Danny and respect him as a player, so trust me...this isn't trying to come off as sour grapes. He has earned the right to be vocal. And yes...he is somewhat more 'delicate' with how he does his bitching.

Okay...so check that out...and you serious players who read this will see exactly what I am talking about/alluding to. By the way...to those of you who are playing the Main Event, that starts today...good luck to you. Hopefully for your sake, more than 100 players show up. Nice to actually be playing for something.

In regards to my burglary case. I've been trying to move on. But its tough. My whole way of life has been affected. And I am noticing it every day. It sucks. And oh...it took a whole 6 days before I got some smart ass comment on here from another ANONYMOUS reader, who made a cute little quip that referred to the possibility of me staging the robbery. Was I upset or pissed when I read it? Not especially. I just wonder who these people are in life. How you get to be such an incredible douchebag to post something like that. Either you have never experienced something like this...so you can't relate, so you think your comments are 'funny', or you are just a sick individual who is beyond help.

I guess, for the sake of my credibilty to the 1.5% of you who are complete assholes, who think I would actually stoop to 'create a scenario' about me being robbed...I will go ahead and post, right here, the detective's name that I am working with in this investigation, as well as the case number attached.

Biloxi Police Department: 228-702-3115
Investigator: {removed 9/17/2010 at request of Biloxi PD}
Case Number: 10-001323
Burglary

As for how the case is progressing? It's really not, as far as I know. I will say this...I have recieved a total pledge amount from 12 friends and fellow players that now total $6500. Should the person(s) responsible for breaking into our house and robbing us of, basically, our life...be apprehended, and a reasonable amount of money recovered, I will round up this reward money from these wonderful people and pay it out to the person that brought information to me or the police that resulted in the arrest of this piece of shit. I will then host a party, at my expense..and invite those closest to me. Do I foresee this day happening? Not really. But I will admit, I fantasize about it on a daily basis.

To the jerkoffs who want to tell me how stupid I am for mentioning having a safe in my house...yeah, I got it. I was very stupid, in doing that. I guess I don't walk through life 'expecting' to be preyed upon. I put too much faith in people. Which, I suppose is another thing that has drawn me closer to my dogs this whole past week. Realizing that my dogs love me 100%. I look into their eyes and know with absolute certainty that they are not plotting against me. That they aren't talking behind my back. That they would never leave me. Well, I will never buy another safe. I will never keep money in my house again. We spent a stupid amount of money on a home security system this week...that I really couldn't afford. So, we financed it. And then the garage door had to be replaced. Again. Property taxes are due. My hospital bills started arriving for my kidney stone ordeal. This trip to Seattle was already planned. Yeah...I have pretty much been getting just assaulted financially for the last 30 days.

I had a very nice moment yesterday. I don't know how many people have these moments. Fewer and fewer things make me smile these days. My dogs almost always make me smile. But I actually had a moment where humans made me smile yesterday. We were on the train going from the terminal to the connecting terminal in Atlanta. As we boarded...there was a black guy...nicely dressed, attractive, like Tiki Barber kind of...and very affable. He was sitting in that area at the front of the train. Next...an older gentleman...about 75-80 entered, wearing a beat up old bomber jacket...and just very pleasant looking. Him and the black guy started up a conversation as he sat next to him. Then a woman...with her baby strapped to her stomach with one of those holster things, entered...and as she walked around looking for a good place to stand, both the black guy and the older man simultaneously moved over and offered her a place to sit. They all shared a warm smile with each other...and then had a conversation I couldn't hear. But I didn't need to hear it. They were all smiling. All from different backgrounds, cultures and circles...yet they all were acting like human beings are supposed to act. It made me smile. It made me happy, for that brief moment. It gave me hope that the world isn't just full of complete assholes.

It's Sunday! The day most of us on the Gulf Coast have been anxiously awaiting for days...some of us for weeks...some of you for your whole lives! That's right. Sometime tonight...we will know who will be playing in this year's Super Bowl...and there is a better than average chance one of the teams could be the New Orleans Saints! How cool, how amazing is that? Or if they lose, it could be the Gulf Coast's native son, Brett Favre playing in it, in a very unlikely scenario...and the first appearance by the Vikings since 1977, the first Super Bowl that I ever watched...at the age of 10. Then NFL MVP Peyton Manning will attempt to lead the Colts back to the Super Bowl...which they wona couple years ago when they beat Chicago in a blowout. Another guy from the Gulf Coast. Its a very exciting weekend for football fans in the South. First, it was Bama winning the National Title two weeks ago...and now today brings more anticipation. Then you have the NYJets...who will try to make it to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1969, just two years after I was born...the year we landed on the moon! And behind a rookie QB...which has never been done. And here...before the game starts...is my fearless prediction of today's games:

First of all...in the INDY/NYJETS game, this is my take:

Indy's decision to rest it's starters the last two weeks may actually be serving them well. A Raven's team that completely destroyed New England went into Indy last week very confident. A lot of people liked Baltimore to win, including myself. But Indy looked amazing. Great defense, sound running game, and Manning using his poise and experience to engineer another typical Colts victory over a good opponent. I think today, the Colts will come out firing. I think they will get the Jets in an early hole, and force Sanchez to have to pass more than he would like to. If the Jets can't control the game with their running game...they could be in trouble. If the Jets can score first...and let their defense control the tempo of the game, they have a chance. Its always fun to root for the team that comes in as the underdog, and gets hot...and starts to look like the 'team of destiny' and the Jets might just be this team. But I fear, for their sake...they may have used up all their magic...and the Colts will emerge as the AFC Champion today. Predicted final score? Indy 28-NYJets 10.

In the BIG GAME...Minnesota vs. New Orleans? This game is tough. While I could envision Favre coming in and having a horrible day, throwing 3 or 4 picks...and going down in flames...I also could see him come in, play out of his mind, throw 4 TDS, and lead the Vikings to a shootout win in front of a raucous Superdome crowd. I think turnovers will play a HUGE role in this game. One thing the Saints have going for them in the secondary is Darren Sharper and his record vs. Favre. He is the one guy who gives Favre fits...and could be huge in this game. The Saints' run defense has been pretty good all year. It should be interesting to see how Adrian Petersen fares against them. If Drew Brees continues his amazing precision and mastery of finding open recievers, this could be a banner day for the Saints. A couple weeks ago I noted the defection of people from the Saints' bandwagon and tried to ease people's concerns...putting little value in the final two losses, and letting the Dallas loss serve as motivation. I think we can all agree after last week's win over Arizona that I was on to something. In a word, the Saints looked, AWESOME.

Today is a very tough game to call...but I think the difference may be in the home edge. Securing the home field advantage may be what it comes down to. The Superdome is going to be insane. I'm not going to lie...if the Saints win tonight, there is nowhere I would rather be than Bourbon Street tonight! I am feeling a Saints victory coming...but it won't be a blowout. It will be a nailbiter. FINAL PREDICTED SCORE? NEW ORLEANS 35- MINNESOTA 32.

I think this blog entry has gotten long enough. And I am ready for some football. Listen, on a serious note...I have gotten some VERY, VERY wonderful emails, and phone calls, and Facebook posts from a lot of you. And I don't mean to sound so negative. I know I have a nice legion of followers out there who DO care about me. Its just sometimes hard to focus on you people when the ugly ones make themselves so visible. But as much as you may not realize how much I appreciate your nice words...I do. I have had so many mixed feelings this week. I had a couple guys ask me about the possibility of organizing a tournament to benefit me. I will say a couple things here about this.....

First of all, I have a lot of pride. In the last 4 or 5 years I have led a lot of efforts to raise money for victims...hurricane victims, Tsumani victims...where I raised a lot of money through my network of people for American Red Cross. The dealer couple who got robbed in Vegas last summer...who I raised over $500 for from my network of people on my distro list. And I always have a room or a floor to sleep on for people in need. I feel good about doing these things. One thing I am not that good at is accepting charity. Why? I guess because it makes me feel weak, like I am...I don't know, a figure of sympathy. And I have never been that person to stand there and ask for pity. So for people to offer financial assistance, it feels very strange and awkward. Cheryl is the same way. Her brother sent us a very substantial check...and she cried when she opened it. But she refused to cash it. Feeling like we will fight through this. She has more pride and is more stubborn than even I am.

So for those people who play in my pools, who have sent us money...and titled their payment as a contribution to the "Monkey Recovery Fund" they are truly in our thoughts daily. I haven't asked for this...they just DID it on their own. And it means the world to me.

I am not the type that can ASK for help. It's just not in my nature. And when these couple of people asked me about doing a tournament to benefit Squirrel and I...I had to explain something to them. First of all, in a couple weeks or a month...no one but us will even remember this. People have short memories. Notice how fast they pulled off that Haiti benefit? They had to! Strike while the iron is hot. And by the way...they did a GREAT job with that. Cheryl watched it...cried...and called in a $50 donation...which of course, we certainly can't afford...but that is who I married. :)

The other thing I told them...is that there are a lot of people out there who LIKE what happened to me. Some are probably even laughing about it. There are those guys who never win...who can't stand that I do, that I get attention they wish they could get...who see me getting robbed as a victory for them. I know there are those who, if a benefit were held for me, would talk so ugly about it. I do NOT want this. I just know that this sentiment HAS to exist out there...and I can handle it. Its the reality of the situation. So, if you want to help us out...thats great. And we will certainly appreciate it. And I have a very long memory. I plan on winning a million dollars...soon. And when that day comes, I will be able to look back on this, and view it as a very valuable lesson, but one that didn't cost me my livelihood. This has motivated me. Focused me. And further taught me about people in general. It's also allowed me to see who the 'good people' are in my life. I see things coming into clear view....I'm going to enjoy this week....with my family....and next week, its back to business.

SO......have a great day everyone...AND GEAAAUUUXXXX SAIIINNNNTTTS!!!!

MONKEY