I know. Amidst the WSOP main event, the Tiffany Michelle hubbub, and the Russ Hamilton-UB connect-the-dots game, you’ve really been wondering, What ever happened to the awesomely exciting Pokerati Bowling Series?

We did have one final session, smack dab in the middle of the main event on July 11. One night, we just couldn’t take the Amazon Room for one more moment and headed over to the bowling alley at the Gold Coast. Prop bets ran amuck, and might I say that it became a bit (understatement) competitive. Team Pokerati member Whit Blanton came in a bit (understatement) tipsy from celebrating his WSOP main event cash and ESPN feature table appearance, Tuscaloosa Johnny smoked his Pokerati writing mates, and Team Pokerati player Jerry Randack took a ton of betting action from the sidelines. Short-stacked Shamus came up just a little short of his goals, but I can see a possible name change to Striker Shamus (or something more creative) if his last frame was any indication, and Haley fell short of her expectations and experienced a (understatement) bit of prop betting/bowling tilt. Harris just hustled us all.

PBS – Event 5 – Game 2A

PBS – Event 5 – Game 2B

All in all, for most of us, it was a great way to end the PBS for the summer. And while many in the poker biz await the trip to Vegas for the “November Nine” at the WSOP final table, some of us may be secretly honing our bowling skills for the 2008 PBS, Part Deux. Bring it!

Tuscaloosa Hollywood Johnny is playing in a blackjack tourney at Binion’s, or maybe it’s the four queens … somewhere that isn’t the Rio. His first report:

“Won my first table! Now only have to win 3 more and I will be $25k richer!

Ah, yes, the end of Vegas desperation rituals kick in. But go TJ! Gamble-gamble!

Tuscaloosa Johnny, representin’ for the first few levels in $1,500 HORSE at the 2008 WSOP.

Here’s Tuscaloosa Johnny’s “bustout interview” — you can feel the pain of a man who falls short of his dreams and must face the reality that he’s a long way away from the $50k HORSE final table, aka poker’s grandest stage … because really, when your two-pair run into rolled-up 10s that turn into a straight in 7-stud what can you do? I mean other than hit stuff fold.

ALT HED: Go Team Pokerati!

Dan seems to think that the story of an Alabama hillbilly chronicling his last attempt to win a mint and avoid going back to the 9 to 5 would be interesting so in addition to bringing you the interesting stories from the WSOP floor, I will be sharing my own adventures in Sin City during the last three weeks of the WSOP.

For a brief introduction, I am Johnny Kampis, better known in the poker blogger world as “Tuscaloosa” Johnny since I hail from the Crimson City. I wrote for Dan at PokerBlog back in the heady days of WSOP 2006. I worked for PokerWorks last summer and have been the main writer for Rounder Magazine for the last couple of years. I also have my own blog, PokerNation, where I share my personal rants and raves.

 I used to be a newspaper guy, working in that sort of journalism for six years. I left The Tuscaloosa News in the summer of 2005 hoping to sell a book on one year in the life on the tournament trail. I did some nice traveling that year, from Vegas to Foxwoods, Atlantic City to Reno, and met some interesting characters, but didn’t score a book deal. Now I feel like a guy with two dollars in his pocket and no plan on how to make it grow. I’ve managed to survive, but not really thrive, during the last three years. Dan knows, Donkey Bomber knows, and else reading this in a similar situation knows how much more enjoyable life can be without the 9 to 5 grind, but unless I can make the poker tables rain money in the next three weeks I’ll be on the job hunt when I return home.

I’ve spent my first few days in Vegas desperately trying to score a proper media pass so I can sit with Dan, Jen and the rest of the wonderful pokerati typing my reports. (There was supposed to have been one through Rounder, but there has been a snafu.) So now I sit here in the Fitzgerald’s Krispy Kreme feverishly trying to finish my first post while snacking on a lemon-filled doughnut. Damn sticky keys.

I’ve had no luck as of yet. I tried the $240 Omaha Hi-Lo at the Golden Nugget Grand series on Wednesday and played for 11 and a half hours only to not even make the moolah. I busted 21st of 162 and 18 got paid. I’m 0 for 4 in WSOP satellites. So far I’m singing the hillbilly blues.