Mr. Peanut demanded too much money to call the opening cards in the air, so the WSOP got Michael Buffer instead.
As the 2008 WSOP was coming to a close a few days ago, Pauly and I couldn’t help but notice that there seemed to be no new sponsors that weren’t already around for in the summer. Disappointing, sure — but maybe it’s just the general economy?
I began to speculate that WSOP marketing honcho Tye Stewart must be in BIG trouble, dude! couldn’t have been too happy that the most celebrated deal inked between July and November was an extended contract with Johnny Chan’s All In Energy Drink. About 10 minutes later, though, Jeffrey Pollack was speaking to the crowd, giving specific thanks and extreme kudos to Stewart as the successful, hard-working architect of the The November Nine vision. And indeed, we now know the broadcast returned some admirable TV numbers; and even as players got eliminated, there were lines of people in the Rio hallways to fill the Penn & Teller Theater’s 1,200 seats. So maybe now, with something definitive to sell potential backers in the future, what looked a little disappointing while riding up and down the escalators is actually a sign of better things to come?
Below is a pictorial look at some added value for official WSOP banners (and inflatables) in action:
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Your WSOP Experience is hardly complete without a drink or seven at the notorious Rio hooker bar … and while I skipped out early on post-coronation festivities, Pauly stuck around to yuk it up with Otis and Howard (from PokerStarsBlog.com, and England). Frightening observations of obese depravity lead to existential musings on the pathetic existence of all who domicile in Vegas (umm …) and while the trio don’t talk with Peter Eastgate as he walks through the Rio casino eerily alone for a guy who just won $9 million, they do interview one of the working girls … and before you know it they’re negotiating a deal to shoot a tag-team porno, all of which eventually deteriorates into threats of a lawsuit.
Hey, that’s just how things float early after sunrise on a Wednesday morning at the Rio.
Book 5: Tao of Hooker Bar
Episode 5.1: Boundless Nature, Las Vegas
6:05
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Episode 5.2: Hurricane of Hookers
7:25
[audio:tao/TOP-5-2.mp3]
Episode 5.3: Cage-Savvy Coochie
3:05
[audio:tao/TOP-5-3.mp3]
Keep Floppin’ Aces, on RoundersRadio. Lou Krieger’s guest will be none other than my own podcast co-homie, Dr. P. He tells me:
Our topics will be the WSOP final table and November Nine in Las Vegas and if we have time, we’ll chat about my experiences in London and Budapest.
There’s also a call in number if you want to ask any questions…. 810-496-3428.
Usually I don’t listen to these things live — I generally let Shamus direct me to the best episodes and download the podcast. But I happen to be in front of the computer right now, and the Chicago-Columbus MLS Cup playoff game is plenty exciting with just the video, little sound. (Currently 1-0 Chicago in the 40th minute; great uniform match-up, too — bright red vs. bright yellow.)
If you are seeing this after the fact, you’ll be able to find the full episode for your podcast pleasure here a couple days from now.
UPDATE: Chicago 1 – 2 Columbus in stoppage time. Great game — so many beautiful shots and tackles — but doh!
From the flaks at ESPN:
POKER’S PREMIERE EVENT ENJOYS SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCE INCREASE ON ESPN
As Denmark’s Peter Eastgate became the youngest champion ever in front of a packed house in Las Vegas, nearly 2.4 million viewers were tuned into ESPN’s groundbreaking same-day coverage of the World Series of Poker, presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light on Tuesday, November 11.
The telecast earned a 1.9 rating, up 46% from 1.3 for the final showdown in 2007, and represents 1,905,000 homes and 2,364,000 viewers in the average minute. Those are increases of 53% in homes (from 1,249,000) and 52% among viewers (from 1,552,000).
For the 2008 season’s schedule of 32 shows, averages were 0.9 rating, 919,000 homes and 1,126,000 people, up 13% among homes (from 815,000) and 15% among viewers (from 981,000).
Eastgate, 22, of Odense, Denmark, shattered Phil Hellmuth’s record as youngest champion of the no-limit Texas Hold ’em tournament by two years. Hellmuth was 24 when he won in 1989.
ADDENDUM: Commish Jeffrey P’s bloggage on the overall success.
The 2008 WSOP has come to an end, and with crews tearing down the set … Pauly and I give our after-the-fact analysis of heads-up play and The November Nine Experiment.
Book 4: WSOP Final Table
Episode 4.14: That’s a Wrap 3:49
[audio:tao/TOP-4-14.mp3]
You can’t’ tell from the groovin’ tunes in the background, but Pauly y yo are in the PT Theater as the heads-up battle is just one hand from completion — and I’m suffering from severe WSOP separation anxiety tech tilt as Pokerati goes offline at a fairly critical time, presumably at the hands of loyal Tao of Pokerati listeners. (Bastards.) From there we speculate on the future of the WSOP’s relationship with Milwaukee’s Best Light, particularly in light of a pretty major biz merger we missed during the start of the regular WSOP.
Book 4: WSOP Final Table
Episode 4.13: Web Player Down! 4:53
[audio:tao/TOP-4-13.mp3]
Pauly and I discuss what goes into becoming a WSOP final-final table dealer, his crazy series of prop bets with Otis, Lou the Dealer’s up-close observations about the heads-up action (both were nervous, and Peter Eastgate kept messing up his bets in early hands), and the Linda Tran vs. Jena Phillips controversy, both of us unaware that Lou (my pick) would end up winning the side-action on who deals the final hand a few hours later.
Book 4: WSOP Final Table
Episode 4.12: Dealer or No Dealer? 3:31
[audio:tao/TOP-4-12.mp3]
Hmm, I spent some comment time below advocating for more-live poker … but upon reading this story in the New York Times about the end of the poker boom (by J-school classmate Steve Freiss), I learned something new that kinda gets in the way of the vision I was pimping:
ESPN plans to edit a two-hour show about the final two days of play, which will be broadcast on Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern time. (Nevada law prohibits broadcasting live gambling events in progress.)
OK, crap … laws. Not sure how that applies to boxing and MMA fights (which are shown relatively live and can still be bet on) … but regardless, it seems LIVE and ESPN do not work well together with poker. I guess that leaves us the internet (or maybe satellite?)?
One other interesting thing to note about the story above: It ran in the Fashion & Style section — not sports, not business, not even entertainment and TV. I guess we can only hope that poker outlasts the popularity of Ed Hardy T-shirts.
I’m curious what y’all thought about the big-hype show last night. I enjoyed the hands we did see — because really, this final table probably featured some of the best pure poker of any main event sit-n-go I’ve seen since I started following poker five years ago. Not sure how well that came across.
The Craig Marquis bustout hand really was incredible … that woulda been a good time for ESPN to show the audience, not just the players … because really, the whole audience was on pins-and-needles. Even we cynical media types temporarily forgot about our jobs and became true fanboys, just waiting for that devestating river card. (To some extent, poker fans are a little bit like NASCAR viewers, not wanting to see but kinda sorta waiting for an amazing crash.)
Overall, I thought ESPN did a better job covering the whole of the World Series better than any year prior. But the final table was a little disappointing … I give it a B-. But hey, I’m always very forgiving the first go-round … you learn so much from doing something once. I look forward to seeing what they come up with next year.
A few more random thoughts about the whole experience:
- Penn & Teller Theater was an awesome venue. Woulda been a better experience, however, had the whole set-up been rotated 90 degrees, so the MBL Lounge wasn’t blocking so much of the view.
- ESPN seemed to have difficult lighting the crowd for such shots. I will give them my secret for free: set your cameras to “Auto”.
- Two hours was not long enough for the show. Had they made it three or four hours — or fuck, the whole shebang on pay-per-view — it woulda been more interesting and more of an event. The promotion woulda been easier, too, because it woulda stood out as something different … but two hours? That’s just an NBA game. What’s special about that?
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Peter Eastgate won it. Age 22. New Great Dane. It’s too late, of course for the newspapers (East Coast, at least) to get the results into the paper … so you’ll have to watch it plausibly live on ESPN!
(Actually, I suspect a few midwestern papers, at least, will be able to get something in at the last moment — or they’ll just use the internet … bummer that it didn’t go a bit longer?)
A few notes from the coronation:
The Poker Royalty agents exchanged little smiley fist bumps upon Eastgate’s victory. Not sure what that means — but I gotta think a young online Scandi pro has got to be relatively marketable.
Where’s Norman Chad? Nick Geber is taking on the role as post-game interviewer.
Eastgate doesn’t speak fantastic English, and though the Danes will likely be taking some hefty tax (an issue broached by Geber), he can still probably afford a lot of Rosetta Stone. The Danish early-career Dirk Nowitzki of Poker? OK, bad comparison … but it’s late, people are tired, and, frankly, there’s kinda an eerie calm in the Penn & Teller Theater, as the enormity of Eastgate’s achievement still seems to be setting in.
A champion is in our midst, and he is the youngest WSOP main event champion ever. Congratulations, Peter Eastgate from Odense, Denmark!
Both players got in cheap to see the flop of 2d-Ks-3h. It was Eastgate who bet out, and Demidov check-called. The 4c hit on the turn, which prompted another check from Demidov. Eastgate bet again, and Demidov then raised to 6 million. Eastgate called, and when the 7s came on the turn, Demidov pushed all-in. Eastgate called instantly with Ad-5s for the wheel. Demidov’s 4h-2h wasn’t good enough, and he was out in second place with $5,809,595 in prize money.
Peter Eastgate became the 2008 WSOP main event champion at only 22-years old, breaking Phil Hellmuth’s record to become the youngest champion ever. He was subsequently awarded the WSOP bracelet and the $9,152,416 that accompanied it.
But hey, let’s keep this on the down-low, huh? Since this is semi-live and will be aired on ESPN in less than 24 hours, keep this to yourselves until it the TV broadcasts the news. Thanks!
There’s less than a 4 million chip difference. In history … I think this will go down as one of the best-played final tables in WSOP history, or at least 21st century WSOP main event final tables.
We’ll see … I could be wrong. Can’t wait to see some of the hole cards.
More than two hours into heads-up play, most of the crowd remains in their seats, despite discovering how slow and uneventful live poker can be at times. Some other points of interest:
~From the time the final table began yesterday, this just turned into the longest WSOP main event final table in history, beating out the 14-hour 2005 table which went to Joe Hachem.
~Dennis Phillips and Darus Suharto are in the audience to sweat their former opponents and see this thing come to a conclusion.
~Reportedly, Erick Lindgren’s name was misspelled on his engraved Harley.
~Demidov came on strong tonight by evening up the chip stacks, but within the last hour, Eastgate not only regained his lead but became the first player to leap over the 100 million chip mark. Demidov just dipped below the 30 million mark and can’t seem to find a spot to make a comeback…yet.
E-Dog had the Player of the Year title locked up in July, but the honor and gift was officially bestowed upon him tonight, just prior to the start of the WSOP main event heads-up match.
In a very brief ceremony, Jeffrey Pollack recognized Erick Lindgren for winning his first World Series bracelet this year, which he did in the $5K Mixed Hold’em event, and a total of four cashes in various events, two being final tables (4th place in the $5K NL 2-7 Draw Lowball and 3rd in the $50K H.O.R.S.E. event). It was a stellar summer for Erick, and he certainly earned the POY award.
While there are likely tournament entries to various WSOP events included in his prize, Erick was also presented with a new custom-engraved Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He spoke very briefly to say that he was honored to receive the award, being in the company of many great past winners, and was happy to see the theater packed with poker fans tonight.
Congrats, Erick!
The famed ringside announcer did the “shuffle up and deal” at the start of today’s heads-up. It was pretty entertaining stuff, as you could tell that Jack Effel (who introduced him) has been practicing emulating him … and also amusing the way Buffer treated chips as if they were body mass.
