My Vote For Poker Player of the Year
Being a hardcore, dyed-in-the-wool poker player at heart myself, of the stories I’ve heard come out of the World Series of Poker this year, there is only one that speaks of pure dedication to such a noble cause as the game of life we know as “poker” and could earn my vote for Poker Player of the Year… Paul Clark’s story.
Here is a guy – a professional player – who takes the game so seriously that while he’s in competition for the title of Razz World Champion – final table, no less – has suffered multiple mini-strokes and refuses to leave the game to seek medical treatment. I’ve only heard similar tales dating back to the old school road gambler days… like way back there to the times of Johnny Moss and his rough youth coming up in gambling. That’s how Paul Clark’s World Series story resonates with me.
Absolutely amazing, this guy! Crazy? Maybe. You say tomato, I say sugo bianco sauce. I’m just saying that I can see where he is coming from. I’m not saying ethically that it’s good or bad or indifferent. That sort of determination every man (or woman) would have to make for themselves. I’m simply saying that I understand. It has to be pointed out again, though, that he was in contention for a world championship, and on the home stretch, at that. How many athletes out there – even in high school football, for example, much less the Superbowl – have chosen to play injured? Actually, how many have been psychologically compelled by their coaches and peers to play with an injury “for the good of the team?” Well, this ain’t high school football, kids, and the only team you can let down has one player and it’s someone you have to live with day in and day out… hearing him say “dammit why didn’t you just….?”
So yeah, I can understand Paul Clark. And he gets my vote: Paul Clark, Poker Player of the Year.
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