The 2012 WSOP is right around the corner, and one key question you have to ask every year: OMG, what am I gonna wear? It’s been a long time since i’ve seen a poker T-shirt that actually made me LOL even a little bit … but dare I say kinda cool?
And the good folks at Grinder Gear Clothing Co. (poker, surfing, skateboarding apparel) have partnered with the Poker Players Alliance to put out their “Live and Let Grind” collection — a political statement and slogan of solidarity that stands to catch on with poker players and strippers alike.
Grinder Gear says 20 percent of what they make on these shirts will go to the PPA, so it’s feel-good fashion all around — comfortable clothing for poker freedom.
This heads-up battle stands to be one of the great ones. But it’s more than just a few million bucks difference and a bracelet on the line. The whole future of poker style could hang in the balance of a single river card. Will Martin Staszko, the workman-styled Czech-raiser, beat Pius Heinz and end the hoodie trend among online poker Deutschebags?
It’s been heads-up for almost three hours between Martin Staszko and Pius Heinz. Dan and Pauly discuss their outfits and lack of patches. They also decide to pick sides. Pauly is backing Heinz, while Dan is sticking with Staszko.
Oh, and Dan is perplexed when he realizes that he is dressed identically to Pauly.
A very special episode with Kevin “KevMath” Mathers and Dr. Pauly, as the two discuss an unusual topic.
2011 WSOP – Episode 17: Fake Fashion Report with Kev Math (5:10) – Pauly chats with Kev Math, who is a self-described “fashion expert.” The two compare and contrast the different styles of clothing worn by members of the media. KevMath also reveals why he won’t wear shorts.
Have I just missed this timing connection for all these years? The LAPC and the WPT Celebrity Invitational coinciding with the Oscars? Hmm, it seems like good timing, especially when a few big names going deep are Tilly, DeNiro, and Salomon.
After a presumably successful near-WSOP-length run, the LAPC is coming to close … you know you’re finally at the “main event” whenever Jess & BJ arrive — even if we’re only talking about a $100k first prize. Regardless that’s when I start paying attention in just about all things WPT. Their show gives me about as much as I need, too, for coverage of this whole Oscars thing that seems to go down every year. (Couldn’t even tell you who won … but I think Charlie Sheen has been big buzz maybe?)
I don’t really consider myself as a critic of film criticism … but I do think we all can tell that BJ would really play to his strengths if he were doing red-carpet fashion critique and Jess stuck to sports.
Here are a few links to get your mind kickin’ before we get into the throes of poker “news” … to sites that have been on my radar of late for varying reasons. These independently selected, never-for-sale (except at the very top and very bottom) click-worthy internet suggestions are brought to you by the fine folks at:
Tao of Fear — Pauly steps away from poker and Phish to take on the real world, a place that turns out to be filled with (very real) mayhem, foreigners, and death … and that’s just Wall Street pre-Libya! There’s a fine line between current events and conspiracy theory … a few pills and maybe a shot of whiskey, too.
Bill’s Blog and Hardboiled Poker — two of the more thoughtful poker blogs out there … well-informed, and always adding something new to the conversation. I never link to Bill Rini or Shamus enough … but hey, following either of these guys is kinda like a subscription to the New Yorker … so much good stuff, just near-impossible to keep up. I have about eight specific posts from each of them waiting to be written up, but usually about 2/3 through, one of them produces a missive that makes me realize the pedantic flaws in whatever I was originally thinking.
Poro Report 2011 — kinda like Drudge, or actually a lot like Drudge … a well-culled link-dump directing you to the most current and relevant bits of poker news and industry convo harvested from around the internet.
LV Fashion Report — Some new sassy blogger chick’s take on Vegas people and all their outerwear is trying to suggest. (With a few sneak peaks at new Vegas properties, too.) I’m pretty sure “Kate Couture” isn’t her real name, but I think I’ve seen her running around Panorama Towers … so obviously she’s got insight into the most pea-cocky of poker players.
J Gary Wise — my fellow 2x award-winning Poker Beat sparring partner seems to be swimming with craziness these days without TPB to give him a wild-rant fix — (I know the feeling) — and thus the ESPN columnist has been spewing out original, semi-intelligent content rather fierce. Sometimes pokery, sometimes not, but either way, Gary is still Gary, and therefore sure to at some point make you wanna punch him.
A Year of Culinary Curiousity — Former Pokerati contrib Jen Newell has a new non-poker blog … about food and cooking and edible bad beats. In a way, it is kinda like a poker blog, as Jen tries to move up in stakes and hone her kitchen game — skill and luck determining results. Glad she decided against calling the site All You Can Eat, Baby!
Allied Listing:
The Maven Training — If you’re not maximizing your return at the tables, you’re playing suboptimal poker, leaving profits behind. Whether you prefer cash games or tournaments, live or online, be the best at your table by training with accomplished pros. Next boot camp: March 4-6.10% Pokerati discount here.
At first glance, you almost don’t even notice they have anything to do with poker … and on closer look you’ll say, “Yo, shirt people, where are the hot chicks?” You know, especially with a name like “Rise”.
I think that’s the whole point of this brand, Rise, created by a group of home-game players who happened to include some designers and business dudes who got to talking and realized that indeed, for all the loafing poker players do, there are some specific needs for hitting the “field of play” in a casino … and they don’t include flying ace designs, bad poker terminology, nor skulls and glitter.
Even the douchiest shirt they’ve got comes with a semi-literary script about the essence of a trap … but requires third-level thinking before you can apply it to a poker-table sitch. Kinda coolish.
Awesome … talk about a stroke of fortunate timing. The latest release from Pokerati’s Generic Pokerwear collection just arrived … in time for Dan Fleyshman’s final table run at WSOPE, where he starts off as the chip leader. The shirt, as testament to PGP’s high style and versatility, is also fitting for die-hard fans of 1981 movies starring Sylvester Stallone and Pele.
Even if Fleyshman, the affable jet-setting insomniac Gen-Y online poker CEO whose penchant for lingerie models has put him at the center of controversy, goes out in something non-memorable like 7th place … you can always stick it to the Nazis or make a time-tested statement on the table or off about what’s yours with:
NOTE: These shirts are not official uniforms for Team Victory Poker and are for entertainment purposes only. Any similarities to attire worn by actual VP pros is coincidental.
Some more fun stuff from World Tavern Poker Open this weekend … their promotional swag shirts feature the catchy slogan “Great Parties. Great Poker. Great People.” But beyond that, we saw a few other gems on poker players around downtown, including:
You know what they say … first rule of poker is “never fold”.
Chip, chair, beer … Nice! And the whiner shirt, I gotta think, would work just as well in the high-stakes pro world.
That’s not really the point of this video, but hey, when Lacey Jones talks for 15 seconds about the business of getting naked, people listen.*
The Absolute Poker/Zizzazz girl’s latest spokesmodel gig is with Ksino.com (a gambling-themed clothing line by the people who helped set standards for douchebag- club-culture fashion with Caffeine).
The vid gives a little behind-the-scenes peek at her signing the deal, and then follows her as she hits the streets of Manhattan, where she runs across at least one New York City underground player who offers a glimpse of how the games work there. She also explains how above-ground casinos handle the shark-whale relationship, and eventually starts dressing dudes she meets on the streets … which is kinda like undressing them, but not quite. Special appearance by Spongebob Squarepants.
