Awesomest Stupid New Poker TV Show
It’s called Pool, Poker & Pain, and apparently was inspired by hardcore 9-ball grinders. From PokerNews:
The show’s format will have contestants begin a match by playing pool. After a winner is declared, contestants will head to the poker felt. After a contestant annihilates an opponent at the poker table, he put on gloves and mix it up in the “Circle of Truth,” a 32-foot combat cage.
Though the show’s site doesn’t say much about any specific TV deal they’ve got in place, I hope they find one. (Spike TV maybe?) They’re actually looking for a poker coach, too. The fact that they don’t have one of those yet, either — the show obviously wasn’t conceived by a poker person working for FullTiltPoker.net — is part of what makes me think it might be good. I also like where they see poker’s role in the manly dynamic of technical skill, gambling, and brute strength.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:03am
Apparently, this guy’s been trying for 4 years to get this idea the ground. When I checked the website earlier this week (after seeing it over at PokerNews), there was mention of the “KO Dynasty” group of MMA fighters under “Latest News”. Then I looked at the date, July 2008.
DanM says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:17am
This video makes me think he might eventually get there:
DanM says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:18am
of course it does occur to me what you might lack is competitors. can’t think of too many folks in poker who could handle the mma part.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:41am
I think they’re looking more towards someone who plays pool over the professional poker player.
Tom Schneider says:
September 8th, 2009 at 3:10pm
Dumbest idea since the biathlon where they mix shooting and skiing.
The problem – pool nearly 98% skill, MMA nearly 99% skill and poker, about 70% skill.
Give me the best MMA guy and I’ll have him shove in poker every hand. There is no equivalent to that in MMA.
What next? Crosswords, shark wrestling and a chili cookoff?
DanM says:
September 8th, 2009 at 3:13pm
***Dumbest idea since the biathlon where they mix shooting and skiing.*** Hmm, well considering there’s never been a great idea without someone calling it a stupid idea, I gotta think this assessment is a good sign for Blair Thein.
And though I’m not disputing your overall point, I’ve actually talked to some MMA fighters who told me there actually are the equivalent of “donkeys” in MMA … sometimes it’s really hard to beat a guy because he doesn’t know what he’s doing, in which case it makes it more difficult for the experienced fighter to plan three moves ahead.
Tom Schneider says:
September 8th, 2009 at 10:38pm
bullshit. I will give you 500 to 1 odds against any mma fighter that has appeared on tv. good luck getting lucky sir.
I would not give you 5 to 1 odds in a heads up match against Phil Ivey. Now do you get it?
Weak fighters will not be interested in competing with some bad ass, but bad poker players are happy to play poker with Phil Ivey.
DanM says:
September 8th, 2009 at 11:10pm
***I would not give you 5 to 1 odds in a heads up match against Phil Ivey. Now do you get it?***
ah, right … because I am really really good at heads up. I do get it, thanks.
i still think, based on the people i have met here in Vegas, that there are indeed tons and tons of “donkey” fighters who haven’t yet made it on TV. The question isn’t whether or not a guy like yourself could beat Randy Couture (The TJ Cloutier of MMA?), it’s about whether or not you could beat Gavin Smith at MMA. Or more specifically, the “pool world” equivalents of you and Gavin.
Kevin Mathers says:
September 9th, 2009 at 6:10am
Randy Couture is more like the Doyle Brunson of MMA.