The End Of An Era

Over two and a half years ago, I started writing for PokerNews (and I am not going to glorify them with a link in this article). I had been writing about poker for about a year at that point and, when they said they liked my work and wanted me to write EXCLUSIVELY for them, I was more than happy to take part in the work. Thus started what has been a great journey which will only get better.

Over the past 2 1/2 years, I have written over 600 (and that's conservative) articles that have been repeated around the world, for which I am grateful (if you don't believe me, Google it...Earl Burton and Poker, or you can go to PokerNews and put my name in their search area). I covered tournaments from LA to Mississippi and wanted to do more (I actually pushed PokerNews to cover tournaments...I was told it wasn't "financially viable" as they got no extra signups to earn them money from reporting tournaments). I covered the last two World Series and really wanted to be there for this one.

When PokerNews started covering tournaments in 2007 (and, I must add, this is not going to be a full time thing...don't expect to see them cover every WPT, WSOPC or even major tournaments that are outside of those), I was somehow left out of the mix. When I wrote a three part preview of the WPT Championship that they asked to be cut to one article (which were run on this blog), flags went up. When I tried to repeat my 2006 series on the WSOP for this year's event, that was squelched as well. That was perhaps a warning of things to come.

I was a major part of making PokerNews what it is today...I can remember a time when it was me and a certain editor I won't mention were the only pieces. Apparently he forgot those times...I am no longer working with PokerNews.

I am not alone in this exodus from PokerNews, though. I am comforted by the fact that Tim Lavalli (the Poker Shrink) has also ended his association with them. Apparently there is much more going on than what I, sitting 1500 miles from the WSOP, knows about...which was one of my main bones of contentions to start with.

It is unfair to ask readers to read pieces that are written by someone who isn't there, giving them the stories as if they are. In the first 15 days of the WSOP, I wrote 38 articles like I was there, but did nothing other than read the live updates and create a story around them. Then I saw these stories chopped to nothing more than a scorecard that you could get from any site anywhere. That was the final straw.

I talked to two well respected poker people and they commiserated with me. Apparently it went to a length that it was mentioned to TPTB at PokerNews that I mentioned it. Well, PokerNews felt it was "insubordinate" of me to mention their transgressions and, thus, I am gone.

What is wrong is that people I consider great friends have not come to the defense of a fellow writer. Apparently they are more consumed with their efforts than the (correct) objections of a comrade who should have been backed. But perhaps that is the current state of poker reporting.

So, instead of the (edited) writing you saw over the first part of the WSOP, you now have a film student with no prior poker experience doing stories. I'll leave that to creative people to figure out who and what. It is the end of an era and perhaps it was overdue. There's quite a bit more that I could say but, for now, I won't. You can be sure of this, however...I am going to write about the poker world and I will find a new home soon.

Tired Of The Bitching

I just wrapped up my writing for the day, the twelfth day of the World Series, and I thought it would be a good idea to roam around and check out some of the other work by bloggers who ARE actually sitting at the World Series of Poker, rather than sitting in their living room writing about it. Boy, am I disappointed.

I really get sick and tired of hearing people whine in their blogs about how "tough" it is to cover the WSOP. I had done it for the past two years and, if I had my way, I'd be doing it again this year. I also went through those twelve to sixteen hour days, the hassles of people (both associated with the event and otherwise), questionable eating habits, the sleep deprivation and everything that I am reading about this year. You know what...if you don't fucking love poker, then get the hell out of there and let those who do (and perhaps have more of a care about the game than you do) take your place. It would be better for those who read about the sport as well as the game itself.

Yes, I am still bitter about not being in Vegas for the WSOP this year. But I am also trying to make the best out of it. Those who gripe about having to be there, well, they shouldn't be. Go ahead and leave now and maybe those who actually give a fuck can take over the guardianship of portraying poker as well as possible.

I'm not saying sanitize what goes on at the WSOP. But there is a line between telling a story and trying to make everything more tawdry than it is. It takes a little more work to present a good story than to pander to the lowest common denominator and most aren't willing to make that little extra effort. And if you don't like what you are doing, then leave...no one's forcing you to stay there.

I have some ideas for media coverage that I am working into a concise plan and many in the industry probably will not like it. But if poker is to become a major entity (perhaps even a major sport?), then it is necessary to do some of the things I am thinking. I'll tell you more about them after that plan is finished and in the hands of the proper people.

With that said, have to congratulate Phil Hellmuth on #11. He was killing the final table, got up to a point at one time when he had more than the remaining three players had total, and charged to the championship. Doyle Brunson himself called Phil, "the greatest no limit tournament player ever"...don't think you can get higher praise than that.

Lacking Excitement For The WSOP

The cards are flying, chips are clicking, murmured voices, shouts of victory or vanquish...all are going on now at the World Series of Poker, which started today. Yours truly has landed in...his couch in Austin, writing about action I am not seeing and depending on a smattering of two sentence statements to build a story.

That is easy enough...in fact, it is so easy that nearly anyone can do it. Which is the insult to someone, like myself, who has covered the poker world for quite some time now and, for reasons unknown, cannot be sitting there to be in on the biggest yearly event in poker.

I have gotten some folks who have commiserated with my position, and for that I thank them. But it still is something that bugs the recesses of my being that I CANNOT COVER IT LIVE. It still isn't done yet...there are things that are working and, potentially, I could at least make it there for the Main Event. However, there has been an announcement that there will be no audience for the Final Table, so that isn't very good.

However, I will do the best I can with what I am READING. I emphasize that point because, as I believe, you can only do the best job possible by actually seeing what is happening, talking to the people, friends and family surrounding the players and capturing the scene as it happens. I certainly wish that it was that way....