South of Hell\’s Kitchen

While I love Austin, yesterday I wished Houston was still the Capitol of Texas so I wouldn’t have had to commute. Nonetheless, it was a swell time spending the day with Dan Michalski, Mike Lavigne, Lyle Berman, Crandell Addington, Clonie Gowen, and Erick Lindgren.

I arrived at noon to quickly learn that many local news stations were hot for information on the new bill. After our first interview, we lunched in a nearby hotel board room as we listened to Crandell’s old poker stories. If you love old Doyle Brunson stories then ask Crandall about the time Doyle mucked Aces Full (on the turn – formally known as the flop).

Lyle Berman spent most of the day entertaining us with his brainstorming — further proving that Crandell was indeed accurate on his analysis of Lyle’s intellect. “Do you know what Full Tilt should do?” asked Berman. “What?” asked Clonie. Lyle then declined to share the information because it was just too good of an idea.

Sassy (a good thing) and sexy Clonie Gowen and Erick Lindgren told funny stories while playing Chinese poker. While Michael Bolcerek, President of the Poker Players Alliance worked on what he wanted to say before the counsel, Dan made sure no strippers, bookmakers & leg breakers showed up to confirm poker players are just a bunch of polluted souls.

It was a long day but well worth the wait when we officially had a poker soap box to stand on before the House. (DAN INSERT VIDEO HERE) I was honored to testify for poker and for charities that are “in love” with the possibility of charitable poker tournaments (which would raise millions of dollars to help fight disease and the less fortunate). My entire poker life I have heard they were trying to legalize the game of poker in our great state which has yet to happen. But I had to ask myself…”who am I to complain if I am just standing by doing nothing?”

This leads to a similar situation I hear in Vegas tournaments…the complaint of the infamous Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. I fondly refer to this as the “Everyone Get’s a Piece of the ACTion” bill. Are these complainers doing anything? Yes, some are doing some foot work, but what about the players who are not? They could at least write their Congressman. Like we say down here in Texas…If you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen!