Choctaw Wrap Up Report...

A lot has happened this week. And last week. My favorite team lost a heart breaker in Atlanta. The Patriots knocked me out of all THREE Survivor Pools with their loss...throwing my dreams of a big post-Super Bowl financial windfall right out of the window. Two teams that I could care less about will meet in New Orleans. Oh I'm sure that Mr. and Mrs. Harbaugh are pretty excited, getting the matchup they were deprived of last year (barely). If you are looking for a Senor Monkey prediction on the game? I don't really have a heavy conviction either way...but if I have to root for either team, I guess it would be...oh hell, I really don't care. Ray Lewis retires with a ring. Or Randy Moss finally gets a ring. I just don't care enough about either one of them. I just hope I win a shit ton of Super Bowl Squares...of which I put on sale last week...and are already filling up at the usual pace. Two $100 boards, two $50 boards...and countless $25 boards. Last year was a down year for me on winning squares. I'm due!

The nation stopped to recognize the re-election of Barack...with an inauguration that just ironically occurred on the MLK holiday. I have decided to take a break from all the conspiratorial gibberish about Barack, about our secret government dealings, about the Sandy Hook hoax, and just decided, hell...if all this stuff is true, so be it. My fellow citizens are such lemmings and wussies anyway, that if our government DOES have a secret plot to take away all our guns, allow the US dollar to fail, and enslave us all...its going to happen whether we like it or not. (not that I'm suggesting anyone would LIKE any or all of that!) I decided I was dedicating too much attention caring about all this crap, and trying to get others to educate themselves to what is going on. Screw it. People are too busy...too wrapped up in their own personal bs to even lift a finger to do anything that would bring about change. (if we truly want to get everyone's attention...KILL the internet! Watch everyone freak out then!!!) So I will just crawl into the basket of lemmings and become one of them. 

Learned a few things. Sonic has a sandwich that is served in Oklahoma but not in Mississippi...maybe the greatest sandwich ever. The Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich. Incredible. A great place to buy Christmas gifts? A very unexpected treasure trove of goodies lives at the Loves Travel Stops...those massive truck stops that also cater to the casual road travelers. Discovered a few new programs on Hulu and watched every episode, most on my iPad while driving home. '1600 Penn' on NBC (I think). Pretty good. But only 3 episodes in. And 'The B in Apt 23' on ABC (again, I think)...which is two seasons I think. Hilarious show...almost painfully funny at times. As in, the kind of humor I know couldn't be watched in some of my family members' living rooms.

I have a decent amount of money on Lock Poker again. As in...anyone wanting to click my affiliate link over there on the right hand side...and get yourself 35% rakeback...if you have trouble getting money on there, I may be able to assist you in a PayPal transfer transaction. I have received news (unconfirmed) that the management at Lock is making strides to make the cashout process on there a lot more timely. I know this, because it was one of the conditions for Scott Clark and I continuing to do our Sunday podcast/radio show every week. We stated that we couldn't continue to represent the site and encourage our friends, fellow players, and listeners, to sign up to Lock Poker if some areas didn't improve dramatically, one of those areas being the time it takes to get paid out. I hope they have gotten it streamlined. Though I have almost NO time to get online and play because of my child-care responsibilities and the countless hours that go into running my pools....it would be nice to get on there for a couple of days dedicated to tourney play. 

I drove all the way to Oklahoma and BACK...that's about 1300 miles...without a single ticket or close call. I consider that good news. There is news out of the NBA that my Seattle Supersonics could be returning as early as next season...with the acquisition of the Sacramento Kings. I have mixed feelings about this. It was the worst feeling imaginable watching Clay Bennett steal our Sonics from us and move them to OKC. They let us keep our name and our schwag...with hopes of getting a team back in the future. But I think all Seattleites would rather get a fresh new expansion franchise than victimize another city by taking their team. The NBA team in New Orleans has officially dropped the name Hornets (which could re-emerge in Charlotte) and adopted the name 'Pelicans' which has already become the punchline for a lot of jokes. 

I logged on to this thing a couple nights before leaving Choctaw and saw the comment from the hater...seems like there is always one or two. And I'm certain from the writing style (or lack thereof) and words used that is always one of the same guys. This one was him 'wishing' on a blog lamenting my bad run and my longing to get home to my wife and cute kid (with tail tucked between legs amidst a cloud of misery) Like his life is so devoid of joy or satisfaction, that he has to sit here online and root for the failure of others. What a loser. Regardless of me running like God, and pocketing over $100k...or running like shit and losing $10k...or just winning enough to basically break even (like on this trip)...I am always...ALWAYS...just as excited to get home to my wife, my amazing daughter, and my awesome dogs. And to sleep in my comfortable bed. I like being at home. A don't like being away for very long. I'm sorry if that isn't good enough for you, Mr. Hater...who wants me to come on here and whine and cry about my bad luck, and my close calls, and the OMRG's who hunt me down and slay me. What's the point? I went, I saw, I returned. Why do you care if I made a ton of money or none at all? I wish, just once, I could meet this guy, or someone LIKE this guy...face-to-face, and listen to them talk. To hear their 'view of life' from their perspective. 

Any one sleep in a bed where that damn corner sheet...the one that hugs the mattress...keeps coming off? Ours was doing that...every damn time I slept in the bed. It was driving me nuts. So when I got home, I was informed that my mother had sent, for my early birthday present....750 count (I think that means they are really soft!) sheets and pillow cases for our bed. No more mattress hugging sheet peeling up on my side of the bed every night! And they are soft and delightful! There really is NO excuse to NOT have incredibly comfortable sheets on your bed...given how much of your life is spent in it...some of us more than others. I love sleeping! Thanks Mom!

I have grown sicker and sicker of American Idol in the past 3 or 4 years. I think it crested this year. I didn't even WANT to watch it. But like always...I have been sucked in by the wife. First, I want to say, I really thought that Idol would up their game since 'X-Factor' has blown them away in the production value department. Nope. Same old Idol. Lame set. A capella auditions. Same idiot clowns who have no place being there...but are trotted out for all of us to laugh at. Why? Because ruining lives is hilarious? Well, I didn't like Nicky Minaj BEFORE Idol...and now, having to see her on this show? I loathe her. Oh...occasionally she will say something funny, or make a silly face. But for the most part? She is a bitch. And her nasally voice and constant switching up of accents for whatever reason is just annoying as f***. And who is she to decide that EVERY person walking through the door needs a Nicky Minaj-provided nickname? I think if I was a performer, with any amount of confidence, I would stress to her that I have a name...one I feel good about...one that I'm hoping to make famous...and she is just patronizing me by trying to label me some stupid nickname so SHE can 'remember me.' If you need a bunch of dumbass nicknames to remember people by? Either write them on a notepad for your own self use...or excuse yourself as a judge, because you are obviously not cut out for it.

And why are we supposed to respect a musician who's music is nothing but a bi-product of studio equipment? Who...when we look back as a member of the early 2000's will laugh hysterically when we hear a Nicky Minaj song...that ANYone thought this shit was considered 'music' in the first place. As much as I thought Demi Lovato was a little snot-nosed bitch? I think Nicky might have her notched. And if you have 4 judges...and the first 3 judges vote 'YES' to Hollywood? Why are we even having to hear the 4th judge's vote? And why do we have to invent a way to say/pronounce 'yes' to every contestant? I don't know...I was barely able to make it through one episode. Mariah Carey is every bit as annoying as Nicky. Just in a different way. Any time she can find an excuse to sing, she whips it out. Yeah, Mariah, we get it...you can sing.  This isn't about you. The lone bright spot is Keith Urban...who I have always liked, as a musician and as a person. He just seems like a genuinely nice person. And he is a great judge, giving 'real' feedback and offering helpful advice. Nicky is a trainwreck. No way she makes it more than 1 season. Okay enough about American Trolldol.

So what happened in Choctaw? Well, lots. It wasn't the worst players. There were actually quite a few good players. And a lot of good players who I both like and respect won rings. So good for them. I really liked the place. A good setup for tourneys. The juice? Well...I just have to laugh now at the juice. I mean...I am happy just to be able to play at a few of these places. And despite everyone belly-aching about it? They keep showing up. And that just means that the joke is on us. I just think its hilarious when you do the math and discover that the house is making more than the person who actually wins the tourney. Never thought I'd see that day. I was wrong. But I've been wrong about a lot of things. I've noticed something about myself...I've become a helluva lot LESS compassionate about 'causes' lately. There just isn't a reason to 'lead the charge' for change in poker. All it does is attract negative attention to myself. And there is no majority of players that will get behind you and actually make something good happen. Poker players are talkers. And not doers. You can sit and have a very spirited conversation with just about any poker player. They can convince you that they are motivated to 'change the world,' but in reality...getting them to change their underwear is an actual challenge. So why bother? Its turned me selfish. It's now about ME. And maybe the people who invest in me. Just win, baby.

And in the case of 'what went down in Choctaw' I have continued with my theme of copy/pasting the wrap-up report that I provided for my backers/investors from this recently concluded event. I hope you enjoy this recycled synopsis of my last three or four days in Durant, Oklahoma.



It's Friday. I got home on Tuesday. This report realistically should have come Wednesday. But with Carley running around like a little hellion it seems to be impossible to get to my laptop unless she is asleep, as she pounces on it within minutes and starts pounding on keys! Trouble with that...by the time she finally goes to sleep, I am so tired, I fall asleep right behind her! On top of that...I had a desk full of checks for all the pools I run...and well...I'm just giving you my big 'ol run on rambling excuse!!!

 

I will call Choctaw a positive experience. The facility itself was great for poker tourneys. My hotel room was only a 3-5 minute walk from the tourney area. The tourney staff did a great job...hell, they should I guess, for the amount of juice they were taking out of our buy ins!

The trip started very optimistically with 3 quick cashes, one being a near win in the 7pm nightly...the guy I lost to...the one raising and sucking out with 9-2? He would win that tourney...as well as end up winning the Casino Champion ( I think, he was leading with two events left) award for most pts accrued during the week. Guy was an 'any two cards' beast. 

 

The second week was incredibly frustrating. Getting deep a lot, and getting derailed in ugly fashion, just sucks the life out of you...and energy I think. Because when I wasn't playing, I was sleeping...A TON! My Main Event was eerily similar on both Day 1A and Day 1B. On Day 1A I started on an early breaking table...ran my 20k up to around 35k...had my table break, and got moved to a table with the OMRG (old man run good) who was an absolute buffoon. He made some of the most incredibly horrible plays, only to get rewarded by the dealer. After watching a couple of them...I inquired from a few players what the deal was with him?

 

It was made pretty obvious that it was his modus operandi. Great. I sat there being very cautious of the potential peril that lived at the end of that table. He pretty much called ANY raise...and that included a couple of mine with AK and AJ that I missed the flops with. And since he played anything, it was foolhardy to bet into the guy, knowing he'd call with as little as bottom pair. I watched several good players attempt to bluff him...only to end up losing to him with him having, basically, garbage. He just simply had no 'FOLD' button. I watched my stack dwindle down to 12k...when it was around 34k when I came to that table. I needed to win a hand. Bad. So when I raised at 300/600 to 1750 with 99...I was greeted by him calling in the SB. Of course. Sigh. The flop came 7d-Jd-6x and I had two red nines. I was most likely good...that point confirmed when he checked to me. In every other case...he would check when he missed and bet when he hit anything. So when he checked, I just moved all in, to take down a 4k pot...which to me would represent a much-needed momentum changer. I moved all in for TEN THOUSAND! 

 

He hems, and haws...and...knowing not what lived in his brain to prompt such a call, CALLS me with AK. Can't for a second imagine what he was 'putting me on' or if it even crossed his mind...but when I saw the AK I cringed, knowing that he would probably get rewarded for his stupidity, yet again. He did. A king right on the turn sent me packing. I'm glad Poker News was there to watch the hand and report it on their website, because I don't think many people would have believed it had I told it to them the way it really transpired. Sure most would have been like..."Come on Monkey, 10k?" Thinking I exaggerated. Players have a way of 'changing stories' around on hand play to win over their listeners. I can usually detect which ones are doing that. For those of you who were following along, and read that...I'm not sure if you were as shocked as I was. I literally walked around the casino for about an hour...half in shock, half just pissed off.

 

I would play that night's $250 Mega satellite, trying to get $1675 back into our bankroll...since the two bullets for the Main Event would now have to be spent, the least I could do is try and get you guys back into the positive on Package A. Well...with a big turnout over 225 players for that, I would be derailed with 72...with 24 players getting a seat. Another frustrating 5 hours of poker. I went straight to my room, got 10 hours of sleep and arrived on Day 1B completely fresh and anxious to start my run over again.

 

Just like the day before, it started out good. I had an early breaking table with soft players...and ran my stack up to around 35k. I was listed among the early chipleaders on the PokerNews site...and even had me feeling good about getting out of Day 1. Then my table broke. And I got moved to a table way up front (never breaking) and stuck in Seat 1 (hate seat 1 and/or 10). The table looked relatively harmless. All except for ....him! Seat 6. Another older guy. Limps constantly. Min raises when he has a 'big hand.' I saw him as a real possible victim to double up on. The best kind of player to have in a Main Event. Usually.

 

There I was, sitting at 42k. Blinds were 300/600. A player (who I found out much later was an avid reader of my blog and sure knew a lot more about me than I did about him, obviously) who liked to raise in late position a lot with bad aces, raised to 1700. I picked up 10-10 on the button and re-raised to 4500. It folded back to him. He calls. They always just call. Never 3-bet. Never shove. Never fold. Just calls. Hate that. The flop came K-J-4...not a great flop for me...but when he checked, and I bet 5200, I figured I would take it down...concluding that he has another one of his A-7 type hands. He didn't obviously, because he raised it to 15,200. Shit. I folded. Hard Hit Numero Uno. Down to 32k. 

 

Then lose another 4k on a hand where I get in with A10...on an A-3-6 board...call all the way to the river, and lose to AJ. Ouch. Then what I determined to be the hand that turned my whole Main Event sour happened.

 

Mr. Min Raise did that move. I have a thing about playing people out of the blinds heads up who have min raised. No one called his min raise. I was in the BB with 3c-5c. A very good 'live' hand to play against someone with a hand they deem to be a 'monster.' I also get a special thrill from punishing the people who min-raise. SO yeah, I call.

 

I get an incredible flop. 4c-5d-8c. Middle pair, flush draw. No where in my mind did I see myself losing this hand. So I didn't even bother raising his flop bet, figuring I would wait to do that until the turn. Could I possibly miss all those outs? Did I mention (no I didn't) that I had missed 17 outs five different times the previous day? Even if this guy min raising had a big over pair...I still loved my hand, and my chances of getting a healthy chunk of chips back in my stack. So when he led out for 2700 behind my check, I just called. Now, for good players? This is usually where your red flag goes up, letting you know that the other player had something major developing over there. Or already HAD something major and was just working him like a $3 whore. Not this guy. He was the race horse who had those blinders on...and all he could see was his big pair. (not that I ever saw it, but it was pretty obvious by his blind, ignorant way of playing the hand)

 

The turn brought the 6 of hearts. Not the club I was looking for...or another 5, maybe a 3. But now I was open ended, to go along with my flush draw. Time for a semi-bluffing check raise. I check. He bets 4500 now. I raise to 12,000. He doesn't even hesitate. He 'snap calls.' Yep. Over-pair. Not even looking at the board to see all the various ways he could be losing this hand. Tunnel-vision. But the ugly reality was that I was still behind. And had now committed a ton of chips to this hand. The river brought the worst possible card...the 8 of diamonds. No straight for me. No flush. No second pair. In fact...he had now made (most likely) two pair. Incredible. I check to him. He fires out 8500. I frustratingly toss my cards into the much. Incredible. The guy had NO CLUE how close he was to doubling me up and crippling himself.

Incidentally, the idiot from Day 1A? He went by the name of Fred Roll...and after his hero (dumbass) call against me with AK...his stack shot up to a then-third place total of 74k...he wouldn't make it out of Day 1. Not even close. Same deal with this guy. He was out before even the dinner break. Just goes to prove my point about all these 'Dead Money Clueless Main Event' players that find themselves in these big events. They always seem to take out a lot of good players in the early rounds...only to donk off their chips in predictable fashion. It's always my aim to avoid these fools. But when I get caught in the crossfire..its incredibly deflating.

So as I sat there simmering...trying to clear my mind of that hand, and get back on the right track...I convinced myself that even though I had 42k just a while before, and now was at 14k...I could still turn things around. 

 

About that time...I pick up AK under the gun. I raise. The same guy (nemesis...fill in blank of other choice adjectives _____) calls my raise. The flop comes a very favorable K-J-7. I bet out a fair amount. He calls. Hmmm. The turn is a six. Rainbow board. No possible straights out there. Only fading a set. Which I don't think he has. I think he probably has KQ or K10. So I like the action I'm getting. I bet again...he calls again. Sticking with my read. The river is an eight. The pot is so big now that I think a check on the river might be the right play. If he has KJ...(nightmare) or a set...I might get him to check behind and cut my losses. Or if he has K10 or KQ and makes a reasonable bet, I can call and take down a huge pot...close to a much-needed double up. I check. He makes an absurdly high bet. Now I'm thinking he had Q-10 and missed his straight...and is trying now to win the pot the only way he can...by stealing it. 

 

I tanked and thought it out for a long time. My instincts led me to think I was good. So I called. What does he turn over? Nine-Freaking-Ten. He called my bets on the flop and the turn with gutshot straight draws. Then hits it on the river. You gotta be kidding me. I felt my head spinning. My stomach getting nauseous. Unreal. I was now sitting on a paltry stack...which would get all in with KQ three handed. The first raiser bet the BB out of the hand on a board of A-J-9....with pocket threes! Wow! What a stupid play...but I was in the best shape possible. A ton of outs. I missed them all. And was out of the main event, for the second time. And feeling very bummed out.

 

I wandered off to the cash room. Played for an hour (winning a monster $75!) then went to play the 7pm $200 tourney. It would start badly. The one hand that really stood out was raising under the gun with QQ and getting called by both blinds. The flop came 2-2-9. Turns out the lady in the SB...who has since sent me an email asking for a link to my Super Bowl Squares...had called me with 8-2 offsuit. Yeah. The 'ol eight duey! Why? She claims 'she felt it coming.' Okay. Well, that table broke...and my next table things turned around. I ran pretty well. And frankly, it was just a soft table that I abused mercilessly.

 

It was a good sized field, and first place was a pretty robust $6400. My goal was to win. To get all of you a positive return on your investment..maybe not the return you had in mind...but a RETURN nonetheless. And so...with three tables left, anyone that would bring it up, I would tell them I had no intention of chopping. When we eventually got to the final table...I would get that same lady on my left, and she was relentlessly badgering me to chop. I think with 9 left it would be like $2500 each. Even though I wasn't the big stack...probably 3rd in chips...I refused. I just have a lot of experience in nightly tourneys where I am far and away the best player...and doing a chop deal is just giving away money. If I was going to do a deal, it wasn't going to happen until we got to a minimum of 3 players.

 

The lady wouldn't let up. And it got just annoying. And made me more staunch in my stance, the exact opposite of what she was hoping would happen by badgering me, I think. Well, I would lose two coin flip hands...and get knocked down to being pretty short. And of course...I could hear the under-the-breath talk starting. "Should have taken the chop!" "Ha! Karma is getting you!" Blah blah blah...whatever you losers. It's got nothing to do with karma, its got everything to do with me not wanting to give bad players 2nd place money. Period. Well, we got to 6...I won a few more hands to get healthy again...and it was being proposed harder. $3k each. I figured I needed to win $4500 to get you all a return of about $150 per share...with the next day's last event still to be played. That was about what 2nd place was paying. And I figured I could pretty easily beat these players for 1st or 2nd. So I said no again.

 

It backfired. My 99 lost to QJ. For about a third of my chips. Then my AK lost to AJ...for about half. Then when I shoved with A10...I got called by Q10...and what won? You guessed it. Q-10. Out...6th, for $925. Crap. And of course...shortly after my busting...they did a deal. Whatever. Maybe I should have done the deal. But to be honest...I think I did what I should have. I was only up about $1500 on the trip...which barely was covering my hotel and gas. Winning it would get me home with at least enough for our monthly bills. No regrets.

 

The next day...the last event...Event 12...a $580 ring event? That started out great. I had a very soft table. I chipped up right away...and kept it going. Then my table broke. Uh oh. That had been bad luck the last few days. And it would be again. I had no fewer than 4 OMRG's at the table. (great!) I was in the dreaded 10-seat. Sitting in the 2-seat was a guy I know...but only from his act of generosity...giving money to the fund of Casey Jones...the dealer who passed away last fall, who I was raising money for. His name is Brittain Fraley...and he would end up min-cashing this event. And his wife would later friend request me on Facebook...or maybe it was following me on Twitter. Not sure, one of those. 

 

Anyway...it always amazes me when I have someone who I know is a 'Facebook friend' or who I know reads my blog quite regularly that seem to go out of their way to beat me. And this guy was one of those. I would raise with stuff like KQ..and he would call with K7. I would raise with AJ...he would call with J8...both times I'm raising early position and he's calling in late middle position. Why? Those hands are shit. Beating nothing. 

 

Well, on both of those, I (we) would flop top pair...he would call me all the way to the river...and hit his second pair on both. It made my stomach turn. I called him out (not realizing at the time who he was) on my Facebook, referring to him as the 'asshat in seat 2' who kept sucking out bad on me. 

 

Well, then I see a Twitter with my name on it...."Just noticed Monkey called me an Asshat for the bad plays I made against him...guess I'm moving up in the poker world." Or something to that effect. Oh my gosh. Really? He's THAT guy? Which just got me more annoyed and confused. 

 

But it was the OMRG sitting next to him in the 3-seat who was the most perplexing! Anytime the action was on him, he would get this far away look on his face...like only part of him was there. Then came the comment...which inspired a Facebook post. He had built a wall around his large denomination chips. There is a strict rule, as most of you know...that you have to make your large chips visible for the other players. You couldn't see his large chips at all. I mentioned, under my breath, to the dealer...that he should let us all see his chips. So the dealer asks him to move his large chips so they can be seen. His response?

 

"Oh...I'm sorry...I'm color blind...I can't tell the color of the chips." Irresistible. Me: "So are you also unable to read the numbers on the chips?" Jacktard!

 

Well...guess who would get all my chips? Yup. Jacktard! I sat watching this guy play all day...so I felt like I had a pretty good read on him. He had called several raises out of the blinds with ace-rag...and won a few of them when he got lucky and made two crummy pair against the better hand (preflop). His betting patterns were always the same. So...I raise with AQ at cutoff. It folds to him in the BB. I get the deer in the headlights look from him as he fumbled for the chips required to make the call. He calls. Here we go.

 

The flop comes A-7-9. Nice. I think. He checks. I bet about half the pot. He calls. Bad ace? 10-8? The turn is a 5. Seems like a good card. I bet behind his check. Now he raises me. Shit. Ace five? Very possible. I'd seen him suck out like this before. I simply flat call. Then the river card...the one that busts me....the one I can't get away from. A queen. Top two pair. He shoves all in. Well, there is only one thing beating me. A set. And guess what the clueless (seemingly, was it an act!??) old geezer has? A set of nines! Ball game! Game, set, and match....OMRG! Say good bye to Choctaw. The Monkey has left the building. Adios, Senor Monkey.

 

That was it. The final tally....four cashes. None over $1650. So many deep runs. So many hours of poker played. And now a 12-hour road trip ahead of me to drive...and re-think everything. And to look ahead to the next event...one that will have field sizes that probably eclipse these ones. Which were huge. I failed to make all of you investors a profit, which is always my primary goal. But at the same time...I won enough to keep you somewhat close to your initial investment...so at least no one took a bath! Your initial price per share was $110. The price per share after the event is worth $63.50. I have ALL of your balances on a separate spreadsheet. 

 

You now have the option of either getting paid out immediately, via either check or PayPal...however you paid...or you can opt to participate in the Palm Beach event...which...in looking at the tourney schedule, figures to have just about the exact same lineup, with my price per share figuring to be the same as Choctaw. 

 

It wasn't the worst event. But not how I hoped it would turn out, obviously. I thank all of you for your participation and hope you got at least a little 'bang for your buck' out of the 12 days of 'ring-chasing' in Oklahoma! Now its 3 weeks of resting up, keeping up with Carley Grace...and getting on top of all my pools and seeing how many Super Bowl Squares I can fill up for the big Harbaugh Bowl. If anyone has any 'rentable condo' connections in the Palm Beach, Florida area...please share this info with me!!!

 

Will 'Monkey' Souther

One Last Shot in Choctaw....

Gosh...I don't even know where to begin. I'm so behind on posting here. Mainly because I've just been playing hour upon hour on this trip, and when I get back to my room, I am always SO exhausted. I just lay down, and within minutes, am asleep.

I know I don't HAVE to blog. It's not like its a job. It's not like I'm getting paid. There have been times when I've told Squirrel "I gotta get a blog written," and she rolls her eyes as if to ask "WHY?" It's a pretty good question. Why? Who am I obligated to?

Well...when I have numerous people I don't even know say things to me throughout the day at this event, things like "Hey Monkey...waiting on a new post man" it does make me feel like I need to put something up here. But I think the primary reason I need to post...is that writing is often times very therapeutic for me. And the past four days have been the type of days that have required some major therapy.

My trip started pretty good, albeit, falling short of the goal, a final table at the least, and a win at best. But making the money was at least validation that I belong. And doing that 3 times in 4 days had me feeling like it was only a matter of time before I broke through for a big score. Then I sit here watching guys I know well...all of whom are Facebook friends and who I have played against for years...win rings. Ross Bybee...ring! Mike 'Carwash' Schneider...ring! David 'Lurky' Nicholson....ring!! Allan Farber, a circuit dealer and friend...ring!!! And then, sitting near the top in chip counts after the Main Event Flight A yesterday...John 'Cowboy' Land. All good guys. All guys I consider myself equals with. And they are pulling down the scores that I came here for. That I keep falling short of. I'm very, very happy for them. I am. At the same time, there is a touch of envy...since I am at a point in my life where I really need one of those 'cashes' myself. 

Yesterday was an absolute abomination. It started on a positive note. I got a great night of sleep. I had a little breakfast. My first table was very soft. It did have the always nerve-wracking woman at it...the one who raises too much, who always calls it seems...but who, after awhile...became very predicable, and after she got up to about 35k with just idiotic plays...would finally screw herself when everyone caught on to her. By the time they broke our table, she was down to under 8k. I had 26k when our table broke.

My next table...or last table, was one that immediately drew my attention to the 8 seat. And 'that guy.' Oh...you know the one. The OMRG. And I'm thinking that it might be time to start a line of t-shirts featuring the OMRG. Something along the lines of 'OMRG and PROUD!!'  Or how bout this one....'I got OMRG'd at Choctaw!' and featuring a poker play with his hands on his head in painful pose? I could see it taking off. Well, yeah...so here he was...sitting over there barely paying attention to the game because he was busy stuffing his face with a side table full of food. He had to be reminded about four or five times that it was his turn to act. Once with a packet of mustard in his hand.

My first indication that he was going to be a nightmare was when a guy on my right pushed all in for 2450 (at 150/300)...and the guy on my left (with 34k) flatted the all in...folded around to OMRG...and he fumbles his food, looks over his chips at his cards...and mutters..."Mmmph...ummm, yeah, okay...I call" and carelessly puts the chips out there. Here comes the flop. Check check. Turn puts three hearts out there. Check. He bets 3k. The other guy folds. And he turns over 7-8 offsuit...good for a straight. 7-8 off suit, for 2450 and another player calling? Um, weird. Okay.

A little later...I raise with A10...ace of diamonds. He calls. I catch a terrible flop of 10-10-6. With two diamonds. He checks to me. I bet about half the pot. He calls. (thanks, I think) Turn is a jack. He checks again. I bet a larger amount...now having no idea what he has...but ready to take the pot down. He calls again. What the hell? The river is a 9. He checks AGAIN. And my last bet is 5200. He tanks...I think I want a call. But I'm not positive. Oh...he finally calls, and turns over (again) 7-8 off. For the straight. Gutshotted me on the river. Oh my god. Now I found myself down to 11k. Shaking my head. That feeling of doubt creeping in. 

I sat and watched his dumb ass double up a couple guys with his maniacal play...and it dawned on me, and I mentioned it to the guys at my end of the table..."This guy is either going to double me and make me chipleader...or he's going to bust me, I just know it." And like so many OMRG's before him...who 'run good' and just get shitbox lucky for the first 10 levels or so of a Main Event...and who take out several good players on the way to accumulating a big stack...only to eventually give away all those chips by the time critical play begins, this joker would do the same thing. Fred Roll was this guy's name, and when I checked final Day 1 chip counts, his name was listed with the word 'BUSTED' next to his name. Big shock.

How did he eventually get me? Well, I had lost with AK twice in two orbits, every time I raised, I was up against him. Well, I get pocket nines...with the blinds at 250/500. I raise to 1750. Who calls? He calls. Just him. The flop comes J-7-4...two diamonds. I have a 9 of diamonds. He checks to me. Well, this guy was not a check-raiser. If he hit the flop, he always led out...and for a lot. He wasn't one to finesse the pot. So he checks to me...and frankly, I knew I was ahead, but did NOT want to let him catch up. And really needed to get some positive momentum going...so first and foremost in my mind at that time was to win a damn pot, one that I needed badly, one that would increase my current stack by 50% and hopefully get me back on the right track. So I just shoved on him...for ten thousand. He tanks for a long time...and with the reporter from PokerNews standing by waiting on him to act, and me knowing this hand was about to appear on the Live Reporting feed...he says "Well, I'm probably making a bad call, but I'll call"...and when he calls and turns over AK...I tell him (sarcastically) "nice call sir." 

He sees my hand and disputes my claim...though I just know in the pit of my stomach that his dumb ass his going to hit one of his overs. It's how things like this with OMRG's seem to work. And right on cue...a fucking king hits the turn. And holds. And as the report on PokerNews would state a short while later, I sat staring in disbelief at the board...with that feeling we get when these things happen. Like someone just reached down your throat and pulled out all your internal organs. I was out. Son of a bitch! The good thing (I guess) was not having to explain how I lost to everyone when they saw that I was out. Because most of them read those updates. I got a lot of "Dude, Monkey...wow man, saw what happened to you...that's fucked up bro." Yeah, thanks.

I went and played cash game...to cool off, and kill time before the 7pm $250 Mega started. I picked up $335 in under an hour at the 1/2 table. Okay, some positive vibes flowing. Go to the Mega. Start terrible. But then get hot. Get up to over 10k (from 3k starting stack.) Then lost with a straight to a bigger straight and get crippled. Then get back to 8k. Up and down...for three hours. There were 212 players...with 24 winning a seat. I busted in 72nd. I don't even remember what I went out with. This is part of my attempt to wash Friday, January 18, 2013 from my memory. As I have tried to do to so many other days in the poker past. Days that, when you think about them, just bring sorrow to your world. 

I decide to enter a $195 SNG to try and find some run good, and maybe win my entry for tomorrow's (today now) Flight B of the Main Event...which will see another large throng of players...most of them likely losers from Day 1. In a very unusual set up, they had the players from Day 1A play an incredibly arduous 17 levels yesterday, going from I think 466 players all the way down to 65 I think. I might be wrong, but I don't ever remember playing that many levels in Day 1. And I guess it's a catch 22...it gives a LOT of players a second chance. It promises a much bigger prize pool. And for the house it promises a lot more juice...which, for those keeping track...has been setting records at this event. So...I guess you could say EVERYONE wins in this scenario.

How did the SNG end up? Ha! It started very badly...with me squeezing with JJ on a raise by a guy for 150...and 7 callers. I got called by the last guy...with AQ...and he turns a queen...to whack me from 3000 down to 750. My stack got to 700...we were only at 25/50...and I decide I'm going to short stack ninja my way to a comeback. So I make the move to go to my room and change. We were playing in a little back room that was freezing. So I go change. Come back, and begin my march. I double up with 77 vs. K10...he flops a King...I turn a seven! I then get 10-10 to win against AK and AQ for a huge triple up. And before long, I had the chiplead. We get to four....we get to three....and finally I get heads up with the ONLY person who didn't do the $20 last longer. So I pocket $180. Problem was...he has me 5-1 after I'd lost a big hand to him. But I knew I could beat him.

I double up after shoving 5-8h and getting called by A7. Now we were even. We played heads up for about an hour. The night before, in a $125 SNG...I played heads up with a guy for almost two hours...before finally beating him for the entire amount (no deal made). Me and this kid never talked deal. I think he was too proud to even mention it. And I really just wanted to play for it all. $1675 seat, $125 cash. We got to where I had him by 1200 chips. He raised. I shoved with 55 (blinds were 600/1200) and he calls with AJ. The flop comes 3-4-6. Awesome! Just straighten me up dealer! Oh god...she puts a jack on the turn. No!!!!! River? Come on baby, come on baby.....brick. DAMMIT! Down to 1200. I double up on the next hand. Okay...okay, we can do this. No we cant. I lose on the next hand. And just sit there, staring at the felt. Dismay. Shock. Anger. Sadness. Frustration. Irritation. All those things. That...is the worst damn feeling in poker. Making that comeback...having him on the ropes. Having him reduced to that one card...and getting shanked. It just sucks.

I stumbled out of the poker room...walking aimlessly around the casino...not ready to go to bed, but not wanting to play poker. Wandering around...looking at all the freakishly bizarre people that come to this outpost in the middle of nowhere, Oklahoma to gamble away their savings...in a place that quits serving alcohol after 1:45am...where roulette doesn't use a ball, and craps doesn't use dice. I finally just sit down at a $10 blackjack table. Thinking...what the hell...maybe all my 'run good' for this lousy effing day was supposed to be in blackjack and NOT poker. I'll try. Uh. Bad decision. I will just tell you the final line that tossed my way by the guy in the 5-seat.

"Wow, sir...I don't think I've ever seen ANYONE ever get the kind of lousy cards you just got in the past 30 minutes. I mean, that's pretty much the most unlucky I've ever seen a guy get."

Uhh...yeah, thanks sir. I agree. I thanked Ashley for the $200 beat down...gave her my last $5...she told me she was very sorry, which was nice of her...a pleasant change from the asshole robot guy last weekend, who seemed to lack any emotions whatsoever, and who only wanted to nit pick on every little detail regarding 'waving off', 'splitting' and 'doubling down.' That guy drove me to just pick up what I started with and leave. I mean, I'm not a big gambler...and when I do sit down to gamble a little, its with the thought of decompressing from my poker nightmare. I want to just sit there, alone, and play something that requires very little thought and/or effort. And to have a jerkoff for a dealer? Well, that just makes it beyond annoying. So I will just leave a table like that before I say or do something that gets me in trouble. 

So, all this being said...I've used up my allotted time to write to you today. I have 15 minutes now to get ready and head back in there to fire my second bullet. A bullet I hope and pray will result in my placing chips into a plastic bag and earning the right to come back here tomorrow and make a run at a decent score that will allow me to go home to Squirrel and little Carley with enough money to prevent me from staying awake at night. This is a big day....a very, very big day. I've had 9 hours of sleep. And now a little therapy session with you guys. There is SO much more to write about on this trip. But as you can see, I'm short on time.

On a positive note, its been a great event. Run almost flawlessly. Great dealers. A lot of pretty good players. Nice guys for the most part. The facility is fantastic for poker tourneys. One of the best I've seen in fact. The hotel has been great, nice room, daily housekeeping visits...very friendly staff. It's definitely a place I would return to. I just really want and need for it to end on a positive note. Otherwise its going to be a very long, stressful drive home. A long, 10-hour drive home.  So...well....here we go, back for Day 1B....

MONKEY

Choctaw Day Two

All I could think about yesterday...was, 'Oh My God, this is going to be such a great blog post'....that no matter how absolutely horrible my day was going, and how UNBELIEVABLE some of the shit was that I was seeing...that at least YOU guys would be entertained. Well, sorry. I slept in. And damn, it felt good. And now it's 7 minutes til noon, and there is no way I'm not going in on time. I have to be there when one of these fools gives away their stacks. And hope it's me.

So what I'm saying is I don't have any time at all to give you what you fully deserve from yesterday. I played and lost the $580 at 5pm. Had a very tough table. 4 real good players, and 3 really aggressive and annoying players. I didn't win a hand for 2.5 levels. Finally did in Level 3...and then another one...to get to almost my starting stack.

After the break I pick up AA behind 'Nate'...some young kid who is large...and who opened about 78% of the time. People got hip to his act though and started 3-betting him a lot. So when he raised UTG...and I looked down at AA...I decide to smooth call and wait for someone downstream to re-raise. It doesn't happen. Shit. AA five-handed. Never fun. Flop comes out Q-J-3 rainbow. Nate bets 1100 (raise was to 500) I raise to 2300. Guy on the button, who was a cross between Fred Flintstone and John Goodman, and who I knew NOTHING about because he had JUST come to our table...squints at me (??? what is that???) and makes it 5100. Gawd. Not again. What now? Set of threes? QJ? AQ? It folds back to me. I decide to flat. Hope I can turn either a 3 or an ace. Turn is junk...a lonely 5. I check. He bets all in. Shit. I am down to 3400 (at 150/300). I have to be beat. I fold face up.

Half the table gasps. The 'ol "oh my gosh how does he fold there!??' The other half arched their eyebrows...I'm assuming in a fashion that they were amazed by my ability to lay down aces. I couldn't tell from the look on Flintstones' face if I had him beat or not. But I think he had me. I sat stewing for 6 hands...until I get AA...AGAIN...in the SB. Guy raises UTG. To 850. I shove all in for 3200. He snap calls with AKc. Good. Double me up dealer. Get me back in this. No? Gonna give him a flush on the river? Oh. Okay. I see. Thanks. Busto!

Went to SNG land. Luck did NOT improve. At all. Lost three $125's, two of them with $100 last longers. I was heads up with a guy with $500 in the last longer (4 left in the SNG) and could have split it with him...but I wanted to go for it all...get me back to even on the day (in SNG's) and then try to win the SNG to get up on the day. Forget that. Button raises, I move all in with AQ in SB...get called by him and his 99...and he holds. Out 4th. Nothing to show for it. 

I think my favorite (make that...most irritating) hand of the SNG session was raising from 25/50 to 175 with 88....getting called by 3 guys. One of them the red-bearded toothpick-knawing idiot who is likely living in a cabin with 17 relatives and has 2 GB's of chip porn on his computer...who thought calling with Q4c was a good play. I flopped a set of 8's but on an all club board...you know the rest. Board didn't pair.

Yesterday was another cacophony of idiots making moronic plays, one after the other...and seeming to be in perfect harmony with the dealer and the deck. I mean...I can take the first 10 beats, the first 10 stupid ass plays that knock me out...but after awhile...as you feel that lump in your pocket (your bankroll) get noticeably smaller, the stress builds, the tension increases...the anger grows. I sat killing this guy in my head yesterday. I think I was up to 7 ways to kill this particular player before I was busted and got to leave and go eat.

This game...if you play it long enough...and I certainly have...will absolutely drive you insane. Okay. I'm going to go now, and try to create some good news on Day 3. And it's playoff time in the NFL again. One more day to wait for my Seahawks to pull of another road win in the playoffs! Rooting for Green Bay today. Good bye.

MONKEY

Day 1 from Choctaw

Hey folks. Coming to you from Choctaw...in Durant, Oklahoma...a place I've never played before. My immediate impression is that it is a wonderful facility for poker tourneys. It's a really nice casino. The staff is all very friendly. My hotel room is incredibly spacious...and VERY close to the tournament poker area...which is so nice. I got here Thursday at 6am after an incredibly long road trip. Granted it was made a lot easier with my four RedBox movies...but I had to pull over at one point for 2 and a half hours while a powerful storm swept through central Louisiana. It was the third incident of hydroplaning while going only 45-50 that convinced me to pull it over! 

Something else was learned. I will never make that drive again and try to save the extra 40 miles by taking the county road 'shortcut' from  just beyond Shreveport to Durant...choosing instead to take interstates to Dallas then north to Durant. You'd have thought I'd learned my lesson in all those early road trips to Las Vegas every summer...but somehow, being hip to their little game, I managed to NOT get any speeding tickets. It so ridiculous the scam the State of Texas runs with their highway patrol. It's no wonder their the only state in the union that has a balanced budget. They make all their money off scam speeding tickets. You are cruising along on that county road with a 70mph speed limit...then BOOM! Although you can't SEE a town...a sign tells you there is one in the area...and the speed limit plummets from 70 to 50 then to 40 and 30 within a mile. The next thing you see is a cop sitting in a spot, like one of those cheapo do-it-yourself car washes...or a gas station that is no longer in business, with their lights off. Yeah...I see you, asshole! Just waiting to get that person who hasn't managed to get from 70 down to 30. Or who is zoning and didn't even realize the speed limit had gone down. That was me a couple years ago. well, like I said, I'm hip to it now...so I managed to get my car down to 'pit road speed' before incurring the wrath of the State of Texas!!!

I know I haven't been very good about blogging lately. But I think you all know I've had a pretty good excuse (Carley Grace!!!) So for this trip, I've decided to something kind of unique. I managed to sell all 50 of my shares to 14 different people...and I want to be really good about giving them a comprehensive report as close to daily as possible. There have been trips in the past where I just get so tired, and play so late...and the days run so close together...that the updated spreadsheet gets neglected, as well as the daily summary. So I figure if I have the obligation of reporting to them ranking first in my list of responsibilities, and then reporting to you guys a close third behind my family, I thought I would try to kill two birds with one stone. So I am copy/pasting the report that I am emailing out to my investors...well, most of it, anyway. Save me time...as time seems to always run out on me when there is a tournament looming.

So without further ado....here is my DAY 1 report to my investors.

Wow!

 

What an eye-opening experience Day 1 was! The drive up here was a bitch! With a rainstorm like I've never seen, forcing me to park it in a rest area for 2 1/2 hours. Finally got in at 6am, then spent an hour dealing with an absolute idiot at the front desk. Went over and registered, took a nap, and returned at noon. Got off to a promising start. Had a relatively decent table...and the turnout was good, nearly 500 players. 

 

In level 4...a very aggressive player min raises from 150 to 300...gets four callers, and I completed in the SB with Ac2c. The flop comes A-2-9 with two hearts. Bingo! (I thought) I check. The guy bets 750. I am putting him on something like A10 or AJ...given his history. I raise to 1750...not wanting to let him draw out on me, but also willing to build the pot a little and hope to fade a face card on the turn. He immediately shoves all in. Weird? I look at the board and convince myself that he either thinks I'm on a flush draw...and has AJ or AQ, even AK...like I think....or HE is on a flush draw and trying to pressure me. Why all in? For a lot? Made no sense...and it was Level 4 and I'm thinking about how nice, at that stage of the tourney it would be to get to over 25k, and to get this guy off my table. I make the call. He has 22. 

 

Oh boy. Bad read. I need an ace and don't get it. Bummer. I get crippled and busted an orbit later.

 

I played three sit n gos after that. And you can all breath easy...I'm playing SNG's on my own dime...trying to make some money for the 'fam' while not putting your money at risk! And that's good news for you! AT least yesterday!!! 

 

SNG #1. $125. Get a pretty early double up. Cruising. A win would sure be nice. Wait? Time to get OMRG'd (Old Man Run Good) At 50/100...a guy ships 900 under the gun. Old man calls...for 100...not seeing the all in. When told it's 900...he decides to call. It's obvious he has a shitty hand. So when I look down at QQ in the SB....I move all in for 3200. I have him covered by 525. He....CALLS! With A4 offsuit. What the.....???? And I'm just begging the dealer (in my head!) to NOT give this idiot an ace. The all in guy has J10d. Flop comes 3-5-6 and I cringe. When you see flops like that? You just KNOW you are about to get shanked! And I did. Turns a 7. good god. Now I'm crippled. Oh...three hands later? I get QQ again! I get it in...and run into....KK!!! Perfect. He holds. I'm out 6th.

 

Next SNG...a $70 thrillfest....I get 4th. No story. Just lost to K10 to seal my fate...I had AJ. Good 'ol King Ten!!!

 

Third SNG...another $120...I busted 7th. 

 

What I saw on Day 1...is that there are a LOT of players who get it in REALLY really REALLY bad...and seem to get rewarded a LOT on the turn and river. Which is really annoying and painful...but at the same time, its a good thing too...if you can manage to exercise good pot control...because if you can fade the awful suckout...they are going to pay off a LOT. So, knowing I'm going to take a lot of crazy disgusting beats up here probably, I'm also going to have a really good chance to build up big stacks courtesy of bad play.

 

Well...that happened. In the 7pm nightly....a $200 buy in. I got into that one in Level 4...since I was still in the 5pm tourney. I sat down with 3000 chips and the blinds at 100/200. Folded for five hands and pick up AA in early position at a table that was already showing that it was incredibly crazy and aggressive. So I limped. A guy makes it 450. (thank you!) Guy in the BB calls the 450. To me, I make it 1250. The initial raiser goes all in (thank you again!) for a total of 3400. BB (who proves later how bad and loose he is on numerous occasions) calls...with KING TEN! And I of course call. Other guy has KK. My aces hold...and bingo...I am up to 9000.

 

I pretty much cruised the rest of the tourney. Made a couple of real nice bluffs I was proud of. But mainly just got a big stack and bullied my table when we got within 3 of the money...and built up a stack that put me in the top 3. Would make the final table, 2nd in chips. First was $4200. 2nd was $2400. Those were the ONLY two spots I was looking at. I announced when the topic came up with three tables left...that I wouldn't be chopping. So at 13 (paying 12) someone was chirping about paying 13th place (out of pocket). I said no. And continued pounding on the blinds.

 

Final table was going pretty smooth, guys were dropping like flies. Once we got to 4th...I did the math and realized we were now about even on the day...which was some relief. Well...WE were even. I was still down...since the SNG's were good for $370 in losses for me. Nope...4th wasn't going to cut it. I needed to AT LEAST get third...which shouldn't be too tough since two of the players had only 6-10 BB's. The chipleader was a guy I am familiar with...and who plays like an absolute maniac. So his raises meant very little. 

 

He was raising from the button on my BB EVERY time he had the chance. And I really wanted to get into his stack...knowing I would have to eventually anyway. Plus, the last thing I wanted was to get heads up with the guy and be at a 4-1 disadvantage. So he raises again. I have 3c4c in the BB and call. I get what I think is a dream flop. 4-5-2. I check. He makes a c-bet...which is always automatic with this guy. I don't really have enough to effectively re-raise (blinds were huge at this point) and it wouldn't matter...how this guy played...if I had re-raised, he would have just put the pressure BACK on me and shoved anyway. And besides...I was certain I had him beat. I shove all in. HE SNAP CALLS WITH 9-2!!! NINE TWO. That's uh...bottom pair with no draw. I'm good...with the chance to get better. Instead...the dealer turns him a freaking nine! And I brick the river. 

 

Out 4th. For $1280. Sickening. I win that hand...I have a MASSIVE chiplead...and all three guys are below 10 BB's...and I very likely win the $4200 going away. But instead, a disappointing $1280. Which...yes I'm grateful a little, and felt good with the run...but damn, so close! So I went and played an hour worth of cash game to check out THAT scene (nutso, by the way) and tried to get something to eat. They had a fiasco with the server...who ended up walking out in the middle of her shift...and I had a manager and some other lady profusely apologizing, giving me back the money I had pre-paid...and offering me something else...though they were out of almost everything. So I just thanked them for their concern, accepted their offer of a comped meal my next time in...and went to the food court and found a caeser salad...which became the first thing I had to eat all day. Got to bed at about 3am.

 

It was nice sleeping in. The tourney today has two flights...one at noon and one at 5pm. They do the same thing tomorrow...for the same tourney...guess 4 flights is how they are going to make their $500k guarantee!!! So I'm catching up on all my pool stuff (and sleep!!!) before I go play that $580 at 5pm. Hopefully run good in that, bag up a good stack, and not have to try again tomorrow (Saturday).

 

StAY TUNED!!!

 

MONK

 

So there you go. You can expect more than a few of these reports. Hope you don't mind! I had a chance to meet a lot of you blog readers yesterday...and again, I tried to keep a smile on my face when chatting with you...but up until the 7pm tourney...I was having a horrendous, frustrating day and was trying to keep positive. So if I came across as rude, I apologize, but hopefully I didnt.

 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention our FANTASTIC weekend of football! Most of you know I'm a diehard, lifelong Seahawks fan...and a huge fan of the Crimson Tide. Last year...carrying Carley Grace in her belly...and feeling her kicking like crazy all tthroughout the game...we attended the BCS Title Game in New Orleans, and it was awesome! Well Carley Grace is now two-for-two as she sat with us in the living room watching Alabama spank the Fighting Irish Monday Night to take their 2nd title in a row and 3rd in four years. Wow! That crystal ball hasn't left the state of Alabama (Auburn in 2010) in FIVE years now! That's a pretty nice claim to fame! I really didn't think Notre Dame would beat Alabama...but leading up to the game, watching all the stuff about Manti Teo and hearing how the 'new Notre Dame coaches won their first National Title in their third year' was starting to make me a wee bit nervous. But after that first drive...where Bama just meticulously marched down the field like a fine-tuned machine...I sat back, looked at Squirrel...and told her "Oh...we got this baby!"

 

The day before...I was watching Seattle fall behind 14-0...and beginning to get text messages and Facebook posts from people telling me my Seahawks were dead. I wasn't convinced. Yeah, it was our biggest deficit of the season. But RG3 was struggling. And I figured if we could just score once and get the defense to settle in, we'd be back in it. DONE! Closed to 14-13 at the half...and was feeling like we might win. But then we fumble on first and goal at the 2 in the 3rd quarter...and I started feeling like we were going to blow it. Well, as you know...we didn't. We put two more scores on the board..the defense knocked out RG3...and played lights out...and we cruised to a 24-14 win that wasn't even really that close. I was on Cloud 9 the rest of the night leading into Monday. We head to Atlanta...and I'm really kind of shocked at the respect Vegas is giving us...making us only 1 pt underdogs. Wow. At the #1 seed? The 13-3 Falcons? And we are only a 1-pt dog? I'm sure not going to get over-confident...as Atlanta is a very good team. But I like our team. And I think we are playing with that confidence and enthusiasm that a young team gets sometimes when they get on a roll and don't stop. It's exciting. It's like 2005 all over again. Just hope if we get lucky and make it to the Super Bowl, that they don't let that douchebag Bill Leavy ref the game! (CLICK THE LINK)   

 

Okay...well, I'm going to cut this short, as I still have a lot of things to tend to before going to play at 5pm. 

 

MONK